Author: Kajoyan Gevork

La Turquie sans amnésie sur l’Arménie

Libération, France
15 juin 2004

“L’entrée éventuelle d’une Turquie négationniste en Europe inquiète
les 450 000 Français d’origine arménienne”, a écrit Ara Toranian dans
un Rebonds publié lundi dernier. Au nom du vieux principe “diffamez,
diffamez, il en restera toujours quelque chose”, M. Toranian a pris
des libertés très contestables avec la réalité.

Non, il n’est pas question ici d’affirmer que l’Empire ottoman n’a
pas été coupable d’exactions par le passé. D’ailleurs, bien peu de
pays peuvent prétendre échapper à une telle accusation. Mais nous
nous élevons contre les allégations de ce monsieur qui suggère que
la Turquie est encore aujourd’hui une menace pour les Arméniens qui
vivent sur son sol ou dans tout autre pays. Il prétend que la Turquie
efface les souvenirs des Arméniens de son territoire ! Je me suis
suffisamment rendu en Turquie pour savoir que c’est faux, et tous
ceux qui connaissent ce pays pour y avoir vécu le confirmeront. Les
Arméniens de Turquie vivent en toute quiétude, mais, tout comme les
juifs en France, ils ne sont pas à l’abri de menées de groupes ou
d’individus extrémistes qui sont la honte de toutes les nations.

Effectivement, la Turquie ne reconnaît pas le génocide arménien. Elle
a toujours admis la réalité de massacres, mais nie qu’il y ait eu une
intention délibérée de la part du gouvernement des Jeunes Turcs de
supprimer l’ensemble d’une population. Bien qu’on le taise en France,
les historiens sont partagés sur le sujet et le Royaume-Uni, qui n’a
pas spécialement d’intérêts en Turquie, rejette cette qualification,
comme l’a rappelé récemment, et à plusieurs reprises, son ministère
des Affaires étrangères.

Les propos de M. Toranian deviennent proprement scandaleux et
insultants quand il affirme que la Turquie se serait rendue “complice
de la solution finale” qui, comme chacun sait, désigne la Shoah.
Durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, il convient de rappeler que la
Turquie est restée neutre. Alors que, de France, les juifs étaient
déportés par trains entiers vers les camps de la mort, la Turquie,
elle, accueillait sur son sol les juifs en exil.

Reynald Beaufort, président de l’association Turquie européenne

Film Museum to Detail Armenian Presence in Iranian Cinema
Tehran Times Culture Desk

Tehran Times
June 13 2004

TEHRAN June 12 (MNA) -– The second seasonal exhibition at the Film
Museum of Iran for the first time will detail the Armenian presence
in Iranian cinema.

Documents, posters, pictures, rare and historical cinematographic
tools that have never been previously screened or published will be
displayed. The News Bureau of Mass Media Relations at the Film Museum
in a statement released announced that the exhibition will be entitled
“One Week of Armenians’ Cinema.”

During the week, works by Avanes Oganians, Arbi Avanessian, Vartan
Antanessian, Jani Baghdassarian, Artem Ohanjanian, Arpik Baghdassarian,
Khachik, Samuel Khachikian, and Varuzh Karim Masihi along with others
will be displayed.

Coinciding with the 400th year anniversary of the migration of
Armenians to Iran another of the week’s programs will feature
screenings and clips from films highlighting Armenian actors.

The bureau in its statement said all the Armenian organizations
including, the Armenian Prelacy, the Armenian daily Alik, Iran’s Film
House, and Farabi Cinematic Foundation and other organizations will
actively participate in the exhibition.

The Film Museum of Iran will also be publishing a book being dubbed
“The Presence of Armenians in Iran’s Cinema” detailing the presence
and the impact of Armenians in the history of Iranian cinema.
AP/DWN/IS END MNA

Azeris remain hopeful of US Congress

Azer News, Azerbaijan
June 10 2004

The Azerbaijani community is skeptical about the unbiased standpoint
of the US Congress and the observation of the principle of justice
in its decisions. The reason is the great influence of lobbing at
the Congress. Everyone can guess what the notion of “lobbing” means.

People understand well that lobbing doesn’t mean only the issuing of
statements and bulletins and the release of audio and video materials
in order to express an opinion. Of course, while reading this article,
every Azerbaijani reader first remembers Armenian lobbing at the US
Congress that by various means managed to get some Congressmen on
their side.

