Author: Hovhannisian John

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
March 24, 2004

Contact: Ardashes Kassakhian
Telephone: 818.500.1918

ANCA LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS TO SPONSOR MAJOR KERRY CAMPAIGN EVENT

LOS ANGELES, CA – National, regional and local leaders and supporters
of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) are sponsoring a
major fundraiser in Beverly Hills for Democratic presidential
candidate, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

The event, which will be held on March 30th at the home of noted Los
Angeles businessman Ron Burkle, will feature a concert by James Taylor
and remarks by former Secretary of State William Christopher. ANCA
supporters are among the leading contributors for the event, which is
expected to collect over half a million dollars for the Kerry
campaign.

“We have been encouraged by the enthusiastic outpouring of support for
the Senator and the growing interest in his campaign from all segments
of the Armenian American community,” said ANCA-Western Region Chairman
Raffi Hamparian. “We have, for more than two decades, known of
Senator Kerry’s principled leadership on issues of concern to our
community. We look forward to doingall we can to share his excellent
record with Armenian American voters in the weeks and months before
the November 2nd election.’

Senator Kerry, during his long tenure in the U.S. House and Senate,
has consistently been a leading advocate of issues of concern to
Armenian Americans. As a U.S. Senator, Kerry has forcefully fought
for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He is currently a
cosponsor of the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164, and he voted, in
1990, on the Senate floor for Senator Bob Dole’s (R-KS) Genocide
Resolution.

Meeting with ANCA-WR Executive Director Ardashes Kassakhian and ANC
activist Mihran Toumajan last September, the Senator acknowledged the
support of many Armenian Americans during his political career. On
the issue of the Genocide Resolution, which specifically references
the Armenian Genocide, the Senator promised continued advocacy. “It
is called justice, and we will get there together,” pledged Senator
Kerry. “I was incensed when the Turkish lobby and its allies
disrupted the bill in the Senate before,” Kerry added, referring to
the 1990 vote on Sen. Dole’s Genocide Resolution.

The Massachusetts Senator has been a vocal and effective champion of
stronger U.S.-Armenia relations and has consistently backed
legislative initiative to increase aid and expand trade with Armenia.
He is currently a cosponsor of legislation, S.1557, which would grant
Armenia permanent normal trade relations status.

Significantly, Senator Kerry has spearheaded a number of initiatives
to lift the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades. In 1991, he was the
lead sponsor of legislation, which was later enacted as Section 907 of
the Freedom Support Act, that restricted U.S. aid to the government of
Azerbaijan until it lifted its blockades of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh. He also worked for the adoptionof the Humanitarian Aid
Corridor Act, which called for U.S. aid to Turkey to be cut off unless
Turkey lifted its blockade of Armenia. As recently as this January,
Senator Kerry formally called on President Bush to press the visiting
Prime Minister of Turkey to lift his nation’s illegal blockade of
Armenia.

First elected in 1984 from Massachusetts, Sen. Kerry is currently
serving a fourth term in the US Senate, where he represents one of the
largest Armenian American communities. He serves on the Senate
Finance Committee, the Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the
Subcommittee on Central Asia and South Caucasus.

For two differing perspectives on the Bush Administration’s record on
Armenian American issues, visit:

* Armenian American Democratic Leadership Council

* National Organization of Republican Armenians

#####

US Congress working group on Azerbaijan officially registered

ANS TV, Baku
27 Mar 04

A working group on Azerbaijan has been officially registered in the US
Congress. The co-chairmen of the group are Republican Congressman Curt
Weldon from Pennsylvania and Democrat Congressman Solomon Otis from
Texas, Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev, who is on a visit to
the USA, and co-chairman Curt Weldon have said.

According to them, the newly-established group will promote
Azerbaijan’s interests in Congress.

It must be remembered that the two congressmen led a delegation of US
congressmen who visited Azerbaijan in August 2003. Although the
composition of the working group has not been disclosed yet, 20 or 30
members of the House of Representatives and Senate are expected to
join it. To recap, among the post-Soviet countries, only working
groups on Ukraine and Armenia have been operating in the US Congress
so far, according to Azartac news agency.

