Author: Emil Lazarian

PRESS RELEASE
PROJECT HARMONY
Contact: [email protected]
Phone: (802) 310-4596

US Teacher Exchange to Armenia
(July 17 -28, 2004)

Project Harmony is looking for a few (dozen!) good teachers to participate
in our fully expense paid teaching delegation to travel to Armenia this
July. Travel to the Caucasus and learn methods of bringing international
interactive elements to your classroom. Apply today to join this delegation
funded by the State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs!

The exchange is to provide select US educators administrators with an
opportunity to experience first hand Armenian culture and society, as well
as participate in online curriculum development and facilitation training
sessions in Armenia. With support from Project Harmony staff in the US and
Armenia, teachers will learn methods to better incorporate field experiences
into their classrooms in the US.

In addition to the online educational component, planned activities in
Armenia include cultural events and outings in Yerevan and the surrounding
regions. A portion of the trip is dedicated to home stays for US teaching
teams in the regions of Armenia, where they will have a unique opportunity
to experience life in some of the most ruggedly beautiful settings of the
former Soviet Union.

Participants will be selected upon, but not limited to the following
criteria:
. General letter of interest
. Essay explaining the anticipated educational benefits of the trip
. Resume (indicating a demonstrated commitment to teaching and innovative
methodology)
. Two letters of reference
. Telephone interview
. Willingness to commit to follow-up expectations including participating in
online events with partner schools in the Caucasus and expense-paid
follow-up teaching conference to be held in January 2005 in Burlington, VT.

Online applications will be accepted starting the week of April 19, 2004.
Applications will not be accepted after June 1, 2004.

For more information on the US Teacher Exchange to Armenia, please contact
Project Harmony SCP Program Coordinator Bryan Wockley
([email protected]) and SCP Exchanges Coordinator Jennifer Daly
([email protected]).

Saying Farewell To The City
By S. MUTHIAH

The Hindu
April 19, 2004

WITH THE departure of Michael Stephanian, or Stephen, if you wish, the
Armenian Church in George Town will be without an Armenian caretaker
for the first time since it was consecrated in 1772. A local caretaker,
Alexander, succeeds Michael who goes to Calcutta on a significant
promotion after seven years in Madras where he had succeeded that
legend, George Gregorian, who put in 33 years in making the church
the cleanest place in the city.

Michael moves to Calcutta to take charge of the Armenian College
(school) there, one of the leading educational institutions in the
city when it was home to a few thousand Armenians, almost all of whom
have migrated to Australia or parts westwards since the 1970s. The few
hundred Armenians left in Calcutta keep service going in the city’s
three churches of the Armenian Orthodoxy and the one in Chandernagar,
service being held in each by turn on Sundays. These numbers, have,
however, not been enough to sustain the school, which in its heyday –
and when the Armenian Club was as lively – produced some of the best
rugby teams in India.

There has, in the last few years, been an attempt to revive the school
by bringing in from strife-riven Armenia and Iran, Armenian children
who have lost at least one parent. To the dozen or so Armenians with
Indian connections there have now been added about 100 boys and 40
girls from Armenia and Iraq. Michael hopes that, in the next year or
so, he can get that strength up to 300, with about 50 more children
from Armenia and 100 from war-torn Iraq where over 25,000 Armenians
live. These children in the 6-16 age group will be trained to take
the ICSE exam, but their workload will always be increased by three
subjects: the Armenian language, history and faith.

Michael, while in Madras, has done a splendid job in keeping the
Armenian Church alive by organising the occasional service in it. He
has also ensured that the Armenian Cemetery on the Island and the
Armenian tombs and other relics in and around the city have been cared
for. He may not have always been successful in preserving the symbols
of Armenian heritage in the city, but he was always trying. I’m sure
he’ll be trying even harder to bring the Armenian College back to
its old glory. This column wishes him all the best.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkiye
April 20 2004

GUL: `WE’VE MADE EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE UPPER KARABAKH ISSUE’

Commenting on recent rumors that the border between Turkey and
Armenia would be opened, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday
that Ankara first wanted Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach a settlement
on the upper Karabakh issue and was making efforts towards this end.
Stressing that the border would not be opened until the issue was
resolved, Gul said, `We are continuing our contacts with the
governments in both Baku and Yerevan.’ Urging all observers to take
lessons from a possible Cyprus settlement, Gul stated that Turkey
didn’t want the upper Karabakh issue to remain unresolved,
explaining, `There is an occupation there.’ The foreign minister also
added that during Istanbul’s NATO summit this June, a tripartite
meeting could be held to discuss the issue. /Turkiye/

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

E.U. funds more refugee centres on new eastern frontier

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
April 20, 2004, Tuesday

Warsaw — The European Union will spend 17 million euros on six
new centres for refugees along Poland’s eastern border, destined
to be the E.U.’s new eastern frontier after May 1, PAP news agency
reported Tuesday.