In fact, just and honest people, who take an unbiased position rather
than protecting their own personal interests, are also represented
at the Congress. The recent steps to balance the “lobby” at the
US Congress have raised hopes in the Azerbaijani community. It was
initiated to establish the US-Azerbaijani friendship group at the
Congress during the visit of a US delegation headed by the Congress’s
Armed Services Committee chairman Curt Weldon to Baku. The US
delegation held a series of meetings with Azerbaijani state officials
and was received by President Ilham Aliyev. The US Congressmen’s
meeting with Defense Minister, Colonel General Safar Abiyev drew the
public’s great attention. Recalling that President Aliyev presented
the NATO-Azerbaijan cooperation plan to the NATO Secretary General
in Brussels last week, Abiyev said the President had reaffirmed
Azerbaijan’s commitment to cooperate with the US to fight international
terrorism. Touching upon the Upper Garabagh conflict, General Abiyev
emphasized that Armenia had ignored the UN Security Council’s four
resolutions on an unconditional withdrawal of Armenian military
forces from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan and the international
community had not recognized Armenia as an aggressor.Weldon said he
had come to Baku to hold talks on expanding the military cooperation
between the US and Azerbaijan. He said that during a recent visit to
Moscow, he reminded Russian officials of Azerbaijan’s tremendous role
in security issues. “The US will continue relations with Azerbaijan
as its strategic ally”, he said. With regard to the Upper Garabagh
conflict, Weldon said he supports the stepping up of the efforts
of his country in this respect. Several members of the US Congress
attending the meeting expressed their appreciation to the Azerbaijani
side for supporting the US in combating international terrorism and
confidence that an extensive cooperation with the US is in store for
Azerbaijan. The public also appreciated the reports on the discussions
on the Garabagh conflict to be held by the American-Turkish Assembly
Association (ATAA) jointly with the US-Turkish group represented
at the US Congress this fall. A delegation led by ATAA President
Ercumend Gilinc, who arrived in Baku on June 6, are holding serious
meetings. The visitors met with Nazim Ibrahimov, the chairman of the
State Committee on Azerbaijanis Living Abroad, on Monday to discuss
issues related to mutual cooperation. The visitors will also meet
with high-ranking government officials and give a news conference on
the results of the visit on Wednesday. Established in the late 1970s,
the ATAA is the biggest Turkish Diaspora active in the United States
and the world. The aim of the Association, which has 57 branches
in the United States and Canada, is to expand US-Turkish relations
and provide the American community with authentic information about
Turkey. The Azerbaijani public still hopes that the US Congress will
take a fair and principled position towards Baku and Yerevan. A saying
in the East reads that when hope is lost it is difficult to recover it.

MONITORING TO BE HELD IN TROOPS CONTACT LINE
[June 10, 2004, 14:45:10]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 10 2004

According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense, under
the mandate of personal representative of the OSCE acting Chairman,
a monitoring of the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and
the Republic of Armenian in the contact line – Garakhanbeyli village
of Fizuli province of Azerbaijan – is scheduled for 10th of June.

On the Azerbaijan side, the monitoring will be held by personal
representative of the OSCE acting Chairman Andzei Kaspshik, and his
field assistants Jorgen Schmidt and Imre Palatinus.

On the opposite side the job will be done by field assistants of the
OSCE acting Chairman Kenneth Pickles and Miroslav Wimetal.

Azeri defence chief urges world to recognize Armenia as aggressor

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
10 Jun 04

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev has once again urged the
international community to recognize Armenia as an aggressor.

At today’s meeting with the deputy commander of the US European
Command, Gen Charles Wald, Abiyev said that the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict could not be frozen. The fact that Yerevan is an aggressor
should be confirmed.

Armenian leader, entrepreneurs discuss business problems

Mediamax news agency
8 Jun 04

Yerevan, 8 June: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received about
30 representatives of small and medium-sized businesses in Yerevan
today, the presidential press service has told Mediamax.

Robert Kocharyan said at the meeting that in 2003, the share of
products manufactured by small and medium-sized businesses in
Armenia accounted for 38 per cent. According to the president,
“this is quite a serious indicator which testifies that small and
medium-sized businesses are gradually getting off the ground”.

