Author: Karagyozian Lena

ARMENIA THIS WEEK
Friday, June 18, 2004

GREATER NATO ROLE SEEN IN CAUCASUS
The United States expects to see greater Caucasus involvement by the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a result of the upcoming NATO Summit
in Turkey, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway said this Thursday.
According to Ordway, as part of its stepped up role, the alliance and its
individual members are set to cooperate more closely with the Caucasus
states on issues such as peacekeeping operations and military reform.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in
Washington earlier this week, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian noted that
Armenia’s cooperation with NATO “is increasing and deepening every day,
every month.” Oskanian said that Armenia’s ties with NATO are now on par
with those of Georgia and Azerbaijan and that they should continue to
develop “in tandem” so as to avoid creation of Cold War-like dividing lines
in the region. Oskanian also noted that Armenia’s security cooperation with
Russia did not preclude his country from developing complementary security
relationships in the West.

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Affairs Jean Fournet similarly
told the Azeri press this week that he saw no differences in NATO’s
partnership with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. “Each of these states have
some links with Russia that could cause potential difficulties,” Fournet
said. “However, it is also a fact that we have close relations with
[Armenia]… and good, developing relations with Russia.”

The NATO official further cautioned against exaggerated optimism for
alliance membership. “Our doors are open. But joining NATO is a long
process… requiring significant reforms,” he said. In addition, “the South
Caucasus has a reputation of a problematic region with unsettled
conflicts… While NATO does not intend to become involved in conflict
resolution, the alliance can provide post-settlement aid.” (Sources:
6-14; 525ci Gazet 6-17; Arminfo 6-17)

U.S. REPORT ADDRESSES TRAFFICKING ISSUES IN ARMENIA, REGION
While Armenia and its neighbors do not fully comply with U.S.’ minimum
standards on fighting trafficking in persons, their governments “are making
significant efforts to do so,” says the U.S. State Department report
released this week. The annual report ranks countries on a three-tier system
from full compliance (Tier 1) to no efforts to comply (Tier 3). The State
Department established a special office on trafficking based on the 2001
Trafficking Victims Protection Act, championed by Congressmen Chris Smith
(R-NJ) and Sam Gejdenson (D-CT). The Act mandates U.S. aid sanctions to
countries repeatedly placed in the Tier 3 category.

Armenia, along with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Turkey, are listed in
Tier 2. But Armenia, unlike these states, is not included in the Tier 2
Watch List and appears to have a comparatively less serious trafficking
problem. Of all Eastern European and former Soviet states, only the Czech
Republic, Lithuania and Macedonia are ranked in Tier 1.

As Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told the Washington Times this
week, there have been some unintended benefits for Armenia due to blockades
by Azerbaijan and Turkey. While causing economic difficulties and inflating
transportation costs, the blockades also kept Armenia off the major routes
for organized crime groups involved in trafficking in persons and narcotics.
As another State Department report issued last March suggested, drug
trafficking is a significantly smaller problem in Armenia than in its
neighboring states, but could potentially exacerbate should borders with
Turkey and Azerbaijan open.

According to earlier reports by the Observatoire Geopolitique des Drogues
(OGD), a Paris-based monitoring group, past and present government officials
in Turkey and Azerbaijan have had long-standing links to Europe-bound opium
and heroine trade from Afghanistan and Pakistan. This month Indian press
claimed that Azerbaijan might even be willing to host Dawood Ibrahim, one of
the top Indian crime bosses living in Pakistan and under U.S. pressure to
leave. Last October, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Ibrahim, a
major narcotics dealer, a “terrorist supporter” for his reported funding of
Islamic radicals such as al Qaida. (Sources: OGD Annual Report Oct. 98;
Armenia This Week 6-20-03, 3-5; The Telegraph of India 6-4; U.S. State
Department Trafficking in Persons Report 6-14; Washington Times 6-17)

AZERBAIJAN SEEKS ‘ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY’ SUPPORT ON KARABAKH
A ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
held this week in Turkey made another blanket endorsement of the Azerbaijani
position in the Karabakh conflict. OIC is the world’s only major
intergovernmental organization that has for years succumbed to Azerbaijani
lobbying on the issue. OIC countries, led particularly by Turkey and
Pakistan, also have endorsed similar Azeri efforts at the UN. Both Turkey
and Pakistan have provided military support to Azerbaijan.

