Anadolu Agency:
6/29/2004
Erdogan: Turkey Accomplished A Very Difficult Mission Hosting Nato
Summit
ISTANBUL – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on
Tuesday that Turkey accomplished a very difficult mission by hosting
NATO Summit in Istanbul.
Erdogan who held a news conference following the NATO Summit stated
that Turkey accomplished a very important mission by hosting NATO
Summit. He said that heads of state and government who attended the
summit shared a similar view as well.
Erdogan said that Turkey represented a synthesis between Islam
culture and democracy, between traditionality and modernism and
between the past and the future, and stressed that this summit showed
once again that Turkey was a powerful light of hope for dialogue
between civilizations and cultures.
Underlining that Istanbul Summit pointed to a critical aspect in
NATO`s transformation process, he said that decisions taken in the
summit would be a historical turning point for the future, world
peace and stability.
Erdogan said that decisions on extension of NATO mandate in
Afghanistan to areas beyond Kabul, upon the demand of central
government to support elections that would be held in this country,
were confirmed in the NATO Summit.
He said: “It has been decided to end NATO operation in Bosnia
Herzegovina at the end of the year and assist the EU that is going to
undertake a new operation there in light of achievements in this
country. A new package of measures like enhancement of capabilities
for prevention of possible chemical, biological and nuclear attacks
and exchange of intelligence including several measures in fight
against terrorism.
It has been decided to initiate work on removal of logistic and
financial difficulties which restrict participation of member nations
in NATO operations and to provide capabilities which are determined
to be necessary to fight new threats.
It has been stressed that accession of seven new countries would not
be the last expansion and that the Alliance`s open-door policy would
be preserved.
It has been decided to give priority to Caucasian and Central Asian
countries within the NATO`s partnership relations.
The `Istanbul Cooperation Initiative` which the leaders decided to
carry out in full partnership and consultation with the regional
countries in line with the approaches at the G-8 meeting and U.S.-EU
summits has been put into practice. It has been decided to improve
the existing Mediterranean Dialogue by preserving its peculiar
identity in parallel to the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.
In accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1546 and in line
with the Iraqi interim government`s demand, it has been decided that
NATO will undertake a role in the training of Iraqi security forces
and a domestic study will be initiated regarding supplementary
steps.“
Erdogan added, “in line with all these decisions, we clearly see
that the NATO`s transformation process that is built on new
capabilities, new partnerships and operations has gained a new
horizon and been accelerated at Istanbul summit. This visionary
quality of the Istanbul summit was actually mentioned also in the
Istanbul Declaration that was adopted at the summit. Releasing of
such a statement in addition of its content for the first time since
the London summit in 1990 that was held shortly after end of the Cold
War, affirms the importance of the Istanbul summit.“
ERDOGAN: “WE HAVE INITIATED A PROCESS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN“
Erdogan said that they had initiated a negotiation process between
Armenia and Azerbaijan during the 17th NATO Summit in Istanbul.
Erdogan said, “I held talks with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan of
Armenia during the summit. I also had the chance of bringing Oskanyan
and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan together. Meanwhile, Foreign
Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has initiated a
process by bringing together foreign ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan.“
“We want a solution to be found to Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute on the
basis of the understanding of win-win. However, wishes are not enough
at all. The most important thing is to come to a conclusion,“ he
said.
Upon a question, Prime Minister Erdogan said that Turkey would
undertake command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
in Afghanistan in the February-August period of 2005, adding that
details would be clarified in the coming days.
JOINT STATEMENT ON IRAQ IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR TURKEY
Erdogan said this statement was also very important as allies who
went through a difficult period during Iraq crisis put forth a
consensus on Iraq issue.
“The statement on Iraq includes noteworthy observations on general
situation in Iraq and principles that should be complied with,“
Erdogan noted.
Erdogan said that the statement`s underlining clearly that terrorist
activities stemming from Iraq threatened neighbor countries, and
security of the region was of great importance for Turkey.
Recalling that Afghan President Hamid Karzai also attended
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) meeting, Erdogan said,
“especially the meeting with Karzai is a historical one. This
meeting was very beneficial and constructive, as it showed
Euro-Atlantic group`s commitment toward the future of Afghanistan.