At the same time, the head of state said that “there are still a lot
of problems and unresolved tasks that I am ready to discuss with you”.

During the meeting, the Armenian president and the businessmen
discussed issues of improving tax and customs legislation and problems
of ensuring equal competition.

ARKA News Agency
June 2 2004

Kazakhstan Ambassador to Armenia hands credential to RA MFA

RA President receives three-times olympic champion, RF State Duma
Deputy Alexander Karelin

RA President receives delegation of CIS TIC Heads’ Council

CBA Chairman to take part in 13th international banking congress in
Saint-Petersburg

CBA Council receives delegation of Asian Development Bank

*********************************************************************

KAZAKHSTAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA HANDS CREDENTIAL TO RA MFA

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. Kazakhstan Ambassador to Armenia Krymbek
Kusherbayev (residence in Moscow) handed credential to RA Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanian, RA MFA told ARKA. The parties stressed
absence of political splits between the countries. Besides they
discussed perspectives of deepening of bilateral cooperation,
especially considering dynamic growth of the economies of the two
countries. In accordance to that the parties noted the importance of
direct contacts and information exchange between the businessmen of
Armenia and Kazakhstan. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES THREE-TIMES OLYMPIC CHAMPION, RF STATE DUMA
DEPUTY ALEXANDER KARELIN

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian received
three-times Olympic Champion, RF State Duma Deputy Alexander Karelin.
The parties discussed development of sport. Talking about activation
of joint contacts in sport sphere, Kocharian said that Armenia has
favorable conditions for conduction of gatherings, which allow
restoration of previous traditions. The President represented the
policy conducted by the State on development of physical training and
sport and said that he constantly visits sport objects and has good
relations with sportsmen.
Karelin heads delegation of Russian Federation at international
tournament of Graeco-Roman wrestling after Olympic champion Levon
Djulfalakian. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES DELEGATION OF CIS TIC HEADS’ COUNCIL

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian received
delegation of CIS Trade Industrial Chambers Heads’ Council. Kocharian
paid attention to the work of the sittings of the Council and
expressed confidence that Yerevan meeting will give new stimuli for
development of cooperation. The President welcomed initiative of
conduction of exhibition and business forum in the frames of TIC
Council. The Chairman of RF TIC Eugenie Primakov in his turn called
the results of the sitting productive. According to him, the parties
discussed wide range of issues considering cooperation of subjects of
small and medium business of CIS countries, exchange of business
information and expanding of cooperation in the sphere of
organization of the exhibitions. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

CBA CHAIRMAN TO TAKE PART IN 13TH INTERNATIONAL BANKING CONGRESS IN
SAINT-PETERSBURG

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. CBA Chairman Tigran Sargsian will take part
in 13th international banking congress “RF Banking System in the
Light of International Trends and Standards” in Saint-Petersburg.
Sargsian will make a speech “Lessons and Perspectives of
Modernization of Banking System”. The congress will discuss
international trends of development of banking business and their
influence on the economy, international standards of administration
of banking system, actual goals of banking activity in the frames of
Bazel-2 and the goals of corporate management of the banks and
internal monitoring. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

CBA COUNCIL RECEIVES DELEGATION OF ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

YEREVAN, June 2. /ARKA/. Council of CBA received delegation of Asian
Development Bank headed by Amarjit Vassan, deputy Secretary as CBA
Press Service told ARKA. According to the press release during the
meeting, the representatives of the Asian Development Bank presented
activity of the company that aims at implementation of loan projects
targeted at poverty reduction and securing sustainable development of
the organization member countries.
In his turn, the Chairman of CBA Tigran Sargsyan presenting CBA
activity, its main tasks and operations as well as the general
situation in the Armenian economy. As mentioned by Vassan, that
unofficial agreement between bank members of Asian Development Bank
around Armenia’s membership in the institution. In his opinion, the
purpose of the visit is clarifying terms of Armenia’s membership.
T.M. –0–

*********************************************************************

EU ready to grant 100 mln euros to close Armenian nuclear plant
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 3, 2004 Thursday

YEREVAN, June 3 — The European Union has reiterated its readiness
to allocate 100 million euros to close the Armenian nuclear power
plant 40 kilometers west of the Armenian capital Yerevan, the press
secretary of the Yerevan office of the European Commission’s delegation
in Georgia and Armenia, Anait Azatyan, told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

The funds will be allotted after the talks on terms of the plant’s
shutdown are completed.

