Author: Tigranian Ani

Jacksonville.com
Last modified Tue., October 26, 2004 – 02:23 AM

Originally created Tuesday, October 26, 2004

She’ll monitor different election

Nassau woman will watch vote in Ukraine

By CHARLIE PATTON
The Times-Union

Even as candidates criss-cross Florida and nation in the last week
of campaigning, Doris Willey of Fernandina Beach is preoccupied with
a different election.

She departed Monday on a trip to the Ukraine, where she’ll monitor
Sunday’s elections on behalf of the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe, a regional security organization with 55
participating members.

She’ll be one of 600 short-term observers deployed in teams of two to
various polling places throughout Ukraine, an Eastern European nation
once part of the Soviet Union. The capital of Ukraine is Kiev and
it has several famous seaports on the Black Sea, including Odessa,
Sevastopol and Yalta.

This will be the third time Willey, 58, a retired accountant and
grandmother of five, has monitored an international election. She
has twice monitored elections in Armenia. She also helped staff a
polling station in Fernandina Beach during the 2000 elections.

She said she learned about the opportunity to be an election monitor
and registered with OSCE (the Web site is listed below), which then
contacted her. She isn’t paid to be a monitor but the organization
does pay her expenses.

All poll monitors — the 600 going to Ukraine come from 14 countries
— are expected to speak English and are provided with a driver and
a translator while in the country where they are doing the monitoring.

As a poll monitor, Willey is expected to observe procedures and offer
a written report of any violations she sees.

She said she never felt threatened during the two Armenian elections.

“There were a lot of young people there who were very, very adamant
they wanted their elections done fairly,” she said. “They were very
friendly, very accommodating.”

However, she did see “a lot of men lurking near the polls in black
leather jackets,” a violation of election law that she suspected was
intended to intimidate voters.

Reports from Ukraine, she said, indicate “it’s going to be a very,
very hot election, very divided. We expect a lot of irregularities.”

Already, she said, she has seen newspaper reports claiming that all
international observers are spies.

“If I end up in the Gulag, please send me wine and cookies,” she joked.

Willey will be back in Fernandina Beach on Nov. 3, the day after the
U.S. elections — she’s already voted by absentee ballot. She said
her experiences as an election monitor have made her appreciate how
smooth and well-organized American elections are by comparison.

“I think it should be mandatory for students in their last year in
high school to go abroad for three weeks and observe elections so
they’ll appreciate our system,” she said.

charlie.pattonjacksonville.com, (904) 359-4413

Manila Bulletin, Philippines
25 Oct. 2004

Paragua raps junior champ
But RP takes 3-1 beating from Azerbaijan

By rey bancod

MALLORCA, Spain –International Master Mark Paragua came through with
his biggest win so far, accounting for the Philippines’ only point
against powerhouse Azerbaijan Sunday in the eighth round of the World
Chess Olympiad.

The 20-year-old former prodigy, whose grandmaster title remains
pending, trounced reigning 2003 world junior champion Shakh Mamedyarov
(2660) in 42 moves of a Benoni defense.

But the rest of his teammates floundered against a team aching to come
back from consecutive defeats to Ukraine, Spain A and the United
States.

Grandmaster Eugene Torre, playing his seventh consecutive match, bowed
to super GM Teimur Radjabov (2663) in 33 moves of a Pirc defense.

IM Jayson Gonzales, handling black, suffered his first defeat at the
hands of GM Gadir Guseinov in 36 moves of an Alekhine defense.

Rookie Darwin Laylo put to waste a gallant stand against GM Rauf
Mamedov, losing a Nimzo Indian duel in 43 moves.

The 1-3 defeat sent the Philippines reeling to a share of 27th place
with 20.5 points, 6.5 behind pacesetting Ukraine.

Ukraine was held to a 2-all draw by Armenia.

Defending champion Russia edged India, 2.5-1.5, to take solo second
place with 24.5 points, half-apoint ahead of thirdrunning United
States.

India remained the best-placed Asian team with 22.5 points followed by
China with 21.5 points.