The Azeri officials have succeeded in including its ostensibly non-religious
conflict with Armenia and NKR into the “Islamic agenda” at the OIC’s Summit
in Malaysia last October. In return for support against the purported
“Armenian aggression,” Azeri leaders have endorsed such “Islamic causes” as
Turkish-occupied Cyprus and Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. Earlier this year,
Azerbaijan’s religious leader Allahshukur Pashazade also condemned the
Israeli assassination of the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization.

Starting in the early 1990s, the Azeri government forged ties with Islamic
radicals from throughout the Middle East, including some 2,000 recruits from
Afghanistan, to fight against Armenians in Karabakh. Following the war, many
of them stayed in Azerbaijan forming a basis for creation of local al Qaida
cells. By late 1990s, according to a U.S. indictment, al Qaida operatives
were sufficiently entrenched in Azerbaijan to coordinate terrorist bombings
against U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. While in recent years, Azeri
security agencies have cracked down on groups tied to al Qaida, their
elements are believed to have remained in the country. (Sources: R&I Issue
Brief “Azerbaijan and Islamic Terrorism” 9-10-01; Dawn (Pakistan) 1-14-02;
NG.ru 10-17-03; Azertaj 10-21-03; Zerkalo 3-23; Arminfo 12-23-02, 3-24;
Anadolu 6-16)

ARMENIA’S POLITICAL SEASON CONCLUDES
The Armenian opposition leaders wrapped up for the summer their efforts to
oust President Robert Kocharian after holding last Wednesday their smallest
yet public demonstration in Yerevan. Unlike past opposition protests, the
city government sanctioned this week’s rally. Also, by last week,
law-enforcement agencies dropped charges against most of about fifteen
opposition activists prosecuted for their alleged efforts to overthrow the
government through popular protests. The protests have been diminishing in
size and regularity since April.

Last year’s presidential candidates Stepan Demirchian and Artashes Geghamian
and former Prime Minister Aram Sargsian, who led the protests, promised to
“regroup” and to continue their efforts later this year. They gave no
indication they would return to talks with the three-party coalition
government, which broke down last month. The talks began following the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution calling on
both the government and opposition to make compromises and begin dialogue.
The PACE Rapporteur for Armenia Jerzy Jaskiernia (Poland) noted last week
that the government has implemented some of the PACE recommendations and
urged it to continue reforms.

Last month, Armenia’s coalition government offered the opposition minority
in parliament veto rights over election legislation, constitutional reform
and anti-corruption efforts. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) in Washington last Monday, Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said that the coalition’s offer remains on the table.
Oskanian further expressed hope that the opposition will take up this offer
in the next several months and that “eventually [the opposition leaders]
will realize that they need to be engaged for the sake of the country.”
(Sources: Armenia This Week 3-12; 4-9, 23, 30; 5-14; Eurasia.net 6-9;
6-14; RFE/RL Armenia Report 6-14, 16; Regnum.ru 6-16)

Visit the Armenia This Week archive dating back to 1997 at

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Armenia to help in Iraq reconstruction
Published 6/18/2004 3:35 PM

WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) — Armenia is the latest country to join President
Bush’s “Coalition of the Willing,” in rebuilding Iraq.

In an interview with UPI earlier this week, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian said his country would contribute, albeit in “a very symbolic” way.

“We are ready to become engaged in rebuilding Iraq, but our resources are
very modest, so it’s going to be a very modest contribution, nevertheless,
the willingness is there.”

Armenia, Oskanian said, will be contributing doctors, medical personnel and
experts to help clear mines, as well as trucks, drivers and technicians. The
force amounts to about 100 people.

