Geghamian Thinks Armenia Is In Danger Of Disappearing From World Map
By Tatoul Hakobian
AZG/am
3 June 04
Artashes Geghamian said in yesterday’s press conference that Armenia is
in danger of disappearing from the world map. He stated that the topic
for the June 4 opposition rally will be “How to Save Armenia?” While at
present he will leave for Gegharkunik marz to meet with his electorate.
Simon Amirkhanian and Razmik Ktjoyan, members of National Unity party,
were arrested in this marz recently, as, according to Geghamian,
they informed the people about the envisaged meeting. He reminded
once more that the items, including documents, equipments (computers,
video cassettes, scientific researches) taken away from the office
of the party about a month ago haven’t been returned yet.
The leader of National Unity said that Armenia, particularly, the
borderline villages of the republic are losing their dwellers. He also
complained that TV channels “unfortunately don’t take an interview
from him”. “Unfortunately, Tigran Karapetian (meaning Director of ALM
TV) hasn’t invited me for 7-8 months,” Geghamian said. He reminded
that he will not begin trade with the authorities expecting to get a
post, even the one of Yerevan’s Mayor. “I was the Mayor 15 years ago,
when they (perhaps, meaning Robert Kocharian and Serge Sargisian)
were serving to I don’t know whom,” he said. Geghamian is an extreme
optimist and doesn’t suspect that a power shift is going to take
place in Armenia. He said that this year Igor Ivanov, RF Secretary
of Security Council, will visit Armenia. (Geghamian meant the recent
events in Georgia, when in November on the very day of Ivanov’s visit
to Georgia Shevardnadze resigned. Afterwards, Ivanov visited Batumi
and escorted Aslan Abashidze to Moscow).

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia
to the United Nations
119E 36th street, New York, NY 10016
Tel.: 1-212-686-9079
Fax: 1-212-686-3934
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
June 2, 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Ambassador Martirosyan received a group of young
Armenian professionals from the Fletcher School
On June 2 Ambassador Armen Martirosyan received a group of 15 young
Armenian professionals who were undergoing an advanced training at the
Fletcher School. Dr. Joyce Barsam, Trustee of the Tufts University
and Trustee of the Tavitian Foundation, who is facilitating the
program, accompanied the group to New York. The group was comprised
of employees from the President’s Office, the Ministry of Economy,
the Ministry of Health, the Central Bank of Armenia and the Armenian
Development Agency.
The six-month program of advanced training is sponsored by the Tavitian
Foundation. The program, that became possible through the generous
donation of Mr. Aso Tavitian, was initiated in 1999 and provided
specialized training at the Fletcher School for two groups of young
diplomats from the Foreign Ministry of Armenia for two consecutive
years. Since 1999 about 50 young Armenian professionals obtained
qualified education at one of the best schools of the United States.
Last year the program broadened to include young professionals from
the field of banking and economics. This year it intends to send
teachers for graduate programs to teach at the summer schools in
different universities in Armenia.
During the meeting different aspects of the current challenges
in the field of education were discussed. The young professionals
expressed their gratitude for the unique opportunity provided to them
by the Tavitian Foundation in advancing their education and getting
closely acquainted to the current discourse in the field of economics.
They expressed confidence that with enhanced knowledge they will be
able to better serve their country and respective institutions and
share the newly acquired knowledge with their coworkers.
END

