ARMENIAN REPORTER
PO Box 129
Paramus, New Jersey 07652
Tel: 1-201-226-1995
Fax: 1-201-226-1660
Web:
Email: letters@reporter.am
February 17, 2007
1. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office are learning Armenian
2. The Kars-Akhalkalaki railway deal is signed: Javakhk Armenians have
mixed feelings about the construction of the railroad
3. At 148 members, the Armenian Caucus is one of the largest in Congress
4. A look at the Azerbaijani military: Record spending from shallow waters
5. Armenians prepare to honor Ambassador Evans at Beverly Hilton
6. Talking culture, going nowhere: In Istanbul, another conference on
closed borders
7. Arts briefs: Connections to the Armenian arts scene
* Superlawyer Mark Geragos contributes to a new book
* Djivan Gasparyan at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards
* Armenian music echoes from Vancouver to the homeland
* "What do you hear from Hollywood, Grasshopper?"
* The "Reporter" wants your art briefs
8. Letter: An Index of Progress?
9. Editorial: A matter of self-respect
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1. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office are learning Armenian
And Armenia agrees to learn the language of intellectual property
by Armen Hakobyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
YEREVAN — A group of experts gathered in a small study is working on
making an Armenian-language version of Microsoft Office 2007. The
study is in the office of Bi-Line, Armenian distributor for Microsoft.
Interrupting the lively discussion, we learn from the president of
Bi-Line, Hayk Khanjyan, that the Armenian version of Microsoft Windows
XP Pro is ready. "Preparing local versions of programs is part of
Microsoft’s general policy," Mr. Khanjian says. "They want to create
suitable language environments for all languages." He notes that
Microsoft pays for this work, which involves a score of experts.
The plan is to have Armenian-language versions of Microsoft’s most
popular programs on the market this year.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, at the Microsoft Government Leaders’ Forum,
Armenia’s Minister of Trade, Karen Chshmaritian, and Microsoft’s Bill
Gates on January 30, 2007, signed a cooperation agreement that may
provide a new impulse for the development of the information
technology field in Armenia. Negotiations started only in September
2006, during a program called IT Month in Yerevan. During that
program, Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, who heads up a
governmental council on IT development, met with Vah? Torossian, vice
president of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa. The meeting set
the stage for the strategic partnership agreement signed in January.
* Provisions
Microsoft Armenia will celebrate its first anniversary in May.
Microsoft’s representative in Armenia, Grigor Barseghyan, recounts the
main points of the agreement:
"The first is cooperation in the sphere of education." Microsoft
undertakes to provide a training program for all of Armenia’s schools.
The training program is a complete course in computer science. In
addition, Microsoft will open an IT academy in which it will train the
teachers who teach or will teach computer science in Armenia’s
schools.
"We plan to sign a ‘special price’ agreement with the government,
under which we will provide schools with software at a minimal cost,"
Mr. Barseghyan says. He says the first phase of the program will start
this year.
Under the agreement, Armenia will join the MSDN Academic Alliance,
which will provide opportunities especially to technical colleges.
The second element of the agreement has to do with e-government.
Microsoft commits to investing in electronic governance technologies
in Armenia.
The third element is a commitment to help Armenia develop its
information-technology sector. Mr. Barseghyan says Microsoft plans to
establish a Microsoft Innovation Center in Armenia. "Our purpose is to
raise the level and quality of IT usage in Armenia, to create new
businesses and integrate contemporary technology in real-life
settings."
* Piracy
Perhaps the most important element of the agreement between Armenia
and Microsoft concerns protecting intellectual property in Armenia.
"This is one of the most important blocks of our cooperation," Mr.
Barseghyan says.
For Armenia, with no oil and gas, the main natural resource is the
nation’s intellectual potential. According to official figures, the IT
sector accounts for 1.7 percent of Armenia’s GDP. Some 5,000 experts
work in the field, and the number is growing every year. These facts
make intellectual property increasingly important for Armenia.
But only 5 percent of the population owns a computer. Of that 5
percent, what proportion uses pirated software? "Estimates vary from
90 to 96 percent," Mr. Barseghyan responds. "That’s very bad."
Mr. Khanjyan notes, "We have declared IT to be supreme, and we see
annual growth in the number of students and programmers. Synopsis, one
of the world leaders in the field, came to Armenia. We have signed
this agreement with Microsoft. There are other achievements. And if we
want the work of our programmers to be worth something and be saleable
abroad, and we want to take pride in it, we must show the same respect
for other people’s work. That must be part of people’s consciousness.
For that, we call on everyone to buy, install, and use licensed
software packages."
Vigen Hovhannisyan, Bi-Line’s sales director, says that the average
cost of Windows XP Pro to the end user will be in the 76 to 86
thousand-dram range ($210 to $240). The pirated versions cost between
zero and 2,000 drams, depending on whether they come pre-installed or
are purchased on disk. Mr. Hovhannisyan stresses that the licensed
version comes with years of support and free updates.
Microsoft’s Grigor Barseghyan puts the emphasis on education. "It’s
important for people to understand that protecting programs, as
intellectual property, has value. They must understand what they gain
by paying for it. Our company is not going to go out and take everyone
to court. No. We see our role in the field of education."