The minister said he believes all neighboring countries in the region should
contribute to the normalization of Iraq. Iraq’s Armenian community is
comprised of roughly 25,000 people.

Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International

Under pressure and under fire, Zhvania perseveres

The Georgian Messenger
Thursday, June 17, 2004, #111 (0635)

One of the main intrigues in Georgian politics at the moment is
the intensification of criticism directed at Prime Minister Zurab
Zhvania. The PM meanwhile does not perceive himself to be in danger
and considers “Zhvaniaphopia” to be a temporary phenomenon. In any
case, Zhvania’s political future will be largely dependent on the
success or lack thereof of the government’s economic team over the
course of the not-so distant future.

The latest wave of anti-Zhvania sentiment has led some to insist
that parliament take a vote of confidence in the government. Staunch
Zhvania foe MP Koba Davitashvili maintains that the prime minister
does not have the faith of the people. The newspaper Rezonansi quotes
Davitashvili as saying “I have become convinced of one thing – the
people to not trust Zurab Zhvania. Since the people don’t trust him,
I don’t trust him either.”

The media has long ruminated about forces conspiring against Zhvania,
citing the tense relations between him and President Saakashvili,
and has even discussed candidates for his replacement such as new
Economy Minister Kakha Bendukidze and new Interior Minister Irakli
Okruashvili. It is also frequently pointed out that Zhvania as
a politician enjoys much less sympathy in the Russian government
than Saakashvili. In a word, the prime minister is under fire from
all sides.

It must be said, however, that despite his unpopularity in society
and consistently low rating over the years, Zhvania has been at the
forefront of Georgian politics for 15 years and remains one of the
nation’s most influential political figures. His career has followed a
steady upward path, if we don’t count the three years that he toiled
in Shevardnadze’s opposition. But even this proved a wise long-term
strategy, as after the Rose Revolution he occupied the second highest
post in the government.

Zurab Zhvania is a unique figure in Georgian politics. He performs
the role of lightning rod. At any time the president can point the
finger of blame towards the prime minister for any failure of the
government. Zhvania is first and foremost associated with economic
policy, an area in which many analysts believe that thoughts of
success belong to the realm of fantasy.

Seven months have passed since the Rose Revolution and Zhvania’s
Cabinet of Ministers has been in existence for roughly three
months. In this period, the government has not experienced any economic
catastrophe, which is in itself a certain kind of success. At the same
time, the government can boast of achievements that, though modest,
were unthinkable during the Shevardnadze administration.

Society judges the success of economic policy based on the improvement
or lack of improvement of their own living conditions. Though the
standard of living in Georgia has not improved dramatically, over
the last few months pensions and salaries have been distributed
faithfully, monthly budget revenue plans have been fulfilled, the
IMF has revived its program in the country, U.S. and western aid has
increased and it seems that the donor conference underway in Brussels
at the moment will also emerge with positive results. In addition, a
new variant of the tax code has been presented for public discussion,
one that is liberal and designed to boost economic advancement. In
short, Zhvania has a lot to be proud of, but what’s important is
not momentary successes, but rather the concrete results of these
successes several months down the road.

The basis for stability in the new government has been the fact
that despite expectations to the contrary, the “Rose Triumvirate”
has managed to maintain a united front. After the revolution, many
feared that this triumvirate would split up and consequently place
the country in a difficult situation. But the past 7 months speak to
the contrary. Despite numerous confrontations and clashes of egos,
Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze still find it
in their interests to work together rather than separately for the
betterment of the nation.

*Note: Zhvania has recently come under attack because he has had to
defend his maternal Armenian roots.

PRESS RELEASE

June 14, 2004

American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576

Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]

HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE FUTURE OF ARMENIA’S ARMED FORCES

Yerevan – The American University of Armenia (AUA) Department of Law and the
AUA Student Law Club hosted a free public conference on June 5, 2004,
focusing on Human Rights and the Future of Armenia’s Armed Forces. Over 150
people attended the conference, which was intended to raise public awareness
of laws that affect the participation of Armenian citizens in the Armenian
army, as well as the respect for human rights by the Armenian armed forces.
“Human rights in the military is a major concern not just for soldiers and
parents, but for the armed forces, too,” said Anna Grigoryan, a student
researcher at AUA who played a leading role to organize the conference.