“What will happen to us?” – Emotional protest at the Melkonian

Cyprus Mail
Thursday, March 25, 2004

By By Alex Mita

MOST of the old graduates protesting outside the Melkonian School
yesterday could only utter a few words before bursting in tears when
asked how they felt at the prospect of it closing down.

The institute, founded in 1926, has been the centre of Armenian
culture on the island for nearly 80 years. Now, it appears set to
close next June after a decision by the US-based board that
administers the school.

A young boy stood next to his mother holding a sign asking: “what will
happen to me?”

Next to the gates of the school, an old woman sat watching what could
be the last generation of Melkonian students stand silently at the
gates in their red sweaters, holding signs asking why their school was
being closed down.

Hrip Titanian has cancer, but the pain of watching her life’s memories
sacrificed was harder to bear than that of her terminal disease. “I
lived most of my life here,” she told the Cyprus Mail as tears rolled
down her face.

“I got engaged here and I got married here. I have cancer, and the
decision to close this place down hurt me so much that I got out of my
bed and came here to protest against their decision to close the
school down.

“I was a student in 1945 and I lived here until 1965. My father worked
as a caretaker for 35 years. We were the ones that took care of this
school, that made sure everything was in order, and now?”

“That’s all I want to say,” she broke off.

Manouk Tachouchian graduated in 1956, and moved back to Cyprus after
spending most of his mature life in London. He could barely speak
about the memories of his time as a student, his friends and what the
school meant to him.

“This also used to be a church,” he said.

“How can they sell a church, I can’t explain it, it’s just sad and
illogical. “I have so many memories at Melkonian, I was here for five
years. We had people from all over the world, from Syria, from Egypt,
Lebanon and from Armenia.

“And when now we see each other after all these years we feel like we
are seeing our brothers and sisters.

Markar Sarafian is 75 and graduated from Melkonian in 1948. Born in
Istanbul, he came to Cyprus in 1939 barely speaking a word of English
or Greek.

“I am 75, but my heart beats like a young man, perhaps faster when
Melkonian is mentioned,” he said.

“I don’t want this centre of culture, which served the Armenian people
worldwide, this light of the Armenian community to be put out. “It
will be a disaster for the Armenian people, a black day for Cyprus if
this place is destroyed.

“But this will not end, we are all united to see that decision to
close it down is rescinded and the quicker it’s done the better,
because the mother organisation AGBU’s reputation will be in tatters.”

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2004

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 24, 2004 Wednesday

Armenian govt to support Russian bank’s projects

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The Armenian government confirmed its readiness to support all
efforts of Russia’s Vneshtorgbank to develop the financial and
banking system in this Transcaucasian country.

Vneshtorgbank has acquired the controlling block of shares in
Armenia’s savings bank, Armsberbank.

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan said after a meeting with
Vneshtorgbank CEO Andrei Kostin on Wednesday that it was the first
example of official participation of a Russian bank in the Armenian
banking system.

Margaryan believes that the deal will strengthen traditional economic
ties and trade between Armenia and Russia, the government press
service told Itar-Tass.

Kostin said Vneshtorgbank would take serious steps to develop
Armsberbank, to improve the quality of services to the population,
encourage investment programmes, and boost bilateral economic and
trade ties.

According to Kostin, political stability in Armenia, economic growth,
the government’s economic policy, and liberal banking legislation
bode well for these efforts.

In his view, Vneshtorgbank’s operations in Armenia will help boost
public trust in the Armenian banking sector.

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Office in Yerevan
22 March 2004

OSCE Office assists Armenia to attract foreign investment at London event
YEREVAN, 22 March 2004 – Perspectives of the Armenian Mining Industry were
the focus of discussions at the International Investment Forum held last
week in London. The Forum was organized jointly by the OSCE Office in
Yerevan, the Armenian Ministry of Trade and Economic Development and the
Association of Mining Analysts of London.

The event, held on 17 March, gathered more than 40 representatives of
international mining and financial institutions, international
organizations, Armenian Government officials and the management of Armenian
mining enterprises.

Karen Chshmarityan, Armenian Minister of Trade and Economic Development,
introduced the participants to the Armenian investment climate, legislation
and the policies of his government to create an investment- friendly
environment.

