Author: Chmshkian Vicken

PRESS OFFICE
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese
Contact; Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont Quebec H2V 3H2
Tel; 514-276-9479, Fax; 514-276-9960
Email; [email protected] Website;

Naira Melkoumian Received at the Canadian Diocese

On Friday June 11, 2004, Mrs. Naira Melkoumian, Executive Director
of the “Armenia” Pan-Armenian Fund (Himnadram) visited the Montreal
headquarters of the Canadian Armenian Diocese. His Eminence Bishop
Bagrat Galstanian, Primate, warmly welcomed the distinguished guest
in the Dikran Karibian Hall.

Attending the formal reception were Very Rev. Fr. Ararat Kaltakdjian,
Vicar General, Very Rev. Fr. Hayrig Hovhannessian, Rev. Fr. Vazken
Boyadjian, Pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, Dr. and
Mrs Haroutiun Arzoumanian, vice chairman of the Diocesan Council,
representatives of Montreal Armenian organizations, members of both
Montreal and Laval parish councils, Diocesan Youth Council members
and members of the Executive Committee of Montreal’s “Armenia” Fund.

Rev. Fr. Vazken Boyadjian welcomed the guests and introduced
Mrs. Melkoumian, who has been the Foreign Affairs Minister of
Mountainous Karabakh and permanent representative of Karabakh in
Armenia, before assuming the responsibility of Executive Director
of the “Armenia” Pan-Armenian Fund. Bishop Galstanian addressed
the guests and expressed his joy that this was the first time he
was welcoming a high-ranking official from Armenia. Serpazan said,
“Armenia is the homeland of all Armenians and that the strengthening of
our motherland socially, economically and politically is a sacred call
for all of us. Today, more than ever, we are called upon to preserve
our motherland, where our identity and the nation’s existence lies.”

Mrs. Naira Melkoumian thanked the Primate for the cordial reception
at the Diocesan headquarters. She then extensively talked about the
plans and the projects that the Fund is carrying out in Armenia and
in Artsakh. She asked His Eminence’s blessings and called for all
those present to support the mission of the “Armenia” Fund.

Bishop Galstanian visited Archbishop Andrew Hutchison

On Tuesday June 15, 2004 His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian visited
the Anglican Archdiocese of Montreal and personally congratulated
Archbishop Hutchison on his election as Primate of the Anglican Church
of Canada.

“Canadian Armenians are delighted as a close friend of their church
and their motherland Aremenia has been elected Primate of the Anglican
Church,” said Bishop Galstanian, and added, “We certainly look forward
for further cooperation and exchange of views between our respective
churches on many social issues”.

Archbishop Hutchsion briefly presented his plans for the coming
months and expressed his wish to officially visit the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin, the Spiritual Centre of Armenian Christianity. His
Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian promised to convey Archbishop
Hutchison’s wish to His Holiness Karekin II in order to arrange an
official visit.

The Vicar General of Anglican Archdiocese Rev. Peter Hannen invited
Bishop Bagrat Galstanian to attend a farewell reception in honor of
Abp Hucthison where government officials as well as eminent spiritual
leaders will be present. Accompanying the Primate was Deacon Hagop
Arslanian.

Pontifical and Diocesan Awards Bestowment

On Saturday June 12, Bishop Bagrat Galstanmian, Primate of the Armenian
Church Diocese of Canada, bestowed the Pontifical Medal of St Nersess
Shenorhali and the Holy Encyclical (Gontag) by His Holiness Karekin
II, Catholicos of All Armenians, to Mr. Kevork Manoukian, Chairman
of Montreal’s “Hayastan” Pan-Armenian Fund. Siultaneously, the
“Etchmiadzin” Diocesan First Order Medal was bestowed upon Mrs. Nayira
Melkoumian by His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian.

The occasion was the formal banquet held at the AGBU Alex Manougian
Center’s Jirair and Eliz Dervishian Hall, in honor of Mrs. Nayira
Melkoumian, Executive Director of “Hayastan” Pan-Armenia Fund
headquartered in Yerevan, Armenia. Mrs. Melkoumian talked about the
Fund’s projects in Armenia and Artsakh and thanked the Montreal and
Toronto committees as well as the Canadian Armenian community for
their support of the Fund’s reconstruction projects. Bishop Galstanian
praised Mr.George Manoukian’s leadership and services to the Canadian
Armenian community, then asked Rev. Fr Vazgen Boyajyan to read His
Holiness’ Encyclical, and then pinned the Pontifical Medal to the
recipients’s chest. The Primate tgen emphasized the importance
of supporting the “Hayastan” Pan_Armenia Fund, and bestowed the
“Etchmiadzin” Diocesan First Order Medal to Mrs. Nayira Melkoumian
in appreciation of her tireless efforts to serve Armenian and Artsakh.

Attending the banquet were representatives of community churches
organizations. The Diocesan Council was represented by Dr Haroutiun
Arzoumanian, Vice Cahirman.

Divan of the Diocese

Sezer Urges Leaders In Islam Geography To Make A Sincere And Frank Appraisal Without Delay

Anadolu Agency:
6/14/2004

ISTANBUL – Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer urged on Monday that
it has become imperative that the leaders in this geography make
sincere and frank appraisal without delay.

President Sezer addressed the opening of the Thirty-First Session of
the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

In his speech, Sezer pointed out that Istanbul, the venue of our
meeting, was a city that had placed its mark world civilization and
that had left deep traces in the history of Islam. This city, which
has embraced and merged people from different cultures and faiths
throughout history, has ensured the free practice of faith in its
mosques, churches and synagogues standing side by side for centuries,
thus providing an environment of tolerance, he added.

“With such attributes, Istanbul is one of the living symbols of
harmony and tolerance among civilizations” Sezer said, adding that,
“since the inception of the OIC, we are witnessing sweeping changes
in the world. Since the early 1970`s new dynamics have been set in
motion in the international order.”

“We are passing through a period in which dynamics of change are being
felt strongly. Uncertainties which blur our vision affect the lives and
future of our nations profoundly. Whatever the level of its development
and prosperity may be, no country can remain unaffected by the winds
of change. While every region, country, society and individual benefit
from positive changes at varying degrees, they nevertheless face the
risks posed by a variety of negative developments,” Sezer stated.

He said, “the experiences that we have gained in the aftermath of the
Second World War and particularly since the beginning of the 21st
century, has demonstrated that global peace, prosperity, security
and stability can not be achieved only through military means. It
has become apparent that efforts to this end will bear fruit to the
extend that democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights and good
governance are also taken into account.”

Sezer emphasized that, “in this age in which trade and economic
relations have been globalized, embracing human rights, the rule of
law, gender equality and religious tolerance on a global scale is
imperative for social development.”

“We observe that recently the attention of the international community
has been directed towards the Islamic world. Discussions that have
intensified over the question `what went wrong?` should not only
be confined to scholars. We have to bear in mind that the answer to
this question concerns the past, as well as the future of the Islamic
world. Therefore, it has become imperative that the leaders in this
geography, in other words, we, make sincere and frank appraisal
without delay,” he stressed.

