Author: Chavushian

Democrats Dominate New York Politics
By RICHARD PYLE

The Associated Press
08/31/04 02:45 EDT

NEW YORK (AP) – Seldom has a national political party held a
nominating convention so deep in enemy territory. From the northern
Bronx to Brooklyn’s Coney Island boardwalk, from eastern Queens to
the liberal fortress of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, New York City
is wall-to-wall Democrats.

It’s been that way for about 170 years.

Among some 50-plus mayors during that time, only five have been
Republicans. George Opdyke was elected during the Civil War; no
other reached City Hall until Fiorello La Guardia in 1934. Even the
current mayor, Michael Bloomberg, was a Democrat who switched parties
to avoid a primary he had no chance to win. The last Republican that
Gotham supported for president was Calvin Coolidge in 1924.

How did a city that was founded by the conservative Dutch in the
17th century and which disdained the American revolution in the 18th
became a Democratic stronghold in the 19th? One word: immigration.

Created in the 1830s, the New York Democratic Party’s rise to power
closely paralleled the city’s role as receiving point for millions
of immigrants, people needing help to start new lives from scratch.

Germans, Irish, Jews, Italians and other Europeans who funneled
through Ellis Island’s immigration halls – along with blacks arriving
from the South before and after the Civil War, and more recently
Puerto Ricans and Dominicans – gravitated toward politicians who
delivered.

That was the Democratic Party, says Bronx-born former mayor Edward
Koch.

“New York built safety nets before any other government, as far as
I know – at least that’s the way we see ourselves – and that means
concern for the other person,” said Koch, a lifelong Democrat who
served in Congress and for 12 years at City Hall.

Ever the maverick, Koch is now backing President Bush for re-election,
putting him at odds with his fellow New York Democrats, who outnumber
Republicans by more than five to one.

>>From the mid-1800s, the Democrats exercised power through Tammany
Hall, a political machine that had been around for decades but enjoyed
its heyday under William “Boss” Tweed, who united rival factions,
dispensed patronage – and stole millions in public funds.

“Tammany Hall would help get you a job, and you would help Tammany
Hall by giving your vote,” said Kenneth Jackson, a Columbia University
professor of history and social sciences. “The Republicans were more
concerned about taxes.”

In 1868, the actual Tammany Hall on 14th Street was the setting for
the Democratic National Convention, the first of five the city has
hosted, most recently in 1992. The Republicans have never hosted a
convention here until now.

In the early 1900s, as Tammany influence waned, the city’s Democrats
found common cause with the growing organized labor movement. Spurred
by the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire that killed 146 female immigrant
workers, Democrats joined with unions to forge new safety laws for
the New York-based garment industry and other workplaces.

Robert F. Wagner and Alfred E. Smith, who led the Triangle fire
investigation, became liberal crusaders on urban issues – Wagner
as a judge and U.S. senator, Smith as New York governor and the
Democratic presidential nominee in 1928.

While the Irish, Italians and Jews still traded power at City Hall
in postwar years, Harlem Rep. Adam Clayton Powell was the forerunner
of a black political establishment that produced David Dinkins,
the city’s first black mayor, and is led today by Harlem Democratic
Rep. Charles Rangel.

All but three of New York’s 51 city council members, all but one in
the city’s 18-member congressional delegation, and all but three of
its 61 state Assembly members are Democrats.

GIBRAHAYER
e-newsletter
[email protected]
http: //gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com

AMID AZERI THREATS, STEPANAKERT ELECTS NEW MAYOR

26 August, 2004 – Gibrahayer (combined sources):- Amid fresh threats from
Azerbaijan, residents of Stepanakert elected a new Mayor in a run-off
election last Sunday. He is Eduard Aghabekian who previously served as the
chairman of the Nagorno Karabagh National Assembly’s Committee on Social
Issues.

His rival, Pavel Najarian, was the vice-mayor of Stepanakert in early 90’s.
Later, he was the director of the Building Materials Factory.

Eduard Aghabekian who enjoyed the support of the ARF Dashnaktsoutiu n was
able to cover the eight percentage points difference (35 – 43%) from the
first election of August 8 and won the run-off against Najarian by 55%. The
three other candidates from the August 8 election, supported Aghabekian in
the run-off.

In his initial comments, the new Mayor called the elections “another step to
democracy”.

Azerbaijani authorities after condemning the elections rushed to report it
to the international community.

