Author: Jalatian Sonya

Suzy Kendikian s’impose face à Nadia Raoui

BOXE

id_article=60674
samedi1er mai 2010, par Krikor Amirzayan/armenews

Samedi 24 Avril à Hambourg (Allemagne), l’Arménienne Suzy Kendikian,
appelée « Killer Queen » (la Reine Tueuse) a détentrice du titre
mondial WIBF et WBO des poids légers s’est également emparé du titre
WBA en s’en s’imposant aux points face à Nadia Raoui (Allemagne). Suzy
Kendikian (22 ans) invaincue à ce jour gagnait ainsi son 27e combat
professionnel (dont 16 avant la limite). Nadia Raoui qui était
également invaincue en 12 combats n’a pourtant pas démérité et a fait
jeu presque égal avec Suzy Kendikian. Deux des trois arbitres donnant
l’avantage à S. Kendikian qui a sans doute disputé son plus dur combat
depuis ses débuts en boxe professionnelle. Le combat était diffusé en
direct sur la chaîne de télévision arménienne « Shant TV ».

ISRAEL, UKRAINE NEVER TO RECOGNIZE "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

news.az
April 30 2010
Azerbaijan

Turkish analyst Cem Oguz has commented on the recognition of the
so-called "Armenian genocide" by Israel and Ukraine.

"Neither Israel nor Ukraine will ever recognize the so-called ‘Armenian
genocide’. These countries understand the implications of such actions,
therefore, I do not think that the authorities of these countries
are interested in worsening ties with Turkey", head of the Turkish
Strategic Research Center Cem Oguz said.

"Our ties with Israel cannot be called exemplary, therefore,
Tel Aviv’s step will further worsen them. If Israel looks into the
future, I do not think that this state will take such a step. As for
Ukraine, it is our neighbor on the Black Sea, we have common security
interests in this region. In addition, we are successfully developing
our economic ties, while our prime minister was among the first who
congratulated the current Ukrainian president with the victory during
elections. Therefore, I think in this issue the efforts of the Armenian
diaspora will be ineffective", Oguz said.

CINEMA MOSCOW OPEN-AIR HALL: MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ECHMIADZIN GIVES STRANGE ANSWERS TO DIRECT QUESTIONS

ArmInfo
2010-04-30 17:07:00

ArmInfo. The Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin is again trying to observe
malice in the public protest against construction of Surb Poghos-Petros
(St.Paul-Peter) Church in the place of Cinema Moscow Open-Air Hall. To
recall, in March 2010 Armenian clergyman Ter Mkhitar Aloyan qualified
the campaign for the support of the open-air hall as "somebody’s
order". "I am sure that if not a church, but anything else were to
be built in the place of the open-air hall, there would be no such
wave of protest. This is obviously somebody’s order",- he said at a
press conference.

This time it is the Chancellery of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin
that wonders about the background of the protest action. A letter
signed by Head of the Chancellery, Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan,
has found itself in the hands of the activists of "SAVE Cinema Moscow
Open-Air Hall". The letter was sent as a response to the request
of "Desnelle", a New York-based organization studying Armenian
architecture. The letter says: "It should be noted that in their
time Spartak Kntekhtsyan, architect of the open-air hall, and his
assistant Levon Vardanyan presented a project of construction of
a multi-storey hotel complex in the same place, but this project
was not implemented due to some discrepancies with the owner. A
question arises: if the author himself had an idea to build a hotel
in this place, why is the construction of the church there considered
inexpedient?". The letter also points out that at the moment the
open-air hall surrounded by "inappropriate buildings" has lost its
practical significance. The letter also stresses that the demand for
open-air halls has considerably declined while closed and cool cinema
halls and other hearths of culture are operating in Armenia.

It is noteworthy that the participants in "SAVE Cinema Moscow Open-Air
Hall" have managed to find the project of construction of the hotel
complex mentioned by the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin. It is obvious
that according to the architect, the open-air hall was to become the
integral part of the hotel complex.