Meanwhile, however, the government cannot break the country’s own
intellectual property laws. Under the agreement with Microsoft,
government bodies are going to use only licensed software.
"Particularly, all the new computers they buy will have legal,
licensed software," Mr. Barseghyan tells us. "This is also important
for the government, because it will help with information security. It
will help them avoid the dangers of hackers, viruses, and worms."
In mid-February, a working group will start working on a timetable to
implement the provisions of the agreement. Only then, Mr. Barseghyan
says, will it become clear what scale of investment Microsoft can make
in Armenia.
* * *
A footnote from the editor
The "Armenian Reporter" office in Yerevan uses Open Office, which is
pretty good for the price. It’s free (see ).
But Rusan Avetisyan, our accountant, needs Microsoft Excel. That’s
because the accounting software she uses, "Armenian Program," requires
it. "So call Bi-Line and let’s get one MS Office license," I say.
Bi-Line tells Rusan that MS Office Basic goes for 106,125 drams, or $300.
"OK," she says, "Can you e-mail us a bill, we’ll transfer the money to
your bank, and then come pick it up?" (That’s how things are done
here.)
"No. You have to come in person to get the bill."
I am the one who goes in person. "I’m here to pick up a copy of MS Office."
"Go to that desk."
"I’m here to buy Microsoft Office Basic," I repeat.
The man starts orating, loudly: "Microsoft Office Professional:
175,000 drams. Microsoft Office Small Business: 135,000 drams.
Microsoft Office Basic: 106,125 drams."
"I’ll take Microsoft Office Basic, please," I say.
"We don’t have it."
"What?"
"We don’t have it."
"You’re Microsoft’s representative and you don’t have Office? And you
couldn’t tell us on the phone?"
"You asked the price, not availability."
I’ll spare you, gentle reader, the rest of the drama. But the manager,
a very nice man by the name of Arshak Zakaryan, explained to me that I
am only the second person to ask for the package, and he can hardly
afford to keep something in stock that never sells.
Sorry Rusan. Let’s go to the Vernissage and look for an abacus.
–Vincent Lima
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2. The Kars-Akhalkalaki railway deal is signed: Javakhk Armenians have
mixed feelings about the construction of the railroad
by Tatul Hakobyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
AKHALKALAKI, Georgia — Here in Javakhk (Javakheti), regular folks are
not all that certain: Will the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki
railway do local Armenians more good, or more harm? The first reaction
of many is negative. They are anxious that during construction, and
after the line is working, Turks and Georgians will pour into Javakhk
and change the demographic profile of this region, where currently 95
percent of the population is Armenian.
Former and current officials take a somewhat different view. Nairi
Iritsian was mayor of Akhalkalaki in 2002-2006, and is now a delegate
to the Regional Assembly (the Sakrebulo). He notes that most Javakhk
Armenians oppose the railway because Armenia is excluded from it.
"But purely for Javakhk, the construction of this railway can bring
economic development," Mr. Iritsian says. "Forty percent of our
population, mainly the young, have gone to Russia to work and will
never return. Our college students who study in Yerevan stay in
Armenia and never return. If there is no economic development here, it
will not be possible to keep Armenians here. In this sense, the
Kars-Akhalkalaki railway will bring development."
Artur Yeremian is the head of the regional administration for
Akhalkalaki. President Mikheil Saakashvili has appointed him to the
position twice. "Since there is a Mother Armenia, and Mother Armenia
is opposed to the construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki, the people are not
excited by that plan. If we put national issues aside, of course,
unequivocally, the construction of the railway is useful; it will
bring development to the region," Mr. Yeremian says.
Hamlet Movsisian, the Georgian Parliament member representing
Javakheti, is certain that the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki
railway will lead to the building and development of additional
infrastructure in the region, economic movement, and the improvement
of the social status of Javakhk Armenians, because "where there is a
transportation artery, there is socioeconomic progress."
"From this perspective, I am in favor of the construction of
Kars-Akhalkalaki. On the other hand, there is a Kars-Gyumri railway,
which is being disused for well-known reasons," Mr. Movsisian said.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia, including the Kars-Gyumri line,
in the early 1990s and has since conditioned the reopening on
Armenia’s concessions on the Armenian Genocide and Karabakh issues.
On February 7, in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, Mr. Saakashvili, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, and President Ilham Aliyev of
Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki railway. The 105-km (65-mile) segment includes 76 km
(47 mi.) through Turkey’s mountains and 29 km (18 mi.) through
Armenian-populated Javakhk. The plan also calls for the renovation of
the existing 183-km Akhalkalaki-Marabda-Tbilisi segment. Since there
is a working railway linking Baku and Tbilisi, the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki segment will connect Baku to Kars and give Azerbaijan
a direct rail link to Ankara and the rest of Turkey.
The work is expected to take two to three years. At a press briefing
after the signing ceremony, Mr. Saakashvili announced that Tbilisi is
in favor of mutually beneficial and fruitful relations with all
countries in the region — including Armenia.