Aghabekian’s victory is the first major upset for the Democratic Artsakh
Union (ZhAM), which is the main political support base of President Arkady
Ghoukasian. Ghoukasian, himself, did not publicly endorse any of the
candidates.

GREEK DOCTORS HELP JAVAKHI ARMENIANS

Doctors of the Tbilisi Greek Polyclinic made a trip to Akhalkalak last
Friday, A-INFO reported. The trip was sponsored by the Greek government, the
Greek International Organization (CAE) and the Tbilisi-based Hyprocrat
company.

The doctors, who were invited to Akhalkalak by the Union of Javakhk Greeks –
an organization founded recently – examined not only ethnic Greeks but also
ethnic Armenians. Some free medication was also distributed.
A NEW PUBLICATION BY THE ARMENIAN PRELACY OF CYPRUS

A new publication is just out this summer, published by the Armenian Prelacy
of Cyprus.

A tri-lingual presentation of the Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, in Armenian, Greek and English.

The Greek translation follows the Greek liturgical language, to make it more
comprehensible to Greek-speaking or Greek Orthodox readers, who either visit
the Armenian Church on occasions or are simply interested about our Church
and its Rituals.

The English translation is simple and concise. It makes the Liturgy more
comprehensible to both Armenians who do not master the Armenian language as
well as to non-Armenians. It is a perfect gift to our non-Armenian or
non-Armenian-speaking wife, husband, relative or friend.

The booklet may be obtained from the Armenian Prelacy or any of the Armenian
Churches in Cyprus, for CYP 2.00.

ARTIST TATIANA FERAHIAN RETURNS FROM OLYMPICS OF VISUAL ARTS

Nicosia 28 August, 2004:- Gibrahayer – Local Armenian visual artist Tatiana
Ferahian, after having represented Cyprus in a Visual Arts Exhibition,
Artiade 2004, at a three storey converted warehouse on Petrou Ralli Street
in Athens, has returned with unmatched experiences and interesting stories
of other artists from different nations, cultures and backgrounds.

Artiade 2004, who’s whole purpose is to encourage competing Olympic nations
to send not just athletes but also artists to reflect the cultural identity
of their countries.. ‘aims to counterbalance the inc reasing
commercialisation of the games by bringing together and documenting the
emotions and traditions of the countries involved, through this creative
‘forum for world culture’.’

You might like to click on the link to get a glimpse of the event.
;op
en=3D1&sm=3D1&sl=3D0

JUNIOR EUROVISION 2004

Cyprus is choosing its Junior team to represent us in Junior Eurovision
2004.

The contest which will decide our young music ambassadors, will take place
on Tuesday September 7, 2004 from CyBC.

Anna Loizou from Pyla and Rafael Georgiou (Somakian) will be singing “Dosde
ta kheria”.

The winners will be decided by an island-wide televote.

You can vote for Anna and Rafael by participating in the televote and
calling for number 7.

Hachoghoutiun !

EDITORIAL
ARMY TO LOSE ITS ROLE IN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF TURKEY
By Hakob Chakrian – Azg online Â

   The importance of the Turkish army in the political life of the country
is out of doubt. Having assumed the role of a guarantee for secular and
republican order it also controls the legislative and executive powers of
the country. The National Security Council, having more military thancivil
members, became the means of supervision.
   In other words, the president, prime minister, deputy prime minister,
foreign and home ministers oppose the head of the supreme headquarters,
commanders of the land, marine and air forces. The first deputy of the
supreme headquarters is also the secretary general of the National Security
Council.
   The National Security Council was the body that discussed and made
decisions on issues like Turkey and the EU, the Cyprus issue, the Kurdish
issue as well as the issues of Armenian-Turkish relations and the Karabakh
conflict.
   Though the Turkish policy towards all these issues of national
importance remained unchanged with the Justice and Progress party coming
into power, the role of the National Security Council reduced as another
major power, the EU, with its demands emerged. The discord between Erdogan’s
government and the supreme headquarters grew worse.
   Though the pressure from the EU didn’t result in the dissolving of the
Council, there were created preconditions for consideri ng its staff. As a
result of this the number of civilians in the Council multiplied, two more
ministers were included and the military secretary general was replaced by a
diplomat.
   The former Turkish ambassador to Greece Mehmed Yighit Alpogan became
the new secretary general. On its August 19 publication the Turkish Vakit
writes that the president Ahmed Naced Sezer confirmed his appointment.
   This refill of the National Security Council with civilmembers
supposes weakening of military forces in its structure. We can conclude that
the supervision over the legislative and executive powers will reduce, as
the National Security Council was the main body of control for the army. Now
Erdogan will have more freedom to act apart from the army. The initiative in
national issues will pass to executive power now, which will not have the
backing of the army any more.

