Author: Nalchajian Markos

The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 20 2004

Language and economy: two links to reintegrating Georgian regions

NGOs, European specialists and government officials team up to
improve integration in Javakheti region

By Keti Sikharulidze

ECMI’s John Wright, Tom Trier, Mikael Hertoft.

The European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI) has announced it will
start an economic development program in the Samtskhe-Javakheti
region beginning next year.

The project seeks to enhance the ability of the Georgian government
officials to develop policy regarding regions populated by ethnic
minorities.

The Javakheti region is populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, though
there are other ethnic groups as well: Greeks, Russians and
Georgians.

Due to impoverished conditions including damaged roads, electricity
shortages, poor communications and faulty railway system, the region
is badly integrated with the rest of Georgia.

Speaking at the press conference on December 17, the project manager
of ECMI Michael Hertoft stated that they would work mainly on two
fields: cultural and language issues as well as on the region’s
economic development.

“It is very well known that people are starving and they are very
poor and dissatisfaction will grow. But if the economic situation
gets better then they will actually cooperate economically with the
rest of Georgia,” Hertoft told The Messenger.

Hertoft also stressed that part of the problem that makes Javakheti
region distanced from the rest of Georgia is the population’s lack of
knowledge of the Georgian language.

“There is an information vacuum in the region as the majority of the
population does not speak Georgian, although they do have a desire to
learn Georgian language and to participate in the country’s political
process. But at the same time they demand to keep the Russian
language, which is most common in the region,” stated Hertoft.

The Georgian government adopted a new draft law on elementary
education in September that called for increased teaching of Georgian
in regions where it is a second language. However, as Hertoft stated,
some tensions have emerged in the Javakheti region because the new
law called on the Armenian and Russian language schools to change
their language of instruction.

“But the representatives from the Ministry of Education assured the
local population that the school council could choose which language
to teach at school. And this made all the tension and fear in the
region calm down,” stated Hertoft.

The majoriatarian deputy of Akhalkalaki region Hamlet Movsesian
stated on Friday that the problems regarding the language problems
began as early as Soviet times, since then it was common that a
teacher of Georgian language in non-Georgian schools did not know
Georgian themselves.

“Since then these problems have accumulated and the only way to solve
language problems is to start learning it by and by. The government
should work out special programs that would make it easier to learn
Georgian language in such regions as Javakheti,” stated Movsesian.

Movsesian also stated that the international organizations should
develop programs that could bring employment to the region. Moveseian
also stated that the central government intends to solve the road
problems in the region through a Tbilisi-Tsalka-Ninotsminda highway
next year. “The start of building this road is the beginning of the
integration of our region in Georgia,” stated Movsesian.

The deputy minister of education Bela Tsipuria told The Messenger
that the Ministry of Educations plans “serious activities” to teach
the state language in the region. Projects, such as the educational
project ‘Future begins today,’ have been launched in the region.

“From 2005 we start the civil integration program of Georgian
language. We also work on a OSCE project regarding the methods of how
to teach Georgian language in non-Georgian schools,” Tsipuria said.
“We fully realize the importance of this problem and try to solve it
by taking active steps.”

The political advisor of ECMI John Wright stated at the Friday
conference that they intend to working with the central government
and local government in order to better understand how to integrate
and develop the region through economic means.

“We have a plan that the project will continue during the coming year
and hopefully by the end of 2005, the government will have a very
clear idea of how this region can integrate and how to develop this
region,” stated Wright. He added that as a result the government will
know what steps to take and “what it wants the business community to
do and what it wants the international community to do.”

In addition to language teaching programs, ECMI has granted support
for other projects including a cultural integration project-regional
television programs about integration and an internet site for the
region with information about nongovernmental as well as governmental
organizations.

According to the project manager Tom Trier, ECMI intends to develop
the same program in Tskhinvali region from the coming year.