The Armenian nuclear plant was launched in 1979 and shut down in 1989
after a devastating earthquake. In 1996, Russia helped Armenia repair
the second reactor and put the plant on line.

This plant generates 40 percent of all electricity in Armenia. In the
meantime, the EU is pressing for its closing. The Armenian authorities
declared in response the plant’s shutdown would be possible if the
EU proposed alternative electric power sources. One of the options is
to lay a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia. The pipeline construction
is expected to begin this year and be completed in 2006.

* Argentinian ‘Galacticos’
* Nalbandian ends Kuerten’s love affair, Hewitt outwitted
* Argentinians’ day
* Nalbandian beats Kuerten at French Open
* Nalbandian downs Kuerten to reach semis
* Nalbandian, Gaudio Advance to French Open Semifinals (Update3)

***************************************************************************
Argentinian ‘Galacticos’

Agence France Press
June 3 2004

Nalbandian ousts Kuerten, Gaudio knocks out Hewitt to reach semis

PARIS: David Nalbandian and Gaston Gaudio joined compatriot Guillermo
Coria in the semifinals of the French Open yesterday to leave
Britain’s Tim Henman standing alone against the three-pronged
Argentinian assault on the Roland Garros title.
Nalbandian, the eighth seed, shattered Gustavo Kuerten’s dream of
becoming only the second man in history to win four French Open
singles crowns with a commanding 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) win over
the popular Brazilian.
Unseeded Gaudio reached his first ever Grand Slam sem-final by
outclassing Australian 12th seed Lleyton Hewitt, the former Wimbledon
and US Open winner, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
He will now face Nalbandian on Friday for a place in Sunday’s final,
guaranteeing an Argentinian in the title match-up, while third seeded
Coria, the overwhelming favourite, faces ninth-seed Henman.
Yesterday’s 3hr 07min quarterfinal proved to be just one too many
exertion for the 27-year-old Kuerten, who is still trying to
recapture the sort of form which took him to the 1997, 2001 and 2002
titles here before a hip operation threatened to send his career into
freefall.
But he had his chances squandering four set points in the fourth set
before going down to defeat after a tense tie-break where he had been
just a point away from levelling the tie against the 2002 Wimbledon
runner-up.
The 25-year-old Gaudio had never previously got beyond the last 16 of
any Grand Slam but yesterday he was in devastating form, never
allowing Hewitt to settle on a cold, blustery Philippe Chatrier
court.
“It was my childhood dream to win Roland Garros,” said Gaudio. “I
thought I would be more nervous playing in my first Grand Slam
quarterfinal but that wasn’t the case and it all worked out well.”
Hewitt, who had been bidding to become the first Australian winner
here since Rod Laver in 1969, believes the unheralded Gaudio has a
chance of the title.
“Coria is probably the best player on clay but Gaudio is not far
behind,” said Hewitt.
Coria, the third seed, reached the semifinals on Tuesday with a 7-5,
7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over Spain’s 1998 winner Carlos Moya and will now
face the unpredictable Henman.
Henman became the first British player to reach the last four here
for 41 years and must beat red-hot favourite Coria if he is to become
the first Briton to make the final since 1937.
Henman, the ninth seed, clinched an easy 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win over
Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela in his quarter-final. Mike Sangster,
back in 1963 was the last British man to get to the last four, and
should Henman overcome the formidable hurdle of hot favourite Coria,
he will be the first Briton in the final since Bunny Austin in 1937.
Fred Perry remains the only British man to have won the French Open
in 1935. Until this year, Henman’s best Grand Slam performances had
all come on grass at Wimbledon where he has been a semi-finalist four
times.
Furthermore, outside of Wimbledon, he had never got beyond the round
of 16 in any of the other three Grand Slam events and had never
survived the third round in Paris before.
But the 29-year-old, who started this tournament coming back from two
sets down in the first round against Cyril Saulnier and saved two
match points in his fourth round win over Michael Llodra,
served-and-volleyed his way into the history books in the Paris gloom
on Tuesday.
Coria’s win was his 47th in his last 49 matches on clay and gives him
the chance to go one better than last year at Roland Garros where he
lost his semifinal to Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands. – AFP

***************************************************************************
Nalbandian ends Kuerten’s love affair, Hewitt outwitted

Reuters
June 3 2004

PARIS, June 2: Gustavo Kuerten’s love affair with Roland Garros
turned sour on Wednesday as the three-time champion was upended in
the quarterfinals by Argentina’s David Nalbandian.

