Author: Kajoyan Gevork

OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
122 C Street, NW, Suite 360, Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: (202) 347-5166
Fax: (202) 347-5168
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

ARMENIAN-AMERICAN BENEFACTOR DONATES $275,000 TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL IN ARTSAKH

PRESS RELEASE
January 10, 2005

WASHINGTON – The Office of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic (NKR) in the
United States is pleased to announce that Anoush Mathevosian of New
York will sponsor the construction of a new school in Stepanakert,
Nagorno Karabakh. When completed, the building will accommodate
students primarily from refugee families, who fled Azerbaijan in early
1990s.

A long-time philanthropist and a founding benefactor of the Armenian
Genocide Museum and Memorial in Washington, DC, Mathevosian decided to
sponsor the construction of the new school when Armenian Assembly
vice-chair Annie Totah asked her to contribute to this vital project.
During her October 2004 trip to Stepanakert, Totah visited the future
school site with the NKR First Lady Inna Ghoukasian, under whose
auspices the construction project has been conceived.

Last month, Ms. Mathevosian sent a $275,000 check to the Fund of
Armenian Relief (FAR), the New York-based relief and development
nonprofit organization she chose to implement the project. `We are
thankful to Ms. Mathevosian for her continued confidence in our
organization. She is one of FAR’s outstanding members and
visionaries, and it has certainly been a blessing to work with her for
more than 15 years. Ms. Mathevosian has initiated and generously
funded several educational programs in Armenia through FAR,’ said
Garnik Nanagoulian, FAR Executive Director.

`We will coordinate our efforts with the local authorities in Nagorno
Karabakh to ensure that we build a modern educational facility for
Artsakh’s students,’ he added.

NKR President Arkadi Ghoukasian telephoned Mathevosian to thank her
for critical contribution to Artsakh’s future. `The people of Artsakh
highly value your outstanding vision and generous benevolence,’ he
said.

In her letter to Matevosian last month, First Lady Ghoukasian called
the new undertaking `a very honorable and patriotic mission.’

`We thank Anoush Mathevosian for her financial backing of this
critical project. Hundreds of area students had to walk miles each day
to attend school in the neighboring district. The new building will
also be conveniently located for many families that came to Karabakh
from Azerbaijan. These families deserve our utmost attention. We also
thank Annie Totah for her important role in making this project
possible’, commented Inna Ghoukasian.

`By building modern educational facilities and improving the teaching
process we are paving the way to Artsakh’s brighter future. I call on
Armenians around the world to continue supporting similar projects,’
said in conclusion Artsakh’s First Lady.

The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is
based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia
and the public representing the official policies and interests of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

* * *

Photo & caption: Long time Armenian-American philanthropist Anoush
Mathevosian.

To request this photo for publishing with the press-release, send an
email to [email protected]

This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the
U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional
information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington,
D.C.

Burbank Leader , CA
LATimes.com
Jan 5 2005

Kids assume giving role

By Rosette Gonzales, The Leader

Cancer patients at City of Hope will celebrate Armenian Christmas in
a matter of speaking this Thursday thanks to the domestic talents of
members of St. Peter Armenian Church Youth Ministries Center.

Congregation members knitted, sewed and crocheted more than 30
blankets to give to cancer patients as a gesture of love, said Father
Vazken Movsesian of St. Peter Armenian Church Youth Ministries
Center.

The blanket project is part of the church’s youth ministry, “In His
Shoes,” and is unique to the parish because the congregation is
extending holiday charity beyond the Armenian community, Movsesian
said.

“God asks us to give to others,” Movsesian said. “That’s why we at
St. Peter’s have decided to make this Christmas a little different to
really reach out to the local community”

Although the new year means the end of the holidays for many,
Christmas is still a day away for most Armenians.

The Armenian Christmas, as it is conventionally referred, is observed
Jan. 6.

