Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Pasadena Star News
Article Published: Friday, August 06, 2004 – 8:29:29 PM PST

Mall question sparks ad spending

By Naush Boghossian , Staff Writer

GLENDALE — Campaign spending for and against developer Rick Caruso’s $264
million open-air mall totaled $1.1 million in July alone, when both sides
began their push with television commercials and print ads.

The July numbers brought General Growth’s total spending to date against the
mall project to about $1 million, while Caruso has spent $919,000 to date
defending his project, campaign statements filed Friday show.

“This is an expensive campaign. We have six weeks left to voting and we’re
really at the front end of gearing up on this campaign,’ Caruso said.

The vote, set for Sept. 14, challenges zoning for the proposed retail,
entertainment and housing project.

Caruso’s expenditures so far represent the beginning of his direct mail
campaign and television commercials.

Caruso opponents, meanwhile, are targeting Armenian voters, spending $28,700
just on commercials that ran on Armenian cable shows.

“Reaching the Armenian community is an important part of our campaign and we
are planning on spending a significant amount of money to do that,’ said
Harvey Englander, campaign consultant for project foes.

Glendale Galleria owner General Growth and Caruso Affiliated Holdings have
provided most of the funding for their respective campaigns.

Neither side would say how much it intends to spend until the vote.

General Growth began a petition drive in late April to bring the Caruso
center to a public vote.

Opponents of the downtown Glendale project adjacent to the Glendale Galleria
have argued the center would be incompatible with surrounding businesses,
would cost the city too much, and the partial closure of Harvard and Orange
streets would worsen traffic in the area. Naush Boghossian can be reached at
(818) 546-3306, or by e-mail at [email protected] .

ENERGY CRISIS IN GEORGIA TELLS MOST OF ALL ON JAVAKHK

AKHALKALAKI, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). The energy crisis of Georgia most
of all tells on Javakhk, regardless of the fact that the Akhalkalaki
and Ninotsminda regions are most conscientious while paying for the
used electricity. The Akhalkalaki region is the only region in
Georgia, which pays for electricity at 100%. According to the “A-Info”
Agency, the situation with electricity became more complicated in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, when Georgy Ioseliani was appointed head of the
company on electricity distribution. The problem is that for the
punishment of non-payers Ioselianin applies measures that also affect
normal payers, in the indicated case – the Armenian regions. Today
Samtskhe-Javakheti receives only 7 megawatts of electricity instead of
40 megawatts, which is enough for the satisfactions of the needs of
only one region.

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected])

PRESS RELEASE

January 12, 2004
Contact: Ardashes Kassakhian 818.500.1918

REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN DAVIS JOINS CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN
ISSUES SAN DIEGO, CA – Representative Susan Davis (D-CA 53rd) today
became the newest member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues reported the Armenian National Committee of America Western
Region (ANCA WR). Representative Davis’s entrance into the Caucus
brings its membership to 132.

On July 23, 2004, representatives of the ANC of San Diego (ANC SD) and
the ANCA-Western Region, met with the Congresswoman’s staff to discuss
her joining the Caucus on Armenian Issues. ANCA-WR Executive Director
Ardashes Kassakhian, ANC SD Chair Garo Artinian and ANC SD board
member Robert Deranian met with Caridad Sanchez, Senior Community
Relations Representative for Rep. Davis.

The ANC delegation thanked Ms. Sanchez for the Congresswoman’s
support of Armenian-American issues. After a brief update of the
ANC’s local activities and an update of local San Diego initiatives,
Kassakhian presented the Congresswoman with an letter formally asking
Rep. Davis to join the over 34 Members of Congress from California
that are already a part of the Caucus.

“We welcome Representative Davis joining the Armenian Issues Caucus
and look forward to working with the Congresswoman on a number of
issues of special concern to his Armenian American constituents,”
stated Garo Artinian, Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee
of San Diego.