This issue appeared clearly both in NATO meetings and also in
bilateral meetings.“
Erdogan noted that this summit also contributed to European Union
(EU) countries` approach toward Turkey`s EU membership.
In regard to Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
Abdullah Gul`s holding a trilateral meeting on Monday with Foreign
Minister Elmar Memmedyarov of Azerbaijan and Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanyan of Armenia, Erdogan said that he hoped that foreign
ministers` decision to continue to hold such meetings would
contribute to regional stability and solution of regional issues.
Noting that he had had the opportunity of holding a series of
bilateral meetings during the summit, Erdogan said that he had
reviewed bilateral and Turkey-EU relations with the Italian, Spanish
and Slovenian prime ministers.
Recalling that he had held a detailed meeting separately with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev and
Afghan Head of State Hamid Karzai, Erdogan said that he had met with
French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder prior to last night`s banquet and held a brief exchange of
opinions. Erdogan said that he had held several meetings with all
heads of state and government during NATO meetings.
Erdogan added that the Istanbul summit was a well-timed, beneficial
and successful meeting in terms of steering the NATO`s future,
Turkey`s promotion and bringing importance of Turkey to the
forefront.
ERDOGAN: “SEMINARY ISSUE WAS DISCUSSED DURING MY MEETINGS AT
SUMMIT“
Erdogan said that reopening of the seminary on Heybeliada island in
Istanbul had been discussed at some of his meetings he held within
framework of the NATO Istanbul summit.
Erdogan held a press conference after end of the summit and answered
questions of reporters.
Asked whether the seminary issue had been brought onto the agenda,
Erdogan said, “yes, the seminary was brought onto the agenda and I
said that our study on the issue had been under way. As you know that
the real source of the problem was its closure in 1971 under a
constitutional court decision. Our relevant institutions have been
conducting necessary study on the issue. We will act according to the
result of the study, but we seek if there are any other ways out.“
Erdogan said that he had also met with Greek Prime Minister Costas
Caramanlis during the summit and it was a very positive and sincere
meeting.
Asked of his opinions about use of tear gas by police against
demonstrators who protested NATO summit, Erdogan said, “policemen
fulfilled their duty while civil organizations used their democratic
rights.“
Erdogan said that policemen fulfilled their tasks successfully at the
point of deterrence.
Replying to a question on Turkey`s European Union (EU) membership
process, Erdogan noted that they approached the EU from the point
that there was not any problem regarding negotiation process.
Erdogan said that Turkey took very important steps on its membership
process, stressing that they expected the report on Turkey that would
be announced by the EU Commission in October would be positive.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Republican, MA
6/29/2004
Turmoil in homeland prompts move to U.S.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
The end of the Cold War was not peaceful for Stella Gabriyelyan. It
brought her the loss of her home, the threat of mortal danger to her
family and years of uncertainty and bitterness.
The Gabriyelyans arrived in America on May 15, 2003, after living for
13 years as Armenian refugees in Moscow.
The date means a lot for them. It was exactly 14 years earlier that
the family arrived in Moscow fleeing ethnic violence in Azerbaijan,
then one of the 15 Soviet republics.
Before 1988, Gabriyelyan recalls, Azerbaijan had just one nationality
– bakinets – residents of Baku, its vibrant capital, located on the
western shore of the Caspian Sea. It was home to about 2 million
people, mostly Azeris, but also Armenians, Russians, Ukrainians and
Jews. “It really didn’t matter what culture a person came from. We
all were just bakintsy. It was such a friendly city. Everyone loved
each other. And then suddenly everything changed.”
Scholars and politicians would likely explain that the ethnic
conflict broke out in the Caucasus as part of a horrible legacy left
by Stalin in his re- drawing of the country’s ethnic map that exiled
entire nations from their ancestral homelands and fomented
disagreements that had been smoldering for decades.
Still, it’s hard to believe that people who used to live and work
side-by-side their entire lives would suddenly find themselves bitter
enemies.
