YOUTH MARCHING TO TSITSERNAKABERD
Azg/arm
25 Nov 04
More than 3 thousand young people marched to Tsitsernakaberd
(memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide) yesterday marking
the launch of the lawsuit on murder of Armenian officer Gurgen
Margarian. Organizers of the march consider Gurgen Margarian a victim
of genocide and thatâ~@~Ys why they made their way to Tsitsernakaberd.
“The process of the trial should leave no Armenian
indifferent. Armenian officer became a victim of an unprecedented
slaughter only because of his nationality. Axe of the villain
instructed in Turkey was directed against every Armenian, against the
historic justice. Despite admitting all the meanness of the heinous
crime, Azerbaijan tries to justify the criminal”, an appeal of Gurgen
Margarian NGO reads.
President of the Writersâ~@~Y Union of Armenia Levon Ananian
underscored the importance of the program carried out by the youth:
“We are in a kind of a slumber today. Diplomacy does not respond
accordingly, society seems to be indifferent. But the march showed
that the youth understands that it is the bearer of national ideology
and national issues”. Levon Ananian also noted that the Genocide
of 1915 did not get an appropriate response ninety years ago and
today we try to draw worldâ~@~Ys attention to that fact. Today when
another act of vandalism was carried out in the center of Europe,
we have no right to waste time. “Time passes by but the Turksâ~@~Y
essence does not change, deep inside they are still vandals, cynics
and swindlers. Azerbaijan takes steps to protect the criminal. We
see here the same handwriting of Ottoman Turks”, Ananian said.
The multitude was composed mainly of students of Yerevanâ~@~Ys
universities. On their way to Tsitsernakaberd students stopped before
the embassies of Great Britain and the USA.
BY Tamar Minasian
–Boundary_(ID_eLm8posuW53dp1UA9p89Jw)–

ANDRANIK SQUARE IN MEUDON
Azg/arm
25 Nov 04
The French town of Meudon in the south-west of Paris became the first
foreign city to have a square bearing the name of the national hero
of Armenia Andranik Ozanian, known simply as commander Andranik. Among
the people witnessing the historical event were the Armenian ambassador
to France Edward Nalbandian, French generals Ferlius and Berrange.
Mayor of Meudon, Hervé Marseille, who was conducting the ceremony,
presented the life of Andranik, told about his fight against the
Ottoman Turks in Western Armenia and then in Bulgaria, about his
battle in Van in 1915 and his battles to stop Turksâ~@~Y invasion
in Eastern Armenia in 1918-19. In 1919 Andranik disbanded his army
and left Armenia with a group of loyal solders not to be involved in
political infighting. In 1922 he settled in Fresno (USA) where he died
in 1927. Some months later his remnants were conveyed to Per-Lashez
cemetery in Paris and then to Yerablur cemetery in Yerevan in 2000.
Ambassador Nalbandian expressed his gratitude to Mr. Marseille noting
that “the square is another evidence of the century-long friendship
between Armenian and French nations”.
State anthems of Armenia and France accompanied the ceremony.
By Petros Keshishian
–Boundary_(ID_S58XdM4F9ZhucWLKKwOQGA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON SELF DERMINATION
By Mohsin Zaheer
The Pakistani Newspaper
November 24, 2004
United Nations New York, November 24: The United Nations General
Assembly’s Third Committee, dealing with social and humanitarian
issues, today adopted by consensus a draft resolution on the “Universal
Realization of the Right of peoples to Self-determination.” Pakistan
was the lead sponsor of this resolution.
The resolution reaffirms the universal right of peoples to
self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and international
covenants on human rights. It welcomes the progressive exercise of
this right by peoples under colonial, foreign or alien occupation and
their emergence into sovereign statehood and independence. In its
operative part, the resolution calls upon those States responsible
to cease immediately their military intervention in and occupation
of foreign countries and territories and all acts of repression,
discrimination, exploitation and maltreatment, in particular the
brutal and inhuman methods reportedly employed for the execution
of those acts against the peoples concerned. The resolution has
consistently been adopted by the General Assembly since 1981. Pakistan
has always been the lead sponsor of the resolution. Pakistan also
makes a statement in the Third Committee’s General Debate on this
item.The resolution was co-sponsored by a large number of countries
from Asia and Africa. Besides Pakistan, the co-sponsors included:
Algeria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina
Faso, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Jordan,
Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Niger, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
Somalia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
The resolution requests the Commission on Human Rights to continue to
give special attention to the violation of human rights, especially
the right to self-determination, resulting from foreign military
intervention, aggression or occupation. It also requests the Secretary
General to report to the 60th Session of the General Assembly on this
question. The resolution will now go to the Plenary of the General
Assembly for adoption before end of the current session.

GURGEN MARGARYAN IS A GENOCIDE VICTIM
A1+
24-11-2004
The trial of the Azeri officer having axed the Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan started yesterday in Budapest and was postponed till February
5, 2005.
Today more than 5.000 students and schoolchildren have held a
protest action on the initiative of â~@~Gurgen Margaryanâ~@~]
charitable social organization in Yerevan, which ended in a march
in Tsitsernakaberd.
â~@~]Beginning from 5:00 AM of February 19, 2004 to this very day
the world is unaware of what happened in Budapest. It wasnâ~@~Yt
an ordinary murder. It is represented as if a Turk has killed an
Armenian. Azerbaijanis affirm that during the war Armenians killed
the parents and relatives of Ramil Safarov, so he couldnâ~@~Y t live
calmly. In fact, those statements pursue another object. Azerbaijan
once again tries to distort the historical events and factsâ~@~],
publicist Zori Balayan said while making a speech.
