Pavel Lisitsian

The Times (London)
August 31, 2004, Tuesday

Pavel Lisitsian, operatic baritone, was born on November 6, 1911. He
died on July 6, 2004, aged 92. Russian singer regarded as one of
the best Verdi baritones of the postwar years but whose career was
limited by the Cold War

The Russian baritone Pavel Lisitsian convinced all those fortunate
enough to have heard him that, in the words of one admirer of his
recorded Amonasro in Aida, “he may well have been the best Verdi
baritone of the postwar years”. His mastery extended far beyond
Verdi, both in the theatre and on the concert platform, but since his
appearances abroad were sorely restricted by the Second World War and
then by the Cold War and by the suspicion of foreign contacts that it
engendered in the Soviet authorities, his admirers outside the Soviet
Union had to content themselves, for the most part, with his records.

Of Armenian descent, Lisitsian was born Pogos Karapetovich Liseetsian
in Vladikavkas (Ordzhonikidze), near Grozny, the son of a mineworker.
Thinking to follow in his father’s footsteps, he was apprenticed as a
welder. As a child he sang in church choirs, and after his voice broke
his singing as an amateur in workers’ concerts soon brought his gifts
to wider attention. At length, backed by a local workers’ co-operative,
in 1932 he entered the Leningrad Conservatory where he studied for
three years, during which he continued to work in a factory and also
took cello lessons. In Leningrad at that time memories were still fresh
of the methods of the pre-1914 Italian school exemplified by singers
such as De Luca and Stracciari, and later Lisitsian would always
describe himself to acquaintances as essentially an Italian singer;
certainly his command of legato and the beauty of his voice were among
the qualities that would have appealed to his Italian predecessors.

His first professional engagement as a soloist was at the Maly Theatre
in Leningrad in 1935, and in 1937 he was contracted as a principal
baritone by the theatre at Yerevan in Armenia. In 1940 he joined
the company of the Bolshoi in Moscow and remained there as a leading
member of the company until

he retired from the stage in 1966.

His success there was immediate, consistent and prolonged. In 1959
he sang Napoleon in the first complete performance of Prokofiev’s War
and Peace to be staged in Moscow. It was conducted by Melik-Pashayev
with whom Lisitsian became particularly associated and who, according
to Galina Vishnevskaya, formed a core of favourite singers

who also included Andzhaparidze, Arkhipova, Petrov and Vishnevskaya
herself. Their performances of the great Verdi operas became legendary
in the postwar decade.

At the same time Lisitsian continued to appear frequently outside
Moscow, especially in Armenia, and he reckoned that during the war
he gave 500 or more concerts to serving Soviet troops.

The restrictions placed on his travels outside the USSR by a regime
always worried that their best people might defect have already
been mentioned. However, in the years of the post-Stalinist “thaw”
Lisitsian did make a tour of the USA when, in 1960, he appeared at
the Metropolitan Opera as Amonasro. But the Met at that time still
retained the services of, among others, Merrill, Warren, MacNeil,
Zanasi, Sereni and Bastianini, and Lisitsian’s debut excited little
comment, favourable or unfavourable. Elsewhere he won good opinions,
especially in San Francisco, as much for his recitals of Russian and
Armenian songs as for his stage appearances. In 1963 he was heard
also in Western Europe, and was a member of the Bolshoi company which
visited La Scala, Milan, in 1964, where he sang Eletsky in The Queen
of Spades and Napoleon.

After retiring from the Bolshoi in 1966, he travelled widely and
successfully as a recitalist and was particularly pleased by the
popularity of the vocal quartet that he formed in 1970 with three
of his children. From 1967 to 1973 he also taught regularly at the
Yerevan Conservatory.

Lisitsian was a handsome presence on stage and an excellent actor.
His voice was a splendid, high lyric baritone, beautifully trained
and evenly produced throughout a range of two octaves which extended
easily to the high A, and without hint of fuzz or wobble.

His declamation was exemplary, being both clear and vivid, and was
allied to sure taste and musicality. If his voice was thought a little
small for Amonasro in so large a theatre as the Met, his powers of
projection were ample compensation.

Despite the relatively primitive technology of the Soviet recordings,
all these qualities can be admired on his records, sung invariably
in Russian. His Valentin in Faust, recorded in 1947, was described
by one critic as “simply a great piece of singing under impeccable
artistic guidance”. Another wrote that Lisitsian’s Valentin, “in
glorious voice, is the standard by which to judge the others”.

