Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

CONCERT TIMED TO MOTHER’S DAY CELEBRATED ON APRIL 7 IN ARMENIA WILL
TAKE PLACE AT KAREN DEMIRCHYAN SPORTS AND CONCERT COMPLEX

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMINFO. A concert timed to the Mother’s and Beauty
Day celebrated on April 7 in Armenia will take place at Karen
Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex the same day.

The concert with participation of Armenian singers is organized by the
“Nig- Aparan” Charity Organization of Countrymen. Talking to ARMINFO,
Representative of the Organization Committee Ofelia Petrosyan says
that the entry to the concert is free.

GIBRAHAYER
e-magazine
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http:// gibrahayer.cyprusnewsletter.com

The largest circulation Armenian
online e-magazine on the WWW

ACTION ALERT ECHOES LOUD AND CLEAR

Gibrahayer March 16, 2005 – Nicosia: A campaign in a local
English-language
newspaper initiated by Gibrahayer e-magazine over a publication in The
Cyprus Mail, sent a loud and clear message to all Cypriots that a
politicised Armenian community in Cyprus – irrespective of political
beliefs
and orientation – is monitoring political happenings and most important
of
all is ready to act swiftly when called upon.
The Cyprus Mail received tens of letters from the Armenian
community
of Cyprus, expressing its disappointment and anger over a publication
that
was signed by a certain Nicos Margolis from London. The newspaper is
still
receiving a strong reaction to the letter.
One of the first to respond was Armenian Representative Bedros
Kalaydjian. The Cyprus Mail is publishing all received letters in the
Letters to the Editor section.
Gibrahayer e-magazine will publish the complete community
reaction
with a special publication on Thursday 17 March 2005.

AMERICA STILL PLAYING WORD GAMES
Mihran Keheyian – London

I highly commend Ambassador John Evans for having the moral courage
of
his conviction to tell the truth during his UC Berkeley gathering.
During
the same event, Ambassador John Evans also made US foreign policy very
clear
when he said, “I think it is unbecoming of us as Americans to play word
games here. I believe in calling things by their names.” And he did
call
“things” by their names: His Excellency did call the tragic events which
took place at the beginning of the 20th century a “Genocide.”
But then he issued a statement to clarify his comments which he
says
were misunderstood. In his clarification, which was published on the
Embassy’s Website at , he states that although what he said
was
his personal view, it “was inappropriate.” However, he does not clarify
what he considered to be inappropriate. Was it inappropriate to call it
a
“Genocide”? Was it inappropriate to speak in personal capacity? Was it
inappropriate for him to call this thing by its name? or, Was it
inappropriate to speak freely in the country of “freedom of speech”
about a
subject he had researched, consulted with others at the US State
Department
and had gotten confirmation on?
Another statement the Ambassador made at UC Berkeley was his pledge
to
do a “better job at addressing this issue.” And a few days later, his
“better job” was to find it inappropriate to call it a “Genocide.” True,
he
had addressed the issue of the Armenian Genocide courageously based on
his
personal conviction, unlike many American Diplomats or Politicians, and
for
that he should be praised. After all, the Ambassador is an expert on
Ottoman
History and has studied this issue in depth. He spoke as a historian-and
perhaps not a diplomat-at the informal meeting with American-Armenians
at UC
Berkeley, and fulfilled the demand of the Turkish Government that this
issue
should be handled by historians and not politicians. As a historian, he
called the tragic events a “Genocide.” As a diplomat, he issued a
statement
explaining the US policy on this subject, but he still stood by his
personal
conviction that it was a “Genocide.”
Also, Ambassador Evans, at the end of his clarification statement,
“deeply regrets any misunderstanding” caused by his comments. His
statements
about the Genocide were clearly put in plain English:
“I will call it the Armenian Genocide.”
“The Armenian Genocide was the first Genocide of the 20th Century.”
A lawyer at the State Department confirmed that the events of 1915 were
“genocide by definition.”
The above-mentioned statements uttered at the UC Berkeley meeting
cannot be misunderstood. They are in very simple English, and to the
point.
By stating that he regrets “any misunderstanding caused” by his
comments, he
is playing games or insulting those who heard him utter these words.
Furthermore, what he said in his personal capacity about the status
of
Nagorno Karabakh is commendable. On a personal level, he does realise
that
returning the enclave to Azerbaijan would be disastrous. Yet in his
“diplomatic” statement, he again plays on words and gives us the
“dictate”
from the US State Department about supporting the territorial integrity
of
Azerbaijan, and that the future of the enclave is a matter of
negotiation
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. As a historian, his excellency failed to
note that Artsakh, a.k.a. Nagorny Karabakh, belongs to the Armenians,
as
the CIA report has alr eady confirmed this.
Ambassador Evans by issuing his statement to correct what was
allegedly
misunderstood only proves that the US is playing games, whether
unbecoming
to Americans or not does not seem to concern his government. It is this
play
on words by a country which claims to defend human rights that has sadly
opened the door to countries such as Nazi Germany to commit the
Holocaust
against the Jews, the Genocide in Cambodia, the Genocide against the
Tutsi’s
in Rwanda, and more recently the Genocide in Darfur, and so many other
atrocities against other groups of people such as the gypsies, and the
Kurds
whereby 3000 Kurdish villages were razed to the gro und by the Turkish
NATO
army in the 80’s, and so on.
Ambassador Evans should call a spade a spade and encourage other
diplomats and politicians to have the moral courage to follow suit. Only
when the President of the US changes his annual statement on ARMENIAN
REMEMBRANCE DAY to the annual ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DAY, only then will the
US
prove to the world that it is truly the leader in defending Human Rights
and
justice throughout the world, instead of sacrificing its declared
principles
of Human Rights for political interests as is the case now. Until such
time,
the credibility of the US in relation to Human Rights and Justice will
remain slim because although it preaches to others these principles, it
does
not practice what it preaches. Only when the US recognises the Armenian
Genocide will it be known to the world that it is not playing word
games.

RECOMMENDED SITES
From
Armen Hovhanessian
Hagop Ipdjian &

Our website has recently been updated.
New highlights include:
– Recommended Armenian events taking place in London during March &
April
– Photos from our last party
– Meet the HYE Crew
– Brand new poll… tell us what kind of music you want to hear at our
parties. VOTE NOW!

This year, March and April is a busy period for the Armenian Community
in
London, especially with events taking place in conjunction with the 90th
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. We will be bringing you updates of
events taking place on our site and via email as soon as we are aware of
them. Some are already posted on the Hye2Hye section of the site.
We welcome any feedback, so please visit and give us your
views.
Our next event is our Annual Summer Boat Party on June 11th. More
details to
follow soon…..
[email protected]

Hi Simon,
I want you to know that Your “Gibrahayer” is generating great interest
within the Armenian and non-Armenian circles.
Best regards – Victor Pinasi