Kuerten has led a charmed life at the French Open since his unlikely
run to the first of his trio of titles in 1997, but his luck deserted
him on centre court as he fell 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.

The Brazilian’s samba style was silenced. Instead the centre court
pulsed to the tune of the tango. Nalbandian joins compatriots Gaston
Gaudio and Guillermo Coria in the last four – the first time there
have been three Argentine semifinalists at a Grand Slam tournament.
Briton Tim Henman completes the line-up.

“It’s truly unbelievable,” Nalbandian said. Former world number one
Kuerten had never lost to a fellow South American in a grand slam
tournament but Nalbandian proved too solid from the baseline.

“Everybody knows what it means to me to play in this tournament,”
Kuerten said as he left the court. “I had a tough time today. “Today
he made me run a lot and I really suffered.”

In the day’s other quarterfinal, Lleyton Hewitt found that
unflinching determination and bottomless heart were insufficient as
his claycourt failings were exploited by Gaudio.

The resolve on which the Australian has built his career was of
little use against an Argentine master who ran rings round him on
centre court to reach the semifinals 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

“He was too good,” was Hewitt’s candid analysis. “Today I just lost
to a guy that was too good. “You know, he’s very good at any time,
but especially today he was able to get that ball back extremely
deep, so he didn’t give me a lot of chances to actually attack him
out there today. He’s a class player on this surface.”

For Gaudio, ranked 44th in the world, victory over the former
Wimbledon and US Open champion propelled him into his first Grand
Slam semifinal. “It has always been my dream to win this tournament,”
the 25-year-old said. “But there is a long way to go yet because the
two most difficult matches are yet to come.”

Coria faces Henman in the other semifinal. Coria comfortably saw off
Carlos Moya on Tuesday while Henman became the first British man in
more than 40 years to reach the French Open semifinals.

While Coria is the tournament favourite, Henman is a fast-court
player with four Wimbledon semifinals behind him. He had never
progressed beyond the fourth round of any grand slam tournament
outside of Wimbledon, and had never won more than two matches in any
of his nine previous visits here.

If Tuesday belonged to Henman, Wednesday was Nalbandian’s day. The
22-year-old barely put a foot wrong on a windswept centre court. Try
as Kuerten might, he was unable to repel the sturdy Argentine who
bombarded him with forehand after forehand, punching the ball deeper
and deeper into the corners.

Eventually Kuerten could resist no longer. Having failed to serve out
the fourth set despite holding three set points he allowed himself to
be overhauled in the tie-break to hand the eighth seed victory.

Henman sparkled as Tuesday’s daylight faded with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
victory over Argentine claycourter Juan Ignacio Chela. His victory
was as impressive as it was unexpected, coming as it did on his least
favourite surface.

“I’ll settle for that,” Henman smiled. “I think, again as I’ve been
banging on about for some time, it’s about trying to play the right
way. “I really imposed my game from the start and never let him get
into a rhythm. But why stop here? I feel good about my game and I am
feeling in good shape.

I’m ready to come here on Friday and do it all again.” Coria, the
best clay courter so far this year, will be a huge mountain to climb.
The third seed beat Spanish former champion Carlos Moya 7-5, 7-6,
6-3.

Wednesday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

MEN’S SINGLES:

QUARTERFINALS: 8-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat 28-Gustavo Kuerten
(Brazil) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6); Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) beat
12-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Tuesday’s remaining results:

MEN’S SINGLES:

QUARTERFINALS: 9-Tim Henman (Britain) beat 22-Juan Ignacio Chela
(Argentina) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4; 3-Guillermo Coria (Argentina) beat
5-Carlos Moya (Spain) 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. -Reuters

***************************************************************************
Argentinians’ day

Associated Press
June 3 2004

(AP)

3 June 2004

PARIS – Gustavo Kuerten’s bid for a fourth French Open title was
ended yesterday by David Nalbandian, who won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6)
to give Argentina three men’s semifinalists.

Kuerten failed to convert four set points in the fourth set,
squandered a 5-2 lead in the tiebreaker and sailed a forehand long on
match point.

