Author: Tambiyan Samvel

SENATE COMMITTEE GRILLS AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DESIGNATE OVER U.S. POLICY ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Washington, DC, June 29. ArmInfo. While Members of Congress and
the Armenian community demand a full explanation for the premature
replacement of Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee today held a hearing on the Administration’s
nominee, Richard E. Hoagland, reports Armenian Assembly of America.

If confirmed, Hoagland would replace Evans who was rebuked by State
Department officials last year after publicly affirming the Armenian
Genocide during his meetings with Armenian-American communities. In
those exchanges, Evans declared that "the Armenian Genocide was the
first genocide of the twentieth century." In making his statements,
Evans pointed to the International Center for Transitional Justice
(ICTJ), which concluded that the events could be properly characterized
as genocide.

Senator George Allen (R-VA), who chaired today’s proceedings, noted
that there have been serious concerns that Evans was forced to
prematurely end his service as a result of those public declarations.

"I don’t know this to be true," Allen said, referring to the
circumstances surrounding Evans’ departure. "[I] will say that many
of my colleagues and I refer to the tragic events of 1915 as genocide
and have strongly encouraged the President to do so as well."

-Switching topics, Coleman questioned Hoagland over the Turkish
blockade against Armenia, asking him how he plans to address this
issue. Hoagland responded that he would support talks between the
countries, noting that a peaceful resolution to the NK conflict
was paramount.

Allen, for his part, expressed concern over the proposed railroad
linking Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, that would bypass Armenia.

Hoagland said it would make economic sense to rehabilitate the existing
rail line which traverses Armenia, adding that the U.S.

supports regional cooperation and economic integration. The Senator
also reaffirmed his commitment to ensure security assistance parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In his opening statement, Hoagland stressed the importance of
strengthening U.S.-Armenia ties and said that if confirmed, he would
work to advance democratic and social reforms. He expressed concern
that Armenia’s elections have not met international standards, and
said he would work to implement electoral reforms in the run-up to
the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007 and 2008.

ARMENIAN FM SAYS SHOULD SEEK ALTERNATIVE GAS SUPPLIERS

RIA Novosti, Russia
June 28 2006

TBILISI (Georgia), June 28 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s foreign minister
said Wednesday that the South Caucasus country should seek to diversify
its natural gas suppliers, following Georgia’s example.

In January, Russia doubled the price for natural gas supplies to the
former Soviet republic from $54 per 1,000 cubic meters to $110 as part
of its efforts to put the gas market on a free-market basis. But the
move has put some strain on relations with Armenia, whose struggling
economy is heavily dependent on Russian supplies.

"Like Georgia, Armenia should diversify its gas sources," said Vardan
Oskanyan, who is in Georgia on a two-day visit. "We are currently
discussing with our Iranian colleagues issues concerning Iranian gas
supplies to Armenia."

Georgia now imports natural gas from Iran via Azerbaijan. Supplies
began in January after explosions on a pipeline from Russia, previously
Georgia’s sole supplier.

Oskanyan said that the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline would be commissioned
by January 2007 and added that a mooted trans-Caspian gas pipeline
to pump gas from energy-rich Central Asia to Turkey and Europe via
Azerbaijan and Georgia, was also of interest for his country.

The construction of the 141-kilometer (90 mile) pipeline from Iran
began in 2004. It will bring Armenia about 36 billion cubic meters
of gas over 20 years. The natural gas will be used for electricity
generation for Armenia’s domestic needs and for export to Iran.

RUSSIA, ARMENIA TO POOL EFFORTS TO STOP BRANDY FAKES

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
June 28, 2006 Wednesday

Russian Interior Ministry and Armenian police will boost cooperation
to stop the export of Armenia’s forged brandies to Russia, Interior
Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev told a news conference on Wednesday.

Russian and Armenian law enforcers took more active steps of late
to eliminate forgery of consumer goods, mainly Armenia’s brandies,
he said.

The two countries have created a bank of brandies’ samples produced
in Armenia.

"At present, experts are capable of identifying brandies’ authenticity
with 100-percent certainty," Nurgaliyev said.

"Unfortunately, there are still too many forgeries," he said.

MARTAKERT IS CELEBRATING 13 YEARS OF LIBERATION

Lragir.am
28 June 06

On June 28, 1993 Martakert was liberated being controlled by the foe
for a year. On the 13th anniversary people who come from Martakert
will arrive to take part in the celebration. Most of them are quite
successful scientists, politicians, businessmen, but few of them have
contributed to the reconstruction of Martakert.