Sezer said, “the OIC which was founded by 25 countries has enlarged
in terms of membership over two fold in the past thirty five years.
The geographical boundaries of the OIC has expanded from the Balkans to
Africa as well as from the Middle East to Central Asia. Applications
continue to be made for full membership and observer status. Through
its broad representation, the OIC has acquired the necessary capability
of speaking with a common voice and spreading the messages of its
members to the world. The time has come to seek and find the means
to use this capability in an efficient and result-oriented manner.”

President Sezer said, “like all international organizations, the OIC
has arrived at a key turning point in its historical development
process. Currently, the fundamental question which needs to be
answered is how the OIC will be transformed into a significant
and influential political force in the twenty-first century on the
international stage.”

He said, “at this point, I would like to stress that the strength
and efficiency of an international organization comes from its
members. International organizations with powerful members, capable
of resolving problems, especially those in their own geography, and
establishing comprehensive co-operation mechanisms to this end, and
who can keep the pace with the international dynamics and universal
values, naturally gain the ability to have their voices heard strongly
on the international arena.

Sezer emphasized that, “therefore, it is of vital importance that
the members of the OIC demonstrate the clear will to accelerate the
ongoing political, social, and economic reforms in order to catch up
with the contemporary age.”

“Human resources is the basic element in social and economic
development. Education is of vital importance in making the utmost of
this resource. However, upgrading the level of education alone is not
sufficient. Invoking a sense of confidence and hope for the future
is also important. Here lies the fundamental role of democracy. Each
individual acts with hope and confidence to the extend he or she
has a say in their own future and that of their country. We should
not forget that when judging their own societies in retrospect,
generations to come will also take into account the role of today`s
leaders on the reform and democratization,” he stated.

Sezer said, “In the Middle East, the region which lies at the very
center of the OIC geography, we are witnessing a growing demand by
the public for political, social and economic reform. Governments
are taking certain steps to respond to these demands. Naturally,
the pace on reform will be determined by the social conditions in
each country. However, there is an obvious need to agree that reform
is inevitable.”

PRESIDENT SEZER: “WE DO NOT DISREGARD SECURITY CONCERNS OF ISRAEL”

President Sezer said, “we do not disregard the security concerns of
Israel. However, we see the use of excessive force as a big mistake
that does not serve any end other than further escalating tensions
and harming civilians.”

President Sezer said, “we all know that the international community
is willing to extend support to the reform process which the
region requires. However, to bear fruit from steps encouraging
democratic change and reform, it is necessary to adopt a realistic
and case-by-case approach building on the domestic dynamics and the
particularities of each country. I believe that without losing sight
of our own values, we should collectively find the methods which will
enable us not to lag behind and even help shape our world.”

“It is also a shared desire of my country that the Middle East goes
through a transformation in line with contemporary and universal
values, and that the people of this region attain a higher level
of prosperity and development. In fact, although with differing
degrees, this is an ongoing process, and it can neither be halted nor
reversed. The issue before us is not whether democracy can be put
in place in the Middle East, but how the aspirations for democracy
can be addressed and how democracy can be materialized. The leaders
of the region will leave a trace in the annals of their countries,
to the extent that they take the lead for courageous and far-sighted
initiatives. In this process self-criticism is an important aspect,”
he said.

President Sezer noted, “on the other hand, third countries and
international organizations are contributing with good faith to the
development and democratization process of several countries. Even
among the most democratic and developed countries, a multitude
of mechanisms exist that help to safeguard and elevate living
conditions. These most successful examples are the Council of Europe,
the European Union and the Organization of Security and Cooperation
in Europe. On this occasion, I would like to note with pleasure the
interest displayed by these organizations in the recent years to
enter into dialogue with the countries in the OIC region, and the
initiatives of the OIC in this regard. Having cooperated with these
organizations for several years, we believe that, despite certain
difficulties, this is a useful process.”

“At this point I would like to make a call for the establishment of
dialogue and cooperation on the basis of genuine partnership between
the countries in the OIC geography and the West, both at bilateral and
institutional levels. I believe that political will to be demonstrated
in this direction will pave the way for the Organization of the Islamic
Conference to earn its rightful place on the international stage,”
he said.

President Sezer, emphasized, “in order for the ownership of projects
concerning reform, modernization and democratization to be claimed by
the countries in the region, and to ensure that the hand extended by
the international community for assistance bears fruit, it is important
that concrete steps are taken for a just and lasting settlement of
the conflicts in the Middle East region. The Arab-Israeli dispute lies
at the forefront of these conflicts and the question of Palestine in
its center.”

“I would like to reaffirm Turkey`s solidarity with the Palestinian
people at this very difficult time. As a result of the continuing
occupation in the territories of Palestine, and excessive use of
force as well as destruction that have claimed the lives of many
Palestinians, the conflict has escalated to a dangerous level. This
situation seriously impacts efforts aimed at establishing security
and stability in the region,” he said.

Noting that Turkey did not disregard the security concerns of Israel,
President Sezer said, “however, we see the use of excessive force as a
big mistake that does not serve any end other than further escalating
tensions and harming civilians.”

“The ongoing negative developments in the region displays how
important it is for the leaders on both sides to heed the calls of the
international community. The future of Israeli and the Palestinian
peoples are interlinked. A better future in the region can be built
only through wisdom and reconciliation by the two peoples, rather
than building walls and physical barriers. Policies that ignore
international law and the calls of the international community are
doomed to failure,” he said.

President Sezer noted, “it is evident that a viable peace agreement
is the only way to provide a safe future for both parties. And
this can be achieved through the vision of “two States: Israel and
Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognized borders”
in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations
Security Council. In this vein, we believe that the ground laid by
the Road Map should be effectively utilized.”

“In order to achieve progress in the implementation of the Road Map,
high-level engagement of the international community is necessary.
The ongoing contacts with the members of the Quartet by the
OIC Ministerial Delegation, in which Turkey is also represented,
demonstrate the commitment of the international community to a just
and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Likewise,
the confirmation at the Arab League Summit of the validity of the
Arab Peace Plan is important. I would like to reiterate that Turkey
stands ready to fulfil any responsibility that falls on its shoulders
for the resolution of the conflict,” President Sezer added.

PRESIDENT SEZER: “ONGOING VIOLENCE AND INSTABILITY IN IRAQ REMAINS
A CAUSE OF CONCERN FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY”

President Sezer said, “the ongoing violence and instability also
remains a cause of concern for the international community.”

President Sezer said, “in our neighbor Iraq, the ongoing violence and
instability also remains a cause of concern for the international
community. We grieve for the agony and the suffering that the Iraq
people endure.”

President Sezer noted, “as for the political transition process in
Iraq, a new stage is in the making. Recently, the members of Iraq`s new
interim government were appointed. I wish them success. Following the
transfer of sovereignty on June 30, the people of Iraq will continue to
confront the challenging task of building their political future. The
success of the period ahead lies in drawing the necessary lessons from
past experiences. As acknowledged by the international community, the
United Nations is best equipped to assume a key role in strengthening
the basis of legitimacy of the political transition process and in
the creation of democratic structures in Iraq. I call upon the Iraqi
interim government and all segments in Iraq to pursue a close dialogue
with the United Nations and to benefit from their advise.”

“In the long and arduous period ahead, what the Iraqis need most
is to achieve a broad consensus among themselves. Only the Iraqis
themselves can find lasting solutions to the problems of Iraq. In
the end, the key to building a stable and prosperous Iraq which is
at peace with itself and with its neighbors, is only in the hands of
the Iraqi people. I call on them to transcend ethnic and sectarian
considerations and unite their forces,” President Sezer added.