Poland currently has 12 refugee centres able to host 2,500 people,
mostly near the western border with Germany.

The new centres will be built over the next two years in the eastern
Polish border cities of Przemysl, Biala Podlaska, Bialystok, and
Ketrzyn. Four of the centres will be closed, detention compounds
designed to hold illegal migrants.

Some Polish politicians worry Poland’s May 1 E.U. entry will draw
waves of asylum seekers to its eastern border.

But immigration officials point out Poland is still a transit rather
than a target country for migrants, with most heading for Germany,
France and Belgium.

In 2003, almost 7,000 people applied for refugee status in Poland,
twice as many as five years ago. Some 219 people were declared refugees
and granted the right to reside in Poland.

Chechens, Afghans, Indians, Palestinians, Armenians and Ukrainians
were the most numerous applicants. dpa sib pb sc

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Former head of Russian border force in Armenia put on trial
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS
April 20, 2004

YEREVAN, April 20 — Former commander of the Russian border force
in Armenia Lt. Gen. Vyacheslav Aboimov has faced a military
court in Armenia. He is charged with the abuse of office through
misappropriation of 3.5 million rubles.

Criminal proceedings were instituted on August 20 following an
inspection. A similar case was opened against Aboimov’s deputy for
the rear, Col. Vasily Filonov. Investigators say they transferred
funds of a non-existent construction project to the account of the
Simeron Enterprises Company based in Armenia.

The trial in the fifth garrison court of the Russian North Caucasian
military district is closed.

Aboimov headed the Russian border force in Armenia from March 2001
to July 2003. He is a holder of the Order of the Red Star, medals
and awards of Armenia and Afghanistan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Adelante Cuba, Cuba
April 20 2004

Question of Guantanamo Causes Diplomatic Stampede in Geneva

Geneva, Apr 20 (Prensa Latina) A simple question about the human
rights resolution concerning the US Naval Base in Guantanamo, that
illegally occupies Cuban territory, produced a stampede of diplomats,
or in some cases, simple evasion.

Cuban radio and television reporters, together with Prensa Latina
correspondent, sought the viewpoint of UN Human Rights Commission
delegates on the proposed resolution presented by Cuba, concerning
the arbitrary detention of prisoners at the US military base, since
the question is scheduled for discussion tomorrow, Wednesday.

Hours earlier, ambassadors from Syria, Palestine, China, Zimbabwe and
Iran, as well as numerous NGOs made their position known by the
resounding applause given Cuba´s denunciation of human rights
violations at the base.

Positions of other delegates were more difficult to obtain,
demonstrating their little acceptance of freedom of the press.

The European Union group (Holland, Czech Republic) indicated they
would follow the criteria of the EU, although without indicating what
that would be. Australia and Rumania likewise said they would vote as
instructed, but evidently do not yet know their instructions.

Ireland, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, France, Sweden, Armenia,
Croatia and Costa Rica left the Palace of Nations in record time,
none deigning to express an opinion.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
April 20, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR KEY U.S.-ARMENIA TRADE BILL
State Department Official Delivers News at Pan-Armenian, Non-Partisan
Conference

Washington, DC – The drive to extend trade benefits to Armenia gained a
major boost yesterday as the Bush Administration publicly announced its
strong support for a pending bill that would deepen the U.S.-Armenia trade
relationship during a national Armenian-American conference organized by the
Armenian Assembly of America.

Ambassador Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European
and Eurasian Affairs addressed her remarks to Armenian-American activists
participating in a three-day conference sponsored by the Armenian Assembly,
the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the Eastern and Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church.

“We want Armenia to benefit from WTO membership and to do that we are
working toward permanent normal trade relations [PNTR] with Armenia, which
we will try to push through Congress,” Ambassador Jones said.

The keynote luncheon speaker that same day, Senate Majority Whip Mitch
McConnell (R-KY), and ardent supporter of closer U.S.-Armenia relations
said, “I hope we are able to move this legislation in the near future.”

Senator McConnell, together with Senator Sarbanes (D-MD) and Senator Barbara
Boxer (D-CA), last summer introduced S.1557, which would authorize the
extension of PNTR to Armenia.

Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) who gave the keynote address at the National
Conference that evening said: “This is of course good news for all of us,
but now we must continue to press the Administration and the relevant
committees in Congress to expedite action on this important issue. We need
to carry through on this proposal.”

