Author: Karakhanian Suren

The Globe And Mail

Why shouldn’t MPs acknowledge genocide?
Saturday, April 24, 2004 – Page A22

COMMENT / EDITORIAL page

The House of Commons has caused a furor by acknowledging, in a free
vote this week, that Armenians were victims of genocide in 1915. The
furor is more telling than the acknowledgment. Realpolitik apparently
dictates that truth does not exist, that each generation lives in a
historical vacuum, and that pondering such issues is a matter best
reserved for artists and historians rather than mere legislators. To
challenge these dictates is to reveal oneself as naive and too
immature for real leadership.

Yet the legislators, who voted 153-68 in favour of a private member’s
bill from the Bloc Québécois, were merely stating a historical
fact. They were not committing Canada to monetary payments. They were
not apologizing on behalf of another generation. They were engaging in
a simple act of memory on behalf of victims who have descendants
living in Canada, an act that is controversial only because of the
Turkish government’s offensive 89-year-long denial.

The genocide of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey was
the first attempt to murder an entire nation in a century riven with
them. It was a blueprint for Hitler. So appalled were Canadians at
the time that they bent their rigid immigration rules and permitted
100 Armenian orphans to come to Georgetown, Ont., and live with farm
families. This uncharacteristic generosity toward allegedly inferior
peoples was dubbed “Canada’s Noble Experiment.” The Georgetown Boys,
as they were known, grew up and became good Canadians who raised
families, paid taxes and voted in elections.

Today’s Canada is a different kind of experiment. It is one in which
all peoples are welcome, not so much for noble reasons as from
enlightened self-interest: Give us your educated, your upwardly
mobile, your ambitious. In such a country, the hard choices of
realpolitik become more difficult than ever. Why? Because Canada, if
it is to succeed as an experiment, must be based on respect for human
rights. And if this diverse country stresses human rights on the
domestic scene, it can hardly deny their value in the larger world.

Prime Minister Paul Martin, in trying to give more power to backbench
MPs, is allowing free votes where confidence in the government is not
at issue. With this freedom comes responsibility. It may be that, in
future, MPs will attempt to go further afield, in ways that might
affect Canada’s legitimate foreign-policy interests.

But in this case, it is hard to see what was irresponsible in this
statement of principle. Genocide is a current issue for a world that
just commemorated the 10th anniversary of the attempted annihilation
of the Tutsi people in Rwanda. Canada has obligations beyond its
borders. It was instrumental in the creation two years ago of the
International Criminal Court.

In spite of scaremongering from some high-powered businesses, it
strains credulity to think that Canadian firms will lose big contracts
or that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s relationship with
Turkey will suffer over the resolution. Should the Canada that risked
its relationship with its closest ally when it spurned the United
States’ call to war in Iraq develop amnesia to avoid reprisals from
Turkey? For the record, the Liberal government of Jean Chrétien said
in 1999 that the tragedy of 1915 “was committed with the intent to
destroy a national group . . .” That is the very definition of
genocide. And Canada’s relationship with Turkey survived.

Human beings are capable of the worst atrocities, but there are always
some who do not forget. No foreign country, ally or not, can deny
Canada the right to bear witness.

ArmenPress
April 23 2004

DAI ASME HELPS ARMENIAN COMPANIES TO SEEK NEW MARKETS

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenian companies showcased their
products at around 20 international fairs with the support of
Armenian Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), a project implemented
by Development Alternatives Inc (DAI), a USAID funded consulting
firm.
Garry Kilmer, the coordinator of this projected that was first
launched in 2000, September, told Armenpress that studies are being
made in Persian Gulf and Middle East markets, where some of
Armenia-made products can compete with locally manufactured ones.
“We are less interested in EU or US exhibitions as the great
majority of Armenian companies do not yet have appropriate
certificates to allow them to export their products to their markets,
as food safety requirements are now much more stronger there than
before, while many Armenian companies cannot yet meet these
requirements,” he said, adding that some 150 Armenian companies seek
DAI ASME advice regularly.
DAI ASME has helped a privately run food testing laboratory to get
ISO certificate of a world-known Swiss SGS company, which Kilmer says
is the sole such laboratory in the region.

