Author: Harutyunian Christine

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
April 21 2004

Bringing in a fresh perspective
Armen Carapetian relishing his role as government relations director
of the ANC’s Western Region.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press

NORTHEAST GLENDALE – The whiteboard is sitting on the floor in Armen
Carapetian’s office at the Armenian National Committee’s Western
Region office. Carapetian, in his third week as the region’s
government relations director, has not had time to hang it.

The board is divided into four sections, each with a heading: the
political system, knowing the issues, organization, and public
relations.

“If you can bring that together, it brings you a lot of power,”
Carapetian said.

The whiteboard is Carapetian’s blueprint for the ANC’s new leadership
institute, a class to teach local Armenian Americans how to be
political activists. The concept was in the works before Carapetian,
33, arrived at the ANC’s Western Region from Maryland in early April,
but it did not have his structure.

The leadership institute is one of a handful of ideas that Carapetian
hopes to bring to the Glendale-based organization.

“I want to put organization into this office,” Carapetian said. “I’ve
already started working to make the office more efficient and
professional. The issues are constants. There’s room for improvement
within the organization.”

Carapetian’s presence alone should improve the organization’s
efficiency just by providing another set of hands. The staff has been
short-handed for months, and Ardashes Kassakhian has been the de
facto government relations director since his promotion from that
role to executive director in December.

“To have someone who’s passionate about the issues like Armen on
board brings energy to our office and our cause in general,”
Kassakhian said. “It does free me up. We’re able to be in more
places.

“On April 24, we always get a high volume of requests to come speak.
With Armen on board, we can double the number of events we can speak
at. Until they invent cloning, that’s pretty good.”

Carapetian, born in Iran and raised in Maryland, has been involved
with Armenian organizations since childhood. He protested with the
Armenian Youth Federation as a teen, and spent a summer interning at
the ANC’s Washington, D.C. office.

He had his first real activist experience in 1997, when the ANC
banded with 31 other Armenian organizations to purchase the Mount
Davidson Cross from the city of San Francisco, so they could use it
as a memorial to the Armenian Genocide. Because the cross is on park
land, the purchase needed approval on a citywide vote, and was placed
on a ballot as Proposition F.

“I was on the streets, giving people fliers that said, ‘Yes on F,’ ”
Carapetian said. “It was a good fight.”

He returned to Maryland and started a local chapter of the ANC.
Within two years, the group successfully lobbied the state
legislature to adopt a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Now, Carapetian is bringing that activist spirit to Glendale, where
he will serve as the Western Region’s liaison to elected officials.
And he joined the organization at the busiest time of the year,
during the weeks leading up to the commemoration this Saturday of the
Armenian Genocide.

“I’ve seen an office like this in D.C., but I’ve never been in a
position like this before,” Carapetian said. “There’s a bit of a
learning curve I’m going through right now. When you’re thrown into
the fire like this, you learn a lot.”

The ANC Western Region’s office is at 104 N. Belmont St., Suite 200.
For more information, call 500-1918.

UN COMMISSION URGES “FULL RESPECT” FOR RIGHTS IN TURKMENISTAN

Watan.ru web site, Moscow
18 Apr 04

The UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) urged the Turkmen government
“to ensure full respect for human rights and basic freedoms,
especially the right to express opinion,” a resolution adopted at the
UNCHR’s 60th annual session in Geneva on Thursday evening (15 April)
says.

The resolution, which was submitted by Western countries, has the
nature of an ultimatum. There was disagreement among members of the
commission during the vote (on the resolution). A total of 25
countries out of 53 voted for the adoption of the resolution, that is
less than half of the commission member states; 11 countries,
including Ukraine, voted against the resolution; 17 countries,
including Russia and Armenia, abstained.

The resolution expresses great alarm over “the restrictions on the
right to the freedom of information”, “the Turkmen government’s
discriminatory behaviour towards ethnic Russians, Uzbeks and other
minorities in the areas of education and employment”, “the retention
of a government policy which is based on the repression of political
activities”. The commission called on the Turkmen government “to
release all political prisoners without delay and any conditions”. It
also decided to continue consideration of the issue of human rights in
Turkmenistan at the 61st session.

AZERI DAILY URGES CLOSER TIES WITH ISRAEL

Zerkalo, Baku
17 Apr 04

Azerbaijani daily Zerkalo has praised several deputies for their calls
for closer cooperation with Israel at a recent parliament
session. Zerkalo said the government should not be afraid of
establishing closer ties with Israel for fear of Iran’s “wrath”
because the benefits would be much higher. The following is an excerpt
from Emin Mahmudov report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 17 April
headlined “I love you, even if you do not love me”; subheadings have
been inserted editorially:

It is good when our MPs remember political issues of state importance
not only when the presidential administration or the ruling party
gives a hint or “concessions” have to be made for the Council of
Europe or the shapeless mass, usually described as the Azerbaijani
opposition, has to be “lynched”. It appears that people in our
parliament can sometimes “raise their nose” above the papers which
come “from above” and which have to be endorsed even without
deliberation.

Several quite balanced statements were made in parliament yesterday
(16 April). The Milli Maclis (parliament) decided to open Azerbaijani
embassies in Canada, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, India, Belarus, Bulgaria
and Indonesia and a permanent representative office at the UNESCO in
Paris.

During the debates, MPs from the People’s Front Party Asim Mollazada
and Alimammad Nuriyev, the head of the Compatriot Party, Mais Safarli,
and the head of the United People’s Front Party, Qudrat Hasanquliyev,
said that it was necessary to open an Azerbaijani embassy in
Israel. They explained their proposal by the fact that Azerbaijan is
in the “same coalition” as this country in the antiterrorist fight. In
addition, Israel supports Azerbaijan’s positions on the international
arena. It was also noted that Israel was one of the first countries to
recognize Azerbaijan’s independence.

The opinion that the opening of the embassy could cause Iran’s
negative reaction was dismissed as “groundless”. The MPs recalled that
Iran was strengthening diplomatic relations with Armenia by the day.

(Passage omitted: former President Heydar Aliyev never paid visit to
Israel)

Islamic factor

But it is clear that the authorities, to put it mildly, are afraid of
the “Islamic wrath”. To put it even simpler, of the Iranian
government. Tehran has always been sensitive on the issue of
Azerbaijani-Israeli relations. It is no secret that Tehran does not
like the people of lands of promise. Anti-Semitism is the cornerstone
of the Iranian policy. What does Azerbaijan have to do with this?

While speaking loud about eternal friendship between the peoples of
Iran and Azerbaijan, the mullahs are still pursuing an openly
anti-Azerbaijan policy. The country, where 60 per cent of the
population are ethnic Azerbaijanis, has always been putting a spoke in
its northern neighbour’s wheel. It is no secret that Armenia would
have long “kicked the bucket” if not for Iran’s considerable
assistance and support. The Tehran government’s attitude to its own
citizens, ethnic Azerbaijanis, is also well-known. Reports are coming
in almost every day about Azerbaijanis in Iran being subjected to
total pressure. Moreover, everyone might still remember that Tehran
twice “attempted to facilitate the settlement” of the Karabakh
conflict as a mediator. During the first attempt the Xocali massacre
was committed, during the second we lost Susa.

Iran’s pressure

We are well aware of the kind of pressure Tehran puts on Azerbaijan
during the signing of oil contracts. There was a wide “range” of them
– from not recognizing contracts to not recognizing Azerbaijan’s right
to the fields and to the sector of Caspian which Tehran had made no
attempts to claim in Soviet times. This almost grew into an armed
conflict, when an Iranian boat almost grappled with an Azerbaijani
research vessel. Not to mention Iranian Air Force planes boldly flying
over Azerbaijani territory after that.

Things got more complicated as it went on. The construction of a major
gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia, the allocation of significant
Iranian grants for Yerevan and so on are on the agenda. The list is
infinite.

We wonder how sincere Islamists are when they speak about Muslim
solidarity and friendship against the background of supporting the
occupying regime of a country which invaded the territory of their
alleged ally.

Naturally, Azerbaijan does not have friendship with someone for
“nothing”. Iran is our access to Naxcivan and a route for exporting
and importing of some goods today. We also receive humanitarian aid on
a regular basis. That is it. Of course taking into account the fact
that Naxcivan is under blockade, this is quite a lot. But Baku has
always offered its “thanks”. Not verbal, but concrete “financial
thanks”.

What is Israel for Azerbaijan?

Naturally, as a small country Azerbaijan has to take into account
Iran’s opinion, as well as the opinion of Russia, the USA, Britain and
so on. A paradoxical situation arises. For some reason, the
Azerbaijani government can afford to ignore the opinion of its western
“beacons”, not to mention Russia. But the authorities “surrender” to
Iran whenever it comes to deepening cooperation with Israel. We can
add here that no-one blames Tehran (at least at the government level)
for rendering its comprehensive support of Yerevan. An independent
country has the right to determine its policies independently, but
Azerbaijan is not independent enough to boost ties with Tel Aviv (or
if you wish, Jerusalem which Israel believes is its capital).

If we compare the benefit that Azerbaijan gets from “surrendering” to
Iran with the benefit it gets from cooperating with Israel, we will be
“overwhelmed” by the difference. The author says the basis for that
was not what he heard, but what he saw in Israel.

What is Israel for Azerbaijan? First, it is the “headquarters” of the
most powerful lobby in the USA, which, incidentally, has always
supported Azerbaijan and promoted the abolishment of Section 907 (of
the Freedom Support Act banning direct US assistance to the Baku
government) by the Congress.

In addition, Israel is a country of high technologies, developed
medicine, electronics, advanced agriculture technologies, defence, so
on and so forth. This country is genuinely strives for friendship and
cooperation and is ready for that, which has more than once been
declared by its envoys in Baku. We think we should pay attention to
these benefits.

16 April 2004

Steven Mann Named Special Negotiator for Nagorno-Karabakh
Served as charge d’affaires in Armenia, ambassador to Turkmenistan

Secretary of State Colin Powell has named Steven R. Mann to be special
negotiator for Nagorno-Karabakh and Eurasian conflicts.

Ambassador Mann succeeds Ambassador Rudolf V. Perina.

Since May 2001, Mann has been senior adviser for Caspian Basin Energy
Diplomacy and will continue those responsibilities in his new position. He
also has served as the first charge d’affaires at the U.S. embassy in
Armenia and as U.S. ambassador to Turkmenistan.

Following is the State Department announcement on his appointment:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
April 16, 2004

MEDIA NOTE

Special Negotiator Named for Nagorno-Karabakh and Eurasian Conflicts

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell has named Ambassador Steven R. Mann to be
the Special Negotiator for Nagorno-Karabakh and Eurasian Conflicts,
succeeding Ambassador Rudolf V. Perina. Since May 2001, Ambassador Mann has
been the Senior Advisor for Caspian Basin Energy Diplomacy. As the senior
U.S. official dealing with Caspian energy issues, Ambassador Mann is
involved in realizing the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, in the launch
of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) line, and a range of other Eurasian
energy issues. Ambassador Mann will retain his Caspian energy
responsibilities while acting as Special Negotiator. In 2003, Ambassador
Mann joined the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq where he worked to
manage transition of the UN Oil-for-Food Program.

Ambassador Mann, from Pennsylvania, joined the Foreign Service in 1976. He
has served in a number of foreign and domestic assignments, including
Moscow, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Micronesia, and Mongolia. In January 1992,
Ambassador Mann conveyed the diplomatic note that established American
diplomatic relations with Armenia. He opened the first United States Embassy
in Yerevan and served as the first American Charge d’Affaires in that
nation. From 1998 to 2001, he was served as the U.S. Ambassador to
Turkmenistan.

