Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT CAN BE CONSIDERED SETTLED: HRANT KHACHATRYAN

YEREVAN, JULY 21. ARMINFO. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be
considered settled, as Nagorny Karabakh is free and independent,
Chairman of the opposition party “Constitutional Right Union” (CRU)
Hrant Khachatryan told a press conference at the National Press Club.

According to him, as far back as 1989 the Supreme Soviet of the
Armenian SSR adopted a resolution that Nagorny Karabakh was an
integral part of Armenia. Thereafter, the entire world recognized
Armenia’s independence, and, according to the 1989 resolution, Nagorny
Karabakh was part of it, Khachatryan said. On the other hand, he
stressed that Nagorny Karabakh is not a geographically clear-cut
territory, and its borders were determined during the liberation war
in 1988-1994, when the Armenian side succeeded in liberating a number
of regions neighboring on Nagorny Karabakh. Khachatryan also expressed
the opinion that the international community will not during next 2-3
years pressure the conflicting parties into settling the conflict as
soon as possible. According to the CRU leader, the superpowers are not
concerned with whether Nagorny Karabakh will be part of Azerbaijan or
of Armenia. The most important for them is that the conflict be
settled, as the international community views Nagorny Karabakh as a
hotbed of instability. Khachatryan also stressed that the Armenian
people will not retreat in the issue of Nagorny Karabakh, irrespective
of what position the country’s authorities assume.

Xinhua News Agency – French
July 19, 2004 Monday

Le Premier ministre turc entame une visite en France

ANKARA

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a quitte lundi Ankara
pour une visite a Paris pour essayer de convaincre les dirigeants
francais de soutenir les efforts de la Turquie de rejoindre l’Union
europeenne, a rapporte l’agence de presse turque Anatolie.

Le chef du gouvernement turc souhaite obtenir le feu vert de l’UE sur
l’ouverture des negociations avec la Turquie apres le sommet de l’UE
en decembre prochain.

La visite de M. Erdogan est destinee egalement a reparer les
relations entre Ankara et Paris, qui se sont refroidies apres que la
France eut reconnu le “genocide” en Armenie.

L’Armenie accuse les Turcs d’avoir tue 1,5 million d’Armeniens entre
1915 et 1923, alors que la Turquie a affirme que ces chiffres sont
exageres et que les victimes ont ete tuees dans des emeutes.

Selon le quotidien francais “Liberation”, Ankara considere la France
comme le plus grand obstacle a l’ouverture des negociationssur son
adhesion a l’UE.

L’Union europeenne appelle la Turquie a ameliorer la situation des
droits de l’Homme avant d’ouverture les pourparlers sur son adhesion
a l’union.

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
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
E-mail: [email protected]

HOUSE PAVES WAY FOR SECURITY PARITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
ADOPTS AMENDMENT TO FOREIGN OPERATIONS BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly praised the House of Representatives
for its resounding vote Thursday in support of maintaining military aid
parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The 365-41 vote, which upheld an earlier House Appropriations Committee
decision granting $5 million each in military financing to both countries,
reinstated parity in the FY 2005 Foreign Operations bill despite the Bush
Administration’s initial request of $8 million to Azerbaijan and only $2
million to Armenia.

Thursday’s vote also approved “not less than” $65 million in economic aid to
Armenia, an increase of $3 million over the Administration’s FY 2005 budget
request. An additional $5 million in humanitarian assistance for Nagorno
Karabakh was also allocated. The Administration did not propose any
assistance for Karabakh.

Once the Senate completes its action on the Foreign Operations bill, a joint
House-Senate Conference will meet to reconcile differences before sending it
to the White House for enactment.

“We applaud the House, along with Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim
Kolbe (R-AZ) and his Subcommittee for maintaining equal security assistance
between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said Assembly Board of Directors Chairman
Anthony Barsamian, who has recently visited Armenia and the region to
discuss key issues with government officials, including the question of
parity and the level of military aid to Armenia.