PRESIDENT SEZER: “FURTHER SUFFERING OF TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE WILL
BE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE”

President Sezer said, “following the referenda on April 24, a new
situation has emerged in Cyprus. In light of this fact, which is
also acknowledged by the international community, the Turkish Cypriot
people is willing to integrate with the rest of the world.”

President Sezer stressed, “further suffering of the Turkish Cypriot
people, due to a situation in which they bear no responsibility, would
be totally unacceptable. In fact, in his report of May 28, presented
to the Security Council, the secretary-general of the United Nations
has called upon the members of the United Nations to eliminate all
restrictions and embargoes on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC). Thus, the claim that United Nations resolutions constitute
an obstacle in establishing relations with the Turkish Cypriots has
no relevance.”

“I am confident that the Islamic world will not lag behind the
international community, and will extend its hand of friendship
and assistance to its Muslim Turkish Cypriot brothers,” President
Sezer added.

PRESIDENT SEZER: “CONCRETE STEPS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN FOR RESOLUTION
OF UPPER KARABAKH DISPUTE”

President Sezer said, “we note with regret that concrete steps have
not been taken for the resolution of the Upper Karabakh dispute.”

President Sezer referred to the issues of Upper Karabakh, Jammu and
Kashmir and Afghanistan.

-UPPER KARABAKH-

President Sezer said, “we note with regret that concrete steps have
not been taken for the resolution of the Upper Karabakh dispute,
which constitutes an obstacle for the creation of an environment of
cooperation. Turkey has already declared that if an agreement emerges
on confidence building measures aimed at facilitation a peaceful
resolution, it will contribute to such an initiative.”

“We believe that confidence-building measures will contribute in
expediting the resolution of the conflict, and thereby crating new
opportunities and strengthening the environment of cooperation for the
countries of the region and the international community,” he stressed.

-JAMMU AND KASHMIR-

Referring to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, President Sezer said, “the
Jammu and Kashmir issue continues to be a source of serious concerns
since 1947. This issue has inflicted suffering to the people of the
region and has been a source of tension in the relations between India
and Pakistan. We support the settlement of this issue on the basis of
international legitimacy and dialogue. In this vein, recent mutual
openings made between Pakistan and India, and the initiation of a
dialogue process has risen hopes for a settlement. The settlement
of the Jammu and Kashmir issue will contribute significantly to the
strengthening of peace and stability in the region.”

-AFGHANISTAN-

President Sezer stressed, “despite all the difficulties, we are
pleased to observe that the Bonn Agreement is being implemented in
Afghanistan. The establishment of peace, security and stability in
Afghanistan is important not only for the Afghan people, but also
for the stability of the entire region.”

“We strongly hope that Afghanistan will accomplish the reconstruction
process swiftly and advance on the path of democracy and development
as a country free from terrorism, violence and radicalism, and that
the brotherly Afghan people will attain prosperity and tranquility
which they long for many years,” he said.

President Sezer added, “the adoption of a new constitution is an
important milestone in establishing stability and a new democratic
political order in this country. Following the September elections,
a new phase will start in Afghanistan. In the ongoing difficult
process, Afghanistan needs the strong support of the international
community. Turkey will continue to extend its support to Afghanistan,
a country that we have traditional ties of friendship.”

SEZER THANKS FOR SUPPORT DISPLAYED TOWARD SITUATION OF TURKISH MUSLIM
MINORITY IN WESTERN THRACE

Sezer said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all
the member states of the OIC for the interest and support they have
displayed towards the situation of the Turkish Muslim minority in
Western Thrace. It is regrettable that the Turkýsh Muslim minority
in Western Thrace is still unable to enjoy all basic individual and
minority rights which are guaranteed by bilateral and multilateral
agreements, to the full extend. The close interest and support of the
OIC for the recognition of the basic minority rights of the Turkish
Muslim minority in Western Thrace is of great importance.”

-COMCEC MEETING-

President Sezer also stressed that, “I would also like touch upon the
work of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial cooperation
of the OIC, COMCEC, which constitutes an important forum in developing
economic and commercial cooperation among our countries.”

“The Framework Agreement for the Trade Preferential System Among the
Member Countries of the OIC, which has come into force last year,
has an important place in the regional trade arrangements which are
expanding in parallel to globalization. The First Meeting of the Trade
Negotiating Committee in the framework of the said Agreement was
successfully held at the beginning of April in Antalya. The second
meeting of the Trade Negotiating Committee is planned to be held in
September in Turkey,” he noted.

Sezer stated that “the success of the first meeting is encouraging for
future endeavors. On this occasion, I would like to invite the Member
countries, who have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the Framework
Agreement and actively participate in the trade negotiations.”

“As you all know, we will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the COMCEC
this year. A special meeting of Ministers of Economy and Trade will
also be organized on the sidelines of the 20th session of COMCEC, to
be held between 23 and 27 November 2004 in Istanbul. Thus, we will
have the opportunity to exchange views on economic and commercial
cooperation and to develop new perspectives for our future work. In
order to attain our goals, I would like to reiterate our expectation
of high level participation of Member States in the COMCEC and in the
Special Ministerial Meeting of Economy and Trade,” Sezer pointed out.

President Sezer said, “with these thoughts in the mind, I would like
to welcome all the participants once again and wish that your work
will yield significant results in our quest for peace and prosperity.”

Azeri campaigner sees hidden agenda in Armenians defectors

Ekho, Baku
5 Jun 04

The two Armenians who fled Azerbaijan during the armed conflict
in Karabakh in 1990 and have returned to Baku asking for refugee
status in order to go to the West and leave Azerbaijan disgraced as
a country dangerous to Armenians, Azerbaijani human rights activist
Eldar Zeynalov writes in the Ekho newspaper. Should Azerbaijan accept
the men, it might urge thousands of Chechens to follow suit and harm
Azerbaijan’s relations with Russia, he said. According to Zeynalov,
the Azerbaijani authorities have a hand in this story seeking to keep
the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Baku under
control. The following is the text of an article headlined “About the
defectors: Who needs them and what for?” by Eldar Zeynalov, director
of the Human Rights Centre of Azerbaijan, in the Azerbaijani newspaper
Ekho on 5 June 2004. Subheadings have been inserted editorially:

Azerbaijan still dangerous for Armenians?

The press keeps discussing the theme of the two Armenian defectors,
Roman Teryan and Artur Apresyan, time and time again, although less
intensively than two months ago when they turned up in Baku [from
Armenia]. Based on an opinion about me as a “defender of Armenians”,
some newspapers with a reputation for printing scandal have addressed
me on several occasions. I did explain my attitude but the press
never reported my words.

My stance, based on international law on forced migration, could
not be clearer than it is. A refugee is a foreigner who underwent
discrimination in his home land, which posed a threat to his life,
health or property, and who seeks asylum in another country that he
thinks is safer.

Are these Armenians foreigners to us? They argue that they lived
in Baku before the events in Karabakh. If so, they are our former
compatriots and can certainly apply for reinstatement in their
previous citizenship. All the more so that our authorities have been
treating them with overt sympathy. It was really dangerous for them
to live in Baku in 1990. How about today? Floundering in statistics,
the authorities keep saying that some 20,000 or 30,000 Armenians still
live in Baku. Why not let in another two, what is wrong about it? All
the more so that these good Armenians risked their life advocating
Azerbaijan in Armenia.