Paragua shrugged off his disappointment over his failure to get his GM
title by buckling down to work against Mamedyarov with whom he has
played many blitz matches in the past.

Playing white off a sharp line of the Benoni, Paragua foiled a
queenside counter play by Mamedyarov and launched his own attack in the
kingside, beginning with a pawn advance on the 18th that won him a pawn
11 moves later.

On the 33rd move, Paragua forced Mamedyarov to ponder hard and deep
with a knight thrust, offering a pawn in the process.

“It was over by then. Kahit di niya kinain yung pawn, tapos na rin,”
said Paragua, whose European campaign is funded by Filway Marketing
president Hector Tagaysay.

Paragua sent his two rooks in the fray, one controlling the seventh
fray to force Mameyarov to concede.

With 5.5 points out of eight matches, Paragua improved his chances to
gain another GM norm.

Earlier, Paragua was informed by the titles and rating committee member
Casto Abundo that his application has not been acted upon following the
unexplained failure of the Alushta organizers to submit a report.

Abundo said Paragua would have to wait until January next year.

Nelson Mariano II had no such problem, having earned his GM title even
before the start of the World Chess Congress.

All’s not gloomy in the RP camp.

In a welcome development, Grandmaster Joey Antonio and the rest of his
teammates settled a misunderstanding over how players are fielded in
the tournament.

Antonio explained that contrary to perceptions, he is not imposing an
unreasonable demand that he plays white.

“I thought that we would be fielding the regular boards against
Azerbaijan, so I was expecting to play white,” said the 42-year-old
board two player.

In an hour-long bull session, Antonio poured out his emotion, taking
issue with Torre over the equal distribution of chess colors.

Antonio said he felt that distributing the chess colors equally is
affecting the team, an observation disputed by Torre.

“Some players are already complaining that they are playing black more
often than the others and not doing well. It is also important to keep
their morale high,” said Torre.

Antonio also cited his own sacrifices in his previous Olympic
appearances.

“I played black nine times in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1988, I did not
complain. In Armenia 1996, I played 12 consecutive games despite the
fact that I wasn’t feeling well,” recalled Antonio.

Antonio said he came here to help the team and not for his own personal
glory, citing an instance in 1988 where he could have earned a gold
medal in board four.

“I was 6 of 7 but I abandoned my ambition and continued to play,” said
Antonio who has so far scored 3.5 points in five rounds.

Torre said that everybody is making a big sacrifice for the team.

“I played 14 straight games in Thessaloniki and Armenia,” he said.

The meeting ended amicably with Antonio promising to give his best in
the last four rounds of the tournament.

To enable him to regain his bearing and prepare for the team’s final
push, Antonio was rested for Monday’s 10th round against 33rd-ranked
Estonia.

For the first time in the country’s Olympic participation, the
Philippines will play a round without its top two board players.

“Eugene (Torre) badly needs a rest so he would be fresh and ready for
the crucial rounds ahead,” said Estimo who said the final placing of
the team depends on the last three rounds of the tournament.

MASHTOTS READINGS IN OSHAKAN

Azg/am
23 Oct 04

The 6th readings of creator of the Armenian alphabet Mesrop Mashtots
took place October 21 in the village of Oshakan. Mashtots readings
used to have a profound meaning in the course of Armenian history.

Academicians, literary critics, armenologists and others were present
at the event. A procession visited Mashtots’ tomb and laid flowers and
wreaths. This year’s readings were dedicated to 5 years of
enthronement of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. About 25
lectures and reports presented the creation of the Armenian alphabet,
an overview of Armenian national clothes, sharakans (Armenian sacred
music) of Mashtots and Sahak Partev (Armenian Catholicos) and many
other interesting issues. Palaces and churches laid in ruin during
centuries but the 36 letters created by Mesrop Mashtots stood still
through storms and calamities giving the Armenian nation immortality.

The aim of the traditional Mashtots readings is to revive the mighty
legacy of the Golden Century and to hand it over to coming generation
and to develop Armenology.