It was the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of Azerbaijan that
became a bone of contention for Armenia and Azerbaijan. After the
Armenian majority there broke off relations with Azerbaijan and
joined Armenia in 1988, the conflict between the two neighbors
flared, leaving many dead.
In January 1990 Baku was hit by days of anti-Armenian violence that
claimed dozens of lives. There were certainly stories on both sides
and each side would offer their own explanation. But for sure, it was
not safe for any Armenian to stay in the city.
“I narrowly avoided being killed,” says Stella, who now calls West
Springfield home. “I don’t miss the city. I feel only fear and pain
thinking about those days.”
Vadim, her husband, is a Russian. But as long as Stella’s
“non-Russian” appearance was the obvious sign of an “unfriendly
nationality,” they told their son, Misha, who was 8, that his mom was
a Jew.
Their last days in Baku were spent hiding in their Russian neighbors’
apartment. “We left very early in the morning and we left everything
there.”
Stella doesn’t miss Moscow either.
Many Russian-speaking Baku Armenians sought refuge with friends and
relatives in Moscow and other Russian cities rather than in Armenia,
mainly because of their lack of Armenian language skills.
Unfortunately, they were not welcomed, particularly in Moscow with
its growing “Caucasus phobia” and registration regulations for
non-Muscovites which give police the right to expel non-residents who
had failed to register with the authorities.
Due to the arbitrary refusal of Moscow authorities, the Gabriyelyans,
like thousands of other forced migrants, did not receive local
propiskas – residence permits – and were not recognized by the
authorities as citizens of the Russian Federation after the collapse
of the Soviet Union.
So they became refugees in their own country.
“My grandfathers fought for this country in the second world war. My
father was a border guard. I did nothing wrong. I was a teacher all
my life. Why did I have to have problems acquiring Russian
citizenship?”
There is still much bitterness in her voice.
The first group of Baku Armenians who applied for U.S. resettlement
came to America in 1990. Stella, a Russian and English language
teacher, helped many of them to fill out the forms.
The Gabriyelyans themselves had to wait for a while until they were
granted refugee status. When it was granted, Stella remembers
thinking, “Now we have to start all over again.” Again.
Alex Peshkov, a staff writer for The Republican, emigrated to Western
Massachusetts from Arkhangelsk in 2002. His column focuses on the
Russian-American community. He can be reached at [email protected]

Frommers
June 30 2004
What’s New: An Online Update for Frommer’s Israel, Jordan and Sinai
Destinations: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel, Amman, Haifa, Jordan,
Eilat, Petra
Activities: Air, Beach, Car Rental, Lodging, Tips and Resources
Author: Robert Ullian
[parts omitted]
Shopping
Honored by the Israeli Postal Service with a set of commemorative
stamps in 2003-04, Jerusalem’s two world famous Armenian ceramic
workshops are always worth visiting.
The Palestinian Armenian Pottery Workshop, Nablus Rd, next to the
East. Jerusalem American Consulate (); and
Jerusalem Pottery, located on the Via Dolorosa, at the Sixth Station
of the Cross in the Old City (); [tel.]
02/626-1587. The artisans of these workshops were originally brought
to Jerusalem at the start of the British Mandate in 1919 to maintain
the extraordinary ceramic tiles on the Dome of the Rock. Hand painted
tiles from the workshops adorn the exteriors and interiors of
buildings throughout Jerusalem, from St. Andrew’s Church to the
American Colony Hotel. The beautiful tile wall panels decorating the
Sukkot Patio at the Residence of the President of Israel, were
designed by Marie Balian of the Palestinian Pottery Workshop (Mrs.
Balian has been honored with a special exhibition of her work at the
Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.). The Karakashian family’s
Jerusalem Pottery Workshop is especially known for its individual
tile designs. An array of hand-painted plates, vases, and other
ceramic items for sale to the general public at very reasonable
prices is available at both workshops. The bazaars of the Old City
are flooded with printed, machine-made imitations of Armenian
ceramics, but only the real stuff shines.