OLYMPIC MOMENTS
Number of Medals won as of Friday 27 August, 2004

AZERBAIJAN – 1 Gold, 0 Silver, 3 Bronze =3D Total 3
TURKEY – 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze =3D Total 6
GREECE – 6 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze =3D Total 13
ARMENIA – 0
CYPRUS – 0

NEWS IN BRIEF
– Five hectares next to the Dzidzernagapaert Memorial in Yerevan were
burned down last week.
– Echo news in Baku reports that Yerevan is laying fresh territorial claims
to Azerbaijan and that the official Armenian press have raised the issue of
returning to Armenia another 506 sq.km. of “land that has belonged to
Armenia since time immemorial along with Karabakh and Nachichevan”.
– The first web programming competition begins in Armenia on September 13.
17-30-year-old specialists mastering Windows or Linux operation systems and
Java/JSP or PHP programming languages may participate in the competition.
You can enter the competition by visiting
– Yearly trade between Armenia and Turkey is 50-60m dollars, in spite of the
absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the closed
border.
– Despite a ban, fishing in lake Sevan continues with prime actors being the
residents of the Tsovagiugh village who sell their fish at the entrance of
the car tunnel Sevan-Dilijan.
– Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish troops began a military exercise in
Baku. According to officials “Eternity 04” exercise is to conduct
“peacekeeping” and “humanitarian” operations.
– There are 60,000 Internet users in Armenia. The average charge for 20
hours of connection is 35 euros and there are 3,500 websites registered
under the “.am” domain name.

g i b r a h a y  c a l e n d a r

â=80¢ The Armenian Youth Federation completed its 17th Annual Summer Camp at the
Morphou Prelature Camp Site at Kalopanayiotis on Sunday 15 August 2004.
Pictures from Camp can be viewed at

â=80¢ The Annual General Meeting of The Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational
Association “Oshakan” Cyprus Chapter will take place on Tuesday September
14, 2004 at 8:00 p.m. at A.Y.M.A.

â=80¢ BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY AT AYMA – Saturday September 11, 2004 at 9:00 p.m.
Entrance 5:00 including two drinks. Music dancing and a lot of fun, just in
time before the schools begin!
â=80¢ Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation can beheard
via real audio on . Broadcast times 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus
time (14:00-15:00 GMT) News bulletins at 17:15 local time on Sundays,
Tuesdays, Fridays. Armenian Cypriots can also tune in on the following radio
frequencies 91.1 FM (Mount Olympus – for Nicosia listeners) 94.2 FM
(Paralimni/Protaras/Agia Napa) 92.4 FM (Larnaca) 96.5 FM (Paphos).

â=80¢ Every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. (Cyprus time +2 GMT) on CyBC’s Trito, Puzant
Nadjarian presents the “History of the Blues” together with Robert Camassa.
The programme which is now in its second year can also be heard on Real
Audio from the Internet edition of CyBC on . A repeat
programme can also be heard seven hours later at 2:00 a.m. local time.

â=80¢ AYMA announces that the weekly practices of the football team begin in the
second week of September. Contact the AYMA Sports Committee for more
details.

â=80¢ The Armenian Prelature announces that the next permit for the Armenian
Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is scheduled for
Sunday 5 September, 2004.

CALENDAR USA

Dear fellow Armenian,
   We are writing to inform you of an unprecedented event in the musical
and political life of our community: a day long music festival in support of
what may prove to be the most pro-Armenian presidential ticket since Woodrow
Wilson.
   Armenstock 2004 / Kef for Kerry () is a
musical rally in celebration of John Kerry’s nomination for President, and a
tribute to his twenty years of active support for Armenian-American causes
in the Senate. Combining a celebration of Armenian music with political
activism, it brings together some of the best Armenian musicians from both
coasts to help kick-off a nationwide voter mobilization campaign for the
fall of 2004. Armenstock will be held on Saturday August 28, 2004 at Camp
Haiastan in Franklin MA, from 11am to 8pm.
   Please visit our website for more information and to view a truly
amusing flash animation of John Kerry dancing to an Armenian tune (you may
want to turn the volume down if you are at work!):
   The festival will feature a wide range of Armenian musical styles,
including, Armenian Jazz, Progressive Kef, Traditional Folk, Alternative
Folk and Arme nian Pop. Delicious Armenian food will be served throughout
the day at our “Kebab for Kerry” pavilion. We very much hope to see you at
the festival, especially if you reside in New England. If you are not
interested in the political component of the event, please consider
attending to experience the unprecedented musical line-up alone.
   Feel free to forward the link above to others on your list that may be
interested in this event or that might find the content of our website
informative and amusing.
   Best wishes – Armenstock Committee