"I want to emphasize, that we do not want any country left out of
these processes," Mr. Saakashvili announced. "We have an interest in
the development of level, friendly, and transparent relations with all
our neighbors. It is very important to us that no country in the
region would be isolated, so that no country would find itself left
out of the game. We of course want level, close, friendly and
good-neighborly relations with Armenia. We want to develop those
relations. The countries of the south Caucasus have no choice but for
friendship and progress together."
But that is not Mr. Aliyev’s attitude. Azerbaijan’s president stated
publicly that he views the rail way as another form of pressure on
Armenia to make concessions on the Karabakh issue. More specifically,
Azerbaijan is trying to remove economic arguments from those in Turkey
who want the border with Armenia opened, and is ready to pay for that.
Stepan Grigoryan, a former Armenian Foreign Ministry official who
heads the Center for Globalization and Regional Analysis in Yerevan,
does not agree that the Kars-Akhalkalaki plan is directed against
Armenia. "The economic and political interests of three countries —
Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan — coincide, and they are implementing
energy-communication programs: the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline,
the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas line, and definitely, the
Kars-Akhalkalaki railway." At the same time, Mr. Grigoryan thinks that
"isolation of Armenia from regional programs is deepening."
* On track to becoming a reality
As much as official Yerevan and the Armenian-American lobby tried to
stop it, the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki railway is becoming
a reality. A year and half ago, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian wrote
to the European Union, urging them not to finance the railway, which
bypasses Armenia and pursues only political goals. Armenian-American
lobbying organizations were able to get Congress to prohibit the U.S.
government from financing the railway via the U.S. ExImBank. The
European Union and the United States did not help finance the railway,
but nor did they stop it from being financed. The necessary funds,
which are estimated to surpass $400 million, will be invested by
Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The United States cannot help all regional projects in the South
Caucasus, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza recently
announced in reference to the railway project. The News-Azerbaijan
agency quotes him as saying, "We support the project of construction
oil pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, but we cannot support all projects
in the region. We are neither for it nor against it."
Last February, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for
External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, warned that the
EU would not finance the railway. "A railway project that is not
including Armenia will not get our financial support," she said.
After actively opposing the project, Armenian officials have recently
revised their attitude toward the project, arguing that while
Azerbaijan and Turkey are seeking to isolate Armenia, they will not
succeed.
Armenia will not be harmed economically by the operation of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki railway, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian
said at Yerevan’s National Press Club on February 9. He noted that the
plan to build a railway bypassing Armenia is a political plan to
isolate Armenia. "True, Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan will benefit
>From it, but it will not harm Armenia’s economy. This is a
continuation of Turkey’s policy. Ankara, together with Baku, or under
Baku’s pressure, tries to further isolate Armenia."
Foreign Minister Oskanian notes that the construction of the railway
in itself does not take Armenia toward isolation. During a
question-and-answer session at the National Assembly on February 7,
the foreign minister said the question must be why the railway is
being built instead of re-opening the existing Kars-Gyumri line.
"We have extended our hand; we have set no preconditions for Turkey;
we have always called for good-neighborly relations, for opening the
border, independently of what bilateral issues we may have; but Turkey
has not agreed. They have helped Azerbaijan to put pressure on
Armenia, so that we accede to their demands and make inappropriate
concessions that are unacceptable to us in the matter of
Nagorno-Karabakh," Mr. Oskanian said.
* A bypassed route
Mr. Grigoryan argues that "[Armenia] must have an interest in the
prompt resolution of the Karabakh issue and the improvement of our
relations with Turkey. The issue is what price we are willing to pay.
Was there a middle ground that would satisfy the Armenians, the
Azerbaijanis, and the Turks?" Mr. Grigoryan, who is politically allied
with supporters of ex-President Levon Ter-Petrossian, notes that
Armenia "had the option of resolving the Karabakh issue quickly
through mutual concessions [under President Ter-Petrossian in 1997].
If the Karabakh issue were resolved, Armenia might have been included
in the energy-communication programs."
The 1997 deal would have necessitated Armenian withdrawal from six
districts around Karabakh without a decision on how Karabakh’s status
would be determined — something that Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,
under President Robert Kocharian, have opposed, and something that
Azerbaijan continues to insist on.
Foreign Minister Oskanian notes that it would have been possible to
prevent the construction of the railway if Yerevan had agreed to
concessions that are unacceptable for the Armenian side. But neither
in the past, nor today, nor in the future would Yerevan make
unacceptable concessions in the matter of Karabakh for the sake of
inclusion in regional projects, Mr. Oskanian asserted.
Mr. Oskanian notes that Georgia has been considerate in the matter of
the railway. "Besides drawing them into the political issue, we cannot
blame them from an economic perspective," he said. Georgia has
announced that it waited a while for Turkey to open the Kars-Gyumri
line, which it closed along with its border with Armenia 14 years ago.