“Armenia’s armed forces have some of the same challenges that confront the
military of any nation: How to guarantee basic human rights, while also
maintaining discipline and combat readiness. The purpose of our conference
was to create greater awareness of this issue. We succeeded,” said Matthew
Karanian, Associate Dean, AUA Law Department. “This conference featured an
outstanding panel of speakers, including representatives from the highest
ranks of the Ministry of Defense who attended, as well as the Special Envoy
of the Council of Europe, the Chair of the Helsinki Committee, and other
leading human rights organizations.”

Avetick Ishkhanyan, Chair of the Helsinki Committee, noted that society and
government must take measures in order to prevent the politicization of the
Army, and that this is the first step in preventing crimes in the army. Vahe
Meliksetyan, Assistant to General Military Prosecutor, brought forth recent
statistics showing that the incidence of crime is going down in the army.
NGO members and government representatives suggested that in order to
prevent crime in the army, public awareness of the problem should be raised,
and soldiers and their parents should be apprised of their rights and
responsibilities.

Armenia’s cooperation with NATO under the “Partnership for Peace” program
and with CIS countries was also discussed, in addition to various
interpretations of the recently accepted laws on ‘Citizens Who Failed to
Complete Compulsory Military Service through Violation of the Established
Procedure’ and ‘Alternative Military Service.’
————–

The American University of Armenia offers a Master’s Degree in Law and in
Comparative Legal Studies. The programs feature a strong focus on business
and international law, with special emphasis on legal and institutional
reforms in the former Soviet republics. AUA is registered as a non-profit
educational organization in both Armenia and the United States and is
affiliated with the Regents of the University of California. Receiving
major support from the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters
Degree in eight graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit

Pictures:
1: Greta Mirzoyan, Zinvori Mayr NGO, Chair; Ruben Martirosyan, Armenia’s
Human
Rights Defender (Ombudsman) representative; Vahe Meliksetyan, Assistant to
Armenia’s military prosecutor; Anna Grigoryan, AUA law student; Stephen
Barnett, AUA Dean of Law; Matthew Karanian, AUA Associate Dean of Law

2: General-Major Mickael Melkonyan, Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, head of
foreign relations and military cooperation; Deputy-Colonel Sedrak Sedrakyan,
Armenia’s Ministry of Defense, head of
the legal department

An informative look at Liza
By KEVIN McDONOUGH, United Features Syndicate

Times Union, Albany, NY
June 11 2004

First published: Friday, June 11, 2004

Unlike the vast majority of celebrity profiles that simply reiterate
the obvious and belabor the hideous, tonight’s two-hour “Biography”
(8, A&E) taught me many things I did not know and reminded me of
other things I had forgotten about Liza Minnelli. This troubled and
talented singer, dancer and actress has spent the better part of five
decades trying to get out from under the shadow of her doomed mother.

The daughter of Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli, Liza
made her screen appearance as a toddler in the 1949 “In the Good Old
Summertime.” Unfortunately, Minnelli explains, the Hollywood staff
that costumed her in 19th-century finery forgot to provide underwear,
and she felt decidedly cranky while being held aloft by family friend
Van Johnson. In a remarkable clip from the old Jack Paar show, we
watch Liza make her TV singing debut — introduced not as herself,
but as an Armenian gypsy girl whose name turned out to be an anagram of
“Judy Garland.”

This superior “Biography” is filled with informative and painful
recollections from Minnelli as well as legions of lifetime friends
and admirers, including songwriters John Kander and Fred Ebb
(“Cabaret”). Mia Farrow, a fellow child of Hollywood who has known
Minnelli since preschool, praises her friend’s talent and acting
ability. Farrow describes Minnelli’s performance in the 1969 “The
Sterile Cuckoo” as a tour de force. Marisa Berenson, Joel Grey
and Michael York (in an archival interview) recall the special
circumstances that made filming “Cabaret” so difficult and memorable.