ARKA News Agency
Dec 15 2004

The issue of improving transport communication between two states
discussed by RA Prime-Minister and RF State Duma Chairman

RA President and Chairman of Russian Duma discuss bilateral relations

Photo-exhibition of photographer Zaven Khachikyan “We are All from
Childhood” is opened in Yerevan

On Dec 15- 25 photo exhibition “The World as Children See It” to be
held in Yerevan

RA National Security Service is worried about frequency of the cases
of telephone terrors

The Chairman of State Duma of RF Boris Gryzlov has meetings in RA NA

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

THE ISSUE OF IMPROVING TRANSPORT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TWO STATES
DISCUSSED BY RA PRIME-MINISTER AND RF STATE DUMA CHAIRMAN

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/. The issue of improving transport
communication between two states was discussed by RA Prime-Minister
Andranik Margaryan and RF State Duma Chairman Boris Gryzlov.
According to RA Government’s Press Service Department, Gryzlov
emphasized that Russian side holds active negotiations to involve
Armenia into North-South transport corridor, to open Caucasus-Poti
ferry crossing and to restore the Abkhazian part of the railway,
which is economically profitable to Armenia and Russia.
Speaking of involvement of Armenia into regional economic and
transport programs, Margaryan said that Armenia expects support from
Russian MPs in the issue of opening the Armenian-Turkish border and
restoring Tbilisi-Gyumri-Ghars highway communication.
The sides discussed the process of compliance with the commitments
stipulated in the agreement “Property for Debt”, noting mutual
interest in relaunching enterprises. MArgaryan and Gryzlov discussed
the possibility of developing cooperation in the sphere of SME, and
noted here the important role of the Association of Armenian-Russian
Business Cooperation.
Margaryan attached high importance to visits at high level for even
more strengthening and development of bilateral relations. In his
turn Gryzlov noted the efficiency of the visit of Margaryan to RF,
which took place in July 2004. The parties agreed that the
interaction between the governments would be difficult to establish
without the encouragement of two parliaments and expressed hope that
the efforts of the RF and RA government will find the support on the
part of legislators in future as well. A.H. –0—

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

RA PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF RUSSIAN DUMA DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and
Chairman of Russian Duma Boris Gryzlov discussed bilateral relations
in the context of political, economic and international cooperation
and from positions of legal correspondence, RA President’s press
office told ARKA. Kocahrian noted that during 2004 structure of
goods’ turnover between the two countries seriously improved. And
Gryzlov added that high level of Armenian-Russian relations allow
achievement of big results in this direction. The parties paid
attention to oncoming sitting of Armenian-Russia interstate
commission that will take place in the end of Dec in Moscow.
The parties also exchanged views on activation of transport
communications between Russia and Armenia, namely railway
communication and ferry complex Caucasus. The parties also discussed
international and regional situation. L.D. –0–

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

PHOTO-EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHER ZAVEN KHACHIKYAN “WE ARE ALL FROM
CHILDHOOD” IS OPENED IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/. Photo-exhibition of photographer Zaven
Khachikyan “We are All from Childhood”is opened in Yerevan today and
is devoted to the 10th anniversary of work of UNICEF. According to
Khachikyan, he tried to show the reality in which the majority of
children of the country lives. “We should remember one of the rules
of a theatre, when there is a balance between the scene and the
audience, and achieve such a dialogue in the society by this analogy
“, he said. According to the author of photos, in order to go
forward, it’s necessary to go back to childhood for some time and “to
see the real life of children in order to improve it in future “. He
emphasized the importance of the role of NGOs in it. About 30 works
of the author are exhibited. The exhibition will last till December
19.
In the framework of the exhibition a report “Social Monitoring-2004″
of the Innochenti” research center was presented. It was devoted to
the economic growth and poverty among children in Central and East
Europe, as well as in Baltic states and CIS.
The exhibition was organized by the Armenian representative office of
UNICEF and “West-East” center of photojournalism. A.H. –0–