But before Constantine moved the date to Dec. 25 in the 4th century,
all Christians commemorated the birth of Christ, the visit of the
Magi and Christ’s baptism at the River Jordan on Jan. 6, Movsesian
said. Local Armenian churches will have services starting today.

St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church will have mass at 4 p.m. today
and at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Thursday, led by Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western United States.

The Primate’s Annual Christmas Reception will take place from 4 to 8
p.m. at the Armenian Church of the Western Diocese in Burbank.
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church, will lead the year’s 90th anniversary commemoration
of the Armenian Genocide.

FOR FIRST TIME DEPUTY FOR FIRST TIME VICAR CATHOLICOS FOR GULF
COUNTRIES

AL KUWAIT, December 30 (Noyan Tapan). In accordance with the statutes
of the Armenian Diocese of Kuwait and the Persian Gulf countries, the
Diocese consists of the Armenian flock of Kuwait, the United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman. But till 2003 no religious and
national structures and no organized communal life existed, except for
Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The center of these structure was
in Kuwait, where the residence of the Head of Diocese is situated.

In April, Archbishop Koryun Papyan, the Vicar of Catholicos of the
Gulf countries, visited the Armenians of Qatar, whose total number
makes 170 persons and served a liturgy himself. Consulting with the
Qatar compatriots, the Archbishop established the national
administration of Qatar, which has been engaged in the spiritual needs
of the Armenians of Qatar and the religious upbringing of the youth
several months now, by holding meetings and communicating with the
Archbishop.

Recently the Armenians of Bahrain had also the honor to receive
Archbishop Koryun Papyan for the first time.

The Archbishop began the liturgy with the “Khorhurd Khorin” sharakan
at the chapel situated in the Hawalli district and used by both the
Catholic and Protestant churches. The singing party of the liturgy was
performed by Priest Aram Delirmenjian.

Then the Archbishop preached about the historic mission of the
Armenian Church, which always patronizes the children of the Armenian
people, as well as Armenia and the Diaspora. “It is that sacred
mission, which the Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House headed by
Holy Patriarch Aram I carried out jointly with the Cilician Mother See
Church under the heaviest Diasporan conditions,” said Koryun Papyan.

During the holy liturgy all the participants received the
Eucharist. At the end of the liturgy the water-consecration was also
held. And after the Archbishop’s homily the requiem was carried out,
during which the names of the late relatives of the present faithful
were mentioned by their request.

The dinner with the participation of all the Armenians of Bahrain and
Khoubar took place after the liturgy.

According to the press divan of the Residence of the Head of the
Diocese of Kuwait, 60 to 70 Armenians lived in Bahrain in the 80s, but
now their number decreased and made 15-20 persons. There are over 50
Armenians in Khoubar Saudia, near Bahrain.

Tehran Times, Iran
Jan 1 2005

Prominent cleric warns of plot against Islamic world

TEHRAN (IRNA) — Interim Friday Prayer leader of Tehran Ayatollah
Mohammad Emami Kashani said here in his second sermon, “Global
arrogance has hatched a dangerous plot against the Islamic world,
aimed at uprooting the religious culture.” Addressing thousands of
worshipers at the central campus of Tehran University, the prominent
cleric added, “After accomplishing its previous task of uprooting the
Christian culture in the West and elsewhere in the world, the global
arrogance has now focused on the Islamic world and is quite
determined to deprive it of its genuine religious culture.” The
interim Friday prayer leader said, “The plot against Islam is being
pursued through various channels. Sometimes the Islamic ideology and
fundamentals of Islam are attacked, while at other times the enemies
try to spread the seeds of disunity and distrust in the Islamic and
Arab World on the one side and in Iran on the other, or try to create
crises between the world’s Shi’as and Sunnis.” Referring to the
history of conspiring against religious cultures, Ayatollah Emami
Kashani said, “Hatching plots against monotheist religions can be
traced back in world history as far back as the 16th and 17th
centuries, although such plots were not originally aimed at uprooting
the Islamic culture.” Considering the Islamic civilization as an
important part of the global religious civilization, he said, “A
civilization is comprised of cultural habits, economic transactions,
political conduct, family and social relations, and various aspects
of a large group of people’s lives.” Tehran Friday prayer leader
said, “God’s messengers set the foundations of civilizations and the
holy books brought by five of them whose prophecy was meant to be for
the whole mankind have signs indicating that the religious
civilizations have always been the foundation of mankind’s history.”
Ayatollah Emami Kashani said, “Agents of the global arrogance have
been commissioned to detach mankind from God’s messengers, not from
God, and now that they have already succeeded to do so within the
Christian world they are heading to do the same in the Islamic
world.”

