ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 24, 2004 Wednesday 7:57 AM Eastern Time
EU discusses involvement of S Caucasus in Wider Europe
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
The European Union is discussing a possibility of involving the South
Caucasus in Wider EuropeNew Neighbours Initiative, said Heikki
Talvitie, EU Special Envoy to the South Caucasus.
In his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan on
Wednesday, Ambassador Talvitie said he is hopeful that this process
would yield positive results. He is in Yerevan on a four-day visit as
part of an extended regional tour
In order to achieve this goal the EU envoy stressed that it would
necessary to develop regional cooperation, encourage economic
relations between the region and West European countries, and settle
the existing conflicts, in particular the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Talvitie said he is ready to help find a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
March 24 2004
District puts fact versus fiction

Local parents have criticized the district’s English Language
Development program. Coordinator Joanna Junge helps make the
distinction.
By Gary Moskowitz, News-Press
NORTHEAST GLENDALE – Since the district’s English Language
Development program came under criticism last summer from parents,
Joanna Junge has been busy correcting what she calls simple
misconceptions about how the program works.
Junge is the coordinator of curriculum and intercultural education
and instructional services for the Glendale Unified School District.
She works closely with the district’s Welcome Center staff and
language translators, who determine students’ language skills when
they enter the district.
Last summer, members of an Armenian parent group criticized the
district’s English Language Development program during several school
board meetings and on local Armenian television talk shows.
Some parents thought the district discriminated against students of
Armenian and other ethnic backgrounds who were born in America but
whose families speak languages other than English at home.
Others said students are kept in English-language learner classes
longer than they should be so that the district can collect extra
state money. Some parents were concerned that taking too many
English-language learner classes would prevent their children from
getting into top-notch universities.
Other parents said they did not want their children enrolled in the
language classes because they thought they were for special
education. Some thought the language classes had a stigma attached to
them that they did not want their children to be a part of. Others
said the translation provided by the district was inadequate.
“I think there were a lot of misconceptions from some parents that we
have worked at resolving ever since,” Junge said.
The News-Press interviewed Junge recently about the Welcome Center
and parents’ criticisms of the English Language Development program.
NEWS-PRESS: Parents’ criticisms of the district’s English Language
Development program started [last] summer, and resurfaced on several
local Armenian-language television programs. What was one direct
result of that criticism?
JOANNA JUNGE: There was a lot of debate, and we decided, if it will
help communication between parents and us, why fight it? The whole
point is what’s best for the children, and we’ve taken steps to
resolve the debate.
NP: What is the district doing differently now as a result of the
parents’ speaking out?
JJ: We’ve worked to improve our Armenian translation efforts, by
translating in both Eastern and Western dialects of Armenian and
having translators of both dialects available for many meetings.
We’ve also recorded three “Half-Time Live” shows on [Charter
Communications] Channel 15 that feature panel discussions on our
English-language learners program. We plan to re-record those shows
with district officials who are fluent in our primary languages –
Armenian, Korean and Spanish.
NP: Does the district earn more money by keeping students in the
English-language learners program?
JJ: We do collect about $300 per student per year in state and
federal funds. However, our programs cost thousands more per year
than the funds we receive. There is no financial advantage to keeping
students in the program longer than they need to be.
NP: Does taking English-learner classes make it more difficult for
students to get into four-year universities?
JJ: No. The majority of our Advanced Placement students are either
current or former ESL kids. If English is not the primary language,
they need to learn English skills to do college-level work.
NP: Are English learner classes the same thing as special education?
JJ: Absolutely not. Special education is for kids with learning
disabilities. It is possible for an English learner to also have
learning disabilities, but we are careful not to assume that just
because they lack English skills, they have disabilities. There is no
automatic connection between the two.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GENOCIDE AND HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: (416) 250-9807 Fax: (416) 512-1736
E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: GEORGE SHIRINIAN
DATE: March 24, 2004
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY ANNOUNCED FOR GENOCIDE AND HUMAN RIGHTS UNIVERSITY
PROGRAM
Toronto, Canada – As Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, recently noted:
For nearly half a century — almost as long as the United Nations has been
in existence — the General Assembly has recognized the need to establish…a
court to prosecute and punish persons responsible for crimes such as
genocide. Many thought…that the horrors of the Second World War — the
camps, the cruelty, the exterminations, the Holocaust — could never happen
again. And yet they have. In Cambodia, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in
Rwanda. Our time — this decade even — has shown us that man’s capacity
for evil knows no limits. Genocide…is now a word of our time, too, a
heinous reality that calls for a historic response.
As there is a continuing need for understanding the phenomenon of genocide
and a response to it, the International Institute for Genocide and Human
Rights Studies (A Division of Zoryan Institute) and the University of
Minnesota-Twin Cities are offering the Summer 2004 Genocide and Human
Rights University Program (GHRUP) and are pleased to announce the
distinguished faculty who will be participating this year.
In addition to Roger Smith and Stephen Feinstein, Co-Directors of the
course, some of the instructors this year include Taner Akçam, Visiting
Associate Professor, Dept. of History, University of Minnesota; Joyce
Apsel, Master Teacher in the General Studies Program at New York
University; Stephan Astourian, Professor, Department of History, University
of California-Berkeley; Major Brent Beardsley, Research Officer at the
Canadian Forces Leadership Institute and former Personal Staff Officer to
Major-General Roméo Dallaire, UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda; Frank
Chalk, Professor, Department of History, Concordia University and
Co-Director of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights
Studies; Vahakn Dadrian, Director of Genocide Research, Zoryan Institute;
Richard Hovannisian, Armenian Educational Foundation Endowed Chair of
Modern Armenian History, University of California-Los Angeles; Jacques
Kornberg, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, University of Toronto;
Eric Markusen, Senior Research Fellow, Department for Holocaust and
Genocide Studies, Danish Institute for International Studies; Gregory
Stanton, Professor of Human Rights, Mary Washington College, President of
Genocide Watch and Director of the Cambodian Genocide Project; and Eric
Weitz, Arsham and Charlotte Ohanessian Chair in the College of Liberal Arts
and Director of the Center for German and European Studies, University of
Minnesota. With a few variations, the faculty at both programs, in
Minneapolis, July 5-16, 2004, and in Toronto, August 3-13, 2004, will be
the same.
