Author: Talalian Arpi

Little Red top talent
By BEN JACOBS

The Ithaca Journal
28 Oct. 2004

Journal Staff

IRINA PERESS/Journal Staff

Ithaca High seventh-grader Lucy Mehrabyan, shown here in a match
earlier this year, won the Section IV singles state qualifier last
weekend. Saturday, she begins the state tournament in Manlius.

ITHACA — Ithaca High girls’ tennis coach Amy Rogers knew she had
something special when seventh-grader Lucy Mehrabyan joined the team
this year. Everybody else in Section IV found out just how special
very quickly.

“From the first few matches, everybody in our class was talking about
her,” Rogers said. “Her reputation preceded her and she was the one
person that really stood out.”

Now, Mehrabyan has a chance to showcase her talents for the rest of
the state. The 12-year-old from Armenia earned the top seed from
Section IV in the state tennis tournament by defeating Binghamton
junior Carly Smith 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-1 in the final of the Section IV
Qualifier at the Binghamton Tennis Center on Saturday.

“I didn’t think I would get this far,” Mehrabyan said Tuesday during a
practice for the state tournament with Rogers at Reis Tennis Center. “I
just wanted to play my best, not to win so many things.”

On her way to qualifying for states, Mehrabyan avenged her only two
losses of the season. She lost to Binghamton’s Maria Kent during the
regular season, but defeated Kent in the second round of the qualifier.
Mehrabyan lost to Smith in the sectional semifinals nine days before
beating her in the qualifier.

The state tournament begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with the first two
rounds at the Eastside Racquet Club in Manlius. The third and fourth
rounds are on Sunday, with the semifinals and finals on Monday.

“I think there are very good players in states. I think if I fight
to every point like I have done, I think I can win a couple rounds,”
Mehrabyan said. “I hope to get by a couple rounds, that’s all. I hope
I will win, but I don’t think I will.”

Don’t let Mehrabyan’s modesty trick you into thinking she’s not
capable of rising to meet this challenge.

“I think she’s really ready to have a higher level of competition,”
Rogers said. “She’s been the leader in the region throughout the
entire season, and now she’s ready for a greater challenge.”

All season, Mehrabyan demonstrated that she not only has special
talent for her age, but also that she’s mature beyond her years.

“It’s just an incredible experience for the whole team to have the
leader be so young and to be so far ahead of the rest of the team,”
Rogers said. “She’s 12 years old and she’s the youngest (member of
the Little Red), but she’s not only this amazing athlete and this
amazing tennis player, but she’s also incredibly mature as well.

“She’s really a true leader in every respect.”

Mehrabyan demonstrated that leadership in dealing with her biggest
obstacle this season. She hurt her wrist in the first match of the
year, and it eventually became a sprain that has forced her to change
her game.

“It took away my power and I worry that when I hit a normal shot,
I’ll hurt it again,” Mehrabyan said. “I hit a little differently now
and it affects my game a lot, I think.”

In order to make it through the season without damaging her wrist,
Mehrabyan had to sit out two matches. She picked matches that she
felt the team could win without her presence.

Mehrabyan wasn’t able to practice before the sectional tournament
because of her wrist, but Rogers said she began to look more like
herself at the state qualifier, where she again had to deal with
some adversity.

“She played in a very difficult environment. We were in Binghamton
and the fans were all against her and her opponent was visibly angry
and yet Lucy was just completely composed,” Rogers said. “It’s hard
to believe she’s really 12 when you watch her play.”

Mehrabyan began playing tennis at age 5 on red clay courts in Armenia
because her father, Surik, wanted to make sure his young daughter got
some exercise. She didn’t even like the game at first, but that changed
two-and-a-half years ago when her family moved to Newport News, Va.

“There, I played year-round almost every day,” Mehrabyan said. “I
played around people who played just like me, but they were much
older and I got better from that.”

Her family moved again last August when Surik got a job at Cornell
University, and Lucy had to adjust to moving away from a tennis hotbed.

“I got a little angry because there was only my family to practice
with (at first), but this year there were many opportunities,” she
said. “I like it better here (now). I guess as time passed, I got
used to where I live and I started liking this place better.”

With her great success in seventh grade, you might be wondering how
good Mehrabyan will be when she’s a senior on the Ithaca tennis team.
She hopes you never find out.

“I hope to become a professional tennis player at age 16. I hope it
will turn out that way,” Mehrabyan said. “I wanted to turn pro when I
came to America two-and-a-half years ago. I got inspired by my coach in
Newport News, Virginia and I wanted to become a pro from that day on.”

Rogers would not be at all surprised if it happens.