He congratulated the Christian New Year to the world Christians, and
particularly the Iranian Armenians, wishing them all a very happy and
good new year, full of God’s special blessings.

The interim Friday prayer leader referred to the situation in
Palestine as a sample of efforts aimed at depriving the Islamic world
of its Islamic civilization. He added, “The United States and the
Zionist regime push forth that plot under the name of the
international campaign against terrorism, the promotion of democracy,
and the enhancement of peace and stability in the world.” Addressing
the Iraqi nation, he said, “The Americans are not after providing
security and stability for Iraq. The Iraqi nation should rely on the
guidance of prominent religious sources of jurisprudence and take
part in the national elections, blocking the path of enemies and
their countless plots.” The Friday prayer leader stressed the need to
preserve Islamic unity in order to block the path of the enemies’
ill-intentioned plots, and addressing the world Christians said, “Do
not support the oppressor powers and do not remain silent when they
commit crimes against mankind so that you would not feel ashamed and
would not be condemned before Jesus Christ in the Hereafter.” Also
addressing the youth in Iran, he said, “Wake up and heed the plots
hatched by the enemies against us.”

PRESS RELEASE
December 29, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:

Address to the Armenian American Community by Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America,
Dr. Arman Kirakossian

Dear compatriots,

Please accept my cordial greetings on the festivities of New Year and the
Armenian Christmas! I am convinced that the year 2005 will bring new
achievements for the Armenian people in Armenia, Artsakh, as well as in the
Diaspora.

It is a tradition to assess the past year’s events, results, and
achievements in retrospect. While 2004 was an election year in the United
States, and therefore characterized by the predominance of domestic
politics, the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations continued to make progress
in a natural fashion. U.S.-Armenian dialog and cooperation in the political
and security areas were further strengthened. The U.S. Government played an
important and positive role in the process of peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, in its capacity as Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group. The military cooperation between Armenia and the United States
acquired new quality, as the Armenian Armed Forces and Kansas National Guard
signed a State Partnership Program, and two high ranking Armenian military
officers, Chief of General Staff Col. General Mikayel Harutyunian and Deputy
Defense Minister Lt. General Artur Aghabekyan came to the U.S. on an
official visit. The Congress increased military assistance to Armenia to
8.75 million dollars, reiterating the principle of parity in U.S. military
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Especially satisfying are the results in U.S.-Armenian economic and
commercial relations. Only in the first ten months of 2004, Armenian exports
to the U.S. grew by 36%; the United States is one of Armenia’s main trade
partners. The U.S. Congress allocated 75 million dollars and 3 million
dollars towards U.S. assistance programs in Armenia and Karabakh,
respectively. In November, the Congress passed a measure granting permanent
normal trade relations to Armenia. Armenian economy’s solid macroeconomic
performance and prospects for growth were acknowledged this year, when the
U.S. Government selected Armenia as eligible for a new mechanism for foreign
assistance it had recently initiated, the Millennium Challenge Account
programs for 2004 and 2005. U.S.-Armenian cooperation in science,
technology, education, and culture continued unabated. Of particular
importance is the comprehensive and descriptive report on the present state
and future of Science and Technology sector in Armenia, prepared and
published by a prominent U.S. scientific institution, the National Academies
of Science.

