Author: Tashjian Arbi

Workshop in Aleppo on the occasion of the International Children’s Day

Azad-Hye, Dubai, 09 August 2006: Hamazkayin’s "Arshile Gorky" art school in
Aleppo organized an outstanding art event in the city’s Public Park, where
children from Arabic and Armenian art schools took part.

Invitations for participation were sent to Aleppo’s different Arabic and
Armenian art schools for this one-day workshop. This event was part of the
activities of "Aleppo: Capital of Islamic Culture 2006", coinciding also
with the "International Children’s Day". The participant students were 6 to
12 years old.

Students from "Mardiros Sarian" art school, the Arabic charitable
association "Al-Ikha’a" (Brotherhood) for children with special needs and
another local school accepted the invitation.

The municipality of Aleppo, considering the importance of this event,
announced it as part of the celebrations dedicated to "International
Children’s Day", taking part between 8 to 13 July. Normally this celebration
occurs every year in Damascus, but Aleppo’s municipality wished to include
it this year in the activities of "Aleppo: Capital of Islamic Culture 2006",
under the patronage of Riad Na’asan Agha, Minister of Culture.

In the morning of 9 July 2006 Aleppo’s Public Park was full of life with
young artists. At 11 a.m. the Minister, accompanied by officials and
government representatives (Malak Yasin, Director of Children’s Department
in the Ministry of Culture; Mohammad Al Sissi, UNICEF Regional Director;
Kamel Kattan, Director of Aleppo’s Cultural Centre; Ma’an Shebli, Mayor of
Aleppo) visited the location.

They were all greeted at the entrance by Nerses Khederian (Head of
Hamazkayin’s Nigol Aghpalian Section) and Sonia Kaprielian (Director of
"Arshile Gorky" art school).

Sonia Kaprielian gave a briefing to the Minister and his entourage about the
Armenian community, the activities of Hamazkayin and in particular "Arshile
Gorky" art school. She explained that this event addresses the children of
Aleppo, spreading a message of love to the world through their work. This
effort was highly appreciated and admired by Minister Na’asan Agha.

Al Sissi (UNICEF Regional Director for Syria, Lebanon and Jordan) also
showed great interest. He declared that such an event was never seen before
in Syria. He requested to have the event documented and photographed as
reference to UNICEF’s different offices.

All the children participating in this activity were dressed in similar
T-shirts. Their heads were covered with caps protecting them from the heat
and on the T-shirts they carried colourful badges, showing their schools. At
every corner, sponsor "Nestlé" company’s van was providing cold drinks
quenching the thirst of the children and the visitors.

The children were busy drawing with chalk and paints. No time for
naughtiness! They worked in groups of 4-5 person each. One group painted
Aleppo’s citadel and its guardian Abu Firas Al-Hamadani, whose statue is
situated at the entrance of Aleppo’s public park. Others chose simpler
subjects; the sea or Cinderella, etc. The view was spectacular!.

The event was covered by many TV channels; Syrian, Iranian, Jordanian TVs
and Spacetoon channel. Some of them interviewed the little artists. They
also interviewed Sonia Kaprielian. She emphasized that this event was
organized by Aleppo’s Armenian community, dedicated to the city of Aleppo.
She also thanked the municipality for all the support and help it provided.

"Arshile Gorky" art school’s administrative board highly valued the efforts
of two of the instructors: Leda Guluzian and Vartkes Barsoumian, whose
efforts helped in the success of the event.

On the park’s stairs the children drew the logo of "Aleppo: Capital of
Islamic Culture 2006" and the logo of "International Children’s Day". The
scene was very touching, when at the end, the children together with the
help of their parents raised the 3 meters long and 6 meters wide Syrian flag
painted in 3 parts. To end the ceremony, Kaprielian drew the logo of
"Arshile Gorky" art school. A memorial photo was taken including all the
participants and organizers.

Thanks to "Mardiros Sarian" art school’s administrators and their teacher
Ella, also thanks to "Al-Ikha’a" association for children with special needs
and to A’ahed Bredy for her hard work.

