WCU student recognized for genocide thesis
PAMELA BATZEL , Staff Writer

Daily Local News
07/15/2004

Standing in front of a barracks at a former death camp in Poland, with
a survivor in front of him recalling the horrors he experienced and
witnessed, a question hit Jonathan Coull.

Coull, a West Chester University student, wanted to know: “Where did
the Nazis get their ideas?”

The question gnawed at him.

After that two-week trip to Poland and the Czech Republic in the
summer of 2002, he stayed in Europe to backpack but found himself
interviewing residents and researching in museums, hoping to learn who
taught the Germans how to kill millions.

After he returned to West Chester, Coull abandoned plans to teach high
school history and enrolled in the university’s Holocaust and genocide
studies master ‘s of arts program and doggedly pursued an answer to
his question.

After two years of research, which included interviews with a local
survivor of genocide and research of primary documents, Coull had a
thesis that argued Germany had practice in the science of genocide
that preceded Adolf Hitler and World War II.

His efforts were recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Association
for Graduate Schools. He won “Distinguished Thesis Award” this spring
from the association representing 45 colleges and universities from
across the state. Coull was also one of the runner-ups for the
association’s outstanding graduate student of the year.

Brenda Sanders Dede, co-chairwoman of the committee that selected the
winner, said that Coull’s topic was unique and timely and his
recommendations from West Chester professors and project directors
excellent.

William Hewitt, a professor of history at West Chester who helped
advise Coull, said the work was “above and beyond the expectations of
the (Holocaust and genocide) program,” which was created five years
ago.

A master’s level thesis is typically about 100 pages. Coullâ=80=99s
touches 300. And his scholarship, which was strong, calls attention
to what is little known, Hewitt said.

Coull’s paper argues that the German government nearly exterminated
the Herero, a tribe in the African nation of Namibia that Germany
colonized. The Germans used that experience to help the Turks kill
between 1.5 and 2 million-plus Turkish Armenians in 1915, he argued.

By the time Hitler came to power, genocide had been institutionalized,
said Coull, who is 33.

“When you’re going to kill 6 million Jews in a residential complex,it
takes a lot of know-how,” Coull said. “If you practice killing groups
of people that are pariah — supposedly inferior groups — over a
period of 40 years, you’re going to get better at it.”

Coull’s work shows that genocide “doesn’t happen in a vacuum, there’s
a lineage to these horrors. They’re connected,” Hewitt said. “That
connection hadn’ t been made by many people.”

Coull acknowledged that some scholars do not agree that the Germans
played a central or leadership role in the Armenian genocide, but he
maintains that they did. “The documents I found support direct
involvement, they were involved in the killing. I found an
eyewitness.” His eyewitness, Charles Mahjoubian, lives in Paoli.

The Turkish government does not acknowledge the genocide, nor does the
United States, he said.

Coull said it is important to acknowledge and understand the
connection and progression of genocide.

In Germany, he said, “The whole government was created around the idea
that foreign policy is conducted by committing genocide.”

In each instance, the country justified the killings by arguing racial
superiority, Coull said, adding that the effort to wipe people out was
partof government plans to access resources and land.

In Turkey, for instance, several nations, including the United States,
were angling for access to mineral and railway rights as they saw the
Ottoman Empire crumbling, Coull said. Germany saw it could get closer
to the Turks by offering to help them kill the Christian Armenians.

“A lot of so-called inferior groups have been caught in between power
brokers in the world for a long time,” he said.

The Carter administration backed the Khmer Rouge after the Vietnam War
because the Khmer Rouge opposed the Vietnam War, Coull said. The Khmer
Rouge, who were Communists, is reported to have killed nearly 1.9
million people.

In 1989, Coull said, the United States backed Saddam Hussein who,
recent reports indicate, then killed between 600,000 and 1 million
Kurds. The Kurds were fighting for autonomy.

“It’s a real problem. It keeps happening over and over again. People
don’t even know it,” said Coull. “We live in an age of genocide. It’s
happening right now. It’s wrong.”

Coull, who hopes to enroll in a doctoral program in the fall of 2005,
said he wants to conduct research in Sudan.

A recent report from Reuters said as many as 30,000 black Darfur
Africans may have been killed by the Janjaweed, the Darfu militia,
with support from Sudan’ s military. Humanitarian officials say the
violence has made 1.2 million people in Darfur homeless, living in
barren areas.

Coull said he is in particular interested in the role missionaries
play in genocide.

“They need to be aware of their role and they need to be aware that
spreading their faith only instigates more killing,” he said. “Their
role needs to be redefined.”

Coull said he is interested in doing human rights work and developing
a model of intervention.

Coull said his passion for pursuing truth and humanitarianism has its
roots in his childhood.

He said he was about 11 years old when his father took him to see
“Gandhi,” which he described as the first “real” film he ever
saw. Shortly after he saw “Victor Victoria,” another movie with “a
universalist ideal of what people are,” he said. And, around the same
time, he read “The Rise and Fall of theThird Reich,” by William
Shirer, a well-known American journalist who covered Nazi Germany for
the American press.

“Right away there’s a system that’s being put in my head that’s
humanistic, individualistic and universalist,” he said.

His dad was a dean at the Haverford School and his mom was a reading
teacher. His stepmother has taught art and special education students
and several other family members teach.

In 1993, he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps, carrying on a
family tradition of offering service to the armed forces. Coull said
he was quickly disillusioned.

He said he went in believing that the United States was the “bearer of
true, high-minded values” but that his experiences changed that
perception. He said he saw the Army as abusing its power.

After college and his service in the Army, Coull went into social
work. But the work was exhausting and it seemed never to solve the
underlying causes of incarceration, rape and child abuse.

“It was a burn-out and I felt I was capable of doing more,” he said.

He decided to go back to school to get a certificate to teach
history. He said he wanted to relate his humanistic outlook. How
people understand history defines how they perceive the world today,
he said.

But after his first year, he participated in the two-week tour of
ghettoes and death camps from World War II in Poland and the Czech
Republic and was confronted with the question that led to his thesis
and his pursuit of a doctoral degree.

Dede, of the association for graduate schools, said that another
reason the committee chose Coull’s project over other candidates’ was
because he plans to continue his research in a doctoral program.

Coull added he hopes as more and more scholars bring attention to the
problem the public will take more notice — and interest.

“This topic is gaining momentum,” he said, referring to Anne
Applebaumâ=80=99s “The Gulag” which won a Pulitzer Prize in
2003. “It’s gaining currency.”

“If we (scholars) keep kicking at this door we’re going to kick it
in,” he said. “It’s going to become an issue.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

[15-07-2004 ‘Karabagh Conflict’]
————————————————- ———————
WHAT TO TALK ABOUT?
Source : “Golos Armenii” newspaper (Armenia)
Author: Ruben Margarian

The `Dialogue of Civilizations’ Falls Flat

It is a fact that despite the absence of tangible results in
diplomatic settlement of Mountainous Karabagh conflict, still there
are certain principles the international community thinks binding for
the sides, principles that are viewed by the mediators as a sort of
tools for working out the formula of settlement. First, these are the
requirements of the peaceful resolution of disputes and non-resumption
of military operations. Second comes understanding of the necessity
for mutual compromise on the way to settlement. Third, there is to be
understanding that the main formula of agreement should be reached by
the parties to the conflict themselves: the mediators may become
guarantors of the agreement, help organizing the negotiation process
or working out corresponding documents, but they should not be
expected to impose their decision. This third principle presupposes
presence of certain atmosphere of trust among the parties to the
conflict without which there can be no consensus.

At first sight, the parties to the conflict undertook the obligation
of meeting these principles because otherwise settlement is really out
of the question. However, it is only at first sight. At a closer look
it becomes clear that even in these issues the sides keep to
diametrically different approaches. Let’s consider them in order.

Through Peaceful Settlement

With their accession to the Council of Europe both Armenia and
Azerbaijan undertook such an obligation. Moreover, this obligation was
one of the main conditions for CE membership.

It is common knowledge that Europeans do not like to accept the
membership of the countries that are carriers of potential threat of
military operations and regional conflicts. By the way, it may be put
the other way: the membership of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Council
of Europe was conditioned by the intention of preventing resumption of
military operations in the region (we should not forget Baku-Ceyhan
pipeline, the investments and strategic programs related to it). The
cease-fire agreement, to which Armenia, Azerbaijan and MKR are
signatories, is still in force but the approaches of the sides differ
considerably.

The Armenian side, represented by both Armenia and MKR, repeatedly
emphasized its adherence to the cease-fire regime, its intention of
preserving the truce and even declared that in case of resuming
military operations, it is the initiating side that will be
defeated. To a certain extent, it may be considered a sort of an
obligation for not being the first to violate the cease-fire regime.

