Catholicos Of All Armenians Leaves Los Angeles For Fresno

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS LEAVES LOS ANGELES FOR FRESNO

FRESNO, JUNE 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 11, Karekin
II, Catholicos of All Armenians, finishing his pastor visit to
Los Angeles, left for Fresno accompanied by his retinue. Armenian
chruchmen of the region, representatives of parish councils, ladies’
and youth unions greeted His Holiness an the airport. On the same day,
under the solemn singing of “Hrashapar,” the churchmen’s procession
accompanied His Holiness to Surb Phoghos Armenian church with which
the patriarchal visit to Central California started. Archbishop Hovnan
Terterian, the diocesan primate welcame His Holiness Catholicos of All
Armenians. Then Catholicos of All Armenians addressed his commandment
to those gathered. His Holiness expressed satisfaction to the God
for his second visit to the US Western Deocese. The Patriarch touched
upon problems arisen before the Armenian Church and assured that it
is possible to overcome them only by joint efforts. Catholicos of All
Armenians, appriciating alive belief and devotion of Fresno believers,
appealed to remain faithful to Surb Armenian Apostolic Church, the
Christian belief and our cultural heritage. On the same day, Catholicos
of All Armenians met with youth arrived from different regions of
the Central California. His Holiness answered numerous questions the
youth were interested in, appealing to continue their devoted service
to the Armenian Church and the US Western Deocese. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the Mother See Information Center, Catholicos Karekin II
celebrate the Saint Patriarchal liturjy at Surb Phoghos Armenian Church
of Fresno on June 12, Sunday. Clergymen of other Armenian churches
of Central California, of Surb Mariam and Surb Grigor as well as the
general choir of the Central California participated in the sacred
ceremony. Bishop John Staiback, the primate of the Catholic Church
of Fresno was present at the liturjy. “We pray for the Diaspora’s
strenghtening,” His Holiness said, giving his blessing to present
Armenians and appealing them to remain faithful to the Armenian Church
and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. In his sermon, His Holiness
touched upon the humane and national values. Particularly, His Holiness
also spoke about the invention of the Armenian letters as a result of
which the people’s beleif towards the God and the Armenian Apostolic
church even strengthened. His Holiness called on beleivers to keep
national values and never forget their birthplace of their sole, the
Armenian Church and the Fatherland. At the end of the Saint Liturjy,
numerous beleivers were given Saint Communication from the Catholicos
of All Armenians. On the same day, in honour of the Catholicos of
All Armenians, an official reception took place at the session hall
of Fresno with the participation of benefactors, beleivers as well
as high-ranking religious and political representatives and guests.

Baku demands that PACE denounce election in Karabakh

BAKU DEMANDS THAT PACE DENOUNCE ELECTION IN KARABAKH

Pan Armenian News
18.06.2005 03:10

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Parliament of Azerbaijan has passed a statement
addressed to the PACE, defining the parliamentary election to be held
in Nagorno Karabakh July 19 as «political sabotage by Armenians,»
reported Mediamax. The Azeri Parliament demands that the PACE denounce
the parliamentary election in Nagorno Karabakh. «Unfortunately,
representatives of some Council of Europe member states, MPs will take
part in the election as observers. Such actions by CoE members are at
least a demonstration of public disrespect of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity. We consider presence of representatives of
CoE member states at the election inadmissible due to running counter
to the principles of that organization,» the statement says.

–Boundary_(ID_eswvCPFwkjq33Exd/w7ryA)–

Oskanian and Mamedyarov met in Paris

OSKANIAN AND MAMEDYAROV MET IN PARIS

Pan Armenian News
18.06.2005 03:02

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian yesterday
met with Azeri FM Elmar Mamedyarov in Paris, reported the Press
Service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
were present at the meeting held within the Prague process. The two
FMs discussed questions referring to the current stage of settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Belligerent proclamation from Azerbaijan again

BELLIGERENT PROCLAMATION FROM AZERBAIJAN, AGAIN

AZG Armenian Daily #112, 18/06/2005

Karabakh issue

MPA news agency informs from Baku that the Karabakh Liberation
Organization made a statement on the occasion of parliamentary
elections in Nagorno Karabakh expressing concern over the “idleness” of
Azerbaijan and the world community. “It’s not enough sending observers
or not recognizing the ‘elections'”, the statement reads. It appealed
to the government to reconsider relations with the states who send
observers to the “elections”.