Putin congratulates Armenia president on 50th birthday anniversary

ITAR-TASS News Agency
August 31, 2004 Tuesday 11:56 AM Eastern Time

MOSCOW, August 31 — Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone
conversation with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan on Tuesday,
the presidential press service said. The Russian side initiated the
conversation.

Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated Robert Kocharyan on the 50th
anniversary of birthday. During the conversation the presidents
touched upon the implementation of the agreements reached at the
recent meeting in Sochi.

Vladimir Putin also sent a message of congratulation to his Armenian
counterpart Robert Kocharyan.

“I know you well as a big state and political figure who makes
a considerable contribution in the formation of modern Armenia,
strengthening of its foreign political positions and social and
economic potential, expanding historical relations of friendship and
cooperation between the Russian and Armenian peoples,” the document
said.

“I am confident that strategic partnership and allied relations between
our countries is one of key factors of stability and security in the
Caucasus and will be widely developed and deepened,” the message of
congratulation runs.

Erdogan says Putin’s visit to Turkey relects improved relations

Associated Press Worldstream
August 30, 2004 Monday 4:17 PM Eastern Time

MOSCOW — Russia and Turkey will sign a joint declaration on “deepening
friendship and multifaceted partnership” during President Vladimir
Putin’s visit to Turkey this week, the Interfax new agency quoted
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying Monday.

Putin’s two-day trip, which starts Friday, will be the first official
visit by a Russian leader since the Soviet collapse.

“This visit clearly demonstrates the high level of mutual dialogue
and trust between Turkey and Russia and will give an impulse to the
further strengthening of our relations,” Interfax quoted Erdogan as
saying in an interview.

Erdogan said topics for discussion would include what he said were
improved political relations and economic cooperation, including in
energy, as well as the situation in Cyprus, Iraq, the Middle East
and the Caucasus Mountains – where Turkey is allied with Azerbaijan
while Russia is more friendly with its foe Armenia.

Turkey wants to see the conflict in Chechnya – also in the Caucasus –
resolved in a peaceful way that respects Russia’s constitution and
its territorial integrity as well human rights, the Russian agency
quoted Erdogan as saying. Russia has called on Turkey to crack down
on charities it claims have provided support to Chechen rebels.

Russia exports large quantities of its oil westward from the Black
Sea through Turkey’s busy Bosporus straits, a situation that Erdogan
said was dangerous.

Erdogan said that that the number of Russian tankers moving through
Turkey from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean “has exceeded all
possible limits, from the point of view of the environment and
security,” Interfax reported. He called on Russian oil companies to
use pipelines instead.

Erdogan said that Russia’s natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, has expressed
interest in building underground gas storage facilities in Turkey and
in transporting gas to other countries via Turkey, Interfax reported.

According to Erdogan, the volume of trade between Russia and Turkey
reached nearly US$7 billion last year. He said he hopes it can exceed
US$10 billion in the coming years.

ARKA News Agency
Aug 31 2004

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko congratulates Armenian
President Robert Kocharian with 50th anniversary

Catholicos of All Armenian sent his greetings on the occasion of the
new academic year

Armenia and Germany have numerous unused opportunities on expanding
of cooperation

New “Admiral Isakov” medal is introduced in Armenia

CBA puts into the circulation the memorable silver coins devoted to
the drawing of Football World Cup 2006 in Germany from September 1,
2004

RA Prime Minister sends a letter of congratulation to RA President on
the occasion of his 50th anniversary

*********************************************************************

BELARUS PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO CONGRATULATES ARMENIAN
PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARIAN WITH 50TH ANNIVERSARY

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko
congratulated Armenian President Robert Kocharian with 50th
anniversary. According to RIA Novosti with the reference to Belarus
Embassy in Russia, Lukashenko wished Kocharian health, happiness and
realization of all plans. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIAN SENT HIS GREETINGS ON THE OCCASION OF THE
NEW ACADEMIC YEAR

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenian Garegin II
sent his greetings on the occasion of the new academic year. In his
letter Catholicos says “this new academic year starts with new hopes
and plans. We direct our prayers so that this year was fruitful with
the results and achievements, that must encourage our people and each
of us and serve for the progress of our motherland”. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIA AND GERMANY HAVE NUMEROUS UNUSED OPPORTUNITIES ON EXPANDING
OF COOPERATION

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
received Germany Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Armenia Heike Peitsch, RA Government press office told ARKA. The
Minister congratulated the Ambassador with appointment and assured in
the readiness of the Government to provide assistance. He said that
participation of Peitsch in the sitting of Armenian-German economic
commission testifies to her interest in strengthening and future
development of Armenian-German relations.
The parties also stressed that Armenia and Germany have numerous
unused opportunities on expanding of cooperation. Besides bilateral
cooperation, the Premier noted necessity of realization of economic
policy in the region in the frames of German development programs. He
added that Armenia highly estimates the trends of more active
political and economic involvement of EU in South Caucasus region.