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

ON DEC 15- 25 PHOTO EXHIBITION “THE WORLD AS CHILDREN SEE TO BE HELD
IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/ Photo exhibition “The World as Children
See It” of “Manana” Youth Educational Cultural Center is opened in
Yerevan. According to Rouzana Baghdasaryan, the art managerof the
center, the exhibition will last till December 25. According to her,
the arrangements of the center that were traditionally held on the
Children Communication International Day, have their certain goals.
“The photo exhibition aims to reflect the conditions of life of
children by means of the films shot by the students of the center, as
well as by means of hand-made produce and photos”, she said.
Baghdasaryan noted that 4 new films will be shown during the
exhibition, and some one-minute reels. Also sale of picture post
cards and photos will be organized and the finances gained from it
will go into the budget of the center.
The exhibition “The World as Children See It” is held with the
support of UNICEF.
“Manana” Youth Educational Cultural Center is an NGO, which develops
creative thinking among children at the age of 6-20. A.H.—0-

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

RA NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE IS WORRIED ABOUT FREQUENCY OF THE CASES
OF TELEPHONE TERRORS

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/. RA National Security Service (NSS) is
worried about frequency of the cases of telephone terrors. According
to RA NSS’s press-release, “even pupils became infected with it”.
“Not understanding the rate of material and moral damage caused by it
and being sure that there will be no punishment, pupils try to be
heroes among children of the same age”, according to the
press-release. Thus, on Nov 27, a week later after the false call
telling about a bomb in the school after Chekhov, the Ambulancy
service received a similar call informing about a bomb under the
building. The operative –investigation operations conducted by NSS is
was found out that “the author of the call was a student of the 8th
grade, who found a new way for self-affirmation. NSS warns to refrain
from such activity. “We apply to parents and teachers with the
request to explain to children that such activity cause large damage
to the state and have an adverse psychological influence on the
society. Besides, such action is considered to be penal action”,
according to the press-release. A.H. –0–

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

THE CHAIRMAN OF STATE DUMA OF RF BORIS GRYZLOV HAS MEETINGS IN RA NA

YEREVAN, December 15. /ARKA/. The Chairman of State Duma of RF Boris
Gryzlov, who is in Armenia with an official visit, had meetings in RA
NA. According to RA NA Press Service Department, Gryzlov met the
Speaker of RA NA Arthur BAghdasaryan and discussed issues of
inter-parliamentary and intergovernmental cooperation. Then Chairmen
of standing committees, representatives of factions and deputy groups
of RA NA participated in the meting. The sides discussed cooperation
in the framework of CIS Inter-parliamentary Assembly for the
development of model laws, enlargement of interregional relations,
cooperation in international organizations. They noted the efficiency
of work of Armenia-Russia inter-parliamentary commissions.
Baghdasaryan put emphasis on the necessity to launch 5 enterprises,
given to Russia in the framework of the agreement “Property for
Debt”, and noted that “people are looking forward to work places and
investments, as stipulated in the agreement”. The importance of
restoring railway communication between Russia and Armenia as well as
ferry crossing was noted. In return Gryzlov said that to make the
agreement enter force “everything possible” will be done. He stated
that the state budget 2005 assigns means for these purposes. He
promised that on returning to Moscow a special issue of discussions
will be that of restoration of railway and ferry communications.
Gryzlov evaluated the relations between RF and RA and friendly,
noting that Armenia is an advanced post in the South Caucasus. He
attached importance to developing even more inter-parliamentary
relations at the level of committees and commissions. It was noted
that in the end of December 2004 a session of intergovernmental
commission will be convoked, during which all the issues raised in
the parliament will be discussed to accelerate the process of taking
decisions. A.H. –0–

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

–Boundary_(ID_gMsRauBGPnHikUX+RpRk5w)–

PRIMATE ATTENDS BANQUET TO BENEFIT MILLENNIUM ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S VACCINE FUND

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, December 17 (Noyan Tapan). Upon the official
invitation of the Ani and Narod Memorial Foundation, on the evening
of Wednesday, December 15, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian,
Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America,
attended a banquet entitled “Mistletoe and Miracles”, in benefit of
the Millennium Armenian Children’s Vaccine Fund.