The No. 8-seeded Nalbandian’s opponent in the semifinals tomorrow
will be unseeded compatriot Gaston Gaudio, who beat No. 12 Lleyton
Hewitt 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

No. 3 Guillermo Coria of Argentina will play No. 9 Tim Henman of
Britain in the other semifinal.

Spain had three men’s semifinalists at Roland Garros two years ago.

But Argentina has never before advanced more than two men as far as
the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam event.

“This is like a history event – an unbelievable week,” Gaudio said.

“Maybe an Argentinian guy is going to take the final, and it’s going
to be like a dream.”

Paola Suarez of Argentina is in the women’s final four and will face
Elena Dementieva today.

Playing in the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career, the
25-year-old Gaudio rose to the occasion with a nearly flawless
performance.

“I thought I was going to be really nervous,” Gaudio said. “But, in
fact, I was not at all.”

His biggest stumble came in the second game of the final set, when he
slipped and fell chasing a shot and scraped his knee on the clay.

Blood still trickled down his shin after the match, but his strokes
were unaffected.

The baseliner finished with 27 winners and just 19 errors, and he won
20 of 21 points at the net, playing serve-and-volley to close out two
games.

“He was too good,” said Hewitt, who was seeded 12th.

“He’s very confident at the moment, especially on this surface, and
his movements are as good as anyone on this surface.”

***************************************************************************
Nalbandian beats Kuerten at French Open
(Agencies)

China Daily
June 3 2004

Updated: 2004-06-03 09:16

Gustavo Kuerten’s bid for a fourth French Open title ended Wednesday
when David Nalbandian won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) to give Argentina
three men’s semifinalist.

David Nalbandian of Argentina reacts after defeating Gustavo Kuerten
of Brazil in their quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis
tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Wednesday, June 2,
2004. Nalbandian won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6. [AP]

Kuerten failed to convert four set points in the final set,
squandered a 5-2 lead in the tiebreaker and sailed a forehand long on
match point.

The No. 8-seeded Nalbandian’s opponent in the semifinals Friday will
be unseeded compatriot Gaston Gaudio, who beat No. 12 Lleyton Hewitt
6-3, 6-2, 6-2. No. 3 Guillermo Coria of Argentina will play No. 9 Tim
Henman of Britain in the other semifinal.

“It’s incredible for Argentina,” Nalbandian said. “For us it’s not
normal. It’s the first time, so it’s something special.”

Spain had three men’s semifinalists at Roland Garros two years ago.
But Argentina has never before advanced more than two men as far as
the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam event.

“This is like a history event — an unbelievable week,” Gaudio said.
“Maybe an Argentinian guy is going to take the final, and it’s going
to be like a dream.”

Gaudio, Nalbandian and Coria all hope to become the first Argentine
to win a major men’s title since Guillermo Vilas won the 1979
Australian Open.

Paola Suarez of Argentina is in the women’s final four and will face
Elena Dementieva on Thursday. The other match will be between 2001
champion Jennifer Capriati, who beat Serena Williams on Tuesday, and
No. 6-seeded Anastasia Myskina, who upset Venus Williams.

Kuerten has been a favorite in Paris since winning the first of his
three Roland Garros titles in 1997, and the Brazilian captivated
French Open fans with this year’s surprising run to the
quarterfinals.

Seeded only 28th and nursing a chronically sore hip, he engaged
Nalbandian in grinding rallies for more than three hours. But Kuerten
was hampered by his hip, requiring treatment from a trainer several
times, and Nalbandian played better on the biggest points.

“He made me run a lot,” Kuerten said. “Today I suffered a lot on the
court. I had a very tough time.”

Kuerten lost his serve three times in the third set, including the
final game. Serving at 4-5, 30-all, he hit a forehand barely long.
The umpire climbed down from his chair to confirm the call in
consultation with a line judge.

On the next point, Kuerten sprinted into the corner to hit a backhand
and slipped and fell. Nalbandian hit a forehand into the open court
to close out the set, and Kuerten limped to his chair, tossing his
racket at it in frustration.

Fans hoping for a Kuerten comeback kept waving Brazilian flags and
singing his nickname: Guga. But he missed repeated chances in the
final set to even the match against Nalbandian.