*********************************************************************

NEW “ADMIRAL ISAKOV” MEDAL IS INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. According to the decree of Serge
Sargsian, the Defense Minister of RA, a new “Admiral Isakov” medal is
introduced in Armenia. According to the Department of Information and
Propaganda of RA Defense Ministry, the medal is created to perpetuate
the memory of the outstanding state and military figure, Admiral
Hovhannes Isakov. The medal will be presented to admirals, officers,
midshipmen and seamen who had served in the Navy and naval aviation
or in military units of the former USSR or CIS countries,
participants of World War II, officers and ensigns of Armenian Armed
Forces who displayed courage and military skills while performing
their service. The medal will also be presented to servicemen of the
National Army of RA who participated in defense of the country
borders, servicemen for the fixed period who defend the state border
of Armenia and displayed courage in elimination of danger
jeopardizing the lives of the soldiers.
The medal will be awarded by the decree of Defense Minister of RA.
L.V. –0–

*********************************************************************

CBA PUTS INTO THE CIRCULATION THE MEMORABLE SILVER COINS DEVOTED TO
THE DRAWING OF FOOTBALL WORLD CUP 2006 IN GERMANY FROM SEPTEMBER 1,
2004

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. From September 1, 2004 CBA put into the
circulation the memorable silver coins devoted to the drawing of
Football World Cup 2006 in Germany. According to CBA Press Service
Department, all in all about 50 such coins were issued at par AMD 100
each. According to the press release, the coins were made of silver
of 925th hallmark, weighing 28,28 grams and having a diameter of
38,61 millimeters. A.H. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME MINISTER SENDS A LETTER OF CONGRATULATION TO RA PRESIDENT ON
THE OCCASION OF HIS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan sent
a letter of congratulation to RA President Robert Kocharyan on the
occasion of his 50th anniversary. “I am sure that the way you passed
and your experience will certainly contribute to the further
strengthening of Armenia, Armenian statehood and to increasing the
authority of Armenia on the international arena”, as stated in the
message. Margaryan wished Kocharyan good health, every success in
personal life and resoluteness in achieving goals aimed to ensure the
welfare of the Armenian nation and strengthening the state. A.H. -0–

*********************************************************************

Azg Armenian Daily
Aug 31 2004

VERDICT OF THE ARMENIAN PILOTS ARRESTED IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA TO BE
BROUGHT ON SEPTEMBER 1

OSKANIAN AND MAMEDIAROV MEET IN PRAGUE

STEPANAKERT ELECTED ITS NEW MAYOR

AZERBAIJAN TO BECOME THE MAIN LINK IN THE ISRAELI-IRANIAN
CONFRONTATION

TRACES OF RUSSIAN PLANE’S CRUSH LEAD TO BAKU

PRE-SEPTEMBER DISCUSSIONS

FLAG AND ANTHEM OF YEREVAN TO BE READY BY EREBUNI-YEREVAN
CELEBRATIONS

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II RECEIVES FOREIGN MINISTER OF DENMARK

*********************************************************************

VERDICT OF THE ARMENIAN PILOTS ARRESTED IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA TO BE
BROUGHT ON SEPTEMBER 1

Hamlet Gasparian, Press Speaker of RA Foreign Ministry, informed
Regnum agency that the court investigation of the case of the six
Armenian pilots arrested in Equatorial Guinea is still on. “It is
expected that on August 31 the court will have a break, while on
September 1 it will bring in the verdict of the case,” Gasparian
said. Earlier, the lawyer of the Armenian pilots asked the court to
shorten the case in the part of his defendants and release them from
the prison. It’s worth mentioning that in the March of 2004 dozens of
people, including foreigners, were arrested in the Equatorial Guinea,
charged with the attempt of revolution. Diudot, citizen of the
Southern Africa, head of the group, accepting his guilt partly, also
said that the rest of the arrested had no idea of the revolution.