PRESS RELEASE
The National Citizens’ Initiative
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 1) 27.16.00, 27.00.03
Fax: (+374 – 1) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
June 3, 2004
National Citizens’ Initiative Examines Armenia’s Road to Democracy
Yerevan — The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today convened
a specialized policy discussion on “Armenia’s Current Phase
of Democratization: The Backdrop of European Integration.” The
assembled policy experts and public figures addressed the specific
characteristics of the Republic and its integration into the European
family of nations, as well as the three-year track record of its
Council of Europe membership and further development prospects.
Raffi Hovannisian, founder of NCI and the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies (ACNIS), greeted the capacity audience
with opening remarks. “Against the background of national interests
and geopolitical transformations, European integration has become
a principal part of Armenia ‘s policy agenda. Given the results of
ACNIS’s recent expert opinion surveys, the integration inclinations
prevalent in Armenian society are viewed largely within the context
of safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and preserving its national
value system,” Hovannisian said.
In a paper on “The Three-Year Track Record of European Integration:
Advance or Retreat?,” parliamentarian Shavarsh Kocharian, who serves
in Armenia’s delegation to the Council of Europe, focused on the fact
that the Armenian public shares the pivotal principles of the Council:
development of democracy, establishment of the rule of law, honoring
of minority rights, maintenance of unique cultural heritage, and other
provisions of the European system of standards which correspond to our
national mindset and historical experience. “We had rather favorable
conditions to integrate into all European institutions, ensuring
advancement in all relevant spheres. Unfortunately, our authorities
and a certain segment of society do not realize the real significance
of the Council of Europe, and thus the last three years have turned
into a period of lost opportunities,” Shavarsh Kocharian held.
Tigran Jrbashian, executive director of the Armenian-European
Policy and Legal Advice Center, delivered an illustrated lecture
on “Armenia in the Conception of ‘Enlarged Europe’: Promises
and Prospects.” European integration paves a way to the future,
he asserted, as the new and wider Europe is aimed at enhancement of
democracy and security of peoples. “Membership in the enlarged Europe,
apart from accounting for serious material support, offers an excellent
chance to partake in common European programs such as cultivation of
socioeconomic policy and close cooperation in the fields of energy,
transport, culture, science and education, and, most importantly,
the refinement of our own institutional values.”
MP Armen Rustamian’s presentation on “Armenia’s Fulfillment of Its
Council of Europe Commitments” did not take place because of his
absence, but the ensuing discussion considered in detail all the
issues flowing from it.
The second session was completely devoted to exchanges of views
and policy recommendations among the public figures and policy
specialists in attendance. Noteworthy were contributions by former
prime minister Khosrov Harutiunian of the Christian Democratic Union;
former ambassador and current Yerevan State University professor
Davit Hovhannisian; Haik Sargsian, dean of the economics faculty of
Yerevan State University; Hrant Khachatrian of the Constitutional
Law Union; Mushegh Lalayan of the Republican Party; Petros Makeyan
of the Democratic Fatherland Party; Levon Zourabian of the Capital
Markets Development Project; Vardan Khachatrian, theology professor
at Yerevan State University; Tamar Gevorgian of the United Labor
Party; law professor Hrair Tovmasian; and many others. The speakers
attached prime importance to democratization within the framework of
European benchmarks, institutional reforms, legislative improvements,
and Armenia’s fulfillment of its Council of Europe commitments.
ACNIS analyst Hovsep Khurshudian closed the seminar with summary
remarks and words of gratitude. “Armenia’s drive toward European
integration is not an end in itself,” he said. “It is based on
Armenia’s own vital interest, and among all else helps to resolve
its security concerns. In this respect, today’s deliberations have
been very useful.”
The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public non-profit association
founded in 2001 by former foreign minister Raffi K. Hovannisian,
his colleagues, and fellow citizens with the purpose of realizing
the rule of law and overall improvements in the state of the state,
society, and public institutions. The National Citizens’ Initiative
is guided by a Coordinating Council, which includes individual
citizens and representatives of various public, scientific,
and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law and State
Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy, Spiritual and
Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the vehicles for the
Initiative’s work and outreach.
For further information, please call (3741) 27-16-00 or 27-00-03;
fax (3741) 52-48-46; e-mail [email protected]; or visit

Turkey slams ‘Israeli terrorism’
Thursday, 3 June, 2004, 10:35 GMT 11:35 UK
BBC News World Edition
Many Palestinians have been made homeless in the past month
Turkey’s prime minister has repeated an accusation that Israel was
practising “state terrorism” against Palestinians.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israelis were persecuting Palestinians just
as Jews were persecuted during the Spanish Inquisition 500 years ago.
Israel was “bombing civilians, killing people without any
considerations – children, women, the elderly – razing buildings
using bulldozers,” he said.
Israel has called for “more solidarity” from Turkey, its closest
regional ally.
Jews were the victims [in Spain]. Today Palestinians are the victims
and the people of Israel are treating Palestinians as they were
treated 500 years ago
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Mr Erdogan was giving his first interview to the Israeli media since he
caused dismay in Israel last month by calling its military operations
in the southern Gaza town of Rafah “state terrorism”.
At the time Israel’s foreign ministry issued an unusual rebuke to
Ankara, saying his comments were “extremely regrettable” and Turkey,
which had also fallen prey to “cruel terrorism”, was expected to show
“more understanding and solidarity”.
But in the interview published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on
Thursday, Mr Erdogan said his relationship with Israelis and Jews
in general was free of problems and that his criticism was solely
directed at the right-wing coalition government of Ariel Sharon.
“We are in favour of the peace process being regenerated, and the
government of Israel has not contributed to our efforts to do so,”
he said.
Close ties
Mr Erdogan stressed that Turks had once “opened their hearts and homes”
to Jews who fled from the Inquisition and now they wanted to mediate
between Israel and other countries in the Middle East to achieve peace.
Erdogan leads an Islamic-rooted party in Turkey’s secular system
But he stood by his earlier accusation that Israel was practising
“state terrorism” against Palestinians.
“When you look at the structure of what has happened, how else can
you interpret it?” he said.
Israel usually enjoys very close relations with Turkey, its strongest
military and trade partner in the Middle East region.
Mr Erdogan went on to make an apparently veiled criticism of another
ally, Washington, calling for a more multilateral approach in its
“global war on terrorism”.
“Saying ‘I am the strong one, so I can name anyone I want as a
terrorist and anyone I want as a criminal and just kill them and go’
– that mentality is wrong,” he said.
“All those responsible are losing their credibility with every passing
day… You must have followed what kind of reactions the pictures
of the abuse in Abu Ghraib prison [in Iraq] received,” he added.
The interview ends with Mr Erdogan sending “shalom” to all the citizens
of Israel, especially the ones who emigrated from Turkey.

Linguistic skills earning applause
STUDENTS HONORED BY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR MASTERING TWO LANGUAGES
By Dana Hull
Mercury News
Posted on Wed, Jun. 02, 2004
Vietnamese is Donna Nguyen’s native, or “home,” language. The James
Lick High School senior also speaks English and Spanish, which she
began studying in the seventh grade.
Now her linguistic achievements will be recognized.
On Wednesday night, Donna and 16 other seniors from James Lick became
the first in the East Side Union High School District to receive
the district’s new bilingual certificate. The accolade officially
recognizes the students’ ability not only to speak but to read,
write, and understand English and a second — and sometimes a third
— language. The accomplishment will be noted on both high school
diplomas and transcripts.
“It’s cool to be able to speak three languages because English gets
boring sometimes,” said Donna, 17. “Spanish sounds so nice, and the
words are pronounced the way they look. But people are still like,
`Why is this Asian girl speaking Spanish?’ ”
The term “bilingual” is often used to describe immigrant students,
many of whom are Spanish speakers who have mastered English. But
district officials believe the term should apply to any student who
has mastered two languages. This year, 82 students in the district’s
five high schools qualified for the new certificate, and they speak
not just Spanish but Vietnamese, French and German.
“What the East Side is doing is very exciting,” said Maria Vargas,
the executive director of the California Association for Bilingual
Education.
“Bilingualism and bi-literacy are very marketable skills, and the
district is recognizing that and giving the students something that
they can take with them when they graduate.”
Though California’s 6 million students are among the most diverse in
the nation, only a few school districts in the state offer bilingual
certificates. Many districts are overwhelmed by the number of home
languages that are spoken, and the biggest challenge is deciding what
level of language proficiency should count as fluent.
The Glendale Unified School District, northwest of Los Angeles, is
believed to be the first district in the state to offer bilingual
certificates. On graduation day, students who can speak two languages
wear a silver medallion, while trilingual students wear gold.
“This year we had one student who qualified in Armenian, Russian and
German, as well as English,” said Cecelia Martin, who coordinates
the program for the district.
Students with Californians for Justice, a statewide organization of
young people, first proposed the bilingual certificate to East Side
Union High School District officials two years ago. A task force of
district officials, students and teachers then worked to hammer out
the criteria.
If a student’s native language is English, they have to pass an
Advanced Placement test in a second language, such as Spanish or
French, to get the certificate. If the student’s home language is
not English, they must pass the AP test in their home language as
well as pass the state’s standardized tests in English.
For languages with no AP course, such as Tagalog, the district is
creating alternative tests that include a reading exam, writing sample
and oral interview.
“It’s a great accomplishment to be proficient in two languages,”
said Bill Rice, an assistant principal at James Lick. “So many kids
are not proficient in one language.”
Maria Chavez, 18, speaks Spanish at home and spends every summer with
relatives in the Mexican state of Jalisco. But she learned English
at school in San Jose, and has regularly taken honors English courses.
“My dad has been pushing me hard to keep my Spanish and not lose
my Mexican roots,” said Chavez. “It’s a really wonderful thing to
know two languages, but it’s really hard work. I’m glad it’s being
noticed by the district.”