Sunday Times, Australia
The Mercury, Australia
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Advertiser, Australia
April 24 2004

On This Day

1915 – The Ottoman Turkish Empire begins the brutal mass deportation
of Armenians during World War I.

Highlights in history on this date:

1514 – Selim I, Sultan of Turkey, begins marching his army to Persia.

1521 – Spanish rebels are defeated at Villalar, Spain, and leaders of
anti-Hapsburg movement are executed.
1558 – Mary Queen of Scots, aged 16, marries the Dauphin of France,
the future Francois II.
1617 – Concino Concini, Marquis d’Angre, is assassinated by order of
France’s King Louis XIII, and Charles d’Albert, Duke of Luynes, takes
charge of government of France.
1671 – Defeated Cossack rebel leader Stenka Razin is captured by
loyalist Cossacks in Russia and turned over to the czar’s forces.
1704 – The first regularly issued American newspaper starts
publication.
1731 – Death of Daniel Defoe, British journalist and author of
Robinson Crusoe.
1792 – France’s national anthem, La Marseillaise, is composed by
Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle.
1819 – Turkey, after lengthy negotiations with Britain, the protector
of the island, obtains Parga from Ionian Republic.
1833 – The soda fountain is patented by Jacob Ebert and George
Dutley.
1877 – American Federal troops are ordered out of New Orleans, ending
the North’s post-Civil War rule in the South.
1898 – Spain declares war on United States after receiving US
ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba.
1915 – The Ottoman Turkish Empire begins the brutal mass deportation
of Armenians during World War I.
1916 – Some 1,600 Irish nationalists launch the Easter uprising by
seizing several key sites in Dublin. The rising is put down by
British forces several days later.
1939 – Robert Menzies becomes Australian prime minister, succeeding
Joseph Lyons, who died earlier in the month.
1945 – US forces liberate Dachau concentration camp.
1953 – British statesman Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen
Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
1962 – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology achieves the first
satellite relay of a television signal, between Camp Parks,
California, and Westford, Massachusetts.
1967 – Soviet Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov is killed when parachute
straps of his spacecraft get entangled and he plunges to earth.
1969 – Lebanon’s Premier Rashid Karami resigns amid dispute over
government’s restrictions on Palestinian guerrillas.
1970 – China launches its first satellite.
1971 – Soviet cosmonauts link up with unmanned satellite prior to
attempt to build world’s first orbiting space laboratory.
1975 – Terrorists from the German Red Army faction occupy the West
German Embassy in Stockholm, taking 12 people hostage and killing two
of them; Thousands of Vietnamese refugees are flown to US island of
Guam as communists move rapidly in their takeover of South Vietnam.
1980 – The United States launches an abortive attempt to free
American hostages in Iran, a mission that results in the deaths of
eight US servicemen. President Jimmy Carter announces the failed
mission to the American people.
1986 – Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, for whom King Edward
VIII gave up the British throne, dies in Paris at age 89; Paul Hogan
film Crocodile Dundee premieres in Australian cinemas.
1989 – Rebels shell eastern Afghanistan city of Jalalabad, killing at
least 54 people.
1990 – The US space shuttle Discovery takes the Hubble Space
Telescope into orbit.
1991 – South African government announces it will uphold agreement
with African National Congress to free all political prisoners by
April 30.
1992 – OPEC nations reject a demand by Iran for increased production.