“It’s amazing that she’s 12 years old and she’s playing at this level.
I think when we all watch her, we forget her age just because she
not only plays at such a high level, but she also is so composed,”
Rogers said.

“She just has this incredible temperament for the game. She already
has the mental toughness, and that piece is harder to teach than any
other part of tennis.”

ARKA News Agency
25 Oct. 2004

RA President meets with special representative of EU in South Caucasus

EU policy regarding “New Neighbors” will positively affect Karabakh
settlement

American International Union on Healthcare completes its mission in
Armenia

Self-regulation of Mass Media in the Context of Freedom of Opinion
Expression seminar takes place in Nagorno Karabakh

Independent and free Nagorno Karabakh is the result of joint efforts of
all Armenians

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

RA PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF EU IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, October 25. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian met today
with Special Representative of EU in South Caucasus, Ambassador Heikki
Talvite. According to the Press Service Department of Ra President, the
sides discussed the policy of the European Union regarding the
member-countries of Wider Europe/New Neighbors program. According to
Kocharian, Armenia is ready to cooperate with EU in frames of the
mentioned program; however it is necessary to clarify the substance of
the “new neighborhood”, as well as actions expected on the part of
member-countries. The sides also discussed issues of Karabakh conflict
settlement, process of honoring the commitments to the EC, reforms of
Election Code of Armenia.
Talvite arrived in Armenia from Baku and will leave for Georgia
tomorrow. L.V.-0–

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

EU POLICY REGARDING “NEW NEIGHBORS” WILL POSITIVELY AFFECT KARABAKH
SETTLEMENT

YEREVAN, October 25. /ARKA/. EU policy regarding “New Neighbors” will
positively affect Karabakh settlement, RA MFA told ARKA that it was
noted that RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian and EU Special
Representative to South Caucasus Heikke Talvitie at the meeting in
Yerevan. The parties discussed report of Armenia in the frames of EU
program and development of plan of activities. Oskanian represented
position of Armenia in the issue of Turkish entry in EU. L.D. –0–

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

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL UNION ON HEALTHCARE COMPLETES ITS MISSION IN
ARMENIA

YEREVAN, October 25. /ARKA/. American International Union on Healthcare
completes its mission in Armenia, the press release provided to ARKA by
USAID and AIHA says. In accordance to that the meeting of AIHA will
take place on Oct 26-27 in Yerevan.
Note since 1992 ÀIHA (American International Health Alliance) provided
financial support to more than 80 partner programs in the field of
healthcare in SUA, CIS states and Europe. Since 2001 AIHA realized in
Armenia 5 programs. L.D. –0–

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

SELF-REGULATION OF MASS MEDIA IN THE CONTEXT OF FREEDOM OF OPINION
EXPRESSION SEMINAR TAKES PLACE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

STEPANAKERT, October 25. /ARKA/. Self-regulation of Mass Media in the
Context of Freedom of Opinion Expression seminar took place in Nagorno
Karabakh, organized by the press club of Stepanakert in frames of
Strengthening of Democracy in South Caucasus through freedom of Speech
project. The project is implemented by Article 19 international
organization with the financial assistance of Open Society Institute.
According to ARKA own journalist in Stepanakert the participants of the
seminar also discussed issues of mass media self-regulation, basic
norms of Ethics Code of journalists of Karabakh, freedom of information
and State secret, copyright and plagiarism, problems of journalist
solidarity and press accountability.
A council was elected from the representatives of various state and
independent mass media, which will develop and present for discussion
the Ethics Code of a Karabakh journalist in the near future. L.V. -0–

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

INDEPENDENT AND FREE NAGORNO KARABAKH IS THE RESULT OF JOINT EFFORTS OF
ALL ARMENIANS

STEPANAKERT, October 25. /ARKA/. Independent and free Nagorno Karabakh
is the result of joint efforts of Armenians of Karabakh, Armenia and
Diaspora. According to the Press Service department of NKR, this was
stated by Ashot Ghulyan, the NKR Foreign Minister at the reception in
Armenian Embassy in Washington. According to him, the authorities of
Karabakh are ready to discuss all the issues connected with conflict
settlement and regional cooperation.
Ashot Ghulyan, NKR Foreign Minister arrived with a visit in the United
States of America on October 19-24. The Minister conducted meetings in
US Congress, with collaborators of Hai Dat office of Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), Ross Vartyan, the Executive Director of
Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), Harold Saunders, Director of
International Affairs at Kettering Foundation. Ghulyan also spoke in
the Center for National and International Studies in Washington. -0–

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

–Boundary_(ID_i+PQoFEUkuCmzt3BiiASdQ)–

TURKMEN LEADER LOOKS AT AMNESTY, TAX AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Turkmen TV first channel, Asgabat
23 Oct 04