However, if such loyal returnees from Armenia and our former citizens
cannot live here, a great number of questions arise that need to be
answered before we rush slap-bang to help them move to the better-off
parts of Europe. If a person left Azerbaijan in 1990, was recognized as
a refugee, then came back home but cannot stay here, it is tantamount
to our authorities signing a confession that nothing has changed
since 1990 and it is still dangerous for Armenians (at least males)
to live here.

Returnees’ hidden agenda?

The “defectors” themselves must have been thinking as much, given
that they had asked from the very start for entry into a third state,
seeking asylum abroad before they turned to Azerbaijan. The question
arises how to define a situation with the two Armenians who actually
came to our country to set it up by making it deport themselves
to a third state and thereby prove that Azerbaijan is dangerous
for Armenians to live in and human rights are not observed here?
Strange as it may seem, this fact was disregarded above all by media
outlets normally specializing in exposing real and imaginary Armenian
provocations.

There is another point. Well, assume Azerbaijan and Armenia are
dangerous for them. Why then should they go to Germany or the
Netherlands while hundreds of thousands of Armenians who are afraid
to live in Azerbaijan and do not care about “mother Armenia” have no
problems living in other CIS states, for instance Russia, Ukraine and
even Belarus? Having no language or cultural barrier, living next to
their friends and relatives, what else would they need to be happy?

What they seek is probably a comfortable seat on the back of a Western
state. They have tried to do it on their own but to no avail. Now they
are trying to ride into paradise on another vehicle. The vehicle is our
state which is expected to blemish itself by giving them a paper with
umpteen seals affixed to certify that it is bad here. The organization
that took on the task is a specific state body, the one in charge
of safeguarding the state border that these guys crossed legally,
once they are not in jail. This body sheltered those nice guests in
an “inn” on the top of a building at the head of Parliament Avenue
[National Security Ministry], called a news conference for them and
did a lot more to promote this story.

Interests of national security

Did the state pursue any interest in getting involved in this fishy
business? Taking a closer look, one can see that from the very
outset, both the “defectors” and the state officials, and even the
non-governmental organizations that joined in (not all of them,
by the way) are coming down heavily on the office of the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) like a ton of bricks. If the UNHCR
office refuses to grant the Armenians refugee status, its will prove
to be inefficient; if it does, it will disgrace our country. Public
statements by local UNHCR office staff may give a cue to what all this
rush is about. It is the UN plans to give up its responsibility in
June for establishing the status of those seeking refuge in Azerbaijan.

Indeed, there is a dozen staff sitting at the UNHCR office, with only
a few of them doing the job of interviewing and inquiry. On the other
hand, the government has special services and a whole state committee
for refugees. So it is right up their street, all the more so that
the UNHCR office, the International Organization for Migration and
other international organizations have talked themselves hoarse and
run themselves off their feet coming and training our officials who
must deal with such things as part of their remit.

Fancy 8,000 Chechens turning up at our offices tomorrow to ask for
refugee status based on our very well written law. Should we grant
them the status, we would thereby recognize that the thing going on in
Chechnya is a real war and genocide of Chechens rather than a police
operation. We could also spoil our relations with the mighty northern
neighbour [Russia]. Should we deny the status or deport them, the
Chechens would sue Azerbaijan at the European Court and, I can assure
you, they would win the case (precedents can be found in Georgia).

So let the UNHCR office fiddle around with all that and be the whipping
boy. Ah, they do not care for it? Okay we will play a dirty trick
on them in the form of the Armenian defectors. Tomorrow they [UNHCR
staff] may see hungry Azerbaijani people coming from tents to smash
their windows. The day after tomorrow, a bellicose non-governmental
organization may stage a pogrom and accuse the UNHCR office of
inefficiency in getting our refugees back home and therefore being
Armenian agents. Unsmiling tie-wearing guys from a serious office
would keep watch over the process, throwing in their instructions
once in a while. That would go on until the local UNHCR office “became
reasonable” and came back under the control of our authorities, as it
used to be. It seems that they see no other scenario for the future,
unfortunately. There may be a far cry between the stubborn Ukrainian
and the pliable French.

All this looks very funny viewed from aside, my dear sirs. Would I
take part in this show? No, thanks!

PRESS RELEASE
Project Harmony Armenia
45 Sevastopolyan St
Yerevan, Armenia 375028
(374) 1-26-06-86

Contact: Knarik Nazaryan
[email protected]

Mobile Lab Hits the Road

Yerevan— June 11, 2004— The Mobile Lab, an innovative project that
created a Mobile Internet Computer Center to serve rural communities
in Armenia, will hit the road on June 14, 2004, with a ribbon cutting
ceremony at the border to the Gegharkunik region on the road to Lake
Sevan at 12:00 p.m. and with the official launch to the villages it
will serve from the Vardenis Municipality at 2:00 p.m. The Mobile Lab
is a component of the Armenia School Connectivity Program (ASCP), a
Program of the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs funded through FREEDOM Support Act and implemented
by Project Harmony.

The Mobile Lab is the first of its kind in Eurasia and will serve 20
remote border communities between the towns of Chambarak and Vardenis
in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia. A vehicle has been transformed
into a learning lab and is equipped with computer workstations
and satellite connection to provide Internet access. But besides
the hardware and Internet connection, the Mobile Lab will provide
free training for students and teachers of the villages, as well as
neighboring village schools. For these remote villages, the Mobile
Lab will offer an expanded worldview and exposure to new information,
and will allow students from rural communities to connect with others
as they never have before.

The Mobile Lab will remain in each of the 20 villages for a set amount
of time and will later return to the communities to provide users
with continued development of skills acquired during the initial
visit. Project Harmony anticipates the Mobile Lab will serve over
12,500 people in the 20 villages, including over 1900 students and
380 teachers, as well as many refugees, persons with disabilities,
and unemployed citizens.

Project Harmony builds strong communities by fostering civic
leadership, harnessing Internet technology and facilitating
cross-cultural experiential learning. Project Harmony was founded
in Vermont in 1985 as a grass-roots exchange organization for
Soviet and American high schools. Today, Project Harmony has 14
offices worldwide. In its 19-year history, Project Harmony has
facilitated educational, professional, cultural, and community-based
programs involving hundreds of families and individuals. Please
visit our web site: The Armenia-specific
web site is: U.S.: and in Armenia:
The Armenia School Connectivity
Program web site is: and the ZANG Armenia Legal
Socialization web site is: For
more information, please contact Project Harmony Outreach Manager
Siranush Vardanyan at [email protected]

California Courier Online, June 10, 2004

1 – Commentary
Azeri Student at American Univ.
In Bulgaria Threatens Armenians
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – Isabel Bayrakdarian Captivates
Haigazian Auxiliary Audience
3 – St. Andrew Church
Hosts Festival in
Cupertino, June 27
4 – Registration Opens for
AGBU-AYA Summer
Basketball League
5 – Professional Society Launches
Outreach Program to Students
6 – Richard Mushegain Holds Winning
Ticket to Ararat Home’s Car Raffle
7 – Exhibit at UCLA to Feature Works
By Genocide Witness Armin Wegner
8 – Montebello Armenian Center Provides
After-School Tutoring for Students
9- Local Red Cross Chapter Honors UAF
************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Azeri Student at American Univ.
In Bulgaria Threatens Armenians