To remind, the decision on demolition of the open-air hall has caused
a wide public response. In particular, over 23 thsd people have signed
an open letter addressed to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. The
letter contains an appeal to cancel the given governmental decision.

The letter says that the open-air hall has been excluded from the list
of the monuments protected by the state with obvious law violations
and without preliminary consultation with specialists. As a result of
the campaign, the government took a decision to hold public hearings
on this issue. The Public Council has also come out with support of
the open-air hall: on April 28 it voted for repeat inclusion of the
hall in the list of monuments protected by the state.

GAKAVIG CHILDREN’S MAGAZINE LAUNCHES STORYTELLING PROGRAMS

Asbarez
Apr 29th, 2010

GLENDALE, CA-Gakavig Children’s Magazine this weekend launched its
series of children’s storytelling programs. The first storytelling
event was held on Sunday April 25 at the Borders Bookstore in
Glendale. The next reading will be on May 1st at the Sardarabad
Bookstore at 1pm.

The announcement came as the newly launched publication released it’s
third volume.

Storytellings will be in both Armenian and English and will include
audience participation. Children’s will also have a chance to explore
their creativity through arts and crafts.

"Emerging and nurturing children’s imagination is one of the major
elements of child education," explained Gakavig Managing Editor,
Juliette Davitian.

"Stories, traditional fairy tales or more contemporary children’s
literatures, can bring a magical experience, joy, surprise, enchantment
even horror to the innocent and gentle soul of a child," she added.

Davitian says among the publication’s primary objectives is to present
today’s children with the "magnificence and uniqueness of the jewels
of Armenian traditional literature. It is important, she added, for
Gakavig to be part of the education of contemporary Armenian children.

For additional information you can e-mail [email protected] or call
Gakavig at (818)548-2438.

ARMENIA’S ONLY EXPORTER LEAVES "GOLDEN TEN"

news.am
April 28 2010
Armenia

This January-March, the 1,000 largest Armenian taxpayers paid a total
of 97.5bn AMD to the RA state budget – a 31.4% increase as compared
with the corresponding period last year.

The ten leaders that paid a total of 26.5bn AMD ensured 27.2% of
the taxes paid by the 1,000 largest taxpayers. The fact, which is to
the credit of the ten leaders, is, on the other hand, indicative of
unequal incomes and high market concentration.

The Zangezur copper and molybdenum combine used to top the list of
Armenia’s largest taxpayers before the crisis. At present, however,
the enterprise ranks 11th with its 1.2bn AMD paid to the state budget.

Thus, the "golden ten" has been "bereaved" of its only exporter. In
2006, the Zangezur copper and molybdenum combine paid a record sum
to the RA state budget, 32.8bn AMD. That is, the company paid more
in 2006 than all the ten enterprises paid in the 1st quarter of 2010.

Natural monopolists continue undisputed market leaders in terms of both
incomes and tax payments to the state budget. The ArmRusgasprom CJSC,
which presently tops the taxpayers’ list, paid a total of 5.2bn AMD,
and the Electric Network of Armenia CJSC, its main competitor on the
energy market, more than 1.8bn AMD.

As regards mobile operators, the "market veterans", ArmenTel and
K-Telecom, have been joined by Orange Armenia, which ranked 8th with
its 1.7bn AMD. All the companies are shared in by foreign capital.

Ad regards the Armenian industry, it is represented by the
International Masis Tabak tobacco company, which ranks 9th (1.4bn
AMD). Thus, the natural monopolists, leading telecommunication
companies and importers of food and fuel continue market leaders.

The Vidis Distribution, which imports Philip Morris International
cigarettes to Armenia, ranks 10th in the list of Armenia’s 1,000
largest taxpayers – it replaced the well-known Armenian company
Pares Armenia.