The bill, which has a counterpart in the House already passed as an
amendment to a larger tax bill, calls for the termination of the
Jackson-Vanik Amendment with respect to Armenia. If enacted, it would
remove the nearly 30-year-old provision requiring Armenia to periodically
obtain presidential approval for continued access to low tariffs.

“The argument we make is that the purpose of Jackson-Vanik was to encourage
religious freedom and free immigration,” Ambassador Jones said. “Obviously
there is no issue with Armenian compliance with that.”

The bill’s passage would also herald other benefits, such as strengthening
bilateral relations and allowing Armenia to fully avail itself of its
membership in the WTO. Increased U.S.-Armenia trade and investment will
also help offset the damaging impact of Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s decade-old
blockade.

“One of the Assembly’s highest legislative priorities this year was to ask
Congress to extend PNTR to Armenia and we thank Ambassador Jones and the
Bush Administration for this long sought for news,” said Executive Director
Ross Vartian. He added that “the Administration’s choice of venue for this
announcement underscores the significant impact the National Conference has
had on U.S. policymakers.”

“Given the overwhelming bi-partisan and bi-cameral support of this bill, and
now the public call from the Administration for passage, we look forward to
Congress acting expeditiously and send this bill to the President,”
continued Vartian.

The three-day Conference was an opportunity for the Assembly, AGBU and
Eastern and Western Diocese of the Armenian Church and their respective
constituencies to speak for the first time with a collective, non-partisan
voice on issues of concern before the Administration and Congress.

The AGBU is the world’s largest non-profit, philanthropic organization
devoted to education, cultural and humanitarian programs. Headquartered in
New York, the organization has a budget of $28 million and serves some
400,000 Armenians annually.

The Diocese of the Armenian Church (Eastern) is the spiritual and
administrative head of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Eastern U.S.
Together with the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, it exists under
the authority of the ancient Mother See of the worldwide Armenian Church,
Holy Etchmiadzin, in Armenia.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2004-041

Photographs available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:

Caption: Ambassador Elizabeth Jones speaking at the Armenian Assembly’s
National Conference and Banquet in Washington DC on April 19.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan foreign minister calls for dialogue over war on Karabakh

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
19 Apr 04

[Presenter Namiq Aliyev] Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov has said that the Prague meeting [with Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan] was of a fact-finding character. In an
exclusive interview with Azad Azarbaycan TV, Mr Mammadyarov spoke
about the importance of meetings of this kind for a peaceful
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

[Correspondent, over archive footage of Prague] The main result of the
Prague meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
is that the sides have agreed to continue the talks, Mammadyarov
said. The minister said that at the meeting the US president’s Caspian
envoy, Steven Mann, received a mandate [as OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairman] from his predecessor, Rudolf Perina. Mammadyarov said
that Mr Mann made a good impression. No specific proposals were
discussed at the meeting, he added.

[Mammadyarov] No, there are no new proposals for the time being. We
finished our fact-finding meeting.

[Correspondent] We should note that Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said before the talks that Nagornyy Karabakh will never be
part of Azerbaijan and that its security will be guaranteed only in
two cases, either through Nagornyy Karabakh’s operation as an
independent state or its annexation to Armenia. But Mammadyarov said
that the Azerbaijani government stood firm on the issue.

[Mammadyarov] Every meeting certainly brings more hope. You are aware
of Azerbaijan’s position. We stand firm on this.

[Correspondent] Mammadyarov commented on bellicose statements from
both sides. The Azerbaijani government is going to solve the problem
peacefully and is confident that this is the most suitable way,
Mammadyarov said. He said priority will be given not to the military
option but dialogue.

[Mammadyarov] It is too early to speak about peace or war. For the
time being 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani lands are under
occupation. The point is what option should be used to liberate these
lands.

[Correspondent] Mammadyarov also said that the date of the foreign
ministers’ next meeting had not been specified in Prague. He said the
sides will decide on the issue depending on the situation.

Rasad Huseynov, Emil Aliyarli, “Son Xabar”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Daily warns of attempts to incite ethnic discord in Azerbaijan

Zerkalo, Baku
20 Apr 04

Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo has reported that some forces might
attempt to incite ethnic discord in the country. The Russian special
services are planning to use the ethnic minorities in the north of
Azerbaijan as a destabilizing factor, the newspaper
reported. Conflicts on religious grounds cannot be ruled out either,
Zerkalo said. It warned of a possible attack by Wahabbi militants from
Dagestan and said that Iran’s policy was to blame for the upsurge in
Islamic organizations in Azerbaijan. The following is an excerpt from
A. Rasidoglu report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 20 April
headlined “Are Iran and Russia sowing ethnic discord in Azerbaijan?”
and subheaded “Certain forces benefit from drawing parallels between
‘Armenian separatism’ and ‘ethnic minorities'”; subheadings inserted
editorially:

The movement For Azerbaijan (it’s noteworthy that two groups claim to
have this name) has held a round table attended by the so-called
representatives of ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan. An obscure
criterion was used, for instance, to define that the editor of Axsam
newspaper, Valid Qardasli, was a “representative of the Talis people”,
this was how he was introduced at the round table. As is known,
neither he nor other “representatives” of ethnic minorities were
entitled to speak on behalf of these people. Well, there are other
more interesting issues.

