Author: Nanijanian Alex

armenianow.com
July 30, 2004

Vacation Armenian Style: Falling in love with Dilijan at the Casanova

By Zhanna Alexanyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The snake-like road that passes through Dilijan sometimes offers
glimpses of buildings. Most, though, are unseen behind the thick green
cover of nature that has made the town a favored holiday retreat.
Here, in the Tavush region, land slides leave trees askew, jutting out
toward the road at unexpected and amusing angles, as if the forest were
drunk. Passing four kilometers of that road, and 95 kilometers north of
Yerevan, you reach the Casanova Guest House.

Veranda with a view . . .
The three-story stone building offers one of Dilijan’s best views of the
Aghstev river valley and of the Pat-sar Mountain. There is little to do in
Dilijan except enjoy such views. And that is exactly the point.
But in a region of restaurants and guest houses named for historic Armenian
figures, why Casanova?
It is actually the name of one of the verandas, given years ago by a guest
who, after an evening in the guest house bragged to its owner: “Doctor, last
night I think Casanova’s spirit, his passion, penetrated into my body . . .”
Well, claims of romantic enhancement aside, nature lovers may indeed feel
inspired by the rest offered here.
While natural beauty maintains itself outside, inside guests are treated to
artwork, such as the upcoming 40-piece exhibit of Japanese paintings
expected to open in September.
What is now “Casanova”, started out as a rest house for scientist Gerasim
Aghajanyan. Soviet authorities gave the doctor the property as reward for
his contribution to balneology (the study of mineral bathing for therapy),
which helped to enhance the region’s reputation for mineral baths, etc.
”My father would come here to read lectures and examine patients. This
tradition was also passed to me,” says Ivan Aghajanyan, chief urologist of
the Garo Tertzakian Urology Center in Yerevan. “Sometimes I come to Dilijan
to perform free treatment. Dilijan needs charity. People don’t have money
for receiving medical treatment. We must develop this city. It is not enough
just to say that Dilijan is the Armenian Davos.”

. . . on both sides
Still, it is the “Armenian Davos” that for decades has attracted guests.
And many have found the Casanova guest house to be the perfect choice for
rest. It is designed for six guests and includes a gym and sauna. It also
has a well-stocked bar that includes the best Armenian cognacs, plus aged
Scotch.
“It is a health hotel, tired people must come here and regain their strength
very quickly,” says Aghajanyan, enjoying a 12-year old Scotch. “If a visitor
pays, then he must leave this place recovered and fresh.”
Health food is a part of good rest.
”I am a doctor and I want my business to be proper. Food should be given to
visitors in accordance with caloric content so that it couldn’t damage
people’s heart and liver. Here people will be given food with low caloric
content and rich of vitamins,” says Aghajanyan.
The climate is soft in Dilijan. Evenings are calm with gentle wind.
An anti-tuberculosis dispensary was built in the town in 1921. And in 1968
Soviet authorities made a decision to turn Dilijan into a mountain health
resort. And, unlike in other cities and towns, the Soviets spared Dilijan
from industrialization so that its air might stay clean. Aghajanyan hopes to
maintain the health-conscious attitude by putting a urology center in
Dilijan and says he would allow members of charity organizations to stay
free at the Casanova.

ARMINFO NEWS AGENCY
July 29, 2004

AZERI DM WARNS ITS SERVICEMEN AGAINST COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR
ARMENIAN COUNTERPARTS

YEREVAN, JULY 29. ARMINFO. Azeri DM is instructing its servicemen
about possible contacts with their Armenian counterparts reports
Ekho.

The Azeri participants in the NATO Rescuer/Merduer-2004 exercises in
Lithuania have been warned against communicating with Armenian
servicemen. “After the Ramil Safarov case the Azeri DM has made
relevant conclusions and has instructed its servicemen not to yield
to provocations by Armenian soldiers,” says the newspaper.

Over 2,000 servicemen are taking part in the exercises representing
Lithuania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, the US,
Croatia, Latvia, Moldova, Romania and Poland among them observers
from Luxembourg, Germany and Holland.