This unique event definitely will have a positive impact in the future and
will leave its marks in Aleppo’s cultural history.

For more information on the activities of Arshile Gorky art school, please
contact Sonia Kaprielian at: [email protected]

Photos and Armenian text available at:
734sas67

AT MOSTLY MOZART, A TOUSLE-HAIRED NEWCOMER JOINS A RETURNING HERO

By STEVE SMITH
Published: August 7, 2006

The notion of viewing Mozart from the vantage point of what followed
him – both in close proximity and at a farther remove – is a central
principle of this year’s Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center.
The program presented by the guest conductor Osmo Vanska and the
festival orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall on Friday evening neatly
illustrated the concept, with a major work by Mozart preceded by
a modern homage and followed by a masterpiece by Beethoven, whose
revolutionary gestures were built on Mozart’s foundation.

Mr. Vanska, whose debut in the festival last year was a star-making
event, was greeted as a returning hero. An exacting musician, he
quickly revealed a care for textural balance and a predilection for
extremes of dynamics in the Swiss composer Frank Martin’s "Overture
in Homage to Mozart," a tart but genial Neo-Classical curtain-raiser
commissioned in 1956 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s
birth.

Taking advantage of the improved acoustics of the reconfigured Avery
Fisher Hall, Mr. Vanska established a subdued base-line dynamic.
Hushed pianissimos compelled listeners to lean in close, and accented
notes and louder passages leapt out in striking contrast.

Wielding his baton with an urgent sweep, Mr. Vanska propelled Mozart’s
Symphony No. 35, the "Haffner," at a tempo that initially seemed too
driven to sustain. Fine details of articulation were occasionally lost
in the headlong surge of the Allegro con spirito; that the ensemble
never lost cohesion was a testimony to its marked improvement over
the last few seasons.

Violins that were divided left and right on the stage yielded
heightened clarity in the clockwork Andante. Mr. Vanska led a courtly
Menuetto free of expressive quirks, and spurred a breathless Presto
finale.

The Armenian violinist Sergey Khachatryan, a 21-year-old past champion
of the Jean Sibelius and Queen Elisabeth competitions, made his
New York debut in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, a work that expanded
Mozart’s model of a virtuoso showcase into a forum for philosophical
rumination. Lanky and tousle-haired, Mr. Khachatryan projected intense
concentration in the first movement, his sweet tone and strikingly
introverted phrasing suggesting vulnerability and internal debate. He
shaped his lines fastidiously and executed them cleanly. Mr. Vanska,
departing from his previous metronomic precision, provided ideally
flexible accompaniment.

Clocking in at 26 minutes, the opening movement felt slightly prolonged
and episodic. Still, Mr. Khachatryan’s rapt account of Fritz Kreisler’s
cadenza was quietly dazzling, and his gentle sound against the muted
strings of the Larghetto was bewitching. The orchestra seemed to
breathe a collective sigh of relief when unleashed at last in a
buoyant Rondo, which elicited Mr. Khachatryan’s most effusive playing.

The audience responded with a tumultuous ovation, and Mr. Khachatryan
rewarded those who lingered with the Largo from Bach’s Unaccompanied
Sonata No. 3, broadly spun and richly expressive.

LOCAL PRODUCER MAY BE FORCED OUT OF DOMESTIC MARKET AS A RESULT OF DECLINE
IN EXPORTS AND GROWTH IN IMPORTS, EDUARD AGHAJANOV WARNS

YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The foreign trade deficit has increased
to about 35% of GDP in Armenia. No such index has ever been registered
in any other country. Economist Eduard Aghajanov stated this at the
August 4 press conference. In his words, this phenomenon is due to
the sharp depreciation of the US dollar in Armenia. "There is no
serious analytical center in Armenia to address problems caused by
the dollar’s depreciation and the Armenian dram’s appreciation,"
he noted. According to statistical data presented by E.

Aghajanov, in 2005, GDP grew by 13.9% and the foreign trade deficit
– by 28% in Armenia. In January-May 2006, GDP grew by 10.5% and the
foreign trade deficit – by 43.6%. That is, the deficit’s growth rate
exceeds fourfold that of GDP.

