Author: Nahapetian Samvel

Frommers
June 30 2004

What’s New: An Online Update for Frommer’s Israel, Jordan and Sinai
Destinations: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel, Amman, Haifa, Jordan,
Eilat, Petra
Activities: Air, Beach, Car Rental, Lodging, Tips and Resources
Author: Robert Ullian

[parts omitted]

Shopping

Honored by the Israeli Postal Service with a set of commemorative
stamps in 2003-04, Jerusalem’s two world famous Armenian ceramic
workshops are always worth visiting.

The Palestinian Armenian Pottery Workshop, Nablus Rd, next to the
East. Jerusalem American Consulate (); and
Jerusalem Pottery, located on the Via Dolorosa, at the Sixth Station
of the Cross in the Old City (); [tel.]
02/626-1587. The artisans of these workshops were originally brought
to Jerusalem at the start of the British Mandate in 1919 to maintain
the extraordinary ceramic tiles on the Dome of the Rock. Hand painted
tiles from the workshops adorn the exteriors and interiors of
buildings throughout Jerusalem, from St. Andrew’s Church to the
American Colony Hotel. The beautiful tile wall panels decorating the
Sukkot Patio at the Residence of the President of Israel, were
designed by Marie Balian of the Palestinian Pottery Workshop (Mrs.
Balian has been honored with a special exhibition of her work at the
Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.). The Karakashian family’s
Jerusalem Pottery Workshop is especially known for its individual
tile designs. An array of hand-painted plates, vases, and other
ceramic items for sale to the general public at very reasonable
prices is available at both workshops. The bazaars of the Old City
are flooded with printed, machine-made imitations of Armenian
ceramics, but only the real stuff shines.

Fans of Jerusalem’s Armenian ceramics tradition will want to check
out a beautifully illustrated book, The Armenian Ceramics of
Jerusalem, Three Generations, by Nurith Kenaan-Kedar. Published in
2003, it chronicles the work of both the Balian and Karakashian
families, and is available at the Eretz Israel Museum Bookstore in
Tel Aviv, or can be ordered at Steimatsky’s Bookstores throughout
Israel. Be sure to specify the English language edition. The A

Both Palestinian Pottery and Jerusalem Pottery are closed Sundays.
When tourism is especially slow, it is best to call Jerusalem Pottery
ahead of time to be sure they’ll stay open for your visit.

The works of a number of Judaica artisans listed in the Frommer’s
Israel 3rd edition can now be previewed on their websites. Oded
Davidson (), is a silversmith whose whimsical
work is in the collections of many museums, including the Israel
Museum and the Wolfson Museum in Jerusalem; Avi Biran, a silversmith
with many awards and a sense of humor in his designs, has had his
work shown in museums throughout the world, including the Jewish
Museum of Prague, and Jerusalem’s Wolfson Museum. Archie Granot
() is a Judaica paper cut artist whose work is in
the collections of the Jewish Museum of New York, the Victoria and
Albert Museum in London, and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

For complete article, see

;destid¾ACH

Stratford Beacon Herald (Ontario, Canada)
June 25, 2004 Friday Final Edition

JAZZ GUITARIST TO LEAD CLINIC

Esteemed Canadian-Armenian jazz guitarist, Levon Ichkhanian, is
coming to Stratford to lead a guitar clinic Saturday.

Topics to be covered include jazz-world music, harmony and analysis,
improvisation, arranging, ensemble playing, listening techniques,
composition, technical exercises, producing, touring, career planning
and world stringed instruments.

Mr. Ichkhanian has been performing as a musician since the age of 13.
He plays electric and acoustic guitar, oud, bouzouki, banjitar and
mandolin.

He has published articles in industry magazines, such as Guitar
Player and Canadian Musician.

Mr. Ichkhanian has also released three solo CDs: Kick-n Jazz, with
Bernard Purdie; After Hours, with Paquito D’Rivera and John
Patitucci; and Travels, with Alain Caron.

Having just wrapped up a season as guitar player in the house band of
Toronto’s television variety program, The Toronto Show, he will be
soon returning to the studio to record his next CD.

