New York Times
June 26 2004
Dithering as Others Die
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

LONG THE SUDAN-CHAD BORDER – The ongoing genocide in Darfur is
finally, fortunately, making us uncomfortable. At this rate, with
only 250,000 more deaths it will achieve the gravitas of the Laci
Peterson case.
Hats off to Colin Powell and Kofi Annan, who are both traveling in
the next few days to Darfur. But the world has dithered for months
already. Unless those trips signal a new resolve, many of the Darfur
children I’ve been writing about over the last few months will have
survived the Janjaweed militia only to die now of hunger or diarrhea.
I’ve had e-mail from readers who are horrified by the slaughter, but
who also feel that Africa is always a mess and that there’s not much
we can do. So let me address the cynics.
Look, I’m sure it’s terrible in Darfur. But lots of places are
horrific, and we can’t help everyone. Why obsess about Sudan?
The U.N. describes Darfur as the No. 1 humanitarian crisis in the
world today. The U.S. Agency for International Development estimates
that at best 320,000 more people will still die of hunger and disease
this year – or significantly more if we continue to do nothing.
Moreover, apart from our obligation to act under the Genocide
Convention, acquiescence only encourages more genocide – hence the
question attributed to Hitler, “Who today remembers the Armenian
extermination?”
Haven’t we invaded enough Muslim countries?
The U.S. is not going to invade Sudan. That’s not a plausible option.
But we can pass a tough U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing
troops, as well as more support for African peacekeepers. If Germany,
France and Spain don’t want to send troops to Iraq, then let them
deploy in Darfur. And we must publicly condemn the genocide.
What good is a speech in the U.N.? Why would Sudan listen?
Governments tend to be embarrassed about exterminating minorities. In
Sudan, a bit of publicity about Darfur coupled with a written
statement from President Bush led Sudan to agree to a cease-fire in
April and to improve access for aid agencies. More publicity prompted
it to promise to disband the Janjaweed raiders.
Sudan lies and wriggles out of its promises, but its genocide is
still calibrated to the international reaction. Likewise, it is still
denying visas and blocking supplies for emergency relief, but
pressure has led it to improve access.
So, Mr. Bush, if a single written statement will do so much good, why
won’t you let the word “Darfur” pass your lips? Why the passivity in
the face of evil? You could save tens of thousands of lives by making
a forceful speech about Darfur. Conversely, your refusal to do so is
costing tens of thousands of lives.
If the Sudanese were notorious pirates of American videotapes, if
they were sheltering Mullah Omar, you’d be all over them. So why not
stand up just as forcefully to genocide?
Mr. Bush seems proud of his “moral clarity,” his willingness to
recognize evil and bluntly describe it as such. Well, Darfur reeks of
evil, and we are allowing it to continue.
What can ordinary Americans do?
Yell! Mr. Bush and John Kerry have been passive about Darfur because
voters are. If citizens contact the White House or their elected
representatives and demand action, our leaders will be happy to
follow.
Readers can also contribute to one of the many aid agencies saving
lives in Darfur. (I’ve listed some at
, Posting 489.)
Be realistic. We don’t have our national interest at stake in Darfur.
But we do. Sudan’s chaos is destabilizing surrounding countries,
especially Chad, which is an increasing source of oil for us.
Moreover, when states collapse into chaos, they become staging
grounds for terrorism and for diseases like ebola and polio (both
have broken out recently in Sudan).
In any case, America is a nation that has values as well as
interests. We betrayed those values when we ignored past genocides,
and we are betraying them again now.
In my last three columns, I wrote about Magboula Muhammad Khattar, a
24-year-old woman struggling to keep her children alive since her
parents and husband were killed by the Janjaweed. Each time I visited
the tree she lives under, she shared with me the only things she had
to offer: a smile and a bowl of brackish water.
Is a cold shoulder all we have to offer in return?

Burbank Leader , CA
LATimes.com
June 26 2004
Officials keep parade date
Burbank on Parade keeps date, but will consider move in 2010 and
2021 to avoid overlap with Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

By Jackson Bell, The Leader
BURBANK – Burbank on Parade will continue its tradition of running on
the fourth Saturday in April, but will reopen talks of rescheduling
the parade the next time it conflicts with Armenian Genocide
Remembrance Day on April 24.