Aghajanov said that a record index of foreign trade deficit, amounting
to over 0.5 bln USD, was registered in the Armenian economy. In the
first five months of 2006, Armenia’s exports declined by 0.6%, while
imports grew by 19.9%. In the opinion of E. Aghajanov, this phenomenon
may have such a consequence for the Armenian economy as forcing the
national producer out of the domestic market. "To prevent the danger,
the authorities and the Central Bank of Armenia should conduct a
monetary and credit policy that will promote the business of the
national producer and exporter," he said. He noted that as a result
of all this, a considerable capital outflow occurs and many Armenian
businessmen establish production outside Armenia. In his words,
"the population is being persuaded that this is a natural phenomenon
for Armenia, as a lot of remittances come to Armenia." However, over
the past few months, 437 mln USD has flown into Armenia, while the
outflow made 950 mln USD. It means that an absolute dollar outflow
of 513 mln has occured. In foreign trade, a dollar outflow rather
than inflow has been registered, which should have been resulted in
the dram’s depreciation and the dollar’s appreciation. E. Aghajanov
said that a deficit of about 100 mln USD has been registered in
Armenia’s payment balance over the last few months. In 2005, the
Armenian dram appreciated by 16% but the payment deficit made 193
mln USD. In all cases, according to the independent economist, there
was a dollar outflow in Armenia, which should have brought about the
dollar’s appreciation and the Armenian dram’s depreciation. Thus,
in his opinion, the situation in Armenia is "higly illogical".

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

&quo t;CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM SPIRITUAL LEADERS
APPEAL FOR IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE"

Declared HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

Speaking to the press after the meeting of the spiritual Heads of the
Christian and Muslim communities in Lebanon, His Holiness Aram I, the head
of the Armenian Orthodox Community said: "This is the true Lebanon; this
togetherness of Muslim and Christian Spiritual leaders concretely manifest
the real image of Lebanon. This very meeting by itself is a living message.
It is a message of the crucial importance of coexistence; it is a message of
peace with justice; it is a message of compassion tolerance and mutual
respect. In fact, violence is not the way to solve problems. Dialogue,
mutual understanding and compromise based on justice and peace for all, is
the most efficient way of dealing with complex issues and situations".

Referring to the meeting of religious Heads, His Holiness Aram I said:
"Together with one voice in our joint declaration we appealed for immediate
ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities. We expressed our full support to
all actions and initiatives taken by the government of Lebanon. We
emphasized the importance of the expansion of the state’s authority over all
the territories of Lebanon. It is our firm expectation that international
community and particularly the United Nations will act decisively to stop
violence and help Lebanon to recover itself".

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Azeri diplomat: "Question of borders’ opening with
Armenia is outside Gars municipality’s competence"

Today, Azerbaijan
Aug 1 2006

"Borders between Turkey and Armenia might be opened within three
terms. Turkish President, prime minister and parliament leader have
announced these terms for several times.

"For opening of the borders Armenia should withdraw from alleged
genocide claims, refuse territorial claims against Turkey, and free
occupied Azerbaijani territories," Consul-General of Azerbaijan in
Gars has informed APA.

Expressing positive attitude to Gars municipality head Naif
Alibayoghlu’s opinion on necessity of opening of borders, Hasan
Zeynalov said that, there are forces in Turkey that are interested
in the opening of borders with Armenia.

It should be noted that Gars municipality’s head stated necessity
of opening of borders with Armenia in his interview given to Turkish
Daily News. He stressed that opening of borders will not only serve
development of Gars from economical view point, but also will be cheap
and reliable road for Turkish exporters for bringing their goods to
Middle Asia and Far East markets.

URL:

Iran’s embassy in Armenia condemns Zionist crimes in Lebanon

Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
Aug 1, 2006

Tehran, Aug 1, IRNA Iran-Embassy-Armenia

Iran’s embassy in Armenia by issuing a statement condemned savage
attacks on Palestinian and Lebanese people by warmonger Zionist regime.