Russian intelligence to inflame ethnic discord in Azerbaijan

For instance, what prompted Russia’s justice Gen Ilqar Qasimov to
(suddenly) hold a round table on the subject “Ethnic minorities in
Azerbaijan and the Nagornyy Karabakh problem”? Is someone, as
previously, “cannot afford to relax” or is trying to play the ethnic
card purposefully drawing parallels between “Armenian separatism” and
the so-called “problem” of ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan? We know
how easy it is to incite an ethnic conflict.

There is another interesting coincidence. Round tables of this kind
coincided with information circulated in a few mass media that the
Russian special services have started to actively operate to fan the
flames of ethnic discord in our country. Are these coincidences
incidental or planned? Are there not too many of them?

According to sources, the Russian special services are currently
looking into the implementation of “work” among Kurds, Talises,
Lezgins and Avars.

[Passage omitted: more details of Russian plans]

As we have learnt, new cultural centres of ethnic minorities will be
set up and these bodies will publish their own newspapers in the near
future. As a result of these centres’ “activities”, problems might
gradually arise among the ethnic minorities living in Azerbaijan,
which will give them a cue that they have a common enemy – an
Azerbaijani Turk.

According to the sources, at the first stage they will count on a
social basis of Russian ideologists in Quba-Qusar Districts [northern
Azerbaijan] with a mainly Lezgin population, as the Russian special
services report. Moreover, there are reports that the Kurdish Workers’
Party, which also seems to have major claims to the Azerbaijani state,
has intensified its work in a northern [Azerbaijani] district.

It goes without saying that what is going on is far from being
children’s war games.

Conflicts on religious grounds not ruled out

There is another aspect of the issue. Conflicts on religious grounds
are not ruled out either. According to some reports, a militant
Wahhabi group is currently in Dagestan, in a district bordering on
Azerbaijan, and is waiting for the right time.

The Azerbaijani coast of the Caspian Sea is rather a large area
populated also by non-Turks. It is early to make conclusions about the
role of Islam in the movement of these ethnic groups. However, one
should not disregard this, especially as the Russian special services
have long been viewing them as the “fifth column”, or to put it
simply, a destabilizing factor.

Iran’s policy to blame

Finally, here is the last remark. The main factor responsible for the
development of the leading Islamic organizations in Azerbaijan is
precisely the policy pursued by Iran. Our biggest neighbour opposes
the western oil export route and Azerbaijan’s entrance into the sphere
of the West’s interests.

One should bear in mind that Azerbaijan is a multi-ethnic
country. This fact has always been in the focus of the foreign and
internal forces interested in the escalation of tension in our
country.

Renegade Georgian general accuses defence minister of “smear campaign”

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
20 Apr 04

[Presenter] Defence Minister Gela Bezhuashvili has made another
comment about the statement of the former commander of the 25th
Brigade [Roman Dumbadze who said that he took orders only from the
Ajarian leader].

Bezhuashvili has described Dumbadze as a traitor of Georgia. Dumbadze
has not confirmed the reports about a defence ministry being
established in Ajaria. He has blamed Gela Bezhuashvili for organizing
a campaign against him.

[Bezhuashvili, speaking to journalists] We should punish traitors of
Motherland with the full severity of the law.

Now, what is this about? As I said today, how can a man betray this
aspiration for the sake of selfish interest? How can he betray these
young boys, 17-18-year-old children who today spoke about the
country’s strength, the country’ future, the country’s present? This
is what it is all about. These are the values upon which our society
rests. I think that society should condemn all incidents of this kind.

[Dumbadze, interviewed] This is a total lie. Absolutely. I have not
heard such a thing in 14 years. Gela Bezhuashvili is the seventh
minister, but I have not heard such a thing from anyone, even from the
former president I have not heard such a thing. Absolutely.

I will never be a traitor. A traitor is someone who betrays his
origin, his nation. The defence minister himself is such a man. He
changed his surname and betrayed his nation. He was an ethnic
Armenian.

[Journalist] Are you speaking about Bezhuashvili?

[Dumbadze] Yes, I am speaking about Bezhuashvili.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress