Author: Kafian Jirair

ARARAT QUARTERLY PRESS RELEASE
AGBU
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383 x 131
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage
Monday, January 24, 2005

ARARAT CELEBRATES HAGOP ASADOURIAN’S WRITINGS JANUARY 27 AT AGBU WITH
MUSIC, DRAMATIC READINGS, TALKS, AND RECEPTION
by Florence Avakian

NEW YORK CITY, NY—–A gala event of thought-provoking literature, well
known speakers, musical treats, and warm camaraderie has been planned for
Thursday evening, January 27, 7:30 P.M., at AGBU headquarters in New
York. It will be dedicated to the celebrated works of eminent writer Hagop
Asadourian who passed away in 2003 at age 100, and to the special spring
issue of ARARAT magazine containing translations of these works. ARARAT is
published by the AGBU. The event is free of charge, but reservations must
be made by calling the AGBU at (212) 319-6383 (Hripsime, ext. 131) or
emailing [email protected].

Master of ceremonies for this special program will be Nishan
Parlakian, Professor Emeritus in Theatre and Speech at John Jay College of
the City of NY. A member of the ARARAT Magazine Editorial Board, he is an
acclaimed figure in Armenian drama, and has staged several of his own plays
for the Diocese of the Armenian Church, and the Armenian Students
Association of America. He has written many books of drama, the most
recent of which is Contemporary Armenian American Drama: An Anthology of
Ancestral Voices, just published by Columbia University Press. His numerous
honors include being a former president of the Pirandello Society.

Among the featured speakers will be Vartan Matiossian, a scholar in
Armenian Studies, and a prolific contributor on Armenian history and
literature to the scholarly and popular press. From 1992 to 2000, he was
an associate professor of Armenian Studies at the Universidad del Salvador
in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he has lived most of his life. He has
authored the first books on both the Life and Work of Gostan Zarian, as
well as the Armenians in Latin America from their beginnings to 1950. In
2000, he relocated to New Jersey, where he now teaches at the Hovnanian School.

Also speaking will be Harry Keyishian, Professor of English at
Fairleigh Dickinson University, and the Director of Fairleigh Dickinson
University Press. A member of the ARARAT Magazine Editorial Board, his
published books include Screening Politics: The Politician in American
Movies, 1931-2001 (2003); The Shapes of Revenge: Victimization, Vengeance,
and Vindictiveness in Shakespeare (1995; reissued in paperback, 2003);
Critical Essays on William Saroyan (1995); and, Michael Arlen (1975).

Hagop Asadourian’s son Richard, who grew up in the rich
atmosphere of the Nor Kir (New Literature) movement in which his father
played such an important role, will present touching reminiscences of this
movement. Richard Asadourian is the director of a film in collaboration
with the author Roald Dhal entitled Champion of the World, which won the
Gold Lion at Cannes.

ACCLAIMED ACTRESS NORA ARMANI TO PERFORM READING

Headlining a cast of well-known readers will be the acclaimed
actress Nora Armani. Born of Armenian parents in Egypt, and educated in
England, her professional acting repertory includes Shakespeare, Shaw,
Beckett, as well as Hammerstein and Guitry. Her own personally written
stage creations have been praised on four continents and in more than 25
cities. In New York recently, her self-penned one-woman show On the Couch
received accolades from the critics. From 1991 to 1993, she was invited
several times to Armenia to star in films, and is currently writing about
Soviet Armenian Cinema from 1965 to 1975. In addition to her theatre and
film oeuvre, she is also a PH.D candidate at the London School of Economics
where she received a Master’s degree in Sociology.

Also reading will be actress and writer Lynne Kassabian, an
Editorial Board member at ARARAT since 1985, who trained at The Drama
Studio in London before earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia
University. She has taught courses at a number of New York colleges, and
edited a variety of publications. Currently, she is working on a
collection of personal essays.

The third dramatic reader, Marjorie Deiter Keyishian, teaches
English at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. Her
stories, poems, and articles have appeared in The New York Times, The
Massachusetts Review, The Literary Review, Fiction, Art in America, and
Ararat, among many others. Her published books include a biography of
Stephen King for young audiences. She was for many years editor of The
Journal of New Jersey Poets and is at present Advisory Editor to The
Literary Review.

OUD MAESTRO ARA DINKJIAN TO PERFORM

At this event, oud master Ara Dinkjian will perform original
as well as traditional Armenian folk music. Ara Dinkjian holds the
distinction of earning this country’s only special degree in the oud which
was given to him from the Hart College of Music. With his group Night Ark,
he has given concerts throughout the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. He
has four RCA/BMG and PolyGram /Universal CDs to his credit, and has had his
songs recorded in eleven different languages. In 2002, Ara Dinkjian
represented Armenia in the “First International Meeting of the Oud” in
Thessaloniki, Greece, where twelve of the world’s top players presented
concerts, and held master classes. His composition, “Homecoming” was
performed at the closing ceremonies at the Athens Olympics.

ARARAT and the ASADOURIAN ISSUE

ARARAT magazine (), the magazine that for
decades has been a forum for quality writing in the English language on
topics of Armenian culture, history, politics, and literature, especially
from Armenian-American talent, is published by the AGBU. Copies of the
special Asadourian issue as well as subscriptions are available by
contacting Hripsime by calling, 212-319-6383, emailing, [email protected], or
mailing to ARARAT/AGBU, 55 E. 59th Street, NY, NY 10022-1112.

PanArmenian News, Armenia
Jan 21 2005

ARMENIAN-AZERI FRIENDSHIP INTERPRETED BY TOLYSHPRESS

21.01.2005 16:09

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ January 20 Tolyshpress information agency published
curious material, which says that “according to an investigation held
by Azadlyg, Azeri companies, which send cargo to Armenia, are under
the protection of top persons of the country. Thus, head of Azpetrol,
which supplies fuel to Armenia, is brother of Minister of Economic
Development Farhad Aliyev. Monopolist in that sphere – ABU Holding –
is owned by brother of Chairman of the State Committee for Securities
Heydar Babayev. The protector of the supplies of tea, vegetable oil,
fish to Armenia is head of the customs Kemaleddin Heydarov, while
that of corn supplies is head of the President Administration Ramiz
Mehtiyev.

Former Russian mediator has “pro-Armenian” stance over Karabakh – Azeri paper

Ekho, Baku
12 Jan 05

Former Azerbaijani foreign minister Tofiq Zulfuqarov has accused the
Russian diplomat, Vladimir Kazimirov, of issuing “blatantly”
pro-Armenian statements in the media. Zulfuqarov suggested that there
is a certain reason behind his articles distorting the background of
the Karabakh conflict, as “at present no-one is doing anything without
interest”. Condemning Kazimirov – former OSCE mediator in the Karabakh
settlement – for a lack of neutrality, MP Camil Hasanli called on the
Russian diplomat to learn the history of Karabakh. Excerpt from
R. Orucev’s report published by Ekho Azerbaijani newspaper on 12
January 2005 headlined “Why does Kazimirov not calm down” and
subheaded “Former cochairman of the OSCE Minsk Group is again
protecting Karabakh separatists, distorting historic facts”

The former Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group [specially
designed to settle the Karabakh conflict], Vladimir Kazimirov, sent an
article yesterday to the pro-Armenian Regnum Russian news agency
headlined “Nagornyy Karabakh should take part in the
negotiations”. The article had been written in the run-up to a meeting
held yesterday [11th January] between Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign
ministers in Prague.

It is interesting that the diplomat, who was directly involved in the
settling process as a mediator and, therefore, should have maintained
neutrality in his statements, has repeatedly made blatantly
pro-Armenian and pro-separatist statements in the media.

Kazimirov has recently published in Regnum an open letter to the PACE
co-rapporteur, David Atkinson, accusing the European MP of being
pro-Azerbaijani. This time again, he accused Baku of failing up to
now to recognize Nagornyy Karabakh as a party to the conflict and of
refusing to hold negotiations with it. Therefore, Kazimirov, writes,
“additional and artificial obstacles are being created in the Karabakh
settlement”.

“Nagornyy Karabakh is the core and heart of this conflict, therefore,
it cannot be an object alone. The Karabakh population has a vital
interest – much gre ater than other residents of Azerbaijan or Armenia
– in settling the conflict. The status of Nagornyy Karabakh is the
main reason and disputed problem in this conflict.

[Passage omitted: quotes from Kazimirov’s article]

Commenting on this article, former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofiq
Zulfuqarov said: “Above all, Mr Kazimirov is demonstrating keen
interest in supporting the Armenian position. We can guess the reason
behind this interest, as it is clear that at present no-one is doing
anything without interest. There are certain views in regard with
this, but I would not like to go into details. In fact, certain
circles of Armenia, possibly, the state recruited Kazimirov to
propagate the Armenian position. His statements do not trigger any
interest in the Russian public, so it is the region of the conflict
that reacts to his articles, which are already published regularly. He
[Kazimirov] will only represent some interest until there is reaction
in Azerbaijan.”

Kazimirov’s argument that Azerbaijan allegedly has no desire to talk
to Karabakh’s Armenians is the weakest point in his article,
Zulfuqarov said. “If this was so, Azerbaijan would not have supported
the 24 March format of the Minsk conference, which says that selected
representatives and other members of Karabakh will take part in a
conference as an interested party.

[Passage omitted: a number of negotiations have been held within the
Minsk Group]

Both Azeris and Armenians of Nagornyy Karabakh took part in the
negotiations as interested parties. That is to say, Kazimirov’s thesis
that Azerbaijan does not want to talk to Armenians of Nagornyy
Karabakh is wide of the mark since such negotiations have already
taken place.

“But the issue is about a different thing. At the end of the
negotiating process, Armenians want to obtain the status of Nagornyy
Karabakh – an independent state or a part of Armenia. Understanding
that at the current stage of the negotiating process, they cannot
achieve this from Azerbaijan and from the international community,
they are trying to increase the negotiations status of the Karabakh
Armenians and to make it [Karabakh] equal to recognized states. This
is the task of the Armenian side and this is why Kazimirov has been
recruited to protect this position,” Zulfuqarov said.

“The historic” aspects of Kazimirov’s article are shocking. He says
that even the League of Nations acknowledged Karabakh as a disputed
territory. A well-known historian and MP Camil Hasanli has commented
on this: “First, Karabakh was never on the agenda of the League of
Nations. During the existence of the first republic [the Azerbaijani
Democratic Republic; 1918-1920], Azerbaijan appealed to the League of
Nations for membership. An international commission was set dealing
with its admission. However, later on, the process of making
Azerbaijan a Soviet republic started and the country failed to obtain
membership of the League of Nations. If Kazimirov wants to speculate
on history, he should know that in 1919, the Armenian community of
Karabakh appealed to the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic and
recognized themselves as part of Azerbaijan confirming that they have
no problems with the state. This document is available in the archives
of Azerbaijan and Kazimirov can find and learn them.”

[Passage omitted: more historic details; at the beginning of the 20th
century ethnic Armenians made up only seven per cent of the Karabakh
population]

Newsday, NY
Jan 12 2005

THE PROJECTED WINNER IN IRAQ: FAILURE

As violence rages and Sunnis and Kurds prepare to boycott the
elections, no good outcome is in sight

Edwin Black

Edwin Black is the author of “Banking on Baghdad, Inside Iraq’s
7,000-Year History of War, Profit, and Conflict,” from which 6this is
adapted.

Iraq’s proposed elections later this month are a lose-lose
proposition.

Most Sunni and Kurdish political parties have either formally
withdrawn or are threatening to because the insurgency has now
targeted the entire electoral process. That reality has been driven
home daily. Last month, a grenade was tossed into a school with a
note warning the building to not become a polling place. Weeks ago,
an election commissioner on Baghdad’s main street was dragged from
his car in broad daylight and shot in the head by men who didn’t even
mask their faces.

Osama bin Laden has declared in an audiotape that those who
participate in the election – even by voting – will be deemed
infidels and targeted. Electoral commissioners have resigned en
masse. The Association of Muslim Scholars, Iraq’s highest Sunni
religious authority, has demanded all Sunnis boycott the election.

But the Shias are adamant that elections proceed. Their supreme
religious leader, Grand Ayatollah Sistani, has decreed that voting is
the highest religious obligation. Sistani rebuffed recent Sunni-Kurd
election delay requests, saying the question was “not even up for
discussion.” Indeed, a delay makes no sense, as the insurgency
becomes only more lethal with each day. Hence, Arab Sunnis and Kurds
– together some 40 percent of the population – are now on an
electoral collision course with the majority Shias, who compose
approximately 60 percent. The dynamics of this looming showdown
embody the very ethnic torrents that have plagued Iraq for centuries.
Minority Sunnis and majority Shias have massacred and oppressed each
other in Iraq since the seventh century, taking time off to do the
same for minorities such as Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Jews and
Kurds.

Since the 1920s, Sunni Ba’athist strongmen have ruled, Saddam Hussein
being the latest. The concept of one-man one- vote, in which the
results will parallel the religious groups, automatically guarantees
that the Shia majority will finally seize control of the nation,
settling old scores and disenfranchising everyone else. This only
sets the stage for another civil war.

Historically, the assumption or seizure of authority in Iraq has
never constituted a true representative government accepted by the
warring tribal factions, but rather an expression of ethnic
supremacy. More and more, the Jan. 30 vote seems not a national
election, but a mainly Shia election. So even if the election takes
place, even if the Shias deliver a statistical majority for the
turnout, the forces of Sunni and insurgent rejection will demonize
the results and elected officials, thus further plunging the populace
into violence.

Adding a volatile dimension is the distinct possibility that majority
Shia rule will not propel the nation toward Western-style democracy,
but speed it toward an Iranian-style theocracy. Shia Iran and the
dominant Shia holy cities such as Najaf have been joined at the hip
and the heart for centuries. Citizens on both sides of the border
freely pass and function jointly in matters religious, spiritual and
social.

Should a Shia-controlled Iraq legislate itself into an Iranian- style
theocracy, and even consider a pan-Islamic confederacy, the
ramifications are towering. Such bi-national unions in the Islamic
Middle East have been common since World War II.

The people of Iraq have never wanted Western-style pluralistic
democracy or elections. The idea has always been imposed from abroad.
In 1920, the nations of the Middle East were created where no nations
had previously existed by Western oil imperialism and the League of
Nations – this to validate under international law the post-World War
I oil monopolies France and England had created. Pro-western monarchs
and other rulers were installed to sign on the dotted line,
legitimizing Western oil monopolies. At the same time, the Western
capitals spurned the Arab national movement. When the Arabs hear the
term “democracy,” they hear a code word for “stable environment for
oil.”

A post-election Iraq will resemble pre-election Iraq, with a savage
insurgency determined to sabotage the government. America will then
have to decide if it is still willing to hold the invented nation
together with political thumbtacks and military muscle, or support
the forces of ethnic partition. Either way, we have no alternative
but to survive in Iraq long enough to intelligently withdraw. That
will require alternative energy resources to detach us from this
place where we are not wanted, where we should not be, and upon which
our industrialized world is now dependent.

Iraq, the so-called Cradle of Civilization, has a 7,000-year head
start on the United States and Britain. If its people wanted a
pluralistic democracy, they could have created one without a
permission slip from Washington or London. Elections do not make
democracies; democracies make elections.