1993 – Commandos break into a cockpit of a commandeered Indian
Airlines plane in Amritsar, India, shoot dead the lone hijacker and
free all 141 people aboard.
1994 – Cuban exiles are received by President Fidel Castro, the man
some have long wanted to overthrow.
1995 – The British government upgrades its talks with Sinn Fein, the
political ally of the IRA, by assigning a minister to negotiate.
1996 – The Palestinian parliament declares in Gaza City that it no
longer seeks Israel’s destruction and has abandoned armed struggle.
1997 – Islamist militants armed with sabres and axes strike two
villages in Algeria, butchering 47 people in a pre-election terror
wave that leaves an estimated 420 dead in a few weeks.
1998 – In front of a cheering crowd, 22 Rwandans convicted of
genocide are executed by firing squad in Kigali.
1999 – A car bomb explodes in one of London’s biggest Bangladeshi
communities, injuring seven people. A racist group claims
responsibility.
2000 – Iranian hardliners close down 14 pro-democracy publications in
a strike against a major pillar of the reform movement.
2001 – A jury is chosen in the murder trial of a former Ku Klux
Klansman charged 38 years after the church bombing that killed four
black girls in Birmingham, Alabama.
2002 – Sweden’s National Food Administration reports that potentially
harmful amounts of a chemical suspected of causing cancer are
produced when starchy foods are baked or fried at high temperatures.
2003 – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of Nelson Mandela,
is convicted of fraud and theft by a regional court in South Africa
and sentenced to five years in prison.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
April 19 2004

Steven Mann takes over post

US State Secretary’s senior adviser for the Caspian basin issues
Steven Mann started chairing OSCE’ s Minsk group on behalf of the
United States Saturday on April 17,2004.
Mann has succeeded other senior US diplomat Rudolf Perina.

Mann is the fourth US envoy for Minsk group.
Minsk group has been working for a peaceful settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan since 1992.

Alongside with the United States Russia and France are presiding over
the Minsk group.

ARKA News Agency
April 12 2004

Atashes Geghamian: following steps will be competent, leading to
victory

Business-forum “Opportunities of Investments in RA” took place in UAE

Activities dedicated to 90th anniversary of 1915 Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Empire to take place in Armenia

RA Minister of Defense and US Ambassador to RA discuss perspectives
of Armenian-American military cooperation

RA President and Foreign Minister held working meeting

Armenian opposition marches to Presidential Residence

Open doors days to be held in Yerevan medical institutions since
today

RA Government makes amendments to the law on holding rallies,
meetings, processions and demonstrations

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

ATASHES GEGHAMIAN: FOLLOWING STEPS WILL BE COMPETENT, LEADING TO
VICTORY

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. Following steps will be competent, leading
to victory, the Leader of Opposition Party National Unity Artashes
Geghamian told ARKA. “We will take all necessary steps that will lead
to resignation of the President Robert Kocharian”, Geghamian said.
Today’s rally of opposition to the residence of the President was
stopped by RA police troops. Till now opposition did not decide
future actions. L.D. –0–

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

BUSINESS-FORUM “OPPORTUNITIES OF INVESTMENTS IN RA” TOOK PLACE IN UAE

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. Business-forum “Opportunities of
Investments in RA”, organized by RA Embassy to UAE took place in UAE,
RA MFA told ARKA. The forum was organized with the goal of
development of Armenian-Emirates trade-economic relations and more
profitable representation of trade and industrial potential of
Armenia. Armenian party represented dynamics of development of
Armenian economy and basic legal base covering financial sphere.
Armenian delegation represented achievement of the spheres of IT,
tourism, light and chemical industries, energy, etc.
Delegation consisting of representatives of 25 companies was headed
with Director of Armenian Development Agency Vahagn Movsisian. L.D.
–0–

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

ACTIVITIES DEDICATED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1915 ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN
OTTOMAN EMPIRE TO TAKE PLACE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. Activities dedicated to 90th anniversary
of 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire will take place in
Armenia in May 2004 through May 2005, RA Government PR Department
told ARKA. The program of activities was discussed today at the
sitting of State Commission under the chair of RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian. According to the program, on April 20-23, 2005
international scientific conference on Genocide issued will take
place in Yerevan. International conferences will also take place in
Russia, USA, Europe and Middle East. RA MFA assigned diplomatic
representations of Armenia in different countries to develop and
represent the list of activities by the beginning of May. RA
Government plans to take measures on increase of the level of
familiarity of international society on Armenian Genocide.
>From the beginning of the 19th century till 1920, the Ottoman Empire,
legal successor of which is today’s turkey, regularly tormented and
persecuted Armenians. The top of barbarity was in 1915 when over a
million of Armenians was massacred in different regions of West
Armenia, part of the Empire.
The fact of the Armenian Genocide has been recognised by many
countries, including Uruguay (the first state that recognised the
genocide in 1965), Russia, France, Argentina, Greece, Lower Chamber
of Italy, 31 states of the U.S. L.D. –0–