Gibrahayer is an independent electronic environment, now in its fifth year,
disseminating news & posting upcoming events about the Armenian community of
Cyprus, Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. The list also promotes the
discussion of issues brought forward by its members. The subscription to
this service is free. To subscribe to Gibrahayer e-newsletter, follow the
instructions at To contact the
listmaster send an email to [email protected]
This service to Gibrahayer is provided by GAP Vassilopoulos E-Media Ltd
()
GAP Vassilopoulos E-Media Ltd is not responsible for the database and
newsletter contenet of its customers but has a stict Opt-in/Opt-out policy,
this protects the subscriber and enforces the policy to which the newsletter
publisher has agreed to abide.
If this newsletter has no unsubscribe link, or the link does not work.
please report it and it will be dealt immediately.
Include this code in your report LATROBA123 (GIBRAYER7).

Official Baku altering pro-Western orientation to embrace Russia – Azeri
daily

Azadliq, Baku
17 Aug 04

Azerbaijani authorities are altering the country’s pro-Western
orientation to embrace Russia in order to protect themselves from
growing pressure from international organizations, the opposition
Azadliq daily reports. Azerbaijani officials’ recent statements urging
the country “to join the free economic zone of the CIS countries” and
the growing trade between Azerbaijan and Russia as compared with the
USA are to prove it, the paper says. Azerbaijan is favouring a
rapprochement with Russia to get rid of demands from the international
organizations to honour commitments to improve human rights situation
and reform the country. The following is the text of Q. Ibrahimli
report entitled “Goodbye, West!”, and subheaded “Official Baku is
again trying to embrace Russia. Russian capital is entering the
Azerbaijani market speedily” published by Azerbaijani newspaper
Azadliq on 17 August, with subheadings inserted editorially:

It is obvious that after the 2003 presidential election, official Baku
has an inclination to the Russian sphere of influence, and the
government’s mouthpiece has already kicked off a campaign to this
effect.

Immediately after the presidential election, the former foreign
minister [now the Azeri ambassador to Poland], Vilayat Quliyev, said
that “it is time to set our watches by Russian time”, hinting at a
change in the government’s foreign policy orientation. Subsequently,
specific steps have been taken in the wake of this.

The Lider TV channel was the first to kick off a campaign to this
effect. The channel specializes in anti-West and US programmes. Now
another government-controlled TV channel, which a short while ago was
disseminating Western values, has joined the anti-US campaign.

Quoting Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, the channel reported that
Azerbaijan wanted to join the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States]
free economic zone and Russia would make compromises to Azerbaijan in
the Karabakh problem. Mammadyarov said that the government was
compelled to reconcile with Russia due to failure to obtain a desired
outcome in talks with Russia.

Mammadyarov’s statement officially proves abandonment of pro-Western
orientation

Mammadyarov’s statement is actually an official recognition of the
government’s decision to abandon the pro-Western policy
course. Actually, this was expected. It is not surprising that Ilham
Aliyev’s government, corrupt from head to toe and ready to violate
human rights at any time, is trying a rapprochement with Russia, which
is close to itself in essence. For Aliyev, integration into Russia,
which pursues merely its political and business interests unlike the
West which demands reforms in line with Western standards, is better.

Incidentally, the Western media have recently published a series of
articles on Baku’s inclination to Russia.

We should also highlight that when pro-Aliyev television channels were
engaged in an anti-Western campaign, Russia’s grey eminence from
political and business elite started paying visits to Baku, namely
Yevgeniy Primakov, head of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, former Russian prime minister and one of the co-authors of
the 20 January tragedy [in Baku, in 1990]; Viktor Chernomyrdin, former
Russian prime minister and current Russian ambassador to Ukraine;
Moscow mayor Yuriy Luzhkov; Kalmyk President [Kirsan] Ilyumzhinov; the
executive secretary of the CIS, Vladimir Rushaylo. Incidentally,
Rushaylo, who stayed in Baku during the [presidential] election, was
doing his best to ensure that the successor is elected.