In the end, while Armenia may feel left out for now, there is
theoretically a positive argument to be made for the railroad, on the
grounds that it would benefit Armenia economically. That argument
would note that since Armenia relies heavily on Georgia’s
transportation infrastructure, it is in Armenia’s interest to see that
infrastructure developed. Armenian companies already conduct business
with Turkey through Georgia, and the Georgia-Turkey rail connection
would only help. Indeed, unless hindered by Turkey, Armenian cargo
shippers will have an option to ship their goods to Europe by rail, if
they find that profitable. The rail option would also free up Georgian
ports, also to the benefit of Armenia’s shippers.
But for now, whether the positive or negative projections occur
remains an open question.
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3. At 148 members, the Armenian Caucus is one of the largest in Congress
by Emil Sanamyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
WASHINGTON — The bi-partisan Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues
last year reached a record-high membership of 165 House
Representatives, according to data provided to the "Armenian Reporter"
by the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee (USAPAC).
Following the recent election turnover and gain of four Congressmen
since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Caucus membership now
stands at 148 members, and is still one of the largest in the U.S.
House of Representatives, according to USAPAC Government Affairs
Director Rob Mosher.
Founded in 1995 by Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and John
Porter (R-IL), who became its original co-chairs, the Caucus has grown
consistently over the last 12 years. In 2001 Rep. Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) replaced retired Congressman Porter as Caucus co-chair.
According to Rep. Knollenberg’s website, the Caucus is a "group of
legislators dedicated to maintaining and strengthening the
U.S.-Armenia relationship. The coordinated efforts of this diverse,
bipartisan coalition of Congressional friends of Armenia help to
elevate Armenian-American issues to a much higher profile on Capitol
Hill, in the Administration and outside the U.S. Government."
Over the years, Caucus members have successfully championed U.S.
assistance to and cooperation with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,
limits on assistance to Azerbaijan and Turkey, and the affirmation of
the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide.
In 2006 three Caucus members — Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rep. Ben
Cardin (D-MD), and Rep. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) — were elected to the
U.S. Senate. According to USAPAC, just prior and as a result of the
November elections, 18 Armenian Caucus members either lost re-election
bids (11), retired (5) or resigned (2), from the House of
Representatives.
In the six weeks since the inception of the 110th Congress,
Congressmen Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Charles Gonzalez (D-TX), Zack Space
(D-OH), and Tim Walz (D-MN) joined the Caucus. Rep. Walz defeated
former Caucus member Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), while Rep. Bilirakis
replaced another Caucus member, Rep. Mike Bilirakis (R-FL), who
retired.
* Other Ethnic Caucuses
The India Caucus is believed to be the largest ethnic congressional
caucus, with current membership at 173, according to the office of the
Caucus co-chair Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA); the Caucus’ other co-chair
is Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC). According to the website
, the India Caucus co-chairs are rotated
every two years. Last Congress, the Caucus was led by Rep. Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY). (All four of the
aforementioned representatives are also Armenian Caucus members.) The
Armenian Caucus founding co-chair Rep. Pallone is also one of the
original co-founders of the India Caucus.
According to the American Hellenic Institute, the Hellenic Caucus had
142 members as of January 2007 and is co-chaired by Rep. Carolyn
Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), both of whom are also
Armenian Caucus members.
The Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations and
Turkish-Americans (the Turkey Caucus) is co-chaired by Rep. Robert
Wexler (D-FL), Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX).
In late 2006, Rep. Wexler told the New York-based "Turk of America"
that the Turkey Caucus’ membership had reached 71 members.
About a dozen Turkey Caucus members, including Representatives Ben
Chandler (D-KY), Jim Moran (D-VA), Chris Shays (R-CT), and Henry
Waxman (D-CA) are also members of the Armenian Caucus. The complete
list of Turkey Caucus members has not been published in recent years.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the U.S. Yashar Aliyev
described the Azerbaijan "working group" as having 16 members led by
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA). Rep. Shuster replaced Rep. Curt Weldon
(R-PA), who lost his re-election in November and was, incidentally,
also an Armenian Caucus member. Other House members who have been
vocal on behalf of Azerbaijan in the past are Dan Burton (R-IN),
Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) and Ted Poe (R-TX).
* * *
For a list of the members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues as of February 14, visit
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4. A look at the Azerbaijani military: Record spending from shallow waters
by Emil Sanamyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Azerbaijani government has repeatedly threatened a
new war against Armenians. In the last few years, its rhetoric has
also been matched by growing military spending and some weapons
acquisition. Armenians are taking notice. Armenia’s National Security
Strategy identifies Azerbaijan as the most imminent external threat to
the country’s security. This column, slated to appear with some
regularity, will discuss relevant developments in Azerbaijan and their
impact on Armenia. The first column focuses on Azerbaijan’s military
spending.
WASHINGTON — The source of Azerbaijan’s growing military spending
lies in shallow water, some 100 miles due east-south-east of the
capital Baku. Therein lies a large oilfield first discovered by Soviet
geologists, but never fully developed until now.
Growing production from that oil field and growing prices for oil have
given a terrific boost to the Azerbaijani government’s revenue — and
much of that revenue is being spent on the military. In an apparent
form of psychological pressure, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev
promised that his country’s military spending would soon surpass
Armenia’s total state spending.