“We are especially thankful to Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) for taking the lead to reinstate U.S. balance and impartiality in
this matter,” Barsamian said.

Shortly before the vote, the House passed and included in the FY 2005
Foreign Operations bill an amendment introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
prohibiting Turkey from using U.S. foreign aid funds in its ongoing campaign
to derail legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Rep. Schiff underlined the importance of
his amendment, and said:

“Today I offer a simple amendment that will honor the one and a half million
Armenians who perished in the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and 1923. I consider
this a sacred obligation to ensure that the men, women and children who
perished in the Armenian Genocide are not lost.”

Fellow Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., co-chairman of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, praised the House for approving the Schiff
amendment and said:

“The passage of this amendment is a major victory. It clearly sends a
message that the United States House of Representatives will not tolerate
Turkey’s lobbying against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Schiff amendment reads as follows:

“SEC. 576: None of the funds made available in this Act may be used by the
Government of Turkey to engage in contravention of section 1913 of title 18,
United States Code, relating to lobbying with appropriated monies, with
respect to H. Res. 193, Reaffirming support of the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and anticipating the 15th
anniversary of the enactment of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act
of 1987 (the Proxmire Act) on November 4, 2003.”

Earlier, also addressing the House before the vote, Rep. Knollenberg
emphasized the importance of parity in U.S. military assistance to Armenia
and Azerbaijan and said:

“Unfortunately, Armenia is a land-locked country surrounded by nations that
are hostile to it.  Because transportation routes into Armenia are sealed,
the Armenian economy is being strangled.  Therefore, it is appropriate for
the United States to provide substantial economic assistance.  This bill
provides $65 million in economic assistance for Armenia, which is an
increase above the Administration’s request.”
“We must also be very careful with the military assistance we provide to the
South Caucasus.  I believe it is absolutely critical to maintain complete
parity in military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan – and I am pleased
that this bill does exactly that,” he said.
In a letter dated February 10th of this year and sent to the 131 members of
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and 35 Senators, the Assembly
said that providing asymmetrical military assistance to Azerbaijan will not
only “have a potentially destabilizing effect on the South Caucasus,” but
also “damage U.S. credibility as an impartial and leading mediator in the
ongoing sensitive peace negotiations for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.”

Knollenberg, in remarks last month, said “parity in military assistance to
Armenia and Azerbaijan is absolutely critical to maintaining the careful
balance between the two countries. We cannot settle for anything less. I’m
also pleased we were able to increase military assistance to Armenia to $5
million in order to help them modernize their equipment.”

This April, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Caucus
member John E. Sweeney (R-NY), along with over 40 of their congressional
colleagues, wrote to Chairman Kolbe urging that the subcommittee maintain
symmetry in levels of any military/security assistance for Armenia and
Azerbaijan. In addition, they requested “not less than” $75 million in
economic assistance for Armenia and an additional $5 million in humanitarian
assistance for Nagorno Karabakh in FY 2005. The Assembly strongly supported
this initiative by urging Members to sign on to this letter during its
advocacy portion of its National Conference and via a nationwide Action
Alert.

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#2004-067

Armenian press distorts OSCE mediators’ remarks – Azeri analyst

MPA news agency
15 Jul 04

BAKU

“The statements made by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen in the course
of the current visit to the region do not contradict each other. The
co-chairmen believe that now is a good time to resolve the conflict
and both sides are satisfied with the proposals,” the head of the
Centre for Political Innovations and Technologies, Mubariz Ahmadoglu,
has told MPA news agency.

French co-chairman Henry Jacolin’s remarks that the European Union
will favour those countries which are good neighbours is a diplomatic
message for Yerevan, Ahmadoglu said. One could sense some harshness
towards Armenia in statements by the other co-chairmen, he
said. However, the Armenian press has tried to distort their words and
present them to the public in a favourable light.