Trade between Azerbaijan and Russia outstrips the USA

The said men were here to get Ilham Aliyev’s consent to major projects
in Baku and obviously they managed to get it. Mammadyarov’s statement
that “Azerbaijan is planning to join the CIS free economic zone”
proves this. Incidentally, the dynamic of foreign economic relations
between Russia and Azerbaijan shows that the Russian business is
speedily entering the Azerbaijani economy. For example, in 2002 trade
between Azerbaijan and Russia was 375m dollars, in 2003, it rose to
532m dollars, and in the first half of the 2004, it amounted to 317m
dollars.

Now let us compare it to the trade between the USA and Azerbaijan in
the same period: in 2002, it amounted to 150.5m dollars, in 2003 – to
195.4m dollars, and in the first half of this year, the figure was 74m
dollars.

Apparently, the Russian rouble is taking over the Azerbaijani market
more quickly that Western capital. Azerbaijan’s inclination to
Russia’s sphere of influence will not merely cause serious changes in
the country’s foreign policy but also in its domestic
life. Misappropriating a fantastic amount of riches, the clan is
planning to create a more oppressive regime able to guarantee their
properties in Azerbaijan. At present Ilham Aliyev and his entourage
are interested in establishing the Belarus model in Azerbaijan. That
is equal to a refusal from integration into the West and to
unambiguously sidelining oneself from the civil world, in a nutshell,
to a typical despotic regime.

The arrival of the rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee, Andreas Gross, and
other Europeans who are poking their noses into everything in Baku,
like “unwelcome guests”, irritates official Baku. But Rushaylo’s visit
does not annoy the ruling clan. Because Rushaylo does not talk about
“irrelevant topics” like human rights but comes with specific business
projects, gets I. Aliyev’s consent and goes away.

Russia will not help Azerbaijan in resolution of Karabakh problem

As for official Baku’s hopes that Russia will make concessions to
Azerbaijan over the Karabakh settlement, it is common knowledge that
Russia “laboured” more than Armenia in the occupation of Karabakh and
the disintegration of 20 per cent of Azerbaijani land from under
control of the central authorities. Recently when the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs began to call on the Azerbaijani public to reconcile
themselves to a capitulatory peace, the Russian representative was
bending over backwards more than others.

What is official Baku hoping for now? Have ideologists of the
authorities lost the sense of reality and common sense?

Incidentally, at a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage, Ilham Aliyev undertook commitments to introduce radical
changes before September. With one month to go to September, no
positive changes have taken place in the country. On the contrary,
corruption is rife everywhere and violations of human rights have
further intensified. Apparently, to protect himself against similar
“unpleasant” commitments, Ilham Aliyev is pushing the country into
Russia’s embrace again.

BEST LINE GROUP OF ARMENIA’S POWER NETWORKS TO TAKE PART IN CIS
COMPETITION IN MOSCOW

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25. ARMINFO. The best line group of Power Networks of
Armenia company will compete with their CIS counterparts in Moscow
Sept 20-27, says the company official Romik Haroutyunyan.

The objective of the Moscow competition is to exchange experience. It
will consists of 5 stages: theory – ASOP test of 16,000 questions;
technical standards; first aid; change of high-voltage line; and
connection of a new user to a high voltage sub-station. Haroutyunyan
hopes that the Armenians will win the first prize. The winner will get
a first aid car with all necessary equipment. In 2005 the competition
will be held in Armenia. Groups from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia will take part in the Moscow
competition.

Le Monde, France
mercredi 25 Août 2004

Les plus heureux ne sont pas ceux qu’on croit

La Suède est le meilleur pays du monde mais on est plus heureux au
Nigeria. Telles sont les conclusions de deux études menées
indépendamment et dont les résultats croisés sont pour le moins
surprenants.

La première enquête a été réalisée durant l’été par l’hebdomadaire
américain Newsweek qui titrait en couverture : “The best countries in
the world” (les meilleurs pays du monde). Selon des critères de
satisfaction tels que la prospérité, la démocratie, la compétitivité
économique, la coopération sociale, la conscience écologique ou
encore l’honnêteté, la palme revient indéniablement aux pays
nordiques européens. Mais d’autres critères ont également été pris en
compte – l’Etat, la vie sociale, les affaires, la science, les arts –
et les pays ont été classés selon l’élément qui leur est le plus
favorable. Ainsi le meilleur pays quand on est jeune serait la
Turquie, du fait des structures des grandes villes, de la moyenne
d’ge de la population (25 ans) et du mode de vie, tandis que le
meilleur pour exprimer sa fibre artistique serait l’Allemagne. Et
sans surprise, pour s’enrichir, il faut vivre aux Etats-Unis.