ArmenPress
Jan 12 2004

ARMENIANS LINE UP TO RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS: Armenian labor and social affairs
minister Aghvan Vardanian told reporters today, after meeting with
president Robert Kocharian, that some 1.6 million Armenians have
already received social security cards out of 2,2 million people who
have applied.
He said more people are lining up at regional labor and social
affairs centers to apply for cards, after the ministry warned that
wages, social benefits, pensions and other allowances will be paid
only to card holders.
He said introduction of the system has not and will not create
problems neither for people nor the ministry and other government
agencies, but added that there are people who are trying still to
impede the full operation of the system.
The government first suggested to introduce the system of social
security cards last year and the first bill appeared as “identity
cards”. According to the reform, each Armenian citizen must have the
lifetime card with a 10-digit number of a citizen’s personal data,
which will be used for opening a bank account, paying taxes, applying
for state benefits and identification at healthcare facilities.
The government said the cards would increase the efficiency of
state-run agencies and help it reduce the volume of corruption,
however, the idea was opposed strongly by the Armenian Church, whose
main counter-argument was that the name “identity card’ must be
replaced by another one, as the word “identity card” contradicts
Biblical precepts, found in the New Testament Book of Revelation. The
government met halfway this demand and changed the name of the
“identity cards” into “social security cards.”
According to the law, the use of the cards is mandatory for all
financial transactions including receiving pensions and family
benefits, paying taxes and social insurance.

News of Delaware County, PA
Jan 12 2005

DeFeo reflects on Delaware County notables
By Joe DeFeo 01/12/2005

Thank you, Upper Darby/ Lansdowne Rotary for mailing me your weekly
bulletin, “Cogs & Notches.”

I was one of your rotary members for 15 years, and I appreciate being
remembered. I especially enjoy Dr. Jack Schulman’s articles, which
are newsy and humorous.

Former Delaware County personality Al Alberts has published his
autobiography entitled, “My Song, The Words and the Music of My
World.” Al and his wife, Stella, produced the Al Alberts Showcase on
WPVI Channel Six for a record 32 years. Al also was the lead singer
for the Four Aces, a very popular vocal group, during the past 30
years.

The Alberts, who reside in Port Charlotte, Fla., where Al conducts a
syndicated radio show called “Harmony.” His latest recording is “If I
Never Sing Another Song.” And on a personal note, I wrote the lyrics
for “Philadelphia, My Home Town,” which Al recorded some 20 years
ago.

John Tajirian of Drexel Hill, who publishes Tijirian’s Bulletin, a
religious periodical, produced a special Christmas edition which
highlighted many interesting anecdotes about the birth of Jesus
Christ and included a few episodes about His youth, not too well
known. As an Armenian, Tajirian, has also published a 12-part series
about the Turkish occupied region of Armenia.

Al Raymond, a friend and Broomall neighbor, wrote a very interesting
article in our NEWS about the history of the big bands. As a big band
leader and former teacher for many years who once was a member of
several well known orchestras in America, he is very well versed on
the subject. In fact, he authored three books on the subject.

During the drop in popularity of big bands, Raymond stood alone in
our area and continued to thrive. He did his best to help revive the
sad situation. Perhaps his articles may help somewhat to bring back
some real music. As a big band enthusiast, I feel that an entire
generation of young followers of music have sadly denied the
magnificent sounds of orchestras like Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller,
The Dorseys, Artie Show, Harry James, and dozens more professional
and talent hands.

Joan Toeniessen, a former editor of our NEWS who we thought would
retire to a life of quiet and leisure, is busier than ever. The
former president of the Ardmore Rotary and her husband of 48 years,
Lowell, have been on the traveling treadmill to visit their married
offspring and their grandchildren. There are so many of them whose
names and activities I will omit the interest of space.

Suffice it to say they are all well and talented in various ways.

Only recently, Will, Andrew, Michael and Bill, of the Toeniessen
clan, played in the Woodland String Band during the Mummers parade.

To reach all of the Toenniessen family tree members, Mom and Pop’s
travel agenda included stops in Virginia, New York, New Jersey,
Illinois, Maine and Minnesota, finally heading for Clearwater, Fla.,
to spend several weeks watching their favorite Phillies during their
spring training days.

When all the traveling is finished, Joan will come home to continue
with her writing, rotary, and her volunteer work with hospice. So, a
retirement from work may have meant that she was even busier than
before.

Hey, that sounds like an oxymoron.

Joe DeFeo has written for NDC for almost 50 years.

TALKS ON NAGORNY KARABAKH DIRECTED TO THE VERSION OF STEP-BY-STEP
SETTLEMENT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11. ARMINFO. Talks on Nagorny Karabakh are directed
towards the version of step-by-step settlement of the conflict, the
head of department for international relations of the Azerbaijani
presidential staff Novruz Mamedov told the “525th newspaper” of Baku.