*********************************************************************

OSKANIAN AND MAMEDIAROV MEET IN PRAGUE

On August 30 the fourth meeting of RA and Azeri Foreign Ministers,
dedicated to the settlement of Nagorno Karabagh conflict, took place
in Prague. RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Agency
informed that Steven Mann, Yuri Merzliakov, Henry Jackolin, OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as well as Andrzej Kasprzyk, representative of
OSCE Chairman, were present at the meeting.

The meeting had no special agenda. RA and Azeri Foreign Ministers
discussed different aspects for the conflict’s settlement, as well as
various issues concerning the settlement prospects.

By the way, RA Foreign Ministry refuted the information spread by
Turkish Anatolu agency recently. It said that the meeting of the
Azeri, Turkish and Armenian Foreign Ministers is envisaged in New
York on September 17. Regnum reporter was told at the ministry that
Oskanian will leave for New York to hold speech at UN Chief Assembly
in late September.

*********************************************************************

STEPANAKERT ELECTED ITS NEW MAYOR

The Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Anushava Danielian introduced
the new mayor of Stepanakert, capital of Karabakh, Eduard Akhabekian
to municipality staff. Speaking of the August elections of the
institutions of local governing the PM defined them as diacritic. He
also drew newly appointed mayor’s attention to of municipal, house
building and other issues that Stepanakert faces.

Considering the city economy of Stepanakert unsatisfying, PM
Danielian expressed his hope that the mayor will be realistic and
full of responsibility in his approaches to the existing problems. He
noted that the government is ready to support any program aimed to
better conditions in the town but at the same will be send new
challenges to the mayor.

By Kim Gabrielian from Stepanakert

*********************************************************************

AZERBAIJAN TO BECOME THE MAIN LINK IN THE ISRAELI-IRANIAN
CONFRONTATION

Cooling in Baku-Tehran Relations After Khatami’s Visit

“Abasali Hasanov, Azeri ambassador to Iran was called by the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Iran last week. He was handed a precautionary
letter for the Azeri government. Tehran condemns Azerbaijan for
creating favorable conditions for the Israeli Mosad inside Iran and
thus intervenes in the home policy of the country”, Baku’s Zerkalo
August 28 issue quotes the Arabian Al Jazeera.

The note of the Iranian Foreign Ministry to Baku also reads that
Mosad is buying territories in Azerbaijan along the border of Iran.
According to Al Jazeera, that cites the words of a Turkish high-rank
military official, Mosad is engaged in electronic reconnaissance of
Iran. The same method is also practiced in the south of Azerbaijan,
the Turkish official said.

“Azerbaijan becomes the key link in Israeli-Iranian confrontation.
After the Iranian president Khatami’s visit to Azerbaijan, it was
rumored that the two presidents had secret discussions. Iran claimed
that Azerbaijan has to put an end to the activities of the Israeli
secret services operating in its territory. The Azeri president Ilham
Aliyev declared shortly after the meeting that he will never allow
Azerbaijan’s territory to be used against Iran”, Zerkalo informs.

That was the Israeli mass media that informed about Khatami-Aliyev
secret talks, writes Baku Eni Musavat newspaper. “Iran demanded
Azerbaijan to close Mosad intelligence center at the Iran border and
to immediately evict the Jewish spies”, writes Eni Musavat.

According to Israeli Debka website, Aliyev was surprised by Khatami’s
information and said that the Iranian president should have checked
the information before taking a decision.

By Tatoul Hakobian

*********************************************************************

TRACES OF RUSSIAN PLANE’S CRUSH LEAD TO BAKU

Amnat Nagaeva and Satsista Jebirkhanova, friends, that were among the
passengers of “Tu-134” and “Tu-154” planes crushed in the Russian sky
on August 24. The Izvestia, Russian reliable newspaper, carried out
an investigation and found out that the girls could have been
terrorists controlled from Baku and not from Chechnya.

As a result of the crush, a supposed terrorist act, all the
passengers and the crew of the planes, amounting to 90 people, were
killed.

The Izvestia doesn’t name a definite extremist organization based in
Baku that could take up the order of the terrorist act. It is known
that Azerbaijan is frequently spoken about in the international
scandals connected with terrorism. Thus, it was proved that the
terrorist acts aimed to explode the U.S. Embassies based in Kenya and
Tanzania were controlled from Baku. Over 200 people were killed and
about 5000 people were wounded then.