Official Baku has a different stance. Its representatives, up to the
Minister of Defense and President of the country repeatedly stated
that in case the negotiation process does not yield favorable results
for Baku, Azerbaijan reserves to itself the right for a military
resolution of the conflict. In fact, Azerbaijan rejects the
commitments to the Council of Europe. These statements should not be
viewed in internal perspective. There is no sense for Azerbaijani
authorities to threaten the people with a new war. These statements
are rather intended for external audience and do not pursue the goal
of killing two birds with one stone: blackmail of the international
community with the menace of war resumption and regional
destabilization, including public opinion poll in case Azerbaijan
really resorts to restarting military operations. In the second case,
the leadership of official Baku was repeatedly notified on the highest
level about all the consequences that might ensue for Azerbaijan with
the war resumed. However stating that constant blackmail leaves no
consequences is hardly the right way to go.

Willingness for Compromise

Herein as well no identical approaches may be considered. The position
of the Armenian side is obvious. President Kocharian in person stated
many times that the Armenian side in Key West was ready for the
greatest concession Yerevan and Stepanakert might afford:
reconsideration of the results of military operations between
Azerbaijan and MKR in 1992-1994, that is ceding to Azerbaijan a number
of territories presently controlled by the Armenian side. The
willingness of the Armenian side for return of Azerbaijani refugees
and other `trifles’ of similar kind is also evident. It is clear that
the Armenian share of `mutual compromise’ notion is defined by
official Yerevan quite unambiguously despite negative response of
public opinion towards this approach. At least the recent press
publications of the polls confirmed the latter.

However, it is quite difficult to understand what the Azerbaijani side
means by `mutual compromise’. Ilham Aliev speaks only of the
necessity for restoring territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, meaning
the borders of Soviet Azerbaijan and the Armenian terrorism. Thus it
may be assumed that the notion of `mutual compromise’ is simply not
perceived by Azerbaijan: Baku does not intend to cede anything since
the promise for reactivating Baku-Nakhichevan rail route or the
promise for providing the Armenian side with additional guarantees for
non-resumption of military operations cannot be taken
seriously. Obviously, it is not the promises of Baku but the armed
forces of RA and MKR that are main peace guarantees for the Armenian
side.

Formula of Settlement – the Result of Mutual Efforts

Joint productive and effective work on the package of future agreement
is possible only with mutual aspiration of the sides for the
atmosphere of trust among the parties to the conflict. Moreover, it is
the peoples of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Mountainous Karabagh and not
the Foreign Ministers or personal representatives of Presidents that
are meant by the parties of the conflict. Herein, the positions of the
sides are again diametrically controversial.

If the Armenian side and official Yerevan in the first place take all
effort for development of regional cooperation, Baku is persistent in
reducing to minimum all possible contacts of its citizens with not
only MKR but Armenia as well. In case such contacts are inevitable,
they are used by official Baku to one aim: to smear Armenia and MKR by
all means possible and to impede the progress of the two countries by
urging not only `brother’ Turkey but also public, economic and
political structures of other countries to impose blockade on Armenia
and MKR.

Apparently, there is no room for optimism. Despite the lobby talks
about the progress in the meetings of Foreign Ministers and
Presidents, such objective factors promoting settlement as the
exploitation of Baku-Ceyhan pipeline in the coming year or the
forthcoming discussions about possible EU membership of Turkey,
despite all of this it is clear that even in the stage of diplomatic
settlement, the parties to the conflict demonstrate such different
approaches that the notorious `dialogue of civilizations’ becomes a
failure. The parties to the conflict are guided by different value
systems, different outlooks. So different that it is hardly possible
to talk about real prospects for settlement.

Editor’s Note: Dear readers, the next update of MediaDialogue will be
made in early Septmeber.

[15-07-2004 ‘Region’]
———————————————————————-
RUSSIA, GEORGIA SEEK TO KEEP GOOD TIES AMID CRISIS

Source : “Turkish Daily News” newspaper (Turkey) Author: Reuters

Russia and Georgia should not allow a mounting crisis over Georgia’s
breakaway region of South Ossetia to derail improving bilateral ties,
top officials from both states were quoted as saying.

The two states have engaged in an angry war of words after Georgia’s
nationalist President Mikhail Saakashvili — who recently subdued
another independent-minded region, Adzhara — launched the latest
drive to restore control over South Ossetia.

Russia accuses Georgia of violating a peace deal, which ended bloody
conflict in South Ossetia in 1992, and trying to trigger a military
confrontation. Georgia in turn accuses Russian peacekeepers in the
region of siding with separatists.

“Unfortunately, the conflict has become part of our relations, thought
not the central part,” Itar-Tass news agency quoted Gela Bezhuashvili,
secretary of Saakashvili’s advisory Security Council as saying.

“We should not become hostages to the conflict situation,”
Bezhuashvili told his Russian opposite number, Igor Ivanov, ahead of
trilateral talks scheduled for Wednesday in Moscow.

Long list of complaints

Russia and Georgia have prepared long lists of complaints to discuss
at the talks, which Ossetian officials will also attend.

Moscow has accused Tbilisi of covertly sending hundreds of troops to
the conflict zone in violation of the peace deal and provoking clashes
with separatists.

Georgia in turn blames Russia for supplying separatists with weapons
and giving them political support. It also accuses Russia of turning a
blind eye to hundreds of armed volunteers pouring in from its
territory to assist the Ossetians.

The situation came close to a climax last weekend when Russians said
peacekeepers in the area had the right to use force to impose peace
and Georgians said they were prepared to use arms to repel a Russian
aggression.

Ivanov said he hoped Wednesday’s talks would ease the confrontation.

“In the past months relations between Georgia and Russia have become
increasingly dynamic,” Interfax news agency quoted him as telling
Bezhuashvili. “This creates good grounds to solve problems, which
have been mounting for years.”

Saakashvili, now on a visit to Britain to drum up support for his
drive to restore control over South Ossetia and another breakaway
region, Abkhazia, said he is counting on Putin to personally
intervene.

“I count on the pragmatism and reasonable approach of President
Putin,” he told a news conference in London.

Last November Putin sent Ivanov to Tbilisi to persuade veteran
President Eduard Shevardnadze to leave peacefully in the face of a
coup staged by Saakashvili and his supporters.

In May Ivanov flew on Putin’s orders to the Adzhara region, which
Moscow had backed, to persuade regional strongman Aslan Abashidze to
resign. Abashidze fled to Moscow on Ivanov’s plane.

But analysts predict Putin may find it harder to compromise on South
Ossetia. More than half of ethnic Ossetians — who form the majority
of the population — have Russian passports and relatives living in
the Russian province of North Ossetia.

[12-07-2004 ‘Karabagh Conflict’]
———————————————————————-
ARMENIA WILL NOT CEDE US A SINGLE REGION
Source : “Zerkalo” newspaper (Azerbaijan)
Author: M. Yasharoglu

Political scientist Vafa Guluzade thinks it absurd to discuss the
application of the Cyprus option to Karabagh problem resolution.

Today both Azerbaijani and international political scientists are
engaged in a hot discussion of the possibility for applying the Cyprus
issue to the settlement of Mountainous Karabagh conflict provoked by
Armenian occupation of 20% of Azerbaijani territories. Media also pay
adequate attention to the discussion of this issue. In the
conversation with `Zerkalo’ correspondent vice state advisor,
political scientist Vafa Guluzade noted that despite numerous
discussions in the media, nobody explained to the society what lies
under Cyprus option.

– From Turkish perspective, Kofi Annan’s plan on joint accession of
the two Cyprus communities in the European Union has failed. If Turkey
has accepted this option, it means a failure for the latter as
well. The Turks were humiliated by the accession of only the Greek
part of the island to the EU. In case of implementation of Kofi
Annan’s plan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would cease to
exist, Turkey would lose its military presence on the island and the
Turkish population would be in the minority. Turkey itself is not a
part of EU and nobody is going to let it in.

Thus, it turned out that both Cyprus and Greece would be EU members
and Turkey would not gain any advantage. It is a no less significant
factor that Europe promised to lift the blockade of Northern Cyprus
and allegedly intended to allocate financial assistance for its
development amounting to 260 million Euros. However, subsequent events
showed that nobody intended to lift the embargo of Northern Cyprus and
the discussion on the mentioned sum proved to be empty talk.

– What does that option mean for Azerbaijan?

– It might imply joint annexation of Mountainous Karabagh and Lachin
to Armenia and return of Azerbaijani `minority’, reduced to this
plight by the Soviet authorities, to Mountainous Karabagh. That is,
Azerbaijanis of Mountainous Karabagh will get some autonomy as a part
of Armenia. There can be no other interpretation of the Cyprus option.
Thus application of the Cyprus option to Azerbaijan is simply
absurd. We may only consider liberation of Karabagh territories from
Armenian occupation and return of Mountainous Karabagh to the
sovereignty of Azerbaijan. Any other proposals for settling the
conflict using Cyprus, Maldiv or Folkland options are all absurd.

– Will Azerbaijani authorities be able to stand firm on this issue in
the face of Western pressure whose demands for more concessions on our
part increase daily?