“Private investment, as a priority for Armenia’s industrial and economic
development, enjoys an open-door policy and equal legal standards for
domestic and foreign businesses,” he said.

He elaborated on the intention of the Government to privatize the Zangezur
copper molybdenum mining enterprise located in the Syunik province of
Armenia.

Foreign investors who already do business in Armenia and representatives of
international organizations shared their experiences and underlined the
positive attitude of the Government towards foreign investors.

The potential privatization of Zangezur is estimated to be worth several
million dollars in new investments and will have a tremendous impact on the
entire Armenian economy, as well as on the Syunik province in particular,
where the OSCE Office has already launched a project promoting
socio-economic development.

The Forum was a practical result of the OSCE New Strategy Document for the
Economic and Environmental Dimension (Maastricht, 2003) and recommendations
of the 2nd Preparatory Seminar for the Economic Forum (Dublin, 2004), where
the OSCE recognized that “foreign and domestic investments, including in
industry, is a necessary condition for sustainable and environmentally sound
economic growth, general well-being and stability.”

Hazardous Duty: Another conscript dies at the hands of a “comrade”
ArmeniaNow.com
March 19, 2004

By Zhanna Alexanyan ArmeniaNow reporter
Another member of the Armenian army has died from wounds inflicted by a
fellow soldier.
The soldier is memorialized in his village home.

Eighteen year old Artur Grigoryan is the latest casualty of
soldier-against-soldier violence. Armenian soldiers kill each other at an
average of nearly one per week.

Private Grigoryan,
who was
conscripted last November, three days after his 18 th birthday, died March 2
at the Erebuni Medical Center from wounds inflicted by an officer.

Family and witnesses say that Lieutenant Colonel Hovaness Yeritsyan beat
Griogoryan with his fists, then struck his head against a metal bar and an
iron gate. The incident took place February 17 and Grigoryan died two weeks
later of complications resulting from wounds.

An officer who says he witnessed the incident told Grigoryan’s family that
Yeritsyan beat the soldier for smoking and for loud laughter.

According to relatives, friends and acquaintances of Grigoryan, the
following took place:

A group of soldiers was standing in the yard of the Unit 5165, a detachment
of the National Security Ministry, stationed in Yerevan. When the group saw
the Lieutenant Colonel approach, it dispersed. Grigoryan and a friend went
and stood behind a truck.

“What are you doing, playing cat and mouse?”, Yeritsyan allegedly said and
began striking Grigoryan.

According to Grigoryan’s 25-year old brother, Ashot: “He hit Artur’s face
several times and his beret flew off. When Artur tried to bend down to pick
up his beret the officer hit a heavy blow on my brother’s head while he was
bent over. Then he grabbed his collar and hit his head on a metal bar three
times. But it was not enough for him. He also violently hit Artur’s head on
an iron gate two times.”

Artur Grigoryan had attended Ashot’s wedding two days before the incident,
and as Ashot drove him back to his post, he says the younger Grigoryan had
no complaints about his army experience.

“My brother was satisfied with his military service. He used to say
everything was normal,” says Ashot.

Anahit Grigoryan has lost a husband, a daughter and, now, a son.
Yeritsyan has been put under military detention, charged with “excess of
official power” and a criminal investigation could lead to charges for which
a guilty verdict is three to eight years in prison.

Upon being taken into the army, Grigoryan was assigned to a special forces
unit, primarily because of his size: 1.85 centimeters (about 6 feet, 1 inch)
and weight was 98 kilograms (about 216 pounds).

Though he complained of headaches, Grigoryan continued on duty for a week,
until he passed out on February 24 and was taken to hospital and two days
later moved to the neuro-psychiatric department. It was not until the next
day that his family learned that Givorgyan was in hospital, told that he had
an infection.

“They were hiding the truth from us until the very end. First they said he
had suffered an epileptic seizure, then they said he had a swelling in his
head and then their final diagnosis was infection,” says his mother, Anahit.
“They tried to prove that my child had been sick before being called up for
military service but my son was very healthy. I never saw him sick since he
was a child.”