Long and McQuade, located at 36 Ontario St., will be hosting the
clinic. The free event is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
No registration is required, but space is available on a first-come,
first-serve basis. For more information, contact Long and McQuade, at
271-9102.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 24 2004

AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY URGES COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO BE ACTIVE
[June 24, 2004, 20:20:13]

Newly appointed chairman of the COE Committee of Ministers, Foreign
Minister of Norway Jan Petersen delivered a summary report on the
PACE session, June 22. According to existing rules, following the
summary report chairman of the Committee of Ministers is questioned.
These questions are presented to the secretariat for a day and then
published. In the course of the session, following chairman’s answer
deputy who asked the first question is enabled to question once more.

18 European deputies questioned J. Peterson this time. The first
question was asked by Azerbaijani deputy Rafael Huseynov. The
question says: how may the contribution of the Council of Europe to
the resolution of conflicts be evaluated? What steps can be taken to
settle conflicts existing in the Caucasus region?

Mr. Jan Petersen stressed in responce that the Caucasian region is
always in the focus of attention of the Council of Europe and noted
that he would handle problems of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia and
visit the region.

Taking the opportunity, the Azerbaijani deputy drew the Chairman’s
attention to Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan. R. Huseynov
noted that whenever the issue of COE’s active participation in the
resolution of the conflict is raised, it points to lack of mandate to
settle the conflict since the OSCE Minsk Group is directly involved
in the issue. When asked about the approach and efforts towards
information exchange between COE and OSCE, in particular, Minsk
Group, and conflict resolution J. Petersen stated that he would do
his best for the settlement of the conflict.

Armenian foreign minister praises president’s Council of Europe speech

Hayots Ashkarh, Yerevan
25 Jun 04

Headlined “The president called things by their names”

An interview with Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. He comments on
President Kocharyan’s speech in Strasbourg.

[Hayots Ashkarh correspondent] Mr Oskanyan, how was Robert Kocharyan’s
speech received?

[Vardan Oskanyan] Certainly, we are still to hear the response of
different deputies, but I have the impression from my direct contacts
that the president’s speech was very well received. Because it was a
bold and multilateral speech. The president touched almost on all the
problems that worry us and the Council of Europe. Kocharyan touched on
our obligations to the Council of Europe, on the recent events in
Armenia, Armenian-Turkish relations and Karabakh. I think that the
speech’s greatest point was that Robert Kocharyan really called things
by their names. It really was quite a bold speech. And I should say
that such boldness is positively received on the whole, if it is frank
and based on facts. It was an unprecedentedly good speech and the
first impression was positive.

[Correspondent] Different analysts and officials always mention that,
for instance, Armenia’s position on a Karabakh settlement is not fully
clear to the Council of Europe. What do you think, have the
question-marks been removed by Kocharyan’s speech?

[Oskanyan] I think they have. The problem is not that Armenia did not
specify its positions until today. But it was done on different levels
and for different reasons and it was not done fully. But their
expression at such a high level and in such an important institution
has really put a full stop to all the problems. And in this sense it
really answered numerous questions. Moreover, the president spoke from
the point of view of morals and was in quite strong positions, as the
boldness of the speech also required a certain progress by our country
over these years.

[Correspondent] During this visit the president met different Council
of Europe leaders. As a direct participant in those meetings, how
would you describe the whole atmosphere?

[Oskanyan] In the course of all those meetings President Kocharyan was
speaking confidently and frankly. And here the general principle was
that we have nothing to be ashamed of, to defend or justify. We think
that very positive steps were made. Yes, there are shortcomings, but
we surely know where we are going and we shall fulfil the obligations
that we undertook, as they are not only the desire or demand of the
Council of Europe, but also our political will, which stems from the
interests of our state and people. This was the general principle and
during the meetings a very open and frank dialogue took place.

[Correspondent] Mr Oskanyan, may the appointment of Terry Davis, the
rapporteur on the Nagornyy Karabakh issue, to the post of
secretary-general of the Council of Europe reflect this organization’s
role in the settlement process? Is it possible that from now on the
Council of Europe will have a more important and pivotal role in the
settlement process?

