CHILDREN”S PLAYGROUND
Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 6 2004
At the rehabilitation center of Stepanakert a children’s playground
was built on the funding of the International Committee of the Red
Cross. This event imparted a new meaning to the celebration of June
1. On this day according to the tradition the visitors and guests
of the center celebrated the birthday of seven-year-old Tigran, one
of the “old residents” of the center. For most of us children are
embodiments of vitality and health, energy and happiness, whereas not
everyone enjoys this happiness. In Karabakh about 500 children are
not capable of moving and coming in touch with their peers. However
this does not deprive them of enjoying life, feeling the assistance
and kindness of people. Everywhere there are kind people and these
children who know physical discomfort do not feel moral discomfort
when coming in touch with such people. At the rehabilitation center
they feel at home with their therapist sisters and the head of
the family Vardan. The people working in the center do everything
to provide necessary conditions for the treatment and rest of the
children. On May 1 certificates were delivered to the children who
finished the courses of computer under the center. In the center
there are courses of music, woodworking, drawing. Soon according
to the director of the center Vardan Tadevossian a pottery workshop
will be opened at the center. In the center about 60 children receive
outpatient treatment. Soon the inpatient treatment department will be
opened. “We are grateful to those kind people who provided us with
central heating, and inpatient treatment department will work all
year long and not only in summer as formerly,” said Vardan. He also
emphasized that soon with the government’s aid the yard of the center
will be repaired. The director thanked all those people who help
the center to make the life of the children attending the center
more interesting and full. He especially thanked the Red Cross. The
director of the Stepanakert office of the ICRC Mireille Bernard
said the organization implements a program of construction of safe
playgrounds in the territory of Nagorni Karabakh, especially at the
settlements near which there are minefields. According to M. Bernard,
there are already 21 such playgrounds in Karabakh. 
NAIRA HAYRUMIAN
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OIC Urges Middle East Quartet To Implement Peace Roadmap
CihanNews
6/16/2004
ISTANBUL (CIHAN) – The Organization of Islamic Conferences called
on the Middle East quartet to pressure the Israeli government to end
violence against the Palestinians.
The joint declaration of the 31st Foreign Ministers Summit of the
OIC said that world`s second largest organization will aid the
Palestinian people and help them to attain their free rights and to
help Palestinians form an independent state.
The Middle East quartet consists of the UN, the USA, Russia, and the
EU. The OIC calls for the group to stop Israel from implementing
violence, enforce the roadmap for Middle East peace and give
international aid to the Palestinian people.
In relation to Iraq, the OIC reaffirmed its support for the newly
founded Iraqi government by voicing support for steps aimed at ending
the occupation of Iraq and transferring sovereignty to the Iraqi
people. The joint communiqué said that the programs and activities
of the transitional Iraqi government should be clear and basic.
The OIC also welcomed the 1546th numbered resolution of the UN
Security Council.
The joint declaration of the OIC Foreign Minister Summit said that
it will continue to monitor progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be resolved on
basis of protecting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.”
The declaration also condemned terrorist activities across world.

Armenian, Azerbaijani Troops Clash On Border
Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
June 17 2004
16 June 2004 — The Armenian military today said one of its officers
was killed in a clash with Azerbaijani forces along the country’s
northeastern frontier.
Army Chief of Staff Mikael Arutunian said clashes in the area east of
Idzhevan, an important road and rail center, broke out a week ago when
Azerbaijani troops attempted to take a position on a hilltop that would
have enabled them to control a source of water running into Armenia.
Arutunian claimed several troops on the Azerbaijani side were killed.
There was no immediate confirmation from Baku.
There have been repeated such incidents in various frontier regions
since the signing of a cease-fire in 1994.
At least three Azerbaijanis were reported killed in similar clashes
along the frontier last year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Vishwanathan Anand leads Rest of the world team to victory
Deepika, India
June 17 2004
Moscow, Jun 16 (PTI) Former World Champion Vishwanathan Anand led
the Rest of the world team to victory by drawing his final round game
with World No. 1 Garry Kasparov of Armenia team.
Despite a defeat in the sixth and final round, Rest of World held
on to their lead, winning the match with a narrow 18.5-17.5 score at
the Hyatt Ararat here yesterday.
Rest of the world began the last round with a cushion of two point lead
at 16-14, while Armenia looked for two extra wins, without defeats.
Playing the World No. 1 Garry Kasparov with white pieces, Anand
snatched the precious half point with a comfortable draw. The Sicilian
Pelican game between Anand and Kasparov, saw neither player willing
to take the risk.