According to the Press Office of the Diocese, speakers featured
at the banquet included His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian,
Primate; Golden Globe Winner Mike Connors; Angie Turner, CEO,
American Red Cross, San Gabriel Valley Chapter; Michael Mahdesian,
Former Deputy Director, Bureau of Humanitarian Response, US Agency
for International Development; Lisa Grande, UN Resident Coordinator;
and Raffi Ardhaldjian, Chief Volunteer Office, Ani and Narod Memorial
Foundation. Tamar Kevonian from Mosaix Magazine served as Master
of Ceremonies.

In his remarks, His Eminence addressed the attendees with the words,
“Tonight we are rejoiced with your presence as you become partners in
this God-pleasing mission, namely the Millennium Armenian Children’s
Vaccine Fund. As we prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas, this
evening challenges us to renew our Christian spirituality, to put our
Christian faith in actions, to reach out to the Children of Armenia,
and to put a sense of joy in their hearts.

“We commend the exemplary work launched tonight by the Ani and Narod
Foundation, thus helping us to enrich our spirituality in participating
in this significant mission. We extend our sincere appreciation to
Raffi Ardhaldjian, the founder of this organization, as well as to
all its members.”

In closing the Primate said, “We all can give. We all should
give. Tonight with our participation, we make a milestone in the life
of the community. We become instruments of love and instruments of
change in the hands of God.”

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
December 15, 2004 Wednesday 11:17 AM Eastern Time

No change in ties with Armenia over dispatch of military to Iraq

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The speaker of the Russian State Duma lower house of parliament said
on Wednesday that a possible decision by Armenia to send military
specialists to Iraq will not change relations between the two former
Soviet republics.

“Armenia is a sovereign state, and the decisions it makes are
decisions of a sovereign state,” Boris Gryzlov told a press
conference in reply to a query concerning Armenian authorities’
intentions to send military specialists to Iraq.

According to Gryzlov, Russia’s believes that “a decision on the
carrying out of any operations in other states can be taken only by
the U.N. Security Council”. “It is only with the mandate of that
organization that international peacekeeping operations or any other
operations can be carried out,” the Duma speaker emphasized.

Armenia has voiced its readiness to send drivers, field engineers and
medics to Iraq for a post-war restoration in that country.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep
Dec 15 2004

EU’s Parliament Wants Talks Opened With Turkey

15 December 2004 — The European Parliament today called on European
Union leaders to open membership talks with Turkey as soon as
possible.

The European Parliament made its call in the form of a nonbinding
resolution that urges Ankara to carry out further democratic reforms
— including a “zero tolerance” approach to torture — and move
toward recognizing Cyprus.

It also calls on Turkey to acknowledge “the genocide perpetrated
against the Armenians.” That statement refers to the 1915-23 killing
of as many as 1.5 million Armenians through actions under the Ottoman
Empire in eastern Turkey.

Speaking in Ankara, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
welcomed the resolution. But he reiterated that Turkey will say “no”
to the EU if it imposes unacceptable conditions on starting
membership talks.

EU leaders are expected to decide at a two-day meeting that begins
tomorrow in Brussels whether or not to start entry talks with Turkey.

Tageblatt, Luxemburg
Mercredi 14 Dec. 2004

La communauté turque de France souffre d’isolement et de »méconnaissance»

Les Turcs de France, à l’avant-veille du sommet européen qui doit se
prononcer sur l’ouverture des négociations sur l’entrée de la turquie
dans l’UE, ne comprennent pas les réserves de la France et se sentent
incompris, tout en reconnaissant une intégration difficile.
Président du centre culturel Anatolie, à Paris, Fitrat Onger témoigne
d’un sentiment d’»injustice», d’»incompréhension», dans la communauté
turque.

»Les Français ne nous connaissent pas et nous confondent avec les
Arabes, et beaucoup sont sensibles au lobby arménien», dit-il,
reconnaissant que la diversité de l’immigration turque et sa
»difficile intégration» ne facilitent pas les choses.