“By just a little bit it escaped from my hands,” Kuerten said. “He
was able to play pretty well in the right time, and that was probably
the difference.”

Nalbandian erased a set point serving at 3-5, overcame two more in
the next game to break Kuerten, then broke again to reach 6-6.

In the tiebreaker, Kuerten played serve-and-volley — a rare tactic
for him — and put away a shot at the net for a 6-5 lead. But
Nalbandian erased another set point with a forehand winner, and
consecutive errors by Kuerten gave Argentina yet another victory at
Roland Garros.

The crowd gave Nalbandian a warm ovation, then raised the decibel
level when Kuerten took a curtain call.

“The fans were fantastic,” Nalbandian said. “It’s normal that they
rooted for Guga because of what he represents to Paris.”

Playing in the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career, the
25-year-old Gaudio rose to the occasion with a nearly flawless
performance.

“I thought I was going to be really nervous,” Gaudio said. “But, in
fact, I was not at all.”

His biggest stumble came in the second game of the final set, when he
slipped and fell chasing a shot and scraped his knee on the clay.

Blood still trickled down his shin after the match, but his strokes
were unaffected. The baseliner finished with 27 winners and just 19
errors, and he won 20 of 21 points at the net, playing
serve-and-volley to close out two games.

“He was too good,” said Hewitt, who was seeded 12th. “He’s very
confident at the moment, especially on this surface, and his
movements are as good as anyone on this surface.”

Gaudio won 11 consecutive points early in the second set to take
control and needed less than two hours to complete the victory. He
improved his career record in major events to 20-20.

***************************************************************************
Nalbandian downs Kuerten to reach semis

The News, PAkistan
June 3 2004

PARIS: Eighth seed David Nalbandian shattered Gustavo Kuerten’s
dreams of winning a fourth French Open title with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4,
7-6 (8/6) win on Wednesday that made him the third Argentine to make
the semi-finals of the men’s singles.

Nalbandian, Wimbledon runner-up in 2002, will now take on countryman
Gaston Gaudio for a place in the final while third seed Guillermo
Coria will face Britain’s Tim Henman.

The 3-hour quarter-final proved to be just one too many exertion for
the 27-year-old Kuerten. But he had his chances in this match
squandering four set points in the fourth set before going down to
defeat after a tense tiebreak where he had been just a point away
from levelling the tie.

Nalbandian and Kuerten exchanged breaks in the first two games of the
opening set but it was Nalbandian who was to dominate breaking serve
on two more occasions to lead 5-2. He took the set after 39 minutes
with an ace, just as he had wrapped up the three sets he won in his
fourth round victory against Russia’s Marat Safin.

But spurred on by passionate support inside his beloved Philippe
Chatrier court, Kuerten soon found his range and his artillery of
whipped backhands, flat forehands and sweetly-timed drop shots was
enough to level the match after 78 minutes. To his credit, Nalbandian
overcame losing his first service game of the third set to take a 4-1
lead.

Back came Kuerten to level at 4-4 before Nalbandian carved out a set
point in the tenth game when the Brazilian hit a fraction long. A
cross-court forehand, which left Kuerten scrambling, gave the
Argentine the edge again as he took the third set after exactly two
hours. Kuerten again broke in the opening game of the fourth set and
held to lead 2-0 as his confident touch around the court returned,
illustrated when he matched an exquisite Nalbandian drop shot with
one even more subtle to win the opening point of the ninth game. But
the Argentine wasn’t able to capitalise on his hard work handing the
break straight back to Kuerten to lead 6-5 before fighting back to
take the set to a tiebreak.

Kuerten struck first with a fierce, cross-court drive, which left
Nalbandian wrong- footed as the Brazilian took a 5-2 lead before his
opponent rallied to 5-5. Nalbandian saved another set point at 5-6
before he went to match point off a Kuerten netted return and
clinched the tie and a place in the last four when Kuerten hit a
return wide.

***************************************************************************
Nalbandian, Gaudio Advance to French Open Semifinals (Update3)

Bloomberg
June 3 2004

June 2 (Bloomberg) — David Nalbandian became the third Argentine to
reach the semifinals of tennis’s French Open with a four-set victory
over three-time champion Gustavo Kuerten.

The 2002 Wimbledon finalist will face unseeded countryman Gaston
Gaudio, who beat Lleyton Hewitt to advance to his first Grand Slam
semifinal.