*********************************************************************

PRE-SEPTEMBER DISCUSSIONS

“We want our state chalk, our state blackboard and state mastic,
otherwise, we can’t exist,” Narine Hovhannisian, director of Yerevan
school # 20, said this during the working meeting on August 30. The
officials of the republic’s educational sphere call up working
meetings with the directors of the capital’s school for already
several years. The meetings are aimed to settle the problems of the
previous year. Mrs. Hovhannisian touched upon the phenomenon of
gathering money for the school’s needs. She offered to use the spare
territories of the schools for rent and accumulate the money earned
in this way for the urgent needs of the schools. The heads didn’t
object this offer, but they insisted that the schools should publish
the data about the used territories and the sums gathered as a
result. “A regulation should be elaborated for the territories to be
given for rent. Today, there are cases when the school territories
are used as bakeries and taxi garages,” said Yervand Zakarian
Yerevan’s Mayor. Omik Vatian, Head of RA Mayor’s Office’s Department
of Education, spoke of the results of the examinations done in the
schools. Compared with the previous year the schoolchildren studied
better by 3,5%. Mr. Vatian said that the represented data are
encouraging but they don’t always reflect the reality. “We found out
during our checking by the end of the academic year that it’s a usual
fact for the capital’s schools to change the marks of the children
and improve their results artificially,” he said.

He was also concerned about the way Armenian is taught in the school,
stating the teachers train their pupils for the entrance exams only
during the classes of the Armenian language. “The teachers justify
their approach by saying that they are training the pupils for the
entrance exams, but they forget that the schools are meant to educate
the schoolchildren in various fields and not to train them for the
entrance exams,” he underscored.

By Tamar Minasian

*********************************************************************

FLAG AND ANTHEM OF YEREVAN TO BE READY BY EREBUNI-YEREVAN
CELEBRATIONS

The Erebuni-Yerevan annual celebration was the main reason of Arman
Sahakian’s, deputy mayor of Yerevan, meeting with journalists. The
flag and the anthem of Yerevan should be ready by October 13, the
opening of Erebuni-Yerevan celebrations. The mayor of Yerevan is
heading a commission formed to undertake the preparations. The flag
and the anthem will be presented to public discussions, as it’s not
the officials’ prerogative to choose them, said the deputy mayor. In
the coming two months the Yerevanners will have the chance to be
convinced of truthfulness of these words. Till now any decision of
such importance was taken without considering vox populi.

There is already a huge amount of anthems and flags presented for the
competition.

The daily programs of the celebration is not fully arranged,
preparation works are in process. The amount of money to be spent on
celebrations is not certain so far but the allocated money is 70
million AMD. Many guest, including from sister towns, are invited to
the celebrations.

By Karine Danielian

*********************************************************************

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II RECEIVES FOREIGN MINISTER OF DENMARK

On August 27, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, received Per Stig Moeller, Foreign
Minister of the Kingdom of Denmark, in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin. Mr. Moeller was accompanied by Vladimir Karmirshalian,
Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Denmark.

Welcoming Mr. Moeller to the spiritual and administrative
headquarters of the Armenian Church, His Holiness reflected on the
mission of the Church as well as the close historic ties which exist
between the two countries and peoples. His Holiness also spoke of the
positive relations that have been established in recent years in the
ecclesiastical sphere between the Churches of Denmark and Armenia.

During the meeting, the Catholicos and the Foreign Minister also
discussed the Nagorno Karabagh issue, and the desire of all parties
to see it resolved through peaceful means. His Holiness informed Mr.
Moeller that he has met a number of times with the spiritual head of
Azerbaijan, and confirmed that religious leaders have a very
important role in the resolution of the conflict, by publicly
advocating that disagreements must be solved through mutual
understanding and reciprocal dialogue.

Finally, the Pontiff of All Armenians touched upon the concerns of
Armenians living in Denmark, and their desire to become active,
contributing members of Danish society.

At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness extended his gratitude
to the state authorities of the Kingdom of Denmark and to the Danish
people, for the assistance and help they have provided to Armenians,
most notably following the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 and the
devastating earthquake in Northern Armenia of 1988.

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Information Services

*********************************************************************

PUTIN ACCEPTS KHAJIMBA, ABKHAZIAN PRIME MINISTER

On August 30 news agencies informed that Vladimir Putin, RF
President, who is in Sochi, met with Raul Khajimba, Prime Minister of
the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia. This meeting is interesting
for the fact that the head of Russia meets with the prime minister of
an unrecognized state (Abkhazian President Ardzinba is seriously ill
and the prime minister is the acting president for several years
already). The presidents of Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabagh, South Ossetia
and Transdnestria, shaped in the post-Soviet area, have visited
Moscow frequently and met with the counselors or the officials of RF
Foreign Ministry.