The main issues confronting the mediators today are liberation of the
occupied territories and finding a common denominator to determine the
status of Nagornyy Karabakh. To a certain extent, the co-chairmen have
reached an agreement and much will be known in the wake of their
meetings with Azerbaijani officials, Ahmadoglu said.

Fresno Bee, CA
July 12 2004

Always Armenian

Family, fun and tradition combine at annual picnics.

By Vanessa Colón

IF YOU GO

What: Moonlight Picnic
When: 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday
Where: California Armenian Home, 6720 E. Kings Canyon Road, Fresno
Details: (559) 224-3561

Traditional Armenian picnics in the central San Joaquin Valley have
blossomed over the past century from family gatherings into festive
summer events.

Their goal, though, has not changed: to unify the community and keep
Armenian culture alive.

Families trekked many years ago to the Kings River, carrying homemade
munchies to a dusty spot in the baking sun.

There they chatted about their lives and took a restful break from
their grape farms, where they lived and worked.

For one popular Armenian picnic, though, home-cooked meals toted to a
sandy river beach are not the model.

This is an event where people from all walks of life — doctors,
attorneys and farmers, among them — buy tickets for sizzling shish
kebabs or burger dinners on the grassy grounds outside the California
Armenian Home in southeast Fresno.

It’s the annual Moonlight Picnic.

This year’s event will be Saturday evening. It is one of the Fresno
area’s largest picnics for Armenians, attracting families every year
from as far away as Los Angeles.

Cultural unity and good company were not the only reasons for the
rise of Armenian picnics. The events also helped churches raise money
for activities.

St. Gregory’s, St. Paul Armenian Apostolic and Holy Trinity Armenian
Apostolic hold picnics in the summer.

The Armenian-American Citizens’ League is sponsoring the Moonlight
Picnic to support activities such as a youth scholarship fund.

The California Armenian Home also is a picnic sponsor.

The league, incorporated in Fresno in 1931, raised money and
established the California Armenian Home for the elderly in 1952.

The home seems an ideal spot for the Moonlight Picnic. The grounds
feature elm trees, lush green grass and flowers in giant pots.

A Spanish-style fountain splashes water from the top.

Armenian picnics date back at least 100 years, said Penny
Mirigian-Emerzian, 80, secretary and a former state president of the
Armenian-American Citizens’ League.

“It was a way to get to know each other,” she said.

The picnics rekindle memories for older Armenians.

In her youth, Mirigian-Emerzian said, store owners sold a pint of
strawberry soda for a nickel to families spending a day at the Kings
River.

“I don’t remember not going to picnics. It was something we always
did in the summertime,” she said.

The Valley’s summer heat did not bother anyone, recalled 67-year-old
Rose Pittman.

“We didn’t care if it was 110 degrees,” Pittman said. “We would still
go because it was tradition. It was a lot of fun. You met a lot of
people.”

Some of the social dynamics at the picnics have changed over the
decades.

Older Armenians recall a time when courting relationships were a bit
more circumspect than today.

“If you had a boyfriend at the picnic, nobody would know. … You
couldn’t hold hands because somebody would talk about you,” said
82-year-old Vera Avedisian.

Adults were more formal in their attire, too.

“Men wore hats, and ladies wore dresses. You don’t see that anymore,”
Pittman said.

At a picnic in June sponsored by St. Gregory’s in Fowler, couples
wearing shorts sat next to each other.

Interracial couples and non-Armenian visitors mingled with
generations of Armenian families.

Said Pittman: “There’s a lot of non-Armenians who come to our church
who marry within the Armenian community. … The doors are open to
everyone.”

The picnics are special to some Armenians because that’s where they
met their spouses.

Alice Bedrosian, 78, met her future husband at a picnic in 1948.

She remembers couples moving their feet to the sounds of swing and
jazz at a dance hall near the Kings River.

Six months later, Bedrosian said, she got married.