By Mariata Makarian

Armenian agency calls British MP “English daughter of Karabakh people”

Yerkir web site
22 Oct 04

October

Yerevan, 22 October: A British parliamentary delegation including
”the English daughter of the Karabakh people” Baroness Caroline Cox
has come back to Yerevan from Karabakh, Arminfo news agency reports.

”Britain should help Karabakh. I respect and rate highly Karabakh’s
achievements within a short period of time. At the same time, I
appreciate its people’s determination to reach their aims,” the head
of the delegation [member of House of Commons Gordon Marsden] said
before they departed to Yerevan.

To recap, the British parliamentary delegates wanted to familiarize
themselves with the situation on the scene and learn about Karabakh’s
needs.

The Moscow Times
Wednesday, October 20, 2004. Page 4.

Cesium-137 Found

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Authorities in Armenia have arrested a man they say
was caught with radioactive cesium-137 in the trunk of his car in Yerevan,
an official said.

The highly toxic material was found Friday and “rendered harmless,” State
Atomic Oversight Department chief Ashot Martirosyan said Monday.

Yerevan resident Gagik Tovmasyan was arrested on charges of illegal trade in
radioactive materials.

ARMENIAN OFFICIALS, BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY GROUP DISCUSS COOPERATION

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
18 Oct 04

Armenian Speaker Artur Bagdasaryan received a British parliamentary
delegation led by Gordon Marsden. Baroness Caroline Cox (the deputy
speaker of the British House of Lords) is also a member of the
delegation.

A wide range of issues of Armenian-British intergovernmental and
regional cooperation was discussed at the meeting. The sides stressed
the importance of (British) Links organization which is playing a
great role in the development of Armenian-British intergovernmental
relations. This organization creates great opportunities for
parliament members of three countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia) to meet regularly and discuss regional issues. It was
mentioned that the UK can support Armenia within the framework of the
programme Expanded Europe: New Neighbours.

The secretary of the National Security Council under the Armenian
president and the Armenian defence minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, also met
the members of the United Kingdom-Armenia friendship group led by
Gordon Marsden. He said that military cooperation between the two
countries is moving forward slowly but steadily. Sarkisyan said that
Armenia is ready to settle the Karabakh conflict peacefully and only
through compromises.

Speaking about Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements, Sarkisyan expressed
hope that Azerbaijan would change its tune and take a more reasonable
stance on the Karabakh problem as a new war in the region could have
irreparable harsh consequences.

(Video shows the meeting)

Powerful viewpoints sometimes questionable
By LAURA STEWART, Fine Arts Writer

Daytona Beach News-Journal, FL
Oct 17 2004

Image after self-conscious image at the Southeast Museum of
Photography makes the point that photographs can open doors on
otherwise unimaginable perceptions, and convey vivid experiences.
But that power comes with a caution, one that’s illustrated all too
vividly in four distinctive fall season exhibits in the Daytona Beach
Community College museum’s “Identity and Image.”

When the photographer tells a story, records history or rounds out
an idea, the images may reach the heights of powerful documentary
or photojournalism. However, prints risk being seen as fleeting
impressions or even, in the most troubling examples, slap-dash
exploitation.

The fall season, which wraps up Dec. 12, features four vividly
different shows: “Girl Culture,” photojournalist Lauren Greenfield’s
five-year documentary project focusing on American teenage girls;
“Our Daily Bread,” four decades of photographs from Israel by Micha
Bar-Am; “The Persian Image,” images by Armenian-Iranian artist
Antoin Sevruguin, chronicling the changing Persian-Iranian society
from the 1870s to 1930; and “The Chain,” the photographic work of
Chien-Chi Chang produced between 1993 and 2000 at the Lung Fa Tang
mental institution in Kaohsiung, Taiwain. This is the first showing
in the United States of the complete series of Chang’s work. Two of
the museum’s offerings — “Our Daily Bread” and “The Persian Image”
— are unassuming, yet

powerful.

In “Our Daily Bread,” the small black-and-white snapshots Bar-Am
made in his native Israel present a picture of a complex situation —
grim urban scenes alternating with wholesome kibbutzim moments.