Fans of Jerusalem’s Armenian ceramics tradition will want to check
out a beautifully illustrated book, The Armenian Ceramics of
Jerusalem, Three Generations, by Nurith Kenaan-Kedar. Published in
2003, it chronicles the work of both the Balian and Karakashian
families, and is available at the Eretz Israel Museum Bookstore in
Tel Aviv, or can be ordered at Steimatsky’s Bookstores throughout
Israel. Be sure to specify the English language edition. The A
Both Palestinian Pottery and Jerusalem Pottery are closed Sundays.
When tourism is especially slow, it is best to call Jerusalem Pottery
ahead of time to be sure they’ll stay open for your visit.
The works of a number of Judaica artisans listed in the Frommer’s
Israel 3rd edition can now be previewed on their websites. Oded
Davidson (), is a silversmith whose whimsical
work is in the collections of many museums, including the Israel
Museum and the Wolfson Museum in Jerusalem; Avi Biran, a silversmith
with many awards and a sense of humor in his designs, has had his
work shown in museums throughout the world, including the Jewish
Museum of Prague, and Jerusalem’s Wolfson Museum. Archie Granot
() is a Judaica paper cut artist whose work is in
the collections of the Jewish Museum of New York, the Victoria and
Albert Museum in London, and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
For complete article, see
;destid¾ACH

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
June 30 2004
Turkey pushes for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia

There was hope that continued talks at the Foreign Ministry level
would held resolve the dispute between the two countries, Erdogan
said.

June 30 – Turkey has used the NATO heads of government summit in
Istanbul to reopen a process of dialogue between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
Turkey has organised a series of meetings between Turkish Azeri and
Armenian officials on the sidelines of the summit, which wound up on
Tuesday, Erdogan told a press conference.
`I held talks with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan of Armenia
during the summit,’ Erdogan said. `I also had the chance of bringing
Oskanyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan together.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul
has initiated a process by bringing together foreign ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan.’
Turkey wanted a solution to be found to Azerbaijan-Armenia
dispute on the basis of the understanding of win-win, he said.
`However, wishes are not enough at all. The most important
thing is to come to a conclusion,’ Erdogan said.
The Prime Minister said that the decision taken at Gul’s
trilateral meeting on Monday with Foreign Minister Elmar Memmedyarov
of Azerbaijan and Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan to
continue talks brought the hope that such meetings would contribute
to regional stability and the resolution of regional disputes.

Radio Free Europe, Czech republic
June 30 2004
Armenian Official Praises U.S. House Panel For Military Aid Increase
By Hrach Melkumian 30/06/2004 14:11
A senior Armenian official commended on Tuesday a key subcommittee of
the U.S. House of Representatives for supporting equal U.S. military
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan opposed by the White House.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben Shugarian also said Yerevan should
respond by expanding military cooperation with Washington.
A bill approved by the subcommittee last week calls for $5 million in
military financing to each of the two countries locked in a bitter
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The earlier version of the bill
drafted by the administration of President George W. Bush would
allocate $8 million to Azerbaijan and only $2 million to Armenia.
In an interview with RFE/RL, Shugarian welcomed the amendment which
has yet to be endorsed by the full House Appropriations Committee. He
said it was not only the result of heavy Armenian-American lobbying
but also an `explanatory work’ conducted by Armenia’s foreign and
defense ministries.
Shugarian took issue with the Bush administration’s arguments that
Azerbaijan deserves greater military aid because it has already
committed troops for the U.S.-led missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
`No matter how much countries differ in their attitude toward Iraq
developments, this can not be the decisive argument because the issue
relates to our region,’ he said. `There is a frozen conflict in our
region and when the parity is disrupted…there arise some dangers.’
But Shugarian also stressed that Armenia, which relies on a military
alliance with Russia in its national security policy, should seek
closer military ties with the United States if it is to maintain the
aid parity. `We should think in the future about expanding the
[defense cooperation] programs if we want to continue to keep that
parity because the aid depends on our proposals as well,’ said
Armenia’s former longtime ambassador to Washington.