A little out of the theoretical waters, Anand captured the center
“d” pawn and offered a draw which Kasparov accepted. Just into the
middle game, Anand held more than one even position on the queenside,
but Kasparov’s double bishop ensured splitting of the point.
Anand completed the event with two wins, a lone defeat to Leko and
three draws.
The only decisive game of the day came from the Vaganian-Adams game,
wherein the veteran Armenian brought in all his experience in the
Queens Indian game to down the English Grandmaster.

EDITURA TRADIÞIE
SC.”TRADIÞIE, FAMILIE, PROPRIETATE”, S.R.L.
ROMÂNIA, 031552 BUCUREªTI, SECT. 3,
Str. VORONEÞ Nr.7, bl. D 5, sc.A, ap.14
ISSN 1224 – 0702
Weekly bulletin
Year XII, No 558, 13 June 2004
RELIGIOUS LIFE
6. YOUNG ARMENIAN PRIEST AT THE ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL IN BUCHAREST
Since April last, in the Cathedral *the Saint Apostles* in Bucharest
Father Khoren (Artavazd) Zakarian, from Armenia, serves the holy
service. For the faithful attending this holy place, the largest one
dedicated to Orthodox Armenians in Romania, the service officiated by
Father Khoren together with the parochian Fr. Bogdan Ezras, represents
one more reason to enjoy and enhance their faith.
Born in February 1977 in Gyumri (Armenia), after the devastating
earthquake of 1988, he moved with his family in Ecimiadzin, where he
graduated the gymnasium and in 1994 he studied at the Theological
Seminary *Vasken I*, near the lake of Sevan. After five years
he finished his religious education at the Theological Seminary
Kevorkian, with the Holy See of Ecimiadzin. He graduated magna cum
laude the semi-nary with the essay entitled *Armenian Martyrs of the
5th century*. With the blessing of the Catholicos Patriarch of all
Armenians, His Sanctity Karekin II, he joined the Canto Department of
the State Conservatory of Erevan, where he is a student in the fourth
year. On February 27th, 2003 he was consecrated as monk priest under
the name of Khoren by the Primate Martirossian Bartkev of the Diocese
of Arþagh. At the recommendation of the Catholicos Patriarch, he
became a member of the evaluation committee of theological seminaries
of the Armenian Church and is also a lecturer at the Liturgical Music
Department of the Theological seminary Vasken I. Before coming to
Bucharest he served as priest at the Church Surp Gaiane in Ecimiadzin,
informs the newspaper of the Armenian Union of Romania, Ararat, no. 9
(294)/ May 1-15th, 2004.

Foreign Ministry denies Turkey toughened visa regime for Armenians
Mediamax news agency
16 Jun 04
Yerevan, 16 June: The Armenian Foreign Ministry today said that reports
about Turkey toughening the visa regime for Armenian citizens were
wide of the mark.
“According to information from the Turkish embassy in the Russian
Federation, the procedure of visits to Turkey by Armenian citizens has
not changed. Therefore, the press reports are wide of the mark,” the
press secretary of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Gamlet Gasparyan,
said today. He also stressed that the Turkish authorities had not
informed the Armenian side about any changes in the visa regime.
There are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey. Armenian
citizens obtain Turkish visas at border checkpoints in Georgia or at
Istanbul airport.

Armenian village comes under Azeri fire
Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
16 Jun 04
Noyemberyan, 15 June: The village of Baganis of Tavush District
came under fire from assault rifles at around 2200 [1700 gmt] on 14
June from the positions in Qazax District of Azerbaijan. There are
no casualties.
This explains why the Voskepar-Kirants road was closed three days
ago. The vehicles now follow a detour.
The situation here became tense after the Azerbaijanis established
a checkpoint at a dam on the Dzhogazsk water reservoir. The
Armenian-Azerbaijani border passes via this reservoir.

How many Chinese speakers in Box Butte County, Nebraska? The American
language tapestry, revealed
AP Online
Jun 16, 2004
TED ANTHONY
News flash: There is not a single Chinese speaker residing in Box
Butte County, Nebraska. Which may not sound like a particularly useful
sliver of information _ unless you’re a Box Butte-bound speaker of
Chinese looking for someone to converse with out on northwestern
Nebraska’s lonely prairie.
Now consider that Allison Park, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh,
has 49 speakers of Arabic and six of Armenian. Yiddish, meanwhile,
is spoken by people in every state _ including two each in Montana
and South Dakota, suggesting that Billings and Rapid City aren’t the
prime places to pick up some killer smoked whitefish.