Keeping the fourth Saturday in April is necessary because other
events and holidays – including Fire Service Day and National Police
Week, school band competitions and Easter weekend – make it difficult
to permanently switch the parade, event Chairwoman Joanne Miller said
Friday. But the parade will consider rescheduling in 2010 and 2021,
the next two years the occasions coincide.
The somber day of remembrance is a time when many of the city’s
estimated 10,000 Armenian-American residents spend the day at homes,
churches or rallies throughout the area, remembering victims who died
during the 1915 massacre, local Armenian leaders said. The parade
this year was on April 24 and drew criticism from the Armenian-
American community.
“My personal opinion is that this is the best decision because the
parade will go in a normal fashion without upsetting every other
community event or school event,” Miller said. “And at the same time,
it’s not offending the Armenian-American community by disregarding
their day of mourning.”
Miller met with about a dozen parade organizers, leaders of the
city’s Armenian-American community and city officials Thursday to
discuss the parade organizers’ decision.
Some Armenian-American leaders, however, felt the parade’s proximity
to April 24 still will exclude many in their community who are
usually active in various activities to commemorate the genocide.
“It’s very ironic that it is supposed to be an opportunity to bring
all Burbank together and the net result is to exclude some 10% of the
community,” said Garen Yegparian, chairman of community relations for
the Armenian National Committee’s Burbank chapter.
The controversy started in mid-February, when organizers failed to
consider the conflict when setting this year’s parade to run April
24.
The planning gaffe upset the Armenian-American community and prompted
Mayor Marsha Ramos to have a meeting April 1 to open dialogue between
the two sides.
Planning was too far along to change the date, because $25,000 was
already spent and the parade was already being publicized when the
error was discovered, officials said.
Ramos said Thursday’s meeting ended the three months of dialogue to
resolve the conflict.
“Both sides came to the terms they discussed very thoroughly,” she
said. “Because they were involved in the decision-making process,
there is a clear direction for the future.”

Glendale News Press, CA
LATimes.com
June 26 2004
FROM THE MARGINS
No, really — that is my real name, darnit!

by PATRICK AZADIAN
We all have our stereotypes of what certain names should mean, and
what kind of names people should possess. It is perhaps human nature
to try to conform everything to our set of understandings, otherwise
we may feel uncomfortable or even intimidated.
My first name often evokes the question, “Hey, how did you get an
Irish name?” This particular inquiry is understandable, considering
more Americans trace their roots to the “green isle” than any other
region of the world. My curt response is often, “Well, it is actually
a Latin name. And I mean ‘Latin’ as in ancient Latium in central
Italy and not Central America.”
My initial research on the name confirmed my suspicion that it was
derived from the Latin patricius, from patres, plural of pater.
Recently a dear friend sent me a cynical note on this issue:
“Your attitude stems from your name:
patrician puh-TRISH-un,
noun:
1. A member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome.
2. A person of high birth; a nobleman.”
What are good friends for, right?
I also come across another type of inquiry: “What is your real name?”
Depending on my mood, I have different answers for this line of
questioning. If I have gotten off on the right side of the bed that
specific morning, the response can be as simple as, “It is Patrick,
although I should really spell it without the ‘c.’ ” And if I am
pressed with a follow-up question such as, “No, really, what is it?”,
my response can be as rude as: “What would you like my name to be?
Mohammed, Habib, Ahmet?”
Overall, I don’t mind explaining, as long as the question comes from
people whose initial experience with the name is via the Irish route.
What I was not prepared for, however, was when my Jewish Moroccan
associate asked me the same question: “Patrick, what is your real
name?” By the way, her name is Valerie! I tried not to react by a
counter question such as: “How come you don’t have a Sephardic or a
Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) name? Something more Hebrew, such as Yaffa
(beautiful), Zahava (gold) or Chaviva (beloved).
So I asked her if she had some time to go over this very important
issue.