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Just when Armenians were recovering from the shocking murder of an Armenian
officer who was hacked to death by an Azeri classmate in a NATO Partnership
for Peace program (how ironic?) in Budapest, Hungary on February 19, an
Azeri in Bulgaria makes vicious and racist threats against Armenians.
Rauf Zeynalov, an Azeri student at the American University in Bulgaria
(AUBG), sent on April 30th a very vicious and obscene hate mail to Karen
Vrtanesyan, the web master of , in response to an
article condemning the murder by Ramil Safarov of an Armenian officer in
Hungary. In order to spare our readers’ sensibilities, I have deleted the
crude four-letter words used by Zeynalov in the following e-mail:
“Bitch, I have seen ur (sic) some inventions (sic) in the armenianhouse.org
forum for Ramil Safarov. I wanna (sic) say that Ramil … [expletive deleted]
that bitch armenian (sic) guy in Hungary and belive (sic) me that we, all
azeris (sic) will … [expletive deleted] ur (sic) and all armenians (sic)
mom. Actually, it was ur (sic) mom who was shouting last night in the bed
of one of azeris (sic). And me (sic) … [expletive deleted] ur (sic) sister
:::::::::)))))))) (sic). She was really cool 🙂 (sic). With the wish of …
[expletive deleted] all armenians (sic). By the way we are not gays, so for
sure we will … [expletive deleted] girls and women coming to u (sic), u
(sic) will be … [expletive deleted] in other ways 🙂 … [expletive deleted]
u (sic) !!!”
Vrtanesyan informed the officials of the American University in Bulgaria on
May 17 about the hate mail sent by one of their students, Rauf Zeynalov,
using the university’s e-mail system. Vrtanesyan sent to the University a
copy of Zeynalov’s obscene and threatening e-mail.
David C. Durst, the Interim Chief Academic Officer at the American
University in Bulgaria, immediately responded to Vrtanesyan by saying: “I
have received your letter. This is a serious allegation and I have opened
an investigation of the case.”
Four days later, on May 21, Durst sent the following e-mail to Vrtanesyan:
“I write to inform you of the action the AUBG Administration has taken in
response to the serious threats and offensive language the AUBG student
Rauf Zeynalov used in violation of AUBG’s written rules governing the use
of e-mail on campus. Rauf Zeynalov will not be attending the university
during the fall semester, and before he will be allowed to return to AUBG
he will be required to convince the University Administration to its
satisfaction that he understands the severity of his misguided action and
that he will maintain respect for and work cooperatively with others of
different backgrounds and opinions upon return to the University.”
Karen Vrtanesyan should be commended for bringing the offensive e-mail of
this Azeri hate monger to the immediate attention of the American
University in Bulgaria. David Durst and the officials of AUBG should also
be commended for their prompt action.
Readers should write to David Durst ([email protected]) suggesting that the
Azeri student should be expelled from the University rather than being
suspended just for one semester. Letters should also be sent to the Soros
Foundation’s Open Society Institute in Bulgaria ([email protected]) urging them
to rescind the scholarship they had awarded to Rauf Zeynalov for the full
cost of his educational expenses towards a Bachelor Degree at the American
University in Bulgaria.
Oskanian Responds to Column on David Phillips
In response to my column criticizing the moderator of TARC, David Phillips,
for writing a blatantly anti-Armenian commentary in the Wall Street
Journal, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Mr. Vartan Oskanian, sent me his
reaction:
“The David Phillips article demonstrated either an alarming ignorance of
Armenia’s domestic and foreign policies and realities, or deliberate
distortion. To arrive at conclusions and make predictions based on wrong
information and inappropriate interpretations harms the international
community’s efforts to understand regional processes and developments. If
the reason was ignorance, this is unfortunate, since he had plenty of
opportunity and access to better information. If it was deliberate
distortion, this is even worse since he had cast himself in the role of
conciliator.”
I am pleased that Mr. Oskanian did respond to Phillips in a forthright
manner. After the highly offensive article that Phillips wrote in the Wall
Street Journal, he should no longer have any friends among Armenians.