Business Wire (press release), CA
July 28 2004

July 30 Hearing for Final Settlement in New York Life/Armenian
Genocide-Era Beneficiaries

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–July 28, 2004–

MEDIA NOTE: Plaintiffs’ attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Vartkes
Yeghiayan, Mark J. Geragos and William Shernoff will make statements
and take questions immediately after the completion of the hearing
outside the courthouse.

One of the longest ongoing legal sagas in U.S. history is coming
to an end Friday, July 30. After 89 years of off again-on again legal
wrangling, a hearing for final approval in the New York Life/Armenian
Genocide-era beneficiaries’ settlement will be held:

Friday, July 30, 2004
9:30 a.m.
United States Judge Christina A. Snyder
Courtroom 5
United States District Court
312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, California

The court is expected to give final approval to a $20 million
settlement in Martin Marootian, et al., v. New York Life Insurance
Company, Defendant, Case No. C99-12073 CAS (MCx).
Prior to 1915, New York Life sold life insurance policies to
thousands of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. New York Life
policyholders were among the 1.5 million Armenians massacred during
the Genocide. Many of the policy heirs were unable or unaware that
they may be entitled to insurance benefits. While New York Life was
able to find and pay many beneficiaries, the insurance company
acknowledged its records indicated an estimated 2,300 policies sold
to
Armenians prior to the Genocide remained unpaid.
“This is the first time a court anywhere in the U.S. or possibly
the world has formally recognized the Armenian Genocide and the
trauma
and turmoil that resulted,” says Brian S. Kabateck, one of the
attorneys representing the plaintiffs, who himself is of Armenian
descent and lost family in the Genocide. “All of us are crusaders,
especially the three Armenian lawyers who took on the case. While
this
settlement is not reparation for the Genocide, as lawyers, we can
help
bring recognition to the Genocide through claims for unpaid insurance
benefits and stolen property that date back to 1915.”
Other attorneys for the plaintiffs are Vartkes Yeghiayan, Mark J.
Geragos and William Shernoff. “By making these claims, heirs will
receive the benefits due them,” says Kabateck, “but more importantly,
it’s a significant step that further recognizes the Armenian
Genocide,
something that the United States and Turkey still refuse to do.”
The court had given preliminary approval to the settlement in
January. A three-member Settlement Fund Board, with members appointed
by California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, will approve
claims. The board will also be responsible for distributing $3
million
of the settlement to nine Armenian charitable organizations. The
class
includes Armenians living in the United States and abroad.
Notification of the final settlement will be advertised in
newspapers in the United States, France, Argentina, Russia, Lebanon
and Armenia. Information will also be available at:
Beneficiaries will have six
months to file a notice of claim. The board will then contact
beneficiaries with instructions for completing the appropriate claim
forms.
The following Armenian organizations will share equally in the $3
million fund. If heirs do not come forward for policy benefits, more
money will be distributed to additional charities.

Armenian Church of North America Eastern Diocese
New York, New York

Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church Eastern US and Canada
New York, New York

Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese
Burbank, California

Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Los Angeles, California

Armenian Apostolic Catholic Exarchate
For Armenian Catholics in the US & Canada
New York, New York

Armenian Missionary Association of America, Inc.
Paramus, New Jersey

Armenian Relief Society, United States Chapter
Watertown, Massachusetts

Armenian General Benevolent Union
New York, New York

Armenian Educational Foundation
Glendale, California

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
July 26 2004

PRESIDENT’S PRESS SECRETARY HELD BRIEFING ON 2004 FIRST-HALF RESULTS
[July 26, 2004, 22:36:29]

Azerbaijan President’s press secretary Azar Gasymov held on 26 July a
briefing for journalists on the results of the work carried out in
the country during the first six month of 2004 in socio-economic,
cultural and other spheres.