“Yes I do, I have all the time in the world. Tell me how you got your
name.”
“Okey-Dokey.”
I was determined to make sure the story was long enough so that the
question never came up again.
–
When my grandfather, Sahak, settled in Iran after fleeing the
deportations from western Armenia, he eventually found time to go to
the Iranian authorities and get himself a birth certificate. The
official at the desk asked him for his last name.
“Petrossian,” Sahak replied.
“Petrossian, aye? You immigrant Armenians have too many of these
names. Petrossian, Petrossian, Petrossian! Why don’t you change it to
something else?”
“Like what?”
“Well, since you’ve fled mass murder and you are free now, why don’t
you change your last name to ‘Azad-ian.’ ”
Incidentally, the word Azad means free in Persian (the spoken
language of Iran) and Armenian, as well as many of the region’s
Indo-European languages. What a coinkidink!
“Hmmm, ‘Azadian.’ Has a nice ring to it. ‘Sahak Azadian.’ I’ll take
it.”
Years later, Mr. Azadian had second thoughts about changing his
family name, and when his first grandson was born, he was determined
to reverse the grave error. Per ancient Armenian tradition of Sahak’s
birthplace, every couple of generations, the last name of the family
reverted back to the first name of the grandfather. Sahak figured, if
he named me Petros (or Bedros), in a couple of generations our family
last name would be back to the original Petrossian. What he was not
prepared for was my mom’s fierce opposition.
So my parents, after consulting the extended Armenian dictionary,
conspired against Sahak and named me Patrik. Pronounced with “P” as
in spoon, “a” as in talk, “t” as in stalk, “r” as in car, “i” as in
chic, and “k” as in kernel. My mom had her mind set on something
“princely.” The second choice was Asbed (also “prince” in Armenian).
–
“Valerie, are you awake?”
“Yes, Patrik. I am with you. You still haven’t told me why it’s an
Armenian name.”
“Well, initially I thought the name entered the Armenian language, as
Rome and Armenia had close relations in ancient times. But it seems,
it was the Byzantines who introduced the term into the Armenian
vocabulary. Byzantines bestowed Armenian rulers with the title
Patrik, the most famous of whom was Vard Patrik Mamikonian, Patriarch
of Armenia in the early sixth century. From then on, the term patrik
was interchangeable with “princely.” And although the noun is not
Armenian in the absolute sense, it has Armenian memory, as well as
history.”
“I see.”
So is Patrick an Irish name? I would say so. Is it an Armenian name?
Well, I would also say so, certainly more Armenian than Hovhannes
(John), Bartoughi- meos (Bartholomew), Boghos (Paul) or Yeghsapet
(Elizabeth). But somehow, I know Bartoughi- meos would not have
elicited as many questions about my name as Patrick.
– PATRICK AZADIAN lives and works in Glendale. He is an identity and
branding consultant for the retail industry. Reach him at
[email protected].
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Zaman, Turkey
June 26 2004
Turkey to name Saakashvili ‘Democracy Hero of the Year’
Georgian President Mikhael Sakaashvili, who arrived in Istanbul
yesterday for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit,
will be presented the ‘Democracy Hero of the Year’ award.
Saakashvili assumed the Georgian presidency after last November’s
‘Velvet Revolution’ that ousted former president Eduard Shevardnadze.
Additionally, as a result of Saakashvili’s decisive policies,
Adzharia Autonomous Republic leader Aslan Abashidze was forced to
leave the country. Pro-Saakashvili parties claimed victory in last
week’s first independent parliamentary elections in Adzharia.
Mustafa Sarigul, Mayor of Istanbul’s Sisli district, will present the
award to Saakashvili during a ceremony tomorrow. The Georgian
President will also be given the key to the city of Istanbul.
Saakashvili will speak at a conference entitled ‘Atlantic Alliance at
a New Crossroad’. The conference is co-organized by the
American-German Marshall Fund and The Turkey Economic and Social
Studies Foundation (TESEV).
Meanwhile, within the framework of the NATO summit, Foreign Ministers
from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey will meet to discuss the
Nagarno-Karabag (Karabagh) issue. The Turkey-Armenia border entry
issue and bilateral relations will also be taken up.