»C’est vrai, nous sommes très dispersés», dit-il, évoquant les sept
lieux de prière différents à Paris, appartenant chacun à une tendance
différente.

»Les Turcs sont intégrés économiquement, mais ils restent refermés
sur eux-mêmes», reconnaît-il, un repli nationaliste plus que
religieux.

Ils sont environ 380.000 en France, sur 3 millions au sein de l’UE,
dont la moitié en Ile-de-France, selon le démographe Stéphane de
Tapia. Parmi eux, les Kurdes, dont l’immigration est plus récente,
sont environ 150.000.

La majorité est sunnite mais une forte minorité alevi, turque ou
kurde, joue un rôle important. »Ils ont intégré l’idée républicaine
et la laïcité et jouent le rôle d’intermédiaire avec la société
française, comme syndicalistes, médiateurs scolaires, interprètes»,
dit le chercheur.

Sans oublier une minorité chrétienne assyro-chaldéenne, en
Seine-Saint-Denis, et une minorité de juifs.

La réputation de »bosseurs», ne rechignant pas à la mobilité, est
méritée. Lorsqu’un secteur, comme la confection, leur est grignoté
par les Chinois, ils se recyclent dans la retoucherie. On compte
aujourd’hui 4.200 retoucheries turques en Ile-de-France, 7.200 points
de restauration rapide, le reste se concentrant sur le btiment,
selon Fitrat Onger.

Immigration essentiellement rurale, le nombre d’étudiants reste
faible (2.000 environ).

Mais l’origine rurale n’explique pas seule le repli culturel et
identitaire des Turcs de France. »La Turquie a changé, les enfants de
la campagne turque sont souvent plus +avancés+ que les enfants turcs
des banlieues défavorisées», affirme Stéphane de Tapia, ce qui
provoque des malentendus souvent dramatiques lors des mariages
arrangés entre familles originaires du même village.

»De plus en plus de filles ou garçons turcs renclent, mais en
France, le mariage arrangé reste pour les parents le dernier rempart
contre l’assimilation», dit-il.

Pour Fitrat Onger, les mariages arrangés, dont l’objectif est souvent
de permettre à un parent de venir en France, »deviennent une vraie
catastrophe», »60% se terminent par un divorce dans les 18 mois».

Un »non» de l’UE vendredi provoquerait une »blessure symbolique
grave» chez les jeunes, affirme Gaye Petek, directrice de
l’association Elele. »Ils risquent de se sentir victimes et donc
aigris vis-à-vis de la France, ce qu’ils n’ont jamais été, à la
différence des jeunes Beurs».

Ils pourraient avoir la tentation de retourner en Turquie, dit-elle,
comme certains le font depuis peu, pour échapper au contrôle des
parents, tout en les rassurant.

»Cela sera plus difficile pour nous, qui essayons de leur montrer
qu’on peut être critique par rapport à la culture des parents, sans
être coupable de trahison, et être Français», dit-elle.

The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 14 2004

Mines in Upland Karabakh kill ten this year

The HALO Trust, a British humanitarian organization, reports that 31
people, including three children, were injured by antipersonnel and
anti-tank mines this year in Upland Karabakh. Of these, ten people,
including one child, died as a result of their injuries.
The Trust told news agency Mediamax that the accidents were a result
of the activization of agricultural works and non-observance of
safety rules, Prime News reports. It states that it intends to expand
its project to inform the population about the danger of mines, and
notes that there have been fewer accidents involving children since
the NGO began working to inform school children of the danger
eighteen months ago.

Agence France Presse — Spanish
13 Dic. 2004

Francia quiere que Turquía reconozca el genocidio armenio

BRUSELAS Dic 13

Francia quiere que Turquía reconozca el genocidio de Armenia de 1916
durante las futuras negociaciones para la adhesión de Ankara en la
Unión Europea (UE), declaró este lunes el canciller francés, Michel
Barnier.