According to Foreign Ministry Media Department on Monday, the embassy
by condemning horrible massacre of children, women and defenseless
men and wide demolishing of residential areas and infrastructures
in Palestine and Lebanon, along with all peace-lovers and justice
seekers in the world call for more efforts of world community,
especially the UN, to stop these crimes.

It continued regretfully in the recent weeks the world has witnessed
painful scenes of savage atrocities of the Zionist regime and full
and unconditional support of some military and political powers of
the world have disappointed everyone on the accomplishment of peace
and stability in the international system.

Kathimerini, Greece
July 29 2006

Turkish court rejects demand for damages against writer

ISTANBUL (AP) – A Turkish court yesterday dropped a lawsuit against
novelist Orhan Pamuk, rejecting a compensation demand by nationalists
from the author for claiming that Turkey had killed more than 1
million Armenians and more than 30,000 Kurds. Nationalist lawyer
Kemal Kerincsiz and five other nationalists were seeking 6,000
Turkish lira ($4,500 or 3,700 euros) each from Pamuk accusing him of
`insulting, humiliating and making false accusations.’ Kerincsiz had
instigated an earlier high-profile court case against Pamuk for the
same comments, but those charges were dropped earlier this year,
under harsh criticism from the EU, which Turkey hopes to join.

South Ossetia Braced for Conflict

Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
July 27, 2006

A summer full of fear and violence leaves South Ossetians expecting
the worst in the confrontation with Tbilisi.

By Irina Kelekhsayeva in Tskhinval

One of the points of tension in South Ossetia this July has been
the unofficial border-post between South Ossetia and Georgia near
the village of Ergneti. For several months now, the border has been
under the control of special units of the Georgian interior ministry
and military police. The Georgian troops are in uniform with black
masks hiding their faces.

For three weeks, a group of cars has been waiting at this post. Their
passengers are Russian, Armenian, and Lithuanian citizens of Armenian
origin – all of them wanting to travel to Armenia via South Ossetia,
after passing through North Ossetia and the Roki tunnel into the
unrecognised republic. They have about 20 children with them, who
cannot remember when they last took a bath or ate a proper meal.

Agaron Babaian, heading for Armenia from Volgograd, has been stuck here
for 19 days. He said that the only reason given to them for refusing
them onward passage is that "we’ve travelled through South Ossetia".

The hot summer is proving full of tension for South Ossetia. Georgian
defence minister Irakli Okruashvili recently raised the temperature
when he said he hoped to celebrate next New Year in Tskhinvali (which
Ossetians call Tskhinval).

Georgia’s conflict resolution minister Giorgi Khaindrava, who was
responsible for dealing with South Ossetia, was sacked on July 21
after openly disagreeing with Okruashvili about the situation in the
troubled region.

South Ossetia has been outside Tbilisi’s since 1992 and has declared
independence. After years of relative peace, fighting broke out there
again in the summer of 2004 and dozens of people were killed.

This summer, tensions are running particularly high near the
Tamarasheni, an ethnic Georgian village inside South Ossetia. Most
residents of South Ossetia have Russian passports, which provides a
pretext for the Georgian policemen near Tamarasheni to harass them.

Dina Alborova, a human rights campaigner from South Ossetia,
experienced this at first hand.

"At the end of June, I was going back home to Tskhinval from a
trip abroad," she said. "In Tamarasheni our car was stopped by two
Georgians, who asked us to show our passports. They looked through
our gear and started examining our documents. They had no military
insignia, and it was unclear which service they belonged to. Then
they started to demand an entrance visa to Georgia, although they
knew I lived in Tskhinval. They made fun of me, saying there was no
South Ossetia, there was only Georgia which I, a Russian citizen,
was trying to enter."

A businesswoman from Tskhinval, Zalina Gabayeva, says that after she
showed her Russian passport at the same checkpoint, a uniformed man
threatened to tear it up or rub out everything that was written in it.

The situation first began to heat up more than a month ago, after a
Georgian police post was unexpectedly moved 400 metres nearer to the
village of Pris on June 14 and a brigade of Georgian interior ministry
special forces appeared in the village, frightening the locals.

Then, early on the morning of July 9 the secretary of South Ossetia’s
security council, Oleg Alborov, was killed by a remote-controlled
bomb as he was opening the doors of his garage.