ArmeniaNow.com
25 June 2004
Drams and Drama: Armenians bet EuroCup is a cash championship
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
Football fever means gambling fever in Armenia, as EuroCup 2004 brings
out the bettors in numbers that would defy impressions of a country
suffering economic hardship.
“In the streets of Yerevan people talk only about money won or lost as a
result of betting,” says 46-year-old engineer Albert Arakelyan “They say
people win from $20,000 to $50,000. I have no idea whether I should believe
or not as I myself have hardly won $40 and then on a bet that was a little
less than that sum.”
Throughout the capital, storefronts that might once have been cafes or shops
have been turned into gambling parlors since June 12, when the first round
of European Championship play began. Punters are invited to risk their drams
at places called “Toto”, “Eurofootball”, “Vivaro” or “Parimatch”.
“It took a little time (almost three years) for this new phenomenon to
successfully find a place in lives of Armenians, especially within the last
time period,” says the manager of one of the Vivaro parlors. “And then when
they are opened and begin functioning it means that it is done exactly at
the proper time and people need them.”
During every football match gambling parlors turn into small football fields
with passionate fans and game-addicts. Ten to 15 minutes before a match
begins (which, here, means midnight) people queue to get to a person who
registers their bets. After that heavy smoke of cigarettes begins gently
curling in the air and throughout the hall the smell of beer mixes with the
smoke and the noise of hope riding on the feet of foreigners.
Vardan Sargsyan, 31, says he prefers watching matches at gambling parlors
with his friends, because at home there’s a struggle for the TV with women
and children of the house.
“Of course, I make my bets but I don’t bet for money. I like watching
matches. And when you bet you get all excited in watching matches,” he says.
This EuroCup season (it occurs every four years), Armenians have also
discovered on-line betting ().
Artur Lazarian, manager of an Internet club in Echmiadsin, says 40 visitors
a day come to check their winnings and loses in cyberspace.
Plenty of places for betting on football
“Many of them visit the club many times a day. And often when they see they
lost they begin to curse, forgetting where they are,” Lazarian says.
Though emphatically a male-dominated environment, a few brave Armenian women
have cracked the gender boundaries of football gambling.
Lianna Manukyan, 25, says she was infected with football fever by her
husband, Ashot. They make bets together and are fairly successful.
“It is easy money. You win without spending, of course, it is necessary to
make bets constantly,” she says.
Football gamblers are offered a variety of betting opportunities, including:
Which side would win, which side would score, in what minute a team would
score, who would score the goal, would there be a penalty kick, would there
be yellow card . . . Every bet has its odds.
Anahit Margaryan, 40, complains that under age children, including her 13
year old son, become involved in football wagering.
A note “bets are not taken from those under age of 18” is attached in every
such gambling parlor. However, the reality is different.
Anahit’s son, Vahe, says if parents give him 100 drams (about 2 cents) he
together with his friends runs to make bets.
“Sometimes we win, and go to eat ice cream,” he says.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
June 24, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
HOUSE FOREIGN AID PANEL VOTES TO MAINTAIN PARITY IN U.S. MILITARY
ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
— Allocates $65 million in Economic Assistance for Armenia; $5
Million for Nagorno Karabagh
WASHINGTON, DC – A key House Appropriations Subcommittee, yesterday
evening, voted to maintain parity in U.S. foreign military
financing (FMF) assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The decision
counters President Bush’s FY 2005 budget proposal, which would have
broken an earlier agreement between the Administration and
Congressional leaders to ensure balanced military assistance to the
two countries.
The House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, chaired by Arizona
Republican Jim Kolbe, voted to allocate $5 million in military
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, respectively, as opposed to
Pres. Bush’s request of $8 million for Azerbaijan and $2 million
for Armenia. The Committee also supported a hard earmark of $65
million in U.S. assistance to Armenia, and $5 million for Nagorno
Karabagh. By contrast, the Bush Administration had requested $62
million for Armenia and had not specified any funds for Nagorno
Karabagh. The Subcommittee’s decision would effectively reduce
U.S. assistance to Armenia by $10 million from FY 2004 levels. The
reduction reflects an overall reduction of U.S. assistance to
former Soviet countries.