*********************************************************************

Music from all Quarters

Narooma News, Australia
Sept 1 2004

Four international artists will bring a unique musical experience to
listeners in the Narooma Golf Club Auditorium, at 2pm this Saturday
September 4.

The Tavantinsuyu En-semble – the name means “The Four Corners of the
Earth” – comprises violin, clarinet, viola and piano. They have a
wide repertoire of works from many parts of the world, which reflects
their diverse backgrounds. Their performances have been acclaimed as
exciting and “not to be missed”.

Ronald Woodcock (violin) has performed in over 89 countries, in
London, Paris, Vienna and Buenos Aires, and in remote centres such as
the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan, and Peru.

He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium, in Brussels on a Belgian
Government scholarship and in France with the great cellist Pablo
Casals.

Graham Evans (clarinet), once a member of the famous Irish Guards
Band, won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, London, had an
adventurous career with Britain’s longest established chamber
orchestra, travelling throughout Europe and the United States, and
now performs and teaches in Brisbane.

Iola Shelley (piano), born in Wales, began piano lessons at four and
was the youngest student ever to receive the LRAM and ARCM Performing
Diplomas, aged 13.

She also studied cello, oboe and organ. She has an international
reputation as an accompanist and chamber music pianist, performing
with leading soloists from around the world

Louise Woodcock (viola) studied at the Capetown College of Music and
the Vienna Academy of Music. She has played with the Capetown and
Durban Symphony Orchestras, the Auckland Symphonia and the New Music
Group chamber ensemble, and was the founder of the Spring Chamber
Music School in Australia.

For this concert the Ensemble has chosen works ranging from the
romantic warmth of Max Bruch and the Latin American rhythms of
Salzedo to the intensity of Armenian composer Khachaturian, as well
as selections from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, New Zealand
composer Douglas Lilburn’s moving violin and piano sonata and a short
piece by young Australian composer, Nigel Sabin.

Coup trial in African oil state mirrors thriller plot
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press
August 30, 2004, Monday, BC cycle

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea — Frederick Forsyth wrote it up as
“The Dogs of War,” and set it here: A ragtag band of mercenaries,
recruited by a British elite, tries to seize control of a mineral-rich,
African backwater.

Forsyth – writing during a Cold War stay three decades ago on this
palm-lashed volcanic island capital – rechristened Equatorial Guinea as
“Zangoro” for the thriller, and put his soldiers of fortune in quest
of platinum, not oil.

Despite those broad variations, the basic plot is playing out again
here as a trial unfolds for 19 South Africans, Armenians and others
accused of a failed plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial
Guinea, Africa’s No. 3 oil producer.

Equatorial Guinea insists this time it is fact, not pulp fiction. The
country has been emboldened by the arrest in recent days of Mark
Thatcher in South Africa, and the Zimbabwe conviction of famed
Eton-educated mercenary Simon Mann in connection with the alleged coup
plot. It accuses Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister,
and his London friends of scheming to replace President Teodoro
Obiang’s 25-year-old regime with a puppet government.

Star witness Nick du Toit, a South African arms dealer, appears to
be “an intermediary between the mercenaries and the financiers,”
Attorney General Jose Olo Obono, who is leading the prosecution,
told reporters. Du Toit, who faces the death penalty for his role in
the plot, has cooperated with prosecutors.

For the elites in the novel, a coup has an allure beyond any
run-of-the-mill robbery.

“Knocking off a bank or an armored truck is merely crude. Knocking
off an entire republic has, I feel, a certain style,” Forsyth’s
coup-plotter, Sir James Mason, observes in the fictional version.

Prosecutors say the real coup plot fell apart in March, when security
forces in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, tipped off by South Africa’s
intelligence service, arrested 90 suspected mercenaries as they were
allegedly moving into position to seize power.

So far, prosecutors have built their entire case on the testimony
of du Toit – and skepticism that the Cold War- and apartheid-era
veterans he recruited came to this oil-rich nation for the fishing
and agriculture opportunities, as they claim.