According to the Armenian official sources, Safarovâ~@~Ys parents
havenâ~@~Yt been from Jabrayil, as Azerbaijanis assert. Soon Zori
Balayan will publish Safarovâ~@~Ys preliminary testimony, which had
later been changed.
Writer Grigor Janikyan drew participantsâ~@~Y attention to the
statement made by an Azeri MP who had said: â~@~Ramil Safarov must
be protected at a state level. He will return to the homeland in
a year and will head military operations to obliterate thousands of
Armenians. Armenians in Karabakh must be annihilatedâ~@~].
The organizers of the action as well informed that in the beginning
of the trial 100.000 Azerbaijanis â~@~S the participants of the
signature collecting – had demanded Budapest Court to release
Safarov. The participants of the meeting in Yerevan announced that
Gurgen Margaryan was the victim of Genocide and demanded a due
punishment for the criminal.
–Boundary_(ID_DigRLLPpaicxjbPAv/wjgw)–

New US Ambassador Presents Credentials
Laksamana, Indonesia
Nov 25 2004
Laksamana.Net – America’s new ambassador to Indonesia, B. Lynn Pascoe,
presented his credentials to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at
the presidential palace in Jakarta on Thursday (25/11/04), the US
Embassy said in a statement.
“Ambassador Pascoe is looking forward to working with the government
of Indonesia and its people to build upon, strengthen and expand the
good and important relations between the two countries. He is also
looking forward to meeting with the members of the media at an early
opportunity,” said the statement.
Pascoe is no stranger to Southeast Asia, having served as ambassador
to Malaysia from January 1999 to August 2001.
Following the Malaysian posting, he was deputy assistant secretary in
the State Department’s European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau. His areas
of responsibility included countries in the Eastern Mediterranean,
the Caucasus and Central Asia.
He earlier served as US co-chair of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group that sought to resolve the
dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
>>From 1993 to 1996, Pascoe was director of the American Institute
in Taiwan. He has also served as principal deputy assistant secretary
in the State Department’s East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau.
In over three decades of his diplomatic career, he has held positions
on the Soviet and China desks, and has been posted to Moscow, Hong
Kong and Bangkok, as well as to Beijing twice, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur.
Born in Missouri on July 7, 1943, Pascoe received his Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Kansas and his Master of Arts degree
from Columbia University. He has also attended the US National War
College. He speaks Mandarin Chinese and Russian. He and his wife have
two grown daughters.
The US Embassy in Jakarta was closed Thursday in observance of
Thanksgiving Day.

Exxon spurns BP’s pipeline in favour of trains
By Carl Mortished, International Business Editor
The Times, UK
Nov 25 2004
AFTER billions of dollars and billions of headaches, BP’s mammoth
project to pipe oil from the Caspian to the Mediterranean is almost
complete but ExxonMobil will not use it. It is too expensive, the
Americans say.
ExxonMobil is ignoring BP’s new pipe and, instead, has chosen to
export its Caspian oil via rail tankers to a Black Sea port.
BP was quick to insist that Exxon’s decision would not hurt the
economics of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) link. Exxon speaks for 8
per cent of BP’s Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli offshore Caspian oilfield but
the American penny-pinching is as much a political embarrassment as
a financial blow to BP.
A decade ago Washington threw its diplomatic weight behind a project
that was once dismissed as foolish and dangerous: a 1,760km steel
pipe linking oilfields offshore of Baku to a Turkish Mediterranean
port. Passing through the troubled Georgian republic and skirting
Armenia, BTC is a political statement as well as infrastructure: a
route for Central Asian oil to reach Western markets without touching
Russian soil.
The American oil giant confirmed that it had signed a five-year
contract with Azpetrol to ship 10 million tonnes of oil by rail from
Baku to Batumi. “There was a cost issue and we signed with Azpetrol
for competitive reasons,” said an Exxon spokesman.
The complexity of Caucasian politics has dogged the BTC project,
which has also had to fend off campaigning by environmental groups
determined to make an example of BP’s project. The pipeline rises
from sea level to 2,800 metres and passes through national parks.

NBC4.TV, CA
Nov 25 2004
Suspect In 2000 Road Rage Death Enters Plea
Suspect Captured After International Manhunt
POSTED: 1:46 pm PST November 24, 2004
LOS ANGELES — An Armenian arrested in Yerevan recently and handed
over to U.S. authorities pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and
other charges related to an alleged road rage slaying in Universal
City on April 29, 2000.
Shahen Eghia Keshishian, 32, remains jailed in lieu of more than $1
million bond, pending a Dec. 8 appearance in Van Nuys Superior Court.
He is charged with one count of murder, vehicular manslaughter and
leaving the scene of an accident, said Deputy District Attorney
Dmitry Gorin.
The commercial truck driver was at the wheel of a new Chevrolet
Suburban when he and his passenger were seen throwing eggs at Michael
Craven’s Jeep, according to Los Angeles police.
“The victim and suspect pulled to the shoulder (and) Keshishian
suddenly accelerated and intentionally ran over the victim,” according
to an entry on the LAPD’s most wanted list.
The encounter occurred on the southbound Hollywood (101) Freeway,
south of Barham Boulevard, according to Glendale police. Craven,
a 44-year-old freelance film editor from Canoga Park, died while
being taken to the hospital.