HERITAGE DELAYS CONGRESS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

Tert.am
13:03 29.04.10

Armenian Heritage Party delays its congress previously-planned
on May 8 for several weeks, a release issued by the party’s press
office informs.

It points to "organizational problems the numerous delegates are
facing" as the reason of the delay.

"The delay has been agreed upon by the leader of Heritage, Raffi
Hovhanisian, upon whose proposal the congress had to be convened. As
soon as it reaches new agreements, Heritage will properly inform
about the date and place of the congress through mass media," reads
the release.

SHOAH IS ALL RIGHT; HOLOCAUST ISN’T

Hurriyet
.php?n=shoah-is-all-right-holocaust-isn8217t-2010- 04-27
April 27 2010
Turkey

Once again, the usual we-must-look-it-up-in-the-Thesaurus season in
Washington is over and we all can sigh with relief. The thesaurus
must have depleted its alternative entries for the word "genocide,"
as evidenced by President Barack Obama’s repeat of the words "Meds
Yeghern" in reference to the 1915 killings of Ottoman Armenians. So,
"Great Calamity" is all right. "Genocide" is not.

The U.S. president’s selection for this year’s April 24 menu has
confused hearts and minds. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was
not offended, but his Foreign Ministry was.

Some Turks were jubilant that President Obama avoided the term pushed
by diaspora Armenians and their congressional allies. Some took to
the streets and shouted, in protest, "Allah is the greatest!" as if
they were marching for jihad.

Apparently there is something sick in the Turkish psyche. Turks are too
prickly about being called genocide committers, but wear bitter smiles
when they are called "the committers of one of the greatest atrocities
of the 20th century," or when their ancestors are accused of causing a
"devastating chapter." Bizarre? Just "Turkishly" confusing…

Another bullet dodged, and many Turks breathed easily in all corners of
America. Some may have told their Turkish-American sons and daughters
that they can now take a deep breathe and relax… See, it’s just
"one of the greatest atrocities of the past century," or merely
"Meds Yeghern," but not "genocide."

The Armenians, on the other hand, must have thought of Mr. Obama as a
leader who ended up just like any other human being – for the second
time now, making promises he could not keep. It should not come as a
surprise though because presidents George H. Bush and George W. Bush
broke similar pledges, and President Bill Clinton leaned on Congress
not to pass genocide commemoration measures. Hearts and minds tend
to break.

Hence the Armenian National Committee of America’s statement,
describing Mr. Obama’s declaration as "yet another disgraceful
capitulation to Turkey’s threats, offering euphemisms and evasive
terminology to characterize this crime against humanity."

Mr. Obama was probably cute enough when he also mentioned how
encouraged he was about the Armenian-Turkish dialogue, and the Turkish
domestic debate about the issue. He was fair and unfair, depending
on which side of the Alican border one lives, when he mentioned the
Turks who helped the victims of other Turks’ atrocities. All in all,
his abstention from the dangerous word was sufficient for many to
be content on the western side of the border, if not all together
jubilant; and sad and disappointed on the other side, if not angered.

As always, the Turks look divided. Serious faces in the corridors
of grey buildings; prickly, less prickly and too prickly statements
in reaction to the word "atrocities;" increased security around the
Turkish embassy and consulates in the United States; but for the time
being the Turkish ambassador to Washington seems not to be packing
up once again for another lengthy stay in Ankara.

President Obama’s speech was grey. Armenians were heart-broken and
felt cheated yet again. They believed the Turkish powers on the U.S.

were deep. Turks were not happy that the issue did not disappear from
the face of the earth, along with the victims’ bones, and that Mr.

Obama’s speech was ambiguous and not supportive enough of their cause.

But there was some good coming out of this sad day. More and more
Turks are making attempts to understand the issue and the scientific
proof of atrocities, or genocide, depending on which part you belong.