Sireli Simon,
I would like to once again congratulate you and your team for
providing
Armenians around the world, with valuable, detailed news, pictures,
websites…keep up the nice, hard work. I wish others would also create
similar newsletter like yours Simon.
Also I WOULD HARTLEY CONGRATULATE ‘ARARAT’ FUTSAL TEAM,MANAGEMENT,
FANS, FOR accomplishing another CYPRIOT FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP, more
honours to
the Armenian community in Cyprus…also to all foreigners who either
played
with ARARAT team or supported this wonderful team, which carries the
name,
of our beloved, holiest mountains, MOUNT ARARAT, in occupied Western
Armenia…I wish more honours, luck, wins in the EUROPEAN LEVEL, LIKE
UEFA.
Well done everyone..
I would also like to express my thanks to JEAN IPDJIAN and TATIANA
FERAHIAN an d others for their participation in your work. Keep it up.
My friends, relatives and myself that read this newsletter in
Australia, and are full of admiration and wish you all the best for the
future.
As to savemelkonian.org articles/websites, I DO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE
TO
READ THESE ARTICLES WITH OPEN MINDS. I would like to say there are
always
two sides/versions. BUT AS MY BELOVED FATHER,VAROUJAN BEDIKIAN,GOD BLESS
HIS
SOUL, used to say, in RAMGAVAR PARTY AND IN AGBU, there always are
BAD/CORRUPTED PEOPLE as well as REALLY GOOD, AND GENUINE PERSONALITIES.
RAMGAVAR/AGBU..ARE PARTIES / UNIONS…FORMED BY PEOPLE FOR THE
PEOPLE…FOR KEEPING OUR HERITAGE, CULTURE, EDUCATION OF THE ARMENIAN
PEOPLE…mistakes/corruption/gambling/money expenditure always happens
in
all parties/unions/societies. We, as members, x-members, friends,
supporters
to these parties/unions should bring everything up to the surface.
Justice
should be done, sooner or later. Let us focus on cleaning our Armenian
parties, unions and schools.
Ara Bedikian – Australia

OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Paris, March 14, 2005, /Jean Eckian – An Internet site of the Armenian
community of France (Net Armenie.com – news and forum) with fact
undergoes
one of hackers of Azerbaijan. The site is in the moment out of order. It
was
not the first time. To sign their heinous crime, the hackers posted the
flags Azerbaijan and Turkey. See link :

Dear Simon,
My name is Andrea Daghlian and I am member of the Armenian Community,
here
in Montevideo, Uruguay. I am writing to you in order to thank you
because
of sending me news related to my loved Armenia.
I have been reading the page and I think that is very interesting.
Thank you very much.
Best regards.
Andrea Daghlian
HUGHES & HUGHES, 25 de Mayo 455 4° piso-11000 Montevideo – Uruguay

Dear friends, my latest three columns can be viewed at the following
links:

A pair doesn’t beat a flush

Aram, snoop and the green dragon
4416p-6167c.html
One city under the chupah
2986p-4306c.html

Have a good week,
Patrick Azadian [email protected]

Simon,
How are you doing? I hope things are well in Cyprus. I wanted to let
you
know that I enjoy reading the publication you send me. It is really a
great
publication. It is a way for us to keep up with Armenian Events and
News.
Being in Oklahoma, it makes it quite difficult to know what is going on
in
the Armenian Community. Thanks again and keep in touch!!
Rouben Tourian – Oklahoma

TATIANA’S CORNER
This corner is reserved for local artist Tatiana Ferahian’s comic strips
which are amalgamations of Armenian-Cypriot social commentaries, painted
with her usual wry and ironic humour, to stimulate and encourage
awareness
and interest toward our community’s everyday happenings.

PROOF THAT EVOLUTION CAN BY-PASS SOME RACES
Ardavast Vahani Avedissian
It has been my experience that we humans can grasp the meaning of
time
when it is presented to us in blocks of 20 years, no matter what our age
is.
Recent events have got me thinking once again about evolution. I
have
always tried to say that the 1915 Genocide of the Armenians was
perpetrated
by the Ottoman Turks, and that we should not blame today’s Turkey
directly,
insisting however that we are entitled to a proper apology, at the very
least.
Recent rabid pronouncements by the Turkish Media however has got me
thinking that perhaps we Armenians should stop blaming the Turks
altogether.
We are blaming a nation for not having the necessary level of
cultural
maturity, to at least say they are sorry that their grandfathers
perpetrated
the first Genocide of the 20th century AND the forgotten last of the
19th
century.
We are being very unfair to the Turkish Govt’s policy of insisting
that
the sky is Yellow not Blue, we keep forgetting that after all we are not
dealing with a nation known for its constructive contribution to this
planet, or its brainpower.
Has anyone heard of a Turkish Philanthropist? Perish the thought! A
Scientist? A Musician? A Builder? A builder!? Now we are delving into
the
realms of comedy, Turks as builders indeed.
Considering just how much their economy depends on revenue from
Germany
one would have thought that at least some German culture would have
rubbed
off on them, but alas no, an idiot is an idiot no matter where.
In 1915 five of my six uncles were slaughtered in Adana whilst
working
in their fields, if the Turks think that the ir souls and the souls of
the
1,500,000 they butchered are at rest they are gravely wrong, maybe not
today
or tomorrow morning but what goes round comes round, in due course Karma
will extract its terrible but justified penalty from the descendants of
the
murderers, remember the quote from the Bible “and the sins of the
fathers
shall descend upon the heads of their offspring”.
It is also a fact that some of the Kurdish population took part in
the
Genocide and profited from it, but as events in the last 30 years show
they
paid dearly for their actions, in their case “what goes round, did
indeed
came round”.
Yes, I admit that I erred, I should have realized that in
evolutionary
terms 90 years is but a millisecond for some nations, and I should not
have
expected a base race, like the Turks, to have advanced in any way.
Yup, evolution is very, very slow, but I suspect that in the case
of an
ethnic group l ike the Turks it has and will always bypass them,
considering
it as a lost cause.
As for the Azeris, what can one say? If they do not like what
happened
to them they should not have perpetrated Sumgait.
I am always amazed at the Azeri propaganda, not sure if we should
be
angry with them or pity them, the latest aired on their LIDER TV on the
28th
of Feb “Armenians used to capture Azeri girls and make kebab from their
flesh for their parties” well, well, I mean doesn’t everyone?! They
really
are a pathetic case.
For the last 4 years I have lived surprisingly happy in Armenia but
I
am not an Armenian citizen.
The British Embassy in Yerevan quite rightly protects its citizens
and
they informed me quite a while back that in case of “troubles” they were
ready to evacuate me, bless them.
I replied thanking them and pointed out that in case of “troubles”
yes
indeed I would quit Armenia but not for the UK, but to Baku.
There are a couple of nice houses there near the Diplomatic quarter
I
have my eye on.
The Azeris & the Turks are not able to judge Armenian resolve, and
if
the Azeris want to start again, I am waiting, I will be in the front
line
from day one, at Horadis, why Horadis I hear you ask? Well it’s the
nearest
Armenian Army post to Baku, so I do not have to walk a lot, I am 70
after
all.

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NEWS IN BRIEF
In an effort to help alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions
in Javakhk, the Armenian Relief Society of Western US Javakhk Fund
Committee
organised a dinner reception onboard the “MV Majestic” on March 6,
raising
$50,000 during the event.
Seven Armenian Glendale men have pleaded guilty to charges of operating
a
Russian-Armenian crime ring that smuggled nearly $9 million in
contraband
cigarettes from Virginia to Los Angeles.
AGBU Young Professionals of Northern California hosted i ts sixth
annual
Winter Gala Getaway Weekend last month. Over 250 young professionals
from
throughout the country assembled in San Francisco for a weekend of fun,
raising $2,000 for AGBU Childrenâ’s Centers in Armenia.
Armenia took a step toward combating smoking last week as the â`Law on
Restriction of Tobacco Realisation, Consumption and Usageâ’ came into
effect.
The law which is to be implemented in three phases envisages that by
next
year smoking in public places, such as hospitals, cultural and education
institutions, public transports and sport halls will be forbidden. The
sale
of cigarettes to minors (below age 18) is forbidden since the beginning
of
this month.
Armenian ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan received over 400 complaints in two
months of this year, among them 239 in writing.
Azeri soldiers attempted to cross the front-line near the
Armenian-controlled village of Seysulan on a “Reconnaissance & sabotage”
mission before being repelled by Armenian forces.
Experts from Qatar are to arrive in Armenia to interview several dozens
of
Armenians who have qualified for working in the Gulf country as computer
specialists and hospital nurses.
Multi-Platinum-selling group System Of A Down will headline “Souls
2005,” a
benefit concert presented by KROQ-FM, and held in LA on Sunday April 24
at
Universal Amphitheatre
Greta Khandzrtyan, a n above the knee double amputee from Armenia,
completed the 26-mile wheelchair division of the Los Angeles Marathon
last
Sunday in 3 hours and 19 minutes.
ARF Dashnaktsoutiun Bureau delegation, comprised of Grigor Erjenian and
Gaspar Karapetian, last week took part in the 7th congress of the Greece
Socialist Movement, PASOK.

