Author: Kamalian Hagop

A Split in the Armenian Diaspora

Hurriyet, 06 April 2005

Two separate Armenian lobbies, both active in the US, have come
to blows over their differing claims of genocide and demands from
Turkey. The lobby representing the extremely nationalistic Armenian
Tasnaksutyen Party, ANCA, has accused the American Armenian Assembly
(AAA), of taking part in a conspiracy by the White House. According to
ANCA, the AAA is playing a role in the Bush adminstration’s efforts
to get Turkey to accept genocide charges in return for not having to
give up any land or monetary reperations to Armenia.

The Armenian newspaper “Asberez,” which is printed and distributed
largely in Los Angeles, also accuses the AAA of “assisting in the
cover-up of the deaths of 1.5 millio n Armenians.” In a response to
this, Anthony Barsamian, a representative from the AAA, said “Prior
to finding a just solution to this all, none of us is going to support
Turkey’s recognition of the genocide.”

The arguments between these two lobbies regarding the approach to
the question of the Armenian genocide charges spread all the way to
projects carried out by the now defunct Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation
Commission. Concluding two years ago that the charges of genocide were
convincing enough to bring to the United Nations, the commission then
announced that a UN Treaty on Genocides from 1948 would not cover
the time period the Armenians were after. The ANCA lobby at this
time charged that “Turkish supporters” were controlling the work of
the Commission.

CBC News, Canada

Cirque touring new show

Last Updated Tue, 05 Apr 2005 16:54:47 EDT

CBC Arts

MONTREAL – Popular circus troupe Cirque du Soleil plans a new touring
show to premier April 21 in Montreal.

Titled Corteo, Italian for “cortege,” it will move on to tour other
Canadian cities and the United States.

The show pulls together the ideas of 14 creators, half of them working
for Cirque du Soleil for the first time.

Performers come from 14 countries and a host of clowning and acrobatic
traditions. The 50 performers are from: Armenia, Belarus, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, France, Italy, Kenya, Romania, Russia, Spain,
Ukraine, the U.K. and the U.S.

As the name suggests, Corteo features “a grand procession, a festive
parade imagined by a clown,” according to a statement released
Tuesday announcing the tour. Clowning and its range of emotions from
friendship and wisdom to beauty and death, are a focus of the show,
which is based on 17th century styles of performance. Director Daniele
Finzi Pasca is promising to test “the very limits of acrobatics.”

Cirque du Soleil currently has 10 other productions touring the
world. The Montreal-based circus features human performance amid an
array of colourful costumes and original music.

Since 1984 almost 50 million people have seen Cirque du Soleil
performances. The circus employs more than 3,000 people.

After playing at Montreal’s Old Port from April 21 to June 19, Corteo
runs in Quebec City June 30 to July 17 and in Toronto on Aug. 4 to
28. From there it goes on to tour Minneapolis, San Francisco and
San Jose.

Cirque du Soleil has won an Emmy, a Gemini and other awards, including
Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Félix, and the Rose d’or de Montreux.

–Boundary_(ID_GsUMjdkISgudhZDYbfPXcQ)–

PRESS RELEASE
April 5, 2005
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:

Ambassador Markarian Meets Secretary of State Dr. Rice, Presents Copies of Credentials

On April 5, 2005, Ambassador Tatoul Markarian met with Secretary
of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and presented the copy of the
credentials accrediting him as Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America.

During the meeting with Dr. Rice, issues of mutual interest to the
United States and Armenia, such as U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations,
and regional developments and challenges, were discussed.

Ambassador Markarian expressed gratitude for the continuous support
of the United States Government since Armenia’s independence and for
constructive involvement of the United States in the settlement of
regional problems, and expressed his readiness to exert every effort
to enhance the bilateral relations and partnership between the United
States and Armenia.

Armenian premier, Belgian MPs discuss development of ties

A1+ web site
5 Apr 05

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan today received a delegation
of the Chamber of Deputies of the Belgian parliament led by its
chairman Herman de Croo, who is paying a two-day visit to Armenia.

Markaryan pointed out that in the future, Armenia expects support from
the Belgian parliamentarians in getting the Parliamentary Assemblies
of NATO and the OSCE to draw up balanced reports on Armenia. Noting
the importance of involving Armenia in the EU’s New Neighborhood
policy, like other countries of the South Caucasus, the prime minister
pointed out that Armenia also expects Belgium’s support in preparing
an individual partnership programme.

The sides also discussed issues related to Armenian-Turkey relations.

The prime minister thanked the Belgian parliament for recognizing
the Armenian genocide in 1998 and adopting a resolution condemning it.

At the request of the Belgian speaker, Markaryan briefed him on the
process and results of economic reforms in Armenia.

AZG Armenian Daily #059, 05/04/2005

Society

OSCE STUDIES LABOR MIGRATION

The OSCE Yerevan office has represented the results of the
investigation of the labor migration in Armenia. Vladimir Priakhin,
head of the office, stated that since 1990 thousands of Armenians
had left their country and the economy suffered losses, at the same
time. According to the research, 145 families were included in the
labor migration during the recent three years. They stayed in abroad
for about 5-9 months.

Ashot Yesayan, RA deputy labor and social insurance minister, added
that the labor migration remains one of the biggest problems for
RA government. Thus, they welcome the research made by the OSCE
Yerevan office.

Blanca Hancilova, OSCE representative, said that the economic growth
of the recent few years allows to develop such a policy that will
create new vacancies.