Three outdoor commemorations of the "Armenian Genocide" on April 24,
a lecture by a diaspora Armenian journalist in Istanbul and a two-day
conference on the "Armenian Genocide" in Ankara took place, while
obstacles, counter-protests and fascist rhetoric tried to disrupt the
events and reminded the few hundred participants of the long way ahead.

Is it genocide? Will the much-spoken archives help? Will there be a
film soon, an adapted version of "Schindler’s List," which not only
shows the torment but also those on the other side who helped the
victims? If the person who had coined the term genocide, Raphael
Lemkin, declares the Armenian tragedy as "genocide," will that suffice?

One thing is clear though. Whether or not we like the Obama speech, it
indicates that the president still opposes the "genocide" resolution,
and its likelihood to pass is now slimmer than before.

Could human nature not help us here to provide a convincing argument?

Could we not say: "Dear Armenians; we know you expect an apology but
apologies come from nations – in majority at least – who can accept
their faults, attempt to change and take lessons from their wrongs…

Sorry, that’s not yet us. See, just a day before your ‘commemoration,’
which was our Children’s Day, our beloved prime minister told the
‘child prime minister of the day:’ ‘You can do whatever you please,
you can hang them or use your sword, the choice is yours…’ So do not
take it personally, dear Armenians, it is not personal, this is us,
your neighbors. Hello!"

But let’s try to derive some crisis resolution methodology from the
"Obama jurisprudence" on the "genocide" dispute. Because for two
years in a row, Mr. Obama’s preferred term for the tragedies of
1915-1920 is "Meds Yeghern," will the president agree to a Turkish
apology for "Meds Yeghern," instead of "genocide?" Why should he not
propose to Congress a resolution recognizing "Meds Yeghern" instead of
"genocide?" Not many Turks would care if they are accused of having
ancestors who had caused "Meds Yeghern."

"Shoah" is all right; "genocide" is not.

ARMENIA MIGHT AGREE TO NAZARBAYEV’S MEDIATION IN KARABAKH CONFLICT

news.am
April 28 2010
Armenia

Armenian side may accept OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Kazakh Secretary of
State Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev’s proposal for the meeting
with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, diplomatic sources
informed NEWS.am.

However Yerevan will agree on Nazarbayev’s mediation if NKR President
Bako Sahakyan is also involved in the talks as a full member.

Earlier, Kanat Saudabayev held phone conversations with RA Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar
Mammadyarov.

The officials discussed the situation and prospects of Karabakh peace
process. Saudabayev expressed keen interest in stepping-up the efforts
to seek conflict settlement, as well as the possible involvement of
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the process as Head of OSCE
presiding state, KAZINFORM reports.

‘ARMENIAN EXILE’ AND ‘MY SON SHALL BE ARMENIAN’ AUTHOR DISCUSSES HIS YEARS IN CINEMA AND HIS INFLUENCES

Asbarez
Apr 27th, 2010

KCET Airs Both Films on April 24

LOS ANGELES-KCET public media for Southern and Central California,
presented a special live night of programming featuring back-to-back
documentaries by filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian in observance of
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day on Saturday, April 24. Goudsouzian,
a Canadian filmmaker, and Larry Zarian, Vice Chair of the California
State Transportation Commission and former mayor of Glendale, hosted
the evening, which begain with "Armenian Exile" at 7 p.m., followed by
"My Son Shall Be" Armenian at 8:30 p.m.

In Armenian Exile, Goudsouzian paints a self-portrait in which he
pursues a greater understanding of his cultural roots.

In 1988, Nagorno-Karabakh’s war for independence was in the headlines
worldwide. Halfway across the world in Canada, Goudsouzian’s peaceful
world was suddenly shaken: "I had forgotten I was Armenian, until
I saw the courage of these people who had never forgotten who they
were and knew what they had to do."

Then, again in 1991, the independence of Armenia triggered a new
beginning for Goudsouzian. At this point, he embarked on what he
considers his most important adventure – to touch this mythical land
in search of his roots.