“Either Azeri authorities should start the war or they should step
aside allowing the people to wage it”, the belligerent statement ends.

RF-Armenian exercises to be held in early September – general

RF-Armenian exercises to be held in early September – general
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 16, 2005 Thursday 10:35 AM Eastern Time

YEREVAN, June 16 — Russian-Armenian exercises will be held in
Armenia’s territory in early September, said Colonel-General Mikhail
Arutyunian, chief of Armenia’s General Staff.

Arutyunian told Itar-Tass on Thursday preparations for the exercises
are under way.

“It is necessary to conduct them at the highest level because this
strengthens defence capacity of the country and combat efficiency of
the Armed Forces,” the Armenian military stressed.

Postponement of history conference sparks controversy in Turkey

POSTPONEMENT OF HISTORY CONFERENCE SPARKS CONTROVERSY IN TURKEY
Igor Torbakov 6/14/05

EurasiaNet Organization
June 14 2005

Turkey’s bid to join the European Union appears caught in a vicious
cycle. As EU support for Turkish membership falters, the influence
of Euro-skeptics in Ankara is rising. A recent controversy over the
postponement of an academic conference has helped focus attention on
the resurgence of Turkey’s EU detractors.

EU leaders decided to leave the expansion issue off the agenda of
this week’s EU summit in Brussels. The move followed the rejection of
the proposed EU constitution by French and Dutch voters. Some experts
linked the “no” votes to the expansion issue, and EU foreign ministers
admitted that doubt now surrounds Turkey’s accession prospects. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Turkish accession talks
are slated to begin in October.

The growing doubts in Europe concerning expansion seem to have
emboldened opponents EU integration within Turkey’s political
class. These Euro-skeptics have long been suspicious of measures
undertaken by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to
satisfy EU membership criteria. In late May, just days before the
French referendum on the EU constitution, the anti-EU faction in
Turkey flexed its political muscle, forcing the postponement of an
academic conference that was to examine the complexities of Turkey’s
relationship with neighboring Armenia.

The conference entitled “The Ottoman Armenians during the Era of
Ottoman Decline” was to be sponsored by three leading Istanbul
universities – Bosphorus, Sabanci and Bilgi. On May 24, the day
before the conference was to open, organizers called it off. A joint
statement issued by conference organizers and participants cited an
aggressive campaign of “pressure, threats and slander” as the reason
for the postponement.

Turkish-Armenian relations have long been dominated by the events of
1915-23, when up to 1.5 million Armenian died amid the collapse of
the Ottoman Empire. Armenian officials insist that the slaughter of
Armenians constituted genocide. Turkish officials deny the genocide
claim, saying the mass deaths were mainly caused by civil strife that
accompanied World War I and its aftermath.

Conference organizers, according to a May 17 press release, had sought
to air a variety of views about “what happened before, during and
after 1915.” The intent, they added, was to understand an extremely
complex, controversial and emotionally-charged historical issue that
“during the last years has become trapped and increasingly politicized”
by the official Armenian and Turkish positions.

“The emergence of different, critical and alternative voices …
would be, once again, to the utmost benefit of Turkey,” the press
release stated. “Today, 90 years after the tragic 1915 incidents,
it’s time for Turkey’s people of science and thought to jointly raise
their voices differing from the official thesis.”

It was precisely this aspect of the conference that appeared to
arouse the suspicion of what the Turks call the “deep state” – the
entrenched statist-nationalist establishment comprising conservative
members of Turkey’s state bureaucracy, judiciary and military. Such
an open manifestation of intellectual dissent prompted an immediate
and forceful response from leading representatives of “deep state”
thinking.