Dear compatriots,

On behalf of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Armenia in the
United States, I thank all of our Armenian-American compatriots who have in
many ways helped to address issues relating to Armenia and to promote
Armenia’s economic growth. I want to assure you how greatly Homeland Armenia
appreciates your assistance and your efforts, whether in lobbying on
Armenian issues in U.S. Congress and state legislatures, helping Armenian
diplomatic missions, investing in Armenia, or simply visiting Armenia as
tourists.

On behalf of the Embassy staff and my family, I wish you a merry Christmas,
and happiness and peace in New Year 2005!

BoxingTalk.com
Dec 24 2004

Rival Promoters Make Friendly Wager on Outcome of Vazquez vs.
Simonyan

Press release: Fight promoter Art Pelullo is a cigar-puffing
Philadelphia guy. He loves his Eagles, his Phillies and his pasta.
Artie is an Old School fight guy.

Fight promoter Glenn Quiroga is the New Breed of fight promoter. Only
age 26, Quiroga loves his Chargers, his Padres and his tacos and
enchiladas.

And with Quiroga’s International Boxing Federation junior
featherweight champion Israel Vazquez making his first title defense
Tuesday, Dec. 28, at the Sycuan Resort & Casino in El Cajon, Calif.,
against Pelullo’s Armenian tiger and No. 1-ranked contender Artyom
Simonyan, the rival promoters have agreed to disagree.

Quiorga, tribal treasurer for Sycuan and the head of Sycuan Ringside
Promotions, is putting his money where his mouth is, as is the
Pennsylvania-based boxing impresario.

They have agreed to disagree as to who will win this key showdown in
the 122-pound weight class.

“I see Israel knocking out Artyom in a late round,” Quiroga said. “I
am quietly confident in Israel. He will be out to shine like new
money at Sycuan.”

“Glenn is a nice fellow but he’s got a lot to learn,” Pelullo said.
“The Armenian tiger is going to light Mr. Vazquez up like I light up
my Cuban cigars. I would not be shocked to see Artyom stop Izzy in
the middle rounds. If not, my challenger will become champion by
decision. As the rounds go by, Artyom gets stronger and stronger.”

Wanna bet? Quiroga and Pelullo have done just that.

“I know that my Eagles are going to be playing in the Super Bowl in
Jacksonville (Florida) on February 6,” Pelullo said. “I think they
might even have to beat up on Glenn’s red-hot Chargers down there.
But, if Simonyan loses, I will guarantee Mr. Q two sideline tickets
for the Super Bowl regardless of which teams are squaring off. San
Diego is a nice city but they should stick to Over The Line beach
softball and sailing.”

Quiorga, while skeptical of any scenario that doesn’t have his
beloved ‘Bolts winning the Super Bowl this year, accepted the
challenge.

“What the heck is in Artie’s cigars?” Quiroga laughed. “He comes from
a town where they boo Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The Eagles are
tough but the Chargers have gone from worst to first. So I accept
that bet and, if Vazquez loses, I will supply Artie with four
sideline Super Bowl seats. The way I see it, I will be there and
probably have some Eagles seated around me.”

Ouch!

The Sycuan card, aptly titled “Devastation On The Reservation,”
begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday with doors to the Sycuan Showcase Theatre
opening at 5:30. Plenty of good seats are available in the cozy
confines of the theatre at prices of $100, $200 and $250 for the
Golden Ringside premium seats.

There will be an exciting undercard featuring not one, but two female
bouts; three San Diego resident boxers will be in action as well.

More information and tickets may be obtained 24 hours a day by
phoning the Sycuan Resort & Casino at 619-445-6002 or 619-659-3380.
Tickets also may be purchased in person at the Sycuan Resort & Casino
gift shop.

Azeri pressure group condemns sentence on would-be Karabakh guerrillas

Bilik Dunyasi news agency
23 Dec 04

Baku, 23 December: The committee to protect the Karabakh guerrillas
intends to continue its operations in two directions, the leader
of the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO), Akif Nagi, said at a
press conference today. Nagi is also the head of the committee.