Why are we telling you all this? Because thanks to the Modern Language
Association, one of academia’s most venerable organizations, now
we can.
The MLA’s new interactive Language Map Data Center, which goes public
Wednesday, is a truly fascinating (“hen you yisi” in Chinese, “muy
interesante” in Spanish) glimpse into the tapestry of tongues spoken by
American citizens and residents. It’s a story told by 2000 U.S. Census
data, crunched and leveraged to linguistic and geographic ends.
“So often, when we think of languages and cultures that are not
Anglophone America, we think of the world out there _ foreign,” says
Rosemary G. Feal, the MLA’s executive director. “We don’t necessarily
realize how, in our own American globalized society, we’ve got all
these linguistic resources woven into the fabric.”
For anyone interested in language and culture, the site _ with its
interactive maps in bright purples and blues, easily navigable by
mouse _ is as addictive as a catnip-filled mouse for a kitten. It’s
hardly just a parlor game, though. In an era when study of all foreign
languages is rising in America, the possibilities are myriad.
Academics tracking languages can hone in on particular
areas and find out how immigrants from abroad are integrating
linguistically. Marketers who want to target speakers of Thai, Persian
or Navajo can find the postal codes where mass mailings would be the
most lucrative. Social service agencies can calibrate their work to
the ethnic breakdowns in their own communities.
“We incorporate the world in the United States,” Feal says. “We
always have.”
And on a planet of terrorism and wars where intercultural communication
grows more crucial by the year _ some in the U.S. government bemoaned
the lack of Pashtu translators, for example, during the first months
of the war in Afghanistan _ knowing the language resources in one’s
own community or state can be a boon to national security as well.
“There’s not enough accurate information about how language works
and how language is present in our society,” says Donna Christian,
president of the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington. “There
must be a thousand ways that civic leaders could use this information.”
MLA developers initially conceived the language map idea as “a really
big poster” before the idea ran away with them and evolved into the
interactive operation. So far, they have mapped the top 30 languages
in the country.
They are working on an even more detailed second tier that will
be made available for crunching _ suggesting that before too long,
we will presumably be able to determine how many speakers of Uighur
have taken up residence in Walla Walla, Washington.
“For people in this country, to appreciate the range of languages
spoken here is so important,” Christian says. “There’s such a strong
feeling that English is the only language around. To get an idea of
how many languages are spoken here, that can give us all a better
sense of understanding of each other.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TV chides Oscar-winning Azeri writer for Karabakh interview on BBC web site
ANS TV, Baku
15 Jun 04
[Presenter in studio] It appears that our famous compatriot Rustam
Ibrahimbayov is missing the Armenians who have left Baku. The only
Oscar-winning Azerbaijani, in an interview published on the BBC
Karabakh page, said he recognizes the Armenians’ rights to Karabakh.
[Correspondent Mirsahin over video of the Karabakh page and archive
pictures of Ibrahimbayov] I hadn’t looked at the BBC’s Karabakh
page for some time. And then I thought that maybe this time I would
find something interesting there that would be in the interests
of Azerbaijan as well. My first impressions of the interview by a
famous Azerbaijani author and script-writer, Rustam Ibrahimbayov,
were quite reassuring. It was headlined “It is in the interests of
Karabakh to be Azerbaijan’s”. I thought this is our man and that he
is going to speak about our realities. Having read the interview,
I thought that I should share with you my sentiments as regards some
of the views held by the famous Azerbaijani.
Of course, Rustam Ibrahimbayov is no small man. In fact, the BBC
interviewed him exactly because he is a renowned author, playwright,
script-writer for a number of Soviet cinematography masterpieces
and winner of the Oscar award. And it goes without saying that
the international audience has no reason whatsoever to distrust
such a famous man and listen to a Mirsahin. From this standpoint,
it was a shrewd choice. Rustam muallim [form of address] believes
that the 10 years that have elapsed since the cease-fire accord are
a blessing. Because they serve peace. Even though the cease-fire is
not peace yet and the 10 years more than anything testify to the fact
that Azerbaijan has come to terms with the occupation of its land.
Rustam Ibrahimbayov is making no secret of the fact that he misses
the Armenians who have left Baku. He is sorry that so many intelligent
Armenians have left Azerbaijan. And that people from the countryside
have taken their place. The city is now in the hands of those who
have come from the village. By this utterance the esteemed writer is
taking no heed of the deprivation and grief of those Azerbaijanis who
had to leave their homes, head for an unknown destination and settle
down in Baku. These people are inferior to the Armenians only because
they have come from the countryside.