The Armenian leadership has already taken steps in that direction in
recent years, stepping up its participation in NATO’s Partnership for
Peace program and promising to join the U.S.-led `coalition of the
willing’ in Iraq with a small contingent of non-combat military
personnel. A team of Armenian military drivers, doctors and demining
experts is expected to be deployed in Iraq in September.
Shugarian denied any U.S. pressure behind the deployment plans,
saying that Yerevan will continue to exercise caution in its Iraqi
policy primarily because of the existence of a vulnerable ethnic
Armenian community in Iraq. `I can say that both the State Department
and the White House understand our approach,’ he said.
Unlike neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan, Armenia declined to
endorse the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last year and did not sent
armed combat units to the country. It at the same time welcomed the
quick overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Radio Free Europe, Czech republic
June 30 2004
Media Groups Slam Government Over `Unpunished’ Attacks On Journalists
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
30/06/2004 14:15
Armenia’s leading media associations demanded on Tuesday that the
authorities respect freedom of speech, accusing them of failing to
identify and punish the perpetrators of unprecedented violence
against journalists that covered recent opposition demonstrations.
`We again demand respect for the public’s right to receive and the
journalists’ right to spread information and prevention of any
attempts to infringe on them,’ said a joint statement released by the
Yerevan Press Club, the Armenian Union of Journalists, the Committee
to Protect Freedom of Speech and the Armenian branch of the U.S.
Internews organization.
The statement dismissed as a `farce’ the trial earlier this month of
two men who were fined 100,000 drams ($185) each for taking part in
the April 5 attack on photojournalists present at an opposition rally
in downtown Yerevan. They were part of a larger group of burly men
that tried to disrupt the protest, throwing eggs at its organizers
and setting off firecrackers. The thugs, who reportedly work for
government-connected wealthy individuals, went on to indiscriminately
smash most of the video and still cameras that caught their faces.
Dozens of police officers led by General Hovannes Varian stood by and
refused to intervene.
`Neither the investigating body nor the court showed a desire to
protect the journalists’ right to collect and disseminate
information, not to mention the fact that the imposed punishment was
not commensurate with the deed,’ the media groups said.
`We expected that there will be other revelations and trials but
nothing has been done over the past period to identify the
perpetrators of the other violent acts,’ they added, pointing to the
beating by the police of four journalists covering the brutal
break-up of the April 12-13 protest near President Robert Kocharian’s
Yerevan residence.
One of those journalists, Hayk Gevorgian of the `Haykakan Zhamanak,’
says that Varian, who is the deputy chief of the national police
service, personally stole his camera before ordering subordinates to
attack him. Gevorgian spent two weeks recovering from severe injuries
sustained during the beating. Ashot Melikian of the Committee to
Protect Freedom of Speech deplored the fact Varian has faced no
official inquiries or any disciplinary action over the allegations.
The joint statement also urged Armenian journalists to close ranks in
the face of what its signatories see as a government effort to
further curb press freedoms in the country. According to Boris
Navasardian, chairman of the Yerevan Press Club (YPC), the Armenian
media community must consider violence against a single journalist an
affront to free speech.
The Armenian media’s coverage of the recent standoff between the
government and the opposition was scrutinized at a seminar held by
the YPC on Tuesday. Levon Barseghian, chairman of the Asparez Club of
journalists in Armenia’s second city of Gyumri, described it as
largely `distorted,’ singling out local television stations for
criticism.
`TV and radio stations seem to have an invisible bar which they are
not allowed to cross in order to speak more freely and criticize the
authorities, especially Robert Kocharian,’ Barseghian told the
seminar. He was particularly scathing about the Kocharian-controlled
state television’s coverage of the confrontation, denouncing it as
`adverse and disastrous.’
In Navasardian’s words, this situation makes even more urgent the
reopening of A1+, Armenia’s sole major private network that was often
critical of the authorities. A1+ was controversially forced off the
air more than two years ago. The authorities have since resisted
strong international pressure for its reopening. The continuing ban
on A1+ is the main reason why the Armenian media was recently rated
`not free’ by Freedom House, a New York-based human rights group, for
the second consecutive year.