Mary Khasigian Nikssarian, 43, hopes her three sons marry Armenian
women when they grow up.

Khasigian Nikssarian says the picnics and youth activities are
perfect opportunities to make a match.

“I certainly have the hope that God will provide another Armenian
mate. I pray for all three each day,” Khasigian Nikssarian said.

Her 16-year-old son, Alexander Nikssarian, looks forward to the
picnics because that’s when he is surrounded by family and other
Armenians.

He lives in Marina, where he says there are few Armenians and no
Armenian school at which he can learn the language.

The picnics are a lot of fun, Alexander said: “You see people you
haven’t seen for a year. … You see generations of Armenians.”

The picnics are a way for younger generations to stay in contact with
their roots.

They listen to Armenian music and savor rice pilaf.

They strengthen ties to family and community, greet old friends and
meet new ones.

In that sense, Armenian picnics have not changed a bit over the
100-plus years.

Said 49-year-old David Nikssarian, who grew up in the Fresno area and
lives in Marina: “You can be around Armenians for the weekend and see
family. People come and say hello.”

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559)
441-6313.

GEO.TV
July 10 2004

Terrorism’ has besieged Islamic world, says President Musharraf

BAKU: Terrorism is holding the Muslim world hostage, Pakistan’s
President Pervez Musharraf said on Friday on the eve of his official
visit to the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.

But, the West must also change its attitude to the Islamic world —
and in particular persuade Israel to withdraw from Palestinian
territory — if global terrorism is to be crushed, he said.

The Pakistani leader made the remarks in a wide-ranging speech about
the challenges facing the Islamic world during his state visit to
Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim state which has forged close links with
Islamabad.

“Unfortunately the Islamic world is faced with many problems. It is
as if the Islamic world is facing a storm,” the 60-year-old
president, speaking through an interpreter, told a special session of
the Azeri parliament.

“It is also unfortunate that terrorism does harm to Muslim
countries… The tactics they use, terrorism, car bombs, executions
and other dirty methods, damage our great religion. Today they are
holding our societies hostage.”

“They must understand that they cannot solve the problems of the
Islamic world this way…I call on them to return to the true path.”

But he said the West, and particularly the United States, had to
assist the Islamic world in stamping out terrorism.

Western nations could do this by helping Islamic countries develop
their economies. The West should also help resolve a series of
conflicts in which Muslim communities have found their territory
under occuppation, he said.

He listed Pakistan’s dispute with India over Kashmir, Azerbaijan’s
lingering conflict with its neighbour Armenia over the enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“The Palestinian problem must be resolved in a just way,” the
Pakistani leader said. “Israel must accept reality and return to the
framework of its 1967 borders.”

“If we are able to put this into practise, then the world will be
able to root out extremism, militarism and terrorism,” Musharraf
added. “If the status quo remains, then that will not lead to the
resolution of these problems.”

Musharraf, an army chief who came to power in a bloodless coup five
years ago, is himself walking a delicate tightrope on Islamic issues.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States,
he supported the US-led operation to overthrow the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan, and root out terrorist groups.

But that support for Washington has made him a villain in the eyes of
many Muslim radicals. He has since been the target of several
near-miss assassination attempts.

Musharraf was speaking on the second day of his visit to Azerbaijan,
a country of eight million mostly Shia Muslims bordering Russia and
Iran.

On Thursday, Musharraf signed a package of documents on trade and
security cooperation between the two countries. He said that in
Azerbaijan, Islamabad
had found a steadfast international ally.

Later Friday, Musharraf is due to go on a walkabout in the Azeri
capital, Baku, and attend a concert in his honour at the State
Philharmonic Hall.

Musharraf and his entourage are scheduled to leave Azerbaijan on
Saturday morning.

Armenian opposition parties differ on ways of combatting corruption

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
10 Jul 04 p 3

Text of Naira Zograbyan report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak
on 10 July headlined “Don’t we need new targets?”