Turkmen President Saparmyrat Nyyazow has pledged to pardon 9,000
prisoners during his traditional end of Ramadan amnesty, three fifths
of the entire prison population. Speaking to the People’s Council, the
most powerful body in Turkmenistan, Nyyazow focused largely on
domestic issues, singling out misuse of land and water resources for
censure, pledging to simplify the tax system and promoting
power-wielders to higher ranks. Turning to foreign policy, Nyyazow
said Turkmenistan had no disputes with its neighbours, singling out
Uzbekistan in what marks an apparent continuing thaw in relations
after a low point in 2002, which saw accusations of Uzbek involvement
in an assassination attempt against Nyyazow. The following is an
excerpt from his speech, broadcast live by Turkmen TV on 23 October;
subheadings inserted editorially:

(President Saparmyrat Nyyazow, addressing the People’s Council of
Turkmenistan)) Hello everybody! I ask you to take your seats. Thank
you and good morning to you all.

Esteemed members of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, dear
compatriots and guests. Here at the Ruhyyet Palace, today we are
holding the 15th session of the People’s Council of
Turkmenistan. (applause)

(Passage omitted: general remarks on the People’s Council, Nyyazow
then opens the session; the state anthem played)

Dear fellows, the agenda of the People’s Council session includes
discussion and approval of laws of Turkmenistan on land, on water and
on taxation. There is also the issue of amnesty, as I already
mentioned yesterday at the mosque (that was opened in Nyyazow’s home
village). I will present to the People’s Council the draft resolution
on amnesty and then, with your consent, I’ll sign it. Out of 15,000
Turkmen citizens currently serving their prison terms, 9,000 will be
amnestied on the Night of Omnipotence (at the end of
Ramadan). However, as I suggested yesterday, it would be better to
release them earlier, prior to the Night of Omnipotence. Because the
Night of Omnipotence comes once a year, let convicts be freed between
8-10 November.

(Passage omitted: following remarks about the agenda, Nyyazow takes
the floor to deliver his speech)

No disputes with neighbours

We do not have any dispute with any country – not with our neighbours
nor with distant countries. On the contrary, we are resolving more and
more issues jointly with them. We do not have any disputed issues with
them, be it Uzbekistan or Afghanistan. Here are representatives of our
Turkmen brothers from Afghanistan and Iran. We do not have any
disputes with them. I am grateful to you all.

(Passage omitted: Turkmenistan has diplomatic links with 121
countries; the economy is in good shape; only the agrarian sector is
lagging behind)

Land

We have been a bit rushing with leasing plots of land to farmers and
into private hands to make the agrarian sector grow faster. There have
been lots of violations in land distribution among tenants and private
owners. We did not have an efficient idea how to perform this task, so
it resulted in violations such as the illegal sale of land or leasing
land to those who cannot cope with it.

(Passage omitted: recap on wrongdoing in land distribution)

Let me remind you here that Turkmenistan has over 49.2m ha of land
resources of which some 40m ha are being used. Of these (nearly) 40m
ha, 2.25m are irrigated while the rest, 35m ha, are pastures, state
reserves, forests and protected zones. However, the land has not been
used or controlled properly.

(Passage omitted: Nyyazow quotes good examples of land management in
some areas)

Land is a necessary item for us and it is our wealth. It cannot be
sold or given away because it is Turkmenistan’s major property and is
protected by the state. What can we leave for coming generations if we
lose or spoil our land? That is why we should have a law on land. The
previous one, adopted in 1993, has become obsolete and does not meet
present requirements. It needs changes. I have already distributed
among you the draft law (on land) so you can discuss it at your
residences tomorrow with governors and ministers.

(Passage omitted: grain growing does not require much work; cases of
misuse of plots of land quoted)

Land is state property and nobody has the right to distribute
it. (Applause) Dear fellows, every Turkmen family can get a plot of
land. But they should work hard on the land to keep their families
with it. Moreover, it is not enough to keep your families. Use the
land to get rich yields, I am glad to see and support it. Families
should work earnestly and get rich yields. Under the new law, each
family can lease up to 10 ha for 10 years. If you work earnestly in
the first five years and get a rich yield, then this land will be
given to you for private ownership.

(Passage omitted: association of stockholders to be set up to support
tenants; associations to be set up to support farmers starting out;
remarks on water resources)

Water

At present, Turkmenistan consumes some 25bn cu.m. of water and of
this, 22m is used for irrigation. Unfortunately, water is being used
even where there is no crop or plant. The minister of water economy
(Basimgylyc Galandarow) is present. A huge amount of water, some 10bn
cu.m. out of 22bn cu.m. is being wasted in canals and elsewhere. How
can we tolerate this? Water is our top priority. How can such things
happen when there are miraps (people in charge of water distribution)?
Each Turkmen village has its own appointed mirap, so there are 500 of
them in 500 villages all over Turkmenistan.