In "Armenian Exile," Goudsouzian travels to Armenia for the first
time, in search of the ultimate connection with his forgotten and
sometimes ignored identity. Seeking clarity of both history and self,
Goudsouzian’s reflection on Armenian identity is also at the heart
of his next installment, "My Son Shall Be Armenian."

"My Son Shall Be Armenian" follows Goudsouzian and five Montreal
men and women of Armenian descent to Armenia in search of survivors
of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Through interviews with elders and
the touching accounts of his fellow travelers, Goudsouzian crafts a
dignified and poignant film on the need to make peace with the past
in order to turn toward the future. This documentary is broadcast in
French with English subtitles.

Encore broadcasts of Armenian Exile and My Son Shall Be Armenian
aired on Sunday, April 25 at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

Asbarez reporter Georges Adourian interviewed Goudsouzian via email
prior to the KCET special, the complete transcription of which is
presented below.

Georges Adourian: On April 24, KCET will broadcast your latest two
films, tell us about it.

Hagop Goudsouzian: Just before finishing "Armenian Exile," I called
Mr. Bohdan Zachary at KCET in Los Angeles to see if he would be
interested in my new film. Quite frankly I’ll never forget the moment
I introduced myself to Mr. Zachary. Surprisingly he was very happy
to hear from me. He said "We aired ‘My Son Shall be Armenian’ just
last night during our fund raising." You cannot imagine how happy
that made me.

KCET is one of the top PBS stations with the largest number of
Armenian viewers, so it was a great honor for me when Mr. Bohdan
Zachary expressed interest to view and later license "Armenian Exile."

This is a unique experience for me. Not only are my two Armenian films
being shown back to back on April 24, but they have also invited me
from Toronto to participate on-air with the KCET fundraising.

I have been very lucky. The French version of "My Son Shall Be
Armenian" is regularly aired in Europe, even as we speak. And that’s
some four years after its release.

As an independent filmmaker, it is very difficult to find television
stations that can pay a licensing fee and have an interest in Armenian
programming. Licensing fees and DVD sales are important sources of
income to help me produce more films.

G.A: How long have you been making films?

H.G.: I don’t remember doing anything else! My dad was a filmmaker,
so I grew up in a film environment. I remember as a child, while other
kids played with guns and whatever, I would play with strips of 35mm
film my dad brought home. At the time, with a friend, we tinkered with
a flashlight, a strip of 35mm film, a shoebox with a rectangular hole
and transformed it into a projector. It was way before PlayStation.

When I was about five or six-I cannot remember-I started acting in
my dad’s films and commercials, I did a Coca-Cola commercial that
was shown in Cairo theatres, this is before television in Egypt.

So I really don’t know anything else. If ever I got tired of making
movies I’d be lost, I wouldn’t know what to do.

G.A.: Why did you decide to make Armenian films?

H.G.: It is kind of a tough question to answer because I didn’t
really have a choice. I was driven. I had to do it at any cost. It
was something pushing me to a world I never knew, yet I felt at peace
because the subjects that were ahead of me were touching my soul. It
was not an intellectual process rather a gut reaction.

You know, a few months before my father died, we went to see an
Armenian movie. No. I am not going to say which one, but we agreed
on one thing. Armenian movies can be much much better than that. So
we set out to do our own films. But unfortunately he died before we
could make our dream come true and it took me half a life time to
come back to the dream I had forgotten and ignored.

It was not just the dream that had dissipated but as well the whole
Armenian baggage (the French meaning).

It took a war for me to wake up. The Karabakh war.

G.A.: What is the recurring theme that surfaces in your two films?

H.G.: I am not really sure if it was intentional. I think in the true
sense of a documentary a recurring theme has unfolded in my two films
and I see it more and more clearly as time goes by.

I see the recurring theme as memory. I believe the key to understanding
oneself is memory, and being in touch with our memory.