* Field of the Commissars
The oil field in question is actually a collection of three fields
initially respectively named after the sun (Guneshli), Soviet oilman
Mikhail Kaverochkin (now known as Chirag) and the legendary 26 Baku
Commissars (Soviet-era heroes of the Revolution, now renamed Azeri) —
the last field providing the bulk of new oil production.
The latter two fields have been disputed by Turkmenistan. (The
Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan maritime border is still undefined, as is the
border with Iran). But this did not stop the consortium led by British
Petroleum (BP), which began production (that is, pumping oil) from
Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) in 1997.
Since then, production has grown from just over 100,000 barrels per
day (bpd) in 2001 to close to 500,000 bpd in 2006. BP currently
"anticipates production will plateau ¦ at around one million barrels a
day by 2009."
In other words, after 2009, the oil will begin to run out at ACG.
* Budget race
The Azerbaijani government has set up the State Oil Fund to collect
profits from ACG. Between 2001 and 2006 the Fund grew from $360 to
$900 million — minus some $1.5 billion transferred from the Fund to
the state budget.
In January 2006, for example, $600 million was transferred from the
fund to the budget just as Azerbaijan announced doubling of its
defense budget.
While the BP-run ACG is certainly not the sole source of revenue for
Azerbaijan, it is the single largest one. According to BP-Azerbaijan’s
CEO John Woodward, Azerbaijan’s profits from ACG amounted to over $2
billion in 2006, or about one-half of all state revenues.
Should world market prices stay at over $50 per barrel of oil,
President Aliyev estimates total revenues from hydrocarbon production
to amount to $140 billion by 2025 (including profits from ACG as well
as other projects), with profits bulging around 2010 and averaging out
to about $7 billion a year for the next 20 years.
While the Azerbaijani government does have a tendency to exaggerate,
it may be extrapolated that Azerbaijan’s military spending could reach
as much as $7 billion a year — or more realistically (considering the
country’s and its ruling elite’s other needs) several billion dollars
a year: that is, three to five times the current level.
Since President Aliyev made it his goal last year to have Azerbaijan’s
military spending surpass Armenia’s total state spending, such
increases are likely. (Armenia’s state spending for 2007 is estimated
at about $1.5 billion: still 50 percent higher than Azerbaijan’s
planned military spending.)
In pursuit of Aliyev’s goal, Azerbaijan is capable of doubling its
military spending in 2008 and, possibly, doubling it again in 2009.
But Armenia’s state spending, which has grown at a record pace itself,
is likely to catch up in subsequent years.
* * *
In upcoming issues, this column will look at the potential
consequences of current and future increases in Azerbaijan’s military
spending.
For chart and illustration, visit
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5. Armenians prepare to honor Ambassador Evans at Beverly Hilton
LOS ANGELES — In anticipation of its March 4 gala banquet honoring
former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans, the University
of Southern California’s Institute of Armenian Studies is hard at work
to make the event a fitting tribute to an exemplary public servant.
(An early announcement of this event was published in the "Reporter"’s
January 13, 2007 edition. Please note the updated event details
below.)
The second annual banquet of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies
will be an occasion of both solemnity and celebration. In recognition
of Ambassador John Evans’ service to the United States of America and
the Armenian people, a number of distinguished individuals have agreed
to serve as honorary chairs of the banquet. These include: Provost Max
Nikias, Dean Peter Starr, Hon. Alice Hill, Dr. Mihran Agbabian, Dr.
Joseph Aoun, John Bedrosian, Gerald Cafesjian, Gov. George Deukmejian,
Edward Djerejian, Sen. Robert Dole, Mark Geragos, Dr. Vartan
Gregorian, Dr. J. Michael Hagopian, Kevork Hovnanian, Hon. Paul
Ignatius, Vahe Karapetian, Charlie Keyan, John King, Richard
Manoogian, Paul Orfalea, Edward Roski Jr., Louise Simone, Joseph
Stein, Hon. Dickran Tevrizian, Jerry Turpanjian, Ron Tutor, and Alex
Yemendjian.
The Institute’s gala banquet will be held on Sunday, March 4, starting
at 5:30 p.m., at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton
Hotel, 9876 Wilshire Boulevard, in Los Angeles. For information on
sponsorships and reservations, call Savey Tufenkian at (818) 956-8455;
Elizabeth Agbabian at (310) 476-5306; Aline Patatian at (818)
262-2626; Hermine Janoyan at (818) 388-5918; or the Institute of
Armenian Studies at (213) at 821-3943.
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6. Talking culture, going nowhere: In Istanbul, another conference on
closed borders
News analysis by Talin Suciyan
Special to the "Armenian Reporter"
ISTANBUL ‘ "Cultural Heritage across Borders" was the title of a
meeting held here on February 9 and 10 at the headquarters of the
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). The
meeting, organized jointly with the Global Heritage Fund (GHF) was
subtitled, "How cross-border cultural heritage programs can trigger
regional economic development and build political stability along
border regions of the Black Sea Region."