Si l’on est déprimé, il faut être Argentin, car cette population
compte la plus grande concentration de psychothérapeutes par
habitant. Ainsi, rien qu’à Buenos Aires, ils sont 15 000. En France,
il vaut mieux être musicien puisque les infrastructures permettent de
lancer une carrière plus rapidement qu’ailleurs selon l’hebdomadaire,
qui fait remarquer qu’en juillet, les albums du top 10 des meilleurs
ventes nationales étaient tous français. En conclusion, tous critères
confondus, le meilleur pays du monde est la Suède, suivie des
Etats-Unis et de la Norvège. La France est classée 7e.

Par ailleurs, le World Values Survey, une série d’études
interuniversitaires menée par un réseau international de sociologues,
a évalué “les pays où les habitants sont le plus heureux”. Cette
étude a été menée par entretien avec des personnes issues d’un
échantillon représentatif de la population de plus de 60 pays, entre
1999 et 2001. L’objet ici n’est pas la satisfaction mais bien l’état
de bonheur ou de joie (“happiness” en anglais, la langue d’étude),
évalué selon neuf critères :

– la tendance génétique à se sentir heureux,

– le mariage,

– le grand nombre d’amis,

– la limitation des attentes, des désirs ou des prétentions,

– faire du bien,

– la croyance,

– ne pas se comparer aux autres,

– mieux gagner sa vie,

– vieillir bien.

Les résultats, publiés par la prestigieuse revue scientifique
britannique New Scientist en juillet, montrent que les gens les plus
heureux n’habitent pas le meilleur pays du monde mais sont plutôt
dans l’hémisphère Sud. En tête, le Nigeria, suivi du Mexique, du
Venezuela, du Salvador et de Puerto Rico. Les moins heureux seraient
les Russes, les Arméniens et les Roumains. Les Etats-Unis sont
classés 16es et la Grande-Bretagne, 24e.

Cette conclusion ne fait malheureusement pas du Nigeria le nouvel
Eden, car ce pays reste l’un des plus pauvres de la planète. Mais
elle montre clairement qu’il n’y a pas de lien direct entre richesse
et bonheur puisque, selon cette même étude, la moyenne des personnes
se déclarant heureuses dans les pays industrialisés n’a pas évolué
depuis la seconde guerre mondiale, malgré une importante augmentation
des revenus. Ce qui a conduit les chercheurs à conclure que le désir
de biens matériels est un facteur inhibant du bonheur (“happiness
supressant”).

Les études du World Values Survey sont réalisées tous les quatre ans
et sont de plus en plus prises en compte par les gouvernements dans
leur politique intérieure. Les autorités britanniques ont même publié
en décembre des recommandations visant à augmenter le bonheur des
citoyens alors que le Bhoutan a déjà fait savoir que son “bonheur
intérieur brut” importait plus que son produit intérieur brut.
L’objectif ultime serait, bien sûr, que les gens les plus heureux
habitent le meilleur pays du monde…

Jean Fiawoumo

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Communications Officer
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
August 20, 2004
___________________

Week of August 13 to August 20, 2004

* * *

PRIMATE URGES FAITHFUL TO HELP VICTIMS OF “ANOTHER GENOCIDE”

“To us Armenians, ‘genocide’ is more than just a word,” reads a
directive sent this week from the Eastern Diocese to all its local
parishes. “Through hard experience, we Armenians have learned to
recognize genocide… But we have also learned, by the grace of God,
how critical it is for the wider world to stand up, take notice, and
lend support to the victims–whenever and wherever genocide appears.”

In response to the continuing tragedy of death and displacement in the
Sudan, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America, is appealing to all Diocesan parishes,
to send humanitarian relief to the victims of this latest attempt at
genocide. To read the full text of the appeal–and find out how to
contribute to Sudan genocide relief–click to our website, at
;selmonth=8&selyear04

(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 8/19/04)

* * *

9 PARISHES SEND SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO DIOCESE FOR TRAINING

Ten Sunday School educators from nine parishes around the Eastern
Diocese are currently in New York City, taking part in the “Helen and
Edward Mardigian Institute,” organized by the Diocese’s Department of
Youth and Education. The teachers and superintendents arrived on
Tuesday, August 17, and will proceed through a schedule of seminars,
activities, an overnight retreat at St. Nersess Seminary, and finally
a Divine Liturgy celebration at St. Vartan Cathedral, before returning
home on Sunday, August 22. An account of their early adventures is
available by clicking onto our website, at
;selmonth=8&selyear04