In myself I see that I am touched by the memory transmitted by my
family, my culture and my personal memory. Whenever I have ignored
one of these key components I have been out of balance. To keep
this balance is a constant struggle not only as an Armenian but as
a human being.

But memory is such an abstract topic and film is a very visual medium.

How do you make a film about memory?

G.A.: It seems you are obsessed with the question of Armenian
identity…

H.G.: No, not about Armenian identity, I am obsessed with the question
of identity! I am interested in the quest of Armenian identity because
I am Armenian. But the quest for identity is a universal theme, I
know more about Armenian Identity than say Greek identity. I can only
explore subjects that speak to me. But as a filmmaker if my quest
reflects only the Armenian identity, it would not interest anyone
else. I have to approach it as a human being not just as an Armenian,
and hope the viewer relates to it.

G.A.: What were the challenges you faced in making "Armenian Exile"?

H.G.: By the time I got around to making "Armenian Exile," I had
produced and directed some 250 programs for public television
in Canada. On most TV programming the producer and director’s
responsibility is the picture on the screen and its content, while
the Director of Photography, sound recordists, editors, assistants
deal with the specifics. For example, in the editing room, I would
be with an editor and say "move that scene a bit to the right or to
the left" or "That’s too blue."

When I was ready to edit "Armenian Exile," I had a computer in front
of me with all the necessary software but had no idea how to use
it. I just did not know how to cut or make a dissolve. I had to learn
everything from scratch, I knew what had to be done but I just did
not know how the process was done physically. So after a while I got
the hang of it, watching tutorials, asking lot of questions, now I
am an expert! George, do you have any questions about editing? (joking)

But this was just the beginning. Once I had more or less finished,
I realized I needed music. This was another challenge. I went and
bought all kinds of sounds and had to learn how to use it. My son
helped me, Arudz is very talented musically. I have a very special
passion for Armenian Church music. I was an altar boy a long time
ago. My greatest love is "Der Voghormia." I can listen to a good
version of it day and night. We found some very old versions of "Der
Voghormia" and Arudz played it on his keyboard and I ended up with
these musical files and played with them for weeks…

The next one will be easier…. maybe I’ll make a film with just Der
Voghormia music with various arrangements, I am serious.

G.A: Do you plan to make more films with Armenian themes?

H.G.: If I were a logical person, with a good business savvy, the
answer would be NO. But since I am not a very good businessman,
unquestionably I will do more.

For me filmmaking is ultimately a gut reaction. It must come from your
soul and, even if people throw tomatoes at you, you must do what you
believe in because that is the most powerful thing you have and can
express… What you have in your soul that is what is unique.

"Armenian Exile" and "My Son Shall Be Armenian" are the first two
parts of my Armenian Trilogy. I am planning another shoot this summer
and hopefully by next year we will have part three. But, I have a
feeling I won’t stop at three parts, as each film leads me to the next.

G.A.: What is your cinematic approach?

H.G.: Funny you should ask that. Both films have lived a similar
experience. But, I will tell you what happened with "My Son Shall Be
Armenian" and I was lucky in a way that it happened this way…

NFB of Canada had approved my project based on my submission and
released the funds accordingly. I had a wonderful plan, it was a
fantastic plan. Two days before we were to leave and shoot in Syria,
our permits were revoked. Here we are on Tuesday 10 a.m. and no more
film. I was told if I had another idea they were ready to look at it.

If I failed at this point, there were many other directors that would
have been very happy to access these same funds. On midday on Tuesday
I said to my executive producer, "Don’t worry I’ll have another project
for you by tomorrow noon." I was terrified. I had no idea what I could
come up with. I left the office and went home. I started looking at
the research I had done for the past six years and through the night
I came up with a new idea to be shot entirely in Armenia.

The next day, I went in with a big smile and presented my idea.

Luckily they liked it. We fine tuned it and presented it to the
chairman; on Thursday it was approved and we had our go ahead to
shoot in Armenia. I must admit they were very, very positive about
the idea of doing a film on the Armenian Genocide.