In 1985-86, Ambassador Mann was a Fellow of the Harriman Institute for
Advanced Soviet Studies at Columbia University. He is a 1991 Distinguished
Graduate of the National War College. Ambassador Mann holds an A.B. degree
from Oberlin College and M.A. degrees from Cornell and Columbia
Universities. His foreign languages are Russian and German.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
Tel: 617-923-1918
Fax: 617-926-5525
[email protected]

The ANCA Desk
April 17, 2004

Contact: Arin Gregorian
617-923-1918; [email protected]

ONE VOTE REVISITED

Every so often around election time, ANCA Eastern Region urges Armenian
Americans to exercise their right and duty to vote. Our office receives a
phone call or two asking us if we really believe that one vote really
counts. The answer is absolutely.

Exercising your right to vote-at all levels of elections, from local to
national, primary to general-is extremely important.

Does your vote really matter? The answer is, Yes! In fact, one vote has
played a key role in the course of history in many elections. Here is proof:

* In May 1765, Patrick Henry introduced his famous anti-stamp tax resolution
to the Virginia House of Burgesses. One of the greatest patriots of the
American Revolution, Patrick Henry denounced England’s policy of taxation
without representation. His resolution was the first step toward America’s
independence, and the Virginia Assembly adopted the resolution that day-by
just one vote!

* In the presidential race of 1824, there were three major candidates, but
none gained the electoral college majority needed to win. The final decision
had to be made in the US House of Representatives. The House, voting by
states, required a clear majority (13 of the then 24 states) to win. John
Quincy Adams received 12 votes, seven for Andrew Jackson, and four voted for
Robert Crawford. New York held the key vote but had to delay casting its
ballot because its delegates were evenly divided between Adams and Jackson.
In the end, one vote was switched to Adams, which gave him the one state
vote he needed to become the sixth President of the United States.

* The purchase of Alaska from Russia was ratified in 1867 by just one vote.

* Texas was annexed to the Union in 1845 by just one vote in the US
Congress. That same vote also resulted in the United States’ acquisition of
Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, California, and part of Colorado.

* One of the most important-and least cited-one-vote decisions took place
shortly after the American Revolution. In 1776, one vote gave America the
English language instead of German.

* In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England.

* In 1868, Andrew Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives for
abusing his executive powers. He was tried in the US Senate, which found him
not guilty–by one vote.

* In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarch to a republic.

* In 1876, one vote in the Electoral College gave Rutherford B. Hayes the
Presidency of the United States.

* In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler leadership of the Nazi party.

* In 1960, Richard Nixon lost the presidential election and John F. Kennedy
won it by a margin of less than one vote per precinct.

* In 1968, Hubert Humphrey lost – and Richard Nixon won – the presidential
election by a margin of fewer than three votes per precinct.

* In 2000, the U.S. Presidential election was decided by an extremely narrow
margin. George W. Bush won the state of Florida by just 537 votes, making
him the next President of the United States. Close to 6 million voters went
to the polls in Florida. It might not have been one vote, but certainly
every vote counted!

*In 2001, the Mayoral election in Melrose, Massachusetts was decided by one
vote (Mayor Richard Lyons).

####

A1 Plus | 12:52:44 | 13-04-2004 | Politics |

SOLDIERS ATTACK DEMONSTRATORS

The military demanded people to go out from Baghramyan Avenue where Armenian
National Assembly and presidential residence sit. Demonstrators remained
adamant didn’t move.

Then, water-jets and afterward explosives were used against the protesters.
The opposition leaders Artashes Geghamyan, Stepan Demirchyan and Aram
Sargsyan stood in the front line.

Soldiers attacked demonstrators with batons. Frequent blasts rocked the site
leaving considerable number of wounded and the people got into a panic and
ran away.

Russia, Saint-Petersburg
Date: 2004.04.12 17:59
Rosbalt News Agency

With Majority Parties Staying Away, Armenia Parliament May Go Dark for 3
Days

EREVAN, April 12. The parties of Armenia’s ruling coalition decided Monday
to forgo attendance in parliament for the next three days. In a statement
from the three parties–Republican, Dashnaktsutyun and Orinats Yerkir–they
said they would desist from parliamentary work for three days, April 12-14,
so as not to artificially enflame political tensions.

The ruling coalition holds a large majority of the seats in parliament,
which the opposition has been boycotting.