Nalbandian, Gaudio and Guillermo Coria, who plays Britain’s Tim
Henman in the last four, are vying to become the first Argentine
since Guillermo Vilas in 1977 to win on the clay courts of Roland
Garros in Paris. Paola Suarez, also of Argentina, is in the women’s
semifinals.

“At this stage of the competition there are no more favorites,”
Nalbandian told France Television. “Anyone can win.”

Nalbandian, who had never been beyond the third round at the second
Grand Slam of the year in two prior visits, reached the quarterfinals
of the Australian Open in January and was a semifinalist at the U.S.
Open in 2003.

After the pair split the opening sets today, the 22-year-old
capitalized on a stumble by his Brazilian opponent at 5-4 to punch a
volley home and take the third set.

Kuerten, seeded 28th, let slip two set points that allowed Nalbandian
to pull level at 5-5 in the fourth set. Nalbandian opened the 11th
game with two double faults and Kuerten converted the second of two
break points to lead 6-5 before he lost his serve to set up a
tiebreak.

Crowd Support

After three hours and six minutes, Nalbandian took the tiebreak 8-6
for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory. Kuerten, whose preparation was
curtailed by a hip injury, made 68 errors to Nalbandian’s 46.

“The great support from the crowd helped lift me and helped me bear
the pain from my hip, but today I was made to run a lot and I
couldn’t quite make it,” Kuerten, 27, said. “It was still a
fabulous tournament for me.”

Gaudio needed less than two hours to dispose of 12th seed and former
world No. 1 Hewitt 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. The 25-year-old had never advanced
beyond the fourth round at one of the four majors.

Gaudio, who had five-set victories in the first two rounds, is 44th
in the world rankings and won two ATP Tour singles titles in eight
years as a professional. Even though clay is his favorite surface,
his previous best showing in five appearances at Roland Garros was
reaching the fourth round in 2002.

Title Dream

“I thought I’d be really nervous but not at all; everything went
great,” said Gaudio, seeking to become the first unseeded winner
since Kuerten in 1997. “To win the French Open is a childhood dream.
Now I have to believe I can do it.”

Gaudio has now beaten Hewitt, the 2001 U.S. Open winner and 2002
Wimbledon champion, in three of five encounters. Hewitt made 43
unforced errors, while Gaudio made 19.

“He was just too good,” Hewitt said. “Coria is probably the best
on clay right now, but Gaudio’s not far behind.”

While Nalbandian’s match with Gaudio will see a face-off between
baseline players, Friday’s semifinal between ninth seed Henman and
No. 5 Coria pits a serve-volleyer against a clay-court specialist.

Henman, 29, may be the first Briton to reach the French final since
Bunny Austin in 1937 and the first to lift the title since Fred Perry
in 1935. Yannick Noah, in 1983, was the last serve-volley player to
win the French Open.

Coria, 22, reached the semifinals last year and lost one of his last
37 matches on clay. Coria is rated a 1/6 bet to reach the final at
U.K. bookmaker William Hill, with Henman a 7/2 shot. Henman was 100-1
at the start of the competition.

“He is the player to beat in this tournament, the player to beat on
clay,” Henman said. “I am just excited to have the opportunity.”

***************************************************************************

PRESS OFFICE
ARMENIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA WESTERN DIOCESE
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474
Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

COMMUNIQUE

PRIMATE ATTENDS INSTALLATION OF
GREG KRIKORIAN AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
GLENDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD

On May 25, 2004, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of
the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, attended
the installation ceremony of Mr. Greg Krikorian as the first Armenian
President of the Glendale Unified School District Board. The ceremony
took place at the Glendale Unified School District Headquarters
in Glendale.

During the ceremony His Eminence congratulated Mr. Krikorian on
his new assignments and commended him for his role in bringing
about awareness for Armenian issues. Recently, the Glendale Unified
School District Board acknowledged January 6th as the Epiphany. The
Primate said, “It is certainly an immense joy to witness a son of
the Armenian Apostolic Church and the nation to be elevated to such
a prestigious and responsible position. Therefore we extend our most
sincere appreciation and best wishes to our newly elected president
of the Glendale Unified School District Board. May the good Lord lead
your steps toward the well being of the students.”

DIVAN OF THE DIOCESE

May 25, 2004
Burbank, California