In the months leading up to the Subcommittee mark up of the foreign
aid bill, Armenian American activists from across the country
participated in ANCA WebFax campaigns calling attention to
potential repercussions to breaking U.S. military assistance parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In February, activists noted that
the brutal murder in Hungary of 26-year-old Armenian Lieutenant
Gurgen Markarian during a NATO language course underscored the
dangers posed by adopting President Bush’s policy. That tragedy
was followed by disturbing rhetoric by the Azerbaijani leadership
threatening to resolve the Nagorno Karabagh issue militarily. As
Armenians and Azerbaijanis were marking the 10th anniversary of the
Nagorno Karabagh ceasefire on May 12th, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev announced that, “We [Azerbaijan] must increase our military
potential. Our army is able at any moment to free our territory.”
Aliyev went on to note that military expenditures have grown over
the past several years and “it will keep increasing in the future”.
In a briefing paper faxed to House and Senate members earlier this
year, the ANCA noted that “a tilt in military spending toward
Azerbaijan would destabilize the region, emboldening the new
Azerbaijani leadership to continue their threats to impose a
military solution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. More broadly,
breaching the parity agreement would reward the leadership of
Azerbaijan for walking away from the OSCE’s Key West peace talks,
the most promising opportunity to resolve the Nagorno Karabagh
conflict in nearly a decade.”
Members of Congress concurred with this assessment, with over 30
House members cosigning a February 24th letter to President Bush,
initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone
(D-NJ), stating that they “strongly believe that providing unequal
military assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia will contribute to
instability in the region and could unintentionally tip the
military balance.” Earlier that month, on February 11th,
Representatives Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mi), Grace Napolitano (D-CA),
Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) pressed Secretary of
State Colin Powell to explain the Administration’s reasoning for
the proposed break in Armenia-Azerbaijan military parity in spoken
and written statements submitted during his testimony before the
House International Relations Committee.
In April, Rep. Pallone and New York Republican John Sweeney
initiated a letter to Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman Jim
Kolbe and Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey (D-NY) urging that military
parity be maintained. Foreign Operations Subcommittee member and
Congressional Armenian Caucus co-Chairman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
was outspoken in his efforts to maintain a balance in military
assistance to the two countries. During the ANCA Capitol Hill
Observance of the Armenian Genocide, Rep. Knollenberg stated,
“every single time we have gotten the federal government’s dollar
numbers for Armenia, they have always been down and we’ve always
had to bring it up. And we aren’t going to stop fighting to bring
it back and to ensure there is parity on the military issue.”
The foreign aid bill will likely be considered by the House
Appropriations Committee on July 9th, followed by a full House vote
thereafter. The Senate version of the bill will follow a similar
path.

Associated Press Worldstream
June 23, 2004 Wednesday
Heavy rains caused blockage of single Russia-Georgia highway
TBILISI, Georgia
Heavy rains over Georgia’s Dusheti region on Wednesday blocked the
only route connecting Georgia with Russia.
The rain fell in the early hours of Wednesday, causing numerous cargo
trucks to get stuck on the highway, said Georgian Prime Minister
Zurab Zhvania.
The Military Georgian Highway is the only route connecting Russia and
Georgia, through which cargo is also carried to Armenia. Georgia used
to have other railway and motor connections going through the South
Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, but the two provinces broke away in the
early 1990s.
Zhvania said that until the flooded route is freed, cargo may be
shipped through the Roki tunnel in South Ossetia.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
June 24, 2004
URUGUAY: DONNA SI SUICIDA CON BARBITURICI E COLTELLATE
(ANSA-AFP) – MONTEVIDEO, 24 GIU – Una donna di 48 anni malata
di depressione, in cura da tempo presso psichiatri, si e
suicidata nella sua abitazione di Montevideo ingerendo
barbiturici e conficcandosi in corpo cinque coltelli. Lo ha
annunciato la polizia uruguaiana.