He said, in particular, that since President of the Azerbaijan
Republic Mr. Ilham Aliyev assumed the presidency, the large-scale
work has been carried out to: reinforce the Azerbaijan statehood,
whose foundation had been laid by nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev,
ensure dynamic development of Azerbaijan in political,
socio-economic, cultural and other spheres, provide socio-political
stability, improvement of the population’s welfare and social
conditions of those people who have become refugee and internally
displaced persons, continue successful foreign policy, strengthen the
national army, successively assert the fair stance of Azerbaijan in
the international arena as for the country’s hardest problem – the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The press-secretary has informed the audience on the decrees and
executive orders signed by Mr. Ilham Aliyev since taking over the
presidency in connection with social and economic development of
Azerbaijan and support of entrepreneurship, creating new job
opportunities in the country, development of financial and banking
system, further improvement of social conditions for refugees and
IDPs, as well as the President’s visits to regions and his
familiarization with newly launched enterprises and participation in
the events.

The President’s press secretary finally emphasized that social and
economic development of Azerbaijan and improvement of living
conditions for refugees and IDPs had been marked by the Head of State
as priority directions of his activity. One of the most important
issues is opening new jobs, and the work based on the tasks set by
the President of Azerbaijan in this sphere will be continued in
future, he said.

The International News Pakistan
July 23 2004

Turkey and the Armenian myth

Masud Akhtar Shaikh

The writer is a retired Colonel and freelance columnist

[email protected]

Ever since Turkey started its arduous journey towards the membership
of the European Union (EU) over three decades ago, some members of
the Union who are allergic to the very name of this country have been
confronting it with one set of obstacles after another in order to
prevent it from gaining entry to this exclusively Christian club. It
goes to the credit of the tenacious Turks that they have been
faithfully complying with all the preconditions specially tailored in
order to keep the doors of the EU shut on their country. Turkey’s
crisis-ridden economy, its allegedly unsatisfactory human rights
record and maltreatment of the Kurdish minority, the discordance of
its civil and criminal penal code with the EU standards, and a host
of other objections have been cleared one by one, only to be
supplemented by fresh preconditions. The latest in the series comes
from the Socialist Party leader of France who has linked the start of
talks scheduled for December next regarding Turkey’s entry into the
EU, with the Turkish government’s recognition of the alleged mass
killing of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman forces in 1915 as
“genocide”. This preposterous conditionality is based on an
allegation that the Armenians and their Turkey-hater Western
supporters have failed to prove with credible evidence but which has
been successfully implanted in the minds of ignorant people as truth,
thanks to the sheer power of mighty propaganda machinery that has
been working in this direction for years.

The hoax of Armenian “genocide” is revived every now and then in
order to blackmail Turkey for some specific purpose, or just to
rekindle the flame of hatred against the Turks in the minds of the
younger generation of Armenians and their supporters. The present bid
to revive this frozen issue for use as a gimmick to block Turkey’s
membership of the EU, was reinforced by commandeering a large number
of Armenians settled in France to organise a demonstration against
Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, during his three-day
visit to that country.

The aim of the present article is to give a brief account of the
so-called “Armenian genocide” and to show how the resources of a
group of determined enemies can be pooled to churn out highly
effective propaganda that can inflict mortal damage on their
opponents.

The Armenians had been living as one of the most trusted minority
communities in the Ottoman Empire for centuries, many of them
enjoying key positions in the official hierarchy throughout that
period. They were generally more prosperous than their Turkish fellow
countrymen, holding a monopoly of some of the most lucrative
professions. It was only towards the last quarter of the 19th century
that they were instigated by Russia and the Western powers to revolt
against the Ottoman Empire so as to expedite its liquidation. These
powers promised them an independent Armenian republic on the
Caucasian, Iranian, and Eastern Anatolian soil. The misguided
Armenians who also indulged in covert sabotage activities for more
than two decades attempted a series of open revolts. These operations
were planned and executed by highly organised Armenian terrorist
organisations with the active moral and material support of outside
powers interested in the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In this process,
they killed thousands and thousands of innocent Turkish men, women,
and children in various towns and villages of Eastern Turkey where
the two communities had been living in peace and harmony for
centuries. The mass killing of Turks at the hands of the Armenian
terrorists continued during the first year of the First World War.
With the Ottoman Empire busy fighting a war of its survival, the
Armenians joined hands with the enemy and participated in operations
against the Turks, both on the frontline as well as in the rear
areas. Voluntary regiments composed of Ottoman and Russian Armenians
acted as vanguards, leading the main body of the Russian army into
Eastern Turkey. Armenians serving in the Ottoman ranks deserted the
army along with their arms and ammunition, some of them joining the
ranks of the Russian army while others organised themselves into
terrorist gangs.