“We will continue our activities to protect these true patriots by
legal means, through applying to the Court of Appeal, as well as by
putting pressure. In particular, we will stage various radical actions
and try to attract the attention of the majority of the public to
this problem,” Nagi said.

Azerbaijan’s Grave Crimes Court passed a ruling yesterday on an
armed group of 21 people who wanted to wage a guerrilla war behind
the positions of the Armenian forces on the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan. The members of the group were sentenced to three to 10
years’ imprisonment.

“We regard the ruling of the court as unjust. By passing this verdict,
judge Azar Orucov sentenced himself. He tainted himself and his family
will always live with this stigma,” he said.

Nagi said he was determined to attain full exoneration of the
guerrillas and make the Grave Crimes Court admit that the ruling was
a mistake.

PRESS RELEASE
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Artak Harutyunyan
Tel: 3741 52 09 40
Fax: 3741 52 37 95
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Eduardo Eurnekian increases his donation
——————————————————————————–

22 December, 2004

Eduardo Eurnekian, the Armenian donor from Argentina has increased his
donation made during the “Hayastan” Fund’s annual Telethon. With his
donation of $1,5 million Mr. Eurnekian was among the major donors
of the Telethon. Now, he has made another donation of 300,000
USD in addition to the previous one. Thus, along with making
solid investments in his homeland, he also has great share in the
“North-South” highway project.

Armenians concerned about Karabakh peace process – opinion poll

Arminfo
21 Dec 04

Yerevan, 21 December: According to an opinion poll conducted by the
Armenian centre for the strategic and national studies, 49 per cent
of experts and 41 per cent of ordinary participants have expressed
their concern about the current stage of the peaceful settlement of
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. Hundred independent domestic experts
and 2,002 residents of Yerevan and all regions of the republic were
the respondents in the opinion poll.

None of the participants in the opinion poll expressed their
satisfaction with the current stage of the peaceful settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, the centre’s expert, Stepan Safaryan,
said today. He added that 24 per cent of the experts thought that
the inclusion of the term “the occupied territories” in the UN
agenda will lead to sanctions pertaining to Armenia and Nagornyy
Karabakh. Eighteen per cent of the ordinary participants in the
opinion poll were convinced that this will draw the attention of the
international community to the demands of the Armenian side.

As for the prospects for sending the Armenian peace-keepers to Iraq,
67 per cent of the experts and 70 per cent of the ordinary citizens
were against this initiative. Thirty one per cent of the experts
believe that this poses threat to the lives of the Armenians living
in Iraq, while 32 per cent of the remaining part of the participants
think that this action will turn Armenia into a target for the Islamic
terrorists, Safaryan said.

The Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 21 2004

France’s Awkward Stance in Turkey’s EU Bid

France does anything possible to prevent Turkey’s EU entry. Sahiner
questions the reason behind this awkward stance.

Awkward French Stance between ‘National Interests’ and Global Good on
Turkey’s EU Bid

By Davut Sahiner (JTW), 20 December 2004

ANKARA – French did anything possible to bar start negotiations with
Turkey. They first used economy and human rights cards, then Cyprus
and Armenian issue. Despite there are hot and current issues in the
Caucasus the French politicians now ‘discuss’ the events happened
about a century ago. They blame modern Turkey for the Ottoman period
claiming Turks made a ‘genocide’ against the Armenians. Turks do not
accept these allegations, yet it is difficult for them to understand
France’s attitude.