La donna, di nazionalita’ armena e di cui sono state fornite
solo le iniziali – A.H.K. – aveva mandato la sua collaboratrice
familiare a fare la spesa per restare sola in casa.

All’arrivo dei soccorritori, la donna era ancora viva, ma
presentava “ferite multiple d’arma bianca al collo e all’
addome”, che ne hanno poi causato la morte.

La suicida ha lasciato scritto di aver ingerito una notevole
quantita’ di barbiturici. “Pensiero, parola, azione (…)
perdonatemi tutti ma non ce la faccio piu’ (…) non voglio piu
vivere. Mio figlio e la mia famiglia non c’entrano. Non voglio
che nessuno soffra”, afferma il suo ultimo messaggio. (ANSA-
AFP).

Hucknall Today, UK
June 24 2004
Ten-day Byron Festival set to be best yet
ONE of the world’s most famous Byronists is due to visit Hucknall.
Former Labour Party leader Michael Foot is expected to attend a
final-day event at the seventh International Byron Festival.
This will be a service at Hucknall Parish Church to dedicate a
monument to the memory of former rector, Canon Fred Green.
The monument is made from a broken khatchkhar, an Armenian Christian
symbol.
Canon Green, affectionately known as Father Fred, gave strong
personal support to a friendship agreement between Hucknall’s Holgate
Comprehensive School and the Lord Byron School in Armenia.
The festival, described as ten days of family and community events in
tribute to Lord Byron, will run from next Friday (July 2) to Sunday
July 11.
Festival co-ordinator John Wilkinson said it was the most ambitious
so far with 35 attractions ranging from dancing to dinners, film to
flowers and talks to tours.
In a bid for greater involvement of young people, a six-hour open-air
rock concert will be held on Hucknall Market Place
Those festival stalwarts, writer Bill Studdiford and actor Ian Frost,
will present the world premiere of a play entitled ‘Extraordinary
Friends Byron and Shelley’, putting on two performances.
The new Nottingham Express Transit (NET) tram system will play a part
in the festival, with the offer of a trip to Basford for a Thai meal,
while another innovation will be a charity fashion show.
At the annual Byron dinner, the guest speaker will be Edward Enfield,
father of comedian Harry Enfield, with a talk on ‘Byron And The Elgin
Marbles.’
While Hucknall Community Centre will be the scene of a ‘Fawlty Towers
Murder Mystery Night’ of the type once held at Newstead Abbey’s
former White Lady restaurant.
One of last year’s festival hits was an open-air production by the
Common Players on Hucknall Titchfield Park. They are back again to
perform ‘Robin Hood And The Sherwood Experience’ on the park and it
promises to be a family highlight, with the audience encouraged to
take picnics.
The famous 1949 movie, ‘The Bad Lord Byron’, which was filmed partly
in Hucknall and at Newstead Abbey, featuring Dennis Price in the
title role, will be shown at the new-look Byron Cineplex cinema
during the festival.
The festival is set to score a bullseye when a Byron Festival open
darts championship will be held for the first time, the venue being
the town’s Royal British Legion Social Club.
The very last event will be a ceremony to mark the official renaming
of Hucknall Community Centre in Ogle Street as the Lovelace Centre.
“We want a new name but we could not call it the Byron Centre because
that name has already been given to the nearby former Co-operative
building,” said Mr Wilkinson.
“As the community centre already houses the theatre, which is named
after Byron’s daughter, Ada, Countess of Lovelace, it is felt that
this would be an excellent alternative.”
THE FULL PROGRAMME
FRIDAY JULY 2
9.30 am – Traditional opening of the festival as a town crier strolls
through Hucknall town centre, including the Market Place.
7.30 pm – ‘Extraordinary Friends Byron and Shelley’, world premiere
of a play by Bill Studdiford, starring Ian Frost. What happened in
the six years Byron and Shelley knew each other? Lovelace Theatre,
Hucknall Community Centre £5/£4. For tickets and further information,
contact Maureen Crisp on 0115 9664367.
7.30 pm – ‘Nothing To Wear’, fashion show and sale of quality
clothing at crazy prices (in aid of Hope Lea Project), Central
Methodist Church, £3. Tickets from 150 Watnall Road or the committee.