– The current authorities of Azerbaijan should have it clear that in
case of ceding the Azerbaijani territories to Armenia, all our
population will be against it. I don’t think the authorities will be
able to resist their own people. The power representatives are also a
part of the people.

There is an on-going fuss for over 10 years, particularly increasing
since 1999 – what dressing should be provided for the return of
Azerbaijani territories to Armenia? It is also called liberation of 9
regions. What does that mean? What 9 regions? Will Shushi region also
be liberated? What they mean is liberation of occupied territories
around Mountainous Karabagh in exchange for its annexation to Armenia,
including Lachin as well. We need to ask directly – Does Azerbaijani
people accept it? In case of its agreement, it is a
possibility. However, I am confident that no single Azerbaijani will
accept it.

I hold that Americans are absolutely unaware of Karabagh problem,
similarly to Western Europeans. They think Azerbaijan does not lose
much in ceding these territories to Armenia and that we should do that
by all means. Why should Azerbaijan cede its legal territories is not
in any way explained, even on our part. No one raises this issue. It
is only various options that are discussed. There can be no options in
this case. Either we restore our sovereignty or say farewell to
Mountainous Karabagh and Lachin for the sake of liberating six
territories.

Unlike us, Armenians have a clear stance. When discussing the
Mountainous Karabagh status, it may be interpreted in the following
way – granting independence to Mountainous Karabagh or annexation of
these territories to Armenia. They do not accept a high level of
autonomy so profoundly discussed by ex-President of Azerbaijan. This
fact needs to be explained to everybody. It might be much better if
media addressed a concrete issue instead of articles on empty options
and solutions. It is not options but our territories that we need.

You see, when in office as a state adviser we discussed all the
options. All of them were initially still-born. From the very outset
they were rejected by us because they implied ceding Mountainous
Karabagh. We mean all the previously proposed options.

– What do you think, will we have to freeze the conflict and stop
negotiations before reaching the decision to win our territories back?

– We should voice our clear position all over the world that we will
never reconcile with losing Mountainous Karabagh by any reason. All
are to know that we will strive for restoring our sovereignty over
Mountainous Karabagh. It should be emphasized as well that it is
Russia that raised either Karabagh, Abkhaz, Ajar or all similar
problems on post-Soviet space. We should always have them remember it.

USA should also understand that we will not accept any option of
unfair settlement of the conflict even if this will meet the oil
interests of the White House. Such an attempt for settlement will
destabilize the situation in the region and will threaten American
interests. Americans, reluctant to get deeper into anything and
viewing themselves as power, should be informed about it somehow. The
notions of truth and justice should be driven in their brains.

—
Yerevan Press Club of Armenia, ‘Yeni Nesil’ Journalists’ Union of
Azerbaijan and Association of Diplomacy Correspondents of Turkey
present ‘Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey: Journalist Initiative-2002’
Project. As a part of the project web site has
been designed, featuring the most interesting publications from the
press of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey on issues of mutual
concern. The latest updates on the site are weekly delivered to the
subscribers.

Department of Armenian Studies, Haigazian University
Beirut, Lebanon
Contact: Ara Sanjian
Tel: 961-1-353011
Email: [email protected]
Web:

MARY DANIELYAN LECTURES AT HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY ON ALEXANDER TAMANIAN’S
CREATIVE ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE

BEIRUT, Monday, 12 July, 2004 (Haigazian University Department of
Armenian Studies Press Release) – On Wednesday, 16 June, 2004, Mrs. Mary
Danielyan, project manager in the Architecture and Engineering Section
of the Holy See of Echmiadzin, gave the second of her lectures at
Haigazian University. This time, her topic was “The Creative Role of
Alexander Tamanian in Armenian Architecture and City-Planning.”

The first part of Danielyan’s lecture was devoted to Alexander
Tamanian’s (1878-1936) early career in Russia. Born in the city of
Yekaterinodar, Tamanian graduated in 1904 as an architect from the
Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St Petersburg. He oversaw the
reconstruction of an eighteenth century Armenian church in St Petersburg
in 1904-1906. Thereafter, he designed and constructed a number of
private residences and public buildings in various Russian cities. His
most famous work at this stage was probably the private residence of
Prince S. A. Shcherbatov in Moscow, for which Tamanian received a gold
medal from the Moscow City Commission in 1914. Danielyan also mentioned
that Tamanian designed in Yaroslavl in 1913 the square of a small
Russian town as part of the nationwide celebrations marking the 300th
anniversary of the accession of the Romanov dynasty to the Russian
throne. Tamanian was elected a member of the Imperial Academy in St.
Petersburg in 1914, at the relatively very young age of 36. He was
married to Camilla, a Russian lady of French origins, and together they
had two sons and a daughter. His sons, Gevorg and Iulii, would also
pursue their father’s profession.

The 1917 revolutions in Russia brought architectural work to an abrupt
temporary halt. Tamanian was forced, for a short period, to design sets
for theatrical performances, including Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Nevertheless, he continued his active participation in public
organizations and was also involved in efforts aimed at preserving
antiquities and valuable works of art.

Danielyan said that Tamanian moved to Armenia in 1919, where he would
work until his death, except for a brief sojourn in Persia in 1921. From
1923, he worked on the general plans of a number of Armenian-inhabited
cities, among them Yerevan, Vagharshapat, Stepanakert, Leninakan and
Karakilise. He was also the architect of a number of industrial
enterprises, public buildings and educational institutions. Moreover,
Tamanian was active in planning for new roads and the restoration of
Armenia’s irrigation network. He also headed the government’s technical
section, was the Vice-President of the State Planning Committee and the
Chairman of the Committee to Preserve Antiquities. Tamanian had many
critics after his death. He was accused of being a nationalist, and some
of his disciples, like Mikayel Mazmanian and Gevorg Kochar, were exiled
from Armenia at the height of the Stalinist purges in 1937. Danielyan
opined that probably only Tamanian’s early death saved him from a
similar fate.

The lecturer next dwelt on the chief plan of Yerevan devised by
Tamanian. The latter took into consideration the fact that Armenia’s
capital, which then had 75 thousand inhabitants, was surrounded by
mountains, adversely affecting its continental climate. He therefore
envisaged the new Yerevan, designed to have a population of 150
thousand, as a garden city with the newly planted forests acting as its
lungs. Tamanian tried to preserve in his plan a number of Yerevan’s old
streets, although these and the newly constructed ones would all be tied
to the city’s center. The city would have two main avenues. The
industrial enterprises would be situated in the south so that the
north-south winds blowing over the city would assist in the dissipation
of the polluted air. Workers would live outside this industrial zone and
would commute to work using public transport. The students’ and hospital
quarters would be constructed in the north-east. The city would expand
in future in both northerly and southerly directions. Its buildings
should not be more than three or four storeys high, while its roads
should be planted with green. Two bridges would cross the Hrazdan River,
which flows through the capital. However, Yerevan grew faster than
Tamanian and his contemporaries had anticipated. In 1935, he revised his
earlier plan so as to accommodate 450 thousand people in the future.
Some aspects of his initial plan were never implemented. The Northern
Avenue, which he envisaged connecting the Opera House to the central
square, is being constructed only now.

Danielyan next focused on three public buildings designed and
constructed by Tamanian himself as part of his general plan for Yerevan.
She identified the People’s House (currently, the Opera and Ballet
Theatre), the Government House and the Yerevan Hydro-Electric Power
Plant as his three most important achievements, which helped inaugurate
the modern period of Armenian architecture. Tamanian remained
unsurpassed as an architect throughout the twentieth century, stated the
lecturer. However, the Government House, situated on Yerevan’s central
square was not completed according to the original plan. Danielyan said
that Tamanian had first conceived the idea of a People’s House as early
as 1917. He planned to have a giant structure with two (Summer and
Winter) halls, which would share a common stage. This original plan was
also changed later, and the Opera and Ballet Theatre and the adjoining
Philharmonic Hall are today both closed structures with separate stages.
Danielyan said that fellow architect Toros Toramanian, an expert in the
history of Armenian architecture, was Tamanian’s main consultant. Their
friendship resulted in very fruitful cooperation, with Tamanian using in
his work many of the decorative motifs of the medieval Church of
Zvartnots, excavated and studied by Toramanian.

In the question-and-answer session that followed the lecture, Danielyan
referred to Tamanian’s various efforts – as Chairman of the Committee to
Preserve Antiquities – to save a number of old churches in Yerevan from
destruction during the anti-religious campaign in the first decades of
Communist rule in Armenia. She also expressed worry that Tamanian’s
basic principle that older sections of Yerevan should be preserved
during the expansion of the city is not being observed during the
current construction of the Northern Avenue. Some of the private and
public buildings that are being erected along this avenue do not seem to
be in harmony with the already existing structures like the Opera House.
She also described as a crime the turning of the Theatre Square around
the Opera House into a zone of cafés. The Circular Garden devised by
Tamanian is also on the verge of destruction, again because of the many
cafés that have been allowed to function in the area.