“This course has always been a unique opportunity for students to
experience a broad comparative perspective on genocide. We are very proud
that among the faculty we have not only some of the foremost scholars in
their respective fields, but also individuals who are active in
international efforts to both document and prevent genocide around the
world,” stated Dr. Roger Smith.
The purpose of the program is to provide students with a framework for
understanding genocide and its effects. It explores the universality of the
issues related to genocide and takes a comparative approach for
understanding the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, the Cambodian Genocide,
the Rwandan Genocide, and more recent events with genocidal overtones. In
addition, many special themes are explored, such as the mass violation of
human rights; women, children and genocide; how to teach about genocide;
issues of memorialization and representation; and possibilities of dialogue
and reconciliation between perpetrator and victim groups.
Students wishing to participate in this unique program must have their
applications in by May 15, 2004 for the Minnesota program and by May 31,
2004 for the Toronto program. In order to maintain the seminar format in
this high demand course, the number of students is limited, so early
application is recommended. Limited scholarship assistance will be available.
For more information or to apply, contact the International Institute for
Genocide and Human Rights at (416) 250-9807, , or by
email at [email protected], or contact Stephen Feinstein, Director,
Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, University of Minnesota, at
(612) 626-2235, [email protected].

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/24/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Armenian President Meets with Coalition Leaders 2) Turkish Official Looks to Improved Relations with Armenia 3) ANC San Gabriel Valley, Assemblymember Caldron Meet on ANC Activities 4) ARF Reviews Faction's Activities in Parliament 5) Moscow's Week of Parajanov 1) Armenian President Meets with Coalition Leaders YEREVAN (Presidential Press Office)--President Robert Kocharian met with heads of the governing coalition on Tuesday, who conveyed their impressions and observation of recent field visits to regions of Armenia. The representatives agreed and stressed the necessity of continued visits to various areas. On other topics, they suggested ways to make the legislative activities of the National Assembly and government more productive, and emphasized the need to strictly adhere to the 2004 schedule in reviewing draft legislation. 2) Turkish Official Looks to Improved Relations with Armenia YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Leading the Turkish delegation at a session of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Parliamentary Assembly that convened in Yerevan on Wednesday, Salik Kapusoz of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development party, said that the borders of Armenia and Turkey may open soon. `The Justice and Development party has taken on the task to develop relations with all neighbors of Turkey, and I hope that we shall soon see better times,' he said, stressing that the opening of borders should serve as a solid incentive to improve Turkish-Armenian relations. He also told reporters that both nations should not cling to the past, and instead must look forward. The BSEC Parliamentary Assembly body meeting in Yerevan is the Commission on Culture, Education, and Social Issues. The head of Romania's delegation and Vice-chair of the commission Dumitru Buzatu, is presiding over the session attended by parliamentary delegations from Turkey, Moldova, Bulgaria, Albania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia. The Azeri delegation opted not to attend, citing busy schedules. "I hope they will take part in future meetings held in Armenia," announced Buzatu. The first sitting of the session took up the social, economic, and civil rights of the disabled, with Russian representative Adam Tleuz addressing the physical and social obstacles the disabled face. Members of the session noted that in Armenia, rights of the disabled are consistently violated, and that the country's medical centers are far from reaching international standards. Paying special attention to the rights of disabled children and women, participants urged BSEC governments and parliaments to advance their laws on the disabled so that they correspond to international standards. 3) ANC San Gabriel Valley, Assemblymember Caldron Meet on ANC Activities MONTBELLO--At the invitation of California Assemblymember Ronald S. Calderon (D-58th Assembly District), Armenian National Committee (ANC) San Gabriel Valley representatives held a work meeting with Calderon and his staff on March 12, focusing on issues that concern the Armenian American constituents in the district. ANC representatives presented the local ANC's activities in progress, which include the addition of the Armenian Genocide in the Montebello School District curriculum; establishment of a sister city program between the city of Montebello and Stepanakert, the capital of Mountainous Karabagh Republic; ANC voter registration and voter outreach campaigns; and the upcoming April 23 vigil and April 24 rally at the Armenian Martyrs Monument in Montebello to commemorate the 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Calderon, who is a staunch supporter of Armenian issues, provided valuable suggestions, promising his assistance for the success of the specified programs. 4) ARF Reviews Faction's Activities in Parliament YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The legislative activities of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) were reviewed during a joint meeting on Wednesday between ARF Armenia Supreme Body members and Parliament's ARF faction members. The ARF faction in Parliament has proposed six new pieces of legislation and seven amendments to existing laws, with members co-sponsoring 25 legislative initiatives proposed by others in parliament. Details of visits to regions of Armenia by the faction members were also reviewed. 5) Moscow's Week of Parajanov MOSCOW (Armenpress)--A week dedicated to commemorate what would have been influential Armenian filmmaker Sergey Parajanov's 80th birthday, and to celebrate the great film director, artist, and sculptor's art began in Moscow on March 23 with an exhibit of items from the Parajanov Museum, including his films, unique art collages, posters from his films, videos about his work, and photographs by Yuri Mechitov. Beauty as the highest value and truth as a creative principle were the most important components of Parajanov's art, which gave birth to a legend that became known to the world as Parajanov's film. Born and raised in a traditional Armenian family in Tbilisi, Parajanov lived his childhood very close to the tight Armenian community. These images of childhood were later reflected in his work "Colors of Pomegranate." In 1945, with the end of the Second World War, Parajanov moved to Moscow and enrolled in the Institute of Cinematography. In 1952, he moved to Kiev, Ukraine, to start working at Dovzhenko studios. After a number of short films and side projects, Parajanov finally started working on his first movie, "The Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors," which turned out to be one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of cinematography. In a few years, Parajanov moved to his true homeland Armenia, and began to work at the "Armenfilm" studio, where some of his short movies such as "Hakob Hovnatyan" were born, and where he screened his biggest masterpiece: "Color of Pomegranate." Though the film's cinematography won him international notoriety, the movie received no attention from the Soviet authorities. After forcefully cutting 20 minutes out of the movie and re-releasing the short version for the Soviet audience, Parajanov said: "My masterpiece no longer exists." It was the "Color of Pomegranate" that sparked the chain of events in his life. Soviet censures did not particularly appreciate the numerous religious images portrayed in the movie. Subsequently, a number of his screenplays were rejected and he was later imprisoned under false charges--and sent to the Gulag, one of the most abhorrent concentration camps in Russia. He was released after a number of years as a result of global protests by artists. Penniless, he moved back to Georgia in 1977, only to be imprisoned again, but this time without a trial. His work, "The Legend of the Souram Fortress" was completed in 1986; he began work on "Ashik Kerib" the following year. Though both films became world-renowned masterpieces, receiving a number of awards at movie festivals, Parajanov did not get to see them. After undergoing treatment in France for lung cancer, he passed away in 1989, in Yerevan. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

The Congressional Record
23 March 2004

SA 2907. Mr. McCONNELL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 1637, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to comply with the World Trade Organization rulings on the FSC/ETI
benefit in a manner that preserves jobs and production activities in
the United States, to reform and simplify the international taxation
rules of the United States, and for other purposes; which was ordered
to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of the amendment, add the following:
TITLE V–EXTENSION OF NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS TO ARMENIA
SEC. 501. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Armenia has been found to be in full compliance with
the freedom of emigration requirements under title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974.