(Passage omitted: further remarks on poor management in water
distribution; criminal responsibility to be introduced for waste of
water)

We are creating the great Lake Turkmen in Garagum desert (northwestern
Turkmenistan) with some 3,000-km long drainage canals to take waste
waters to it in the Garagum heartlands. God willing, the first flow of
water will go there in 2006 and by 2009 Lake Turkmen will have a
capacity of 150bn cu.m. With our annual consumption of some 25bn
cu.m., this water, once recycled and purified, will be enough for six
years’ consumption.

(Passage omitted: capacity of reservoirs, currently at 3bn cu.m., to
be doubled soon; remarks on taxation)

Tax

Our previous laws on taxation are not working well. Of course, we are
not so poor as to rely only on taxes. But it is necessary to have
income taxes as other countries do. The point is who is collecting
taxes and why there are cases of tax evasion. There are such cases
among both state-owned and other organizations which always try to
avoid taxes. Perhaps they see taxes as too burdensome? Then let us
make them less burdensome. Currently we have some 17 kinds of taxes in
Turkmenistan. Let us reduce them to four . Dear fellows, we are
cutting many of them completely. (applause) For instance, you know
well that there is 20-per-cent VAT. So we are reducing it to 15 per
cent – this is one of the lowest rates in the world.

(Passage omitted: taxes on revenues from oil and gas to be 12 and 20
per cent respectively)

Income tax for individuals will be set at 10 per cent and no
more. (applause) Tenants will be taxed only 1 per cent and this will
remain so in Turkmenistan till 2010. Property taxes, common for all
countries, will remain at 1 per cent, as before. It is not much, of
course. That is all about taxes and we will give legal grounds to this
based on laws and the constitution. We provide such privileges to
everybody – be it an organization or an individual. Dear fellows, also
let me remind you that our taxes are the lowest and easiest in the
world. (applause)

(Passage omitted: Nyyazow leaves the rostrum to take his seat and
continues his speech from there)

Amnesty

We are going to pardon some 9,000 people on the Night of Omnipotence,
and their names will be published in our newspapers, such as
Turkmenistan and the Russian-language Neytralnyy Turkmenistan. Let
copies of the newspapers be distributed in all prisons and please, do
it straightaway.

(Passage omitted: Nyyazow puts the amnesty resolution to the vote)

It is a great act to release 9,000 people. Currently we have 15,000
convicts in prison, so some 6,000 of them remain there and we hope
that they too will repent. At the same time, those released should be
met with all conditions by regional, district and town administrations
and provided with jobs in their previous work places.

(Passage omitted: moves to wage increases)

Here I resolve that as of 1 January 2005 in all organizations of
Turkmenistan, regardless of their form of ownership, average monthly
wages are to be increased by 50 per cent and be no less than 2.25m
manats (some 430 dollars at the official exchange rate) (lasting
applause; chanting “Glory to the leader”). As of 1 January 2005,
pensions for participants and veterans of the patriotic war (World War
II) are to be increased by 50 per cent

(Passage omitted: similar rise in all pensions, benefits and grants;
repeat on pardoning)

We are pardoning three Russian citizens and sending them back to
Russia. We will also pardon one from Kyrgyzstan, four Tajik citizens
and others from countries such as Uzbekistan, Armenia, Moldova and
Kazakhstan. Most of the foreigners are from Uzbekistan. We are
pardoning them and sending them back to their home countries.

(Passage omitted: Nyyazow awards some elders with title of merited
elder of Turkmenistan; top power wielders to be promoted to higher
ranks)

Promotions

The minister of defence of Turkmenistan, Col-Gen Agageldi
Mammetgeldiyew, is to be promoted to the rank of army general.

(Mammetgeldiyew) I serve my Turkmenistan homeland, and Saparmyrat
Turkmenbasy the Great.

(Nyyazow) The minister of national security of Turkmenistan, Maj-Gen
Annageldi Durmusewic Gummanow, is to be promoted to the rank of
lieutenant-general.

(Gummanow) I serve independent and neutral forever Turkmenistan and
Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy the Great.

(Nyyazow) The minister of internal affairs of Turkmenistan, Maj-Gen
Geldimuhammet Asyrmuhammedow, is to be promoted to the military rank
of lieutenant-general.

(Asyrmuhammedow) I serve independent and neutral forever Turkmenistan
and Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy the Great.