Danielyan’s lecture tour to Beirut was initiated by Haydjar, the
Association of Armenian Professionals (Architects and Engineers) in
Lebanon. In addition to her two talks at Haigazian University, she also
spoke to the Armenian public in the village of Anjar.

Haigazian University is a liberal arts institution of higher learning,
established in Beirut in 1955. For more information about its activities
you are welcome to visit its web-site at <;.
For additional information on the activities of its Department of
Armenian Studies, contact Ara Sanjian at <[email protected]>.

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ARMENIAN CITIZEN ARRESTED IN LIMASSOL FOR BRUTAL RAPE AND MURDER

* girl’s bruised naked body found on her bed in a pool of blood
* suspects apprehended had scratches on their bodies and streaks of blood of
the victim

By Katya Diogenous – Cyprus Mail – July 13

TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Lyudmila Zipir, 34 from
Ukraine, who was found dead in her apartment in Limassol on Sunday.Zipir was
found by police after her employer called concerned at her failure to turn up
for work on Saturday and Sunday.

Police yesterday arrested Armen Grigorian, 25 from Armenia, and Dionysis
Tokalides, 26 from Georgia, who lived next door to Zipir. They were taken to court
yesterday and given an eight-day remand.

Zipir’s employer told police the victim had repeatedly complained that the
two men used to harass her with sexual innuendoes. He had even visited the men
on several occasions to ask them to leave her alone.

When police arrested the two suspects, they appeared to have scratches on
their bodies as well as streaks of blood, believed to belong to the victim.Blood
was also found in the apartment building.

Police noticed there had been no forced entry into the apartment via the
front door, but that the balcony door connecting the victim’s apartment with that
of the suspects was closed but not locked.

The suspects deny any involvement in the murder, but cannot give a clear
story or confirm where they were at the time of the murder.

Zipir had lived in Cyprus for three years and worked in a bar in Limassol.
Pathologist Panicos Stavrianos, said the girl’s bruised naked body was found on
her bed in a pool of blood. He confirmed her death was criminal.

Turkish Cypriot teenager murdered in Limassol

In a separate incident a Turkish Cypriot teenager was stabbed to death by a
Greek Cypriot after a scuffle on the Limassol docks.

Turkish Cypriot newspapers in the occupied north rushed to characterise the
incident as “Barbaric”. Seven of the nine dailies carried the news on their
front page. Cyprus police characterised the killer as a man with deep
psychological problems eyed by the police in the past and believed to have committed the
crime under the influence of heavy drugs.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL ANALYST CONSIDERS IT NECESSARY TO PREPARE FOR WAR
AGAINST ARMENIA

“Armenia has no intention to return anything to us.
We must achieve justice by ourselves”

Parallels with Cyprus drawn

YEREVAN, 12.07.04. (Arminfo) Americans like West Europeans are absolutely
unaware of the Karabakh conflict, Ex-State Adviser, analyst Vafa Guluzade said in
his interview to the Zerkalo newspaper.

He said that the USA thinks that Azerbaijan can easily leave these
territories to Armenia and that we must do it. The USA must understand thatAzerbaijan
will never agree with unjust settlement-scheme, even if it satisfies the
interests of the White House in oil, the analyst added. He said that such an attempt
will destabilize the situation in the whole region and endanger America’s
interests.

Speaking of the “Cyprus settlement scheme,” the analyst said that its
application to the Karabakh conflict “would mean inclusion of Karabakh and Lachin
into Armenia’s territory and return of the Azerbaijani “minority,” which has
become such due to the Soviet authorities, to Nagorny Karabakh. That is, he
explained, Azerbaijanis will receive an autonomy as part of Karabakh and will be
included into Armenia. “There is no other understanding of the Cyprus
settlement-scheme,” he said. Guluzade pointed out that only liberation of the occupied
territories and return of Karabakh under sovereignty of Azerbaijan is possible.

Guluzade said that Azerbaijan must either restore its sovereignty or it will
loose Karabakh and Lachin forever for liberation of the six regions.

He pointed out that “if a country part of whose territory is occupied does
not prepare for war, it is a criminal country.” Azerbaijan must prepare forwar
even more than the country which occupies its territories, he said, adding
that he means Russia and not Armenia. “Armenia has no intention to return
anything to us. We must increase the public awareness of this idea, in order that
everyone understands that we must achieve justice by ourselves,” the analyst
said.

CYPRUS FM HOLDS MEETINGS REGARDING EU COMMISSION’S 260 MIL. EURO AID TO
TURKISH CYPRIOTS
by Nicos Bellos

Brussels, Jul 12 (CNA) – Cypriot Foreign Minister George Iacovou held here a
series of bilateral meetings with seven European counterparts, among them,
British Minister for Europe Denis MacShane, within the framework of the EU
General Affairs Council meeting.

Iacovou discussed among other issues, the European Commission’s package of
measures that include financial assistance of nearly 260 million euros to the
Turkish Cypriots, a regulation governing direct trade between Brussels and the
Turkish occupied part of Cyprus and rules on inter-island trade.

ARMENIA AT THE ATHENS OLYMPICS WITH 16 ATHLETES

Armenian tennis-player Sarkis Sarkisian has become the 16-th Armenian
qualifying for Olympic Games in Athens this summer. David Nalbandian from Argentina
and Magdalena Maleyeva-Berberian from Bulgaria, have also qualified for Athens
Games.

ACE IN THE HANDS OF ARMENIA

14 July 2004-Touching upon the statement made of RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian made in the U.S. recently, saying that Armenia canuse its
right of “veto” and prevent Turkey’s becoming a PACE presiding country in
2007, Haruth Sasunian, publisher of “Californian Courier” writes that “During the
conversation with the journalists RA Foreign Minister exploded a bomb, stating
for the first time that Armenia will use its right for veto, as Turkey is not
on the relevant level, height.”

“Turkey is the only candidate for that year. The presiding country has
certain privileges and rights that can be used against Armenia. Taking intoaccount
the policy conducted by them (the Turks) in the region in the course of the
past 12 years, that was too misbalanced and its support to Azerbaijan, Armenia
merely can’t stand Turkey as a presiding country for a year even if it wished,
” Vartan Oskanian said.

“It is a courageous decision and I think it’s a right one. Such decisions
can’ t please the American authorities, that will try to exert pressure and
demand to reconsider the decision, as well as, we should evade contradicting the
U.S., but I think, that notwithstanding all this, Armenia should make decisions
taking into consideration its own national interests and not the interest of a
foreign country (the U.S., Russia, France, China and Turkey),” Sasunian said.

The American -Armenian community should show resistance to the members of
Bush ‘ administration that will try to exert pressure on Armenia. Particularly,
in this year of elections, we should use all our force as an electors to resist
the people that will demand from us
to make favour to Turkey. We should undertake a firm position in this issue.
We hope that the Armenian authorities will not repeat the
mistake committed in 1999.

If the U. S. and Turkey really want the latter become a presiding country at
PACE, they should stop the blockade of Armenia or recognize the Genocide of
the Armenians. This is one of the rare cases, when the ace is in the hands of
Armenia. And Armenia should use it in the best way.

PYUNIK HAVE ONE FOOT IN THE SECOND ROUND AFTER 3-1 AWAY VICTORY IN F.Y.R.O.M.
() Armenian Football champions FC Pyunik have one foot in the
second qualifying round after a convincing 3-1 victory in Skopje on Tuesdaynight
against FK Pobeda of F.Y.R Macedonia.

Edgar Manucharyan was the hero for the visiting side, scoring twice and
making his side’s other goal for Zhora Hovhannisyan. All of this came in the first
half but the last action of note in the opening 45 minutes was the dismissal
of Pyunik’s Sargis Hovsepyan. Pobeda were able to pull one back in the second
half but their chances of progression after the return in Yerevan a week on
Wednesday look slim.

NEWS IN BRIEF
– Agricultural minister David Lokian said that Armenia is set to receive two
new credits in 2005 for agricultural development worth $10 million.
– Janez Potocnik, a junior EU commissioner ended a four-day tour of the of
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to talk about the EU’s “new neighborhood”
policy.
– Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian is on a two-day official visit
to Moscow. On the first day, the Minister met with Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov.
– Atom Egoyan’s “Ararat” won top prize at the Golden Apricot Film Festival of
works by Armenian directors. The festival included 57 movies by directors
from 20 countries.

g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r

* THE TEKEYAN YOUTH MOVEMENT OF CYPRUS is organizing a unique excursion to
Armenia, 7-14 August. Participants will exclusively be Armenian youth (ages13
to 35) from all over the world. The one-week programme is specially organized
to include an optimum amount of sightseeing, led by expert guides. Trips to
Shushi, Stepanakert, Noravank, Gladzor, Lake Sevan, Dilidjan, Barz Lidj, Khor
Virab, St. Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots, Sartarabad, Garni, Keghart, Dzidzernagapert
are included in the meticulously prepared programme. Lodging will be at the
“Lousakert” Hotel, 20 kilometres North of Yerevan, ideally situated in an orchard.
The hotel rooms are fully equipped with all the necessary facilities. The
price of the WHOLE PACKAGE, including FULL BOARD, all the excursions, transfers
from and to the airport, return air fare from Cyprus and visa to Armenia is
only 335 Cyprus pounds. Those interested should immediately call 99747798 or
99929343, as availability is very limited.