[Oskanyan] I do not think that the appointment of Terry Davis as
secretary-general or the fact that he was the rapporteur on Nagornyy
Karabakh may become grounds for the whole organization to be more
active in a settlement. Anyway, the Karabakh issue is on the agenda of
the Council of Europe. On one hand, Terry Davis’s appointment is
positive in the sense that during this last year he got deeper into
the problem. When they touch on the problem we shall know that we are
dealing with a person who knows the problem very well and can consider
it more objectively. He was in Karabakh and in the region. So I feel
positive about the fact that the newly appointed secretary-general of
the Council of Europe has dealt with the Karabakh issue in some sense.

ArmenPress
June 24 2004

OPPOSITION MEMBER COMMENDS KOCHARIAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS: A senior opposition member commended
today president Robert Kocharian for “voicing, for the first time, a
clear cut position on Nagorno Karabagh conflict, by saying (at PACE
session on June 23) that Karabagh has never been part of independent
Azerbaijan.”
“At last Robert Kocharian said that by deciding to break off from
Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabagh did not violate its territorial
integrity,” Aram Sarkisian, the leader of the Democratic party, told
a news conference today
“At the time of collapse of the Soviet Union two states were
formed: the Azerbaijani Republic on the territory of Azerbaijani
Soviet Socialist Republic and Republic of Nagorno Karabagh on the
territory of the Nagorno Karabagh Autonomous Region. Establishment of
both these states has similar legal grounds. The territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, henceforth, has nothing to do with the
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh,” Kocharian said in Strasbourg.
Sarkisian also praised Kocharian for saying that Armenia is ready to
discuss the issue of settling that conflict in the legal domain, but
added that he could not understand why then Kocharian spoke
enthusiastically about the Key West arrangement, “as it contains a
set of points which are unacceptable for both Armenia and Karabagh,
like automatic return of all occupied Azeri regions that would have
fatal consequences for Karabagh.” He went on to argue that neither
the “step-by-step” regulation option, advocated by Azerbaijan nor the
“package” one, supported by Armenia are feasible. Therefore,
according to him, there should a third option, a combination of both.
Concerning concessions on part of Armenia, Sarkisian said Armenia
must establish a ceiling not to go beyond it. He concluded by saying
that the regulation process will see vigorous efforts after the end
of US presidential election.

Azeri Foreign Ministry denies Armenian military officers arrived “secretly”

ANS TV, Baku
23 Jun 04

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has denied Parliament Speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov’s statement that Armenian officers have come to Baku
secretly.

According to the ministry, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov made a
special statement as regards the Armenian officers’ visit to Baku
several days ago.

The final planning conference of the NATO Partnership for Peace
exercises due in September is expected to complete its work in Baku
today. The Armenian officers who have come to the Azerbaijani capital
to attend the conference will leave the country only after the
conference.

Those detained outside Hotel Europe yesterday [22 June] in a protest
at the Armenians’ visit, as well as the chairman of the Karabakh
Liberation Organization, have been taken to a remand facility in Qara
Sahar [Black City], said a source from the 20th police station of the
Nasimi district police department.

England’s Short knocked-out of World Chess Championship in Libya

AP Online
Jun 23, 2004

MAHMOUD KASSEM

The top two chess players at the World Chess Championship have earned
a place in round three that starts Wednesday but England’s Nigel
D. Short was knocked out the night before in the biggest upset of the
tournament so far.

Short, world No. 15 and No. 5 in the tournament, drew Tuesday’s second
round two game with his Polish opponent Michal Krasenkow after 71
moves in an English defense opening that forced the Brit to bow out of
the contest early.

The English grandmaster who was once a world champion finalist against
Garry Kasparov lost his game Monday with Krasenkow, seeded No. 57 in
the competition, due to a serious blunder that robbed him of a
rook. He needed to win Tuesday’s game to have a chance at a tiebreaker
with his weaker-ranked Polish opponent.

Shorts compatriot Michael Adams, No. 2 in the tournament and No. 8 in
the world, fared better in the day’s games, beating his Armenian
opponent Karen Asrian with comeback determination. A draw between the
two players in the first game of round two on Monday had upped the
stakes for Tuesday’s match.

Asrian, the weaker player, initiated a Caro-Kann exchange defense that
developed into Panov-Botvinnik attack but he could not stave away his
opponent’s meticulous thrust and resigned after 46 moves.

Tournament favorite Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria continued to sail
through the opening rounds without much suspense.