A conflict is brewing up within the opposition. The Justice bloc and
the National Unity Party agree that they need to revise their
strategy, but each of them has its own view on ways of doing it. The
Justice bloc, which includes the Republic Party and the People’s Party
of Armenia, says that they should no longer focus on [Armenian
President Robert] Kocharyan and [Defence Minister Serzh] Sarkisyan and
should start publicizing instances of corruption by ministers, MPs and
top officials.

Both Aram Sarkisyan and Stepan Demirchyan say that from now on, they
will disclose specific case of corruption that pervades the whole
current government. They will no longer say that “everyone is
corrupt”, but will name specific names. The National Unity Party
immediately protests, saying that if Justice really wants to revise
its strategy in such a way, they will be “sidelined”. They say that if
they divert their attention from Kocharyan and Sarkisyan, this will
give them an advantage and make it easier for them to retain power
until 2008. “The state is de jure ruled by Robert Kocharyan, but de
facto, he rules it together with Serzh Sarkisyan. All ministers and
top officials are following their orders and if the opposition aims at
them, this will be like placing responsibility for a military
operation on a soldier rather than on a commander. Kocharyan and
Sarkisyan would very much like the opposition’s blows to hit the
premier, the parliament speaker, other top officials – for they are
ready to make anybody a scapegoat in order to retain their
throne. Having a dinner, gambling or hunting together is not a
criteria for them. If need be, they will sacrifice all their
supporters just to keep their seats. And if the opposition does them
such a favour, speaking about ministers and MPs during its rallies,
Kocharyan and Sarkisyan will be deeply grateful to them. Moreover,
they will start providing the opposition with compromising information
about their partners, pretending that they are fighting for justice,
but in fact, attempting to distract public attention from
themselves. If the opposition does such a thing, this will be an order
from the state. National Unity will not take the bait and take part in
such intrigues,” says the vice-president of the party, Aleksan
Karapetyan.

Moreover, National Unity believes that by targeting top officials, the
opposition will provide Kocharyan and Sarkisyan with a strong group of
kamikazes and political prisoners. “Sensing a threat, these people
will cling to Kocharyan and become his kamikazes.” So National Unity
hopes that their colleagues will not be so naive to fall into the
government’s trap.

Meanwhile, Justice does not share National Unity’s concern. “There are
no primary or secondary targets. We are dealing with a criminal
administration and Justice will address each case of corruption
irrespective of who is involved in it,” says the Justice press
secretary, Ruzan Khachatryan.

In Armenia:Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
39 Yeznik Koghbatsi St.,
Yerevan 375010
Tel.: (3-741) 54-40-12; 54-40-13; 53-92-04
Fax: (3-741) 54-40-15
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

In the United States:
Armenian Assembly of America
NGO Training and Resource Center
122 C Street NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001 USA
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