By Ruzan Poghosian

ARAM I: POPE JOHN PAUL II TO REMAIN UNIQUE PERSONALITY IN HISTORY OF
CHRISTIANITY

04.04.2005 07:28

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kilikian Catholicos, member of the World Council
of Churches Aram I noted, “Pope John Paul II did believe in the
importance of inter-church and inter-religious relationships and
realized significant transformations in this field”, Yerkir online
reports. “John Paul II was a brave apostle of love, peace and justice
in the world full of violence and unfairness. I am deeply convinced
that he will remain a unique personality in history of Christianity”,
Aram I stated.

Karabakh Freedom Organization protests against OSCE chairman

02 April 2005 [18:09] – Today.Az

Yesterday Karabakh Freedom organization spread declaration within the
last statements of OSCE chairman Dmitri Rupel and Russian co-chairman
of Minsk group Yuri Merzlyakov.

In the declaration entered to APA from the press service of GFO it is
stated that, D.Rupel and Y.Merzlyakov once again act from
Anti-Azerbaijan position.

KFO strictly protests against the ideas where it is stated that,
separatist regime could attend the process of talks and that Karabakh
is a disputable zone. GFO stated that, this is the results of
long-term pressure of Armenia to OSCE.

In the end of the declaration, GFO calls the representatives of OSCE
to give up supporting the occupant position: “OSCE should leave
supporting the occupants. Azerbaijan government must display its
position. As the GFO we will use all radical forms and prevent this
attempt”.

Armenian Jewish Community Celebrates Purim for 10th Anniversary

Federation of Jewish Communities of the CSI
Thursday, March 31 2005

YEREVAN, Armenia – This year in Yerevan, the Jewish Community Center
‘Mordechai Navi-Chabad Lubavitch’ held two cheerful celebrations to
mark two particularly joyful events – the holiday of Purim and its
tenth birthday. As the sun went down, the Synagogue began to fill with
community members and guests, who came out to complete the first
commandment of Purim – to hear the ‘Megilat Esther’. A festive meal
with ‘Hamentaschen’ and other delicious kosher dishes was accompanied
with cheerful songs and Chasidic dances. On Sunday, a festive Purim
event took place at the Chamber Theater, where Sunday School pupils
showed their talents in a Purim show and the ‘Keshet’ Dance Group
performed an exciting Jewish dance. The Yerevan State Circus pleased
the audience with an unforgettable show, after which everybody
received traditional Purim gifts-of-food. “We hope that Mordechai
will never leave Armenia and that he will join us in celebrating
Jewish weddings and birthdays. We will also teach Jewish children
their native language, traditions and the Torah, for only this makes
for a healthy life of the great Jewish people,” expressed the Chief
Rabbi of Armenia, Gersh-Meir Burshtein. Apart from community members,
this Purim concert was attended by representatives of the President’s
Administration, as well as a number of other top officials – the Head
of the Department on Religious and Nationality Affairs, the
Coordinator of the government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission. Jews of
Armenia were also honored to share the joy of Purim and their 10th
anniversary with leaders of the other Diasporas in Yerevan and other
prominent figures. The Jewish community received an added boost with
the airing of a program on an Armenian TV channel, which profiled the
educational and cultural projects maintained by the city’s Jewish
Community Center, as well as highlighting the community’s
achievements.

Central Office
Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz
Executive director
5A 2nd Vysheslavtzev Pereulok
Moscow, Russia, 127055
Telephone: 7-095-783-8472
Fax: 7-095-783-8471
U.S. Office
580 Fifth Ave. Suite 800
New York, NY
10036 USA
Telephone: + 1-718-735-0458

Armenia not settling occupied Azeri districts – foreign minister

Arminfo
29 Mar 05

YEREVAN

Armenia has never been involved in any process of settling the
territories adjoining Karabakh and this issue has always been under
the jurisdiction of Karabakh, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan said during the parliamentary hearings today.

Moreover, the minister pointed out, Karabakh has never concealed that
it is conducting and will conduct a special policy regarding the Lacin
corridor in the future, since it is a key to the security of the whole
of Karabakh.

Oskanyan recalled that the issue of Shaumyan [Goranboy] and the
northern and eastern parts of Karabakh’s Mardakert [Agdara] District
occupied by Azerbaijan are being discussed at the moment. “This issue
became very important after the monitoring of the territories under
our control initiated by Azerbaijan. Most of the population of these
territories are refugees from Karabakh districts occupied by
Azerbaijan,” the minister stressed.

Azerbaijan, Turkey agree to protect key oil pipelines

.c The Associated Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) – Azerbaijan and Turkey agreed Tuesday to
cooperate in protecting strategic oil and gas pipelines, including the
major Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline that is set to begin operating
this year.

A statement by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry gave few specifics,
quoting only the commander of Turkey’s naval forces, Adm. Ozden Ornek,
and Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, as saying cooperation
was essential.

“We must work hand in hand in order to safeguard this pipeline, a
pipeline of brotherhood and friendship,” the statement said.

The US$3.6-billion (euro2.7-billion) Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline will
pump Caspian Sea crude from Baku 1,760 kilometers (1,100 miles) to the
Turkish Mediterranean port for delivery to Western markets.

Abiyev also said in the statement that he hoped that Turkey would
remain on Azerbaijan’s side in its long-standing conflict with Armenia
over Nagorno-Karabakh. The disputed enclave has been under ethnic
Armenian control since a war ended in 1994 without a political
settlement.

Abiyev called on Turkish officials to keep borders with Armenia
closed. Ornek vowed that Turkey would not open its borders to
Armenia, the statement said.

Armenia and Turkey are longtime foes. Armenians accuse Turks of
killing up to 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923.

Turkey claims the number of deaths is inflated and says the victims
were killed in civil unrest. The two countries have no diplomatic
relations.

03/29/05 11:29 EST