g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r

* The last of the Lecture series dedicated to clergymen that were
killed in
the Armenian Genocide of 1915 will continue on Wednesday 16 March 2005 –
Elsy Utudjian will present the life and work of Shavarsh
Dz.Vart.Sahagian
(1881 – 1915)
* Arevakal and Hsgoum ceremonies begin from Wednesday 9 February, 2005
as
follows: Every Wednesday and Friday – Arevakal 7:40 am and Hsgoum at
6:00 pm
* Opening of a Painting Exhibition of Armenian Cypriot Artists,
organised by
The Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association Cyprus Chapter at
The
Utudjian Hall of The Armenian Prelature, on Friday 18 March, 2005 at
7:30
pm. The Exhibition will remain open until the 20th of March, 2005.
* Dzaghgazart Sunday March 20, 2005. Holy Mass and Tapor by the children
of
the Armenian community, at Sourp Asdvadzadzin Churc h. Trmpatsek
ceremony
same day at 6:00 pm.
* Easter Sunday March 27, 2005. Holy Mass at Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church
followed by Easter Lunch at AYMA. Details to follow.
* Armenian Cultural Event â` Dance & Poetry April 8 , 2005 at 7:30 p.m.,
MEI
Auditorium. Organised by the AGBU â` Melkonian Educational Institute with
the
participation of Melkonian Students.
* The “Sipan” Dance Group of Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational
Association
of Cyprus will be presenting the Musical Performance of Toumanyian
“Famous
Children’s Stories” on Sunday April 10, 2005 at 7:30 pm at PASIDY
Auditorium.
* Armenian Cypriot artist Nanor Tashdjian will be exhibiting her works
in
Cardiff, Wales. from April 12 – April 21, 2005 at the Temple of Peace,
Cathays Park.(Tel 02920 228549) The exhibition, entitled “The Battle
Field”
is partly a reflection by Nanor on her background. She was born during
the
Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and identifies strongly with her
grandparents,
orphaned during the genocide. The exhibition will be held in the foyer
of
the entrance to the Temple of Peace, from April 12 -21 from 9.00 a.m.
till
5.00p.m.(not the weekend). The exhibition will culminate in a
Commemorative
meeting at The Temple of Peace (upstairs Council Committee room) at 7.00
p.m. on Wednesday, 20th April.This will be the fifth Welsh National
Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, organised by Wales-Armenia
Solidarity , in co-operation with CRAG, London. Taking part will
Caerphilly
Labour Councillor and Human Rights campaigner Ray Davies and other
politicians and the well-known poet Mike Jenkins of Merthyr. He will
read
his poem “Komitas”. Another Welsh poet Chris Williams will read hos poem
“Horseshoes” inspired by the reading of “The Burning Tigris” All the
major
Christian Churches will be represented. This meeting will emphasise once
again that the Welsh Political, Cultural and Religious establishment has
no
sympathy with the British Government denial of the genocide..
* The “Timag” Theatre Company of Hama zkayin Cultural and Educational
Association of Cyprus is getting ready for its annual performance which
will
take place on Sunday May 8, 2005 at 8:30 pm (note the new date)
* Armenian musical duo of Jean Davidian and Marie Louise Kouyoumdjian
perform at Champs every Friday at 9:30 pm. Reservations on 22 873888.
They
will also be performing at the Palm Beach Hotel in Larnaca twice a week
starting from April 2005.
* Commemoration of The Armenian Genocide â` 90th Anniversary April 20,
2005
at 7:30 p.m., MEI Auditorium. Organised by the AGBU â` Melkonian
Educational
Institute with the participation of Melkonian Students.
* Lecture by Peter Balakian on Friday May 20, 2005 organised by The
Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association Cyprus Chapter. Details
to
follow.
* Cyprus Dart Championships. AYMA/HMEM is participating in the Cyprus
Dart
League with home matches being played every other Thursday at AYMA.
* AYF Badanegan Mioutian get-togethers take place on Saturday at 3:30 pm
at
AYMA. Contact Vartoog Karageulian on 24-659245.
* Practices of the “Sipan” Dance Group of Hamazkayin Cultural and
Educational Association of Cyprus for the Musical Performance of
Toumanyian
“Famous Children’s Stories” take place as follows: Every Friday and
Sunday
at 5:30 pm and every Saturday at 4:30 pm
* AYMA/HMEM Chicco Football practices take place every Friday from 7:00
–
8:30 pm for children starting from the age of 7. Contact Krikor
Mahdessian
on 99650897.
* AYMA/HMEM Table Tennis practices take place every Saturday from 5:30
pm
under the guidance of ex-Cyprus Champion Sirvart Costanian. Classes for
all
ages.
* AYF meetings every Wednesday at 9:00 pm at AYMA. This week’s meeting
is
postponed because of three community events on March 2.
* AYMA/HMEM Football team practices take place every Thursday at 7:30
pm.
* For more details of the next Bible Study Class organised by the
Armenian
Prelature at the Vahram Utudjian Hall of The Armenian Prelature call
Father
Momik Habeshian direct on 99 307966 or at the Prelature Office on 22
493560
email [email protected]
* Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation via real
audio
on . Broadcast 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time
(14:00-15:00
GMT)
* The Armenian Prelature announces that the n ext permit for the
Armenian
Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is on Sunday
March
28, 2005
* Every Wednesday from 7-8 pm (Cyprus time + 2 GMT) on CyBC’s Trito,
Puzant
Nadjarian presents the “History of the Blue”. Internet edition on

Kommersant, Russia
March 16 2005

Abkhazia Prepares to Become Part of Georgia

// As far as the Russian military is concerned

Friendship of the Nations

Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh has returned from his first visit
to Moscow as president. He told a press conference on Tuesday that
the issues he discussed there were of a purely economic nature.
Something else was clear from his statements, however. Everything
that is economic in the unrecognized state is inseparable from the
political.

Bagapsh did not specify whom he met with in Moscow. He only said that
he met with Russian ministers and businessmen and discussed potential
investments in the resort industry and energy supplies. He also said
that he raised the question of restoring railroad connections between
Russia and Abkhazia and beyond, through Georgia to Armenia. It is
hard to say whether that question is more pressing for Moscow or
Sukhumi. That rail line connects Abkhazia with Russia, and Russia
with its military bases in Armenia. Georgia will have a different
reaction to the issue, since the restoration of the rail line will
strengthen both Abkhazia and the Russian military presence in the
Transcaucasus. But Abkhazian officials intend to win Georgia’s
agreement to the project in their next negotiations. It is likely to
be another one of the issues that Georgia will have to settle in
order to attain other concessions from Abkhazia. The next meeting
between Abkhazian, Georgian and Russian officials on settlement of
the regional conflict will take place in Geneva in April.

The Abkhazians reacted quickly to the strain over Russian military
bases in Georgia. They offered the Russian military accommodation in
Abkhazia in exchange for the bases that they are sooner or later sure
to lose in Georgia. The possibility of a Russian base returning to
Gudauta is, in the words of Bagapsh, `a positive factor.’ He
mentioned that Russian and Georgia were negotiating the establishment
of a joint antiterrorism center and, in that connection, he met with
`several law-enforcement officials’ and suggested that `one of those
centers could be a military base in Gudauta, where all the conditions
for it already are in place. That is a normal process and we have
always been in favor of keeping the bases, since the Russian bases in
Abkhazia are a factor for the stability of the republic. Therefore,
our position here is unequivocal.’