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

RA MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND US AMBASSADOR TO RA DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES
OF ARMENIAN-AMERICAN MILITARY COOPERATION

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsian and
US Ambassador to RA John Ordway discussed perspectives of
Armenian-American military cooperation, RA Ministry of Defense told
ARKA. The parties discussed present situation and perspectives of
military cooperation. L.D. –0–

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

RA PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER HELD WORKING MEETING

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanian held working meeting, RA President’s press
office told ARKA. The Minister represented Kocharian issues connected
with scheduled All Armenian activities and foreign visits of the
president for 2004. L.D. –0–

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

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MARCHES TO PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. The Armenian opposition is marching to the
Presidential Residence demanding his resignation, as reported by ARKA
correspondent from the action site. The participants of the rally
moved from the Liberty Square to Baghramian Ave toward the
Presidential Residence scanning “Kocharian Go Away!”. As stated by
Aram Sargsyan, that “opposition has no a problem with the army,
police, but with the authorities”. In his turn, Stepan Demirchyan,
the Leader of Justice opposition faction said that they have no
intention to react on authorities provocations. “Instead of applying
the referendum, the authorities turned to provocations, that unified
the people even more. We are planning to bring the actions to the
logical end peacefully and we are committed to order and organization
in vuilding of a new country”, said Demirchyan. T.M. –0–

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

OPEN DOORS DAYS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS SINCE
TODAY

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. Since today Yerevan’s medical institutions
will hold open door days, as said by Aram Soghoyan, Yerevan
Municipality Healthcare and Social Security Department Chief on his
today’s briefing. In his words, these kind of actions are held
regularly on twice a year basis by Yerevan Municipality for
preventing deceases. “It is well known that the situation related to
all deceases worsens in springs and autumns, therefore we conduct
such works regularly for diagnostics and treatment of the deceases on
their early stage”, Soghoyan said. During these days that are to
continue until 14 April, the residents of Yerevan can undergo free of
charge diagnostics, provided medical consultation as well as if
extremely necessary to receive treatment payable by the State (“state
order”).
The State increased stet orders for medical services provided to the
population by AMD 4b in 2004, amounting to around AMD 25b. Since
2004, the state order was expanded by two points: military officers
and their families as well as graduates of orphanages under and over
18. T.M. —0–

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

RA GOVERNMENT MAKES AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ON HOLDING RALLIES,
MEETINGS, PROCESSIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS

YEREVAN, 12 April./ARKA/. RA Government made amendments to the law on
holding rallies, meetings, processions and demonstrations. As Ara
Saghatelyan, Press Secretary of RA Justice Ministry, informed ARKA,
the results of the discussions held with RA MP-s and the members of
RA Government, as well as the expert conclusions, the suggestions of
the citizens, received through Internet-network, were taken in
account when making the amendments. As the press-release says,
earlier, proceeding from social interests, RA Justice Ministry,
installed the bill in the library section of the site
and created relevant conditions for its fruitful
discussion.
The press release of RA Justice Ministry also says in order to
continue the work at the site the
changed bill is represented. According to the same source, RA Justice
Ministry expects active participation in the work of the interested
sides. The opinions and the comments on the bill are received at
[email protected]. A.K.–0–

KARABAKH DENIES ROLE IN QUELLING RALLIES IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL

Mediamax news agency
16 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The government of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR) made a
statement today denying reports that the law-enforcement units of the
republic headed by the chief of the NKR police, Armen Isagulov, were
involved in quelling the demonstration on Yerevan’s Bagramyan Avenue
on the night of 12-13 April.