Equatorial Guinea says du Toit was the advance man for Mann, the
plot’s alleged mastermind, and Mann’s alleged British associates
– including Thatcher, financier Eli Calil, and businessman Greg
Wales. Equatorial Guinea reportedly has filed a civil case against
alleged British backers in London, and says it is pursuing its own
international warrants against them.

Other evidence cited by Equatorial Guinea out of court – such as a
note sent out of prison by Mann, allegedly seeking help from Thatcher,
Calil and others – has yet to be introduced at the trial.

Some of the suspects say their confessions were obtained under torture,
which the U.S. State Department and others say is routine here. One
of the original 90 defendants, a German, died in his first days of
custody after what Amnesty International said was torture.

In court on Monday, South African Jose Cardoso testified that he was
physically abused – or “shocked” – and that interrogators invented his
confession. “Is it normal for statements to be taken as you’re being
taken to the torture room, to be tortured, as I was?” Cardoso said,
gesturing with chained hands.

Du Toit’s wife, Belinda, who is attending the trial, also claims he
was tortured. She shows a photo of her husband before he left South
Africa for Equatorial Guinea, looking trim, prosperous and relaxed.
The Nick du Toit testifying in chains is 60 pounds thinner, his face
gaunt, hair and beard shaggy, clothes hanging off him.

President Obiang, whose tiny nation of 500,000 pumps roughly $15
million in oil daily, has engaged European public-relations firms
and lawyers to advise him on the conduct of the trial. The British
and French lawyers, who refuse to be identified, are the ones who
intervened to let journalists watch the proceedings.

Obiang’s government faces deep suspicions over the impartiality of
the eventual verdicts in his country, which the International Bar
Association and others say is essentially an enterprise of Obiang’s
tribe, with a suppressed opposition and no independent radio or press.

Forsyth’s thriller, and its coincidentally overlapping plot, hangs over
the courtroom at times. Obono referred to du Toit as a “dog of war”
not only in the courtroom but in the criminal charges themselves. In
a 1988 coup attempt, mere possession of Forsyth’s book was enough to
net one soldier’s conviction here.

Diplomats and rights groups monitoring the trial daily cite the
suspected torture and shortcomings of the trial, which is being
translated from Spanish – the official language – for the Afrikaners,
Armenians and other foreigners on trial. Local defense lawyers,
compelled by the government to represent the 19, met their clients
only the day before the trial and complain of intimidation.

Du Toit is the only defendant facing the death penalty, and the
government has raised the prospect of a possible presidential pardon
for him. A member of Equatorial Guinea’s security services suggested
a different fate, however, approaching Belinda du Toit in court one
day and drawing a hand across his throat, she said.

In fiction, “The Dogs of War” ends disastrously for the mercenaries,
with their plot collapsed and mercenaries dead. Ultimately, Nick du
Toit believes the real-life end will be different.

“He believes he’s coming home,” his wife said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Court in Azerbaijan sentences Nagorno-Karabakh activists to prison terms

Associated Press Worldstream
August 30, 2004 Monday 12:38 PM Eastern Time

BAKU, Azerbaijan — An Azerbaijani court on Monday handed down prison
sentences to six protesters arrested in June for causing disturbances
at a NATO forum attended by Armenian officers.

The defendants conviced by a court in the capital Baku are members
of the Organization for the Liberation of Karakbakh, a group that
opposes ethnic Armenian control over Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory
in Azerbaijan that has been disputed since a war that ended in a
decade ago.

The organization’s head, Famil Nasibov, was sentenced to five years
in prison, his deputy Firidum Mammadov to three years, while three
members of the group’s youth branch received four-year sentences.
Their lawyers said they will appeal.

The protesters pushed through police cordons, broke glass doors
and stormed into a conference hall in Baku’ Europe hotel where a
NATO forum was being held in June, calling on Azerbaijan to stop
negotiating with neighboring Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The protesters and hotel security guards suffered minor injuries in
the incident in the hotel and the meeting resumed in several minutes.

Armenian-backed forces took control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding
areas in a six-year war that killed some 30,000 people and drove
about a million from their homes.

A 1994 cease-fire has largely held, but no final settlement has been
reached, and the ongoing confrontation has hurt the economies of both
former Soviet republics.

Armenia and Azerbaijan are not NATO members, but both participate in
the alliance’s Partnership for Peace program.