According to him, opinions on removal of the problem by this way are
reflected in the proposals made by various international
organizations. Armenia have not agreed for years to continue the
negotiations on the basis of these principles. “However, the
negotiations are going in this way and it is decided to continue this
process. We do hope that serious measures will be taken towards the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict this year”, Mamedov says.

He thinks that the Azerbaijani diplomacy has an aim to achieve a full
support of international community, the absence of which is one of the
reasons hindering the conflict’s settlement. “A serious work is done
with the CE, UN, EU and other international organizations last years”,
he says.

Answering the question about further fate of the Azerbaijani
initiative “on discussions of the situation in the occupied territory
of Azerbaijan”, Mamedov noted that the final resolution is not adopted
yet, however, according to him, the negotiations may be continued at
any time. “This circumstance keeps Armenia in the constant fear and we
aim to attract an attention of the whole world to both the illegal
actions of Armenia and the fact of occupation of our lends. We believe
that the discussions in UN General Assembly will be continued and the
resolution reflecting the issue we raised will be adopted, Mamedov
says. -r-

PRACTICAL USE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Jan 05

Nagorni Karabakh is rich in minerals. However, during 70 years of
Soviet rule Azerbaijan had circumspectly tabooed this absolutely
profitable branch for the region and therefore the territory of
Nagorni Karabakh was not duly explored by geologists. Whereas complex
ore especially zinc, lead, copper, pyrites, and iron have been found
here since ancient times. The region of Martakert,the area between the
rivers Tartar and Khachen is reach in base metals. There is copper and
gold, geological parties of other base metals near Drmbon, Gyulatagh,
Kusapat, Vank, as well as Lisagor, Zardanashen, Mets Tagher, there are
deposits of pyrites and other metals near the villages Harutiunagomer,
Vank, Gyulatagh, Kusapat in the region of Martakert. The complex ore
mine near the village Mehmana is especially promising. Taking into
account the important role of the problem in encouraging the economic
development of the country, in particular the development of
metallurgy, after the armistice, in February 1995 the geological
laboratory of the institute of geology of the RA National Academy of
Science was founded in Nagorni Karabakh. In the past decade the
collaborators of the laboratory carried out a series of scientific and
industrial researches in cooperation with specialists from Armenia,
due to which NKR metallurgy is presently developing successfully. The
director of the laboratory Christopher Khachanov, Candidate of
Science, mentioned that in the sphere of exploration of metal ore
mines serious geochemical survey has been carried out especially at
the copper and gold mine of Drmbon (by the way, the thesis for the
degree of candidate of Ch. Khachanov was on the exploration of the
same mine). More thorough exploration was carried out in the depth of
450-600 meters. The potential wings and deeper layers of the mine have
not been explored yet. In several directions of the mine blind ore
bodies have been found. Besides, by the task of the NKR government
scientific exploration has been carried out at the mine deposits of
Mehmana and the adjacent territory. The exploration works have been
summed up in the scientific statements `Geological and Geochemical
Evaluation of the Mine Deposit Gyulatagh – Janiatagh (Mehmana mining
area)’ and ` Geological and Geochemical Evaluation of the Forecast of
Potential Surfacesof the Mehmana Mining Area’. By another task of the
executive the laboratory explored other mine deposits in Shoushi
(copper pyrites of Tas Verst, gold and copper of Mets Shen), Martouni
(gold and copper in Zardanashen), Askeran (gold and copper in Traket)
and other areas. Artsakh is also rich in nonmetal resources,
particularly marble and limestone. Almost all the regions of the
republic are rich in different kinds of limestone which is widely
produced and used in building. There is pink tuff in the village Vank,
Martouni region (the tuffof this quarry was used for building the
monastery of Gandzasar), felsite tuff nearthe village Chldran. There
is a diabase quarry near the village Khachen, Askeran region. The
republic is rich in basalt, granite, andesite, limestone, etc. Of
great interests is Icelandic spar (Myurishen, Tsakuri, Sarghisashen),
plaster, barite (Tonashen), etc. The major part of the mentioned areas
is presently explored by the NKR geological laboratory. The pits of
Icelandic spar, plaster and clay have been better explored. These
studies have been summed up in the scientific statement `Regularities
and Potentials of Geology, the Origin of the Chemical Composition of
the Icelandic Spar in Jurassic sediments and clay, plaster in Pliocene
– Quaternary Sediments’. As to carbohydrates, the director of the
laboratory said this mineral exists near the villages Maghavuz,
Nareshtar and Kolatak. In 1996 the NKR government undertook geological
survey of the Maghavuz pit. The exploration was summed up in the
statement `Potentials of Production of the Maghavuz Coal Pit’. We were
interested if there are oil and gas deposits in the republic.