(2) Armenia acceded to the World Trade Organization on
February 5, 2003.
(3) Since declaring its independence from the Soviet Union
in 1991, Armenia has made considerable progress in enacting
free-market reforms within a stable democratic framework.
(4) Armenia has demonstrated a strong desire to build a
friendly and cooperative relationship with the United States
and has concluded many bilateral treaties and agreements with
the United States.
(5) United States-Armenia bilateral trade for 2002 totaled
more than $134,200,000.
SEC. 502. TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF THE TRADE
ACT OF 1974 TO ARMENIA.
(a) Presidential Determinations and Extensions of
Nondiscriminatory Treatment.–Notwithstanding any provision
of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et
seq.), the President may–
(1) determine that such title should no longer apply to
Armenia; and
[[Page S3033]]
(2) after making a determination under paragraph (1) with
respect to Armenia, proclaim the extension of
nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations
treatment) to the products of that country.
(b) Termination of Application of Title IV.–On and after
the effective date of the extension under subsection (a)(2)
of nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of Armenia,
title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 shall cease to apply to
that country.

Le Monde, France
Mercredi 24 Mars 2004
L’énigme Basmadjian
Moscou, 1989. Un homme disparaît. C’est un Français d’origine
arménienne, marchand d’art à Paris. Quinze ans plus tard, un juge
parisien et la brigade criminelle enquêtent
L’affaire débute comme un roman d’espionnage, dans l’URSS tourmentée
de l’été 1989. Garig Basmadjian, un Français de 41 ans, spécialiste
réputé de l’art arménien, séjourne à l’Hôtel Rossia, au c`ur de
Moscou. Dans cet établissement d’une austérité toute soviétique, le
KGB n’est jamais bien loin, les clients sont sous surveillance.
Garig Basmadjian ne s’en étonne sans doute pas ; il connaît bien ce
pays, ses obsessions policières. N’a-t-il pas organisé, en 1988, deux
expositions, au Musée de l’Ermitage (Leningrad, aujourd’hui
Saint-Pétersbourg) et à la galerie Tretiakov (Moscou) ? Cette fois,
il est là à l’invitation du ministère de la culture, en prévision
d’autres manifestations.
Trois Arméniens qu’il connaît de longue date sont présents dans sa
chambre, ce 29 juillet au matin, quand le téléphone sonne. “Je
descends dans dix minutes”, dit-il, en russe, à son interlocuteur.
Basmadjian prend son passeport, quitte la pièce avec ses visiteurs
arméniens. “J’en aurai pour deux à trois heures”, leur lance-t-il
dans le hall. Dehors, un homme lui fait signe. Agé d’une trentaine
d’années, il se tient devant une voiture beige, une Lada de type
Jigouli Vaz 2104 ou 2108. Le Français monte à l’avant, le chauffeur
démarre. Il est 10 heures, ce matin d’été. Garig Basmadjian ne
donnera plus jamais signe de vie.
Un juge parisien, Patrick Ramael, tente aujourd’hui de savoir ce
qu’il est devenu. La plainte pour “enlèvement et séquestration”,
déposée le 6 avril 2003 par l’épouse et le fils aîné du galeriste, a
conduit la brigade criminelle à se plonger dans ce dossier traité
jusque-là à Moscou. “Nous voulons connaître la vérité, si pénible
soit-elle”, prévient Varvara Basmadjian, la femme du marchand d’art.
Depuis 1989, celle-ci s’est très peu exprimée dans les médias. Des
années durant, elle n’a pas non plus enclenché de procédure
judiciaire en France. Laissant à sa belle-s`ur, Vartouhi, le soin de
suivre l’évolution de l’enquête russe, elle est restée en retrait
afin, assure-t-elle, de “préserver”ses trois enfants, deux garçons et
une fille. Maintenant que ceux-ci sont “en ge de comprendre”, Mme
Basmadjian relance les investigations avec le soutien d’un avocat, Me
Patrick Baudoin, et de l’Association Edouard-Kalifat, spécialisée
dans la recherche de personnes disparues en ex-URSS.
La tche s’annonce ardue, surtout après tant d’années d’immobilisme.
L’affaire est riche en zones d’ombre ; elle ne manque pas non plus
d’enjeux financiers liés au patrimoine du disparu, propriétaire
d’environ 150 `uvres, bloquées en Russie. Et puis, l’énigme renvoie à
une période trouble – le tournant des années 1980-1990 – marquée par
la fin du communisme et l’essor des réseaux mafieux, y compris dans
le “business” des `uvres d’art. Garig Basmadjian a fréquenté cette
URSS-là ; il en connaissait les pièges.
Etonnant parcours que le sien… Fils d’un ingénieur de la radio
jordanienne, il voit le jour à Jérusalem en 1947. Après avoir grandi
en Israël, il rejoint la terre de ses ancêtres, l’Arménie, alors sous
contrôle soviétique. De 1966 à 1971, il suit des études de philologie
et de journalisme à Erevan, où il fait la connaissance de sa future
épouse, Varvara, de nationalité française. Le jeune homme est
brillant, éclectique ; il écrit des poèmes, traduit des textes en
arménien et en anglais.