“Hay que garantizar las buenas relaciones de Turquía con sus vecinos,
por ejemplo Armenia”, para lo cual “Francia pedirá un reconocimiento
de la tragedia de comienzos de siglo que afectó a cientos de miles de
armenios”, anunció Barnier.

El gobierno francés “planteará esta cuestión y creo que Turquía
tendrá que hacer este trabajo de memoria y de reconciliación con su
propia historia y reconocerá esta tragedia”, añadió.

Los 25 países de la UE deben dar su visto bueno en la cumbre del
jueves y viernes en Bruselas al comienzo de las negociaciones con
Turquía para su entrada en la Unión, para lo cual deben decidir una
fecha de inicio de las tratativas y las condiciones en que éstas se
llevarán a cabo.

ANSA Notiziario Generale in Italiano
13 Dicembre 2004

UE: TURCHIA; COSTA, DEVE RICONOSCERE GENOCIDIO ARMENO

VENEZIA

(ANSA) – VENEZIA, 13 DIC – La Turchia deve riconoscere il
genocidio armeno. E quanto alla sua adesione all’Unione europea,
non va escluso una forma nuova di partenariato: cosi’ Paolo
Costa, eurodeputato e sindaco di Venezia sintetizza la sua
posizione rispetto al rapporto Eurlings, in discussione a
Bruxelles, in merito al possibile ingresso della Turchia
nell’Unione.

“Ho firmato e confermo la mia firma convinta – spiega – a
due emendamenti. Il primo chiede alla Turchia di riconoscere il
genocidio armeno: una richiesta che il sindaco di Venezia, luogo
sacro alla diaspora armena, l’Armenia fuori dell’Armenia, ha il
dovere di pretendere”.

“Il secondo emendamento – continua Costa – approva l’avvio
dei negoziati, ma non ne da’ per scontato l’esito: non perche
vi sia alcuna riserva mentale sui requisiti soggettivi della
Turchia, che non ho alcuna difficolta’ a riconoscere fin d’ora
(se Istambul accettera’ la proposta Venezia e’ pronta a un
gemellaggio da subito con l’antica Costantinopoli), ma perche
non e’ ancora chiuso il dibattito sul nuovo significato mondiale
del progetto europeo voluto dai padri fondatori, sul contributo
futuro dell’Unione Europea alla pace e alla stabilita’ mondiale:
un contributo che potrebbe vedere l’UE e la Turchia collaborare
piu’ utilmente in forme diverse dalla classica integrazione,
che nessuno peraltro vuole escludere a priori”.

“Non puo’ sfuggire a nessuno – conclude Paolo Costa – che un
allargamento senza limiti della UE potrebbe rendere piu
difficile il suo parlare ‘con una voce sola’ da protagonista di
pace e stabilita sulla scena mondiale. Una UE ridotta a puro
grande mercato, magari sempre piu’ grande, non aiuterebbe la
causa della pace ne per l’Europa, ne per la Turchia, ne per
il mondo intero”. (ANSA).

THERE IS NO STRUGGLE OF IDEOLOGIES IN ARMENIA: LEADER OF MIGHTY
FATHERLAND SAYS VARDAN VARDAPETYAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11. ARMINFO. Armenia’s need in a struggle of
ideologies is so acute today, says Leader of Mighty Fatherland Vardan
Vardapetyan at the 5th Congress of the party, Saturday.

The political atmosphere in Armenia does not create preconditions for
its development, he says. While, the opposition rejecting the ideology
of the authorities, does not propose any way out of the situation in
the country, Vardaetyan says. Presenting the tasks and proposals of
the party, the leader says that Mighty Fatherland intends to unite all
the national forces and use their potential to achieve socio-economic
and cultural prosperity of the Armenian people and to strengthen the
power of the country. Among the party’s tasks are also creation of
political, economic and public preconditions for strengthening of
Armenia-Diaspora-Artsakh ties. Vardapetyan says that at present the
party participates in all the significant and insignificant political
processes in the country. The party has its regional structures
throughout Armenia. The party intends to submit 145 proposals on the
draft constitutional reforms to the Armenian parliament in the nearest
future.