“RELEASE THE POLITICAL PRISONERS”
A1 Plus | 14:45:08 | 03-06-2004 | Politics |
“I turn on the TV set to listen to some news but nothing is said. I
can’t pay 1200 drams daily to come to Yerevan”, Gurgen Soghomonyan,
Hoktember villager of Armavir District said during the protest action
held at General Office of Prosecutor.
66-year-old Gurgen has twice been taken to Police Department for
participation in rallies and was arrested for 10 days for “showing
ribaldry to policemen”. Soghomonyan says he hasn’t even met a
policeman. “I was just walking in Yerevan”.
The protest action demanding to set the political prisoners free
continues near General Office of Prosecutor. Representatives of
some social organizations assemble near Office of Prosecutor every
day at 10:00 AM. 6500 people have already signed in support of the
political prisoners. “Justice” Bloc representatives as well joined
the participants.
“Justice” Bloc Press Secretary Ruzan Khachatryan says she partakes in
the action as a citizen of Armenia and not as the party representative.
According to her, every time before rallies the number of the arrested
people increases. “Before rallies Authorities start resorting to
violence, arrests and menaces. It’s their manner of activity”.
As known, Yerevan Municipality forbade Opposition to hold a rally in
the square near Matenadaran on June 4. The First Instance Court of
Kentron, Norq-Marash Commune left the decision unchanged.
Ruzan Khachatryan says they are going to appeal against the decision
in the Appeal Court. However, Khachatryan says the meeting will
take place.
From: Baghdasarian

TV slams rights activist’s “anti-Azerbaijani” remarks in separatist Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
2 Jun 04
[Presenter] Azerbaijan’s Avaz Hasanov [member of the international
working group on hostages and missing persons] is making unofficial
attempts to bring closer Azerbaijan and Armenia which occupies most
of its territories.
To recap, our compatriot attracted the attention because he acted
against his state by visiting Nagornyy Karabakh from Armenian territory
and by giving a news conference in Xankandi [Stepanakert].
[Correspondent, over video of the news conference] The members of
the international working group for releasing POWs and hostages and
for tracing missing persons, Avaz Hasanov, Bernhard Clasen, Svetlana
Ganushkina and Karina Minasyan, went to Nagornyy Karabakh without the
Baku government’s authorization. Their Georgian counterpart, Paata
Zakareishvili, told ANS that the working group stayed at Armenia’s
Ararat Hotel. From there they went to Karabakh.
To recap, this is what Avaz Hasanov told the news conference in
Xankandi, which was also attended by the head of the Armenian community
in Nagornyy Karabakh, Albert Voskanyan, about the Baku government’s
desire for Armenians not to visit Azerbaijan:
We are involved in humanitarian activities as members of the
international working group. Our mandate is quite different. We
represent neither Azerbaijan, nor Armenia nor Karabakh. I cannot
understand why the coordinators of this group are not allowed to visit
Azerbaijan. Clearly the fact that our president called on the NGOs not
to cooperate with Armenia has something to do with that. As a human
rights activist I am involved in the issue of POWs. As a member of the
working group I have been to Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh. Personally,
the president’s challenge is of no relevance to me, end of quote.
Commenting on the calls for war recently made in Baku, Avaz Hasanov
said that no-one needs another war in the region. The government
is artificially trying to give the impression that the Azerbaijani
public opinion is aggressive, Hasanov said.
To recap, Avaz Hasanov and his counterparts went to Armenia to
trace the hostages. However, relatives of the hostages regard as
insulting the anti-Azerbaijan remarks made by Azerbaijani citizen
Avaz Hasanov as he stood next to a separatist Armenian. For instance,
Asgar Nacafov, Gulsara Mahmudova’s husband, has been in captivity
for 11 years now. But there is no information about him. Before his
visit to Armenia, Avaz Hasanov told the woman that he would let her
know about her husband’s plight.
[Passage omitted: Gulsara Mahmudova questions Hasanov’s behavior]
[Correspondent, over video] Rafiq Nacafov [son of the hostage],
whose father is missing, accused Avaz Hasanov of circulating this
kind of reports.
[Rafiq Nacafov] They have gone there to trace the hostages. But
they have done nothing. On the contrary, they are involved in
anti-Azerbaijani propaganda.
[Correspondent, over video] Human rights activist Cingiz Qanizada
thinks that Hasanov made a mistake by going to Karabakh without
Azerbaijan’s authorization. He should explain this step.
[Qanizada, speaking to microphone in his office] I regret he said that
– if that is what he actually said. It is inadmissible to say that
the challenge by the Azerbaijani head of state is of no importance to
me, irrespective of who the president is. I think if the state and
the president, within his constitutional rights, make moves for the
liberation of Karabakh tomorrow, people like Hasanov might not join
such moves but form such opinions. Naturally, I denounce this.
[Passage omitted: Hasanov’s mother does not believe her son would
make statements against Azerbaijan]
[Correspondent, over video] There is another interesting
fact. Hasanov’s mother told us something interesting: she said that
Hasanov himself had once been in Armenian captivity.
Qanira Atasova, Sehrac Azadoglu, Sadiq Mammadov, ANS.