(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 8/19/04)

* * *

LEARN ARMENIAN

Preserve your heritage — and have a lot of fun — this fall by taking
an Armenian language course. Classes aren’t just for kids; many
parishes have adult classes at nights or on the weekends. And classes
are for everyone: beginners who can’t say parev or more skilled
speakers who want to learn to read. Check with your local parish
today to see if it offers Armenian classes. For a list of parishes,
click to our website:

If you’re in the New York City metro area, the Diocese is offering 15
weeks of classes on Wednesday nights starting September 22. For more
information click here:

* * *

TEACH ARMENIAN

If you speak Armenian, volunteer in your parish to be a teacher. Or,
if your parish doesn’t have an Armenian language class, start one!
You can pass on your love for your culture and make new friends. Call
your parish pastor or chairman today to volunteer your time and
skills. You don’t have to be an expert to be a teacher, just be
energetic about sharing your love of Armenian.

To volunteer, call your parish or contact Sylva der Stepanian,
coordinator of ArmenianARMENIAN CHURCH ONLINE BULLETIN studies at the
Diocese, by e-mailing [email protected].

(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 8/9/04)
* * *

FIND INSPIRATION IN THE WORDS OF PRAYER

Click to our website for prayer. Each day you can find a new prayer
from the beautiful words of St. Gregory of Narek. Visit our website
every day for an inspirational prayer:

# # #

Everywhere is packed in Cyprus in August – except for Nicosia

Irish Times
Aug 20, 2004

Cyprus Letter/Michael Jansen: August is the month for staying home in
Cyprus. It is almost impossible to leave the island. Airlines are
overbooked and Larnaca’s little airport is awash with waves of
tourists who arrive white-skinned and leave, at the end of their
holiday break, a rich red brown colour, with sand in their hair.

There are no rooms at hotels in prime tourist areas. Beaches become
no-go areas, packed with foreigners and Cypriots who take their annual
holiday during the second and third weeks of the month. The soiled and
rumpled sand is far too hot to trek across to the warm, salty,
shimmering sea.

Shops in the tourist areas are besieged by foreign bargain- hunters
scanning displays of lace umbrellas, boxes of Turkish Delight, crude
pottery and tacky mementoes.

Seaside restaurants are packed with families consuming mounds of fish
or calamari from the North Sea, chips and huge bowls of village salad
garnished with fresh coriander, feta and olives.

Prices skyrocket. Knots of French, Italians, Irish and Russians in
crumpled T-shirts, skirts and shorts are dragged by guides speaking a
babble of tongues through cool museums and simmering ancient sites,
pausing at kiosks to buy ice cream and postcards.

Highways are crowded with hire cars steered by people who normally
drive on the opposite side of the road. Red licence plates warn
cautious Cypriot drivers to keep a wide berth.

Fortunately, Nicosia, where I live, is not a major tourist
destination. We have the Cyprus antiquities museum, the icon
collection attached to the Archbishopric of the Greek Orthodox Church
and the 16th century palazzo of an Ottoman dragoman.

We have Ledra Street, dubbed “Murder Mile” because of Cypriot attacks
on British soldiers during the anti-colonial struggle, but it is a
pedestrianised shopping district these days.

But we have no sea. Holiday- makers here for sun, sea and sand are
bused in for a few hours to glimpse relics of the island’s 10,000
years of history before returning – bleary-eyed with culture – to its
beaches.

I love Nicosia’s emptiness in August. Life is easy. There are few
traffic jams and no lines at supermarkets. However, repair shops of
all kinds close, so one hopes that the car, air-conditioner or
television do not break down, although it is usually possible to find
someone prepared to step in in an emergency.

The pool where I swim is lovely at nine in the morning. I am almost
always the first to arrive and usually manage to finish two-thirds of
my daily ration of lengths before the first papa and child trail in
and begin to splash in the shallow end. Cypriot papas are very good
with their children.

I stroke back and forth in the sparking azure water beneath an
impressionist canopy of grey- green olive trees, dusty junipers and
pines, and wide white umbrellas against the serene blue sky.

Refreshed, I return home, switch on the air conditioner in the study
and boot the computer. News is never on holiday.