(Nyyazow) The head of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan,
Maj-Gen Orazberdi Soltanow, is to be promoted to the military rank of
lieutenant-general.

(Soltanow) I serve independent and neutral forever Turkmenistan and
Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy the Great.

(Passage omitted: some other top officials also awarded with titles;
Defence Minister Mammetgeldiyew then presents Nyyazow with symbolic
sword and shield and title of “Great Supreme Commander”; Nyyazow
announces a half-hour break; at 0700 gmt the session resumes; floor is
given to farmers, some ministers, who propose to award Nyyazow with
the highest orders and titles; floor then given to Prosecutor-General
Gurbanbibi Atajanowa who quotes violations in land distribution and
also praises the low rate of crime)

(Prosecutor-General Gurbanbibi Atajanowa) One of the greatest
achievements of the Turkmenbasy (Nyyazow) era is the consistent
reduction of law breaches and crime, and strict protection of human
rights and state interests. During the first nine months of this year,
the rate of registered crimes in Turkmenistan was down by 15.1 per
cent against the same period last year. More crimes are being solved
and investigation has been improved. This is clear evidence of
established law and order in our country.

(Passage omitted: Atajanowa makes a proposal to introduce criminal
responsibility for abuse of land and water resources)

(Nyyazow) Some people perhaps think that it is an easy thing to serve
a prison term. God forbid an ordinary Turkmen man to be put in
prison. Some time later I plan to take some of you with me to visit
(prisons). Please go and look yourselves how they (convicts) are
serving their terms, what they eat and how they feel there, when a
human being is put behind bars like monkeys in a museum or in a
zoo. Their souls and bodies are in cages and I do not wish any of you
be in their position.

(Passage omitted: Nyyazow warns officials not to abuse positions; then
Myratberdi Sopyyew, a prominent farmer, reads a draft resolution of
the People’s Council on awarding Nyyazow with the Order of Ruhnama,
the highest award of the country. Nyyazow accepts the award; then
delegates start to approach him to congratulate and during the
ceremony Nyyazow kisses singer Maral Durdyyewa; Nyyazow then thanks
the session for the award and announces a break till 0600 gmt 25
October)

(Video shows session)

(Duration: 2.5 hours. No further processing planned.)

Daily Targum via U-Wire
University Wire
October 21, 2004 Thursday

Cannot ignore genocide

by Staff Editorial, Daily Targum; SOURCE: Rutgers U.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.

The crisis in Darfur, Sudan has been within the realm of human
genocide for 18 months now. Since March, more than 100,000 lives have
been claimed in a government-supported ethnic cleansing of non-Arab
tribesman. The roots of the conflict date back to the 1980s when the
Khartoum government sought to impose complete control over the
inter-tribal systems of negotiation over land disputes which
functioned among the diverse ethnic communities in this region. The
Arab government replaced this ancient system with a manipulative
bureaucracy that has encouraged and endorsed a militant form of
persecution against all those who stand in their way.

The janjaweed, an Arab term for “devils on horseback,” ride from
village to village, systematically raping women, burning homes and
killing anyone with black skin who lives there. According to the
World Health Organization, 70,000 people have perished of hunger and
illness in refugee camps since March, and the total is still rising
by 5,000 to 10,000 deaths per month.

U.N. refugee camps in Chad are currently buckling to support the 1.5
million people who have been displaced and fled their homes in
Western Sudan. Chad, itself, signed an agreement Monday expressing
strong support for the Sudanese government along with 3 other
nations: Egypt, Nigeria and Libya. Humanitarian efforts lead by The
Red Cross, Amnesty International and WHO are severely hampered by
such declarations. They only encourage the continuing violence,
making it unsafe for aid workers to even deliver food and resources
that may be available to save lives.

President George W. Bush in the first presidential debate, for the
first time, labeled the crisis as genocide. Under Article 2 of the
1948 U.N. Declaration on Human Rights, such a classification
necessitates the action of countries that have ratified the
declaration. Unfortunately, with genocides, such statements typically
have come too late. Examples of this include the Rwandan situation of
1994, and, historically, such tragedies as Armenia, which stand as
reminders this can never happen again.

The success of the NATO-led Kosovo intervention is a case in point
that united, the world can stamp out such undeniable injustices if
action is taken strongly and swiftly.

The current international aid efforts besides those led by
non-governmental associations have proved ineffective in the face of
such unprecedented chaos. The U.N. threat of sanctions led to a
ceasefire in April, which the United Nations declared yesterday as
not holding and clearly not a strong enough action.

Other possible plans of action include raising the costs of this
ethnic cleansing by imposing an arms embargo on Sudan, travel
restrictions on senior officials and no-fly zones. This will not be
enough, as Wednesday’s U.N. statement is proving; the time has come
has come for military intervention in the form of peacekeeping troops
from the international community.