The atmosphere in the town is interesting. Some ruined buildings,
with new metal and plastic windows, were turned into beauty parlors,
the windows of other buildings are covered with blue cellophane that
the Red Cross distributed to returning natives of Martakert. One can
see a Jeep and an old Moskvich loaded with hay in the street.

Water is a serious problem in Martakert, although the big rivers
of Karabakh flow via this region. Roads are bad, there is shortage
of water, what business can there be? They only sow wheat, but the
yield is low. On the other hand, the two largest companies of NKR are
"based" in Martakert, the mines and copper factory in Drmbon and the
woodworking factory of Vank. It is interesting that both factories
were built after the war.

The telethon of the Armenian Foundation held last year was devoted to
the reconstruction of Martakert. Although, we have learned that work
on the raised funds has not started yet. Well, we are not being late.

Ottoman Documentary Cancelled in US
By Zaman, Istanbul
Published: Wednesday, June 28, 2006
zaman.com

The History Channel, which broadcasts in a number of countries
worldwide, abruptly cancelled the scheduled showing of a documentary
on the Ottoman State. The documentary titled `Ottoman Empire: The War
Machine’ scheduled to be shown on June 22-23-24 was cancelled without
a prior notice or explanation. Turkish viewers, who tuned in the
program’s scheduled hour were astonished. Those who complained to the
network about the sudden cancellation were told: `The montage wasn’t
ready yet.’ Immediately following this statement, it was announced the
documentary would be shown on July 24. The DVD of the documentary was
on sale on the channel’s web site when the statement was made.
Internet sales of the DVD were later discontinued. After the
scheduled broadcast date of July 24 was announced online, it was
replaced by the notice: `We apologize, but the program scheduled for
this hour will not be shown’ The film documents the stages of the
Ottoman State from its rise to decline.

THE PROSECUTOR PLANTING TREES ERADICATES FREE SPEECH

A1+
[06:31 pm] 27 June, 2006

Today the staff of "Zhamanak Yerevan" newspaper held a rally of
complaint opposite the RA Prosecuracy at 2 p.m. with suchlike posters
in protection to Arman Babajanyan, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper
who was arrested yesterday.

They demanded to release Arman Babajanyan and considered his arrest
illegal for a number of reasons.

Manouk Soukiasyan, executive director of the newspaper noted that
neither they nor Arman Babajanyan’s relatives granted him an advocate.

Rouben Sahakyan, president of the Advocates’ chamber informed the
strikers that nobody has turned them with such a request.

He also informed that they have already applied to many international
organizations and will apply to the European Embassies within
the day. They also got a message from Georgian legal and media
organizations in which they express their readiness to render their
assistance without going into details and they will follow the future
events attentively.

The strikers claim that they will go to the Prosecuracy every day
and continue their rally by the time Arman Babajanyan is set free.

As for the newspaper "it was published today, we are going to publish
it tomorrow as well and we are not inclined to stop our work," assured
the strikers. By the way they wanted to meet Aghvan Hovsepyan, RA
Attorney General but they didn’t get a reply to their request today.

ARTUR BAGHDASARYAN: ARMENIA HAS OLIGARCHIC ECONOMY

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 25 2006

YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. Armenia has oligarchic economy now, Chairman
of the Law-Governed Country (LGC) party Artur Baghdasaryan stated at
the 5th congress of the LGC Women’s Union.

"Armenia lack free economy, small and medium-sized business is not
developing," he said.

According to Baghdasaryan, the centralization of power and money
aimed at "purchasing and taking control of everything in the country"
can be observed in Armenia.

According to him, this is confirmed by that fact that 70% of
revenues of Armenia’s state budge are formed due to 100 out of 52,500
enterprises registered in Armenia.

"In the entire world, small and medium-sized businesses provide 85%
of all budget revenues," Baghdasaryan said.

"Oligarchic economy cannot provide good guarantees of the country’s
development," he said.

ANKARA SHOULD RECOGNISE THE ARMENIAN MASSACRE: KAREKIN II

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
June 26 2006

Karekin II conducted a service on Sunday in the central church of
the Turkish Armenian Patriarchy.