The playwright thinks it is possible to resolve the Karabakh problem
on the basis of mutual concessions. As a matter of fact, he supports
Karabakh’s independence. This is what he says. I am giving both
sides the right to consider Karabakh their land. I cannot deny the
Armenians this right, end of quote. However, Rustam Ibrahimbayov does
not elaborate whether he is giving the Armenians the right to set
houses on fire, kill the civilian population in the most barbarous way,
rape children and drive out people from their homes.
Baku has lost hundreds of thousands of Bakuvians who were professionals
and loved Baku and Azerbaijan. We know that the Armenians are one
of the most prominent nationalities in the world. They are skilful
professionals. And if they could be involved in the economic
development of the modern Azerbaijan, our country would greatly
benefit from this.
This is said by a resident of Baku and a citizen of Azerbaijan and,
most importantly, a citizen of the world, Rustam Ibrahimbayov. Citizen
of the world Rustam Ibrahimbayov is distancing himself from Azerbaijan
and the Azerbaijanis so much that he is nearing Armenia and the
Armenians.
I personally believe that the fact that well-known Azerbaijanis are
either not seen at all or seen in the wrong light in the world is quite
a serious issue. Let’s compare: Rustam Ibrahimbayov to the Azerbaijanis
is what [singer] Charles Aznavour is to the Armenians. Incidentally,
about a month ago the Armenian national hero award was conferred
on famous Armenian Charles Aznavour for his service to the Armenian
people. Now let’s try to imagine Rustam Ibrahimbayov as the national
hero of Azerbaijan. Doesn’t the idea seem a little funny? Because
Charles Aznavour donates a lot of money that he earns from concerts
in France, Great Britain, Denmark and the United States to Armenia
and the Armenian people. He makes statements in the countries he
visits that Karabakh belongs to the Armenians. And no-one can ever
doubt that an Armenian such as Charles Aznavour can tell a lie. And
naturally people believe him.
No-one will ever doubt what an Azerbaijani such as Rustam Ibrahimbayov
says either. People are destined to believe his statements I quoted
earlier. I may not be familiar with a world citizen’s way of thinking
but let me say quite sincerely that I would give such a citizen a
different passport. Because the ending of the Azerbaijani name of
Ibrahimbayov should be different. To cut the long story short, let
me say that the Azerbaijanis are simple-minded. When they want or
expect a lot and eventually receive a little, they do nothing less
than take offence. We were expecting everything in the world from
Rustam. Instead, he foisted a globe on us, and as the well-known joke
goes, a truly Armenian globe.
Mirsahin, ANS.

Azeri leader visits military unit in western city
Space TV, Baku
16 Jun 04
[Presenter] President Ilham Aliyev is in Ganca [western
Azerbaijan]. Our correspondent Tural Museyibov reports from Ganca:
[Correspondent, over phone] President Ilham Aliyev is currently
visiting a military unit. The president has delivered a speech here. He
said that the entire Azerbaijani people marked National Salvation
Day yesterday. He celebrated this holiday with Georgian Azeris and
is now celebrating it with local people in Ganca.
President Ilham Aliyev said that anarchy and chaos had used to reign
in Azerbaijan, but now thanks to [ex-President] Heydar Aliyev’s
policy, anarchy had been eliminated. Azerbaijan is advancing towards
a successful future. He said that this policy was being successfully
continued.
He said that Azerbaijan is becoming more and more successful, social
problems are being tackled, the government is taking the necessary
steps to improve living conditions of refugees and displaced persons
who became homeless as a result of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict. Creating new jobs and strengthening the army are
the priorities. It is the duty of the leadership to support the army
and to improve the living conditions of servicemen.
The president went on to say that the liberation of the occupied
territory was the main task but the negotiations had yielded no
results. Azerbaijan is in favour of peace talks, but they will come to
an end. Azerbaijan will not tolerate the occupation of its land which
must be liberated. The propaganda of patriotism and mobilization
should be strengthened. We should all be like Heydar Aliyev and
continue his policy.
He also commented on the work done in Ganca. He said that he
was satisfied with the work that the authorities conducted. He
familiarized himself with the living conditions of soldiers and with
military hardware.
At the moment, the president is leaving the unit and heading for the
office of the executive authorities. He will hold a sitting there
and discuss the construction of an airport in Ganca.