The African Union has vowed to send in 4,000 troops replacing the
paltry 300 troops currently protecting the 150 monitors now stationed
in Darfur. All member countries that have signed the Declaration of
Human Rights cannot deny a full-fledged genocide is occurring and are
obligated to follow suit by sending troops and/or humanitarian aid.
While the United States is admittedly the largest member of human
rights recognizing organizations, this cannot be a unilateral
intervention. Politics must be put aside for the sake of humanity.
Whoever is decided to be the 44th president of the United States Nov.
3 must place Sudan on the top of his foreign policy agenda.

Students can help, too. It’s as easy as simple as joining a
letter-writing campaign through Amnesty International to condemn the
actions of the leaders of Sudan, sending a donation to the Red Cross,
or taking an active commitment to being informed about the promises
made in 1948 which are being broken today. For all the importance we
place on “never forgetting,” it’s more important to never ignore.

Ottawa Citizen
October 21, 2004 Thursday
Final Edition

Respected engineer ‘was ahead of his time’: U.S.-born structural
engineer John Adjeleian worked on more than 3,000 buildings in
private practice, as well as having a well-regarded career in
academia, writes Charles Enman.

Charles Enman, The Ottawa Citizen

For four decades, John Adjeleian was one of the leading structural
engineers in Ottawa.

In 1955, Mr. Adjeleian opened the city’s first office dedicated to
structural engineering work. At Carleton University, he served for
six years as chair of the department of civil and environmental
engineering.

He worked on many significant Ottawa buildings, including the
National Arts Centre, Canada Post headquarters, the Aviation Museum
and Minto Place.

Of the 3,000 buildings on which his company worked, he was most proud
of the Fathers of Confederation Building in Charlottetown.

In Toronto, he assured the sound construction of the SkyDome.

“John’s company was only medium-sized, with perhaps 30 or 40
engineers, but the amount of work they did was phenomenal, a
testament to the quality of his expertise and leadership,” said Jag
Humar, a former Carleton colleague who was a consultant at Mr.
Adjeleian’s company, Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Ltd.

Mr. Adjeleian, who died of heart and kidney problems last Thursday,
at the age of 81, will be warmly remembered in Carleton’s faculty of
engineering, according to Dean Samy Mahmoud.

“As a teacher, John was ahead of his time,” Mr. Mahmoud said. “Years
after his retirement, students in the faculty are still instilled
with his values and vision.”

When he joined the of civil and environmental engineering department
in 1975, Mr. Adjeleian had already chalked up two decades as an
active structural engineer in the city. One year later, in 1976, he
was named chairman of the department, a position he held until 1982,
when he became professor emeritus.

As chairman, he brought two new emphases to the department: That
engineering students must be grounded in the practicalities of their
discipline and they must be sensitive to the esthetic considerations
that were normally the province of architects.

“John introduced second-year students to real-world projects, so they
would appreciate what designs were practical and feasible versus what
was merely imaginable,” Mr. Mahmoud said.

“He also encouraged teamwork that brought engineers and architects
together, so that the two solitudes could begin appreciating each
other’s contributions.”

Of the many honours he received, Mr. Adjeleian was proudest of his
honorary membership in the Ontario Association of Architects.

Many buildings on the Carleton campus benefited from his company’s
design, including the MacKenzie Engineering Building, the Arts Tower,
the Minto Residences and the athletic facilities.

Professional success aside, Mr. Adjeleian will be remembered as a man
of rare human touch.

“He was a ‘double-A’ personality, always on the move — but that
never cost him anything in terms of wit,” Mr. Humar recalled. “He was
so self-deprecating, so full of laughter. And he had a deep
compassion that made him wonderful company.”

At Carleton and at his own firm, Mr. Adjeleian proved a natural
manager.

“It was surprising in so fine a gentleman, but leadership came
effortlessly to him,” Mr. Humar recalled.

“He always acknowledged the achievements of people working under him,
and his kindness allowed him to carry people along. No one was
pushed.”

Mr. Adjeleian was born of Armenian parents in Worcester,
Massachusetts.

After serving in the U.S. army, he enrolled at McGill University,
where he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering and civil
engineering in 1952. His marks earned him admission to the
university’s Scarlet Key Society.

>From McGill, he went on scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, where he received a master of science in structural
engineering in 1955.

Though he could have set up offices in many places, Mr. Adjeleian
wished to return to Canada.

“He was a champion of this country, and always wished Canadians
understood how fortunate they are to live here,” said his wife,
Elizabeth.

In his leisure time, he was an enthusiastic member of the Kiwanis
Club, which recognized his 40 years of participation several months
ago.