There is a strong Armenian diaspora in France (about 300.000) and
they have a great influence on French politics and media. They have
frequently made pressure over the Government and Parliament. The
French Parliament passed a law applying the word ‘genocide’ to the
1915 conflicts. In fact the decision was taken by about 50
parliamentarians and many French parliamentarians were been threaten
not to obstruct passing of the law. The French Government said this
was a domestic political issue, not the French Government’s official
policy. The French Ambassador in Turkey, French FM and PM ensured
Ankara that French Government saw the problem as historians’
business, not the politician’s. Despite all these, Turkish people
angrily protested France, and French companies’ business in Turkey
was badly affected from the law. Turkish Government does not accept
‘genocide allegations’. Turkish historians say there is no genocide
but mutual killings between Armenians, Kurdish and Turkish peoples.
Dr. Nilgun Gulcan from ISRO for instance says about 500.000 Muslims
were killed by the armed Armenian separatists. “There was an Armenian
riot. Armenian separatists undermined Ottoman security during the
World War I. They fanatically supported the Russian side. The
Istanbul Government had to resettle thousands of Armenians. Most of
them reached the safe places in Syria and other Ottoman States.
However some of them died due to the tribal attacks, epidemic
diseases and war circumstances. But no one can name these killings
and lost as ‘genocide’. And 1915 events cannot be compared with
Holocaust or Genocide done in Algeria” added Dr. Gulcan.
The French Government avoided using the term ‘genocide’ until
December, 14 – just three days before Turkey and the EU agreed to
start membership talks. The French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier
used ‘genocide’ term first time before the summit and this was only a
small piece what Barnier and other French politicians did in order to
hinder start of membership talks with Turkey before the Summit.
French President Chirac gave a TV speech before December, 17 and
‘promised’ Turkey to support its EU bid. President said in his speech
that the ultimate aim of talks with Turkey would be full-membership,
not a Privileged partnership or any ‘B’ plan. However it was the same
Chirac who made enormous efforts to put vague terms into the Summit
Decision which could be interpreted as ‘privileged partnership’ or
could be used to obstruct Turkey’s membership.
French News Agency AFP now reports that France says it will put all
issues to Turkey during negotiations over it Joining the EU including
that of so-called Armenian genocide. French FM Barnier told French
Radio Station RTL:

“What has to be done now is start membership negotiations which are
going to be very long, very difficult, during which we will put all
issues on the table, including that of the Armenian genocide, with
the hope of obtaining a response from Turkey before membership”.

French FM means that they will do anything to prevent Turkey’s
membership, and if France cannot find anything current, it will use
‘history’ to block the Turks. If the so-called history will not work,
he may use ‘chemistry’, ‘mathematics’, or even ‘astronomy’. As Baris
Sanli, Turkish columnist, argues that “France may ask Turks to bring
a stone from the Moon to start the negotiations”.

It is quite clear that France does not want Turkey in. But, why?

First of the reasons is domestic. The Armenian voters determine
French Government’s Turkey policies. Second reason is German factor:
Turkey’s entry is expected to strengthen Germany’s role in the EU.
Turkey had good relations in the past and they never confronted in
the war arenas. Germany was the most significant partner of the
Ottoman Empire during the First World War against the French. Germans
with the Americans made enormous aid during the Cold War, while
France maintained its Turkey skeptic stance. Even the British see
benefits from Turkey’s EU membership. According to Tony Blair Turkey
is the only country which can stop the civilization polarization in
the world. Blair gives a significant importance to Turkey’s
acceptance to the EU. However for the French, Armenian votes and
balance of power between Germany and France are more important than a
clash of civilizations.

Turkish economy shows now better performance than Bulgaria’s,
Romania’s, even Hungary’s, Poland’s and Slovakia’s economies. Turkish
democracy is still fragile, but it rapidly develops, and the EU
membership will be a clear guarantee for democracy and pluralism in
Turkey. It can be argued that the EU leaders have very little tool to
prevent Turkey’s EU membership. That’s why they must find fake
reasons if they want to prevent Turkey’s entry, like the past.
However it should be noted that if you use ‘history card’, you should
be innocent enough. Otherwise others will have the right to question
your history and your past mistakes. And France is not innocent
enough to do so.

AFP says “France to Grill Turkey on All Issues for EU Bid”. It should
be remembered if France “grills Turkey”, Europe’s future will be
‘grilled’ as well.

–Boundary_(ID_nU/WhuBPA5LGUDijiQPN6Q)–