Having won a Tony, an Emmy and an Oscar before turning 30, Minnelli
has had a decidedly bumpy second act. Her Scorsese-directed musical
“New York, New York” faded from memory almost as quickly as its title
song became known as Frank Sinatra’s signature tune. Her spirited
performance in “Arthur” was overshadowed by those of Dudley Moore and
John Gielgud. And, of course, there were the frequent visits to rehab
clinics and her recent freakish marriage to her controlling producer.
While these difficult times are chronicled here, this “Biography”
accentuates the positive and recalls Minnelli’s gifts as she prepares
to make yet another revival in a life that has become defined by
stumbles and comebacks.

Radical group protest peace envoys’ visits to Azerbaijan

Azer News, Azerbaijan
June 10 2004

The Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) has issued a statement
protesting against the visit of Goran Lennmarker, the special envoy
of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly chairman, to Upper Garabagh without
prior permission from Baku.

The statement accuses Lennmarker’s step of being consistent with the
pro-Armenian standpoint of the organization that he represents. It
also stresses that the self-proclaimed regime in Upper Garabagh is
braced to hold “elections” and adopt a “constitution” because of the
inefficient policy of the Azerbaijani government.

“The GLO considers that there is no need for the international
organizations, which have for 16 years remained indifferent to
the violation of the Azerbaijani people’s rights, shown disrespect
to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and taken a
pro-Armenian standpoint, to function in Azerbaijan,” the statement
underlines. The GLO also states that it has announced Lennmarker,
Terry Davis and other “peace envoys” persona non grata for Azerbaijan
and will attempt to prevent their visits to the country.

Azeri expert urges policy of tiring Armenia out in “information war”

MPA news agency
9 Jun 04

Baku, 9 June: “Azerbaijan has to unleash an information war against
Armenia and stop the talks with Yerevan,” the head of the Centre for
Political Innovations and Technologies, Mubariz Ahmadoglu, has told
MPA news agency in an interview. In his view, Armenia’s penetration
of Azerbaijan’s airwaves is a deliberate step and Azerbaijan must
take appropriate measures. It is necessary to install more powerful
transmitters in border districts and to try to destroy Armenia’s
airwaves.

The political expert thinks that as an economically strong country,
Azerbaijan should apply a policy of tiring them out, which was used
by the West to destroy the Soviet Union’s economy through the arms
race. Due to its economic weakness, Armenia will not be able to stand
the information war for long. As a result, Baku will not only score a
victory on the information front, but will also gain a psychological
advantage and force Yerevan to negotiate.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

June 6, 2004
___________________

PRIESTLY ANNIVERSARIES MARKED IN CT AND NJ

On Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, 2004, Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), celebrated priestly anniversaries with two parish
communities.

On Saturday, the Primate was in Trumbull, CT, marking the 25th
anniversary of the priestly ordination of Fr. Untzag Nalbandian, pastor
of the Church of the Holy Ascension. On Sunday the Primate traveled to
Livingston, NJ, where he attended a banquet honoring the 10th ordination
anniversary of Fr. Shnork Souin.

Also while in Livingston, the Primate ordained Matthew Dalakian as a
sub-deacon and Matthew Krikorian, Alan Chaderjian, Erik Chamberjian, and
Julie Hoplamazian as acolytes.

FR. UNTZAG NALBANDIAN

During the celebration marking his anniversary, Archbishop Barsamian
presented Fr. Nalbandian with a pontifical encyclical from His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, elevating
Fr. Nalbandian to the rank of “arch-priest”.

“Der Hayr has been a spiritual leader to so many people,” the Primate
said during the celebration. “I’m sure that every person here could add
their own story about how his presence made a difference at a critical
time.”

Fr. Nalbandian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to survivors of the Armenian
Genocide. He studied at the Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia,
Cyprus, before heading to the Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin.