Relatives say that they were not informed of the severity of Grigoryan’s
condition. They say they were denied frequent visits, always with the excuse
that Grigoryan was sleeping. But Grigoryan had relatives in the same unit,
who told the family of what had happened and Grigoryan later confirmed their
account.

“If we knew everything was so serious we would have invited a medical
consensus from other specialists. Maybe they would have saved my child’s
life. We didn’t realize that they were lying to us,” the mother says. “For
hushing up the affair and set our minds at rest they made an operation. But
the operation was made on the wrong part of the head, not on the part where
blows were hit.”

According to forensic pathologist Shota Vardanyan, an autopsy revealed that
the soldier died as a result of trauma to the brain.

“Artur confirmed in Erebuni hospital that (Yeritsyan) beat him and hit his
head on a metal bar,” Anahit says. “I said, ‘Artur-jan, is it true? Has
something like that happened to you?’ And he said, ‘ma-jan, yes, it is
true.’ But I couldn’t imagine this could happen as a result of the blow.”

In fact, Vardanyan says that if Grigoryan had remained still in the days
after the incident, the injury probably would not have been fatal.

A few days ago an officer from the unit visited the boys home, requesting
medical documents and asking questions about the incident. Family members
fear that military prosecutors will manipulate evidence to conclude that
Grigoryan’s death was not a result of the beating.

His school director (left center) says Artur “never used his strength
against weak people”.
According to the Minister of Defense, last year 40 Armenian soldiers were
killed by other Armenian soldiers. (The Military Prosecutor’s Office put the
number at 48.) A total of 116 murders occurred throughout the republic,
meaning that about one-third of all homicides occurred in the army.

If cases are prosecuted, verdicts typically find in favor of the army,
leading loved ones suspicious of military justice and others fearful of the
day when their sons will have to face conscription.

Anahit Grigoryan compared her son’s death to the recent murder of an
Armenian army officer in Budapest by an Azerbaijani military officer.

“In Hungary, an Armenian officer was murdered by an enemy and the enemy was
judged, political opinions were expressed. But here, in this case, an
Armenian officer killed an Armenian soldier, who will judge him? He must be
regarded as a betrayer to his homeland,” says the victim’s mother.

The Grigoryans, a family of machine operators, is from the village of Melik
, about 45 miles northwest of Yerevan . The father died in an automobile
accident in 1993 and a teenage daughter died of a disease. Residents of
Melik say Artur and Ashot Grigoryan had been family breadwinners since Artur
was 14.

Director of Melik village school Artur Ghevondyan, described his former
student as “a boy who lived in hard social conditions and lost his father,
had always been depressed. He was never active. He was very strong but he
never used his strength against weak people. ”

Ghevondyan is proud that, despite widespread concern among parents about
sending their sons being conscripted, there has never been a draft-dodger
from Melik.

“We teach our children that this is our country and our statehood and we
encourage them to go and serve in the army,” he says. “Soon the spring draft
starts. With what heart do you now think we are going to send our boys to
the army?”

Copyright ArmeniaNow 2002-2003. All rights reserved.
Articles may be reproduced, provided ArmeniaNow is cited as the source.

Chessbase News, Germany
March 19 2004

Boy meets Beast in Reykjavik

19.03.2004 It was a dream pairing for the organizers. 13-year-old
Norwegian Magnus Carlsen faced legend Garry Kasparov in the first
round of this Icelandic rapid knock-out event. The result was
predictable but it was closer than you’d think. Most of the other
favorites also advanced to the second round. Report and games.

It’s been over a decade since Garry Kasparov, Nigel Short, and
Anatoly Karpov played each other in the same tournament. Now they are
reunited for four days in Iceland where they are the top attractions
at the Reykjavik Rapid. That is, the top attractions other than
13-year-old Norwegian cherub Magnus Carlsen, who is fresh-faced and
fresh off two Grandmaster norm results in two months at Corus and
Aeroflot.

Carlsen had the chance of a lifetime after the blitz tournament
pairing method left him in 15th position, meaning he had second seed
Garry Kasparov in the first round of the tournament proper! We don’t
recall another event using a tournament to determine the pairings for
a tournament, but it’s certainly more interesting than picking
ice-cubes out of a hat. Armenia’s Lev Aronian dominated the blitz,
including a win over Kasparov. Carlsen made the papers by beating
Karpov.