He had three sons, Michael, David and Paul, and a daughter, Hasmig.

“Family came first with him,” Hasmig Adjeleian recalled. “He was a
wonderfully intuitive father, always showing up just when you needed
him.”

Mr. Adjeleian’s funeral was held Tuesday at St. Mark’s Anglican
Church. He was buried at Beechwood Cemetery.

GRAPHIC: Photo: Years after retiring from the engineering faculty at
Carleton University, students remain instilled with his emphasis on
merging esthetic considerations with engineering solutions.

NKR PRESIDENT ADDRESSES MESSAGE TO CAPTAIN AND CREW OF SAILING BOAT “CILICIA”

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 18. ARMINFO. President of the Nagorny karabakh
Republic Arkady Ghoukasyan sent a message to the captain of the
sailing boat “Cilicia” Karen Balayan and the crew.

The NKR Presidential press-service told ARMINFO that NKR President
highly appreciates the years-long hard of the crew, which resulted in
revival of the good traditions of the Armenian sailing. He expressed
confidence that the trip once more demonstrated to the world the
wealth and versatile cultural and historical heritage of Armenia and
the talent and hard work of its sons. Artsakh people are aware that
their state flag also flies on “Cilicia” during its historical trip by
seven seas. “We are proud of you and wish you successful return to the
Motherland. I invite you to NKR, which has become a symbol of revival
of the great spirit of the Armenian people.”

Agence France Presse
14 octobre 2004 jeudi

Hollande: Raffarin est “resté dans le flou, dans le vague”

PARIS 14 oct 2004

Le premier secrétaire du PS, François Hollande, a accusé jeudi
Jean-Pierre Raffarin d’être “resté dans le flou, dans le vague” lors
de sa déclaration à l’Assemblée sur la candidature de la Turquie à
l’Union européenne.

Il n’y a pas eu de “véritable débat parce que le Premier ministre n’a
pas pris de position sur le sujet”, a affirmé M. Hollande dans les
couloirs de l’Assemblée, peu après la déclaration de M. Raffarin.

Le chef du gouvernement “est resté dans le flou, dans le vague, sur
la position qui sera défendue par le président de la République au
mois de décembre (ndr: le 17 décembre lors du sommet européen qui
doit se prononcer sur l’ouverture de négociations avec Ankara) et sur
la démarche du gouvernement”, a-t-il ajouté.

Selon lui, M. Raffarin est confronté à “une difficulté”, car “il n’a
pas de majorité” sur ce dossier.

Au contraire, a-t-il ajouté, les socialistes disent “clairement qu’il
faut poursuivre la négociation avec la Turquie, poser des conditions
strictes, notamment sur les droits de l’homme, la démocratie, la
reconnaissance du génocide arménien, et ouvrir les deux options,
celle de l’adhésion ou celle du partenariat renforcé”.

“Je constate aujourd’hui que c’est le Parti socialiste qui a fait
l’effort de clarification quand le gouvernement est resté sur la
confusion et l’ambiguïté”, a conclu M. Hollande.

ARMENIAN REGIONAL PAPER OFFICE RANSACKED OVER CRITICAL REPORTING

Public Television of Armenia
13 Oct 04

Yerevan, 13 October: Three rascals smashed the editorial office of
the Kapan-published regional newspaper Syunyats Yerkir (The country
of Syunik) in Armenia.

The editorial office of the newspaper told Arminfo news agency that
this morning the three members of the Kapan-based public organization,
(?”Syunik Eagles), led by the chairman of the organization,
Khachik Asryan, burst into the editorial office of the newspaper and
roughhoused it. The editor-in-chief of the newspaper was beaten with a
truncheon. He received blows mainly to his face and head. A spokesman
for the newspaper said that the bandits thought it was not enough just
to ransack the editorial office. They also threatened the newspaper’s
staff and took away the editor’s mobile phone. Before they left they
threatened the editor and told him that unless he leaves Kapan within
an hour, they will come back and burn down the editorial office and
his vehicle.

The spokesman for the newspaper said that the law-enforcement bodies
were immediately informed about the incident and a doctor was called
in to examine the marks of beating. A criminal case was launched into
the incident. They are being charged with hooliganism.

The spokesman explained the act of hooliganism by the publication
of recent articles about the government’s decision to close down
two schools in the district. After one publication, the editor of
the newspaper and press secretary of the region’s governor, Suren
Khachatryan, was dismissed from his post and the editorial office of
the newspaper was evicted from its two-room office in the building
of the district administration.

To recap, the aforementioned articles strongly criticized the decision
to close down the schools. It is also reported that the schools will
be replaced with new, private and fee-paying schools.