Speaking in parliament on May 24, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek angrily
asserted that holding the conference would be tantamount to stabbing
Turkey in the back. He adding grimly; “I wish I had not renounced my
authority to open criminal cases as justice minister.” Cicek went on
to say that at a time when the entire country was campaigning to show
that Armenian genocide allegations were false, the organization of
a forum at which people supporting the Armenian view could air their
opinions constituted a violation of national interests.

Opposition lawmakers from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) were
even more aggressive in their remarks with Sukru Elekdag, a former
Turkish ambassador to the United States, claming the conference’s
aim was to disseminate Armenian propaganda. He accused the potential
academic participants of high treason.

The decision to postpone the conference caused an outcry in Turkey and
dismayed foreign diplomats, who said the move to suppress dissenting
views on sensitive historical issues raised questions about Turkey’s
commitment to academic freedom.

The controversy also proved embarrassing for Erdogan’s government. As
part of an effort to promote a Turkish-Armenian rapprochement,
Erdogan had proposed just two months ago the formation of a joint
Turkish-Armenian commission of historians to examine the complex
relationship between the two peoples. Now, political analysts
say, the ability of the Erdogan’s government to promote a thaw in
bilateral relations has been compromised. [For addition information
see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Erdogan disavowed Cicek’s remarks,
saying that the justice minister spoke in his “personal capacity.”
But such rhetoric was insufficient to repair the damage already done.
“Cicek’s devastating remarks are a disservice to the government’s
recast efforts on the Armenian issue,” one foreign diplomat told the
Turkish Daily News. In addition, the justice minister’s comments could
“kill support for Turkey’s EU bid,” the diplomat added.

Although the Armenian genocide issue is not specifically a subject
of the planned EU-Turkish accession negotiations, Ankara will likely
have to address the matter as it proceeds with its EU membership
bid, if only because Brussels demands that Turkey normalize ties
with Armenia. Currently the two countries don’t have diplomatic
relations and Turkey continues to maintain an economic blockade
against Armenia, insisting that Yerevan withdraw its troops from
the occupied Azerbaijani territory. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive]. Meanwhile, Armenian official are lobbying EU member
states to raise the issue of the 1915-1923 atrocities in its membership
negotiations with Turkey.

The backlash against the conference postponement has been
considerable and has raised hopes among academics about the future
of democratization efforts in Turkey. “What we are witnessing here
is the state of Turkish democracy,” said Halil Berktay, a historian
at Sabanci University who had planned to attend the conference. “The
matter is not finished yet.”

Some 110 academics from Bosphorus University condemned the postponement
and issued a joint statement calling for the conference to be held
as soon as possible. The well-respected Turkish Economic and Social
Studies Foundation (TESEV) also criticized the postponement, saying
in a statement that the “deep state’s” actions and threats were not
compatible with democratic norms. “The public should know that TESEV,
in this process, would be on the side of our universities and academic
freedom,” the think-tank’s statement said.

In addition, Turkish media reported that two local NGOs – the
Izmir Contemporary Attorneys’ Association and the Izmir Human Rights
Association – filed charges with the Supreme Court of Appeals against
Justice Minister Cicek, claiming he had violated several articles of
the Turkish Constitution.

Political analysts caution that academics and NGO activists face
long odds in their struggle to open up the “deep state.” The Turkish
military, which continues to wield enormous influence over political
developments, appears opposed to a public discussion of sensitive
historical issues. In recent public comments, a top military commander,
Gen. Hursit Tolon, was dismissive of those trying to revise the
established version of events. He said patriotic Turks should pay no
attention to “those who are trying to blacken Turkish history with
baseless and biased information,” the Anatolia news agency reported.