*** REFUGEE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE EYESHOT OF NGOS
*** CRINGO NETWORK GENERAL ACTION

*** NEW PUBLICATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

*** ACTIVITIES OF THE SCHOOL OF YOUNG LEADERS

***REGIONAL CONSENSUS AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

*** AIDS MEMORIAL DAY COMMEMORATED

*** NGO CONTRIBUTES TO BETTERMENT OF SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

*** WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATED

*** NORK INFORMATION-ANALYTICAL CENTER CJSC OPEN FOR COOPERATION

WORLD REFUGEE DAY WAS CELEBRATED
*** REFUGEE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE EYESHOT OF NGOS
On June 24, the Armenian Assembly of America’s NGO Training and Resource
Center hosted its regular Thematic NGO/Media encounter. The goal of similar
encounters, initiated by the AAA NGOC, is to introduce the problems of
vulnerable groups to the public-at-large, NGOs activities directed at
solving those problems, and obstacles encountered. This event, devoted to
World Refugee Day, was the fifth among the series of Thematic NGO/Media
encounters. The goal of this encounter was to once again draw public
attention to the problems of refugees living in Armenia. The focus was on
legal and social protection issues, as well as information exchanges with
acquaintances of the refugees in the towns they left. Greta Mirzoyan of
Zinvori Mair (Soldier’s Mother) Republican Committee NGO and Robert
Melik-Pashaev of the Back to Hayk NGO made presentations on Hope Mail
Service Between Neighbors and Equal Rights – Equal Opportunities projects,
respectively. Refugee NGOs and representatives of media, foundations,
international organizations and state structures were invited to the
roundtable. Right after the event, the participants were provided with print
information on potential donors and partners acting overseas and dealing
with refugee issues, as well as application forms of upcoming conferences.

Contact: Anahit Lazarian
AAA NGO Center
39 Y. Koghbatsi St.
Tel.: (374-1) 54-40-12, 54-40-13
E-mail: [email protected]

*** CRINGO NETWORK GENERAL ACTION

On June 20 and 21, the Danish Refugee Council funded CRINGO Network (uniting
over 60 NGOS assisting refugees and IDPs and promoting peace and stability
in the Caucasus) initiated a clean-up effort, in which participants cleaned
specific areas in Vanadzor and Kapan, planted trees, installed benches and
organized concerts. Radio programs (topic: What Is CRINGO Network?) were
aired on Hai and Hayk republican radio stations.

Contact: Karen Asatryan
CRINGO Network Coordination Council Member
Armenian Sociological Association NGO
44 Aram St.
Tel.: (374-1) 53-08-22, 53-10-96, 53-05-71
E-mail: [email protected]

*** NEW PUBLICATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Since June 1, Henaran Social, Legal and Humanitarian Association NGO has
been publishing Skizb (Beginning) youth periodical to contribute to the
national education and civic awareness of Armenian youth. The periodical
presents state policies related to young people, activities of youth NGOs,
profiles on gifted young people and announcements. The official bulletin of
the ROA Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues will be included in the
newsletter. Henaran NGO allows youth NGOs, international organizations and
others to post materials in the newsletter.

Contact: Lilit Davtyan
Henaran Social, Legal and Humanitarian Association NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 64-73-57
E-mail: [email protected]

*** ACTIVITIES OF THE SCHOOL OF YOUNG LEADERS

On May 28-30, the Center of Youth Legal and Social Support NGO held a
Business, Politics, and Mass Media seminar within the framework of the first
phase of its School of Young Leaders Project. The goal of the seminar was to
promote dialogue and experience exchange between different sectors of the
society and to increase the involvement of youth in the social and political
arenas, as well as increase the awareness level of youth on issues of civil
society. Representatives of NGOs, Mass Media, business and public sectors,
political figures and active young people participated in the seminar.
Discussions were on the following topics: NGOs and Their Role; Statehood and
Civil Society; Armenian National Ideology; United Nations and Youth;
Problems of Participatory Policy in Armenia; NGOs as an Essential Element of
Civil Society; Armenian-Turkish Relations; Parties and Party Systems; Modern
Ideology Movements; World and Economic Approaches in Conditions of
Globalization and Economic Perspectives in ROA.

Contact: Lilit Hakobyan
Center of Youth Legal and Social Support NGO
15 Koriun St.
Tel.: (374-1) 54-28-56
E-mail: [email protected]

*** REGIONAL CONSENSUS AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

On June 2 and 3, the Institute for Civil Society and Regional Development
(ICSRD) NGO held meetings to discuss issues of regional consensus and
collective responsibility in the South Caucasus. Representatives of
international and donor organizations, National Assembly, Government, Mass
Media and NGOs from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Nagorno Karabagh and
Russian Federation participated in the event. The spokespersons covered not
only intergovernmental, but also intrasociety issues related to regional
conflicts, democratic processes in the South Caucasus republics, raising the
institutional role of civil society in the processes of regional consensus
and collective responsibility. The participants focused on the issue of NGO
participation in decision making processes at both the micro and macro
levels. The conference results will be summarized in specific publications.
The event was sponsored by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation with
support of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the
Conflict Studies Research Center, UK.