Georgia has been insistently raising the issue of replacing Russian
peacekeepers in Abkhazia with contingents from other countries, from
Ukraine or NATO, for instance. `Of course, one side can demand the
withdrawal of the Russian peacekeepers,’ Bagapsh commented. `But it
requires the agreement of both sides to introduce a new contingent.
Our side has a very definite opinion about it and it is very simple.
There is no need to talk about Russian aggression in the
Transcaucasus and so on. It’s just that, when we were having a hard
time after the war in 1992-1993, nobody and came stood along that
line. Only Russia came. No other republic of the CIS sent its
soldiers. The Russian peacekeepers took the hardest part on
themselves. And they left behind 96 dead. We shouldn’t forget that.
That means that we will not let any other peacekeeping forces except
Russian onto our territory. And if it happens that the Russian
peacekeepers leave, we will take up their positions ourselves. But
that will mean an escalation.’ With that statement, the president
ended the months-long discussion of the pro-Georgian position of his
block. It is clear that he had no pro-Georgian position, and never
will now. It can also be seen that his trip to Moscow was even more
productive than he admits.

That may be why Bagapsh has stated very strongly that rumors of
disagreements between him and vice president Raul Khadzhimba, who is
considered a Kremlin puppet, are groundless. And that the recent
attempt on the life of Abkhazian Prime Minister and presidential
adviser Alexander Ankvaba s not the doing of the Kremlin, but of the
local criminal groups that control the political life of the
republic.

`The investigation is continuing, but no one has been arrested so
far,’ Bagapsh said. `Several people from the criminal elements were
taken into custody and then released because investigators think it
was a political act. I hope that the investigation will uncover who
is behind it, although the handwriting is similar to notorious
murders in Abkhazia before it. Therefore, it has been suggested that
it was a directed effort by someone’s henchmen. We’ll find out
whose.’

Bagapsh also met with Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II on
Tuesday. They discussed the participation of the Russian Orthodox
Church in the restoration of the Novoafonsky and Iversky Monasteries.
The Church has actually been involved supporting those monasteries
for a long time already. The Abkhazian president understood, of
course, while talking of the importance of restoring those
monasteries, that, in Russia, where Church and state are practically
inseparable, a meeting with the Patriarch is a strong sign of support
from the Kremlin.

by Olga Allenova

PRESS RELEASE OF NKR MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
14 March 05

On March 9 at the northeastern part of the NKR – Azerbaijani border,
near the settlement of Seysulan, the NKR region of Martakert, the
Azerbaijani armed forces opened gunfire in an attempt to approach the
frontier of the NKR Defence Army. The Karabakh forces answered them
with gunfire. The skirmish resultedin casualties on both sides. The
press service of the NKR Defence Army reminds that despite the calls
of Karabakh, the military authorities of Azerbaijan do not stop
provocative actions which may have a negative impact on the situation
at the border and in the entire region. The NKR authorities informed
the relevant international organizations of the destructive actions of
Azerbaijan and the developments on the line of demarcation.

AA.
14-03-2005

ARKA News Agency
March 15 2005

Conference of the Republican Steering Committee in support of Nagorno
Karabakh to be held on March 18 in Yerevan

`ARKA’ News Agency starts issuing quarterly financial-economic
bulletin `Credit Institutions of Armenia’

Official visit of the Speaker of the Representatives Chamber of
Belarus to Armenia to take place on March 16-19

Meeting of the Ministers of Home Affairs of states-members of the
Council of Europe to take place in Warsaw on March 17-18

Presentation of the cycle of books `Library of European Integration’
will take place in Yerevan on March 16

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

CONFERENCE OF THE REPUBLICAN STEERING COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF NAGORNO
KARABAKH TO BE HELD ON MARCH 18 IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Conference of the Republican Steering
Committee in Support of Nagorno Karabakh will be held on March 18 in
Yerevan, as stated Aram Sargsyan, the leader of of Democratic Party
of Armenia. According to him, the conference will assess the PACE
resolution on Nagorno Karabakh, and the participants will also adopt
another resolution. Invitations were sent to all interested parties.
L.V. – 0

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

`ARKA’ NEWS AGENCY STARTS ISSUING QUARTERLY FINANCIAL-ECONOMIC
BULLETIN `CREDIT INSTITUTIONS OF ARMENIA’

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. From March 15, 2005, the `ARKA’ news
agency starts issuing the financial-economic bulletin `Credit
Institutions of Armenia’ (key activity indices). This quarterly
bulletin is based on the officially published financial reports of
credit institutions on their activities.
The bulletin has about 20 pages of charts on various activities of
credit institutions. It has 11 sections: 1. General description of
credit institutions. 2.Assets. 3.Liabilities. 4.Capital.
5.Profits/Losses. 6.Information of money flow. 7.Normative indices of
activities of credit institutions. 8.Capitalization indices. 9.
Profitability index 10.Summary indices of activities of credit
institutions.11.Summary indicators of efficiency of credit
institutions.
The information contained in the bulletin gives the general picture
of the financial position of Armenia’s credit institutions and allows
a comparative analysis of their activities. The product also contains
technical and methodical comments on the tables.
The `ARKA’ news agency launched its activities on May 1, 1996. It
specializes in financial, economic and political information. Since
1999, ARKA has been issuing the quarterly bulletin `Basic indicators
of Armenian banks.’ P.T. -0–

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

OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE SPEAKER OF THE REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBER OF
BELARUS TO ARMENIA TO TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 16-19

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Official visit of the Speaker of the
Representatives Chamber of Belarus Vladimir Konoplev to Armenia will
take place on March 16-19. According to RA NA Press service
Department, Konoplev will meet his colleague Arthur Baghdasaryan and
members of Interparliamentary commission on Armenian-Belaruc
cooperation. Konoplev will be received also by RA President Robert
Kocharyan, RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Head of the Armenian
Apostolic Church Garegin the Second. In the framework of the visit
Belarus delegation will visit Ararat region of Armenia. A.H. –0–

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

MEETING OF THE MINISTERS OF HOME AFFAIRS OF STATES-MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO TAKE PLACE IN WARSAW ON MARCH 17-18

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Meeting of the Ministers of Home Affairs
of states-members of the Council of Europe will take place in Warsaw
on March 17-18. According to the Information Office of the Council of
Europe in Armenia, new European standards for combating terrorism and
organized crime will be discussed at the meeting. The parties will
consider the problem of protection witnesses and money laundering, as
well as issues related to terrorism prevention and grave crimes. The
agenda includes also consideration of 2 new conventions on terrorism
prevention.
Armenia became the member of the Council of Europe in January 2001.
A.H. –0–

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

PRESENTATION OF THE CYCLE OF BOOKS `LIBRARY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION’
WILL TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN ON MARCH 16

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. On March 16, presentation of the cycle of
books `Library of European Integration’ will take place in Yerevan.
According to ARKA’s Press Service, AEPLAC , the goal of which is
publication of this series of books is increasing authority of
processes in Armenia in the framework of the policy of European
Neighbourhood, as well as active involvement of state officials in
the development processes of national program on cooperation of
Armenia with EU.
Representatives of RA Ministries and Departments will take part in
the arrangement, as well as Deputies of RA NA, personnel of Embassies
and international organizations.
The main mission of AEPLAC in Armenia is providing juridical
consulting services to the RA Government in the framework of the
agreement from July 1, 1999 on partnership and cooperation between
Armenia and EU. A.H.–0–

ARKA News Agency – Exclusive Interview
March 14 2005

T.SARGSYAN: GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMPLEMENT AMBITIOUS PROGRAMS ON ECONOMY
REFORMATION

Exclusive interview of Tigran SARGSYAN, Chair of the Central Bank of
Armenia, to ARKA News Agency.