That was pretty much the end of the good news for the Scandinavian
participants. Denmark’s Nielsen was the only one to survive to the
second round. Carlsen pressed Kasparov with white but was held to a
draw and then smashed in the second game. The four local participants
were swept from the field, including top Icelander and former world
championship candidate Johann Hjartson, who lost to Timman. That was
the only rating upset of day one, and not much of an upset
considering Timman’s credentials.

Round one results – Thu. March 18
(Player on left has white in first game. Player in bold advances. Tie
matches go to sudden death blitz.)

Helgi Olafsson Levon Aronian 0-1 0-1
Magnus Carlsen Garry Kasparov ½-½ 0-1
Igor-Alexander Nataf Emil Sutovsky 0-1 ½-½
Margeir Petursson Alexey Dreev 0-1 ½-½
Hannes Stefansson Anatoly Karpov 1-0 0-1
Vladimir Epishin Peter Heine Nielsen 0-1 0-1
Johann Hjartarson Jan Timman 0-1 ½-½
Nigel Short Stefan Kristjansson ½-½ 1-0

Round two pairings – Fri. March 19

Nigel Short Levon Aronian
Jan Timman Garry Kasparov
Peter Heine Nielsen Emil Sutovsky
Anatoly Karpov Alexei Dreev

Karpov got through in a blitz tiebreaker but he could have ended
things earlier. The games are played with 25 minutes and a five
second increment. That is supposed to eliminate the worse of the
blunders, but then how to explain this?

Stefansson – Karpov, game 1 after 47…Qb8

48.Rc2 or 48.Qb1 would have provided the back-rank protection White
needs before winning with his passed pawns. Instead, Stefansson
blundered with 48.Rb1?? which should have allowed Karpov to escape
with a draw after 48…Rd1+ 49.Re1 Rxb1 50.Rxb1 Qd8!.

Karpov missed the draw with 48…R3d5?? and now White should give up
the a-pawn to consolidate with 49.Qc2 Rxa5 50.Ree1! and the b-pawn
should still be decisive.

But Stefansson saw and raised Karpov’s blunder with 49.Qc3??. Now
Black should actually win after 49…Rd1+ 50.Re1 Rxb1 51.Rxb1 Rd1+!
52.Rxd1 Qxb7+ 53.Kg1 Qg2 mate.

Instead, Karpov made the final blunder with 49…Rd3?? and resigned
after 50.Qc8, when there is no defense.

The Times (London)
March 17, 2004, Wednesday

MGM to pay Las Vegas billionaire $ 1.6bn dividend

James Doran Wall Street Correspondent

Kirk Kerkorian, the billionaire Las Vegas casino and hotel magnate,
is poised for a big win in Hollywood as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the
movie studio he controls, contemplates paying him a special dividend
worth as much as $ 1.6 billion (£880 million).

MGM said on Monday that it was seriously considering a one-off
payment to shareholders to keep them happy.

The company does not have very many shareholders to placate, however,
as Mr Kerkorian owns 74 per cent of the 235 million shares in
circulation.

Sources close to the movie studio behind the James Bond franchise
said that the company was considering a payment of between $ 6 and $
9 a share. Such a paymentwould reap between $ 1 billion and $ 1.6
billion for Mr Kerkorian.

If MGM pays out at the highest end of expectations Mr Kerkorian will
see his $ 3.4 billion fortune swell to $ 5 billion.

MGM has been under pressure to offer a bonus to investors since it
failed to buy the entertainment assets of Vivendi Universal, the
French utility company, that were eventually bought by NBC, the US
broadcaster.

Alex Yemenidjian, the MGM chairman and chief executive, said in a
statement that the company had not made a decision about the special
dividend, which would mark the first shareholder payout since the
company floated in 1997.

But he added: “Our management remains committed to sharing the
company’s wealth with our shareholders.”

Mr Kerkorian, 86, has bought and sold MGM and pieces of it many times
over the past 35 years. It is estimated that he has invested some $ 3
billion in the company in total.