En 1972, le couple s’installe près de Paris. Garig Basmadjian
poursuit ses activités de critique d’art et de traducteur. “Il
voyageait beaucoup, participait à des conférences en Angleterre et
aux Etats-Unis”, raconte sa femme. Il affine aussi ses connaissances
artistiques et commence à acquérir des tableaux, en France ou à
l’étranger. En 1978, la passion devient commerce : il ouvre à Paris,
au 90, boulevard Raspail, la Galerie Gorky, vite rebaptisée Galerie
Basmadjian. Cet homme de grande culture, mécène à ses heures, devient
incontournable dans le microcosme russo-arménien. “La galerie était
un point de rencontre, assure sa femme. L’aide apportée à certains
artistes considérés comme des dissidents n’a pas empêché Garig de se
rendre en URSS.” C’est ainsi qu’en 1988 il expose sa collection à
Moscou et à Leningrad. En décembre de la même année, alors qu’un
séisme frappe l’Arménie (100 000 morts), il organise des ventes aux
enchères au profit des sinistrés.
Arrive l’été 1989. A l’approche de cet énième séjour en URSS, le
galeriste paraît préoccupé. “Un jour, confie son épouse, il m’a dit
: “Je ne devrais peut-être pas partir seul.” Cette petite phrase
m’est revenue après coup. Sur le moment, je n’avais pas fait
attention.”Le départ est programmé le 20 juillet. Divers rendez-vous
sont prévus, à Leningrad et dans la capitale. “Il devait organiser le
rapatriement par camion de quelques `uvres exposées à l’Ermitage en
1988”,explique Varvara Basmadjian. Son visa expire le 31 juillet,
date de l’avion du retour. Mais le 29 juillet au matin, devant
l’Hôtel Rossia, il monte dans une Jigouli…
Son entourage, alerté le 1er août, tente d’obtenir des informations.
Sa s`ur Vartouhi se rend à Moscou, où elle rencontre des policiers,
des responsables du ministère de la culture, le consul de France, le
procureur d’Etat. Elle séjourne même au Rossia, dans la chambre de
son frère. Les trois Arméniens présents avec lui ce matin-là, dont la
directrice d’un musée d’Erevan, semblent hors de cause. Les proches
du galeriste s’interrogent en revanche sur le rôle d’un certain Misha
R., spécialiste du marché de l’art, qui l’accompagnait souvent lors
de ses rendez-vous. Cette piste, comme beaucoup d’autres, sera
ensuite abandonnée.
Les médias locaux se passionnent pour cette affaire, présentée comme
le “premier enlèvement d’un étranger sur le sol soviétique”.
Serait-ce l’`uvre des mafias dont l’essor inquiète tant le pays ? La
photo de Basmadjian est placardée dans les commissariats, un avis de
recherche est lancé à la télévision. Sans résultat.
En moins d’un an, sa s`ur effectue cinq voyages à Moscou et un en
Arménie, mais ne sait trop à qui se fier. Un jour, les enquêteurs
suggèrent qu’il s’agit d’une “affaire mafieuse aux ramifications
internationales”. Un autre, un fonctionnaire des affaires étrangères,
lui assure que son frère était encore en vie le 12 août. Autre
élément troublant : pourquoi une personne se réclamant du ministère
de la culture a-t-elle appelé son hôtel, après la disparition, afin
de demander que la réservation de la chambre soit prolongée d’une
semaine ?
Côté français, l’heure est aussi au jeu d’ombres. A la mi-septembre
1989, Varvara Basmadjian et sa belle-s`ur reçoivent la visite de deux
hommes affirmant travailler au ministère de l’intérieur. “Ils nous
ont interrogées sur mon mari, raconte Varvara Basmadjian. Je leur ai
dit qu’il n’avait aucune activité politique. L’un d’eux, “Monsieur
Paul”, m’avait laissé un numéro. J’ai essayé de l’appeler deux fois,
mais cela ne répondait jamais. Je n’ai jamais su s’il s’agissait de
vrais policiers.”
En janvier 1990, Varvara Basmadjian se rend à son tour à Moscou. On
lui remet les effets personnels de son époux, ainsi qu’un
portrait-robot du chauffeur de la Jigouli : “30 ans, taille 1,70
m-1,75 m, de corpulence forte, visage de type européen, cheveux
chtain clair bouclés, habillé d’un pantalon beige et d’une chemise
de même couleur, large, portée au-dessus de la ceinture.”
Fin 1990, un policier et un magistrat moscovites viennent à Paris.
Les proches du marchand d’art s’étonnent de leurs questions “très
vagues” et doutent de leur volonté d’aboutir. Le 22 mars 1994, après
plus de quatre ans de démarches infructueuses, Vartouhi Basmadjian
conclura ainsi une note de synthèse : “J’ai eu des contacts avec des
détectives privés, la CIA, le KGB, la police française, des
ambassadeurs, des artistes, des collectionneurs, des ex-prisonniers,
des écrivains, des experts, des radiesthésistes, des voyants, des
prêtres… et je ne suis pas plus avancée que le jour où j’ai reçu
l’appel de Moscou m’annonçant que mon frère avait disparu.”
Deux nouvelles pistes ajoutent au mystère dans les années suivantes.
La première, révélée par l’Association Edouard-Kalifat, met en cause
le KGB. En 1993, un homme interné dans un hôpital n
psychiatrique-prison de Smolensk et présenté comme un
“opposant”ukrainien, Alexandre Budilov, réussit à transmettre à
l’ambassade des Etats-Unis une lettre où il affirme avoir vu le
Français, en août 1992, à la prison de Boutyrki. D’après lui, le KGB
aurait enlevé Basmadjian car ce dernier était soupçonné d’espionnage
économique au profit de l’Afrique du Sud. Une assertion difficile à
vérifier : Budilov est mort en juillet 1993. Un suicide,
semble-t-il.
L’autre piste, plus étayée, émane d’un avocat arménien de grand
renom, Karen Nersisian. De janvier 1998 à novembre 1999, il a
enquêté pour le compte de Vartouhi Basmadjian ; leurs relations se
sont ensuite détériorées. Me Nersisian affirme avoir recueilli de
nombreux indices et acheté des documents à l’ex-KGB. Selon lui,
Basmadjian était généreux avec les artistes, mais il se livrait aussi
au commerce – très lucratif – des ordinateurs. L’un de ses clients,
un marchand d’art réputé, l’aurait tué après une dispute. D’après Me
Nersisian, la fameuse Jigouli appartenait à un artiste russe marié à
une Française, employée à l’ambassade de France. Interrogé par Le
Monde, Me Nersisian affirme savoir où a eu lieu le meurtre et ce qui
a été fait du corps, mais refuse d’en dire davantage.