Opposition party meets voters in Armenian town despite police ban
A1+ web site
2 Jun 04
2 June: Despite the authorities’ ban, a meeting has taken place
in Gavar between members of the National Unity Party and the town’s
residents. The chief of the Gavar police, Manvel Shaginyan, banned the
meeting since it was not sanctioned. Shaginyan described as a trick
the explanation that it was a meeting with voters rather than a rally.
In his speech, National Unity chairman Artashes Gegamyan commented on
[Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s statement made in Gyumri on
1 June that “it is difficult to imagine that Vazgen Sarkisyan and
Karen Demirchyan [the Armenian prime minister and parliament speaker
assassinated on 27 October 1999] could act against their country
in Strasbourg”.
In the opinion of Gegamyan who is a member of the Armenian delegation
in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Robert
Kocharyan has no right even to mention the names of those killed on
27 October.

Azeris launch criminal cases against Armenian, Karabakh leaders
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
2 Jun 04
[Presenter] An investigation group set up by the Prosecutor-General’s
Office, the National Security and Interior Ministries to look
into crimes committed by the Armenians is trying to establish the
whereabouts of suspects. The head of the group, Mammad Cabbarov,
called on citizens who have evidence of Armenian crimes to help the
investigation.
[Correspondent] Criminal proceedings have been instituted against
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and the president of the
self-styled Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, Arkadiy Gukasyan. The head
of the joint investigation group set up by the Prosecutor-General’s
Office, the National Security and Interior Ministries to investigate
the Armenian crimes, Mammad Cabbarov, said that evidence which
proves the crimes committed by these people is being collected and a
petition will be sent to an international court to select a preventive
punishment for them.
[Mammad Cabbarov] As you know, Kocharyan was one of the leaders of an
organization in Nagornyy Karabakh. He was a member of the council of
people’s deputies and took part in the council’s session which issued
a statement on [Nagornyy Karabakh’s] partition from Azerbaijan.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted into illegal elections in
the self-styled Nagornyy Karabakh [Republic]. Our group is in charge
of the proceedings and is investigating this case. Both Gukasyan and
Kocharyan had taken part in the elections.
[Passage omitted]

Armenian leader sets up council to fight corruption
Mediamax news agency
2 Jun 04
Yerevan, 2 June: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan issued a decree
today setting up a council to fight corruption, the presidential
press service told Mediamax news agency.
The Armenian prime minister has been appointed the chairman of the
council to fight corruption, the members of the council are – the
deputy speaker of the National Assembly, the head of the government
staff, the presidential aide on issues of combating corruption,
the justice minister, the prosecutor-general, the chairman of the
Central Bank, the chief of the presidential staff, the chief of the
commission for the protection of economic competition and the head
of the parliament’s Audit Chamber.
The decision to set up the council to fight corruption has been taken
to effectively implement the anti-corruption policy, the press service
of the Armenian president told Mediamax news agency today.