NTVMSNBC & NEWS WIRES

Guncelleme: 16:00 TSÝ 26 Haziran 2006 PazartesiISTANBUL – Armenian
General Patriarch Karekin II, currently on a visit to Turkey, on
Sunday said that Ankara should recognise the so-called Armenian
genocide of 1915.

Speaking at a press conference after conducting a mass in an Armenian
church in Istanbul, Karekin II said the allegations of genocide against
the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian community had been studied for 90 years
by academics.

"For our people the genocide is not an issue of research," he said.

"This is an incident that has happened and its has to be recognised."

Karekin II said that Armenia was very willing to develop relations
with Turkey and stressed that if the two countries worked together
constructive solutions could be found to the problem.

In response to Turkey giving high points to Armenia in the Eurovision
Song Contest, Karekin II said that this should be seen as a positive
step.

–Boundary_(ID_SetT9OKH4arM32UUvmq t2w)–

ARMENIAN-AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS TAKING PART IN TERJENIAN-THOMAS ASSEMBLY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON

ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 12:00

Twenty Armenian-American college students, including two from Armenia,
are taking part in the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program
in Washington, while 14 others are enrolled in a similar program in
Yerevan, Armenia. Both groups will intern in their respective cities
while taking part in a series of cultural, social and educational
activities.

They hail from some of the most competitive schools in the country
and are pursuing degrees in political science, law and medicine,
and for the next two months they will take their first steps towards
professional careers and community leaderships as participants of
the Assembly’s summer intern programs.

Washington program participants will work in the offices of Senators
Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Carl Levin (D-MI) and Representatives Frank
Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ed Royce (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Anthony
Weiner (D-NY), as well as federal government agencies, non-governmental
organizations (NGO), media outlets and think tanks. Yerevan interns
– the largest group in the program’s history – will intern with the
Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Finance, the OSCE, the Nork Marsh
Medical Center, as well as with other Armenian government institutions
and NGOs.

While in Yerevan, interns will learn more about their ancestral home
through visits to historical and cultural sites in and around Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh. In addition to their internships, students meet
senior government officials and other prominent individuals. They
also have opportunities to meet socially with local Armenians.

This Is Lancashire, UK
June 23 2006

Suitor catches princess in the bath . . .
By Wes Wright

Iranian wall tile at Bolton Museum

AMONG the many works of art held in store by Bolton Museum and Art
Gallery is a beautiful Iranian wall tile.

Iran hits the headlines today because of its hardline leader and
nuclear ambitions. But before Ayatollah Khomeini led the Islamic
revolution of 1979, the country had a long history of visual arts,
including ceramic depictions of classic Persian stories. This week we
are focusing on this tile as part of our Hidden Treasures series,
which puts the spotlight on works of art or pieces of historical
importance which cannot be shown because of lack of space.

This exotic and detailed wall tile is one of the many artefacts in
store at Bolton Museum and Art Gallery which is unlikely to see the
light of day in the near future.

The work, entitled Khusraw sees Shirin Bathing, is a moulded and
glazed pottery tiledating back to the late 19th century.

continued…
Fiona Salvesen, keeper of art at Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, said:
"The tile depicts an episode from the poetic romance Krushaw and
Shirin by Nizanni (1632-1680).

"It illustrates the moment when the lovers cross paths and Khusraw
catches a glimpse of Shirin bathing. Khusraw and his companion are
shown on horseback, tentatively approaching the bathing maiden.

"The exotic and colourful flora and fauna of the courtyard heighten
the sensuality of the moment.

"As with examples from Western visual and literary culture, we see
that the act of washing can be transformed from a mere domestic act
into something altogether more significant, seductive and spiritual.

"This tile was probably made for the export market, rather than for a
specific interior within Iran. Images such as this were sought after
by Western collectors and enthusiasts of the exotic’ culture of the
Middle East."

The gallery has several other examples of ceramics from the Middle
East which are currently out on display.

The romance of Khusraw, the son of the King of Iran, and Shirin is a
classic text of Persian literature. It tells the story of the
courtship of the pre-Islamic king Khusraw Parviz and the Armenian
princess Shirin.

Shirin and Khusraw fell in love by seeing each other in portraits,
but their first meeting was long delayed. Before Shirin agreed to
marry Khusraw, there were obstacles to overcome, including the
vanquishing of Farhad, a rival for Shirin’s affections.

The poet Nizami created the romance for a local ruler in North-west
Iran in 1184, and from the 15th century manuscripts containing the
poem were often illustrated with miniature paintings and later
ceramics, including tiles.

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