The other night I went with friends to Plato’s pub in a handsome old
Cypriot house located on a narrow street within the thick walls built
by Venetian conquerors in the 16th century. Outside August it is
necessary to book a table well ahead but we found only two or three
occupied. Plato’s spirit and wine list is long, its rooms are cool and
its jazz is hot.

The menu has only half a dozen items, cooked nicely by the Armenian
owner’s mama. Prices are modest. The tourists have not yet discovered
it.

In Cyprus, the family remains the foundation of society, the
administration, and many small businesses. Cypriots can always rely on
a strategically placed close or extended family member to help out
whenever needed, particularly in a crisis.

Neighbourhood groceries set their opening and closing hours to suit
customers and assemble and deliver orders to homes. Doctors still make
house calls. Neighbours greet one another when they meet.
Relationships are conducted on a personal basis. People keep an eye on
each other and an eye out for each other.

Nicosia, with a population of just over 200,000, is just a big small
town one can cross by car in 12 minutes when there are no jams.

It is a grand place to bring up children and to reside in retirement,
a comfortable retreat from covering the political squalls and storms
of the Middle East. Especially in empty August.

VERDICT ON INCIDENT IN “TRIUMPH” CAFE TO BE PRONOUNCED ON AUGUST 17

YEREVAN, August 16 (Noyan Tapan). Proceedings started and rapidly
completed on the incident, which took place on March 12, 2004, in
Yerevan’s cafe “Triumph”, at the court of the first instance of the
Kentron and Nork-Marash Communities of Yereva non August 16. The court
presided over by Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian went to the consultation
room to pass the vedict. Those present at the trial were informed that
the verdict will be pronounced on August 17. Defendant Hayk Aramian,
the son of former RA Minister of Urban Development Ara Aramian,
together with his friend Khachatur Khachatrian started an unreasonable
fight with security service employee Artur Gevorgian in the cafe yard
that day. H. Aramian is accused of shooting, deliberately and at the
risk of many other people’s lives, from the illegally kept “Mauser”
revolver and inflicting bodily injuries of medium gravity to three
persons: Aghvan Matevosian, Armen Arsenian and Levon Vardanian. Artur
Gevorgian, another defendant of the case, is accused of starting an
unreasonable fight and stabbing Hayk Aramian and Khachatur
Khachatrian, inflicting to them medium and high gravity bodily
injuries, respectively. Both defendants admitted their guilt, refused
to give evidence asking that their preliminary evidences be considered
as the basis. Although, according to the Criminal Code, in case of a
refusal to give evidence the defendants’ preliminary evidences may be
pronounced in the court, medidation for their announcenent was not
submitted and the defendants were not asked questions. By the way, the
defendants themselves conducted their defense in the court. The
evidences of the victims who did not attend the hearing but who asked
that their preliminary evidences be considered as the basis were not
announced either. Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan in his speech of the
prosecution solicited that Hayk Aramian be sentenced to 6 years, Artur
Gevorgian – to 3.5 years of imprisonment. At the same time, the
prosecutor mediated for the reduction of imprisonment by using a
three-year probation.

Karabakh war games as realistic as possible – NKR DM

Arminfo, Yerevan
10 Aug 04

STEPANAKERT

One of the principles applied to the large-scale military exercises
conducted by the defence army of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR)
was to bring these exercises as close to military operations as
possible, the defence minister of the NKR, Seyran Oganyan, said
commenting on the exercises of the Nagornyy Karabakh defence army.

“I think future military operations, if they happen to take place,
will be different from those of 1992-94. The present exercises were
like military operations that could be expected in future,” Seyran
Oganyan added.

NO CENTRAL HEATING EXPECTED IN YEREVAN THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9. ARMINFO. No central heating is expected in Yerevan
thus year, Vice Mayor Vano Vardanyan told journalists.

He said that in July, the city authorities leased boiling-houses to
the private sector. Thus, the authorities intended to attract relevant
specialists, who would fulfill the idea of local heating in Yerevan.

As a reuslt, 9 applications were received. After business-plans of 9
economic entities are studied, agreements will signed. In the first
year after signing of the documents, 250 dwelling-houses can be
provided with heating, while in the third and the last year on the
contact, this number will total 500 dwelling-houses, Vardanyan said.

To heat schools, kindergartens and medical establishments, relevant
electric heaters will be purchased. It should be noted that last year,
only 111 buildings received local heating. 102 of these buildings were
residential. This year, another 8 buildings will be added to them (4
in Sayat-Nova avenue and 4 in Surenyants street).