In cooperation with the Armenians living in various towns and
villages of Eastern Anatolia, these gangs put to sword most of the
Turkish women, children, and old persons left behind by their male
family members who had gone away to the battlefield. They also
indulged in widespread sabotage activities, stabbing the Ottoman
forces in the back, cutting off their lines of communication,
blocking their logistic supplies, blowing off bridges, and inflicting
casualties on soldiers by ambushing military convoys. The Armenian
rebels captured the Ottoman province of Van and handed it over to the
Russian army, an “achievement” for which the Tsar of Russia thanked
them telegraphically for the services they had rendered to the
Russians.

Under these circumstances, the Ottoman government was left with no
alternative but to order the arrest of mischief-makers and to order
the mass transfer of all Armenians from the Eastern war zone to areas
in the interior of the Empire. More than two thousand Armenian
terrorists were arrested in April 1915. A large number of Armenians
died on the way during move from the East to the West due to severe
climatic conditions, disease and epidemics on account of poor medical
facilities, interrupted food supplies, and delays in movement caused
by damaged lines of communication. There were also many casualties as
a result of retaliatory attacks on the way by local Turks whose
families had suffered human and material losses at the hands of the
Armenian terrorists. Of course the Turks also sufffered heavy
casualties due to climatic conditions, disease, shortages of
foodstuffs, and skirmishes with the Armenians, but this fact is
completely ignored by the Armenian chroniclers. The Armenians
designate this whole operation as “genocide” that they claim was
replanted, officially sponsored scheme which resulted in the killing
of 1.5 million Ottoman Armenians. To prove their point of view, they
launched a massive campaign to produce volumes and volumes of forged
documents and fabricated evidence, most of which has since been
exposed as fake, not only by Turkish researchers but also by many
neutral foreign scholars. Unfortunately, the response from the
Turkish side was considerably delayed, primarily because of Ataturk’s
policy of “peace at home and peace abroad”, a tenet based on the
principle of “forgive and forget”. As a result of this policy, the
Turkish side of the story has remained in the dark for many decades,
allowing free play to the Armenian fabricators to poison the mind of
the world community against Turkey by painting a one-sided picture of
the Armenian issue on the basis of forged documents, exaggerated
figures, and concocted evidence.

Rather than telling the world community to forget the bitter past and
talk about making the future pleasant for everybody, the Turkish
government should now use all the resources at its disposal to expose
the myth of Armenian genocide by presenting the true picture of the
events that has emerged on the basis of authentic documentary
evidence. Let the Armenians not get away with the mass murder of
thousands of innocent Turks by taking shelter behind the cooked up
story of the so-called Armenian genocide. As far as the prospects of
Turkey’s admission to the EU are concerned, our Turkish friends
should not nourish great hopes because the members of this entirely
Christian association see Turkey, a nation of 70 million hardworking
Muslims, as a real nightmare. They are terribly scared of accepting
Turkey as a member state because this country has common borders with
Iran, Syria, and Iraq, each one of these being an anathema for the
West. With the ruling party of Tayyip Erdogan having its roots in
Islam, they visualise the rise of Islam in Turkey in the not too
distant a future. How can they afford to let Muslim Turkey share with
them the secrets meant to be shared exclusively by the non-Muslim
powers?

Azeri leader focuses on unresolved Karabakh issue at meeting with new envoys

Lider TV, Baku
12 Jul 04

[Presenter] Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has been violated and,
despite international efforts, Armenia is not retreating from the
occupied territories. We are demanding that our territorial integrity
be restored and the international community express its attitude
towards this, [Azerbaijani] President Ilham Aliyev said at today’s
ceremony when receiving the credentials from the newly-appointed
ambassadors to Azerbaijan from France, Canada, Philippines, Ghana,
Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.