Just as modest are fading black-and-white studies made by Sevruguin in
“The Persian Image.” A vanished world peers from his tiny prints, made
exotic with the passage of time and rising interest in Orientalism:
precisely posed family groups; wrestlers and other character types;
ornate interiors; and ancient Persian palaces’ crumbling columns.

But it is the other two exhibits — “Girl Culture” and “The Chain”
— that draw attention for their striking, but very different,
presentations.

Posing, preening or tentatively trying out their roles in a fast-paced
consumer society, the young women in Greenfield’s “Girl Culture”
don’t simply provide faces for her theme, they beg for responses —
the more immediate and visceral, the better.

Three little girls in Malibu try to look like rock stars as they play
dress-up in one of Greenfield’s color prints, and “Sheena, 15” looks
annoyed with her lack of cleavage as she poses with a girlfriend in
a San Jose, Calif., dressing room.

A row of tall, strong young women are shown from the back as they
pose poolside, in “The Stanford University women’s swim team, Palo
Alto, Ca.”

Seething with loud colors, textures, lighting effects and emotions,
they look like the sort of snapshots their subjects would take of
each other or, more likely, themselves.

Greenfield takes her viewers beyond her subjects’ public faces with
images like “Sheena, 15, shaves outside her house, San Jose, Ca.,” and
“Kristine, 20, poses for a lingerie shoot for Ocean Drive magazine,
Miami Beach, Fl.”

Some of the images in “Girl Culture” are lurid, among them “A surgeon
performs a breast augmentation, Miami, Fl.,” and the luminous “Fina,
13, in a tanning salon, Edina, Mn.”

Greenfield’s studies cover a lot of ground, but focus on her outrage
at the culture that forces children to grow up too fast — literally,
with shallow values.

But the immediate gratification, and all the tensions that come with
it, are evident in her images as well. Just as Greenfield seems to
protest society’s view of girls as miniature, sexualized consumers,
she herself has been seduced into inviting a new level of voyeurism
through her subjects.

It’s a tricky line, and Greenfield is all over it. To make her point,
she uses her nubile girls as bait, and after inviting the viewer to
look and think urges him to look again, and again.

Nothing like that happens in the Southeast Museum’s massive first-floor
show of Chang’s “The Chain.”

The life-sized black-and-white prints were made in a Taiwan mental
institution that has generated controversy by linking patients in
pairs, with a chain.

Like Diane Arbus’ famous images, Chang’s studies are strong, grim and
hard to look at initially; before long, however, the open expressions
on the inmates’ faces make them accessible, and allow the viewer to
see them as individuals.

Some are confused or resentful, while others look amused, cooperative
or even comfortable.

The sense of voyeurism that made looking at Arbus’ subjects a
forbidden, guilty experience is lacking in Chang’s “The Chain,” at
least partly because of an approach that makes its unlikely pairs
more than patients.

Large, shown in softly textured grays, clad in baggy tatters, the men
chained together in an attempt to forge small alliances don’t stand
on the same ground as the viewer. Slightly higher, on the walls of
a quiet, softly lighted gallery, they become iconic.

The difference between Chang’s art and Greenfield’s photo essay —
tempered by the minor impressions of Bar-Am and the historic Persian
prints — is vast.

One transcends its time, while the other wallows in it even as she
criticizes it.

PARIS-NORMANDIE
16 octobre 2004

Aznavour, tout en haut de l’affiche

Ortole Serge

Entre la retraite et le travail, il continue de préférer la scène. A
quatre vingt ans bien sonnés, Jurassic Aznavour est toujours assis au
sommet de son art. Dernier dinosaure du panthéon de la chanson
française.

Le revoilà, comme au bon vieux temps, installé bien en haut de
l’affiche, reparti en tournée. Bourrer les salles, Aznavour sait
faire. Il en a l’habitude. Hier soir, le Zénith était bondé. Lucide,
assez fier de lui, du chemin parcouru depuis toutes ces années, il
continue d’égrener sa nostalgie, tout en allant de l’avant.