The South Ossetian authorities accused the Georgian government of
plotting Alborov’s assassination – although some locals are inclined
to point to other causes, such as an incident in which Alborov shot
dead a teenager trying to highjack his car.

Five days later, another explosion targeted Bala Bestauty, a deputy
in the South Ossetian parliament and commander of a defence ministry
unit. The explosion killed two teenagers who were passing by, while
Bestauty himself escaped death.

Bestauty is a popular and respected figure in South Ossetia who took
part in the defence of the Pris Heights above Tskhinval in 2004,
so most people saw this as a purely politically motivated attack.

Predictions that war was about to break out became rife on July 13 and
14, when travellers on the Trans-Caucasian highway connecting South
Ossetia and Russia saw a military column of 300 military vehicles,
tanks and other military equipment moving towards the Roki Tunnel
from the North Ossetian side.

Three days passed before any information was made public, and it was
then announced that the armoured column was taking part in Russian
"military exercises" in the North Caucasus

On July 16, the parliament of Northern Ossetia, on the Russian side
of the border, passed a resolution promising to "provide any kind of
help to our brothers in South Ossetia if necessary".

In its turn, the Georgian parliament passed a July 18 resolution
calling for the withdrawal of all Russian peacekeeping forces from
both Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The sacking of Khaindrava on July 21 confirmed in the minds of many
that Georgia was preparing for war.

Boris Chochiev, South Ossetia’s chief negotiator in the talks with
Georgia, commented, "The ‘party of war’ in the Georgian leadership is
taking the lead. The resignation of Giorgi Khaindrava is a continuation
of the programme devised by defence minister Irakli Okruashvili and
it’s aimed at resolving the conflict by force."

South Ossetian resident Yuri Dzidtsoity agrees. "I think war is a
real prospect," he said. "A gun hanging on the wall in the first act
of a play is sure to go off in the second. If they hold exercises,
and build bases and morgues, then they have some intentions. Russia
taking its troops to the Roki Tunnel is no coincidence either. It’s
ludicrous to think that [the Georgians and Russians] will just exchange
fire and bypass our territory."

South Ossetia is thus bracing itself for conflict. Men of all ages
have been receiving call-up papers and are preparing to be drafted
into armed militias.

Even patients at the Nadezhda addiction clinic are being drafted. The
director of the centre Lira Tskhovrebova said that two of her charges
had been called up and would have to cut short the treatment and go
for military drilling. Other South Ossetians say they are praying
they won’t be caught up in a new war.

According to teacher Esma Abayeva, "A war will begin only if their
[the Georgians’] heads stop working. Because that will be the end
of Georgia, as it is sure to lose the war. If a war does begin, I’m
not going anywhere. I was born here, I live here and I have to see
my people become free at last."

Pensioner Vera Jagayeva said, "I don’t think there will be a war. I’m
sure of it, because Georgians know that they won’t win this war. This
is what all ordinary Georgians are sure of, too. If a war does start,
I will send my children away, but I won’t move a single step out of
here myself. I’m certain ordinary Georgians don’t want a war either."

Irina Kelekhsayeva is a freelance journalist in Tskhinval, South
Ossetia.

ARKADY GHOUKASYAN: MATTHEW BRYZA’S VISIT – GOOD CHANCE TO PRESENT NKR’S POSITION"

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
July 25, 2006

"I do not consider that the mediators have new proposals, however,
in any case, the U. S. Co-Chair’s visit is a good chance for us to
present our position both to Mathew Bryza and other Co-Chairs", Nagorno
Karabakh Republic President Arkady Ghoukasyan stated, while commenting
on the U. S. Co-Chair Matthew Bryza’s forthcoming visit to the region,
including Stepanakert. At the same time Arkady Ghoukasyan noted that
Nagorno Karabakh’s participation was necessary not only for the NKR,
but for the settlement process as a whole. "Sooner or later Nagorno
Karabakh will participate in the process by all means, as without
taking into consideration NKR people’s opinion the problem cannot be
settled. When will it be? I do not believe that at present Azerbaijan
is ready to negotiate with Nagorno Karabakh. Azerbaijan avoids talks
with us, since its position is destructive", stated the President.