Addressing the Council of Europe last week, Kocharian disputed
assertions that Armenia’s electronic have lacked diversity and
pluralism since A1+’s closure and urged the Strasbourg-based
organization to remove the issue from the agenda of its ongoing
monitoring of his administration’s human rights record.
But Navasardian disagreed, saying that A1+’s return to the airwaves
is `the only chance to have an independent electronic media outlet in
Armenia.’ `Journalists or a group of journalists do not have the
resources and the political cover to set up such a television
channel,’ he said. `That is the reason why we talk so much about
A1+.’

Montreal Gazette, Quebec
June 30 2004
Ex-broker barred for life
Fined $305,000 for multiple infractions. Harry Migirdic’s penalties
among stiffest ever assessed by the IDA in Quebec

PAUL DELEAN
The Gazette
CREDIT: ALLEN MCINNIS, THE GAZETTE
Evidence entered at the IDA hearing showed Harry Migirdic was the
subject of several warnings and disciplinary measures. He was found
guilty of 24 transgressions during his time as a CIBC representative.

In a ruling that brought little solace to some of his victims, a
former broker with CIBC World Markets in Montreal has been barred for
life from the securities industry for a long list of infractions,
among them using the accounts of certain investors to guarantee the
trading losses of others they didn’t know.
Harry Migirdic, a prominent member of the local Armenian community
(from which he drew many clients), has also been assessed $305,000 in
fines and $55,000 in investigation costs by the Quebec district
council of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada, though the
association admits it lacks the enforcement powers to collect that
money from people no longer employed in the industry.
“(Migirdic) getting the lifetime ban does not do justice to what
happened,” said Richard Papazian, 43, whose late mother, Kiganouchi
(Ketty) Papazian, had $299,275 withdrawn from her account by the CIBC
to make up for shortfalls in the trading account of two other
Migirdic clients.
“Harry did the paperwork, but who exercised the fraudulent guarantee?
CIBC went ahead and helped itself to the money (by exercising the
guarantee) after they found out what he was doing.
“He put it in the bag for them, but they decided to walk out of the
store with it.”
Another former client, Haroutioun Markarian, also can’t understand
how the CIBC can wash its hands of the actions of someone it employed
as a vice-president.
“While Mr. Migirdic was churning profits for them, CIBC was more than
willing to accept them. However, after being exposed for his
wrongdoings and even having been fired by CIBC for these actions,
they incredibly still shun any liability and responsibility. How
convenient.
“Simply put, CIBC is saying to the public that you are more than
welcome to bring your savings to them, but if someone within their
organization takes away your money, then that is too bad.”
Migirdic is the second former CIBC World Markets broker this week to
receive a lifetime ban from the IDA. Alex Gurion, who used to work
for the brokerage’s North York branch, also got a lifetime suspension
for cheating a 90-year-old customer out of $350,000 in 2001, the same
year Gurion moved to Moscow. The CIBC made full restitution to the
customer in 2002.
It also has settled with some of the more than 20 clients who
complained about Migirdic, but not all.
That’s a source of great frustration for Papazian, whose 78-year-old
mother died of cancer last year, and for Markarian, a retired
machine-shop owner who is 71.
Markarian and his wife had about $1 million extracted from their
investment accounts to guarantee the trading losses of Migirdic’s
73-year-old uncle in Turkey.
“CIBC’s strategy is a simple and ruthless one,” Markarian said. “Drag
out the lawsuits long enough to outlive the victims. In Ketty
Papazian’s case, this strategy worked to perfection.”
The CIBC declined to comment. “The cases are what they are,”
spokesperson Rob McLeod said from Toronto yesterday. “We aren’t
commenting on these cases.”
Its position in the Papazian case, outlined in documents filed in a
Quebec Superior Court suit, is that she was fully aware of the
guarantee and she and her son were “complicit in their own
misfortunes.” It also claims no legal responsibility for the actions
of the broker and any losses suffered by his former clients.
Lawsuits seeking about $5 million for losses and $55 million in
punitive damages from Migirdic and the CIBC are now making their way
through the Quebec legal system. The first is due to come to trial in
January.