La famille Basmadjian, qui a fermé la galerie du boulevard Raspail
fin 2002, conteste l’existence d’un trafic d’ordinateurs. Elle
rejette également les soupçons – récurrents – d’espionnage. “Mon mari
n’était pas un agent, insiste Varvara Basmadjian. Peut-être a-t-il
été utilisé par des services sans même savoir qu’il l’était…”
Il reste maintenant à connaître les conclusions de l’enquête
officielle menée à Moscou depuis 1989. Etrangement, c’est auprès d’un
service français, la DST, que le juge Ramael a obtenu le document le
plus intéressant à ce propos : une note du “ministère de la sécurité
de la Fédération de Russie”, datée du 1er décembre 1993. D’après ce
texte, d’importantes vérifications auraient été effectuées : “900
relations de Basmadjian(…), 4 127 automobiles (…),134
établissements médicaux (…), 70 000 caves et greniers”…
Varvara Basmadjian assure n’avoir jamais été informée dans le détail
de ces développements. Et, pourtant, la vérité est peut-être là, dans
cette note de sept pages dont Le Monde a eu connaissance. Trois noms
sont en effet cités. Trois hommes avec lesquels son mari était
semble-t-il en relation. Il leur aurait même passé commande d’une
vingtaine de tableaux qu’il souhaitait acquérir en URSS. Une fois à
Moscou, les tractations auraient mal tourné. Deux d’entre eux
seraient directement impliqués dans la disparition.
Le premier est Alex Asmakov, alias Alex Taïm. D’après les policiers
français, ses “relations avec la mafia russe sont clairement
établies”. Seul problème : il aurait été assassiné en 1999, en
Russie ; son corps n’aurait jamais été retrouvé.
Le second suspect, qui pourrait être le chauffeur de la Jigouli, est
vivant. Il s’agit d’Alexandre Podlesnyi, alias Alex Yaari, 45 ans.
Cet ancien boxeur, réputé proche des milieux criminels sibériens, est
emprisonné au Canada pour le meurtre d’un bijoutier. Il se serait
vanté à plusieurs reprises du meurtre de Basmadjian. Le juge Ramael
veut l’entendre avant sa libération, fin 2004.
Le troisième homme, Alexandre Hoffman, 49 ans, n’aurait joué qu’un
rôle secondaire, mais son témoignage pourrait être déterminant. Il
vit aux Etats-Unis sous une nouvelle identité (Alex G.). A en croire
la note russe, il avait été interrogé, en 1991, par le FBI. A cette
occasion, il aurait indiqué que Basmadjian disposait, au KGB, de
“relations” qu’il “exploitait sans limites” pour favoriser son
commerce, plus ou moins licite, d’`uvres d’art. Le juge veut
également auditionner Hoffman.
Ainsi donc, le dossier comporte des noms, des adresses, et même un
récit de la “cavale” (Pologne, Israël, Autriche…) des suspects.
D’où ces interrogations : pourquoi les autorités russes n’ont-elles
jamais demandé l’extradition ou l’arrestation des trois hommes ? Que
savent-elles au juste de cette affaire ? “Il faut se souvenir du
contexte de 1989, rappelle Vartouhi Basmadjian. En ce temps-là, il
était impossible de disparaître sans qu’elles n’en soient informées.
De plus, Garig n’allait jamais seul à un rendez-vous. S’il l’a fait,
c’est que les gens avec lesquels il est allé étaient des amis de très
longue date ou que ce rendez-vous avait un caractère officiel.”
Selon nos informations, le dossier russe comporte en fait pas moins
de 39 tomes. Le magistrat français a enfin eu l’occasion de s’y
plonger : accompagné de deux policiers, il vient de passer une
semaine à Moscou. Quinze ans après, ce déplacement relance enfin
l’espoir de voir un jour élucidée l’énigme Basmadjian.
François Bonnet et Philippe Broussard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Armenian-American Community of Central California
Contact: Tom Bulger
March 24, 2004
Tel: (559) 291-8215
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA BLOOD DRIVE TO HONOR MEMORY OF ARMENIAN MARTYRS
The Armenian-American Community of Central California will
commemorate the 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with a blood drive in
mid-April.
Friends and descendants of those who died for their faith in the
dark days of the Ottoman Empire will give the gift of life in the Third Annual
Armenian Martyrs’ Day Blood Drive on Sunday, April 18.
The drive will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the campus of
Fresno’s First Armenian Presbyterian Church, 430 South First Street, midway
between historic Huntington Boulevard and the Kings Canyon Promenade.
The event is co-sponsored by the Central California Blood Center
and the Board of Deacons at FAPC, California’s oldest Armenian religious
institution. Prospective donors are warmly invited to participate and should call
(559) 291-8215 to register in advance and/or obtain information.
The blood donation process (registration, screening, collection,
and refreshments) takes about one hour to complete. Donors must be in good
general health, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and be at least 17 years old.
Senior citizens are especially encouraged to donate, as there is no upper age
limit.
Donors should eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water within
four hours prior to their donation. Donors can give blood every eight weeks,
the time necessary for the body to completely replace a pint of blood. A
Social Security Number is required for registration and first-time donors must
present photo identification upon registration.
The Central California Blood Center has been a part of the San
Joaquin Valley for 50 years. The Center is responsible for drawing and
distributing blood and blood components in Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Tulare, and Kings
Counties. The non-profit Center serves 30 hospitals and a population base of
more than 1.5 million people in the five-county area. The Blood Center must
collect more than 5,000 units every month to meet the medical needs of the
Central Valley.
Chartered by 40 immigrants on July 25, 1897, First Armenian
Presbyterian Church grew dramatically in the early decades of the 20th Century as
tens of thousands Armenians fled from ethnic cleansing in their ancestral
homeland and settled in the heartland of the Golden State. The congregation is a
member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Armenian Evangelical Union
of North America.
Dean Eller is the Chief Executive Officer of the Central
California Blood Center. Reverend Mgrdich Melkonian is the Senior Pastor of FAPC and
Thomas Bulger is Chair of the Board of Deacons.
-30-

Posted by Caucasus Links
41, Barnov Street,
Tbilisi
contact person Lasha Darsalia
[email protected]; tel +995 32 292399
The British non governmental organisation LINKS has called on politicians in
both Armenia and Azerbaijan to stop using “megaphone diplomacy” and to
engage more actively in a dialogue to resolve the Karabakh problem. The call
was made in a live interview on Armenian private TV Channel Kentron with
LINKS Executive Director Dennis Sammut.
The following is the full transcript of the interview
Live Interview on ‘Urvagits’ programme on Kentron Television, Armenia
with Dennis Sammut, Executive Director of LINKS
Thursday 18th March 2004, 21.30
Q. Mr Sammut, one of the objectives of your organisation is to contribute
to the settlement of the Karabakh issue. A range of international
organisations including the Minsk Group of the OSCE has not achieved any
considerable successes. What are you relying on in your mission?
DS : Well I would like to say first of all that we are not trying to replace
the work the Minsk Group is doing. The Minsk Group is the framework the
international community has chosen to try to settle the Karabakh conflict.
The Minsk Group is a framework of states within the framework of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. What LINKS is doing,
and in this we are also working with other non governmental organisations,
is to try and support the work of the Minsk Group by opening up the debate
with wider society.
Because we don’t represent governments we have a little bit more flexibility
in what we say and we can be a little more outspoken in with what we say.
Perhaps the language we use is a little more understandable by the people in
general as well.
Q. As I understand one of the objectives of your organisation is to expand
dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
DS : Well it is, but let me explain. There is a process that has been going
on for some years now of negotiations between the two presidents, assisted
sometimes by other officials. This process has not succeeded yet. There
have been some occasions were some progress was registered but somehow we go
back to square one because society in both countries is not ready to
understand or accept what is being proposed.
We think that the process must be opened up in a way that what the
presidents are discussing and are doing has to be underpinned by a wider
debate, first of all amongst the political community in both countries, and
secondly amongst the wider public in both countries. We feel it is
important that the quality of the discussion is improved. When people don’t
know what to say they usually just go for slogans because they are on safe
ground.
Q. Mr Sammut, do you mean political forces in both Armenia and Azerbaijan
when you are speaking about slogans?
DS : Political forces in both Armenia and Azerbaijan use slogans, quite a
lot of slogans. What we have in this situation, most of the time but not
always, is what I call megaphone diplomacy. So we don’t really have
diplomacy of negotiations or diplomacy of trying to actually work out
solutions to the problem. We have people shouting slogans from across the
frontier from one country to another. This is not helpful because by the
time the message reaches the other side, it gets distorted and it gets
misunderstood. I have seen this happen so many times, on so many issues and
I have appealed to my friends here and to my friends in Baku to ‘calm down’
and don’t use this method because it is not useful for you, for your
countries or for anybody.
Q. If I am not mistaken you were recently in Baku, is that so?
DS : Yes that is right.
Q. Mr Sammut, you said that there needs to be positive progress in the
dialogue between the two parties. However the recent murder of the Armenian
officer in Hungary and afterwards the stance of officials in Baku and also
the statements on behalf of the Ombudsman of Baku, do not inspire much
confidence in a process of dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Being
in Baku, did you see the forces did you see the parties that are really
striving for positive development of the dialogue between the two parties?
DS : I was in Baku before the tragic events in Budapest, but I can quite
understand what happened there, as I can quite understand what happened
here. But let me state first of all what impressions I got, and this was
before Budapest. There is increasing debate in Azerbaijan about the
Karabakh problem. The amount of time being spent talking about this issues
is much more than it was last year or the year before. And of course there
are different trends. There is one trend that is saying ‘we must engage in
a serious discussion, we must engage in a proper dialogue with the Armenian
side to try to resolve this problem’, and there is another trend saying that
‘this is our national humiliation and we have to somehow solve it and we
will have to use all methods to solve it’.
Q. Which trend is the dominant trend in Baku?
DS : Well it is difficult to say because as with everything else and as with
every other country, sometimes it is one trend that is more dominant, and
sometimes it is the other. I spent time speaking to both of these groups of
people because I think it is very important that we talk to both. And these
two kinds of stereotypes also exist in Armenia by the way, and this is not a
unique feature of Azerbaijan. We talk with both trends, both here and
there. What happened in Budapest was a shock. It was a shock for you here.
And frankly speaking, regardless of what we hear, it was a shock for people
in Baku as well: they were not expecting this to happen. And is was
certainly a shock for people like myself and other people in the
international community that have been engaged in this process of dialogue
because obviously we understood immediately that an incident like that, a
tragedy like that, will have implications. And there is always a
spontaneous reaction when something happens that people are not prepared
for. The spontaneous reaction is the kind of reaction where people have not
thought about the consequences and so a lot of things are said that are not
sensible. Afterwards, when the people realise what they have said they
realise that they should not have been so emotional and so impulsive in what
they were saying. I think from this tragedy, from the loss of the life of
this young Armenian, frankly speaking two lives were lost because this young
Azeri is now going to spend most of his time in a jail if he is convicted of
this murder. So from this tragic situation two lives were lost, one is dead
and one will have to pay for his crime. From this tragedy we must draw
conclusions, we must draw lessons and we must be more determined. And when
I say ‘we’, and since I am now engaged in this process I feel it is our
responsibility also. So ‘we’, being the Armenians and the Azeris and the
international community, must make a bigger effort to move the process
forward.
Q. Mr Sammut, you said that there needs to be progress in the dialogue
inside Armenia. Let me remind you that some twenty days ago, the president
of Armenia said during a meeting with students that Armenia will not concede
Karabakh to Azerbaijan. Plus the representatives of culture, literature and
arts applied to the president to state that they will not concede Karabakh
to Azerbaijan and that it should be made more firmly part of Armenia. Also
in this regard there is no discrepancy of ideas between the opposition and
the authorities of Armenia. So they are supporting the idea that we should
not concede Karabakh. In light of these circumstances can you see the
development of the dialogue in Armenia?
DS : Well I would never talk in terms of ‘conceding’, this is not the
language I prefer to use. We have a situation, a situation which is not
really acceptable to anybody because people are suffering on all sides in
different ways. From this situation we must move forward to find a
solution, a solution that would be a peaceful solution, and a solution that
would be achieved not in fifty years time but in a manageable short period
of time. But also a solution that has to have wide support amongst all the
interested parties: amongst Armenians and Azerbaijanis, amongst the people
of Karabakh who are in Karabakh and who are Armenians and people of Karabakh
who had to leave Karabakh because they were Azerbaijani. There has to be
consensus because an imposed solution will not work. Now, is this easy? Of
course it is not easy. Is it impossible? Of course it is not impossible.