TURKEY DOES NOT DESERVE THE RIGHT TO TALKS FOR EU MEMBERSHIP: VARDAN OSKANIAN

YEREVAN, October 11 (Noyan Tapan). “We are somehow concerned over
Turkey’s accession to the European Union,” Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian told an October 11 news conference. According to him,
the point of departure for Turkey’s readiness to become an EU member
is much lower than that of the other countries that have joint the
organization. “The country that has closed the border with Armenia and
whose Criminal Code stipulates punishment for anyone recognizing the
Armenian Genocide or supportive for bringing out the Turkish troops
from the teritory of Cyprus does not deserve the right to talks over
the EU membership. We believe that Turkey is not ready for accession,”
the Armenian foreign minister stated.

The Gazette (Montreal)
October 9, 2004 Saturday
Final Edition

Turkey ready to fly

NORMAN WEBSTER, Freelance

Something important happened this week, and hardly anyone here seemed
to notice. While our media were covering the U.S. election, fire in a
submarine and the shutdown of NHL hockey, the European Union in
Brussels gave the go-ahead to Turkey’s application for membership.

Mind you, it was but a first step in a journey of many leagues. The
executive of the 25-country EU has recommended only that negotiations
begin with the Turks. That decision must be endorsed by the leaders
of all the states at a crucial meeting in December.

If that hurdle is crossed, the parties will sit down sometime next
year to begin discussions likely to last a decade or more before an
agreement on full membership is signed. If it ever is. The obstacles
to final accommodation with this giant (71 million people),
grindingly poor, overwhelmingly Muslim nation remain formidable.

The Turks are not universally beloved. Valery Giscard d’Estaing,
former president of France, once said Turkish membership would mean
the death of Europe. The current president, Jacques Chirac, has
indicated France might hold a referendum on the matter. Other
European politicians are trying to shunt the Turks aside by proposing
some sort of association short of full membership.

Behind these moves lie fears about waves of poor Turks invading
European economies, not to mention Midnight Express notions about a
brutal oriental culture that does not fit with Western civilization.
Such prejudices fade during a visit to bustling, fascinating,
crumbling Istanbul, one of the great European cities, but not
everyone makes that trip.

Then there is the small matter of religion. Given the rise of
fundamentalist Islam around the world, is there truly a place within
the EU for a Muslim nation?

Ironically, Turkey’s supporters turn this into an argument for
admission. At this critical moment, they say, Turkey is treading the
path of liberal democracy, showing the way to other Islamic
countries. Acceptance into the European club would send the best
possible message.

Conversely, “a no to Turkey could have catastrophic consequences,”
argued a recent editorial in The Economist. “It would be widely
interpreted in the Muslim world as a blow against all Islam.”

A significant element in the situation is the fact Turkey is the most
secular of Islamic countries, a legacy of Kemal Ataturk, founder of
the republic in 1923 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Even
today, Turkey proscribes the head scarf for females in schools,
universities and the public service. A decade ago, it had a female
prime minister, Tansu Ciller.

The country’s current leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is an embodiment
of Turkish contradictions. A devout Muslim, he leads an Islamist
party and his wife defiantly wears a headscarf.

When I last visited Istanbul, in the late 1990s, Erdogan was the
controversial mayor of the city, charged with inciting hatred by
reciting this daring poem: “The mosques are our barracks,/the domes
our helmets,/the minarets our bayonets,/and the believers our
soldiers.” In the end, he served five months in jail and a period of
banishment from office.

Yet today, two years after his party won national election, he is a
liberalizing leader whose package of reforms greatly influenced this
week’s EU decision in Brussels.

The Erdogan program has included easing up on the Kurdish minority
(the language of these former “mountain Turks” can now be used in
schools – imagine), abolishing the death penalty and loosening
restrictions on free speech (although Human Rights Watch notes an
individual who states an Armenian genocide took place during the
First World War can still be jailed for 10 years).

The military seems more comfortable in barracks, weaned from its
predilection for coups and dictatorship. Turkey’s traditional enemy,
Greece, has become a close ally. Torture is, if not abolished, at
least officially frowned upon.

There was a flap recently when the government proposed to criminalize
adultery. European officials cried shock-horror, EU negotiations
teetered in the balance, and the proposal was shelved.

Clearly, the time is ripe for another trip to Istanbul, where you can
escape the insane traffic by sipping dark Turkish coffee beside the
Bosphorus, as boats slip by between you and Asia. With the lira now
at more than a million to a Canadian dollar, capacious pockets will
be required.

It does make the head whirl when you slap down a few million and tell
the waiter to keep the change.

Norman Webster is a former editor of The Gazette.