ARKA- Mr. Sargsyan, I’d like to congratulate you on your reelection
as head of the Central Bank of Armenia. What the Bank has managed to
do for past seven years of your staying in office?

T.Sargsyan- We has managed to recover bank system, create new market
infrastructures and lessen inflation. Considering this aspect,
Armenia is reckoned the country achieving the best result in the
frames of International Monetary Fund. Macroeconomic stability has
also been reached and bank crises avoided. New instruments for
consumers – plastic cards, micro-credits and consumer credits – have
been put into operation as well.

ARKA- What has not been done for the same period?

T.Sargsyan- Effective contacts between bank service and real economy
have failed to be established. We haven’t managed to lessen
dollarization and ensure rapid growth of the country’s financial
resources accumulation in financial institutions, to implement
hypothecary reform, to establish normal relations with media outlets,
i.e. with the people conveying information from those realizing
policy to this policy consumers. Mentality is also failed to be
changed because of above-mentioned processes.

ARKA- What is the most important failure? In particular, why
effective mechanism of ties with the media has not been created?

T.Sargsyan-This is rather political issue, as it is important what
reforms are being implemented in Armenia and what is public
perception of them, are there leaders in economic area supporting
ideas of forming financial and economic system and what is mass media
and public reaction to these reforms. To implement these reforms, not
only a clear realization of what you want and not only will are
needed, but also supporters. It is remarkable that the essence of
economic reforms is that the number of supporters should increase at
each stage. This indicators show success or failure of the reforms,
as the essence of the reforms on transition to market relations is in
ensuring of citizens involvement in economic processes. If we fail to
ensure that, they’ll become bitter enemies to these reforms and will
demand to restore the old system, where they hadn’t make economic
decisions and take care of their own future and everything can be
demanded from the government. The key problem is that we have no
clear leaders today supporting economic and financial reforms, and
there is no public support for these reforms. This is a serious
problem. Today’s democratic institutions are being used by political
activists for harvesting favors from their constituents instead of
being used to disseminate advanced ideas. As a result, they are
behind of people, not ahead of them. Cheap populism is increasingly
becoming widespread and pushing our country back, instead of moving
ahead. This is fundamental and conceptual problem we faced today. As
a result, reforms implementation problem is pushed to one side and
the media doesn’t engage in that. It became clear after analysis that
financial and economic press is also using populist methods
presenting only criticism of what is being done. There are absolutely
no articles having clear stance on what needs to be done, how it to
be done and indications of decision-makers’ mistakes in the press. If
so, professionals won’t appear in media outlets, as there is no
demand for them. On the other hand, the people writing populist
articles are in demand today. It hobbles reforms and our country’s
movement forward.

ARKA- Where is the way out of this situation? Does CB set any
objective in this area?

T.Sargsyan- First of all, the way out is in ambitious programs on
reforming economy. The community has to realize that there are such
ambitious programs aimed at involving people in the economic programs
to be implemented in Armenia. These reforms should enable everyone to
make economic decisions, to determine its economic welfare and plan
own future independently. That’s essence. If we accumulate critical
potential necessary in this sphere, it would be a guarantee of our
success. How to achieve that? That’s the main problem, and
professional researchers-journalists writing about financial economic
reforms should be concerned about that. They should highlight such
issues. What the CB done in this direction? We have organized courses
on providing economic knowledge to the journalists highlighting
economic issues. We have held a series of meetings with the media
representatives, to know their stance and the problems concerning
them and, in turn, present them the CB position. This is very
important moment, which will get three time greater attention and
resources than before to give proper impetuses to the society and
receive adequate reaction.

ARKA- What will be the CB objectives for the next seven years?

T.Sargsyan- First of all, ambitious programs focused on the republic
financial system reformation. We will be ahead of all other
transition-period countries on paces of financial system reformation.
That will guarantee the country economic prosperity, as Armenia isn’t
rich in natural resources, has no other capacity but intellectual, on
which it can orient. And what for intellectual capacity, it can be
completely realized only in the event of intensification of all the
processes in reformation area. The goals we set are to speed up
ambitious programs implementation and increase their volumes. These
programs implementation envisages intensification of fundament on our
country’s macroeconomic stability. We have to ensure low inflation
and, at the same time, favorable environment for economic growth.
When we say economic growth, we mean the economy oriented on people’s
intellectual capacity, not the country industrialization. The second
direction is the country’s financial stability. A new concept of
financial stability is planned to be put into practice in the CB. New
parameters will be applied in conducting monitoring and regulating
financial stability. It means the parameters to be taken into account
for stability estimation go out of the bank system frames. At the
same time, it is planned to conduct other economic indicators
monitoring and regulate them at macroeconomic level using the levers
the CB possesses. And the third direction is to make closer ties with
real sectors. The CB will publish ratings of economic activeness and
citizens’ economic expectations, which, as a whole, will show
`temperature’ in economy. We’ll complete this work by the end of the
year and economic activeness index will be published for the first
time. We will conduct ratings of the enterprises wanting to use the
instruments offered by the CB and commercial banks for analysis and
to discover opportunities in real sector as well as estimation of
risks and spurring the enterprises transparent functioning. Those
enterprises having the CB rating will be given access to cheap credit
resources and other kind of money attraction. The next direction is
intensification of reforming the hypothec credit area, primary market
development stimulation, credits standardization in primary market
and secondary market development stimulation. Hypothec crediting
contains consider capacity for stable economic growth. Along with
that, intensification of work on pension reforms and applying new
approaches on turning to accumulative pension system, when private
accumulative funds will operate in our market, are planning.
Transition to accumulative system also contains capacity for stable
economic growth. Another direction is corporative papers work in the
market. One of major faults of our financial market is lack of
corporative precious papers market, because we have no corporations,
no open joint stock companies, and this problem should be solved as
soon as possible. We are behind these processes, which are going on
in real sector. That’s why financial system is becoming very
vulnerable and risky. Besides, there is no insurance market in
Armenia. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund mission that
was in Armenia last week recorded in its report that the republic’s
insurance market is one of the smallest insurance markets in the
world. Normal correlation among money, currency and capital markets
will be ensured. If these markets won’t conform to real sector
requirements, it will inevitably lead to crisis while grounds for
crisis are laid here. It is obvious that risks emerging in financial,
insurance and capital markets are interconnected. That’s why a common
approach is needed to gauge these risks as well as common methods of
their estimation and regulation and common risk supervising body. It
is also necessary to think about Armenia’s regional development.
There are many serious disproportions in it hobbling the republic’s
economic growth and posing threat for stable economic growth. The
government will work out its financial development regional program.
It is necessary to adopt programs stimulating crediting in border and
mountainous regions and decentralization financial flows from
Yerevan. It means development of infrastructures in regions will
speed up and expenses transactions and operations connected with
services in regions will lessen and, as a result, interest and
credits rates will lessen as well. Summarizing that, I can say that
the state should ensure macroeconomic stability, create effective
protection of property rights and contracts execution as well as to
provide effective state services and implement ambitious programs,
stimulating sustainable economic growth.

ARKA- Does it means that the CB will become the main economic
institution in the country for coming seven years, as all the
objectives and areas you mentioned go out of bank system boundaries?