SATURDAY JULY 3
12 midday – Bellringers of Hucknall Parish Church will ring a peal.
12 midday – Poached salmon and real ale lunch, including a glass of a
selection of festival ales, £4. Bookings in advance only by ringing
0115 9529303.
12 midday to 6 pm – Open-air rock concert, featuring some of the best
local bands, Hucknall Market Place. Free of charge.
7.30 pm – International concert. An evening of culture for all the
family, Hucknall Parish Church. Free of charge.
SUNDAY JULY 4
Annual open golf tournament for the Byron Cup, presented by Maureen
Crisp, at Leen Valley Golf Centre. For entry details, contact the
centre on 0115 9642037.
2.30 pm – ‘Chance To Dance’, a spectacular showcase from the students
of Hucknall-based Sarah Adamson School Of Dance, Lovelace Theatre,
£3.
2.30 pm – ‘Beppo’, a Venetian love story by Bill Studdiford, starring
Ian Frost. A chance to hear the delights of amorous adventures in
Venice, Newstead Abbey, £5/£4. For tickets and further information,
contact Maureen Crisp on 0115 9664367.
6 pm – ‘Robin Hood And The Sherwood Experience’. Return of the Common
Players to Hucknall Titchfield Park after their first open-air show
last year. Take a picnic. Free of charge.
MONDAY JULY 5
1.30 pm – ‘The Bad Lord Byron’, a rare chance to see the 1949 film,
starring Dennis Price, Byron Cineplex Cinema, £3.
2 pm – ‘With Great Pleasure’, music and poetry presented by Gwenda
Watkins and Gillian Berry, Gallery Restaurant and Millennium Garden,
Nottingham University, £6.50 (including afternoon tea). For tickets
and further information, contact Maureen Crisp on 0115 9664367.
6 pm – ‘Newstead And Its Owners’, a talk by Denis Hill that traces
the history of Newstead Abbey and its owners from its foundation to
the 20th century, Hucknall Community Centre, £3.
7.30 pm – ‘Italian Night’, an evening of Italian food, wine and
music, Hucknall Community Centre, £4. Bookings in advance only by
ringing 0115 9529303.
TUESDAY JULY 6
2.30 pm – ‘Strawberry Fayre’. The fruits of summer to be enjoyed in a
delicious afternoon of pleasure, Hucknall Community Centre, £3.
Bookings in advance only by ringing 0115 9529303.
2 pm to 4 pm – Heritage Bus Tour, taking a look at the heritage of
Hucknall and surrounding villages, starting from Hucknall Community
Centre. No charge but booking essential by ringing 0115 9529303.
7.15 pm – The Byron Dinner, including a talk by Edward Enfield,
entitled ‘Byron And The Elgin Marbles’, Hucknall Community Centre,
£10.50. For tickets and further information, contact Maureen Crisp on
0115 9664367.
WEDNESDAY JULY 7
10 am – Festival Health Walk, part of Hucknall’s Taking Steps
project. Meet at Hucknall Community Centre. Free of charge.
11 am – Evergreen Arts Group. Creative and visual performing by young
adults with learning difficulties, Watnall Road Baptist Church. Free
of charge.
2 pm to 4 pm – Arts And Crafts, exhibitions, demonstrations and
have-a-go, Watnall Road Community Centre. Free of charge.
7.30 pm – ‘Fawlty Towers Murder Mystery Night,’ including two-course
supper, presented by Ken Purslow, Hucknall Community Centre. Advance
bookings only. Tickets and further information from Maureen Crisp on
0115 9664367.
THURSDAY JULY 8
Visit to Southwell Minster. Contact Hucknall Community Centre on 0115
9529303 for further details.
10 am – Heritage Walk, a chance to look at Hucknall’s town centre
heritage, including some well-known places and others not quite so
well known. Meet outside Hucknall Library. Free of charge.
7.30 pm – ‘Extraordinary Friends Byron And Shelley.’ A second chance
to see this new play by Bill Studdiford, starring Ian Frost, the
Great Hall of Southwell Minster, £5/£4. A pre-performance supper also
available. For tickets and further information, contact Maureen Crisp
on 0115 9664367.