* The Armenian Youth Federation is organising a youth gathering at Aktea
Beach in Ayia Napa for the weekend of 17-18 July. Participation is open for all.
Contact: Marie Louise Kouyoumdjian on 99889768, Ani Tavitian on 99749784 and
Jijo Sarkissian on 99445018. Join the weekend fun !

* CHANGE OF VENUE Khanasor and Lisbon 5 Expeditions commemoration at Troodos
Picnic site of “Loumada ton Aeton” (last year’s site and the site of
1981-1982 AYF Camps, one mile before the American Academy Camp site. As always follow
the tricolours) Sunday July 25, 2004, organised by AYMA, Dashnaktsoutiun
Cyprus Committee, The Armenian National Committee of Cyprus, AYF, Larnaca and
Limassol Armenian Clubs, Hamazkayin and ARS (HOM) Cyprus Chapters. Hayer hishek
nviragan ayn ore, Houlis amsoun ksanhinkin gadaretsek mer done. Commemorative
Programme begins at 12:00 noon.

* The Armenian Youth Federation is organising its Annual Summer Camp at the
Camp Site of Morphou Prelature from 9-15 August 2004. To receive more
information or to register please contact the following: Nareg Tavitian, Nora Sarian or
Simon Aynedjian.

* A Tour to Armenia is being organised by the Central Executive of Hamazkayin
from August 20-September 3, 2004 with the participation of members and
friends from Armenian diaspora communities. Trips to Karabagh are also scheduled. To
receive more info and to apply for the trip please contact the Cyprus
Hamazkayin committee members immediately.

* POSTPONED The Annual General Meeting of The Hamazkayin Cultural and
Educational Association “Oshakan” Cyprus Chapter has been postponed for Tuesday
September 14, 2004.

* Sakis Rouvas LIVE in Cyprus at Tsirion Stadium on July 23, 2004 at 9:00
p.m. If you are wondering why this ad has been included… vorovhedev Sakinhay e
!

The Armenian Prelature announces that the next permit for the Armenian
Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is scheduled for Sunday 26
July, 2004.

* Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation can be heard via
real audio on . Broadcast times 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time
(14:00-15:00 GMT) News bulletins at 17:15 local time on Sundays, Tuesdays,
Fridays. Armenian Cypriots can also tune in on the following radio frequencies
91.1 FM (Mount Olympus – for Nicosia listeners) 94.2 FM
(Paralimni/Protaras/Agia Napa) 92.4 FM (Larnaka) 96.5 FM (Pafos).

* FUNERAL: The Funeral Service of legendary football striker of AYMA Garabed
Kalfayan, who passed away on Monday July 12, 2004 in Nicosia, took place at
Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church in Nicosia on July 14, 2004 at 4:00 p.m. The deceased
was 76 years old. On behalf of his team-mates and AYMA Levon Sarian delivered
the last farwell. In his speech he said that the deceased carried two pictures
in his wallet. One of his family and one of his football team. May he rest in
peace.
By request of the family, pokhan dzaghgebsagi donations to AYMA.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CENN – Daily Digest July 15, 2004
Table of Contents:
1. In Search of Black Sea Oil
2. Information regarding the IMF / World Bank Annual Meetings
3. CIP Improved School Project Contract Awarded
4. ArcGIS Extensions Workshop – Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst for
Environmental Applications in Seattle, WA Sept. 1 – 2, 2004
5. Various Openings at NACRES
6. ATP 10th Anniversary Celebrated with a Concert at Garni Temple
7. Armenia sees growth in tourism
8. Armenia gets 23m dollars from World Bank to improve water supplies

1. In Search of Black Sea Oil

Source: The Georgian Messenger, July 15, 2004

The Company Anadarco continues the search for oil in Georgian territorial
waters in the Black Sea. According to the Company, the new exploratory
program is expected to last for three years and is targeted at estimating
oil reserves in the sea.

At a presentation conducted on July 12, 2004 the company authorities stated
that according to their estimates, there should be significant reserves of
oil and gas in Georgian territorial waters, particularly in the Adjara zone,
although they were not yet ready to give precise figures.

According to an agreement with the Georgian government, the company has
rights to conduct exploration works in Georgian territorial waters in
Abkhazia and Adjara. However, so far no works has been carried out in
Abkhazian territory.

Anadarco, which is a daughter company of Anadarco Petroleum Corporation, has
been active in Georgia since June 2000, and is working in partnership with
the Georgian state enterprise Saknavtobi.

Until now, Anadarco was carrying out two dimension explorations in the area.
Now it plans to carry out three-dimensional explorations, which will give
more precise information. The explorations are being conducted in the open
sea forty km northwest of Batumi.

Anadarco’s findings will be eagerly awaited by other companies operating in
the Black Sea. Georgian territorial waters are divided into ten blocks:
Anadarco is active in the 2a, 2b and 3 blocks, while other companies, such
as Ioris, Veli, Runko, Fronters Ninotsminda are operating in different
blocks.

Analysts believe it possible that Anadarco will complete its exploration
works within three years and then start drilling. Anadarco is currently
looking for a partner, as drilling is very expensive: one well is estimated
to cost USD 50-60 million.

As for the Georgian share of the venture, the figures have not been revealed
yet but it is believed that Georgia’s share in the profits would initially
be slim, but would increase as work enters a more advanced stage.

Meanwhile, Saknavtobi – the state organization responsible for over seeing
the administration of oil exploration – is still searching for a General
Director. Out of the 82 applications in the open competition, twelve have
been short listed. the name of the new General Director will be publicly
announced on July 20, 2004.

2. Information regarding the IMF / World Bank Annual Meetings

Dear Civil Society Colleagues:

This is to update you on relevant information related to the accreditation
process and civil society dialogues during the upcoming Annual Meetings of
the IMF and the World Bank that will take place in Washington, DC on October
4-5, 2004. You can also find this information at the World Bank’s website
for CSOs at:

ACCREDITATION
You can now apply online for accreditation to attend the 2004 Annual
Meetings and related events. To do so, please go to:
Once you submit your
request for accreditation, you will receive an instant email reply
confirming the receipt of your request, and advising you how to check on the
status of your application while it is being processed. As you might know,
all requests for visitors, including civil society, are subject to
clearance. Your request will be cleared by the Executive Director of the
country from which your request originates.

If you are unable to submit this request on-line, please fax your written
request, on your institution’s letterhead paper, to the Special Guests and
Visitors Office at: (1-202) 522-7408. Your request should include your full
name, title, complete mailing address and telephone/facsimile numbers, and
an e-mail address if possible.

We strongly encourage you to apply for accreditation as soon as possible.
Many of you will need a visa to enter the United States and that could take
a long time to obtain. Please initiate the visa process as soon as possible.
If the US authorities in your country request a confirmation letter or fax
in order to get your visa, please contact:

Special Guests and Visitors Office, World Bank
Telephone: (1-202) 458-0264
Facsimile: (1-202) 522-7408

After you’ve completed the online registration and have received the email
receipt they will be able to issue such letter/fax for you.

The deadline for accreditation is September 3, 2004. NO REQUESTS WILL BE
ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DEADLINE.

NGO/PRESS

Please note that as of this year, the NGO/PRESS badge will be discontinued.
We will provide the accredited CSOs with a meeting space close to the press
room in the IMF building for meetings with journalists, CSO press
conferences etc. The room will be equipped with work stations and a live
feed from the press conference room. We will also distribute in that room
all communiqués and other press releases as soon as they become public and
available to journalists. Also, a number of seats in the press conference
room will be reserved for CSOs, who will be accommodated on a first-come,
first-serve basis. We will do our best to facilitate your contacts with the
press covering the Annual Meetings.

POLICY DIALOGUE SESSIONS FOR CSOs

In an effort to address the major development challenges and in response to
requests coming from civil society, a number of Policy Dialogue Sessions for
interested CSO representatives will be organized before and during the 2004
Annual Meetings, between Wednesday, September 29 and Wednesday, October 6.
We welcome any suggestions and ideas of topics of these discussions. You can
submit your comments to: [email protected] for World Bank or:
[email protected] for IMF meetings. Details of these dialogues will be made
available at: closer to the date.

We’re looking forward to seeing many of you in Washington !

World Bank and IMF Civil Society Teams

_______________________________
Civil Society Team
The World Bank
Phone: (1-202) 473-1840

3. CIP Improved School Project Contract Awarded
Press Release

Source: The Georgian Messenger, July 14, 2004

BP, as the operator of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil export pipeline and
South Caucasus (SCP) gas pipeline projects, is pleased to announce the
launch of the USD 2.4 mln CIP — Improved School Project in Georgia (ISP).