T.Sargsyan – I’d like to note that above-mentioned programs were in
the CB focus for previous years and we have already put forward quite
ambitious projects on these issues, including pension and hypothec
reforms, and on Armenian financial sector development prospects. This
work will be continued as it doesn’t beyond our authority. Besides
ensuring low inflation, we are also responsible for the country’s
financial stability. Taking into account the lack of proper
infrastructures, it is clear that financial stability is under threat
now and the Bank can face criticism because of failure to inform
about that in time and make due proposals despite of being the state
financial agent. As the state financial agent, we are now working out
proper concepts and proposals and presenting them for discussions.
The work will be continued.

ARKA- Will the total capital normative increased for banks
functioning in Armenia?

T.Sargsyan – The Central Bank does not consider increase of
requirements on minimal amount of the capital as end in itself. It
means we should move forward taking into consideration to what
economic consequences our any decision leads. At this stage,
management corporative culture planting in commercial banks is a
principal issue to us. We intends to come up with legislative
initiatives this year and submit a package to the government wit
description of steps to be taken to bring to life concept of
corporative management in Armenia and, first of all, at commercial
banks. The fate of capitalization requirements enlargement issue will
depend on how much we`ll accomplish in the culture implantation and
on consequences of that. Corporative management concept is considered
a top-priority issue at this stage. It is envisaged that the concept
logic contains rational element – if banks work on corporative
principles, they are opened for the community and for new investors
and if the corporative system starts functioning, the banks become
more transparent and conflict between interests of owners and those
of mercenary professional management appears as well as interest to
bank capital rises thanks to attraction of new investors. This will
help banks to have comparative advantages in competitive environment.

ARKA- Are banks ready to adopt the corporative management concept?

T.Sargsyan – We have already reached consensus on the majority of the
issues. There is still some discord on two or three points, but this
is a normal thing, at it is impossible to have unanimous opinion on
all points.

ARKA note: Armenian National Assembly reelected Tigran Sargsyan as
CBA Chairman for the second seven-year term on March 2, 2005. As many
as 92 MPs participated in the vote, of which 86 cast their vote for
his candidacy. Tigran Sargsyan was born on January 29, 1960 in
Kirovakan (at present Vanadzor), Armenia. From 1980 to 1983 he
attended Leningrad’s Financial and Economic Institute after
Voznesenski. From 1983-1987 – postgraduate education ended in
obtaining PhD degree. From 1987 to 1990 worked as the Chief of
Department for Foreign Economic Relations of Scientific Researches
Institute of Economic Planning in Armenia. From 1988-1993 worked at
the post of Chairman of republican Council of Young Specialists and
Scientists. From 1990 to 1995 – a member of Supreme Council of the
Republic of Armenia and the Chair of Standing Commission for
Financial, Credit and Budget Affairs. From 1995 to 1998 – Director of
Scientific Researches Institute of Social Reforms. From 1995 to 1998
– the Chairman of Armenian Banks Association. Since March 3, 1998,
Sargsyan has occupied the post of CBA Chairman. Non-partisan.
Married. Has two children. M.V.–0–

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/14/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Akhalkalak Armenians Rally against Russian Base Pullout, Demand Genocide
Recognition
2) ARS Takes to the Seas to Assist Javakhk Armenians
3) ARF Bureau Representative Margarian Meets with Bulgarian Socialists
4) Aliyev Says No Room for Karabagh Compromise
5) Earthquake Damage Assessed in Vardenis Region

1) Akhalkalak Armenians Rally against Russian Base Pullout, Demand Genocide
Recognition

–Armenian Members of Georgian Parliament Ignore Key Parliament Session

AKHALKALAK/TBILISI (Armenpress)–Around 4,000 local residents of Akhalkalak in
Georgia’s south-western region of Javakhk, which is predominantly populated by
ethnic Armenians, rallied on March 13 to protest the withdrawal of the Russian
military base stationed there. Rally organizers said they are seeking to
protect the local Armenian population of Javakhk, and are guided by security
concerns and joblessness, as many locals are employed by the base.
The demonstrators also demanded that Georgia’s Parliament officially recognize
the 1915 genocide of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks, and end the ban on
teaching Armenian history in Armenian schools.
Meanwhile, the majority of five Armenian members of Georgian parliament
ignored
the March 9 and 10 parliament debates and a subsequent vote on Russian
military
bases in Akhalkalak and Batumi.
With a 158-0 vote, parliament passed a resolution instructing the
government to
take measures against the existence of Russian military bases in Georgia if a
timeframe for their withdrawal is not reached with Russia before May 15.
Armenian members Hamlet Movsisian, Henzel Mkoyan, and Van Bayburdian missed
the
vote, while Melik Rayisian walked out of the hall before the vote. Hayk
Melitonian was the sole Armenian member of the parliament to endorse the
resolution.

2) ARS Takes to the Seas to Assist Javakhk Armenians

NEWPORT BEACH–In an effort to help alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions
in Javakhk, the Armenian Relief Society of Western US (ARS-WR) Regional
Executive’s Javakhk Fund Committee organized a dinner reception onboard the
“MV
Majestic” on March 6, raising $50,000 during the event.
Western United State Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, ARF Bureau
member Viken Hovsepian, ARF Central Committee representatives, ARS Central,
Regional, and Chapter Executive members were among the 250 individuals who
boarded the Majestic harboring at Lido Marina Village. The participants, who
came as far away as San Francisco, enjoyed the tour around Newport Harbor in a
friendly and relaxed atmosphere on the three floors and decks of the Majestic.
His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian urged all the attendees to
respond to calls for help from Javakhk with their moral and financial support.
Javakhk Fund Committee Chair Haigoush Kohler said that during the past five
years, the committee has provided desperately needed humanitarian
assistance to
Javakhk’s native Armenian population, adding that the conditions have
deteriorated in the region and pose serious threats to the future existence of
the indigenous population.
Committee member and ARS-WR General Accountant/Auditor Jasik Jarahian
presented
eyewitness accounts of the desperate conditions of health facilities, schools,
and poverty in Javakhk. As she announced donations, Jarahian urged all to not
spare assistance to Javakhk and keep the donations flowing.
The accounts of unavailable beds in hospitals, children writing on the floors
in schools, leaking school roofs, treacherous roadways, and poverty provided
powerful incentives to those who were generous with their donations.
ARS-WR Regional Executive Chair, Angela Savoian welcomed everyone and noted,
“All the work that we do, whether it is for Javakhk, Artsakh, Armenia or for
any of the western region areas, can’t be done without your support and help.”
Savoian recognized some of the volunteers for their work and dedication
including, Houri Melkonian, for donating and giving from the heart; and
Haigoush Kohler, whom she knew for over 40 years, “for mentoring so many of
us,
working night and day focused on serving the Armenian people.” The Regional
Executive Chair reiterated her appreciation of everyone, and added, “I hope
that when we come for other projects, you won’t be tired of us.”
Armenian National Committee of Glendale Executive Director Alina Azizian
was on
hand to introduce the ANC-endorsed candidates who were also present–Armineh
Hacopian, for Glendale College Board of Trustees, and Anahid Oshagan, for
Glendale City Council.
The ARS Javakhk Fund Committee has various fundraising projects underway.
Armenian day schools and ARS Saturday schools distributed piggy banks to
students to help raise funds and awareness among the young about Javakhk. The
committee also issued a 2005 wall calendar with beautiful pictures of
Javakhk.

3) ARF Bureau Representative Margarian Meets with Bulgarian Socialists

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau
representative
Hrant Margarian met on March 14 with Bulgarian Socialist Party Chairman Sergey
Stanishev.
The Armenian delegation also included ARF Bureau member Albert Ajemian and ARF
Bulgaria organization representative Sahak Chalikian.
The parties spoke of the centuries-old relations between the Armenians and
Bulgarians, as well as relations between the two political parties.
Underscoring the importance of cooperation in Socialist International–to
which
both parties are full-fledged members–they also discussed issues related to
the international recognition of the Armenian genocide and peaceful settlement
of the Karabagh conflict.