[Correspondent over videos of diplomats and the Azeri president]
France and Azerbaijan are friendly countries. During my tenure as
ambassador, I will further contribute to the comprehensive development
of the relations, the newly-appointed French ambassador to Azerbaijan,
Roland Blatmann, said. He also spoke about the Nagornyy Karabakh
settlement.

The ambassador said that France did nor recognize Karabakh’s
independence and supported Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. France
supports tete-a-tete meetings between the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents, and including foreign ministers, the diplomat said. France
is for a peaceful solution of the conflict.

Speaking about Azerbaijani-French relations, President Ilham Aliyev
said that relations had strengthened after his visit to France at the
beginning of the year. Commenting on the Karabakh settlement, the
president said that Azerbaijan recognized the territorial integrity of
all states and wanted the same attitude towards ourselves.

[Aliyev, voice] France is a cochairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group and is
working as a cochairman. We hope that in the near future, the
Armenian-Azerbaijani-Nagornyy Karabakh conflict will be resolved on
the basis of international legal norms.

[Correspondent] Receiving the credentials of ambassadors from Canada,
Ghana, Philippines, the UAE and the Algerian People’s Democratic
Republic, President Ilham Aliyev said that the relations between these
countries would further develop. At the meeting with ambassadors of
the five states, the president also mentioned the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem.

[Aliyev] The most serious issue our country is facing is the
Armenian-Azerbaijan-Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. Despite all
international efforts, Armenia is not retreating from the occupied
lands and thus the conflict remains unresolved. Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity has been violated and we demand that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity be restored and the international
community express a keener attitude to this issue.

[Correspondent] President Ilham Aliyev has stated that the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict will soon be resolved fairly with the support of the
international organizations.

Vahid Abbas for Lider TV.

Minister unaware of cooperation deal between Azeri, Armenian universities

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
9 Jul 04

[Presenter] There can be no cooperation with Armenia until the
occupied lands are liberated, but leaders of some higher educational
institutions have violated the stance on the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict to which official Baku adheres. Not only private, but also a
state university, that is Baku State University, are among them.

[Correspondent over video of road in Baku] Baku sees as impossible any
form of cooperation with Armenia until the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
is resolved. However, two of Azerbaijan’s high schools have decided
to cooperate with Armenia in the sphere of education. We are talking
about Xazar University and Baku State University which is the
country’s biggest and oldest. It turned out that six universities of
Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia have recently signed a cooperation
accord in Istanbul. The document was signed not only by Xazar
University and Baku State University, but also by Yerevan State
University and Yerevan’s institute of foreign languages. The document
was signed also by Turkish and Georgian universities. Under the
document a new master’s programme on the history and culture of the
Caucasus will be prepared and taught. To recap, the rector of Xazar
University, Hamlet Isaxanli, has come up with the idea of preparing a
new master’s programme. So, the two Azerbaijani universities will
cooperate with Armenia in teaching the subjects such as the history of
the Caucasus and the Caucasus from a global perspective. The
leadership of Xazar University regards as normal the participation of
the Azerbaijani and Armenian universities in the same project and even
the signing of a cooperation accord.

[Mahammad Nuriyev, captioned as deputy rector of the Xazar University,
in his office] Understandably Azerbaijan will not cooperate with
Armenia in the economic field until the Karabakh conflict is
solved. This is out of the question. But we will be able teach the
younger generation the history, culture and prospects of the Caucasus
from a unique viewpoint.

[Correspondent] Unlike the deputy rector, Education Minister Misir
Mardanov did not even want to speak about cooperation with the
Armenians. The minister, who only heard about this from us, did not
conceal his anger.

[Mardanov, speaking to microphone] We can never sign an official
document on cooperation and relations with Armenia. This can never
happen.

[Correspondent] But, this has happened. It happened without the
minister’s knowledge. Mardanov said the issue will be investigated and
specific measures will be taken.

Vusala Karimova, Mirtofiq Miralioglu, “Son Xabar”.