Sobre

Son style ne change pas. Des mots justes, des phrases qui coulent
toutes seules au service de belles mélodies mélancoliques. Ses thèmes
sont choisis. L’amour, la vie, l’Arménie son pays, la fuite du temps.
Aznavour, on vient pour l’écouter, pas pour le voir bouger. De jeu de
scène, il n’en a jamais eu. L’important chez lui n’est pas dans la
gestuelle, mais dans bien l’émotion que le personnage véhicule.
Accompagné par un splendide orchestre, dans lequel on remarque une
section de cordes exclusivement féminine, Aznavour délivre un tour de
chant millimétré. Avec une première partie articulée autour des
nouvelles chansons, extraites de son dernier album Je voyage, et une
seconde, bâtie sur les titres d’hier, d’avant hier, et d’avant avant
hier. Sobre, l’artiste ne se permet aucune fantaisie. Et quand il
parle à son public, on sent là encore qu’il a préparé son texte.

Mais pourquoi diable ce petit bonhomme aussi rayonnant, continue-t-il
de s’habiller tout en noir. Léo Ferré disait: c’est une couleur qui
vous habitue à la mort. Dieu merci Aznavour est toujours bien vivant.
Il chante à nouveau ce soir à Rouen.

Armenia Fund USA
152 Madison Ave, #803
New York, New York 10016
Contact: Lisa Markarian
Tel: 212-689-5307
Fax: 212-689-5317
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Armenia Fund USA Continues its Driving Force on Karabakh North-South
Highway, Focus of Thanksgiving Day World-Wide Telethon

Moving rapidly toward completion of the North-South Highway, Armenia
Fund is halfway home. Its goal of building the 105 miles of highway
interconnecting 150 towns and villages in mountainous Karabakh has to
date raised $12 million towards the $25 million project. With ongoing
vital support from Armenians in the Diaspora and past proven success
from having built 49 miles so far, Armenia Fund continues to forge
ahead. The fund is gearing up for the final leg, generating much
needed support and overseeing construction of the remaining 56 miles.

Armenia Fund’s North-South Highway Project is a bold infrastructure
initiative that began in 1999. It is imperative for the development and
growth of both Karabakh and Armenia for today and beyond. Already, the
highway in Karabakh has set a tone of progress and hope for the entire
region. The completed portions of the of the North-South Highway are
currently being utilized by the communities of Dashbulagh, Kichan,
Karmir-Shuka and Drakhtik, with vineyards, manufacturing plants,
mining operations and other businesses being established as direct
results. On the newly paved roads, cars and trucks travel steadily
through the canorous mountains, some carrying crops to the market
in Stepanakert, some carrying children to school. On stretches of
unfinished highway, laborers eager for work are busy melding concrete
sidelines and preparing the ground. Small towns and villages, once
remote and removed from the rest of the world, are eager to move
onward and upward thanks to the new lifeline. A buzz of activity
descends from the road, laying groundwork for business opportunities
and communication links that will help nurture the area and provide
a lift for the people for generations.

Last November, thanks to the generous donors responding to the
critical infrastructure needs of Armenia and Karabakh, over $6
million was raised from the 2003 Telethon held on Thanksgiving
Day. Joining the completed sections, Armenia Fund was able to start
construction of three more sections scheduled to be finished next year
– Vank-Crossroad-Kichan, Kichan-Drmbon, and Tsakouri-Drakhtik. Armenia
Fund’s annual Telethon for 2004 is stepping up its ambitions in a
grand way to raise the final $12.5 million needed for the completion
of the highway, deemed as the backbone of Karabakh. The 12-hour, live
broadcast airing throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, South
America, the CIS, and Middle East will feature live entertainment by
various Armenian performers, interviews with numerous celebrities
and political leaders, development and construction footage from
Armenia and Karabakh, and stories of individuals impacted by Armenia
Fund projects. A phone bank with 50 operators and volunteers will be
helping to handle the generous outpouring from Armenians world-wide.

Focused on infrastructure and high standards of accountability,
Armenia Fund USA is a unique organization dedicated to supporting
large-scale initiatives in both Armenia and Karabakh, helping the
developing nations sustain themselves for the future. Armenia Fund
is non-partisan and works closely with the governments of Armenia and
Karabakh not only building roads, but also schools, medical facilities,
utilities and humanitarian programs, all along upholding stringent
project oversight measures with bidding, management and quality
control processes.

Founded in 1992, Armenia Fund USA is a non-profit 501(c)(3)
representing the support of Armenian diasporans in the Eastern
United States and was the first of Hayastan All Armenia Fund’s 18
international hubs to aid the homeland. As the largest contributor
toward strategic infrastructure projects in Armenia and Karabakh,
Armenia Fund has helped build 138 miles of roads, 81 miles
of waterways, 36 schools, 3 electric transmission networks, 210
residential buildings and 14 healthcare institutions. After completing
the Goris-Stepanakert Highway, linking Armenia to Karabakh, Armenia
Fund set its sights on developing the North-South Highway. In the
process of all its projects, Armenia Fund has ensured sustainability by
investing beyond construction, sponsoring the necessary equipment and
training, as well. This not only eases the hardships for the people
of Armenia and Karabakh for the current time, but more importantly
ensures stability for the long term.

Armenia Fund USA’s mission of accountability goes beyond Armenia
and is built upon a pledge of responsibility to benefactors and
recipients alike. All contributions are 100% tax deductible. To learn
more about Armenia Fund USA, go to
<; , or write/call for a free marketing
packet at Armenia Fund USA, 152 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
(212) 689-5307.

Azeri leader upbeat about European body’s Karabakh debate – TV

ANS TV, Baku
13 Oct 04

[Presenter in studio] Baku is confident that the discussions on
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem at the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe’s [PACE] winter session will be favourable to
Azerbaijan. This conclusion is based on the report prepared by the
European body’s former rapporteur, Terry Davis. Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev believes that the political stance to be displayed by the
Council of Europe can play a crucial role in resolving the conflict.

[Correspondent over archive footage of PACE sessions] After the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe discusses the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict at its January session, Armenia may face sanctions,
says Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

[Ilham Aliyev shown talking to journalists] The report to be discussed
will show once again that Armenia has occupied Azerbaijani lands,
and certain sanctions may be imposed on it.

[Correspondent] It transpired from the president’s statement that
Baku’s confidence was based on the report drafted by the former
rapporteur, Terry Davis. President Ilham Aliyev said the document
was objective.

[Aliyev] I can say that the report reflects the principles we
have always advocated. Our most important task was that Council of
Europe documents should reflect such notions as aggression against
Azerbaijan and violation of our territorial integrity. There is
already a document, which will also mean a legal framework.

[Correspondent] However, Baku understands only too well that the
Council of Europe’s assessment alone is hardly sufficient for the
conflict to be solved.

[Aliyev] What we wanted and demanded from the Council of Europe
from the very beginning was that a political assessment of this
conflict be given. The Council of Europe has no other mechanisms at
its disposal and we shouldn’t expect any miracles from it. But the
political assessment will lay the foundation for further negotiations.

[Correspondent] According to the head of state, for the conflict to
be resolved fairly, an end must be put to the international policy
of double standards. For example, while there are four UN Security
Council resolutions pertaining to the conflict, none of them has yet
been enforced.

[Aliyev] Unfortunately, there is no mechanism. Four resolutions have
been adopted but none of them is being executed. No sanctions or any
other measures have been taken against Armenia. This, of course, is
unacceptable. International legal mechanisms must be applied. Then
the conflict can be solved.

[Correspondent] The Azerbaijani president is also pleased with the
stance of the Romanian authorities on the Nagornyy Karabakh issue.

[Aliyev] The Romanian leadership has unequivocally stated that it
supports a settlement based on respect for Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity.

[Correspondent] According to Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan must step up
its pressure on the international community to resolve the conflict.

[Aliyev] Our mission is to strengthen our political will and
international clout, to expose Armenia as an aggressor-state and to
continue our political activities to this end.

[Correspondent] The president said this should be done not only by
the head of state and members of parliament but also by journalists
and ordinary citizens. Only then can we achieve what we want.

Ali Ahmadov, Ramil Huseynov, ANS.