4) Aliyev Says No Room for Karabagh Compromise

(AP)–President Ilham Aliyev emphasized Saturday that Azerbaijan is not ready
for any compromise with Armenia over Karabagh, saying that land held by ethnic
Armenian forces is occupied Azeri territory and cannot be the subject of
bargaining.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan will not change its position on the enclave. “There can
be no talk of mutual compromises. That was a mistaken thesis,” Aliyev told
journalists, apparently referring to statements by international mediators who
have said compromise is necessary to settle the dispute between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
Azeri officials fear that a settlement plan could call on their country to
cede
territory. In addition to Karabagh, ethnic Armenian forces hold a swath of
Azeri territory outside the enclave.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan is not willing to cede territory he called occupied.
“The only thing we can do” is discuss security guarantees for ethnic Armenians
who would be allowed to live in Karabagh if it were placed under Azeri
control,
he said.
No settlement has been reached over Karabagh and tension remains high, keeping
the threat of a new war alive.
Aliyev said he would not oppose a new meeting with President Robert Kocharian
to discuss the dispute, but said that the countries’ foreign ministers would
have to make progress toward a potential solution before a meeting can be
held.
Progress is contingent on Armenia taking a “constructive position,” he said.

5) Earthquake Damage Assessed in Vardenis Region
     
VARDENIS (Armenpress)–An earthquake with a magnitude of 4, was registered on
Monday morning by Armenian seismic stations 25 km south of the town of
Vardenis
on the Armenian-Azeri border. It shook the Armenian settlements of Sodk,
Tretuk, Azat, and Norabak.
Preliminary reports revealed there was structural damage, but no casualties.
Three cows were killed in village of Azat after the roof of a stable made of
earth collapsed. Dozens of houses, also made of earth, sustained damage.
A strong earthquake also shook eastern Turkey on Monday, damaging buildings
and
injuring at least 11 people, two days after another quake in the region.
The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 with an epicenter in rural
Bingol province. It toppled several buildings that had been badly damaged in
Saturday’s tremor that registered at 5.7, according to officials.

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ARKA News Agency
March 10, 2005

Event dedicated to 90th anniversary of Armenian Genocide to be held
on April 20 in Washington

State Fire Inspection of Armenia is included into the structure of
Emergency Situations Department as a separate subdivision

Azerbaijani divisions make an attempt by using fire arms to bring
closer their posts to the front line of NKR defense army

The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
Georgia to Armenia hands in his credentials to RA President

American Policy on Iran round-table discussion to be held on March 14
in Caucasus Media Institute in Yerevan

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

EVENT DEDICATED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD
ON APRIL 20 IN WASHINGTON
YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. An event dedicated to 90th anniversary of
Armenian Genocide is to be held on Apr 20 in Washington, as Armenian
Assembly of America told ARKA today. According to press-release, all
Armenian organizations functioning in the United States will take
part in the event organized under auspices of Group for Armenian
Issues of the U.S. Congress and Armenian Embassy in the U.S.A. Major
part played by the United States in struggle against barbarity and in
provision of assistance to those survived the Genocide will be
stressed in the course of the event. M.V. -0–

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

STATE FIRE INSPECTION OF ARMENIA IS INCLUDED INTO THE STRUCTURE OF
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS DEPARTMENT AS A SEPARATE SUBDIVISION

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. By the decree of the RA Government the
State Fire Inspection of the republic is included into the structure
of the Emergency Situations Department adjunct to RA Government as a
separate subdivision. According to the Government~Rs Press Service, in
this regard the State Fire Inspection of the Emergency Situations
Department is restructured into anti-fire service and State fire
Inspection. By the government~Rs decree, the by-laws and structure of
State Fire Inspection is determined. A.H.~W0–

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

AZERBAIJANI DIVISIONS MAKE AN ATTEMPT BY USING FIRE ARMS TO BRING
CLOSER THEIR POSTS TO THE FRONT LINE OF NKR DEFENSE ARMY

STEPANAKERT, March 10. /ARKA/. The day before, on the North ~VEastern
bordering line of NKR and Azerbaijani armed forces, near Seisulan
settlement of Mardakert region of NKR, Azerbaijani divisions made an
attempt by using fire arms to bring closer their posts to the front
line of NKR Defense Army, according to NKR Ministry of Defense Press
Service Department. ~SServicemen of NKR Defense Army opened fire in
return. As a result of fire exchange there are losses from both
sides~T, according to the message. The Press Service reminds that
~Snotwithstanding many appeals of the Karabakh side to Azerbaijan, the
military administration of the country doesn~Rt stop its provoking
activity that may seriously jeopardize the situation both on the
border line and in the whole region~T.
According to the message, ~SNKR authority informed the corresponding
international organizations about restructuring activity of
Azerbaijan and of the development of the situation on the demarking
line~T. A.H. ~V0–

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

THE NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF
GEORGIA TO ARMENIA HANDS IN HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. The newly appointed Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Armenia Revaz
Gachechiladze handed his credentials to RA President Robert
Kocharyan. According to the President~Rs Press Service, Kocharyan
congratulated the Ambassador on the occasion of his appointment and
noted the recently Armenian-Georgian relations had activated.
~SArmenia is the best neighbor of Georgia ~T, the ambassador cited the
Georgian President. He also introduced to Kocharyan the latest events
in Georgia, in particular in the area of economy.
In the course of the meeting cooperation in the area of energy and
transport was discussed.
On Dec 29, 2004, Georgian Parliament approved the candidacy of
Gachechiladze for the post of an Ambassador to Armenia. Gachechiladze
used to be an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Israel.

Gachechiladze was born in 1943 in Tbilisi. In 1965, he graduated from
Oriental Studies Department of Tbilisi State University (TSU). From
1968 to 1992 he worked in the department of economic geography of
TSU, first as an assistant, and then as a senior lecturer. From 1987
to 1991 he worked in Georgian Academy of Sciences as a Head of the
Center of Social Studies. In 1997-1998 he worked in Georgian MFA, as
a Director of the Department for international organizations. In
1998-2004 was am Ambassador to Israel. He is a Doctor of Geography,
Professor. He speaks Russian, Turkish, English, German, French and
Polish. A.H. –0–

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

AMERICAN POLICY ON IRAN ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION TO BE HELD ON MARCH 14
IN CAUCASUS MEDIA INSTITUTE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. American Policy on Iran round-table
discussion will be held on March 14 in Caucasus Media Institute in
Yerevan. The Head of the program on Islam Study of the Center for
Strategic and International Studies in Washington, a specialist on
Iran, Islam, the Middle East, Central Asia and Caucasus Shirin
Hunter, will present a report at the discussion. M.V. -0–

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

Excalibur Online, Canada
March 9 2005

A partial silence, yet an indifferent quiet
Written by Chris Krikorian – Contributor

At the moment, April 24, 2005 may signify nothing to you; it is most
likely just a point of time somewhere in the future. However, you are
hereby forewarned that this date is one that points to a very dark
past in human history.

April 24, 2005 will mark the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. It will signify 90 years of remembrance, 90 years of denial
and, worst of all, 90 years of indifference.

As an Armenian it is my duty to speak for those who were not given
the chance and to remember those whom the world has forgotten. As a
Canadian Armenian student at York, I have the opportunity to do that
here, with you, right now.

The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the twentieth
century. Over 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered at the hands of
the Turkish government. Many Armenians died of dehydration during the
long death marches through the Syrian Desert. These death marches
lasted for days – most of the victims had nothing more than the
clothes on their backs. They were beaten and killed along the way,
while their routes were littered with the bodies of fallen Armenians
baking in the hot sun.