The statement says that “the NKR government denies using the Karabakh
factor in Armenia’s domestic political life”, Mediamax reports.

“The NKR government is stating that the rumours about the involvement
of the republic’s law-enforcement bodies in the Yerevan developments
are wide of the mark and are being spread deliberately. Not a single
law-enforcement unit of the NKR was deployed outside the republic and
all members of staff, including the chief of the police, are
fulfilling their duties on the spot as usual,” the statement says.

“The NKR government is calling on all political forces and mass media
to refrain from spreading unverified reports, which may harm the
implementation of common national tasks,” it says.

ArmeniaNow.com
April 09, 2004

Conducting a Challenge for Change: Rejected maestro returns to rally
opposition

By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow arts reporter

After leaving Armenia and vowing to never return, veteran conductor Ohan
Duryan has returned to lend his name to the movement of political opposition
afoot in Yerevan.

Two years ago Duryan left in anger, when Ministry of Culture officials
revoked his “life time” contract as chief conductor and musical director of
the State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet.

The 80-year old conductor who has performed world wide has since signed a
five year contract with the Moscow Symphonic Orchestra. Rosiyskaya Gazeta
newspaper in Moscow called him “one of the world’s greatest conductors”.

The conductor’s bitter departure from Armenia was punctuated by him refusing
his Mesrop Mashtots and Movses Khorenatsi awards – the highest honors the
State bestows on a civilian in Armenia.

He has since spoken out harshly against the regime that he believes betrayed
him. And he has written letters to the president that have gone unanswered.
But Duryan says his return to join the opposition is not an act of
vengeance.

“I am above it,” he says. “Even though I was greatly hurt by the
authorities, I am not out for revenge. They will get their punishment from
above.”

Duryan says his return is an act of patriotism. He recently attended a
meeting of intellectuals where he challenged compatriots to lobby for a
change of power.

“I am an artist and I don’t do politics, however the arrogant activity of
today’s government and the miserable state of the people cannot leave me
indifferent,” he told Armenianow. “I cannot stay silent, that’s the reason
why I joined the opposition and I want to help them. That’s why I appealed
to the president himself asking him to address his conscience and to see
whether it is possible to rule a country with weapons, tanks, guns,
barb-wire — with beating innocent people who wanted to reveal (ballot)
falsifications, with terrorist acts. The president, the head of the state in
general, has to count with his conscience and do what his conscience tells
him.”

Following his own conscience, Duryan is in the mix of a movement that puts
him at odds with the government. He says it also has landed his name on “a
list of dangerous people”.

According to Duryan the situation is not pleasant for other artists as well,
but not all of them keep to their principles.

“There are devoted people among the opposition, however there are also many
of those who are obsessed with power mania,” says Duryan. “I respect those
intellectuals who remained at their positions, like Silva Kaputikyan
(poetess), Gohar Gasparyan (singer), Tigran Levonyan (singer), Vladimir
Abajyan (actor), Khoren Palyan (musicologist). These are people who did not
abase themselves to please the president and get some benefits.”

The press secretary for the Justice Bloc, the parliamentary representation
leading the opposition, says Duryan’s stand is significant.

“People were really waiting for the words of their favorite artists. It is
of great importance for society and it of course has great impact,” says
Ruzanna Khachatryan.

Duryan says that his wounds have healed somewhat by his return, and that his
main concern is from seeing his countrymen in difficult conditions.

“Those who cannot put up with the situation leave. Did we proclaim
independent Armenia in order to empty it from Armenians? About a century ago
there was a genocide, but now the emptying of Armenia is no less a
genocide,” he says.

On March 25 the Chairman of the National Assembly Artur Baghdasaryan met
with Duryan and during the meeting he said that it was everyone’s mistake to
treat the world known conductor that way.

“I shall do everything to correct that mistake. We’ll see what we can do,”
said Baghdasaryan, during a televised interview.