Q. Why?
DS : Well it is possible because it is a problem that has defined parameters
and those defined parameters can somehow be altered in a way that would
become acceptable to everybody. It will take time, and it will take
concessions on everybody’s side. Nobody will be able to say ‘I have won all
the arguments and I have won all the issues that I am interested in’. It
has to be based on concessions and it has to be based on a vision for the
future and not a vision of the past. The past we have to look at and learn
lessons from, but we must not be slaves of the past.
I want to take up your point regarding Armenian political forces and how
they look at Karabakh. I know that the National Assembly in 2001 adopted a
resolution on the Karabakh issue. Recently they revisited it. They did not
change it, they simply restated it. I would have preferred that political
forces should have engaged in a new discussion because three years have
passed, things have changed. Many changes are taking place in the world and
in the region and we need to be sure that what is being said still applies
to the situation today.
Q. But not for our political forces, because they restate their position,
that is there will be no concessions.
DS : My suggestion is that there should not be a position so fixed that it
can never be changed. This is not how politics is done. Now, it is
important and positive in my view that there is a consensus in Armenia on
these issues. It is better than if people have completely different
positions and one is never sure where they are. But I would like to suggest
that we turn this argument a bit up side down. Instead of going for the
most radical position and say ‘OK, let this be the least common denominator’
, lets go for the most moderate position and say ‘let this be the least
common denominator’. It is impossible for the political forces to tie the
hands of the government and the president on this issue in a way that
negotiations become futile. If there is no space for negotiations, why go
and discuss if there is no scope? And I want to emphasise that I am not the
kind of person who says ‘these are people with radical views we don’t
respect them, we don’t dialogue with them’. That is not the approach at
all. People with radical views have radical views because they believe in
them very strongly. We have to understand why they believe in them and we
have to persuade them that there are perhaps alternative ways of approaching
a subject.
Q. Mr Sammut you said we have to change the parameters of the Karabakh
conflict. This is a very interesting idea. What do you understand by this?
Can you open the brackets?
DS : Well I will open them a little bit. I think the Karabakh issue has
different dimensions to it. It is not a single issue. It is an issue that
has different elements to it. If the debate was only on a piece of land and
perhaps the natural resources that exist on that piece of land then one type
of solution can be envisaged. There are many examples in the world of
disputes between countries over pieces of land, territory, continental
shelves in the sea, islands and other such situations where people have
interests because of either natural resources, or strategic interests or
whatever. If Karabakh was only in this context, it would be an easily
solvable problem.
Q. In which context is it now?
DS : Well, not only now. We have a different situation because the issue of
Karabakh is a territorial issue; it is an issue that is connected with the
population that lives in Karabakh, and that used to live in Karabakh. It is
connected with the issue of how sustainable Karabakh itself is if one only
looks at it in the agreed territory or border that is recognised as being
Karabakh. Is it sustainable without other territories that are attached to
it? I mean it is a different layered subject; it is not simply one issue.
This is what makes it much more complicated.
Q. I know that during your stay in Armenia you have dealt with our
politicians, media and other representatives of society. Can you summarize
whether you think we are ready for peace? Does Armenia want peace?
DS : Does Armenia want peace? I think yes, Armenia wants peace. There is
perhaps a little bit of fear of peace and there is a confusion in the minds
of people between peace and defeatism. Peace is not defeatism. From a good
peace, everybody will win and everybody can celebrate victory, but only if
it is a good peace. I think that society is somehow tied down to a number
of positions that were perhaps useful in some period but are becoming less
and less useful these days when the world is changing so fast, and when the
South Caucasus is changing so fast. I remain optimistic.

Cyprus MPs urge AGBU to reconsider Melkonian closure
The Financial Mirror – Nicosia
March 24, 2004
Members of the House of Representatives Education Committee urged the
Armenian General Benevolent Union Tuesday to reconsider its plans to
close the Melkonian school in June 2005 and asked that it remain open
until all the present students graduate.
Deputies from all parties, headed by Committee Chairman Prodromos
Prodromou, grilled the AGBU’s global representative, Gordon Anderson,
over plans to close the school.
He stated firmly that the House considers the Melkonian a place of
Armenian education and a part of the cultural and national heritage of
Cyprus.
The Committee Chairman issued a stern warning to the AGBU to delay a
final decision and consider resuming negotiatiosn with the Cyprus
community and others, such as the local alumni association, over the
school’s future.
Prodormou said that in the worst case, all presently enrolled students
should be allowed to complete their education, stating that otherwise
the Cyprus parliament would view the unilateral decision as a hostile
act.
Prodromou also asked the AGBU to inform the House of its immediate
plans on the future of the school, in response to explanations given
by Anderson, claiming that the `AGBU does not intend to sell the
buildings, and instead is considering alternative options.’
DISY MP Ionas Nicolaou and fellow lawmaker Nicos Tornaritis were not
impressed by the explanation given, reminding the AGBU representative
that the two main buildings were in the process of being declared
national heritage buildings, which in any event does not allow their
destruction.
`This is outrageous,’ Tornaritis said, raising his voice to the AGBU
delegates.
Nicolaou was highly critical of the strong-arm tactics used by the
AGBU to quash any opposition to the closure plan, by preventing local
Board members from expressing their dissatisfaction over the plans.
MPs were unimpressed by Anderson’s explanations that the AGBU is
considering turning the Melkonian either into a day-school, or enter
into partnership with another school or establish an Armenian
department within another school.
`I call on you (AGBU) to immediately inform the House of your plans,
since at stake is the future education of 200 students and we don’t
wish to see this uncertain situation continuing any longer,’ said
Committee Chairman Prodromou.
A scathing attack unleashed by Anderson against Armenian
Representative, Bedros Kalaydjian who had brought the issue before the
Committee also backfired after many MPs voiced their displeasure.
`I call on you to show respect,’ Kalaydjian told Anderson when the
AGBU’s American official attempted to distort facts presented by Nareg
Elementary Schools board Chairman, Dr. Vahak Atamyan, who had earlier
testified that most of this year’s graduating class of 22 pupils had
expressed an interest to enroll at the Melkonian.
Masis Der Parthogh, representing the interests of the Cyprus Alumni
and the Parents Coordinating Committee informed deputies regarding the
AGBU’s reluctance to enter into a dialogue with the worldwide
Melkonian Alumni towards finding an acceptable solution, adding that
the network of alumni associations is prepared to take charge of the
school.