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: GEORGE SHIRINIAN
DATE: June 30, 2004
Tel: 416-250-9807

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF ACADEMIC AND CORPORATE BOARDS HOLD JOINT MEETING

TORONTO, CANADA – The members of the Zoryan Institute’s Corporate and
Academic boards just concluded a three-day meeting in Toronto on June 27 to
review the organization’s recent achievements, elect its directors and
officers for both boards for the coming term, and to discuss the future
direction of the Institute.

After welcoming remarks by Dr. Varouj Aivazian, Chair, and a review of the
organization’s structure by Kourken Sarkissian, President, Mig Migirdicyan
Treasurer, presented the financial statements, which have showed a steady
increase in revenues over the past five years. The Institute’s disbursements
have totaled over 1.7 million dollars during the past five years.

George Shirinian, Secretary of the Corporate Board, presented two new
candidates for appointment to the Academic Board. One, Stephan Astourian, is
Professor of History at the University of California-Berkeley, where he
teaches about the Armenian Genocide and Diaspora. The other, Lisa
Siraganian, is doing a post-doctoral fellowship at Dartmouth College in
Hanover, New Hampshire. Her specialty is American literature and she has
also done innovative film analysis of such directors as Rouben Mamoulian and
Atom Egoyan.

Chaired by Dr. Levon Chorbajian, the Academic Board’s approved the new
members and confirmed the new board, made up of the following members:
· Roger Smith, Chairman; Professor Emeritus of Government, College
of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA.
· Varouj Aivazian, Deputy Chairman ex officio as Chairman of the
Corporate Board; Professor of Economics at the University of Toronto.
· Stephan Astourian, Professor of History, University of
California-Berkeley.
· Yair Auron, Senior Lecturer, Open University of Israel; Professor
of History, Hakibbutzim College of Education, Tel-Aviv.
· Levon Chorbajian, Professor of Sociology, University of
Massachusetts, Lowell.
· Vahakn Dadrian, Director, Genocide Research, Zoryan Institute.
· Eliz Sanasarian, Professor of Political Science, University of
Southern California, Los Angeles.
· Lisa Siraganian, Post-doctoral Fellow in English Literature at
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
· Khachig Tölölyan, Professor of English Literature, Wesleyan
University; Editor, Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies.

Detailed reports on the Institute’s projects were then presented, each
followed by questions and discussion.

Vahakn Dadrian reviewed the genocide-related activities of the Institute.
First, he described the importance of the publication this fall of The
Armenian Genocide 1915/16: Selected Documents from the Political Archives of
the German Foreign Office, edited by Wolfgang and Sigrid Gust. Zoryan began
its involvement in this project in 1999 and it has entailed many years of
research, translation and editorial work. Next, he discussed another
long-term project, which is to translate and publish selected articles from
Turkish newspapers published during the Armistice period just after WWI,
when there was no censorship in Turkey. These articles provide a wealth of
otherwise unknown detail from the daily testimony of witnesses called before
the Turkish Military Tribunal investigating crimes against the Armenians
perpetrated in Trabzon and Yozgat.

Khachig Tölölyan gave a status report on Diaspora: A Journal of
Transnational Studies, now in its twelfth continuous year, which Zoryan
co-publishes with the University of Toronto Press. The number of submissions
is now so high that only one article in five gets published.

A presentation was made of Zoryan’s involvement, along with the University
of Minnesota, in a large project to “Create a Common Body of Knowledge” in
English and Turkish, whereby the fundamental sources of information related
to the Armenian Genocide would be freely available to all interested parties
and could facilitate an informed and rational debate about this provocative
subject. Traditionally, it has been difficult for those living in Turkey to
have access to this information in their own language, but gradually this
need is being addressed.

Yair Auron discussed the impact of his long-term study of Jewish and Israeli
attitudes towards the Armenian and other genocides. While university
students want to know more about these subjects, the Israeli government’s
official policy is to deny that what happened to the Armenians in 1915 was
genocide, and teaching about the Armenian Genocide in the educational system
has not been officially approved. Among the projects planned in Israel, he
proposed that a conference about the Armenian Genocide take place in Israel
next year.