Editor’s Note: Igor Torbakov is a freelance journalist and researcher
who specializes in CIS political affairs. He holds an MA in History
from Moscow State University and a PhD from the Ukrainian Academy of
Sciences. He was Research Scholar at the Institute of Russian History,
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 1988-1997; a Visiting Scholar at
the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars,
Washington DC, 1995, and a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University,
New York, 2000. He is now based in Istanbul, Turkey.

Homage Of The Legendary Karabakh War Hero Monte Melkonyan (Avo) Paid

HOMAGE OF THE LEGENDARY KARABAKH WAR HERO MONTE MELKONYAN (AVO) PAID
IN THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC

STEPANAKERT, June 13. /ARKA/. Homage of the legendary Karabakh war
hero Monte Melkonyan (Avo) was paid in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of his death. According to
ARKA’s reporter in Stepanakert, to participate in the event, friends
and relatives of the hero, including the widow of Monte Melkonyan-
Seda Melkonyan- arrived in NKR from the USA.

The majority of the events, in which representatives of the
authorities, public and the NKR Army of Defense participated, was
held in the regional center of Martuni, where a monument to Monte
Melkonyan was established. The local youth collectives were introduced
the literature-musical composition, in the course of which songs were
sung and poems recited about the hero.

Monte Melkonyan was born in the city of Varselia (California). In
October 1991 as a volunteer he came to NKR, joining the military
actions on defense of Buzluz, Manashid, Erkeja of Shahumyan region of
NKR. In the future he became the commander of Martuni defense region.

He participated in the military actions on defense of the territorial
integrity of NKR almost in all the regions of the republic, having
won nation-wide love.

Monte Melkonyan is the hero of Artsakh and Armenia. A.H. -0–

AGBU Press Office: Aris Atamian Elected Member of AGBU Central Board

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383, x137
Fax 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, June 13, 2005

ARIS ATAMIAN ELECTED MEMBER OF AGBU CENTRAL BOARD

New York, NY – Mr. Aris Atamian of Paris, France, was elected a member
of the Central Board of the Armenian General Benevolent Union at its
meeting of May 14, 2005. A prominent business leader with lifelong
service to his community, Mr. Atamian will be of great assistance
to the AGBU Central Board as it moves forward with programs and
activities to meet the needs of Armenians worldwide. AGBU President
Berge Setrakian noted that Mr. Atamian’s credentials will be valued in
the development of future plans of the organization throughout Europe.

Mr. Atamian is a renowned architect based in Paris, France, and
since 1986, has been a partner of Fernier & Associates. Mr. Atamian
has many achievements to his credit, including the restoration of
Palais Ducal, and the design of the Museum of Zervos Foundation,
the Financial Justice headquarters, and the Cultural Center of the
Popular Republic of China, all in France. He is also the architect
of several projects housing various ministry offices in France.

Mr. Atamian has been a member of AGBU for several decades and has
served as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the AGBU Youth Committee in
Paris. He was instrumental in the realization of the building project
of the AGBU Alex Manoogian Cultural Center in Paris, serving as a
volunteer architect. Mr. Atamian also contributed his expertise and
advice on the AGBU France District project to rebuild the Norashen
village in Karabakh.

www.agbu.org

Armenian FM Meets with US State Secretary

ARMENIAN FM MEETS WITH US STATE SECRETARY

YEREVAN, JUNE 10. ARMINFO. During their today’s meeting in Washington
Armenian FM Vardan Oskanyan and US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice
discussed a wide spectrum of issues concerning Armenian-US
inter-state relations.

The press service of Armenia’s FM reports the sides to note that
Armenian-US cooperation is dynamically developing especially in trade
and economy. Rice highly appreciated Armenia’s contribution to the
international anti-terror operation and the program to restore Iraq.

The sides also discussed the internal political processes in Armenia
and the course of democratic reforms in the country. Oskanyan told
Rice about Armenian-Turkish relations and the Karabakh peace process.

>From Washington Oskanyan is to go to Beijing.

Thrash Mental Has SOAD made the album of the year?

North Bay Bohemian, CA
June 10 2005

Thrash Mental

Has SOAD made the album of the year?