He served as a deacon to the Armenian community in Parish before moving
to the United States in 1978. Once in America, Fr. Nalbandian served as
deacon-in-charge of the St. Sarkis Church of Niagara Falls, NY, where he
was ordained as a priest by Archbishop Torkom Manoogian. Before being
assigned to Trumbull in 1984, Fr. Nalbandian served the St. John Church
of Greenfield, WI.

Since 1999, he has served as the director of youth and education for the
Eastern Diocese, while continuing as pastor to the Church of the Holy
Ascension.

“Throughout my years as Primate, I’ve always been comforted to know that
I could rely on Der Untzag to rise to every challenge,” the Primate
said. “And it was for that reason that I called on him to lead the
various program ministries of the Diocese – which he has accomplished
with great skill these past five years.”

Fr. Nalbandian and his wife, Yn. Setta, have three children.

FR. SHNORK SOUIN

A native of Toronto, Canada, Fr. Souin’s first vocation was as a sales
representative for a large Canadian company. He was called to the
seminary in 1992, and was ordained as a priest in 1994 by Archbishop
Hovnan Derderian, then Primate of the Canadian Diocese.

His first pastoral assignment was with the St. Gregory Church in St.
Catharine’s, Canada. He was appointed as pastor at the St. Mary
Armenian Church in Livingston, NJ, in September 2001.

“He is a man whose whole life has been directed towards the heavenly
Light. And when he accepted ordination 10 years ago, he chose to step
more fully into Christ’s light, because his heart was indeed true and
pure,” Archbishop Barsamian said during a banquet celebrating Fr.
Souin’s anniversary. “He had no apprehension about acting in the light,
for his deeds were truly part of the greater work of God.”

Fr. Souin and his wife, Yn. Julie, have three children.

— 6/2/04

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable on the Eastern
Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): The Primate joined Fr. Untzag Nalbandian, pastor of
the Church of the Holy Ascension in Trumbull, CT, and his family during
a celebration marking Fr. Nalbandian’s 25th year as a priest on May 22,
2004.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Barsamian marks the 10th anniversary of
the ordination of Fr. Shnork Souin, pastor of the St. Mary Church of
Livingston, NJ, on May 23, 2004.

# # #

FIVE ARMENIAN ENTERPRISES MIGHT GO TO RUSSIA AS STATE DEBT REPAYMENT

RIA Novosti, Russia
June 2 2004

YEREVAN, June 2 (RIA Novosti) – The seventh session of the
Armenian-Russian interparliamentary commission for co-operation
considered the passing of five Armenian enterprises to Russia within
the state agreement “property in exchange for debt.”

According to Russian co-chairman of the commission and Federation
Council member Nikolai Ryzhkov, the implementation of this agreement
involves some problems.

“The first and the main problem is the incompatibility between the
two countries’ legislations. The enterprises are already the Russian
property but are operating in the Armenian legislative field. Besides,
there are technological problems,” noted Ryzhkov.

The Russian co-chairman expressed the hope that a special
intergovernmental commission would soon gather for a session to
address these problems.

The intergovernmental agreement signed on July 17, 2002 on transferring
the property as part of Armenia’s state debt to Russia to the sum of
$93 million provides for passing 100% of shares in the Mars plant,
three Yerevan research institutes of computers, automated control
systems, materials science, and also the property complex of the
Razdan thermo power station, to the Russian side.

Azeri president meets outgoing diplomats

Space TV, Baku
31 May 04

[Presenter] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today received the
outgoing head of the OSCE Baku Office, Peter Burkhard, and the French
ambassador to Azerbaijan, Chantale Poiret.

[Correspondent over video of Aliyev, Burkhard and Poiret] Ilham Aliyev
expressed his regret that Peter Burkhard’s diplomatic mission in
Azerbaijan is coming to an end, adding that his tenure was memorable
and interesting. The president thanked the head of the OSCE Baku
Office for active involvement in Azerbaijan’s democratization,
economic reforms and civil society building.