Minister of Culture Tamar Poghosyan has so far been silent.

“I don’t know that woman. If she wants to meet me she’s welcome to invite
me,” Duryan says. “Anyway, I don’t have a position anymore that can be taken
away. I have nothing to loose. Today, I only have a hope that the opposition
will be firm in their position, and the scum who are in power will leave
without bloodshed.”

PanArmenian Network, Armenia
April 8 2004

NEW MINISTER TO RESTART TALKS

Dismissal of Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan may affect the Karabakh
talks.

Elmar Mamedyarov is a career diplomat, 42 years old. He was born in
the village of Yadji, Ordubad region of Nakhichevan. His father is an
academician, director of the Institute of Biology. He has graduated
from Kiev’s Institute for International Relations, where Mikhail
Sahakashvili has also studied. Mamedyarov works in the MFA system
from 1992. He is close enough to Ilham Aliyev. He was appointed
Ambassador in Italy when Ilham Aliyev was in fact governing the
country. He stayed in Italy for half a year. He has never been noted
during his career in the MFA that is why his appointment seemed a
little bit strange.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The appointment was more unexpected because
Mamedyarov is not very aware of the process of Karabakh settlement
and. The pro-governmental Baku press says he has written few
analytical articles on Karabakh settlement and has had lectures on
this subject. However, it is not enough to carry negotiations. He has
worked neither with the Minsk group co-chairmen nor even with the
Azeri diplomats involved in the process. Thus, Mamedyarov’s
appointment will hardly be a good proof of the fact that Aliyev
really wants to restart the talks. The leader of the National Front
Party of Azerbaijan Ali Kerimli said recently that Mamedyarov would
not have any political weight and the foreign policy would be totally
conducted by Ilham Aliyev personally. Evidently, he is right.

We shall note that the former Minister was dismissed immediately
after the regional visit of the US Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage. The observers in Baku presume that while being the
Councilor of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the U.S., Mamedyarov had had
certain contacts with him. So, they believe he is Armitage’s protégé.

Why did Ilham Aliyev dismiss Vilayat Guliyev? It should be noted that
Guliyev was appointed in 2000 when conclusion of an agreement on
Karabakh was being outlined. Then Heydar Aliyev needed an experienced
political figure on the post of the Foreign Minister who would be
able to prepare the public opinion in favor of the agreement based on
Parisian principles. Guliyev matched very well. Now Baku carried out
a harsher political course and Ilham Aliyev does not want Guliyev any
more. Besides, an experienced political figure in the staff of a
President-beginner would be dangerous.

Dismissal of Guliyev was stipulated also by the backstage
confrontation of two commanding clans – the Nakhichevani group and
the clan of politicians and officials coming from Armenia and
Karabakh. Mamedyarov represents the Nakhichevani group, while
Guliyev’s origins are from Shoushi. The observers think that after
Guliyev’s dismissal the career of other officials coming from Armenia
– state Advisor to the President Idayat Orujev, Health Minister Ali
Insanov and Minister of Education Misir Mardanov will also suffer. At
the same, the positions of the informal leader of the Nakhichevani
clan, head of the president’s administration Ramiz Mehtiyev have
strengthened recently. He has become a power broker in the staff of
Ilham Aliyev.

AGBU PRESS OFFICE
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage

PRESS RELEASE

AGBU WELCOMES NEW LEADERSHIP FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DISTRICT
COMMITTEE: Previous Chairman and Committee Made Great Strides
Throughout Community

For the past three years, the AGBU Southern California District
Committee Chairman (SCDC), Dr. Simon Simonian, and dedicated members
of the Executive Committee made many significant strides within the
Greater Los Angeles community. Not only did they stimulate a renewed
interest and participation in AGBU among Armenians in the area, but
they also built upon existing good relations with other local
organizations.