Migirdic, also known as Harutyun Migirdicoglu, was a registered
investment representative in Quebec for more than two decades at
Merrill Lynch, Wood Gundy and CIBC World Markets before his
termination in 2001. Evidence entered at the IDA hearing showed he
was the subject of several warnings and disciplinary measures.
This year, he was found guilty by the IDA of 24 transgressions during
his time as a CIBC representative. They included multiple counts of
trading without the knowledge or authorization of a client, obtaining
account guarantees under false pretences, altering investment
objectives and risk tolerance on Know-Your-Client forms without
consent, knowingly accepting a forged power-of-attorney and offering
a client a $400,000 promissory note to compensate for trading losses
without the knowledge of the CIBC. Migirdic admitted to all the
infractions but did not plead guilty.
In its decision on an appropriate penalty, the IDA’s three-
member disciplinary committee said there’s no denying the extent of
the financial prejudice suffered by Migirdic’s clients and the firm
that employed him or the harm he did to the credibility of financial
markets.
“Some of the violations are clearly of a fraudulent nature,” the
committee said. “It’s the case with the guarantees that he (Migirdic)
had clients sign, on the pretext it was a formality for their file.
The reprehensibility (of this type of fault) is undoubted.”
Another aggravating factor was the vulnerability of many of his
clients, who trusted him blindly, the panel said.
A lifetime ban, severe as it may be, is the obvious response in a
case like this, since the person can no longer be trusted to act
honestly with the public, clients and the profession as a whole, it
said. “They weren’t isolated incidents.”
Migirdic’s lifetime ban and $360,000 in fines and costs are among the
stiffest penalties ever assessed by the IDA in Quebec. Last year,
Warren McCaffrey, a former investment representative at the Hudson
branch of Leduc et Associes Securities Canada Ltd., was fined
$585,000 and barred for life for a series of regulatory violations
and fund misappropriations that included falsifying a letter on which
he forged a client’s signature, depositing in his own bank account
cheques destined for or sent by clients, and depositing in his
spouse’s account a bank draft received from a client for the purchase
of securities.

San Francisco Chronicle
June 30 2004
A Wise twist on Armenian family recipes
Rene Caparros, Special to The Chronicle

Bay Area chef/author and Chez Panisse alumna Victoria Wise, who has
written on a wide range of culinary subjects from tortillas to
charcuterie, goes to her own cultural heritage in her latest, “The
Armenian Table: More Than 150 Treasured Recipes That Bring Together
Ancient Flavors and 21st Century Styles.” This is as much a history
book as it is a cookbook, starting with a brief account of why
Armenians left their homeland and settled in the United States.
Wise’s grandparents were among this group, settling in California’s
Central Valley. She honors them and the rest of her large family by
including pictures of them throughout this book.
Building on her professional expertise and knowledge of the cuisines
of many countries, it is no surprise that Wise adds new flair to the
traditional family recipes, while preserving their essential nature.
A good example is her Armenian Moussaka With Lamb or Beef, Potato &
Yogurt Bechamel. Traditionally, moussaka is made with eggplant.
However, Wise opted for sliced potatoes instead. The bechamel that
tops the moussaka is also modernized, with yogurt used instead of
milk. The final product is more starchy and hearty than a traditional
moussaka, yet just as delicious.
“The Armenian Table” is well-organized, easy to use and pleasant to
read. Wise shares recipes and introduces us to her family, all with
her book as our passport..
“The Armenian Table,” by Victoria Jenanyan Wise (St. Martin’s Press;
306 pages; $29.95).
————————————————————————
Yogurt Bechamel
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups yogurt, stirred to smooth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
INSTRUCTIONS:
To cook in the microwave: Place the butter in a large bowl and
microwave uncovered on high for 2 minutes, until foaming. Remove and
whisk in the flour. Return to the microwave and cook uncovered on
high until boiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove, whisk in the yogurt, and
microwave uncovered on high for 2 minutes. Remove again, whisk to
smooth, and continue microwaving uncovered on high until thickened,
about 1 minute. Stir in the salt and nutmeg.