Keshishian was charged June 23, 2000 with Craven’s slaying, and
charged separately by federal authorities in November 2000 with
unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Along with the LAPD’s most wanted list, Keshishian also had been named
as a fugitive on the FBI’s Web site. The entry now reads “Captured.”
Keshishian’s arrest by Armenian authorities in the capital of Yerevan
earlier this month and his subsequent return to Los Angeles was the
fruit of an FBI, LAPD and Glendale police effort. Assisted by other
U.S. law enforcement agencies, the LAPD determined last month that
Keshishian was hiding in Armenia, once part of the former Soviet
Union, where he was detained for overstaying his visa, according to
Glendale police.
Before his arrest, Glendale police officers who had gone to Armenia
to assist in the training of officers in that country worked out a
deal with Armenia’s National Security Service to help find Keshishian.

Boston Globe, MA
Nov 25 2004
Eustis tookTrinity in a new direction
Departure for Public marks end of an era
By Ed Siegel, Globe Staff | November 25, 2004
>>From the time George C. Wolfe announced he was leaving New York’s
Public Theater last February, it was inevitable that Oskar Eustis
would be considered a front-runner to be the fourth artistic head of
the house that Joe Papp built.
In his 10 years as artistic director at Trinity Repertory Company,
Eustis has brought the theater artistic glory and financial
stability, managing to build the audience while pushing the envelope.
Or perhaps prodding the envelope is more accurate. While Eustis’s
roots were in experimental theater, his programming in Providence was
deliberate in terms of rebuilding an audience and gradual in its
inventiveness.
Thanks to Adrian Hall, who led the company from 1964 to 1989, Trinity
established itself as one of the foremost regional theaters in the
country. But with the boom in regional houses in the 1980s, Trinity
lost some of its luster. Bostonians, for example, had the American
Repertory Theatre and the Huntington Theatre Company, beginning in
the early 1980s, so why travel to Providence when there was theater
of the same caliber locally?
To be more distinctive, Trinity named avant-garde director Anne
Bogart to be Hall’s successor. While some have fond memories of her
bold work (she hired both Eustis and ART artistic director Robert
Woodruff to direct), Providence audiences started voting with their
feet.
When Eustis became artistic director 10 years ago he inherited a $3
million debt, an acting company that was getting older and not
better, and audiences skeptical that Trinity was meeting their needs.
What he brought to the company, though, were impeccable artistic
credentials (he was the original director and dramaturge for Tony
Kushner’s ”Angels in America”) as well as schmoozing abilities like
nobody’s business. In fact, schmoozing abilities are part of the
business now. As corporate and private funds are harder to find, the
ability to woo donors is part of the job description.
One of Eustis’s prize catches was the former mayor of Providence,
Buddy Cianci, who realized how essential Trinity was to revitalizing
that part of the city. He not only came to the rescue by refinancing
and restructuring the company’s debt, but helped restore the area
around Trinity, clearing out some of the peep shows and helping more
upscale restaurants move into the area.
In a way, the financial turnaround was easier than the artistic one.
I have to admit I was not a huge fan of Trinity in Eustis’s early
days. Productions such as ”A Long Day’s Journey Into Night” were
markedly inferior to those by other regional theaters, such as the
ART. The company seemed tired. New plays such as ”Ambition Facing
West” were OK at best.
Eustis was clearly reaching out to the Providence community, bringing
on local high school marching bands to appear in ”The Music Man” and
members of Rhode Island’s Armenian community to perform folk dances
in the so-so play, ”Nine Armenians,” in 1998. For someone who had
cut his teeth on the New York underground theater scene of the 1960s,
this had to be a big comedown, no?
No, said Eustis in a 1999 interview: ”Theater went through a period
from the late ’60s through the late ’70s where it thought it could
institutionalize a countercultural impulse, and I think that didn’t
work. For the most part, the institutions that are surviving are the
ones that have been able to convince people that what they are doing
is vital to their lives. . . . If they don’t want to come, nothing is
going to stop them. It’s a much tougher world than it was even 15
years ago.”
It seemed as if he were saying to the Providence theater community,
”I’ll give you an audiencefriendly piece like A.R. Gurney’s ‘Sylvia’
if you’ll stretch for Dario Fo’s ‘We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!’ ”
Meanwhile, each season was getting slightly more adventurous than the
previous one; Eustis was enlisting younger recruits to join the
acting company; he forged a relationship with Brown University; the
audience was growing; the deficit was shrinking.
Eustis was getting some of the best playwrights in America to develop
their work at Trinity. One of his mentors, the late Spalding Gray,
workshopped ”It’s a Slippery Slope” at Trinity. Paula Vogel, who
teaches at Brown, premiered ”The Long Christmas Ride Home” there
after productions of some of her other plays. Kushner developed
”Homebody/Kabul” three years ago with Eustis directing. And Eustis
was bringing along new playwrights as well, such as Rinne Groff with
last season’s intriguing ”The Ruby Sunrise.”
These are all productions that fit snugly into the Public’s
aesthetic. Eustis and Wolfe have similar tastes in theater, though
Wolfe is the flashier director. In fact, there was a temporary rift
between Eustis and Kushner when Kushner dropped him in favor of Wolfe
for the Broadway run of ”Angels in America,” which added more bells
and whistles to Eustis’s spartan production.
That rift has been mended and contemporary playwrights will have an
open door, or at least an open mind, at the Public. Whether Eustis
has the ability, or desire for that matter, to maintain a high
commercial profile for the Public is another matter. Papp scored
commercial paydirt with ”A Chorus Line” and Wolfe had ”Bring in ‘Da
Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk” as well as the recent ”Elaine Stritch at
Liberty” one-woman show. The flipside, though, is that Wolfe also
lost tons of money with failed Broadway productions of ”The Wild
Party” and ”On the Town.”