The meeting sought to bring together key participants with experience
in cross-border initiatives, both from the Black Sea region and
beyond. The presentations and speeches were mostly concentrated on
how to build economic relations by focusing on cultural heritage, and
how cultural heritage might be utilized to cultivate cross-border
tourism, and thus, relations across borders.
The meeting was organized in partnership with Norwegian Foreign
Ministry, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
UNDP Resident Representative Mahmood Ayub spoke of Igdir and Agri (the
city of Mount Ararat), two cities on Turkey’s eastern frontier; both
have benefited from tourists coming mainly from Iran. According to Mr.
Ayub’s data, Agri and Igdir have managed to host around 30,000
tourists even though their infrastructure is limited. Agri ranks 80th
out of Turkey’s 81 provinces in terms of per-capita gross domestic
product.
For Mr. Ayub, the development of cultural assets is a directed
investment for poverty reduction and local economic growth.
Fortunately, he did not forget to add that investing in cultural
heritage for the sake of tourism is helpful but not sufficient for
poverty reduction and economic growth; for any location to host
visitors, it must first and foremost be livable for its own citizens.
Berna Bayazit Baran, also from UNDP, presented the Coruh Valley
project, which is part of the Eastern Anatolia Tourism Development
Project. She stressed the cultural and historical heritage of the
region. On the UNDP website, on the other hand, the emphasis is on the
natural beauty of the region and the unique characteristics of Coruh
River.
In her written presentation, Ms. Baran avoided mentioning that
Armenians somehow figure in the "cultural and historical heritage of
the region." Orally, though, she allowed that the region has
"Armenian-style houses." She did not explain what that phrase meant.
Did some Turks visit Armenia and mimic the architecture? Or were these
actually Armenian houses?
Ms. Baran was pleased to underline the proximity of Georgian and
Turkish cultures as a facilitating factor for tourism, but she avoided
mentioning the proximity of Turkish and Armenian cultures.
The president of the International Council for Monument and Sites
(ICOMOS) and director of archeological conservation at the Global
Heritage Fund, John Hurd, stated that the City of Ani is the most
important remnant of a city in Europe and the world.
Mr. Hurd mentioned that Ani is an extraordinary site from the Armenian
Bagratuni period. He believed it should top UNESCO’s list of World
Heritage sites. He noted that Ani was in Turkey’s tentative list until
1984, after which it was deleted.
Recently Atilla Koc, Turkey’s minister of culture and tourism, had
suggested that the name of Ani should be changed to ‘Anı Ã-ren Yeri’
(Remembrance tourist site), noting that Izmir is no longer called
Smyrna.
(Mr. Koc also gets credit for proposing that the church at Akhtamar,
renovated by the government, be reopened on April 24. The proposal was
criticized by various circles, especially by the Turkish-Armenian
weekly Agos and Patriarch Mesrob II Mutafyan. Mr. Koc changed the
reopening date to April 15.)
Tom de Waal, from Institute for War and Peace Reporting, presented the
multicultural historical background of Black Sea region during the
19th century. He went on to show how the region had lost its
multicultural characteristics over the course of the 20th century. Mr.
de Waal proposed that the 21th century should be the time to remember
and revive cosmopolitanism, and the Black Sea region’s tradition of
diversity.
Mr. de Waal answered our questions after the meeting. He stated that
it was useless to talk about cultural heritage or opening the border
between Turkey and Armenia when there is no political will to do so.
He argued that cultural projects are good for cultivating
interpersonal relations but not enough for cultivating international
relations.
Nune Chilingaryan of Yerevan State University’s Architecture
Department, attended the meeting on behalf of the Armenian Ministry of
Culture. She stressed the importance of professionalism regarding
architectural and cultural sites. Drawing attention to the ICOMOS
Xi’an Declaration of 2005, Ms. Chilingaryan said countries should
leave aside political conflicts and invite experts from across the
border to participate in cultural conservation projects.
At the end of the meeting a draft statement was prepared, which again
underlined cultural heritage as a gateway to socioeconomic
development. Nevertheless, the final statement has yet to be issued.
BSEC declined to sign on, since it would require the consent of each
member state to do so.
Another meeting thus came to an end without tangible solutions
offered. An incredible effort was made to avoid discussion of the
political problems that hinder cross-border development. (The same was
true of the conference on the Armenian-Turkish border held January
13-14 in Yerevan. See —.) Yet without political will, hardly
anything can be achieved, at least at the international level.
Especially Turkey and Armenia, which share the last closed border of
Europe, can hardly take any steps forward by avoiding politics.
Business and culture alone cannot help and has not helped heal the
deep wounds that separate the two nations.
* * *
Talin Suciyan is a correspondent for Istanbul’s "Nokta" magazine. She
attended this meeting on behalf of the "Armenian Reporter."
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7. Arts briefs: Connections to the Armenian arts scene
by Paul Chaderjian
Special to the "Armenian Reporter
* Superlawyer Mark Geragos contributes to a new book
On CNN’s Larry King Live last week, superstar attorney Mark Geragos
talked about his contribution to the newly published book, "Beyond A
Reasonable Doubt." The chapter penned by the famed Los Angeles defense
attorney is titled "I Know Beyond a Reasonable Doubt that there was an
Armenian Genocide."