Elsewhere, the youngest player and only American left in the
tournament, 16-year-old Hikaru Nakamura, proved that he had done his
homework before coming to Tripoli. He made it to round three after
beating his higher ranked opponent by 1.5 points to half a point.

“Yesterday’s game, which I won, was more exciting because today was
just a draw. Both of us were low on time and I managed to outplay him
with a rook and a knight,” Nakamura told The Associated Press of the
creative endgame from Monday’s first game of round one.

Fifteen of the 32 games played Tuesday ended in draws and required
rapid and blitz games to eliminate the stubborn hangers on.

Cuba’s Lenier Dominguez, one of eight players to reach the final
sudden death round, displayed inspiring stamina to topple higher-rated
Vladimir Malakhov of Russia in a battle that lasted until the early
hours of Wednesday.

Short on time, Dominguez got a lucky draw in the second blitz game but
came back with a strong attack in the sudden death round and cordoned
off black’s king with two rooks and a queen on the “f” file.

The World Chess Federation, known by its French initials FIDE, began
its Tripoli championship Saturday despite Libya’s refusal to allow
players from Israel and the absence of many top players. Only two of
FIDE’s top 10 were participating, apparently because many players were
angry that the world’s strongest rated player, Kasparov of Russia, was
to be allowed to play the winner without having to go through
qualifying rounds.

Libya, which is putting up the US$1.5 million in prize money for the
tournament, has been struggling to shake off its reputation as a rogue
state that sponsors terrorism and foments trouble around the
world. Welcoming the chess tournament and making a failed bid to host
the 2010 soccer World Cup were seen as part of a campaign to clean up
its international image.

Azeri official comments on cease-fire breaches on border

ANS TV, Baku
19 Jun 04

[Presenter] Baku has commented on reports about intense cease-fire
violations on the border. Novruz Mammadov, head of the international
relations department of the Presidential Executive Staff, said the
firefights with the Armenian armed forces on the Azerbaijani border
was a result of Yerevan’s harmful policy. The official did not rule out
that the Armenian community of Karabakh will be brought to book for the
conduct of the unlawful municipal elections on Azerbaijani territory.

[Correspondent over Karabakh villages] The campaign to nominate
candidates for the municipal elections by the Armenian community of
Nagornyy Karabakh kicked off today. The nomination campaign will end
on 24 June and the process of registering the candidates will continue
until 19 July. The election campaign will start on the same day. Let us
remind you that the municipal elections will be held by the Armenian
community in Nagornyy Karabakh on 8 August. Baku is not planing to
turn a blind eye to this move of the Armenian separatists. Statements
have already been sent to a number of international organizations
urging them to prevent such illegal measures from taking place in
the occupied territory of Azerbaijan.

Novruz Mammadov, head of the international relations department of
the Presidential Executive Staff, said that the issue of the illegal
municipal elections in Nagornyy Karabakh will be put on the agenda
of the Council of Europe first of all.

[Mammadov, shown speaking from his office] This act is undoubtedly
illegal. The appropriate bodies of Azerbaijan have spoken against
it and will continue to do so. The Milli Maclis and the Azerbaijani
parliamentarians in the Council of Europe will air their views in
the upcoming sessions. All this is illegal and lacks international
support. I would like to reiterate that all this is nothing less than
an attempt by the separatists to hearten themselves.

[Correspondent] Mammadov believes that international organizations
are currently actively trying to resolve the conflict. And very often
their approaches are in harmony with Azerbaijan’s position. The world
supports Azerbaijan’s demand that the conflict be resolved reasonably.

[Mammadov] From this point of view, both the Karabakh separatists
and the Armenian leadership are finding themselves isolated from
the world community. To alleviate such treatment and to parry these
blows, they resort to such measures. The crux of the matter is that
the Armenian separatists want to create certain institutions in
the occupied territory of Azerbaijan. They resort to such methods
from time to time, i.e. violate all laws by holding the so-called
presidential and municipal elections in the self-styled NKR.