Roger Smith provided details on the Genocide and Human Rights University
Program, which brings together a dozen of the foremost scholars on genocide
with some two dozen students from around the world to explore several case
studies-the Jewish Holocaust, the Cambodian Genocide and the Rwandan
Genocide-with reference to the Armenian Genocide as the archetype of
genocide in the twentieth century. This year, for the first time, the
program will take place in both Toronto and Minneapolis in partnership with
the University of Minnesota, and students attending the program in either
location have the option of receiving four graduate level semester credits.
The program’s aim is to prepare young scholars to pursue the study of the
Armenian Genocide and comparative genocide as their life’s work.

Souren Chekijian, who has been involved with the Oral History Project from
its inception, reported on the digitization of these priceless genocide
survivor interviews. There are 660 interviews running anywhere from one to
six hours or more. Approximately 50% of them have been digitized and
transferred onto DVD, for their preservation and to facilitate access. It is
hoped that the project will be completed by the end of the year.

Kourken Sarkissian discussed the establishment of a scholarship fund for
students pursuing a PhD in Armenian Genocide or comparative genocide
studies. Criteria are being developed and the scholarship fund will be
publicized soon. He also described Zoryan’s involvement in the Canadian
Museum of Human Rights, which is being prepared in Winnipeg, with the
participation of the Armenian Genocide Museum in Washington, DC, represented
by Dr. Rouben Adalian.

George Shirinian reported on a research project being conducted in the
Danish Missionary Archives in Copenhagen. Dr. Eric Markusen and several
graduate students are preparing a formal report on the materials there,
which document the work of Danish relief workers providing aid to Armenians
after the Genocide.

Zoryan’s plans to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
were discussed at length, and new research proposals were debated and voted
on.

During what was perhaps the most important part of the weekend-long meeting,
a lengthy brainstorming session was devoted to the direction the board
wished to see the institute take in the coming years. This will be the basis
for ongoing planning for the next 3 years and beyond.

The following individuals were also confirmed as the Corporate Board’s
directors and officers for the coming term:
· Varouj Aivazian, Chairman
· Levon Chorbajian
· Arsinée Khanjian
· Mig Migirdicyan, Treasurer
· Greg Sarkissian, President of the Canadian Corp.
· George Shirinian, Secretary
· Roger Smith, ex officio as Chair of Academic Board
· Khachig Tölölyan, President of the US Corp.

The Zoryan Institute is a non-profit, international center devoted to the
research and documentation of contemporary issues related to the history,
politics, society, and culture of Armenia and Armenians around the world.

Please see attached photo of Zoryan board members, staff, and a few of the
invited guests.
Top Left: Yair Auron, Amanda Duncombe, Taner Akçam, Greg Sarkissian,
Sevan Mardirossian, Julie Gilmour, Anny Bakalian, Souren Chekijian, Narini
Badalian, George Shirinian.
Bottom Left: Levon Chorbajian, Lisa Siraganian, Vahakn Dadrian, Khachig
Tölölyan, Roger Smith, Varouj Aivazian.

The New York Sun
July 2, 2004 Friday

Oh, Yerevan!

By BORIS GULKO and GABRIEL SCHOENFELD

Is there such a thing as national style in chess? One testing ground
for answering this question is the recently concluded match in Moscow
between selected great players from around the world and the best
players of Armenia. The unusual tournament is devoted to the memory
of Tigran Petrosian, the 1963-69 world champion. The Armenian team
featured such strong players as Garry Kasparov (whose mother is
Armenian), Peter Leko (whose wife is Armenian), and the Israeli
grandmaster Boris Gelfand (who was a pupil of Petrosian). Despite
this array of Armenian (and near-Armenian) talent, the world team
won, 18.5 to 17.5.

The best game of the match was played by a genuine Armenian, Rafael
Vaganian, against the British grandmaster Michael Adams. Throughout,
Vaganian played in the unique style of the late, great Petrosian. If
Armenia can be said to have a national style in chess, it is
exemplified by white’s play in this particular game.