Dr. Simonian led the Committee in planning several noteworthy events
and activities that brought together thousands of participants,
promoted the Armenian culture and raised funds, totaling well over
$80,000 and directed toward many AGBU endeavors. SCDC plays a vital
role within the Armenian community in the greater Los Angeles
area. The Committee unifies the diverse AGBU groups that serve members
and supporters in the region, from the Sports division to local
Chapters and from the Young Professionals group to the Ladies’
Committee. It is exactly with this spirit of teamwork and solidarity
that the new leadership of SCDC will continue to strengthen and
promote the Armenian heritage.

Continuing these many achievements, Mr. Vahe Imasdounian now serves as
the Chairman of AGBU SCDC, joined by with several new and returning
Executive Committee members, who will lead Chapters in Glendale, Los
Angeles, Orange County, Pasadena, San Diego and San Fernando
Valley. In addition to these Chapters, SCDC has ambitious plans to
reach out to more Armenians in southern California through activities
organized by the Ladies Committee, the Ardavazt Theater Company, the
Sports Committee, the Scouts Division, the Young Professionals and the
Generation Next Mentorship Program.

For more information on the AGBU SCDC please visit their website:

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 5 2004

PUTIN HIGHLY ASSESSES UN INTERNATIONAL ROLE

MOSCOW, April 5, 2004. (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir
Putin highly assesses the UN’s role in the modern world.

The world has no other effective instrument to solve international
problems, Vladimir Putin told UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on
Monday.

“You know our attitude to the UN and the development of this
organization. The fact that the Russian ambassador to the UN was
appointed Foreign Minister confirms our attitude to the development
of relations with the UN,” the Russian leader said.

The President also thanked Kofi Annan for his congratulation on
Vladimir Putin’s reelection to his post on March 14.

Kofi Annan pointed out the recent easing of tensions in international
relations. The countries are united and are solving international
problems together, the Secretary General said.

He expressed hope that this tendency will preserve in the future
because only joint efforts can help solve complicated problems.

Mr. Annan is satisfied with Moscow’s support for the formation of a
top-level group to combat new threats and challenges. This group
should assess the current situation in the world and find solutions
to adapt to it, he said.

Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov, Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov, President’s Aide Sergei Prikhodko, Deputy Foreign
Minister Yuri Fedotov, UN Under-Secretary-General, director general
of the UN mission in Europe Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Special
Representative of the UN Secretary General in Georgia Heidi
Tagliavini, and the UN Secretary General’s deputy chief of staff,
Elizabeth Lindmeier took part in the meeting between Vladimir Putin
and Kofi Annan.

Kofi Annan arrived in Moscow on Sunday on a three-day official visit.
On Monday Mr. Annan and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took
part in the opening ceremony of the Moscow International Model UN
conference-2004. This is a student game imitating the activities of
this international organization.

In addition, Kofi Annan met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail
Fradkov.

Kofi Annan is to discuss with the Russian leadership the
implementation of the Russian initiative on the formation of a global
system to counter modern threats and challenges under the UN aegis,
official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander
Yakovenko told RIA Novosti.

“At issue will be the structural consolidation and reinforcement of
coordinating possibilities of the Counter Terrorist Committee of the
UN Security Council, its cooperation with international and regional
anti-terrorist structures including relevant mechanisms of the CIS,
the Collective Security Treaty Organization [Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan] and the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, China,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan],” Mr. Yakovenko said.

According to him, Russia backs efforts taken by the UN Secretary
General to settle the situation in Iraq.

“The organization is playing the central role in the post-conflict
settlement, in particular, in the elections. Moscow will support the
UN stabilizing role in the Middle East and strive for the
implementation of the UN Mideastern resolutions in the full volume to
provide favorable conditions for peaceful developments,” Alexander
Yakovenko noted.

Russia, as well as the UN Secretary General, is much concerned about
the sharp aggravation of the situation in Kosovo, the diplomat
stressed. “The large-scale outburst of violence provoked by
extremists has shown that Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council
is not fulfilled in the full volume yet. Attempts to indulge Kosovo
Albanians caused serious risks of the destabilization in the region,”
Mr. Yakovenko noted.