PRESS RELEASE

Fund for Armenian Relief’s Fellows Alumni Association
9-38 Tumanyan Street,
Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Gevorg Yaghjyan
Local seminar coordinator
Tel: (3741) 53-58-68
Fax: (3742) 53-48-79
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

SATELLITE SYMPOSIUM

“Bone and Joint / Trauma Surgery”

Yerevan, August 27-29, 2004

FARFAA – Salzburg Medical Seminars Program together with AAF (American
Austrian Foundation) and the National Institute of Trauma organized a
Satellite Symposium on “Bone and Joint/Trauma Surgery”. The symposium
was organized with the general sponsorship of FAR (Fund for Armenian
Relief). It took place on August 27-29, in Yerevan. About 50 bone
and joint/trauma specialists from different hospitals of Armenia
participated in the symposium.

The co-chairmen of the symposium were Professor Vachagan Ayvazyan,
the head of the Union of Traumatologists and Orthopaedic Surgeons
of Armenia, Director of TOBRC, head of the Bone and Joint / Trauma
Surgery Chair at NIH, and Dr. Bostrom, a prominent professor at the
Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, USA. The symposium was
also attended by Dr. Konstantinos N.Malizos, Professor of Orthopaedic
Surgery at the University Hospital of Thessalia in Larissa, Greece.

Some of the lectures during the symposium were “Reconstruction of
Long Bone Defects with Vascularized Fibular Grafts”, “A Comprehensive
Approach to the Osteonecrosis of the Skeleton” (by Dr. K. Malizos),
” Total Knee Replacement Exposures: Technical Pearls & Pitfalls”,
“Management of Complications in Total Hip Arthroplasy”,
“Osteoarthritis: Treatment Alternatives”, “Orthobiologics and
Growth Factors in Bone Healing” (by Dr. Bostrom). Several case
presentations were demonstrated on “Total Hip Replacement”, “Legs
Fracture” (by TOBRC), “Elbow Joint Repalcement” (by OSC), “Hip
Repacement”, “Electrotrauma Management” (by EMC), “Island Flaps in
Limb Reconstrsuction” (by PRSMSC) and “Foot Reconstruction” (by SNMC).

The goal of the symposium was to present the latest information on the
experience and the knowledge of the international faculty members to
doctors of Armenia. All the participants had the opportunity to fill
in a questionnaire expressing their approach about the organization
of the symposium.

The symposium was positively evaluated by participants and organizing
committee due to the high level of presentations, interesting
discussions and established connections.

On August 27, the guest lecturers paid visits to Yerevan’s hospitals.

The organizers are especially grateful to the FAR for technical
(laptop, projector) and financial assistance and AAF for cooperation.

The organizers would like to thank academician Vilen Hakobyan, the
rector of the Yerevan State Medical University, who provided the YSMU
Conference Hall for the Satellite Symposium.

We hope that this program will find continuation in the future and
will help to enhance the practice of local specialists due to gained
theoretical knowledge and discussions.

FARFAA is a non-for-profit non-governmental organization of medical
professionals, aimed at improving the health care system and advancing
the medical sciences in Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 1) 517 163
Fax: (374 1) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
August 31, 2004

His Holiness Karekin II Receives Foreign Minister of Denmark

On August 27, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
Of All Armenians, received Per Stig Moeller, Foreign Minister of the
Kingdom of Denmark, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Mr. Moeller
Was accompanied by Vladimir Karmirshalian, Ambassador of the Republic
Of Armenia to Denmark.

Welcoming Mr. Moeller to the spiritual and administrative headquarters
Of the Armenian Church, His Holiness reflected on the mission of
The Church as well as the close historic ties which exist between
The two countries and peoples. His Holiness also spoke of the
Positive relations that have been established in recent years in the
Ecclesiastical sphere between the Churches of Denmark and Armenia.

During the meeting, the Catholicos and the Foreign Minister
Also discussed the Nagorno Karabagh issue, and the desire of all
Parties to see it resolved through peaceful means. His Holiness
Informed Mr. Moeller that he has met a number of times with the
Spiritual head of Azerbaijan, and confirmed that religious leaders
Have a very important role in the resolution of the conflict, by
Publicly advocating that disagreements must be solved through mutual
Understanding and reciprocal dialogue.

Finally, the Pontiff of All Armenians touched upon the concerns
Of Armenians living in Denmark, and their desire to become active,
Contributing members of Danish society.

At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness extended his gratitude
To the state authorities of the Kingdom of Denmark and to the Danish
People, for the assistance and help they have provided to Armenians,
Most notably following the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 and the
Devastating earthquake in Northern Armenia of 1988.

##