FRIDAY JULY 9
6.30 pm to 8.30 pm – Heritage Bus Tour. A repeat of this popular
tour, starting from Hucknall Community Centre. Free of charge but
booking essential by ringing 0115 9529303.
12 midday – ‘A Tram Trip And A Thai’, a trip by tram to a location in
Basford providing wonderful Thai food. From Hucknall tram stop, £7.50
including tram fare. Bookings in advance only by ringing 0115
9529303.
7.30 pm – ‘A Poem And A Pint’, traditional Friday night festival
event. Go along and listen to or recite your favourite poems. Themes
this year include friendship, family and, of course, love, Hucknall
Community Centre, £3.
SATURDAY JULY 10
>From 10 am – Flower Festival, Seymour Road Baptist Church. A welcome
return after the success of last year’s festival, includes stalls.
Lunches available.
7.30 pm – Concert For Armenia, Hucknall Parish Church. Tribute to the
friendship agreement between the Lord Byron School and Holgate
Comprehensive School, including performances by Armenian dancer
Shake, Newstead Welfare Brass Band, Holgate and Lord Byron School
pupils, supported by Hucknall Rotary Club. At Hucknall Parish Church,
£5.
SUNDAY JULY 11
10 am – Boatswain Walk, a pleasant Sunday stroll for yourself and
your dog in memory of Byron’s dog, starting from Hucknall Community
Centre. Free of charge.
>From 10 am – Flower Festival, Seymour Road Baptist Church. Final day.
Free of charge.
11.30 am – Byron Festival Open Darts Championship, competing for the
Byron Trophy, donated by Coun John Wilmott (Lab), of Hucknall, at
Royal British Legion Social Club, Beardall Street. To enter and for
further details, contact Les Berridge on 0115 9528658.
3 pm – Dedication, Service And Concert. Dedication of a khatchkhar in
memory of the late Canon Fred Green, followed by a service and
concert of music and poetry from members of the Byron Society and
students from Holgate Comprehensive School and the Lord Byron School
in Armenia. Free of charge.
4 pm – Naming Ceremony. The official renaming of Hucknall Community
Centre in Ogle Street. Free of charge.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Festivals Past, exhibition at Hucknall Library throughout the
festival.
nExhibitions at Newstead Abbey. Ring 01623 455900 for further
details.
Tours of Hucknall Parish Church, Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 12
midday and 2 pm to 4 pm.
Festival lunches at Red Lion pub in Hucknall High Street.
Byron Festival Radio on air from June 28 to July 11. Frequency 97.5
FM.
Dispatch coverage every Friday to July 16

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 24 2004
AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY URGES COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO BE ACTIVE
[June 24, 2004, 20:20:13]
Newly appointed chairman of the COE Committee of Ministers, Foreign
Minister of Norway Jan Petersen delivered a summary report on the
PACE session, June 22. According to existing rules, following the
summary report chairman of the Committee of Ministers is questioned.
These questions are presented to the secretariat for a day and then
published. In the course of the session, following chairman’s answer
deputy who asked the first question is enabled to question once more.
18 European deputies questioned J. Peterson this time. The first
question was asked by Azerbaijani deputy Rafael Huseynov. The
question says: how may the contribution of the Council of Europe to
the resolution of conflicts be evaluated? What steps can be taken to
settle conflicts existing in the Caucasus region?
Mr. Jan Petersen stressed in responce that the Caucasian region is
always in the focus of attention of the Council of Europe and noted
that he would handle problems of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia and
visit the region.
Taking the opportunity, the Azerbaijani deputy drew the Chairman’s
attention to Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan. R. Huseynov
noted that whenever the issue of COE’s active participation in the
resolution of the conflict is raised, it points to lack of mandate to
settle the conflict since the OSCE Minsk Group is directly involved
in the issue. When asked about the approach and efforts towards
information exchange between COE and OSCE, in particular, Minsk
Group, and conflict resolution J. Petersen stated that he would do
his best for the settlement of the conflict.