The OSCE representative expressed satisfaction with the hospitality
and respect he enjoyed while in Baku. He said that the OSCE and other
influential organizations would continue their active cooperation
with our country also in the future.

Today Aliyev also met the French ambassador to Azerbaijan, Chantale
Poiret. The president noted the high level of political, economic
and other kind of bilateral relations during Chantale Poiret’s time
in Azerbaijan. At the same time, he praised the ambassador for her
efforts to arrange his visit to France and spoke highly of its outcome.

He talked about the ambassador’s role in developing ties between the
two countries and said that as a cochair of the OSCE Minsk Group,
France was making great efforts to settle the Armenian, Azerbaijani
and Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, and Mrs Poiret played an important
role in this process.

She praised our nation for hospitality shown during her period in
office. The ambassador said that she would not cease her contacts
with Azerbaijan once in France.

Gunay Mammadova for Space TV

Strike at Melkonian over accusations of poor standards
By Jean Christou

Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
May 28 2004

Teachers say they’re being used as scapegoats

STAFF AND students at the Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI) in
Nicosia staged a six-hour strike yesterday to protest against the
planned closure of the school in June next year.

Teachers said they would also refuse to give year-end grades after
the school’s governing body insinuated that education standards were
not up to scratch at the 78-year old Armenian school.

The loss-making MEI, which is sitting on an estimated £40 million
worth of real estate in the capital’s commercial district has been
slated to close next year by the New York-based Armenian General
Benevolent Union (AGBU).

Carrying banners that read: ‘Save Our School’, ‘AGBU American Gangsters
and Bandits Unlimited’ and ‘Watergate, Irangate, Melkoniangate’, both
teachers and pupils demonstrated all morning outside the entrance to
the school.

When the strike ended the teachers held a news conference to explain
their position with regard to the claims by the AGBU that standards
were not up to scratch. “This is one of the key issues in the dispute
that we have,” said geography teacher Keith Lawson. “What they said
is unfair and we dispute that.”

Lawson said that despite teachers’ efforts to engage in a dialogue
with the AGBU on the future of the school, they had received no
response. Neither had any inspectors been to evaluate standards at
the school, he said questioning how the AGBU had managed to come up
with its conclusions.

“This is deeply offensive to us as professionals,” said Lawson.
“Results bear testimony to rising rather than falling standards. We
are just the scapegoats for an ulterior motive – which is financial –
and we want a retraction. We are not prepared to be maligned any more
in public over standards.”

Physics teacher Demetris Aristides, who has been at MEI for 29 years,
making him the longest serving teacher at the school, said the people
of Cyprus have to know that the “murder of an educational institute”
is taking place on the island.

Aristides said the school’s closure is not only devastating for
Armenian and other pupils from Cyprus but a catastrophe for Armenian
children from the Diaspora, and especially from countries like Bulgaria
and Albania. “It’s a crime against education and against the Armenian
language,” he said adding that the support the MEI has received in
Cyprus has been “fantastic”.

Lawson said parents have now been left in a quandary over what to do
about the school year 2004/2005. Teachers said that during the last
few days members of the administration staff, entrusted by the AGBU,
have been quietly ringing students’ parents to discourage them from
sending their children to the MEI next year. “There is chaos over
what is going to happen in the coming school year and we are not
being told anything,” said Lawson.

He said all the teachers have been told by the AGBU is that the school
would close and a letter of platitudes praising them for working hard
but that the school would still be shut.

The AGBU, which oversees 22 Armenian schools worldwide, said last
November that the school was not for sale but then changed tack and
announced the closure.

The teachers said last year the school’s population was reduced from
260 to 210 after the AGBU unilaterally decided to reduce scholarships
to underprivileged children from the Armenian Diaspora.

Staff say there is no doubt that the AGBU is trying to use the teaching
staff as a scapegoat for their decision to close the school to sell
the land on which it stands and that they are using devious methods
to reduce the student population of the school in order to turn it
into a non-viable school and ultimately to close it. The AGBU is
working on a preconceived plan, they said.