In the legal system, the phrase "beyond reasonable doubt" is often
used when a judge or jury has to convict someone accused of a crime.
Even though the phrase is not defined in the Constitution or in law
books, lawyers are asked to convince a judge or jury beyond a
reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.
The new book tries to explain the phrase by asking dozens of
attorneys, writers, journalists, scholars, and doctors (including Dr.
Jack Kevorkian) to explore, define, and apply the concept of
reasonable doubt.
During his CNN interview, when asked by Larry King, who edited and
wrote the preface for the book, about the concept of reasonable doubt,
Geragos said: "I’m Armenian. All four of my grandparents fled the
Genocide. Came to America as a result of the Turk’s brutally killing a
million and a half Armenians… Here you’ve got a crime, a crime
against humanity. I know beyond a reasonable doubt that there was
Genocide."
Asked by the "Armenian Reporter" why he chose the Genocide to explain
reasonable doubt, Geragos said: "When I was asked to contribute to
this book it occurred to me that the only thing worse than the
Genocide itself is the denial of the Genocide.
"And I know that beyond a reasonable doubt. The publishers were
delighted to include the essay."
Connect: ,
* * *
* Djivan Gasparyan at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards
"It was a big honor for our culture and our people," says legendary
musician Djivan Gasparyan about being one of five "Best Traditional
World Music Album" nominees at the 49th annual Grammy Awards on
Sunday, February 11.
The Armenian duduk virtuouso and Persian vocalist Hossein Alizadeh
were nominated for their collaborative album "Endless Vision." Even
though the award was handed to an African gospel group called the
"Soweto Gospel Choir," Gasparyan says he was honored to have been part
of the show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The "Best Traditional World Music Album" nod was Gasparyan’s first
Grammy nomination from members of the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences in the U.S. However, the internationally renowned
legend has already received other sought-after international music
awards, like six gold medals from UNESCO.
The maestro, who has toured the world sharing Armenian music and the
haunting sounds of the duduk, has also been honored with a "Lifetime
Achievement Award" at Womex, the World Music Expo. Womex chose him for
the honor out of 1,900 of the world’s most talented and best
musicians. Now his peers in the U.S. are catching up and realizing
Gasparyan’s contributions to the recording industry in the U.S. with
his first Grammy nomination.
The 77-year-old took his 26-year-old grandson, Djivan Jr., to the
award show in Los Angeles, because he believes his grandson is
following in his footsteps and will also become an outstanding and
exceptional concert musician. Grandfather and grandson tell the
"Armenian Reporter" that the Grammy Awards show was fantastic,
entertaining and very well-produced.
Gasparyan will be spending the next two months in Hollywood, recording
music for an upcoming biography about his career. A German studio is
documenting the legendary musician with a full-length feature and
companion album. Djivan Jr. is confident that this new album will win
a Grammy at the 50th annual show next year.
The prolific musician is also continuing his work on major motion
pictures. His recent contributions to soundtracks have included George
Clooney’s "Syriana," music to the "Ashes and Snow" art show, and to
the recent box office hit, "Blood Diamond." And let’s not forget
Djivan’s presence in the movies "Gladiator," "The Passion of the
Christ," and "Munich."
Connect: ,
* * *
* Armenian music echoes from Vancouver to the homeland
Singer Mariam Matossian, a Vancouver-area high school teacher and
counselor, is getting ready to release her second album, "In the
Light." Her first album, "Far from Home," was an instant hit with
global audiences, receiving airplay on radio stations in Canada, the
U.S. and Europe.
Matossian tells the "Armenian Reporter" that her new album brings
together "an amazing team of musicians: Elliot Polsky on percussion,
Jesse Zubot on violin, Gordon Grdina on oud, Pepe Danza on woodwinds,
and producer Adam Popowitz on mandolin and banjitar."
"In the Light" includes traditional Armenian folk songs and new songs
that Mariam has written. "We have already been receiving very good
reviews about this album," she says, "and we are thrilled about
sharing with the world."
Matossian was born in Vancouver, where a small Armenian community
continues to remain as vibrant and active as the larger Armenian
communities in Montreal and Toronto. The singer says her love for her
cultural heritage intensified when she traveled to Yerevan twice to
volunteer as a translator and then help develop children’s programs.
"I have been singing all my life, whether at community events, in
church, or in choirs," says Matossian. "Music has always been one of
my passions, and however hard I tried, I could not ignore this voice,
this strong yearning inside me to communicate my culture’s story to a
larger audience through our timeless folk songs."
Connect:
* * *
* "What do you hear from Hollywood, Grasshopper?"
Hollywood insiders are already talking about the next big Hughes
Brothers film: a remake of the 1970s classic TV series, "Kung Fu."
Directors Allen and Albert Hughes, half-Armenian and fraternal twins,
are directing the epic.
The 34-year-old Hughes Brothers began making movies when they were 12.
Their Armenian mother, who raised them alone after divorcing their
African-American father, gave them a camera to keep them out of
trouble.