Christopher Khachanov said that works are done in this direction and
the preliminary findings are hopeful. He mentioned that the laboratory
did not forget about mineral waters of Artsakh. The mineral waters of
Shrlan, Ttu Jur (Lisagor) were bottled until the collapse of the USSR.

According to the director of the geological laboratory, production of
mineral waters in the two areas can be restored. At the end I want to
add that besides the enumerated minerals in the territory of the
republic there are deposits of agate, onyx, and other semiprecious
stones which are of practical interest for the country’s economy, and
which need exploration.

NIKOLAY BAGHDASSARIAN.
09-01-2005

STARTING FROM JUNE, PROGRAM WITH 1.5 MILLION EUROS’ BUGDET TO BE
IMPLEMENTED IN AGRICULTURAL SPHERE OF ARMENIA WITH FINANCIAL
PARTICIPATION OF NETHERLANDS

YEREVAN, January 5 (Noyan Tapan). By the Dutch government’s “Eastern
European and Central Asian Countires Cooperation and Marketing
Program” (PSOM), it is envisaged to start from June the implementation
of a 2-year program with a budget of about 1.5 million euros in
Armenia’s agricultural sphere. According to Koryun Hovakimian,
executive director of the Armenian-Dutch Agroproject center, by late
March the Armenian side will have submitted to the Dutch government
3-4 programs, one of which will be selected and implemented. According
to K. Hovakimian, by one of the programs developed, it is proposed to
organize production of mushrooms, while by another – that of soya
beans, which will be subsequently used in butter and fodder production.

Programs on manufacturing metallic tins for tinned products, as well
as on establishing the Agroservice center in Lori marz have been
developed as well. The financial participation of the Dutch government
in the program will make 50%, whereas the other half will be invested
by the Armenian company involved in the program or by its partner – a
Dutch company. In recent years 7 programs were implemented in Armenia
with funds of the government of the Netherlands. In particular, a
plant for milk procession and production of the Dutch cheese was built
in Tashir, a hydroponic greenhouse – in the village of Darakert
(Ararat marz), an up-to-date potato warehouse with a capacity of 1,500
tons – in Shirak marz, as well as one of the workshops of the mixed
fodder plant in Yerevan was repaired.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI
Dec 31 2004

Racine man’s fib brings home a prize
By TOM KERTSCHER

Racine – Marderos Nersesian was inspired to lie while sitting, gazing
at a rain-swollen, windswept lake near his cabin in Phillips.

And today he is the World Champion Liar, at least according to the
tall tale-loving Burlington Liars Club. Nersesian’s winning entry in
the club’s annual contest came from the lakeside:

“We had so much rain during the spring and summer seasons,” the
Racine resident wrote, “there were puddles on our lake.”

Maybe it’s no knee-slapper, but any original thought that coaxes even
a grin ain’t all bad.

“I enjoy witty things. I enjoy laughing. I enjoy jokes,” Nersesian,
68, a retired art teacher, said Thursday. “You’ve got to have
laughter in your life somewhere.”

Nersesian, a “full-blooded Armenian” known as Mardy, is a South
Milwaukee native who for 38 years taught in Racine, 33 of them at
Horlick High School. The puddles story was his first entry in the
contest, which the club says attracted more than 300 stories from 11
states.

Nersesian appreciates the parchment certificate he received but isn’t
sure he’ll try to reclaim his title next year.

“I don’t want to make a reputation as a liar,” he said.