Other accounts report of fires being started at the foot of caves,
creating a gas chamber, asphyxiating the Armenians inside. Armenians
took refuge in churches while Turkish forces waited outside, setting
fire to the roof and the walls, cremating hundreds and thousands of
Armenians at once. Children were kidnapped and women were raped. Very
few Armenians evaded the government-issued order of their
annihilation. These were deliberate acts of genocide – and near
successful ones too.

The Turkish denial of the atrocities that were committed against the
Armenian people of 1915 has only fanned the flame of ambition and
determination within the hearts of Armenians worldwide. Turkish
denial has strengthened Armenian resolve, but the indifference that
exists around the world threatens to destroy the Armenian cause and
the memories of those whose lives were lost in the most gruesome and
inhuman manner.

The topic of the Armenian Genocide is a very personal one to me: My
great-grandmother was a survivor of the genocide. She was a young
woman at the time, her life saved by a Turkish family that gave her
and her sister shelter. The rest of her family was brutally murdered
and she and her sister were the only ones left. They later moved to
Syria where my great-grandmother married and had a son (my
grandfather).

It is common to think of Turks and Armenians as enemies, but they are
not and this is a point that cannot be stressed enough. If not for
that Turkish family, my great-grandmother would have died, along with
her future family as well.

The Armenians are not the only victims of the Armenian Genocide. The
Turkish government’s campaign of denial is a crime not only to
Armenians, but to modern-day Turks who often speak up about the
Armenian Genocide and are ostracized by the Turkish government.

Turkey ‘s best-selling novelist, Orhan Pamuk, has been credited with
numerous awards for his works. As a world-class writer of Turkish
descent, he has received much criticism for his February 2005
statements in newspapers.

“Thirty thousand Kurds and a million Armenians were killed in
Turkey,” he states. “Almost no one dares speak but me and the
nationalists hate me for that.”

The nationalists he speaks of are the Ulku Ocaklari paramilitary
group, also known as the Grey Wolves. A statement on their web site
reads: “It is time to disallow him from breathing air in this
country.”

“If the anger of God doesn’t descend upon people like him, they will
face a higher anger – the Turkish lightning.”

Turkish historian Hilal Berktay of Sabanji University, Istanbul,
defended the statements made by Pamuk. Berktay praised the author as
an honest intellectual who courageously addressed an issue that many
Turks avoid. Berktay faced similar criticism in 2001 when he
expressed his views on the Armenian Genocide.

“As more and more honest and sincere historians and intellectuals of
integrity keep speaking up,” he said, “this dam will be breached …
this will be a fundamental dimension of internal democratization of
Turkish society.”

The Armenian Genocide foreshadowed many things to come in human
history. Many eyewitness accounts are reminiscent of the intolerable
acts perpetrated against the Jews during the Holocaust, and more
recently the Tutsi of Rwanda. The following accounts are those of
Vartan Hartounian and Sam Kadorian, who were young children during
the time of the Genocide. It is likely that they have now passed away
as these events occurred 90 years ago, but their memories and
testimony will live on with us.

“We were hiding in a church that we thought was protected from the
Turks,” starts Hartunian, “and they were attacking building after
building. There was another church not far away in which there were
two thousand Armenians and I and my father and others witnessed the
Turks surrounding that church, applying gasoline soaked rags by pole
to the roof and starting a fire and standing around to shoot anyone
who ran out of the building. As a child, I witnessed and I will never
forget the screams of those people and one woman who ran out and got
shot by the Turks. The entire building burned and everyone in the
building perished.”

Kadorian remembers the silence that saved his own life. “Gendarmes
came and picked up all the boys between five and 10 years old, threw
us into a pile and I happened to be one of the first ones and I was
at the bottom of the pile. After they had all the boys in this pile,
they started with their swords and bayonets killing us boys and one
of the bayonets just hit me in my right cheek here and the blood was
streaming, not only the blood from my cheek, but the blood from those
dead boys. That hot blood coming all over me and I couldn’t scream
and I couldn’t cry for fear that they would finish the job.”

Still, despite these and many other eyewitness accounts of the
Armenian Genocide, the Turkish government refuses to admit its guilt.
The Turkish government denies the existence of the Armenian Genocide
and has repeatedly threatened world governments from condemning the
Genocide of 1915. The line between history and politics becomes
blurred once countries around the world are economically threatened
by Turkey.

Canada did not bow to the threats of the Turkish government and in
April of 2004 enacted bill M-380. Prior to this, Turkey threatened to
cancel contracts with Bombardier and claimed that the affirmation of
the Armenian Genocide would be detrimental to trade negotiations with
Canada.

These claims were threats and nothing else.

The Canadian government passed bill M-380 and officially recognized
the genocide. Unfortunately, other countries like the United States
that have a large interest in Turkey, economically and militarily,
have stopped short of internationally recognizing the Armenian
genocide. Other examples of government-sponsored denial include
various bribes offered to American universities to prevent discourse
about the genocide of 1915.

An article in the Independent, a UK newspaper read: “Turkey’s effort
to erase the memory of its genocide of the Armenians has suffered a
setback in the United States.
The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has refused to allow
Ankara to fund a chair in Ottoman studies, because the Turkish
government attached conditions to their $1m offer that would have
forced scholars to ignore the 1915 massacres.” On the surface this
seems like good news, but the bad news is that the article continues
by explaining that other American universities like Princeton,
Georgetown, Indiana and the University of Chicago have accepted
offers from the Turkish government and have agreed to forget the
genocide at the cost of their academic integrity.

Why is this important? Why should we care about what happened 90
years ago? Well imagine if someone told you that slavery never
occurred, or that Canada had no inhabitants before the settlers
arrived, or that the Holocaust is an elaborate conspiracy. Are these
claims to which you would choose to be indifferent?

Dr. Gregory H. Stanton, president of Genocide Watch, defines the
eight stages of genocide: Classification, symbolization,
dehumanization, organization, polarization, identification,
extermination and denial. The Armenian genocide is not an isolated
event that occurred in the distant past, it is still happening to
this day. This forgotten genocide is still happening right now behind
our very backs, it has remained suspended in the eighth stage of
genocide for 90 long years.

These accounts have been documented along with many others and can be
watched at Within this web site there is an
accurate timeline of the events surrounding the Armenian genocide and
an ABC special that can be viewed online. For those of you who are
interested in this overlooked piece of history this web site is a
valuable beginner’s resource.

– For more information, the ASA will be hosting a discussion about
the psychological effects of the genocide on March 12 from 11am-2pm
at Stedman Lecture Hall D.

More ceasefire violations

Baku Today

AssA-Irada 10/03/2005 12:08

Armenian military units fired at Gapanly village of Terter District
with submachine guns and machine guns from 24:00 to 00:30 on Wednesday,
ANS TV has reported. Casualties are reported on the Armenian side.

At the same time, Armenia fired at Orta Gishlag and Garadaghly villages
of the Aghdam District. The Ministry of Defense has confirmed the
reports.

According to the Ministry, Armenian military units fired at the
positions of the Azerbaijani troops located 2,5 km southeast of
Tapgaragoyunlu village in Goranboy District from 20:10 till 20:45 on
Tuesday. On the same day, the positions of the Azerbaijani military
troops located close to Shykhlar village of Aghdam District were also
subjected to firing. No casualties are reported.

The Ministry of Defense did not confirm TV reports saying that
Azerbaijani soldier Mammad Mammadov received a head injury after
Armenians breached ceasefire in Terter District at about 13:00 on
Wednesday.

Armenian military units fired from their positions in the occupied
Seysulan village of Terter District at the positions of the Azerbaijani
military troops located in Gapanly village of the same district with
submachine guns and machine guns from 20:30 to 23:00 on Monday.

Several soldiers are reported wounded on the Azerbaijani side, while
several others wounded and killed on the Armenian side, according to
the Ministry.