[Correspondent] Obviously Nagornyy Karabakh has not been recognized
and will not be recognized in the future as well, Mammadov said,
adding that the municipal elections have no legal basis. The conduct
of such measures once again proves that the separatist Armenian regime
does not want to resolve the conflict. The separatist regime’s plans
to conduct the unlawful election in Nagornyy Karabakh, which is an
integral part of Azerbaijan, is not their first or their last illegal
action. The Armenian side, which often violates the cease-fire
regime on the border with Azerbaijan and along the contact line,
once again proved that it is not ready for a constructive solution
to the conflict. The recent and intense breaches of the cease-fire
regime are not accidental, Mammadov said. The opposite side is taking
well-planned and well-considered steps.

[Mammadov] Armenian President Kocharyan is no longer trusted by his
people because of his failure to fulfill his election promises. The
resistance against him within the country is strengthening. By
violating the cease-fire regime, the Armenian leadership wants to
soften pressure and divert the attention from them to something else.

The second reason is also very important and is connected with the
first one: the Armenian leadership wants to decrease the external
pressure. Mammadov is sure that Armenia has never and will never
benefit from such an adventurist policy. Therefore, the Armenian
leadership should without fail put an end to this.

[Mammadov] Now the cease-fire regime has been breached in Qazax
District, some 200-300 kilometers from Nagornyy Karabakh. This
was a result of Armenia’s false and notorious policy. I would
like to reiterate that we have informed all interested states and
organizations, such as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, of this.

[Correspondent] Azerbaijan’s position on the problem is
constructive. It is ready for negotiations. Mammadov said that Yerevan
should not have breached the cease-fire regime.

Ayaz Mirzayev, Ibrahim Telmanoglu for ANS.

Armenian Officers Already Have Entry Visas to Baku, report says

Baku Today

Baku Today 18/06/2004 17:23

Two Armenian military officers have already received entry visas to
Azerbaijan to attend a Baku-hosted NATO conference scheduled for
June 22, Public Television of this country reported on Wednesday,
citing Armenia’s ministry of defense.

However, Armenpress reported on Thursday that the officers are planning
to ask Azerbaijan’s embassy to Georgia on June 21 for the visas.

The report said Colonel Murad Isakhanian and Aram Hovhanesian (the
latter’s rank was missed) from Armenian defense ministry’s department
of foreign relations are to represent their country in the upcoming
planning conference for NATO’s Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises,
which are planned to be held in Azerbaijan in September.

According to the Armenian media, Azerbaijani authorities have promised
NATO leadership that they will not put up obstacles to Armenian
officers’ attending the Baku conference. High-ranking Azeri officials
have also expressed willingness to let officers of the occupational
military in.

Foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his deputy Araz Azimov have
recently told local media that since the conference is organized by
NATO, it would be unwise on the part of Azerbaijan to create obstacles
for the Armenians’ coming.

But some non-governmental organizations in Baku, particularly the
Karabakh Liberation Organization, have warned the officers against
coming to Baku, threatening to go for any radical step to prevent
their arrival.

Regional anti-AIDS centre opens in Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
16 Jun 04

[Presenter] The rate of growth of AIDS in the Eastern Europe and
Central Asia is the highest in the world. The international anti-AIDS
organizations consider Armenia part of this region and urge it to
start new preventive measures. According to the latest information,
there are more than 1.5m HIV-positive people in the former Soviet
republics, a regional anti-AIDS centre in Yerevan has said.

[Correspondent] Among the regional countries there are 271 HIV-positive
registered people in Armenia, there are more than 500 in Georgia, but
no research has been done at all by Azerbaijan in this sphere. The
regional anti-AIDS centre will function in Yerevan. The UN resident
coordinator and UNDP resident representative, Renate Ehmer, said
that the establishment of the centre is a result of the Armenian
government’s consistent work.

[Renate Ehmer, captioned, in English with Armenian voice over]
This issue has been discussed for a long time in Geneva. Finally,
it was decided that the centre will be opened in Armenia. The
Armenian government was pro-active on this issue and called for the
establishment of the centre in Armenia.

[Correspondent] Armenia will receive 7m dollars to implement the
national anti-AIDS programme, of which 1m dollars has already been
allocated. Renate Ehmer noted that the centre’s main aim is to work
efficiently and make the best use of the allocated funds. Speaking
about the international recognition of Armenicum [anti-AIDS medicine]
Renate Ehmer said that this medicine should be used abroad.

Anna Vardanyan, “Aylur”.