**************************************************************************
2 – Isabel Bayrakdarian Captivates
Haigazian Auxiliary Audience
PASADENA, CA – The Pasadena home of Dr. and Mrs. John Kassabian set the
background for the appearance of young Canadian-Armenian opera sensation
Isabel Bayrakdarian who captivated her audience at the May 20 benefit
luncheon of the Haigazian University Women’s Auxiliary. Bayrakdarian,
appearing in “The Marriage of Figaro” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
through mid-June, has received outstanding reviews.
The diva was introduced by USC Music Professor Lucina Agbabian Hubbard, a
Haigazian Auxiliary past president, who read excerpts of Bayrakdarian press
reviews from around the world. She played several selections from Isabel’s
CBC album “Joyous Light,” a collection of Armenian liturgical music, and
from her Spanish and Latin award winning CD “Azualao.”
In speaking about her personal background in music, Bayrakdarian who has
sung on stages worldwide said that “it began in the Armenian Church” where
her mother was choir director. All of her brothers and sisters were
encouraged to participate in the liturgy, either musically or on the altar.
“Music refines the soul and it has brought out good qualities in me. Music
makes you think about humanity,” she reflected.
The young soprano, a native of Zahle, Lebanon, emigrated with her family
to Canada and, after receiving a degree in biomedical engineering, attended
the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She commented on being
Armenian. “It’s easy to remain Armenian when you are in your homeland. It’s
difficult to remain Armenian when you are in the diaspora.” She stressed
how important it is to teach children about their heritage and language.
Displaying a unique maturity and spirituality, Isabel is grateful for being
blessed with so very much. “The least I can do,” she said “is to give back
to Him who kissed my throat when I was born. We can all do that with our
talents,” she added.
Bayrakdarian recently returned from her first trip to Armenia with a crew
from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to film a documentary. She
immediately fell in love with the country of her ancestors. She was
thrilled to sing at the 13th century Geghart Monastery carved into the side
of a mountain. “I totally broke down when I went to Geghart. I’m so happy I
lived to see it.”
Rev. Dr. John Khanjian, immediate past president of Haigazian University,
offered the blessing and Auxiliary President Joyce Stein MC’d the program.
Stein thanked Isabel and recognized the audience for supporting the
University which is preparing to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2005.
She gave an optimistic report on the University in Beirut which presently
has the highest enrollment in its history. No qualified Armenian student
has ever been turned away from Haigazian because of lack of funds.
A scholarship will be presented this year in loving memory of Evelyn
Levonian who spent many years as an active member and was a past president
of the Auxiliary. She suffered a major stroke eleven years ago and was in
declining health until her passing on May 5.
**************************************************************************
3 – St. Andrew Church
Hosts Festival in
Cupertino, June 27
CUPERTINO, CA – St. Andrew Armenian Church of Cupertino will hold its 40th
Annual Festival on June 27 from 11 am to 6 pm on the church grounds.
Featured will be Armenian food; a large variety of favorite Armenian
pastries; a DJ as well as a live band for folk dancing; boutique booths;
games for children, and much more.
Chairman of the Festival, Vahak Awadisian, invites everyone in the San
Francisco Bay Area to join the celebration of St. Andrew’s 40th summer
event.
On his committee are Co-Chairman Ben Toker, Tamara Warren, Mike Kuzirian,
Shant Krikorian, Dr. Peter Abaci and Nubar Manoukian – all members of the
St. Andrew Parish Council, with Fr. Datev Harutyunian, Pastor, as the
Advisor.
St. Andrew Church is located at 11370 S. Stelling Road (near Rainbow Drive
– 1-1/4 miles south of De Anza College) in Cupertino.
For information, call (408) 257-6743 during business hours.
**************************************************************************
4 – Registration Opens for
AGBU-AYA Summer
Basketball League
PASADENA, Calif. – The AGBU San Fernando Valley and AGBU Pasadena Chapters,
in conjunction with the AGBU Southern California Central Sports Committee,
welcome and encourage parents to register their boys, ages 10-12 years old,
for the 2004 AGBU-AYA Summer Basketball League.
Team practices will be held from July 10 to Sept. 18, at both the Pasadena
and San Fernando Valley AGBU locations. Team practice days and times for
the AGBU Basketball League will be determined shortly. Actual basketball
games will be held within the aforementioned date period on Saturday at
both locations.
The registration fee is $125 per athlete. Registration forms must be
completed in their entirety. Please include a copy of the athlete’s birth
certificate. Completed applications must be mailed by the June 25, 2004
deadline to either one of the following addresses:
AGBU Valley Chapter, Attn: Summer Basketball League, 6844 Oakdale Ave.,
Canoga Park, CA 91306 or AGBU Pasadena Chapter, Attn: Summer
Basketball League, 2495 E. Mountain Ave., Pasadena CA 91104.
All registered athletes must attend the initial tryout/draft between 1-3:30
pm on July 10, at either the AGBU Manoogian-Demirjian School’s gymnasium in
Canoga Park, or at the AGBU Pasadena gymnasium.
For further information, contact the AGBU Pasadena Center at (626)
794-7942, or the AGBU San Fernando Valley Center at (818) 313-9449 or via
email at [email protected]
**************************************************************************
5 – Professional Society Launches
Outreach Program to Students
LOS ANGELES – The Armenian Professional Society (APS) has embarked on an
educational “Student Outreach Program” (SOP) to encourage college education
and familiarize Armenian high school students with the various professions
available to them.
The first SOP presentation was conducted on May 25, at Armenian Mesrobian
School in Pico Rivera. In light of the limited number of Armenian men and
women entering the field of engineering, the subject of the presentation
was “A Career in Engineering.”
APS’ 2nd vice president, Ronnie Nazeley, a graduate of USC with a BS degree
in Chemical Engineering, made the presentation to approximately 50 high
school students, in English and Armenian.
The presentation discussed the various engineering disciplines and the
required curriculum. The presentation dealt with the employment options
upon graduation and the various industries available to engineers, such as
aerospace, petrochemical, power generation, defense, automobile, and
computer. The presentation along with the Q&A session lasted for about 35
minutes and it was well received by the Mesrobian students.
Future presentations will be available in the fields of art, architecture,
finance, medicine and law. Schools interested in a presentation may
contact the APS at P.O. Box 1944, Glendale, CA 91209-1944 or by email at
[email protected].
**************************************************************************
6 – Richard Mushegain Holds Winning
Ticket to Ararat Home’s Car Raffle
MISSION HILLS, Calif. – The Ararat Home of Los Angeles held the drawing of
their “Put a Mercedes in Your Garage or $50,000 in Your Bank,” raffle on
May 29 at the Mission Hills campus.
The winning ticket was 997 and was purchased by Richard Mushegain, who
decided to receive the cash prize rather than the car.
Over 300 people were in attendance to observe the raffle ticket drawing
made by Edward Abrahamian, a 100-year-old resident of the Ararat Nursing
Facility.
“Since all of the 1500 tickets were sold, the event was a tremendous
success,” said Board Chairman Robert Taylor. “Without the support of the
Lady Auxiliary and the Guilds as well as the Board Trustees and the
Armenian community, we could not have done it.”
During the Sunday afternoon event, Cong. Brad Sherman (D-27th District),
presented to the Ararat Home an American Flag flown over the Capitol in
Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2004. A member of the Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues, Cong. Sherman has been very supportive of Armenia, Nagorno
Karabagh and other Armenian-related issues in Congress.
The Mercedes dealer in Encino, John Steigler, who helped support the
Raffle, presented his remarks of support of the Armenian community to the
attendees.
Wine and mezzas were provided by Arut’s catering.
**************************************************************************
7- Exhibit at UCLA to Feature Works
By Genocide Witness Armin Wegner
LOS ANGELES – A photo exhibition entitled “Armin T. Wegner & The Armenians
in Anatolia: 1915-1916” will take place at UCLA from June 13 to July 3, at
the Kerckhoff Grand Salon on Westwood Plaza.
The exhibition is produced by the Armin T. Wegner Society of USA in
cooperation with the Narekatsi Chair at UCLA, supported by German archives,
as well as Sybil Stevens and Mischa Wegner for Wegner family.
Initiated by Dr. Pietro Kuciukian, the exhibition was held in over 80
locations in Italy, which led to the ultimate recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the Italian government.
Armin T. Wegner was a German intellectual, expressionist writer and poet,
civil rights advocate, anti-war activist, photojournalist, and eyewitness
to the Armenian Genocide.
He served as a medical nurse in the Turkish army during WWI. As a personal
caretaker of Field Marshal von der Goltz, he traveled with him along the
Baghdad railroad in Mesopotamia, where he witnessed the Armenian Genocide.
Disobeying orders which were intended to stifle news of the massacres, he
gathered information on the Genocide – collected notes, annotations,
documents, letters and took hundreds of photographs in the Armenian
deportation camps – visible proof of the first systematic genocide of the
twentieth century. At the request of the Turkish Command, Wegner was
eventually arrested by the Germans and was recalled to Germany. His
photographs were confiscated and destroyed, however, he managed to smuggle
some emulsions in his belt with images from the Armenian Genocide.
On June 13, at 4 p.m., the award winning film, “Destination Nowhere: The
Witness,” a documentary by Carlo Massa, will be screened at the Kerckhoff
Grand Salon. Guest speaker will be Armin T. Wegner’s son, Mischa Wegner.
Seating is limited, so please RSVP by e-mailing your name and number of
attendees to [email protected].
****************************************************************
8 – Montebello Armenian Center Provides
After-School Tutoring for Students
MONTEBELLO, Calif. – Starting May 25, After School Tutoring will be
provided free at the Montebello Armenian Center for Armenian students of
all grades, announced a spokesperson for the AYF Vahan Cardashian Chapter.
The chapter, along with the Center Executive Committee, has provided a
state-of-the art computer facility for homework, projects, and research
papers by students from Armenian or public schools. There is no charge for
the use of the facility.
Computer hardware includes four Dell 4600 PCs, color printers, and
scanners. Software provided include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, FrontPage,
Encyclopedia Encarta, and Armenian Language.
Free tutoring subjects include Math, Sciences, History, English, Armenian,
and more.
Students are invited to make use of the facilities every Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Montebello Armenian Center is located at 420 W. Washington Blvd., in
Montebello.
*************************************************************************
9 – Local Red Cross Chapter Honors UAF
By Darleene Barrientos
News-Press
GLENDALE — When the local Armenian-American community rallied to collect
medical and school supplies for Armenia, it gave the local Red Cross
chapter a valuable learning experience.
Now, the Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter of the Red Cross paid back the
favor by giving the United Armenian Fund its annual Good Neighbor award.
The award was presented at the chapter’s annual meeting June 2 at the
Glendale Hilton. The meeting celebrated the chapter’s 87 years of service
in the community.
The UAF helped pay for the two shipments the Red Cross gathered last year,
helped the Red Cross figure out what would benefit Armenia and assisted the
chapter’s fundraising efforts, said Ron Farina, the chapter’s executive
director.
Their assistance was invaluable because it was the first time the chapter
had undertaken such a project, he added. The UAF led a fund drive and
helped pay for the shipments of 20 pallets of surgical prep trays and 35
chests of school supplies that were flown to Armenia.
“They gave us guidance on what we should look for and how we should conduct
fundraising in the Armenian community,” Farina said.
The chapter collected nearly $5,000 from local Armenian Americans in
Glendale.
“They provided great insight and expertise in what we haven’t been in
before,” assistant chapter manager Irena Efremian said. “They guided us
from A through Z — they were very diligent in explaining what we could do
and not do.”
Receiving the Clara Barton Award was outgoing board member Mary Ann
Plumley, for her outstanding service and dedication of working with the
local Realtor Board and community in promoting Red Cross activities.
Donald A. Huffsmith Jr. was installed as the Red Cross chapter’s incoming
chairman.
***************************************************************************
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Russian ex-premier Yevgeniy Primakov warns against anti-Americanism