Contact: Aghavni Karakhanyan
Institute for Civil Society and Regional Development (ICSRD) NGO
Tel.: (374-1) 58-61-21
E-mail: [email protected]

*** AIDS MEMORIAL DAY COMMEMORATED

The AIDS Memorial Quilt program is the largest ongoing community arts
project in the world. Each of the numerous colorful panels that make up the
Quilt memorizes a life of a person lost to AIDS. On June 5, the Real People,
Real World NGO initiated the quilting event for the first time in Armenia,
jointly with the National Center for AIDS Prevention, UN Armenia and World
Vision Armenia, to speak out about the impact of the disease on the world
population and particularly those living in Armenia.

Contact: Hovhannes Madoyan
Real World, Real People NGO
21A Sayat Nova St., #46/6
Tel. (374-1) 54-74-75
Fax: (374-1) 53-07-71
E-mail: [email protected]

*** NGO CONTRIBUTES TO BETTERMENT OF SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

The Youth For Achievements Association (YFA) NGO awarded grants to 21
secondary schools of Armenia within its For A Better Childhood 2 and Sustain
To Advance school community development projects. Parent Teacher
Associations (PTAs) of over 100 secondary schools countrywide underwent
training programs for fundraising aimed at solving problems of the schools.
In the Small Grants Competition, participating PTAs presented project
proposals aimed at meeting the most acute needs of their school communities.
In 21 schools, playgrounds were installed, an auditorium, classrooms and
gyms were renovated, libraries were furnished and a music classroom was
created. Schools were granted computers, office and sports equipment and
musical instruments. Within the framework of the South Caucasus Youth
Councils Initiative Project, implemented in partnership with Catholic Relief
Service and YFA, three schools from Yerevan and Gegharkunik regions received
grants. Among the self-identified needs of the Youth Councils of those
schools are renovation of activity halls, as well as the creation of an Art
Club.

Contact: Varya Meruzhanyan
Youth For Achievements Association (YFA) NGO
8 Vagarshyan St.
Tel/Fax: (374-1) 27-65-69, 27-65-44
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

*** WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATED

On the occasion of World Environment Day, June 5, the UN Armenia Office
organized a series of events to increase public awareness on nature and
environmental issues, highlight current environmental issues at the national
level and promote environmental activities in communities. Find below
information on two of those events:

ž The Association For Human Sustainable Development, Armenian Forestry and
Birdwatchers’ Center NGOs and the National Academy of Sciences provided
materials for the Forests, Birds and Flowers of Armenia photo-exhibition.
During the event, photos, newsletters, bulletins and leaflets on the
environment, sustainable development, flora and fauna of Armenia were
presented and distributed.

ž During the Youth Ecoturism in Armenia event, results of the Let’s Save the
Water youth tour organized by the Burg Environmental Youth Center NGO were
presented. The tour to Armenia’s Tavush region was to shape a caring
attitude towards Armenia’s water resources among tourists and the local
population and involve them in purification and conservation activities.
During the tour, the group stopped in Goshavank, and Gosh and Parz lakes,
met with local authorities, initiated cleaning activities and placed boards
with relevant messages. Tour participants disseminated booklets on water
resource preservation among the local population and tourists and conducted
a training course for Gosh schoolchildren.

Contact: Arman Vermishyan
Burg Environmental Youth Center NGO
E-mail: [email protected]

*** NORK INFORMATION-ANALYTICAL CENTER CJSC OPEN FOR COOPERATION

ROA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues funded Nork Information-Analytical
Center CJSC carries out development and investment of information,
prediction systems, statistical analysis and information systems in the
social security field. The company operates the following systems: Paros
Poverty Family Allowance, Pyunik Disabled Database, Gorts Employment, and
Manuk Database of Children in Boarding Houses of Armenia and Subject to
Adoption. Functions of the company include: provide an information base for
evaluating operations of the social security system; prepare materials for
printing; design websites; organize computer courses; carry out actuarial
analysis in the social field; provide programs and develop computer
networks. The company is open to interested NGOs for cooperation to support
organization of the above mentioned activities.