With the camera on loan from their mom’s employer, the National
Organization for Women, and two VCRs, the twins began making movies
and sold their first screenplay at the age of 19.
The Hughes Brothers have scored commercial and critical success with
motion pictures like Johnny Depp’s "From Hell," "Menace 2 Society,"
"Dead Presidents," and the documentaries "Pimp" and "Scratch." In
addition to their feature-length and documentary work, the Hughes
Brothers have directed commercials for Nike, Coke, Reebok, and Adidas.
Insiders say the Hughes Brothers will be shooting the movie at a
temple outside Beijing, where the monks that inspired the original
"Kung Fu" TV series train in the martial arts. The brothers are also
developing a biopic of the legendary guitarist Jimmy Hendrix.
* * *
* The "Reporter" wants your art briefs
The "Armenian Reporter" newspaper’s new weekly Arts & Culture section
wants to write about you. Whether you are recording an album, have
made a short film, or are exhibiting your painting at the neighborhood
library, send us your headline. Have you seen an Armenian surname on
television, at the movies or in print? Please send us a note. Has a
community organization you know about or are involved in held a talent
show, sponsored a play, or planned a theatre outing? Let us know, and
we’ll follow up.
Connect: arts@reporter.am
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8. Letter: An Index of Progress?
Sir:
Although the choice of April 24 as the date for the opening of the
reconstructed Akhtamar cathedral is a mockery, as stated by Archbishop
Mutafyan ("Patriarch Mutafyan Speaks Out," Dec. 30, 2007), a change
that has occurred within the past 33 years may be worth noting.
To make a long story short, in 1974 my wife and I assembled in Ankara
with a Belgian dentist, a French priest, and five other Frenchmen as
participants in the faltering inaugural effort of a Turkish company to
introduce tourism to Turkey. At Akhtamar the guide turned out to be a
hefty, baldheaded, retired army colonel, with a mouthful of flashing
gold teeth, whose laughter was more threatening than convivial. As he
walked us around the island he was asked if the church was Armenian.
He said, "Oh no, much too old to be Armenian. It is Urartu."
So now, after 33 years, Akhtamar has graduated from Urartian to
Armenian. That’s progress.
Very truly yours,
Pierre V. Haig
Dana Point, Calif.
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9. Editorial: A matter of self-respect
Bill Gates and Karen Chshmaritian, Armenia’s minister of trade, signed
an agreement in Scotland last week that marks the beginning of
cooperation between the software giant Microsoft and the Armenian
government. Among the provisions of the agreement is a commitment on
the part of the Armenian government to help fight software piracy in
Armenia.
According to credible estimates, 90 to 96 percent of the software in
use in Armenia is unlicensed. Computer stores routinely offer
computers with Microsoft XP Pro, Microsoft Office Professional, Adobe
Photoshop, and other popular products pre-installed. Licensed versions
are available if the customer insists — and pays for them. Internet
caf?s run the same software, and rare is the proprietor who has paid
for it.
Some end users do pay for software: packages typically sell for 1,500
to 2,000 drams (about $5). But that is the pirate’s fee, not the cost
of the license.
Under the agreement with Microsoft, the government will start a
process of switching to licensed software. Yes, much of the government
is in the pirated-software camp.
In Russia, where software piracy is likewise widespread, Microsoft has
started a bit of a scandal by making an example out of a provincial
school principal. It filed a criminal complaint against the principal
for having unlicensed software on the computers belonging to the
school. The defendant is looking at significant prison time.
Microsoft’s representative in Yerevan has promised that nothing of the
sort is in the plans for Armenia. The focus is on getting the
government to comply, and educating people about intellectual
property.
The approach is sensible — though the prosecution of a proprietor of
an Internet caf?, a computer retailer, or the principals of a major
company that makes money off computers would evoke much less sympathy
than the prosecution of a provincial school principal.
Knowing how rich Bill Gates is may assuage one’s conscience, but it
does not justify theft.
The people who use pirated software typically justify themselves on
two grounds: legitimate software is expensive, and major software
manufacturers gather information about users, which users do not want
to share.
But these are not good arguments for using pirated software; they are
good arguments for using and contributing to open-source software, and
weakening the monopolies that make software that is unaffordable to so
many in places like Armenia. Open-source software helps make it
possible for companies that respect intellectual property to remain
competitive with those that don’t.
That said, Armenia cannot tolerate disrespect for intellectual
property. The country has made a wise choice to develop into an
information economy. Software, books, films, and inventions that
result from extensive research-and-development efforts become
financially viable only where the product of the intellect is accorded
as much respect and protection as tangible property.
And we are fairly confident that not one of the Armenians who uses
pirated software would walk out of a bookstore with a book he or she
had not paid for.
Armenians are a small market to begin with, however vital we may be.
Piracy only makes our market smaller, and that much more unattractive
to the creators — inside Armenia or outside — who are deciding
whether to invest their time and material resources in the design of
Armenian-friendly software.
We welcome the government’s decision to switch to licensed software.
Armenian-Americans, and other outside investors too, should take care
to be part of the solution — not part of the problem — of software
piracy in Armenia.
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