VAG ANIAN VS. ADAMS

(white) (black)

Queen’s Pawn Game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.0-0 d5 6.b3 Bd6

More precise here was 6…Nbd7

7.Bb2 Be7 with the intention of exchanging the white knight on d7

immediately should it appear on

e5. 7.Bb2 0-0 8.Ne5 c5 9.Nd2 Nc6

It was better to keep control over

the e4 square by playing 9…Nbd7

and to meet 10.f4 with 10…Ne4. 10.a3 a5 11.f4 Ne7 More consistent
was 11…a4 and 12.Bb5 Na7 13.bxa4 c4 is not dangerous for black.
After the move in the game, black’s previous move is shown to be a
waste of time. 12.Rf3 cxd4 In case of 12…c4 the ground would be
prepared for Petrosian’s favorite operation, the positional exchange
sacrifice: 13.bxc4! dxc4 14.Ndxc4 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 with huge
compensation. 13.! Bxd4! Bxe5? This exchange weakens the black
squares in black’s camp. The immediate 13…Ne4 14.Rh3 Nf5 15.Bxe4
dxe4 16.Ndc4 Nxd4 17.exd4 Be7 18.c3 g6 was better; also, 13…Nf5
14.Rh3 Rc8 would yield a playable position to black. 14.fxe5 Ne4
15.Rh3 Nf5 16.Bxe4! dxe4 17.Nc4 Nxd4 Now the white knight will
dominate the board, but the alternative 17…b5 18.Nd6! Bc6 (black is
the victim of a beautiful mate after 18…Nxd6 19.exd6 g6 20.Qh5!)
19.Qh5 h6 20.Bc5 Nxd6 21.Bxd6 Re8 22.Rg3 would lead to unbear able
pressure on the kingside. 18.exd4 Bc6 19.Nd6 Qg5 Again black had a
sad choice: in case of 19…a4 20.Qh5 h6 21.Rg3 Kh7 22.Rf1 Ra7
23.Rf6! gxf6 24.Rh3 he would be mated on the kingside. Now however he
perishes on the queenside. 20.Rc3! Bd5 21.Rg3 Qf4 22.c4 Bc6 23.Qf1!
Qxf1+ No better was 23…Qh6 24.Qf6 Qxf6 25.exf6 g6 26.c5. 24.Rxf1
Rab8 25.Rf4 b5 26.c5! a4 More stubborn was 26…b4 27.a4 Bd5. 27.b4
Rbd8 28.Rfg4! g6! 29.Rf4 Kg7 30.Rf6! White has obtained full control
over the black squares. The position is a startling reminder of the
famous game Petrosian-Mecking from a Dutch tournament in 1971. Black
is condemned to utter passivity. 30… Rd7 31.Kf2 Ra8 32.Ke3 Raa7
33.h4 h6 34.Rh3 Rd8 35.Rh1 Re7 36.h5 g5

(See diagram)

37.d5! The final blow is on a white square. 37… Bxd5 Of course, not
37…ed because of 39. Nf5+. 38.Nxb5 1-0

Interfax
July 2, 2004

Baku concerned over U.S. planned aid for Nagorno-Karabakh

Baku. (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – The Azerbaijani authorities are concerned
over U.S. plans to provide the self-proclaimed republic of
Nagorno-Karabakh with financial assistance.

“It is not ruled out that this money will be spent on house
construction projects in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories as part of
Armenia’s illegal policy aimed at providing its people with
accommodation in the seized Azerbaijani districts,” reads an
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press release.

“Azerbaijan would like to know how the United States is going to ensure
that these funds are spent on exclusively humanitarian projects and in
compliance with international law,” the document says.

The U.S. Congress has recently approved an initiative submitted by its
sub-committee responsible for providing international assistance to
allocate $5 million for Nagorno-Karabakh as part of its aid program for
the 2005 budget year.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister fears that this assistance might have
a negative effect on settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and another seven
neighboring districts as a result of a 1990s conflict with Armenia over
ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising the
United States, Russia, and France, has been helping the two countries
put an end to their disputes.