Contact: Nork Information-Analytical Center CJSC
Tel.: (374-1) 24-75-02, 24-75-32, 24-86-18
E-mail: [email protected]

__________________________________________________________________________

Armenian NGO News in Brief is a publication of the NGO Training and Resource
Center (NGOC) issued in the Armenian, English and Russian languages for
electronic dissemination inside and outside Armenia. Primary funding for
the NGOC, which is a project of the Armenian Assembly of America, is
provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Individual NGOs are welcome to submit information for publication to the
NGOC. The NGO Center is not responsible for the clarity of information
provided by individual NGOs.

Dear Readers,

The not-for-profit, non-governmental sector of Armenia is rich with diverse
civic initiatives and activities. This electronic publication, though far
from covering all activities of the sector per any given period of time, is
intended to contribute to raising awareness, both inside and outside
Armenia, of the activities of Armenian not-for-profit, non-governmental
organizations.

Your comments and feedback about this electronic publication are greatly
appreciated.

Thank you.
NGOC staff.

RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
July 5 2004

Armenian Foreign Minister to visit Moscow

RBC, 05.07.2004, Moscow 09:19:06.Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian is to arrive in Moscow on an official visit today. He
is expected to negotiate a broad range of issues of bilateral
cooperation as well as international and regional problems.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Russian-Armenian
trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation would be one
of the priority issues to be considered at the talks. Great attention
will be paid to problems of Nagorny Karabakh. Russian and Armenian
diplomats will also discuss issues of coordination of the efforts of
the two countries to improve the situation in the Caucasus. The sides
will consider collaboration within the framework of the CIS, the
Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Eurasian Economic
Community (EurAsEC).

The Daily Star, Lebanon
June 28 2004

AUB celebrates 135th commencement
More than 1,400 students receive their degrees

By Rana Wehbe
Special to The Daily Star

BEIRUT: The American University of Beirut held its 135th annual
graduation commencement Saturday evening at its Beirut campus, as
1,456 students were given their degrees.

For the second year in a row, the commencement exercises were split
into a main ceremony, in which AUB President JohnWaterbury awarded
the degrees, followed by individual ceremonies for each faculty where
the diplomas were distributed by the respective deans.

The main ceremony began at 6.30pm with the candidates’ procession to
the AUB green field. Waterbury then addressed the audience, which
included representatives of President Emile Lahoud, Speaker Nabih
Berri and Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and in addition to several
ministers and MPs, university trustee council members, and parents
and friends of the graduates.

In his speech, read first in Arabic and then in English, Waterbury
expressed sorrow that this year’s ceremony took place in “a
background of violence and destruction,” and that, this year, as in
past years, the university “releases its graduates into a regional
and international minefield.”

He said he hoped the graduates would “succeed in what the previous
generations have failed to do; that is, changing the game in which we
have all become the losers.”

At the end of his speech, Waterbury introduced AUB honorary doctorate
holder and ceremony speaker Vartan Gregorian as a man who had
succeeded in building a tremendous life from the land of Lebanon.

For his part, Gregorian addressed the audience by sketching out his
own life.

Lebanon, as he described it, is not only a land of opportunities, but
also “a land of diversity, tolerance, and freedom of speech and
thought.”

The last word was reserved for the vice-president of the University
Student-Faculty Council, Hassan Mohanna, who spoke on behalf of the
graduates.

He described studying at AUB as “the greatest chance that Lebanese
youths could get to coexist and communicate with youth from the
region and all over the world.”