To cook on the stove top: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat until foaming. Whisk in the flour, decrease the heat
to medium, and continue whisking until the mixture begins to turn
golden, about 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and salt, whisk to smooth,
and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and creamy, 12 to 15
minutes more. Stir in the salt and nutmeg.
Whether cooked in the microwave or on the stove top, the bechamel may
be used right away. Or, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
When ready to serve, reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
Makes about 1 2/3 cups
PER TABLESPOON: 25 calories, 1 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat
(1 g saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 43 mg sodium, 0 fiber.
————————————————————————
Armenian Moussaka With Lamb or Beef, Potato & Yogurt Bechamel
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds red, white or Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Kosher salt
1 small yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound ground lamb
2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Yogurt Bechamel (see recipe)
1 large egg
1/3 cup coarsely grated ricotta salata or Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high
heat. In batches, salt potato slices and fry them, turning once,
until just beginning to turn golden around edges, about 3 minutes.
Lift out slices with kitchen tongs, letting excess oil drip back into
pan.Transfer to a plate. When last batch of potatoes is done, add
onion and lamb to pan; saute, stirring to break up lamb, until meat
is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, dill,
allspice and pepper; stir. Saute over medium-high heat, until mixture
is fairly dry and crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Arrange half of potato slices in an overlapping layer in an 8 x
10-inch casserole. Spread lamb mixture over potatoes. Cover with
remaining potato slices in an overlapping layer.
Whisk egg into bechamel and pour over the top. Sprinkle cheese over
all. Bake until golden on top and slightly brown around edges, about
45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut into
portions.
Serves 4
PER SERVING: 545 calories, 24 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat
(13 g saturated), 123 mg cholesterol, 464 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Rene Caparros is a graduate of the culinary arts and hospitality
management program at City College of San Francisco. E-mail him at
[email protected].

Tehran Times, Iran
June 30 2004
Islam, Christianity Have Common View on Martyrdom: Archbishop
Tehran Times Social Desk
TEHRAN (MNA) — Sebu Sarkissian, Armenian prelacy archbishop in
Tehran said on Friday that according to Christianity, martyrs and
martyrdom are to be defined based on the Bible; they are here to be
witnesses for God.
Speaking at the first commemorative ceremony of Armenian ground
forces martyrs, Sebu Sarkissian stated that the martyr is also a
witness for his country and is devoted for the sake of it, adding
such a person will reach eternity.
The archbishop offered as evidence the Apostles and the Fathers of
churches who preached their faith.
Islam and Christianity have the same view on martyrdom, believing
faith and homeland are the most sacred objects, Sarkissian told the
Mehr News Agency, stressing that martyrdom is working and dedicating
oneself to these high objectives.
He went on to say that in Iran, religious minorities are free to
observe their religious ceremonies and live without any conflict with
Iranian clerics, adding this is always the first question asked by
foreign reporters who come to Iran.
`Iranians and Armenians live together, having the same objectives and
problems. We try hard to solve the problems of the country’,
Sarkissian said in conclusion.

Tehran Times, Iran
June 30 2004
Bitaraf Lauds Iran-Armenia Cooperation
TEHRAN (PIN) – Economic cooperation between Iran and Armenia has been
fruitful for both countries in all fields.
Speaking at a meeting with the visiting Armenian Chief of Staff
Artashes Tumanian, Iranian Minister of Energy Habibollah Bitaraf
stated that relations between Tehran and Yerevan were important to
the whole region and called for expansion of economic, political and
cultural collaboration in all fields.
Referring to joint projects underway with Armenia including an
Iranian gas pipeline, the minister stated that Iran pursued a power
exchanged with Armenia in return for gas sales to that country.
Tumanian stated that completion of the Iran- Armenia gas pipeline was
a result of the participation of the Iranian Energy Ministry.
Referring to other joint projects between the two countries including
a dam and a power plant on the Aras River, he called for more
cooperation in energy between the two countries. The two sides also
reviewed joint water and electricity projects including the third
power transmission line, a windmill, as well as the Aras dam and
power plant. MSK/DWN