NTV Mir, Moscow
6 Jun 04

Russia has maintained its opposition to US policy on Iraq, but has
wisely avoided a damaging lapse into anti-Americanism, ex-premier
Yevgeniy Primakov told Russian NTV Mir television.

Primakov said Moscow had been against US policy on Iraq in
circumvention of the UN from the very start, and “we have stuck to
our position”.

“But if we had allowed this policy to develop into anti-Americanism,
we would have lost out… Could you imagine antiterrorist activity
against international terrorism – this is the main threat – being
pursued without the Americans? Could it be done? Could we now seek to
do something against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
without the Americans?”

Primakov, who heads the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
denied Russian business interests in Iraq had suffered as a result
of the US-led war.

“I just want to say that it was necessary to prevent this from
developing into an anti-American tendency. What would we have
achieved? A return to the cold war? Would you have withstood an arms
race, I ask you now?” he said rhetorically on the “Orange Juice”
interview programme.

Primakov told presenter Vladimir Solovyev he had just been to the
Armenian capital, Yerevan, for a children’s festival and he did not
think that a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia was imminent as
“everyone understands” that peaceful methods are needed.

Territorial integrity, he said, is an “incontrovertible value”, and
“today one must speak of self-determination without it necessarily
leading to separation”.

OSCE hails release of Armenian oppositionist prisoners

Pravda
15:41 2004-06-05

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is
satisfied with the release from prison of Aramazd Zakarian and Zhora
Sapeian of the Armenian opposition Republican Party and the abolition
of charge against them.

This is mentioned in the statement of the head of the OSCE Yerevan
office, Vladimir Pryakhin, published by the OSCE secretariat in Vienna
on Friday.

The OSCE also approves the actions of the Armenian authorities
releasing Suren Sureniants of the same party and hopes that
investigation against him will be ended.

Vladimir Pryakhin’s statement reads: “The OSCE hopes that this step
taken by the Armenian authorities will promote political dialogue
between the opposition and the ruling coalition of Armenia and boost
stabilization in this country”.

Simultaneously, the head of the OSCE mission in Yerevan expressed
regret over the limitation of the human rights to the freedom of
assembly and speech in Armenia, a signatory of the OSCE main provisions
and the Istanbul Charter.

Mr. Pryakhin also stressed that the OSCE Yerevan office was going
to continue to closely monitor political developments in Armenia and
support democratic processes on-going there.

Who’s Hanging Tough in NATO?
by Vladimir Socor

The Moscow Times
June 3, 2004 Thursday

For all the problems and challenges it now faces, NATO can celebrate
a triumph in Istanbul at its upcoming summit. Seven countries from
the Baltic to the Black Sea have completed the accession procedures
and will for the first time attend NATO’s summit as members. This —
along with the previous accession round by three Central European
countries — represents the alliance’s greatest strategic, political
and moral victory in its 55-year history. It is, moreover, the right
basis for building NATO’s future — because its essential missions
will henceforth focus on theaters to the east of its new perimeter,
beyond the Black Sea.

Predictions that the enlargement would turn NATO into an ineffective
political body akin to the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe have been laid to rest by the performance of the new member
countries. Their entry contributes significantly to the alliance’s
political cohesion even as this asset shows signs of fraying on the
older, western flank.

If anything, the OSCE’s culture of compromise and consensus with
those opposed to Western values seems right now to be seeping in
via older allies. How else to explain the suggestion from several
Western European governments that NATO needs to make a special
effort and invite President Vladimir Putin in order to ensure a
“successful summit”?

In truth, the alliance’s seven-country enlargement, and the about as
many countries that will confirm their membership aspirations at the
summit, give the real measure of the alliance’s permanent viability
and appeal. Can anyone argue that NATO really needs a photo op with
the restorer of Russian autocracy as a demonstration of its success?

Some, apparently, argue that it does, as seen from NATO
Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer’s efforts to secure Putin’s
presence at the Istanbul summit. The NATO leader made that invitation
publicly in Moscow on April 8 and has repeated it several times
since then; most recently in his May 17 speech in Brussels, saying:
“I hope that the conditions will be right for him to come to Istanbul.”

We don’t know what these conditions would be; but we do know that
Putin is playing hard to get. He says he’s considering the invitation,
but that his advisers tell him he shouldn’t go. Translation: The
conditions are not right and should be improved.

Putin’s conditions include: continuing tolerance of Russia’s breaches
of the 1999-adapted Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe and
associated commitments on the alliance’s southern flank; and —
those breaches notwithstanding — an allied move toward ratification
of that same treaty so as to place the three Baltic states under
its restrictions.

Approved at the OSCE’s 1999 Istanbul summit, the adapted CFE treaty
and the documents known as the Istanbul Commitments form twin parts
of a single package. From Istanbul 1999 to Istanbul 2004, what is the
balance sheet on implementation? To make a long, technical story short,
the following stipulations remain unimplemented to date:

Setting a firm and realistic date (three years would amply suffice)
on the closure of Russia’s Batumi and Akhalkalaki military bases
in Georgia.

Closing the Gudauta base in Georgia, which Russia was required to close
back in 2001. Since then, Russia has been offered the alternative
option of handing Gudauta to a UN observer mission in Georgia’s
secessionist region of Abkhazia.

Withdrawing all Russian troops from Moldova’s Transdnestr region —
a move that Russia was required unconditionally to complete in 2002.

Liquidating the stocks of Russian-supplied combat hardware
(“unaccounted-for treaty-limited equipment”) deployed with Abkhazian
and Transdnestr forces, as well as with Armenian forces beyond Nagorny
Karabakh, inside Azerbaijan proper.

The verification provisions in both the CFE treaty and the Istanbul
Commitments are also being breached, and the treaty’s hallowed
principle of host-country consent (no country may station its forces
on another country’s territory without freely given consent) is simply
being flouted here on the southern flank.

The treaty is meant to be legally binding once it enters into force;
the commitments are defined as “politically binding,” whatever
that means. To Moscow, by all evidence, neither set of documents is
binding — unless the West makes clear that commitments are binding
by definition.

Russian diplomacy wants NATO to:

Give up the linkage between ratification of the CFE treaty and
fulfillment of the Istanbul Commitments.

Accept Russian promises to fulfill some of those outstanding
commitments some time in the future, in lieu of actual fulfillment,
and even give up on implementation in some cases.

Several Western European governments have signaled an inclination to
go along with such a scenario. Some have asked Georgia and Moldova
to consent to Russian retention of Gudauta and of the “peacekeeping
troops” in Transdnestr (this would bestow host-country consent on
those foreign forces).

When NATO’s secretary-general and the OSCE’s chairman-in-office state
publicly that Russia should remove its arsenals from Moldova without
mentioning the commitment to withdraw its troops, Moscow reads this
as a message that it can keep troops in place.

Whether at the summit or in some other NATO forum, the alliance cannot
avoid addressing the issue of peacekeeping and conflict resolution on
its own vital strategic perimeter. Thirteen years after the end of
the Soviet Union, peacekeeping in this region remains, in practice,
Moscow’s monopoly, which only serves to freeze the political
settlements of the conflicts.

Two years ago, NATO and the United States seemed set to engage jointly
with Russia in peace-support operations and conflict-resolution
efforts in Moldova, Georgia and the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. These
intentions figured prominently in the joint communiques in May 2002
of the U.S.-Russia and NATO-Russia summits. However, nothing further
has been heard about these intentions since those summits.

To be sure, U.S. forces and resources are now overextended worldwide.
But there is a strong case to be made for European allies taking the
lead in peace-support operations and conflict settlement in the Black
Sea-South Caucasus region, Europe’s doorstep.

European NATO allies complain of a shortfall in deployable forces
against a vast backdrop of static forces in the homelands. In any case,
peacekeeping and conflict resolution in this region need be neither
large-scale, nor predominantly military. On the contrary, they should
be compact and should emphasize the civilian aspect of peace support.

The United States, NATO and the European Union have strategic
and democratic motivation, as well as the means, to initiate a
transformation of peacekeeping and conflict resolution at this
crossroads, where the access routes to the greater Middle East and
the energy transit routes to Europe intersect. This must become a
Euro-Atlantic priority. The NATO summit agenda would be incomplete
if it did not address, or at least set the stage for addressing soon,
this imperative.

Vladimir Socor is a senior fellow of the Washington-based Jamestown
Foundation, publishers of the Eurasia Daily Monitor. This comment is
reprinted from Friday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

Armenian president, US official discuss Millennium Challenge project

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
1 Jun 04

[Presenter] Armenia today received the first official congratulations
on its participation in the Millennium Challenge programme. Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan, CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation
Paul Applegarth and three MPs noted during their meeting today that
Armenia, as a country which is demonstrating efforts towards stable
development, has been recognized as a winner in the competition for
participation in the programme that involves many countries. According
to the head of the delegation, the US government’s assistance is
intended to ensure a stable economic growth in developing countries.
Paul Applegarth familiarized Robert Kocharyan with the conditions
of assistance.

For his part, Robert Kocharyan said that significant efforts are
required to achieve success in future activities. This is a good
opportunity to improve the situation in the country and create serious
conditions for future development, the president noted, expressing
the hope that the budding cooperation of the states will be effective
and consistent.

[Correspondent over video of meeting] Paul Applegarth is in Armenia on
two occasions. First, to congratulate Armenia on its participation in
the Millennium Challenge programme and to familiarize our government
with the details of the programme. Mr Applegarth has met the speaker
of the National Assembly [Artur Bagdasaryan] and the prime minister
[Andranik Markaryan]. After the meeting with journalists, he handed
over official congratulations to President Kocharyan. The member
countries of the programme must follow three standards: to promote
economic freedom, govern fairly and invest in people. Sixteen countries
out of 85 have been elected. Armenia has been selected according to
positive indicators achieved in these three directions.

[Paul Applegarth, in English with Armenian voice-over] Armenia has
been included in the green zone on this list. There are also red and
light green zones. The Armenian government’s policy must be directed
at eliminating them [as heard]. We shall succeed in this with the
help of the programme.

[Correspondent] Paul Applegarth familiarized the country’s leadership
with the conditions of the programme. The US government will follow
the implementation of the programme whose success will also depend on
continuing financing. It is necessary to preserve the success achieved
in these fields and to submit relevant requirements for financing.

[Paul Applegarth] Armenia has been chosen in the Millennium Challenge
programme because it has a high rating, but we shall not allocate
the funds immediately. First of all, it is necessary to submit a
programme of proposals, which will ensure stable economic development.

[Correspondent] Two months have been given to the Armenian government
for choosing the programme’s successiveness. The heads of the
delegation suggested that the Armenian side should not hurry. It is
necessary to discuss and then submit proposals. Because the financing
depends mainly on that.

For the implementation of the Millennium Challenges programme, the US
government has allocated 1bn dollars to all its member states in 2004,
and 2.5bn dollars will be allocated next year.

Elmira Shakaryan for “Aylur”.

Lawyer to Stars Leads Peterson Defense
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer

Newsday.com
Tuesday, June 1, 2004

May 31, 2004, 2:52 PM EDT

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The attorney who is Scott Peterson’s best
hope of not being convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and their
fetus is a lawyer to the stars, a man who charms jurors, attorneys
and judges with an easygoing style. Mark Geragos says he is committed
to fighting for underdogs.

“The whole idea … is to defend people and to fight for their rights
and their liberties,” Geragos said.

Geragos has said police and prosecutors did all they could to convict
Peterson in the court of public opinion before a gag order was imposed
on the case.

That’s one reason why he is so chummy with reporters, in stark contrast
to prosecutors in the case. “What drives me just crazy is when I think
that somebody is getting a raw deal,” he explained in an interview.

Geragos gained public attention after he secured an acquittal for
Whitewater figure Susan McDougal and took on the cases of actress
Winona Ryder and former congressman Gary Condit.

Beyond the cameras’ glare, Geragos is committed to his job, his family
and his Armenian-American culture.

“Being Armenian and having all four of my grandparents who fled
genocide, I have a great and deep and abiding appreciation for what
it’s like to be the subject of tyranny,” Geragos said.

One of his proudest achievements is a settlement in January that
went mostly unnoticed. The descendants of some 1.5 million Armenians
who were killed nearly 90 years ago in the Turkish Ottoman Empire
will share in a $20 million settlement for unpaid life insurance
benefits. The class action took four years of work.

Married with two children, Geragos, 46, is managing partner of a Los
Angeles law firm that includes his father and brother.

He had been defending both Peterson and Michael Jackson, until the
pop star complained his child molestation defense wasn’t getting
enough attention. Geragos shrugged off his firing, saying only that
“I truly, truly wish him well and am hopeful for a favorable outcome
for Michael.”

Geragos has lost his share of cases, but even the best lose some, said
Shepard Kopp, a lawyer at his firm. “That’s the ultimate challenge. As
a trial lawyer, you take cases that appear to be unwinnable and you
find a way to win.”

Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press