The fact is the project was approved but I had no specific plan,
like I had before. I had a feeling of what I wanted to do and I was
taking 10 other people along with me to explore this possibility.

I said all this to illustrate that, that’s how I do it! You can start
with the best plan in the world but when you are on the field you
have to let the story unfold and see where it takes you.

When you are in Armenia, stories unfold as the day progresses. It is
the perfect place to film. It has everything.

G.A.: But how do you approach your films as an Armenian or as a
filmmaker?

H.G.: How do I approach a film as an Armenian or as a filmmaker?

That’s really a tough question… Hmmm… Against my better judgment
neither.

Probably passion, I have to be drawn to what I do, I have to have an
affinity for the subject, and feel the subject, again have a passion
for the subject. Otherwise it would not be my film. We use the term
"film d’auteur" I am signing my work, with that, I hope my work
is unique.

I guess it is the filmmaker that is speaking. But what interests me
these days is the soul of Armenians, yet I speak it with my voice
and not necessarily clinging to a previous concept. I am not the
voice of Armenians. I have my voice. I do not expect the viewer to
agree or disagree. This is my film and I share it with the viewer,
I hope this moment we share helps us understand something.

G.A.: Will you do more films on the Genocide?

H.G.: This is a very touchy subject for me. I don’t really know if
I want to answer it.

G.A.: With your experience, I am sure you can say something…

H.G.: I have proposals ready for more films with the Armenian Genocide
as the principal theme with new twists and turns but they are gathering
dust. Who is going to pay for it? George, do you know anybody? (Joke)

In my experience I see the community divided into three parts, the
older generation wants to see films with facts and figures and prove
the Genocide.

Then there are the potential sponsors, I have not had many positive
experiences with them. Even when the project is about the Armenian
Genocide, even with my experience as a filmmaker.

But the most interesting group is the new generation-the up and
coming. They want to see more films about Armenians, Armenian life and
in particular the Genocide… But not films about lament or suffering
but films with a new storyline and an interesting and captivating
approach but alas they don’t have the money yet to sponsor these films.

In the Western world an Armenian artist can not live on patriotism. It
does not pay the rent! We need sponsors, and that’s not just me. There
are many brilliant artists, and trust me, $500 does not help make
a film… It hardly pays to rent a camera and a few lights for a
day. Of course that means the artist does not get paid or eat.

If we want to make interesting films on the Armenian Genocide,
it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. If we want it to make a
mark, a Genocide documentary has to be universally captivating, and,
above all, it must start with the premise that the Genocide is an
irrefutable fact.

At this point I am no longer looking for Armenian sponsors to produce
more films. It is just not cost effective. If you spend a week of phone
calls and end up with $500, it’s not worth it. I am not being arrogant
or ungrateful. Any accountant will tell you, it just does not add up.

I hope more community stations will license my new film for a fee
and buy my DVDs from my web site,

DAVUTOGLU: NAKHIJEVAN’S SECURITY OUR SECURITY

Panorama.am
13:08 28/04/2010

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu had a meeting with the Chairman of
Nakhijevan’s Parliament Vasif Talibov, Cumhuriyet reported.

After the meeting Turkish FM answered to the reporters’ questions.

Davutoglu said the treaty of Kars is in the frames of international
rights and that Turkey’s dispositions are rather strong in it.

"Turkey is deeply interested in Nakhijevan’s future and Nakhijevan’s
security and prosperity is our security and our prosperity,"
Davutoglu said.

A range of issue related to Nakhijevan’s economic, cultural,
educational aspects has been discussed. Turkish FM said soon direct
flights are expected to be launched over Istanbul-Nakhijevan.

The Treaty of Kars was signed between the Grand National Assembly of
Turkey and representatives of Soviet Armenia, Soviet Azerbaijan and
Soviet Georgia. It established contemporary borders between Turkey
and the South Caucasus states.