Answering a question on the conduct of a repeated referendum on the
Nagorno Karabakh’s status, Arkady Ghoukasyan noted a referendum had
already been conducted in the Nagorno Karabakh, and its outcomes
were obvious for everyone. "If today there were guarantees that the
international community would recognize tomorrow’s referendum, we would
consider it", NKR President stated, REGNUM Information Agency reports.

DOES HMAYAK UNDERSTAND SERGE OR SIMPLY MAKES UNDERSTAND?

Lragir.am
25 July 06

Member of Parliament Hmayak Hovanisyan, political scientist, told Serge
Sargsyan July 25 at the Pastark Club that he does not understand. The
minister of defense was not at the Pastark Club, of course, and Hmayak
conveyed his worries to him indirectly. However, the message of worries
about the fate of the defense minister teaches a good lesson. According
to Hovanisyan, the present goal of the government is to get over the
mistrust of the public towards the government, and "it was supposed
that by taking up a leading position in the Republican Party Serge
Sargsyan would enable getting over this public mistrust."

"He must give serious signals that he has decided to change the
situation inside the Republican Party fundamentally, politicize
this political party, involve serious political figures, push them
forward. What do we have now? People become members of the council,
who enter the parliament to beat people and get away with it. Well,
what problem is being solved? In my opinion, the consequences will be
heavy, it will be very difficult for the country. The opposition does
not have anything to worry about. It is an exceptional chance for the
opposition," says Hmayak Hovanisyan. According to him, Serge Sargsyan
could remain non-partisan but in fact control 90 percent of forces
which have just entered the parliament, and remain a non-political
factor.

"Serge Sargsyan chose a path which will fairly politicize the upcoming
parliamentary election. The target was highlighted. For instance, you
are dissatisfied with building, you are dissatisfied with injustice,
you are dissatisfied that the problem of savings was not settled,
you are dissatisfied that the right for property is violated, some
people kill people in broad daylight and get away with it. These 73
people are responsible for everything, these are people’s enemies,
they torture the country, they plunder the country, they must be
uprooted to heal the situation," Hmayak Hovanisyan marks the possible
approach of the opponents of the Republican Party. They are surprised
why Serge Sargsyan chose the path of becoming a target.

"Serge Sargsyan said this is my team and joined in with this
conglomerate including only oligarchs, the business elite, persons
whom people consider the plunderers of their property, why did he go
in this situation, I cannot understand, for it was pointless because
he directed it at any rate," says the political scientist.

He believes that Serge Sargsyan’s way is not the way Vazgen Sargsyan
passed. Hmayak Hovanisyan said Vazgen Sargsyan realized that the
oligarchs were to be isolated, "He wanted to lock them in a trunk".
According to Hmayak Hovanisyan, he understood that it was necessary for
his reputation. The political scientist thinks there are a number of
positive people, with whom Serge Sargsyan could cooperate and change
his image, and it is not clear why he did not do. It is unclear for
Hmayak. "The oligarchs must be used, not shown, they are not fit for
showing," says Hmayak Hovanisyan. According to him, Serge Sargsyan did
not need insurance from internal foes in the country, because there are
no such, says Hmayak Hovanisyan. He thinks that there are no serious
opponents of Serge Sargsyan in Armenia. The political scientist thinks
Serge Sargsyan should have tackled external challenges, whereas his
step may intensify challenges, Hmayak believes.

"In the countries where there is an immense gap between the public
and the government, let alone deep hatred for the government,
there is possibility under the influence of serious political
centers of international politics, under a geopolitical center,
this dissatisfaction, this hatred for the government will allow home
political changes, revolutionary changes. This is an axiom," says
Hmayak Hovanisyan, adding that the society is waiting for external
assistance.

"This is the consequence of the approach "nothing compares with
us", which will become a boomerang and strike the administration,
the government, the stable elite, who do not understand they need
to change their reputation in the eyes of the people," announces
Hmayak Hovanisyan.