He asked the House to declare the Melkonian a national heritage
foundation following the decision by the EU to recognise the Armenian
language as one of the 54 languages of the Union, which Cyprus will
join on May 1, and asked the MPs to call on the Ministry of Education
to intervene in the whole affair.
Der Parthogh’s call for the House to back a proposal submitted by the
Green party to consider altering the current zoning of all the
school’s lands, from commercial to green, was received warmly.
AKEL and DIKO MPs promised that they would seriously consider
submiting a draft bill changing the zoning status of the Melkonian
property, in the event that the AGBU did not come back with fresh
proposals to find an acceptable solution.
The Cyprus Alumni has repeatedly warned that the real motive behind
AGBU’s decision to close the Melkonian is to sell the land and whisk
up to CYP 40 mln out of the country for use for unspecified purposes.

“YERKIR”, UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND
SETTLEMENT
Bagramyan ave., ap. 47/A, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel. +(374 1) 26 28 75
Web:
E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
March, 19, 2004, Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Robert Tatoyan, [email protected]
“YERKIR”, UNION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR REPATRIATION AND
SETTLEMENT REPORTS ON RESULTS OF ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF ACTIVITY
“Yerkir”, Union of Non-Governmental Organizations for Repatriation and
Settlement was founded in November, 2002. By unifying the efforts of various
organizations from the R.A. (Republic of Armenia), MKR (Mountainous Karabagh
Republic) and the Armenian Diaspora, the organization engaged in the social,
economic and cultural development of border villages of RA and MKR. The
organization has chapters in USA, Europe and Canada and an upcoming chapter
in the Middle East.
“Yerkir”‘s main goals are:
1. Assist in the re-population and settlement of the border regions of
RA and MKR.
2. Assist in the social, economic and cultural development of the
border regions of RA and MKR.
3. Assist in the research and protection of the historical and cultural
heritage of the border regions of RA and MKR.
“Yerkir” works on improving the socio-economic and cultural problems of
post-war restored villages, as well as the reestablishment of the historic
Armenian settlements of the region.
In 2003, during its first year of existence, “Yerkir” implemented the
following
projects:
1. Construction and furnishing of a school in the village of Araler,
Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- Charles Ghazerian of France).
2. Construction and furnishing of the “Hakop Poyajian Bokhboj”
kindergarten in memory of Hakob Poyadjian, in the village of Arakiul,
Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- the Poyajian family of Los Angeles, USA).
3. Construction and furnishing of the Madteos Tsaretsi school in the
village of Tsar, Nor Shahumian Region, MKR (sponsors- A group of Los Angeles
USA Armenians).
The following “Yerkir” projects are currently in progress:
1. Construction and furnishing, including medical equipment, of a
hospital, in the village Araler, Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- “Hayrenik”
Union of Los Angeles, USA).
2. Construction of 5 (five) houses, a medical center, as well as the
water distribution system, in the village of Norashen, Hadrout Region, MKR
(sponsor- AGBU France).
3. Construction of 8 (eight) houses, a water distribution system as
well as the establishment of small and medium households engaged in domestic
animal farming activity in the village of Saralanch, Hadrout Region, MKR
(sponsor- France Karabagh).
4. Construction of 8 (eight) houses, construction and furnishing of a
school as well as construction and furnishing of a medical center and a
community-youth
center, in the village of Haykavan, Hadrout Region, MKR
(sponsors-Armenian American Nurse’s Association, the Anatolian family of Los
Angeles, a group of Los Angeles Armenians, Mr & Mrs. Apo and Rosine
Saghdejian of Fresno, Mr. and Mrs. William So and Astghik Dadrian of Newport
Beach, California, Armenian American Council on Aging).
5. Remodeling and furnishing of the school building, construction of a
Medical & Community-Youth dual building complex, in the village of Tsamdzor,
Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor, “Armenia” Foundation of Geneva, Switzerland).
6. Procurement and installation of temporary mobile homes in the
village of Ijevanatun, Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor- “Monte Melkonian”
Fund).
7. Remodeling and furnishing of the school building in the village of
Arakiul, Hadrout Region, MKR, (sponsor – the Poyajian family of Los
Angeles). Construction of the medical & agricultural development center in
the village of Arakiul, Hadrout Region, MKR (sponsor-France Karabagh).
8. Construction and furnishing of a kindergarten in the village of
Talish,
Martakert Region, MKR (sponsor, “D.A. Connextion”, France).
9. Founding of the entire village of Knaravan, Nor Shahumian Region,
MKR. The
work includes construction of 18 (eighteen) single family houses,
construction and furnishing of a school, construction and furnishing of a
medical-community-youth center dual-building complex and the implementation
of agricultural development projects. The project is sponsored by the
Harutyunian family of New Jersey, USA.
10. Construction and furnishing of a kindergarten in the village of
Yeghegnout, Nor Shahumian Region, MKR (sponsor – ARF Patanekan of Canada).
11. Remodeling and furnishing of the kindergarten-Dance & Music school
building complex in the village of Chinari, Tavoush Region, RA (sponsor-
Alain Krakirian of Los Angeles, USA).
12. Reconstruction and furnishing of the school in village of Aregouni,
Gegharkounik Region, RA (sponsor- United Armenian Students of Los Angeles,
USA).
“Yerkir”s total investment in 2003 was US $215,000.00 or 173,000 Euro. 2003
was also a year of organizational growth for “Yerkir”. The organization
firmly established itself by opening offices in Yerevan, Stepanakert and
Vadenis. With contracts totaling more than US $400,000.00, in 2004, “Yerkir”
UNGO has ambitious expansion plans.
Expansion will be directed in different geographic regions of RA and MKR:
1. Border communities of the Syunik, Tavoush and
Gegharkounik Regions.
2. Border communities of the Hadrout, Martakert,
Martouni and Nor Shahumian Regions.
During 2003, “Yerkir” submitted many project portfolios to various
organizations and individuals. The submitted projects were focused on
socially and demographically developing the more than 30 border rural
communities located in the above mentioned target regions.
Today, one of “Yerkir’s primary goals is to encourage repatriation
from Russia and other CIS countries. Priority is being given to
natives who were forcefully evicted from their communities and many of whom
would return to their hometowns, given favorable living conditions.
For further information on “Yerkir”‘s current and upcoming projects, visit
or “Yerkir USA”‘s homepage at
You will also find “Yerkir”‘s detailed
2003 financial statement on the organization’s website.