By Karl Byrn

As an album-of-the-year candidate for the tumultuous 12 months of
2001, System Of A Down’s outspoken metal classic Toxicity was hard to
beat. The album was notable in part for the track “Chop Suey!”
perhaps the most visible song banned from the Clear Channel
Communications radio network in the wake of the 9-11 tragedy. At the
time, the song’s desperate martyr imagery was considered too
specific, almost suspect coming from a band whose members are
American-born Armenians. But the moment demanded music that was
conflicted and intense, and ultimately, Toxicity established SOAD as
multi-platinum selling metal leaders.

Does System Of A Down’s latest disc Mesmerize (Sony) have what it
takes to contend for 2005’s album of the year? We won’t know the
answer until this fall, when the band releases Hypnotize, the second
half of a two-disc set they’ve chosen to release separately rather
than together. This maneuver counters rock’s prevailing mode for
double album releases–i.e., issuing two separate albums at the same
time, as folk-pop hero Conor Oberst did earlier this year. Mesmerize
is only half the story, and with a disc package that opens backwards,
there’s some evident intent to confound the fans.

Nonetheless, Mesmerize does find System Of A Down at an interesting
intersection of metal trends. Current heavy rock seems compelled to
be either hyper-technical and difficult, or hyper-emotional and
accessible. The spastic noise-punk of hardcore acts like the Blood
Brothers and Space Tourists is music that’s purposefully complicated.
Bands like Shadows Fall and Mastodon are following a strict Iron
Maiden-like level of progressive musicianship. But if you prefer
sentiments and intimacy, there’s the heartache of yearning
“emo-metal” bands like Killswitch Engage and Thursday.

These tendencies are in bloom on 2005’s important heavy rock
releases. The Mars Volta explore a diverse prog-metal that explodes
with passion on their Latin-flavored rock-opera Frances the Mute
(Universal). Industrial-goth god Trent Reznor is more open and direct
than ever on [With_Teeth] (Interscope), his re-emergence with his
band Nine Inch Nails. Mainstream supergroup Audioslave’s sophomore
disc Out Of Exile (Interscope) pursues a post-grunge thoughtfulness.
Dancing between these trends is Queens of the Stone Age’s Lullabies
to Paralyze (Interscope), a disc too consciously art-punk to be too
technical or too real.

System Of A Down does it all. Mesmerize features their trademark odd
sound, where violent stop-on-a-dime tempo and rhythm changes are
organically crossbred with Eastern European melodic roots. By now,
their abrupt musical shifts are about more then convoluted riffs;
more importantly, song sections are divided into emotional contrasts.
In the same way grunge played loud against soft dynamics, SOAD plays
wacky brittleness against imploring empathy. Much of the credit for
these precision flailings goes to vocalist Serj Tankian, whose
delivery shifts from tweaker Hobbit to raging bullroarer to sad poet
as suddenly as the riffs change.

Heavy rock is finally running parallel to this spastic/sublime
duality, and rock in general is finding the topical passion SOAD has
always offered. On Mesmerize, they’ve already begun shifting their
pointed ire from institutions to the politics of human behavior. The
disc opens with two substantial anti-war jabs, but works its way to
two concluding strikes against an easy target, Hollywood. They’re
attacking–and grieving over–a collapse of ideals.

Hypnotize will have to be the better half of Mesmerize/Hypnotize to
make the set a championship “album” of 2005. At the year’s
near-halfway point, though, the anti-war pile driver “B.Y.O.B” is
certainly up for song of the year. The song’s thrashing shifts
include the uncomfortably bluesy refrain “Everybody’s going to the
party, have a real good time / Dancing in the desert, blowing up the
sunshine.” Then, the band wails out three questions, but only two
have answers. “Why don’t presidents fight the war?” is a silly
question, and “Why do they always send the poor?” is a question whose
answer is stunningly obvious. But the unsettling yet plainspoken
question “Where the fuck are you?” is where System Of A Down offers a
challenge aimed to outlast the trends.