Armenian opposition rally pledges to change power

Interfax news agency, Moscow
5 Apr 04

YEREVAN

A rally organized by Armenia’s opposition National Unity party was
held in Yerevan on Monday [5 April], an Interfax correspondent
reports.

The organizers claimed the rally had brought together about 10,000
protesters. The police said, however, that the number of demonstrators
was less than 2,000.

National Unity leader Artashes Gegamyan said that a change in
government is inevitable and imminent in Armenia.

Unidentified assailants broke several photo and video cameras being
used by the Armenian media, and eggs and fire-crackers were thrown at
demonstrators from the windows of neighbouring buildings.

The rally was protected by police.

The organizers announced that the temporarily-united opposition
organizations, the Justice coalition and the National Unity party,
will hold a national rally on Yerevan’s Freedom Square on 9 April.

The opposition leaders said that demonstrations and acts of
disobedience will be staged in April which, they said, will lead to a
change in government.

[Passage omitted: known details of arrests]

Text of Dashnaks’ call for Armenian authorities, opposition to begin dialogue

Yerkir web site, Yerevan
5 Apr 04

One of the parties in the Armenian coalition government has called on
the authorities and opposition to begin dialogue. The Armenian
Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun said in a statement on 5
April that the country was on the verge of open conflict. It blamed
the situation on “the opposition’s intolerant and extreme position of
political disobedience through non-recognition of the authorities’
legitimacy, on one hand, and the authorities’ reluctance to fully
engage the opposition in the key issues of the country on the
other”. The Dashnaks said that dialogue should lead to agreement on
real reforms, primarily on an election system that meets international
standards, constitutional reform to enhance democracy and a
comprehensive fight against corruption, the black economy and the clan
system. The following is the text of the report in English, as
published by Armenian newspaper Yerkir web site on 5 April;
subheadings inserted editorially:

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun held a news
conference on Monday [5 April] and issued a statement over the
political developments in Armenia. The following is the full text of
the statement.

Authorities and opposition to blame for current tension

The political tension in the republic approaches to the dangerous line
of open confrontation. The further escalation of the situation may
result in destabilization of the country, distort the image of the
state and stop the normal pace of the country’s development. Public
resentment resulting from socio-economic problems are politically
exploited with an aim to reach a political crisis and swift change of
power.

The tactics of creating political turmoil and environment of
intolerance produces unacceptable internal political relations.

The opposition’s intolerant and extreme position of political
disobedience through non-recognition of the authorities’ legitimacy on
one hand, and the authorities’ reluctance to fully engage the
opposition in the key issues of the country on the other hand, lie in
the heart of the current political tension.

The real reasons for the existing resentment are low efficiency of
solving the problems and hard social conditions. The Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) completely recognizes and acknowledges
its share of responsibility in this issue.

Political agreement needed

Today, we are in front of the imperative to prevent possible
confrontation, and the best way is to reach a political agreement. The
agreement should be based on awareness and readiness to jointly solve
the fundamental issues of the people. Any agreement will be possible
if only there is a will to ensure the opposition’s engagement in
solving the issues and meeting each other halfway.

Taking into account the complexity of the relations in the internal
political life, as well as the degree of the divergence of positions,
we are offering a mechanism of reaching an agreement.

To discuss the possibility of reaching such an agreement, there should
be a dialogue without pursuing demands that are unacceptable for the
other side. Steps that would divide the society into friends and
enemies, and actions leading to clashes should be avoided.

A dialogue would be fruitful if the following principles are kept:

the dialogue should be legally based on the Armenian Constitution and
laws;

the actions of the sides should be strictly within the laws and
constitutional order;

both sides should moderate their positions;

There should be no winners and losers in the dialogue: either we all
win and ensure rapid and stable development of the country, or we all
lose and face devastating consequences of civil clash.

The intention to ensure real and guaranteed reforms in the country and
in people’s life should be the subject of the agreement. Following
priority issues should be included in the agreement:

an election system entirely meeting international standards should be
formed;

constitutional reforms to enhance democratic mechanisms should be
implemented;

a comprehensive fight against corruption, black economy and clan
system should be carried out.