Improved School Project is an extension of the Community Investment Program
(CIP), implementation of which started a year ago, in March 2003. The aim of
CIP is to deliver tangible benefits to the communities along the pipeline
route by promoting sustainable social and economic development, focusing on
the projects relating to infrastructure repair/rehabilitation, agricultural
improvements, sustainable income generation through micro credit and
community capacity building. CIP has focused on the villages within the 2 km
corridor on either side of the pipeline.

Based on the consultations with various NGOs, government, local communities,
and with the aim to spread the CIP benefits to the towns along the pipeline
route, BP and its partners in the BTC and SCP projects have decided to
implement the CIP — Improved School Project in the towns along the pipeline
in addition to the current CIP activities.

The aim of the CIP -ISP is to promote sustainable socio-economic development
of urban areas along the pipeline route by preparing adolescent to
participate more effectively in Georgia’s future social and economic growth.

CIP — Improved School Project provides an opportunity to invest in both
physical infrastructure rehabilitation and capacity building for teachers,
administrators, partners and students of secondary schools, thus also
supporting the Government of Georgia’s Education System Realignment and
Strengthening Program.

Key outputs of the CIP -ISP project will include:

Infrastructure rehabilitation in over 50 secondary schools in the towns of
Gardabani, Marneuli, Rustavi, Tetristkaro, Bakuriani and Akhaltsikhe,
benefiting over 28,000 students and 2,000 teachers;
Over 275 teachers and administrators will be trained in specialized teaching
or management techniques;
Parents, teachers, administrators and students will be prepared for the
national wide move to the Schools Board model of school management.

As a pilot project, which if successfully, may be replicated in other towns
in the future, one school in Tsalka, Bakuriani and Akhaltsikhe will be
selected for installation of a computer lab powered by solar panels. This
will enable students in those schools to improve the skills that will better
prepare them to find employment in the future.

The CIP-ISP is being carried out by the two lead CIP implementing NGOs –
Care International and Mercy Corps, in cooperation with Technical Assistance
in Georgia as a local partner.

CIP-ISP is yet another example of how expansion related to the
implementation of the two major oil and gas pipeline projects in the
region – BTC and SCP – has resulted in significant investment by the BTC and
SCP partner groups to benefit the countries through which these projects
pass.

The CIP-ISP demonstrates strong commitment of the BTC and SCP projects to
being good neighbors, and will deliver real and tangible benefits to the
towns along the SCP and BTC Pipeline route.

4. ArcGIS Extensions Workshop – Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst
for Environmental Applications in Seattle, WA Sept. 1 – 2, 2004

ArcGIS Extensions Workshop – Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst for
Environmental Applications
Course ID: GIS-404
September 1 – 2, 2004, 8:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. (2 Days)
Allied Business Systems, Main Computer Lab
10604 N.E. 38th Place, Suite 118
Kirkland, Washington
(15 minutes east of downtown Seattle)

Instructors: Shawn Blaesing-Thompson, M.S.; and Jeffrey Berry
This 2-day hands on course builds upon GIS-403 and will cover the
environmental applications of Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions of
ESRI’s ArcGIS software. Each participant will have their own computer
workstation to create, edit, display and analyze real world environmental
data during numerous hands on exercises. Participants will be led through
exercises that simulate environmental issues (i.e., suitability, distance,
hydrologic, and surface modeling). The course topics will be covered while
working on the exercises.

Course Topics

Introduction to Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst Extensions
Modeling Surface and
Subsurface Features
Converting Features to Rasters
Draping 2D Data on 3D
Surfaces
Creating Continuous Surfaces from Point Features
Calculating Surface Area
and Volume from a TIN
Deriving Contours, Slope, View-sheds, Aspect, and Hill
Shade from Surfaces
Hands-on Exercises Using
Extensions:
Performing Map Algebra on Rasters
– Terrain Analysis
Carrying out Discrete Cell-by-Cell Analysis
– Watershed Pollution
Modeling
Performing Grid Classification and Display
– Flood Mapping
Building Surface Models (TIN)
– Site Suitability Analysis

Each day the course begins at 8:30 A.M. and ends at 5:00 P.M.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Convert features into raster files
Create continuous surfaces from point features
Perform spatial analysis on surface features
Conduct map algebra operations on rasters
Perform discrete cell-by-cell analysis
Classify Grids and Displays
Build 2D and 3D surface models

Intended Audience: This hands on course is intended for environmental
scientist, engineers, and graphics professionals involved with the
collection, interpretation, and presentation of spatially related data.

About the Instructors:

Jeffrey Berry has been using GIS on a variety of projects across the country
for more than 10 years. He is a certified GIS instructor and frequently
teaches GIS workshops. Mr. Berry currently serves as Senior GIS Analyst with
Erlandsen & Associates. Shawn Blaesing-Thompson is currently serving as a
cartographer and GIS trainer for Washington Department of
Transportation. She has been teaching GIS workshops to WSDOT staff
throughout Washington.

Prerequisites: Previous ArcView 8 or ArcGIS 9 experience and/or completion
of GIS-403 or equivalent is recommended.

Registration: $495/$395* Discount applies to government; Native American
Tribes; nonprofits; students; teachers; and NEBC, NAEP, and NWAEP members.

Credit: 1.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Register Online

Directions

Download Registration and Information Packet (includes hotel info,
directions, and registration form for printing)

To request further information, call us at (206) 762-1976 or send us email.

Erick McWayne
Northwest Environmental Training Center
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit program of the Northwest Environmental Education
Council
4742 – 42nd Avenue SW, PMB 322
Seattle, WA 98116
Phone 206-762-1976
Fax 206-762-1979

5. Various Openings at NACRES

Noah’s Ark Center for the Recovery of Endangered Species (
<; ) a non-governmental and non-profit organization
was founded in 1989 to research and safeguard biodiversity, especially
endangered species in Georgia and the South Caucasus and to promote public
awareness in the field of environmental protection.

NACRES announces vacancies for the following positions:

POSITION 1: Community mobilization and public relations coordinator
POSITION 2: GIS specialist
POSITION 3: Assistant to the Executive Director
POSITION 4: Logistician

Applications described below should be submitted in English only and should
be sent either by fax or e-mail to: Mr. Kakha Artsivadze, Executive
Director, NACRES Fax: 53-71-24 E-mail: [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]

NB: When sending application by e-mail, please do not forget to write in
Subject line: Application for [and indicate which position you are applying
for]; Otherwise your application might not reach the relevant staff within
NACRES.

Each applicant is eligible to apply for one position only, however selection
panel might suggest a prospective applicant other position should the panel
consider applicant’s qualification more relevant to other vacancy.

PLEASE NOTE:
1. Hand delivered applications will not be accepted !!
2. To keep the selection process fare NACRES staff will not
respond to any inquiry phone calls, e-mail or fax messages!! All necessary
information on NACRES can be found at NACRES website:

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 17:00, FRIDAY, 23 JULY 2004;

LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

1. COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR

Duties and Responsibilities:

Relationships with NGO sector, local communities and other stakeholders in
the regions of Georgia
Close coordination with NACRES partner NGOs in the regions of Georgia and
also in Armenia and Azerbaijan
Coordination of public awareness activities and trainings (does not mean
facilitation of trainings in other fields rather then community mobilization
and public relations)
Relationships with local, central and international mass media
Preparation of different publications including texts for NACRES website
upgrades and annual reports

Qualifications and key competencies:

Excellent competency of spoken and written Georgian, English and Russian
Good knowledge of environmental issues
At least one year of working experience in public relations and community
mobilization
Excellent communications and team working skills
Good computing (basically MS Office and internet) skills
Good project management skills and job delegation abilities

Proposed initial salary: GEL 630 (net) per month. NB: Please note that this
is one of the key positions at NACRES and the proposed salary will at least
double (may even gradually triple) during 9-12 months after employment if
the selected person excellently performs requested abilities and
successfully accomplishes tasks set by the organization.

A successful applicant will receive extensive training in specific fields
(e.g. biodiversity conservation) if needed and s/he will be required to pass
through an initial three-month in-depth evaluation period.

Important Notice: Interviews with prospective applicants will be in
Georgian, English and Russian

Interested candidates must submit application consisting of the following
documents only:

filled attached Personal History Form (in Adobe Acrobat format)
a letter of motivation in English, not exceeding one A4 format page printed
in Times New Roman, Font Size 12, Spacing 1
at least one letter of recommendation indicating work experience in the
field

2. GIS SPECIALIST

Duties and Responsibilities:

Analysis of aerial photos and satellite images
Development of GIS databases
Development of different thematic maps
Other relevant tasks in the GIS sphere

Qualifications and key competencies:

Minimum 1 year working experience in related field
Excellent computer skills: ArcGIS 8.x (strongly desirable) or other ESRI
software;
Good English
Academic Background (desirable but nor essential): natural sciences
(biology, geology, geography or any environmental science)

Proposed salary: GEL 630 (net) per month with potential growth after six
months.

A successful applicant will be required to pass through an initial
three-month probationary period.

Important Notice: Interviews with prospective applicants will be in English

Interested candidates must submit application consisting of the following
documents only:

filled attached Personal History Form (in Adobe Acrobat format)
at least one letter of recommendation indicating work experience in the
field

3. ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Duties and Responsibilities:

Support the Executive Director in ongoing activities including projects
management
Translation of current documentation from English into Georgian and vice
versa
Management of correspondence
Maintenance of administrative and personnel filing systems
Preparation of reports for donors and the Executive Director
Perform of occasional office needs assessments for purchasing goods

Qualifications and key competencies:

Good knowledge of spoken and written Georgian, English and Russian is
desired
Desired (but not essential) background: natural sciences (biology, geology,
geography or any environmental science) or at least two years of work
experience in an environmental organization
Good computing skills

Proposed salary: GEL 439 (net) per month with potential growth after six
months.

A successful applicant will be required to pass through an initial
three-month probationary period.

Important Notice: Interviews with prospective applicants will be in English
and Russian

Interested candidates must submit application consisting of the following
documents only:

– filled attached Personal History Form (in Adobe Acrobat format)
–
– at least one letter of recommendation indicating work experience
in the related field

4. LOGISTICIAN

Duties and Responsibilities:

– Assistance in procurement
– Maintaining of the organization’s vehicles in good working
conditions
– Assistance NACRES staff in travel throughout Georgia and the South
Caucasus countries
– Coordination of travel and accommodation of foreign visitors
– Assistance in organization and management of fieldworks throughout
the country
– Management and inventory of property of the organization
–
Requirements:

– Basic English (Desirable)
– Good computer skills-MS Office (Required)
– Driving license and owning of a vehicle (Required; NB: maintenance
of personal vehicle and fuel to be supplied by the organization)
– Experience in similar job (Desirable)

Proposed salary: GEL 439 (net) per month with potential growth after six
months.

A successful applicant will be required to pass through an initial
three-month probationary period.

Important Notice: Interviews with prospective applicants will be mainly in
Georgian, but some basic communication will also be in English

Interested candidates must submit application consisting of two documents
only:

– filled attached Personal History Form (in Adobe Acrobat format)
– at least one letter of recommendation indicating work experience
in the related field

6. ATP 10th Anniversary Celebrated with a Concert at Garni Temple
July 13, 2004

PRESS RELEASE
Armenia Tree Project
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-926-8733
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Armenia Tree Project’s 10th Anniversary Celebrated with a Concert at Garni
Temple in Armenia

YEREVAN (ArmeniaNow, combined sources)-Beneath a full moon over an ancient
temple, the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia filled Garni with music on
July 2.

Maestro Aram Gharabekyan waved his orchestra into motion at 10pm, with
“Dance of Rosy Girls,” from Aram Khachaturian’s ballet “Gayane,” just as the
moon made its way into view over the 1st century BC temple.

Yellow lighting filled the inside of the temple, while purple, blue, and
green lights successively highlighted its columns. It is the first time such
a spectacle has been held in the gorge, one of Armenia’s most popular
tourist destinations.

Seating was provided for 600, but about 100 others stood for the two-hour
performance. The audience was a mix of dignitaries, citizens, and diasporan
Armenians who received special invitations to the event.

“It is the most extraordinary concert I have ever seen,” said Heghine
Zurabyan, 45, who lives in Garni. “I dream that my children will have many
opportunities to hear such concerts.”

The orchestra was accompanied by soprano Gayane Grigoryan and soprano Nune
Badalyan, who received a standing ovation for her performance of the last
aria of the opera “Anush.”

Gharabekyan praised the work of the Tree Project, which over the past decade
has planted 531,000 trees in 500 locations throughout Armenia.

“The orchestra is honored to have a role in the protection and
revitalization of our environment through music,” Gharabekyan was quoted as
saying. “Let’s place our hands together across Armenia and across the world
so that we can replant, replenish, and rebuild a new vision for the future.”

“It was just a breathtaking, stunning scene to listen to this music in front
of this amazing temple,” said Glenn Surabian, of Boston, who is in Armenia
to work on a USAID-sponsored program. “These beautiful trees were lit up. I
think it was just a wonderful celebration for the Tree Project.”

The orchestra produced a similar event last year in Shushi, at the College
of Applied Arts and Sciences that was destroyed. The concert aimed to
promote awareness of the college’s reconstruction, just as the Garni concert
publicized the Tree Project’s reforesting efforts throughout Armenia.

“One of the objectives of the orchestra has always been to play a part, not
only in the cultural life of our society, but to make a meaningful
contribution to the causes that impact our lives as citizens,” read a
statement by the orchestra about the performance.

“Therefore, this evening’s concert is not incidental, but a commitment whose
roots can be traced to Shushi. Let’s all ensure that we build a new
society – one which places importance on ecology and the environment and one
which our children will be proud to inherit,” the statement concluded.

Orchestra director Armen Arabyan said the Garni concert was a logistical
challenge. He also said they spent about $20,000 to organize the concert and
that the orchestra hopes to produce such events annually.

The performance was filmed and will be produced as a DVD and recorded for
release on CD.

The ATP is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1994 during
Armenia’s darkest and coldest years with the vision of safeguarding
Armenia’s future by protecting its environment. Funded by contributions from
Diasporan Armenians, the ATP has planted and rejuvenated 531,000 trees at
more than 400 sites ranging from Gyumri to Goris.

7. Armenia sees growth in tourism

Source: ArmenPress, July 13, 2004

Arthur Zakarian, the head of the trade and economic development ministry
department for tourism, stated that the geography of foreign tourists
visiting Armenia is expanding and visitors from EU countries are set to
exceed those coming form ex-Soviet republics.

According to him, this is the indication that Armenia is becoming gradually
a tourist attraction for Europeans. “Armenian tourists industry sees annual
growth and potentially has all prospects for becoming one of the largest
sector of the Armenian economy,” he said. He said the number of foreign
travelers visiting Armenia raised by 12 percent to approximately 33,000 in
the first quarter of this year.

8. Armenia gets 23m dollars from World Bank to
improve water supplies

Source: Arminfo, July 9, 2004

Armvodokanal [Armenian water canal] and the World Bank have signed a credit
programme to the tune of 23m dollars for 40 years to restore Armenia’s
system of water supplies, the head of the Armenian State Committee for Water
Resources, Andranik Andreasyan, told reporters at a press conference.

The programme aims to choose a new operator in the system of water supplies.
The French company [Water Utility] Saur was chosen as a new operator in a
tender. The State Committee for Water Resources is planning to submit the
package of the credit programme during the autumn session of the Armenian
National Assembly.

Moreover, two programmes of the German KfW bank to the tune of 94m euros are
being prepared for the Armenian water supplies company Nor Akunk that
operates in Armavir Region. For the implementation of the first programme,
which envisages restoration work in Armavir Region, the German government
will allocate a 14m-euro credit. The second programme, designed for
restoration work in the country’s Lori and Shirak Regions, will be carried
out stage-by-stage. The overall funding of the programme is 80m euros, and
25m euros will be channelled into the implementation of the first stage.

Mr. Andreasyan said that due to the need for massive work in these areas,
the government of Germany has decided to allocate one third of the 25 euros
(about 8m dollars) as a grant.’

The security problem in all operating reservoirs will be resolved with the
World Bank’s new credit programme amounting to 7.5m dollars, the head of the
Armenian State Committee for Water Resources, Andranik Andreasyan, told
reporters at the press conference today.

The programme will be a continuation of the already implemented World Bank
programme to maintain security in strategic reservoirs, he said. Andreasyan
also said that a programme of developing irrigation systems is being
prepared at the moment. He said that for the time being, 54 leading
organizations are operating in the country’s irrigation system, whereas only
one big company Dzhirar is engaged in water supplies.

New tariffs have been established for services in the irrigation system at
present, Mr. Andreasyan said. Thus, one cubic metre of irrigation water in
Yerevan is 90 drams and 100 drams outside the capital. The difference in
tariffs is explained by the fact that 45 pumping stations, which consume
great amounts of energy, are operating in rural areas.

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)

Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Press Release
Armenia Fund USA
152 Madison Ave, #803
New York, NY 10016
Contact: Lisa Markarian
Tel: 212-689-5307
Fax: 212-689-5317
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: <;

Armenia Fund USA Puts the Future Back into the Hands of the People of
Karabakh

Armenia Fund USA is redefining the very idea of sustainability by taking
training to a new level with the staff and physicians of the new Armine
Pagoumian Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center in Karabakh’s capital of
Stepanakert. Under the leadership of public health expert Dr. Alina
Dorian, the Polyclinic project has blossomed into a comprehensive health
care program that involves everything from intensive training for
administration and health care professionals to state of the art
equipment with technicians and Armenian language manuals.

“Developing a quality health system is a long-term process requiring
fundamental changes in the culture of quality,” says Dr. Alina Dorian.
“The scope of quality includes not only the achievement of best outcome
but also equity, safety, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness,
availability, access, acceptability, and user choice. The main
challenge is to bring together the key stakeholders; this project brings
together health care providers, health authorities, and the community to
apply evidence-based thinking at the level of everyday practice.” On
board for the development and implementation of the training modules is
an impressive list of collaborators including: UCLA’s Center for
International Emergency Medicine, Yerevan’s Academy of Medicine, the
American University of Armenia’s Center for Health Services Research and
Development, Johns Hopkins University’s Center for International
Emergency Disaster and Refugee Studies, MediTech Company, and members
from Karabakh’s local community for whom the Polyclinic is the only
viable channel for medical care.

Comprehensive training and the power of new medical knowledge and
treatment modalities constitute the most direct route to ensuring the
sustainability for both the Center and the state of healthcare in the
Republic. Health care professionals in Karabakh have not undergone
retraining since 1988. Since independence, the system has been severely
plagued with a lack of funding and shortages of basic supplies,
reagents, and modern equipment for diagnosis, treatment, and
sterilization. Health education and counseling training are non-existent
in the current health institute curricula.

Once buildings are complete and equipment is delivered, it is the
administrators, health professionals, and support staff that must manage
and promote new standards for healthcare in Karabakh. The Center’s
training program involves four Modules that cover the spectrum in care
and management.

Designated modules will utilize multimedia CD-ROMS created exclusively
for the health care needs of Karabakh, a first for the region. The
educational program will also aim to improve the history and physical
examination skills of care providers. The multimedia medical education
program is efficient, portable, reality-based, and cost-effective.
Large volumes of medical information, radiographic images, and
patient-care scenarios are compiled into a resource that is both
portable and easily duplicated. In order to provide comprehensive
training support, five personal computers will be provided to the
Polyclinic for ongoing educational purposes.

“We are not just producing a building; buildings don’t save lives. We
are focusing on the physicians, the nurses, and the very people
themselves. We are giving Karabakh an opportunity to be their own
primary care givers and takers; we are empowering them with the ability
to heal themselves, and that is far more powerful than the most
impressive of building exteriors.” Close to $300,000 worth of X-ray,
ECG, EEG, and MRI equipment is being acquired from Meditech, a medical
equipment and technology company based in Yerevan. The equipment will
come ready with Armenian language operating manuals and will be staffed
by engineers specially trained to maintain and repair the equipment.
Furnishings ranging from beds and curtains to conference rooms are also
incorporated in the facility plan.

The Polyclinic and Diagnostic Center has many visionary philanthropists
behind its success. Hirair and Anna Hovnanian made a generous
contribution of $400,000 towards a journey of healing for the Republic
of Karabakh.

Fundraising efforts for the new medical complex were recently closed
with a generous donation of $125,000 in addition to an existing
commitment of $750,000 from philanthropist George Pagoumian.

Thanks to the conscience of generous benefactors, the leadership of
dedicated visionaries, and the involvement of leading health advocators,
Karabakh stands the chance at providing its people with competent
healthcare. Karabakh cannot be a viable and strong nation unless it is
first a healthy one.

Those who want to support Armenia Fund USA projects can send in a 100%
tax deductible contribution to Armenia Fund USA, Inc., 152 Madison
Avenue, Suite 803, New York, NY 10016. Or, visit us on the web at
<; to make your
contribution online and learn more about our mission and projects.

Armenia Fund USA us a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated
exclusively to supporting large scale, self-sustaining, humanitarian
initiatives in Armenia and Karabakh, as defined and determined by the
rules and regulations in the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions
are 100% tax deductible.

Flights of imagination for an unforgettable vacation
Jul 15th 2004
>From The Economist print edition

This week we devote the whole of the section to reviews of novels that
could make great travelling companions

JUST over 40 years ago, Greek and Turkish book-lovers alike burst into
tears as they read a new Greek novel: in `Farewell Anatolia’, Dido
Sotiriou drew on her childhood memories to describe the comradeship of
two shepherd boys, one Christian, the other Muslim, who go on to fight
on opposite sides of the Greek-Turkish war of 1919-22. On the final
page, the Christian narrator mourns his native soil and his long-lost
friend-and curses the powers that divided them.

Until now, the human story of Ottoman society’s violent break-up,
under the pressures of war and nationalism, has largely been kept
within the Greek-Turkish family: not many people outside the region
know it, and even there it must be told elliptically because it flies
in the face of nationalist orthodoxies. Now a version of this story
will reach a wider audience: it is the theme ofa new novel-his first
for a decade-by Louis de Bernières, the British author who captivated
readers with `Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’, a tale of love and war in
Greece.

`Birds Without Wings’ is not just about one friendship, although the
camaraderie of two boys later divided by war is one central theme. The
bookdepicts a whole tapestry of relationships in a close-knit but
brutish community in the twilight of Ottoman Anatolia, where Muslims
pray in Arabic and Christians in Greek, but the only language anyone
understands is Turkish. There is a gangof Christian and Muslim
children who play together and dream of marrying. Even more
impressively, the Muslim hodja’s wife and the Christian priest’s wife
are best friends, and their husbands get along well too.

But as the war clouds gather and finally burst, the Muslim boys are
taken off to hell-holes like Gallipoli, the Armenians are marched away
to exile or death, and the Greek Orthodox are press-ganged into
forced-labour units. After the war, the surviving Orthodox Christians
are shipped off to Greece, an alien world.

As a (broadly successful) storytelling technique, Mr de Bernières
presents a series of first-person accounts by village characters, in a
quirky, uneven style: sometimes naive and homely; sometimes
over-elaborate. The net effectis to give the impression of a text
translated from another language. Also interwoven, for historical
context, is a biography of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the
mono-ethnic Turkish republic which replaced the multi-ethnic Ottoman
world.

Given that his book is presented as a sort of history lesson, Mr de
Bernières will be challenged on his facts. How will he fare? His
account of a Turcophone world, where barriers between the monotheisms
had blurred, is not entirely implausible-even though the areas where
this situation existed wereabout 400 miles to the east of this book’s
notional setting. The author was inspired by the deserted ruins of a
once prosperous coastal town known as Kaya in Turkish and Livisi in
Greek. This is certainly a haunting, and perhaps indeed a haunted
place; but virtually all its people spoke Greek and knew they were not
Turks or Muslims.

Still, such quibbling should not spoil the pleasure of those who come
looking for an absorbing read about a remote but captivating time. The
Ottoman world’s break-up is a rich, poignant story, and Mr de
Bernières is a good storyteller. At times he is nearly as good as
Dido Sotiriou.

Armenian-Iranian relations said entering into new stage

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
14 Jul 04

Armenian-Iran cooperation is entering into a new qualitative
stage. While presenting his credentials to Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan the new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the
Islamic Republic of Iran [IRI], Ali Reza Haqiqian, passed on Iranian
President Mohammad Khatami’s warm greetings. He said that Iran highly
assesses the Armenian president’s attention to bilateral relations and
the development of mutually beneficial cooperation and outlined
President Kocharyan’s official visit to Iran in 2001.

The Iranian president’s forthcoming official visit to Armenia would
also be a serious impetus for developing bilateral relations.

The Armenian president gave a positive assessment to the current level
of Armenian-Iran relations in all spheres and spoke in favour of their
future development.

[Video showed the ceremony and reception at the president’s office.]

Armenian opposition still undecided about parliamentary boycott

Mediamax news agency
14 Jul 04

YEREVAN

The faction of the opposition Justice bloc has not yet discussed
lifting its boycott of the autumn plenary sessions of the Armenian
parliament, the secretary of the Justice parliamentary faction, Viktor
Dallakyan, said at the national press club today.

Commenting on the criminal proceedings instituted against the
opposition activists, he accused the Armenian authorities of
attempting to transfer domestic political processes to the criminal
plane.

“If the authorities come back to a political course, we are ready to
consider lifting the boycott,” he said.

Armenian press distorts OSCE mediators’ remarks – Azeri analyst

MPA news agency
15 Jul 04

BAKU

“The statements made by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen in the course
of the current visit to the region do not contradict each other. The
co-chairmen believe that now is a good time to resolve the conflict
and both sides are satisfied with the proposals,” the head of the
Centre for Political Innovations and Technologies, Mubariz Ahmadoglu,
has told MPA news agency.

French co-chairman Henry Jacolin’s remarks that the European Union
will favour those countries which are good neighbours is a diplomatic
message for Yerevan, Ahmadoglu said. One could sense some harshness
towards Armenia in statements by the other co-chairmen, he
said. However, the Armenian press has tried to distort their words and
present them to the public in a favourable light.

The main issues confronting the mediators today are liberation of the
occupied territories and finding a common denominator to determine the
status of Nagornyy Karabakh. To a certain extent, the co-chairmen have
reached an agreement and much will be known in the wake of their
meetings with Azerbaijani officials, Ahmadoglu said.