While the special dividend is the most likely course of action for
MGM, analysts believe the company is still considering other options
in its bid to keep Mr Kerkorian happy.

Many have said that the movie studio, which is awash with cash, could
seek to go private, or pursue a sale.

MGM’s 2003 revenues were about $ 1.7 billion, mainly because of
successful DVD sales of the films Legally Blonde 2: Red White and
Blonde and Jeepers Creepers 2.

The company retired all its debt last year and saw record cash flow
of about $ 193 million. It expects $ 600 million to $ 900 million of
free cash flow until2006.

Mr Kerkorian is said to prefer some sort of share-based transaction
because such a deal would be more tax advantageous.

The billionaire investor has not always been the consummate dealmaker
he is today.

The son of Armenian immigrants, he dropped out of school at the age
of nine to become a street newspaper vendor.

He ran away to become a pilot in the RAF during the Second World War
before returning to America to set up a private airline.

Today he is the 97th richest man in the world and owner of the MGM
Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas through his investment company,
which is named Tracinda Corporation after his daughters Tracy and
Linda.

The Times
March 17, 2004

Raymond Keene

Double Jeopardy

Continuing my series to accompany the Petrosian Memorial event currently in
progress, here are two devastating victories from the Armenian champion’s
early career.

White: Tigran Petrosian
Black: Victor Korchnoi
Leningrad 1946
Dutch Defense

1 d4 e6 2 Nf3 f5 3 g3 Nf6 4 Bg2 d5 5 0-0 Bd6 6 c4 c6 7 b3 0-0 8 Ba3

This move removes a key defender of the vulnerable e5-square. After the
recapture by the knight on a3, this piece is well placed to transfer to d3,
where it eyes this weak square.

8 … Bxa3 9 Nxa3 Qe8 10 Nc2 Qh5 11 Qc1

An excellent move, covering a number of important dark squares. White also
has the long term idea to target c7.

11 … Ne4 12 Nce1 g5 13 Nd3 Nd7 14 Nfe5 Kh8 15 f3 Nd6 16 e4

White has already won the positional battle and now opens the game decisively
with this thematic advance. Black is now in big trouble as can be seen from
the variation 16 … dxe4 17 fxe4 fxe4 18 Rxf8+ Nxf8 19 Qa3 exd3 20 Qxd6 Kg8
21 Rfl and the black position caves in.

16 … Nf7 17 cxd5 18 exd5 exd5 20 f4

Petrosian has comprehensively outplayed the future World Championship
challenger and Black is now quite lost.

20 … Rd8 21 Qc7 b6 22 fxg5 Ba6 23 Nf4 Black resigns.

White: Tigran Petrosian
Black: Alexander Tolush
Moscow 1950
Queen’s Gambit Declined

1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 d5 4 d4 c6 5 cxd5 exd5 6 Qc2 Bd6 7 Bg5 0-0 8 e3 Bg4 9
Ne5 Bh5 10 f4 Qa5 11 Bd3 h6

This is a blunder allowing White an overwhelming attach. Much better is 11
… Ne4.

12 Bxf6 gxf5 13 g4 fxe5 14 fxe5 Be7 15 0-0-0 Bg5 16 gxh5 Kh8 17 Qf2 f5 18 h4
Be7 19 Qf4 Black resigns.

Armenian, Georgian presidents pleased with first meeting

Mediamax news agency
12 Mar 04

YEREVAN

The presidents of Armenia and Georgia, Robert Kocharyan and Mikheil
Saakashvili, are pleased with their first meeting that took place in
Yerevan today.

Speaking at a briefing in Yerevan, the Armenian and Georgian leaders
said that they had discussed mutual relations, regional and
international problems.

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said that he and Mikheil
Saakashvili had agreed that the leaders of the two countries would
meet often, moreover not only in the course of visits or within the
framework of international forums. “We have also decided to have
informal contact,” Robert Kocharyan said.

Saakashvili said that his “impression was exclusively positive” of
Robert Kocharyan. “Armenia is fortunate to have such a president,”
Saakashvili said. He believes that Robert Kocharyan is “an ideal
partner” for Georgia.