To guarantee the efficiency of implementing the agreement, the
opposition’s participation should be ensured. It can be in form of the
opposition’s inclusion in the Security Council, in fight against
corruption, as well as making it possible to adopt constitutional and
election reforms through consensus, and other options and solutions
depending on the degree of the agreement.

It is necessary to use the remaining time efficiently for voluntary
concessions. Otherwise, the entire responsibility for future
confrontation will be laid on the side that missed the chance of
agreement. Further developments will force the political forces to
make concessions, anyway.

The political coalition should become the one in charge and the
guarantor of the dialogue and agreement.

The ARF strictly condemns any actions that might push the country to
unpredictable external and internal consequences, and firmly stands in
the positions of maintaining the law and constitutional order; it is
ready to back any constructive initiatives in favour of guaranteed
political reforms and political reconciliation.

Kavkaz Center, Turkey
April 1 2004

Georgia overrun by Jews and Armenians?

Georgian Labor Party claims that the days of ‘black tyranny’ have
come to Georgia. In this connection Georgian Labourists are starting
the fight against ‘tyranny of Saakovism’. This is the statement that
leader of the Labor Party of Georgia Shalva Natelashvili made during
a press conference in Georgian capital Tbilisi, which was broadcast
live by a number of TV channels. While speaking about ‘Saakovism’,
Natelashvili was apparently hinting at Saakashvili’s Armenian ethnic
background.

«Laborists are launching the fight against the tyranny of Saakovism»,
Natelashvili said. He claims that «a dark antinational tyranny is
being established in the country, whose goal is to ruin the Georgian
state. Gloomy period is starting in Georgia, when everything that is
left will be sold out», News-Georgia information agency quotes
Natelashvili as saying.

«The period is starting when education will be destroyed, and when
the culture, the faith and Orthodoxy will be defiled. The epoch is
starting when they will try to make a new mass out of us, – an easily
manageable stratum, which will be representing a planned and exported
product of ideology and culture», the Labor leader claims.

News-Georgia reported that Natelashvili claims that «these processes
are run by Jewish and Armenian lobbies from across the ocean». At the
same time the Labor leader mentioned that he does not mean the people
of these ethnic backgrounds, ‘our brothers’ living in Georgia.

But «these plans are not going to come true», Natelashvili promised,
because «national movement of great resistance is starting today».
«Once the Labor Party has raised this banner, it will succeed in
liberating Georgia from these extraneous bodies», the party’s leader
mentioned in his speech.

«The day is drawing near when Georgia will get rid of the
Shevardnadze heritage and of bacilli and parasites bred by Soros, who
wish to rule over the Georgian people by terror, fear and by rigging
the elections», Natelashvili said.

«You are not going to make it. You are doomed. Yesterday and today
are the first days of your political death», – these are the words
which the Labor leader said at the press conference.

News-Georgia points out that at the same time Natelashvili also
claimed that during the March 28 parliamentary elections in Georgia
«voting results were grossly falsified» and «all efforts were made
not to let the Labourists into the country’s supreme legislative
body».

«Mikhail Saakashvili has virtually fulfilled the promise that he gave
that the Labor Party would not be admitted into the Parliament»,
Natelashvili claims.

As he put it, «the system of falsifications has been prepared ever
since the day of the so-called velvet revolution by Soros». At the
same time the leader of Labourists said that the current
parliamentary elections are «illegitimate, and so was the dismissal
of the half of the parliament, elected on November 2, 2003».

«Today Georgia has virtually been privatized by two billionaires:
Soros from across the ocean and Patarkatsishvili locally. This is the
entire political spectrum of Georgia. These two want to turn the
entire Georgia into an area of their business interests»,
Natelashvili said.

He added, «the Labor Party is not the force to yield to anyone or to
sell itself to anyone».

It must only be added that the leader of Georgia’s Labor Party made
this statement virtually at the same time when Washington was
welcoming ‘free elections in Georgia’ and announced it was pleased
with the level of openness and democracy.

Department of Strategic Information,

Kavkaz-Center