Eustis shares Wolfe’s determination to reach out to more diverse
communities. He is close to Suzan-Lori Parks and will be coproducing
”Topdog/Underdog” at Trinity and the New Repertory Theatre in Newton
this season. ”Topdog” premiered at the Public and went on to win the
Pulitzer Prize.
Where does all this leave Trinity? Associate artistic director Amanda
Dehnert has won raves for her bold reimaginings of everything from
”Annie” to ”Othello.” But she does not necessarily inherit Kushner
or the rest of Eustis’s rather amazing Rolodex. And even if she
matched him as a dramaturge, director, or developer of talent, she
could probably never be his equal as a fund-raiser. In fact, Eustis
probably doesn’t have many equals in that department.
Nevertheless, since Dehnert will be filling in as acting artistic
director, she’ll have some time to impress the powers-that-be in
Providence as they ponder the situation. Should they look for an
artistic director at a similar-sized institution? Look for someone
with a similar sensibility at a smaller theater company? Rick
Lombardo’s arc at the New Rep has been remarkably similar to Eustis’s
at Trinity, though on a smaller scale. Or promote Dehnert from
within?
“I think they’ll look for another strong leader,” says Nicholas
Martin, artistic director at the Huntington Theatre Company.
”History has taught that it’s very rare for theater companies to
promote from within, and because Oskar has led them back, I would
think they would want someone who is charismatic and also a
first-rate director.”
In his cameo in the film version of ”Angels in America,” Eustis can
be seen ushering folks into heaven. Without Eustis Trinity would
probably not have reached the promised land. Now it has to find the
person to keep the company there.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
11/24/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Azerbaijan's Divisive Campaign at UN Threatens to Derail Karabagh Peace Process 2) Congress Finalizes FY 2005 Foreign Aid Bill 3) UN Vote On Pro-Azeri Karabagh Resolution Delayed 4) Turkey. Cultural Genocide 5) 'Beast on the Moon' to Debut on Broadway 6) Tribute to Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian 7) Gorky Expert Discusses Influence of Armenian Culture, Genocide on Artist's Work 1) Azerbaijan's Divisive Campaign at UN Threatens to Derail Karabagh Peace Process Rep. Pallone speaks out against destructive UN resolution; ANCA leads grassroots campaign to urge the administration to oppose destabilizing measure WASHINGTON, DC--On Tuesday, the ANCA issued an appeal to Secretary of State Colin Powell urging him to "strenuously and publicly oppose" an Azeri-sponsored United Nations resolution, which would seriously undermine the Mountainous Karabagh peace process. The action follows a strongly worded November 19 House floor statement by Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and an earlier joint letter by the Armenian Caucus Co-chairs calling the resolution "ill-advised" and urging the US to take decisive action against the measure. Azerbaijan has pressed forward with its resolution, which seeks to condemn the repatriation of Armenians to their ancestral homes in Mountainous Karabagh, despite opposition from the Co-Chairs of the Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group. The co-chairs have noted that, "introducing this issue to the United Nations General Assembly may have two negative consequences. In light of the situation we have outlined, this will be detrimental to the efforts to find a just and lasting settlement of the issue, particularly at this time. Secondly, it will fail to achieve consensus, a situation that will not be helpful. We advise avoiding this situation." Azeri Ambassador to the UN, Yashar Aliyev, began lobbying in support of the resolution on October 14, the day that he submitted a letter requesting that it be included on the UN General Assembly agenda. Both the UN General Committee and General Assembly have voted to allow the matter to be considered. The United States, along with Minsk Group Co-Chairs France and Russia, have abstained on both votes. In his November 19 remarks, Rep. Pallone expressed alarm that "the United States has thus far failed to compellingly address the resolution…This failure by the Administration now has the potential to undermine US interests and American values in the strategically important Caucasus region." The November 7 letter from the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) raised similar concerns, stressing that, "efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the best interests of the US and the South Caucasus region. To this end, we urge that the United States forcefully renounce this proposal, secure its retraction, and impress upon the Azeri government that it should drop such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious and lasting commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process." In the days leading up the vote, ANCA chapters around the country have mobilized local activists to urge the US Ambassador to the United Nations to actively oppose the Azeri measure. The ANCA launched a free WebFax campaign on its website-- Secretary Powell and US Ambassador to the UN John Danforth, calling for an unequivocal "no" vote on the resolution. The WebFax letter explains that Azerbaijan's resolution "works at cross-purposes to America's interests, which are best served by continued dialogue. In fact, the only interests served by Azerbaijan's resolution will be those of hardliners in Baku who seek the fragmentation of the OSCE framework, the unraveling of ten year's worth of negotiations, and the resumption of hostilities in the region...The United States, as a co-chair of the Minsk Group and an honest broker to the negotiating process, should strenuously, and publicly oppose this measure at every stage." 2) Congress Finalizes FY 2005 Foreign Aid Bill Reverses administration's effort to break military aid parity for Armenia and Azerbaijan; fails to include Schiff amendment on the Armenian genocide WASHINGTON, DC--The United States Congress this past weekend adopted an Omnibus spending measure including several provisions of special interest to Armenian Americans--including the reversal of a White House proposal to tip the balance of US military aid toward Azerbaijan. The Bush Administration, in the budget it submitted to Congress in February of this year, had proposed sending four times more Foreign Military Financing to Azerbaijan ($8 million) than to Armenia ($2 million). The final version of the foreign aid bill, adopted on November 20 during a lame duck session of Congress, sets the total military aid figures, including three quarters of a million dollars in International Military Education and Training, for both nations at $8.75 million. "It is absolutely critical that the US maintain parity in military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan," commented Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). "This is as important as ever, particularly in light of the ongoing dangerous comments by Azeri leaders. I am fully committed to ensuring that this policy continues." Congress--at the urging of Senator Mitch McConell (R-KY) and Rep. Knollenberg, both of whom serve as senior members of their respective chamber's foreign aid subcommittees--earmarked at least $75 million in economic aid for Armenia and an additional $3 million for Mountainous Karabagh. Subcommittee member Steve Rothman (D-NJ) welcomed the final numbers, stating "Armenia, as an emerging democracy with a developing free market economic system, needs continued US assistance to accomplish its objectives: regional peace and stability, a successful transition to a free market economy and a flourishing democracy. I will continue to work with the Administration to push Azerbaijan and Turkey to lift their blockades against Armenia, which are placing oppressive and unjustifiable obstacles in the path of Armenia's continued growth and development." "Armenian Americans value the foresight and vision of Congress in restoring military aid parity, setting a $75 million earmark for Armenia, and continuing direct aid to Mountainous Karabagh," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Senator McConnell, Congressman Knollenberg and all our friends deserve a great deal of credit for their tireless efforts on this spending measure. We were, at the same time, disappointed that Congressional leaders failed to respect the clearly expressed will of the US House in adopting the Schiff Amendment. In failing to include this provision in the final version of the bill, Congress missed an opportunity to send a clear message to Turkey that the US government will not tolerate its shameful denial of the Armenian genocide." The restoration of military aid parity by the Congress was identified by the ANCA in early 2004 as a major legislative priority following the President's budget request breaking the standing agreement between the White House and the legislative branch that military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan remain equal. Following the bill's passage Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) cited the importance of maintaining military aid parity. "Even though the President waived Section 907 in FY 2002, its principles and the commitments that were made at that time still remain fundamental to US policy towards the South Caucuses. Moreover, because Azerbaijan continues its blockade of Armenia, it is more important than ever for maintaining Foreign Military Funding parity between these two nations." The House version of the foreign aid bill, adopted this July, included a strongly worded amendment, authored by Rep. Adam Schiff, on the Armenian genocide. This measure, approved as an amendment by voice vote on the House floor, aimed to restrict the government of Turkey from using any of the aid it receives from this appropriation to lobby against the adoption of the Congressional Genocide Resolution. The Senate version did not include a counterpart to the Schiff Amendment, nor did the final text that emerged from House-Senate deliberations. Rep. Schiff commented on the removal of the provision from the final bill stating: "Generations of Americans have long waited for Congress to condemn the murder of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children. Even though the Schiff amendment was not enacted into law, its passage by the House in July was a seminal moment in the effort to recognize the Armenian genocide. While I had hoped that this would be the year Congress would formally speak against the evil perpetrated against the Armenian people almost ninety years ago, we will redouble our efforts in the next year to pass the Schiff Amendment as well as legislation recognizing and condemning all genocides." 3) UN Vote On Pro-Azeri Karabagh Resolution Delayed UNITED NATIONS (RFE/RL-Reuters)--Azerbaijan urged the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to intervene in a long and bitter territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia over the Mountainous Karabagh region. But France, Russia, and the United States, which have been trying to resolve the dispute on behalf of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, asked the assembly to stay on the sidelines and not interfere with their efforts. Azerbaijan has repeatedly accused them of doing little to restore its control over Karabagh. Talks "can only progress in an atmosphere of confidence between the parties. Anything in the direction of building confidence and of avoiding a division of the General Assembly is helpful," said US envoy Susan Moore, speaking on behalf of the OSCE initiative led by Paris, Moscow, and Washington. Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, said his government had decided to take the issue to the General Assembly because Armenia was pursuing an "illegal settlement policy" by flooding the disputed area with Armenians, with an eye to annexing the enclave. He called on the assembly to adopt a resolution affirming its "continued strong support" for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the right of Azeri refugees to return to their former homes in the enclave. The allegations were rebutted by Armen Martirosian, Armenia's ambassador at the UN. He reportedly reiterated the Armenian position that the seven districts in Azerbaijan proper were occupied as a result of Azerbaijan's attempts to win back Karabagh by force and that their return is conditional on a comprehensive peace accord. He also charged that Azerbaijan itself pioneered ethnic cleansing in the conflict by unleashing pogroms of its ethnic Armenian citizens in 1988-90. Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, for his part, warned on Tuesday that the passage of the pro-Azeri resolution would reverse progress which he said he and Mammadyarov made during peace talks earlier this year. The assembly put off a vote on the draft resolution until an unspecified later date. 4) Turkey. Cultural Genocide Calendar documents destruction of Armenian Churches The Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) organization has published a 2005 calendar depicting the fate of Armenian churches in Turkey, which stood intact at the turn of the of the 20th century, but stand effectively leveled today. The RAA uncovers and researches Armenian architectural monuments in the territory of historical Armenia--primarily Western Armenia and Cilicia, and in the neighboring countries of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Nakhichevan, and Iran. Their goal is to take photographs and map existing strictures in order to rescue them on paper, and present Armenian public and international community--before ultimate eradication. The RAA began its activities at the end of the 1960s, and was established in Germany in 1982. In 1998, it registered and operates as a non-profit organization in Armenia. More detailed information on their activities can be found on 5) 'Beast on the Moon' to Debut on Broadway NEW YORK--Art has once again come to the aid of the Armenian Cause, this time in the form of a play called Beast on the Moon. The beautiful and gripping story by Richard Kalinoski, about two survivors who settle in the United States and seek to start a family in the wake of the genocide of their past, powerfully discloses the true nature of the events of 1915. The play--honored by the American Theatre Critics Association in 1996--has been performed in 16 nations, translated into 11 languages, and won more than 40 awards around the world. Producers of the developing New York production of Kalinoski's play are now aiming the work at Broadway in 2005. On November 12, in New York City, producer David Grillo of Stillwater Productions, spoke at a workshop meant to attract the remaining investors needed to stage Beast on the Moon this spring. The American play about Armenian immigrants still dealing with the shadows of the 1915 Armenian genocide--even as they face hope and opportunity in their new home in Milwaukee"is an absolutely universal tale of love as a healing tool in the aftermath of wartime loss," remarked Grillo. Armenian-Americans will be doubly compelled to see this play. On a purely human level, the audience must grapple with the complexity of how love enables the most deeply unexpressed feelings to emerge and be potentially healed, while an Armenian audience will connect with the pathos of what many grandparents and great-grandparents endured as they struggled to construct a life in the aftermath of witnessing the vicious destruction of their families. The work, billed as "a love story, and an American immigrant story," is set in 1921 Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Aram Tomasian first greets Mrs. Seta Tomasian as a fifteen year-old girl, who has been rescued from Armenia to live as his mail-order bride. As these two very different people go through twelve years of marriage, they confront the challenge of merging their opposite approaches to managing grief. Seta, open and talkative, strives to deal with the loss of her family by sharing with her husband. Fiercely determined to replace his slaughtered family by producing children of his own, Aram is quiet and brooding. Because of the starvation she experienced as a refugee, Seta is unable to bear children. Their relationship comes to an impasse; yet through the darkest moments, it is clear that the marriage is infused with deep love and need for one another. The couple befriends a young Italian orphan boy, whom Seta has welcomed in her home and Aram grows to love. By the play's end, Aram sheds some of his rigidity, and thanks to his extraordinary young wife, discovers the possibility of happiness. By supporting this play, Armenian-Americans will participate in a form of activism guaranteed to be deeply enriching on many levels. Members of the audience will reflect on how love enables traumatized individuals to regenerate their lives through building a family, while they will learn about one of the greatest injustices of the twentieth century. "So much appeals to me about Beast that it is hard to find a place to begin," Grillo previously told Playbill On-Line. "It is an extraordinarily challenging drama with a surprising number of well-earned laughs. The play takes its audiences through an emotional cataclysm and delivers them, at its finish, to joyful redemption. I don't like plays that ask me to jump through emotional hoops and then leave me beaten up by the side of the road. Beast is redemptive. The journey is hard, but one for which the audience is enormously grateful." To learn more about Beast on the Moon, visit <; For those interested in possibly investing in its Broadway production, contact the producer David Grillo at 212-541-4502 or at [email protected]. 6) Tribute to Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian By Anahid M. Ugurlayan An enlarged color photograph of Archbishop Ashjian holding a lamb at the center of the stage near the podium was the setting for what would prove to be an emotional evening. As Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan would later explain, the lamb was a sacrificial one, but Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian had asked that its life be spared and helped take care of it until it grew to be a sheep. A small gesture, perhaps, but it is one that exemplifies Archbishop Ashjian's kindness and charity that would be highlighted throughout the evening. Family, friends, and supporters of the late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, who passed away on December 2, 2003, gathered at St. Peter's Church in New York to honor and pay tribute to him. The tribute was organized by the Special Committee of the New York Chapter of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society under the leadership of Chairperson Arevig Caprielian and under the auspices of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern US. The program commenced with a video of Archbishop Ashjian's pilgrimage to Western Armenia--vivid images of centuries-old churches destroyed or left to nature's devices with no effort on the part of the Turkish government to preserve Armenia's cultural heritage--Archbishop Ashjian praying for the souls of deceased relatives of pilgrimage-goers. After the video presentation, Arevig Caprielian delivered the opening remarks, welcoming all in attendance and reminding them of Archbishop Ashjian's innumerable achievements for the Church and the Armenian people around the world, especially as the Prelate of Eastern United States and Canada for 20 years and in Armenia, his home during the last six years of his life. Dr. Herand Markarian, the master of ceremonies, remarked that those who mourn the passing of Archbishop Ashjian are also "carriers of his memory," and that his spirit is ever-present as long as "we as a nation live his memory." Dr. Markarian introduced the video, Life and Times of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian: Road of Achievements, which was shown in two parts. In the first part, His Eminence speaks of the importance of faith--how it guides to become a source of strength in one's life, without which the meaning of life would be lost. He speaks of his childhood and his parents, both orphans of the 1915 Armenian genocide, who instilled strong Armenian values and the spirit of the Church, which would serve as the foundation for his future religious studies. Archbishop Ashjian recounts his theological studies and his service to the community as Dean of the Monastery in Bikfaya, Beirut, as Principal of the Mardikian School in Antelias, Lebanon, as Prelate of New Julfa/Isfahan in Iran, and, finally, as the Prelate of the Eastern United States and Canada for twenty years (1978-1998). As Prelate of the Eastern United States and Canada, his achievements included founding the Land and Culture Organization and educating Armenian youth about Armenian history and religion through the Siamanto Saturday program and the Datevatsi Seminars in Philadelphia each year in July. The video presentation also included excerpts of the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Armenian genocide in Washington, DC, where 800 genocide survivors were in attendance, his placing of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of Armenian-Americans who served in the military from WWI to the present, as well as a speech on Armenian Independence Day where he spoke as both a clergyman and a patriot, championing our national independence. Despite Archbishop Ashjian's humble demeanor, viewing himself first and always as God's servant, his many achievements and his spiritual guidance left a lasting impression on all who knew and worked with him. One of these individuals, the Honorable Sarkis Teshoian, delivered the English message and spoke of his dear friend, brother, and leader. Judge Teshoian, who served as chairman of the Prelacy's Executive Council during Archbishop Ashjian's tenure in New York, recounted episodes from his many visits with the Archbishop, recalling his wise counsel and his insatiable thirst for knowledge, having authored numerous articles and at least three dozen books in Armenian and English. He spoke of how Archbishop Ashjian's faith, hope, and love were evident in his unwavering commitment to the Church and his parishioners. The program continued with a heartfelt rendition of "Nor Dzaghig" and "Yegeghetsin Haygagan" by mezzo soprano Hasmik Meikhanedjian, accompanied by pianist/organist Janet Marcarian. Following the musical portion of the program, the second part commenced with a video presentation of Archbishop Ashjian's work in Armenia. This chapter of his life began when His Holiness Karekin I Catholicos of All Armenians' offered, and His Eminence later accepted, the position of the Executive Director for the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia. Among his memorable achievements from this commemoration included his organized pilgrimages to Western Armenia to help reintroduce Armenians to their usurped homeland. At one point, His Eminence asks: "How can we celebrate the 1700th anniversary of our Christianity and not visit our homeland?" Among the numerous historic sites Serpazan visited was the Tiridates Stone, where St. Gregory baptized King Tiridates as the first Christian king of Armenia in 301 AD, and is especially noteworthy given that Serpazan presided over the commemorative events marking the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia. Archbishop Ashjian also visited his mother's birthplace, Havav. In a private ceremony of symbolic unification of Sevan and lake Van, he poured water bought from Sevan into the lake Van, and returning to Armenia, he poured "Vana jur" into Sevan. In addition, His Eminence officiated at an Armenian wedding ceremony at Aghtamar's Holy Cross Church. The sound of Armenian prayers was heard once again at this church and among the ruins of other churches and monasteries deserted during the genocide. One wonders what will become of these churches and monasteries in Serpazan's absence. While tending to his duties for the 1700th anniversary of the Armenian Church, Archbishop Ashjian diligently embarked on his charitable work, including the baptism of thousands of adults and children, the renovation of the St. Gevorg of Moughni church and monastery, the building of the Terchounian orphanage in Gyumri, and the publishing of hundreds of historical and literary books. In the video, the pastor of the St. Gevorg of Moughni church recounts how Archbishop Ashjian revitalized the village through the renovation of the church, the building of a community center and other significant improvements. He notes that His Eminence's devotion was not forgotten by the villagers who, when learning of His Eminence's passing, renamed the main street of their village "The Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian poghots." Moreover, the local residents collected $300 and hosted another "hokejash" in his memory on Merelots after Easter Sunday. The video continued with Archbishop Ashjian speaking of his last published book, The Etchmiadzin Chronicles, written on the occasion of the 1700th Anniversary of the Armenia's adoption of Christianity, comprising excerpts of travel journals of those who visited Etchmiadzin over the centuries. Notably, His Eminence spoke of a flower that was mentioned by one of the travelers who visited Etchmiadzin and how the uniqueness of the flower spurred Serpazan to embark on a determined and eventually successful search for it. In fact, the invitation to the evening's Memorial Tribute included a photo of Archbishop Ashjian holding a bunch of the coveted flowers--Iris Elegantissima. The touching nature of this photo is heightened when one learns that this was the last photo taken of Archbishop Ashjian in Armenia. Indeed, the photo reflects both the beauty of Armenia and Archbishop Ashjian's spirit. As His Eminence speaks, one could sense the joy and satisfaction he felt in helping to preserve Armenian culture, as well as improving Armenia's social condition. The video presentation was followed by a message delivered in Armenian by Dr. Ashot Melkonian, Director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. Dr. Melkonian spoke of Archbishop Ashjian's tireless charitable and scholarly work in Armenia and how he regarded Archbishop Ashjian as an invaluable mentor and a friend. Dr. Melkonian, who is a native of Javakhk, Georgia, explained that Archbishop Ashjian was the first clergyman to visit Javakhk in over 20 years and bless the inhabitants. Appropriately, the townspeople considered Archbishop Ashjian's visit one of great significance--as if he were a Catholicos for them. Dr. Melkonian also spoke of a young man's future rescued by Archbishop Ashjian during his visit to a prison. His Eminence baptized the young man, offered him guidance, and provided a home for his family, asking only one thing in return: that he lead a good life and attend church each Sunday. Since then, the young man attends mass at Holy Etchmiadzin each Sunday and visits Archbishop Ashjian's library at the National Academy. Dr. Melkonian recounted how this story illustrates Archbishop Ashjian's view of humanity, namely that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. The personal memories of Archbishop Ashjian continued by Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, who also delivered the benediction. Archbishop Choloyan reminisced of days as a student at the Seminary where he met His Eminence and their enduring friendship, but also touched on the great loss that his death represents for the Church, the Holy See and the Armenian community. He noted that His Eminence's memory will live on, adding that St. Nerces "Parekordzagan" Organization, an organization that helps support orphans of the Karabagh war and other needy children, would be renamed as the "Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian Organization." The program concluded with the singing of "Cilicia" and Archbishop Ashjian's last message in which he spoke of how Christ helped everyone, regardless of social status and age, and how all of us should strive to find the good in all people. In addition, photos of His Eminence were shown on the screen, as well as the final photo of him waving goodbye as he descended a hill in Western Armenia--a symbolic farewell to the Armenian people and historic land. Archbishop Ashjian's work and accomplishments are too numerous too recount--from serving as Dean of the Cilician Seminary, as the principal of the Mardikian School, to Executive Secretary of the 1700th commemorative events of Christianity of Armenia, to his ecumenical appointments such as member of the World Council of Churches' Faith and Order Commission. The sense of shock of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian's sudden death remains profound and is heightened by watching him in the video, as one could not help but feel that he was still among us. Yet his spirit remains and will endure, and his vocational achievements and charitable work are surpassed only by his boundless humanity. Archbishop Ashjian will forever serve as a role model for all Armenians and as a shining example of the unrelenting resolve of the Armenian people to triumph against all odds. 7) Gorky Expert Discusses Influence of Armenian Culture, Genocide on Artist's Work WASHINGTON, DC--Renowned art historian and specialist on Arshile Gorky, Dr. Melvin Lader, presented his insights at a public lecture at the Armenian Embassy sponsored by the Greater Washington DC Chapter of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society and under the auspices of the Ambassador and Mrs. Arman Kirakossian. A standing-room-only crowd of over 150 people gathered on November 5 to hear Dr. Lader's talk and slide presentation, titled "Arshile Gorky: the Case of an Unlikely Modernist." Dr. Lader, a professor of art history at George Washington University, is a respected authority on the works of abstract expressionist pioneer Arshile Gorky, having lectured and published extensively on the life and works of the artist. He most recently curated (with Janice C. Lee) an exhibition of Gorky's drawings at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Menil Collection in Houston in 2004. Drawing on his research of Gorky's work, the artist's writings as well as side-by-side visual comparisons, Dr. Lader highlighted various influences in Gorky's life that were eventually reflected in the artist's work. These included memories of Gorky's childhood in Khorkom (a village near Lake Van in Armenia), color and imagery from Armenian Christian art, Gorky's haunting sufferings and loss of family during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923, and his feelings of exile after coming to America. He also cited the influence of other artists such as Cezanne and surrealist Joan Miro. In referring to Gorky's famous Portrait of the Artist and His Mother, Dr. Lader states, "Alone in New York, the memory of his mother, her tragic death, and the genocide weighed heavily on his mind. And he undoubtedly conceived of the painting as a tribute to his mother and her role in his life. As such, it was the first major work he created descending from his Armenian memories which would become a central theme in most of his mature art." The formal presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period and reception in the Embassy, during which Dr. Lader responded to specific inquiries from the audience. In his opening remarks, Amb. Kirakossian stated, "I want to thank Hamazkayin for organizing this event. Obviously we have good cooperation with this society of dedicated people who are doing all their best to preserve Armenian culture." He went on to acknowledge Dr. Lader's contributions to the study of this pioneer in American art. "Dr. Lader's engaging talk brought to light the profound impact of Gorky's Armenian experience on his art, and by extension its impact on expressionism in general," stated Maggie Simonian, Chairwoman of the Hamazkayin Washington Chapter. "We are pleased to have been able to bring Dr. Lader's insights and research to the community and thank the Armenian Embassy for their gracious hospitality and collaboration in this event." Founded in 1928, the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the history and the cultural heritage of the Armenian nation. Hamazkayin has chapters throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia, as well as the Republic of Armenia. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. --Boundary_(ID_Gvx/Hqy3BcUwcEgfSEds8Q)-- From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: EUROPE MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE PERSISTENT IN
SETTLEMENT OF CONFLICTS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
Noyan Tapan
Nov 23 2004
YEREVAN, 23.11.04. One of the main obstacles on the way of solution of
Karabakh conflict is the absence of regional cooperation. RA President
Robert Kocharian declared this during the November 19 Berlin European
Forum. The President mentioned that “Armenia believes in solution of
conflicts by means of regional cooperation and Azerbaijan abstains
from possible cooperation before the solution of the conflict.”
According to R. Kocharian, one of the obstacles on the way to
cooperation between EU and South Caucasian countries is the blockade
of Armenia by Turkey. “We consider abnormal the situation when the
country starting negotiations on joining EU carries out blockade of
a country-participant of the “European Neighbourhood” policy. I.e.
today there is a chance to solve the problem and it is in the hands
of EU,” the President emphasized.
Mentioning that the history of formation of EU once more demonstrated
the advantage of regional cooperation, R.Kocharian expressed an
opinion that “this is not only a way to prosperity but also an
implement of stability.” “Taking into consideration its experience,
Europe might have been more persistent in the issues of regulation of
conflicts in the South Caucasus through inducement for cooperation.
We are sure that this is a more effective way to peace.”
In conclusion Robert Kocharian mentioned: “In essence, EU began
forming owing to the pragmatism of its founders. Everything began
from not parliamentary assemblies and minister councils but from
realization of community of interests and compatibility of system of
values. We would like to see something of the kind in the policy of
EU with its country-neighbours.”