“I look forward to working with the Armenian American community here
in San Diego, the Armenian National Committee, my colleagues on the
Armenian Issues Caucus and others to help bring attention to the
Armenian Genocide,” stated Rep. Susan Davis. “By working together,
as one voice, we will help bring attention to such crimes against
humanity and stop the cycle of Genocide in our time.” `I look forward
to working with the Armenian American community here in San Diego, the
Armenian National Committee, my colleagues on the Armenian Issues
Caucus and others to help bring attention to the Armenian Genocide and
its denial,’ stated Rep. Susan Davis. `By working together, as one
voice, we will help bring attention to such crimes against humanity
and stop the cycle of Genocide in our time,’ added Rep. Davis.

Earlier this year, Rep. Susan Davis co-signed a letter to President
George W. Bush, along with 169 other members of Congress, urging the
President to honor his campaign pledge from four years ago to properly
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide as a genocide. Rep. Davis has
co-signed a similar letter to the President for the past three years.

The Founded in 1995, the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues is a
bipartisan forum for the discussion of policies to foster increased
cooperation between the United States and Armenian governments and to
strengthen the enduring bonds between the American and Armenian
peoples. It was founded by Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and John
Porter (R-IL) in 1995.

Rep. Davis was elected to the House of Representatives in November of
2000 and has served two terms. In Congress, Rep. Davis serves on the
House Armed Services Committee, the Education and the Workforce
Committee, and the Veterans Affairs Committee. She focuses on the
issues of defense, education, environment, health care, and veterans
affairs. Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Davis served on the
San Diego City School Board and served three terms in the California
State Assembly.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the
concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.

ArmenPress
Aug 4 2004

PAN-DIASPORA CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN EDUCATION

ANTELIAS, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS: Initiated by His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of Cilicia and organized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
a Pan-Diaspora Conference on Armenian Education will start its
discussion on Thursday morning, 5 August 2004 in the main hall of the
Theological Seminary, in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The theme of the
conference is “The Armenian Education today in a Diaspora situation”.
Around one hundred intellectuals and experts almost from all
communities in Diaspora will address this timely issue in different
perspectives and contexts.
The Conference will start with a critical and analytical
evaluation of the present estate of the Armenian Education in
Diaspora, and will proceed to identify the emerging concerns and
perspectives. In light of that the Conference will endeavor to
redefine the Armenian Education vis-a-vis the new challenges and the
new realities of the present world. The Conference will conclude its
deliberations by making a declaration, where the major guidelines and
orientations for a new educational policy for the Diaspora will be
outlined.
The minister of Education, the president of the Cultural and
Educational commission of the Parliament and the president of the
Union of the Armenian writers in Armenia will attend this conference.
Because of the unique importance of the Conference and the special
attention that the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia gives to the
Armenian Education, His Holiness Aram I will address the Conference
and take part in its deliberations and actions.

UEFA.com
Aug 2 2004

Casoni to lead Armenia
Monday, 2 August 2004
Former France defender Bernard Casoni has been named as the new coach
of Armenia and will lead the team during their 2006 FIFA World Cup
qualifying campaign.

Ambitious for future
The 42-year-old will have a tough task as Armenia are in Group 1
alongside the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Romania, Finland, Andorra
and F.Y.R. Macedonia, with their opening match a trip to the latter
nation on 18 August. While a place in Germany in two years may not be
a realistic goal, Casoni said: “I’ll help Armenian football to grow.”

Pardo to assist
Bernard Pardo, another former international, will assist Casoni, who
was capped 30 times by Les Bleus. During his playing days, Casoni won
the UEFA Champions League with Olympique de Marseille in 1993 and
went on to coach the side between 1999 and 2000. He has also worked
in Tunisia with Etoile Sportive du Sahel and his hometown club AS
Cannes.

Agence France Presse
Aug 1 2004

Four Near Simultaneous Car Bombs Target Iraq Churches: Police

BAGHDAD, Aug 1 (AFP) – At least four car bombs exploded in quick
succession outside churches in Baghdad and the northern city of
Mosul, in an apparently targeted assault on Iraq`s influential
Christian minority, police said.

The first car was detonated by a suicide bomber near an Armenian
church in Baghdad`s upmarket district of Karada, said policeman
Haidar Abdul Hussein. Minutes later, a second car bomb exploded near
a Catholic Syriac church.

Thick black smoke billowed in the sky above Karada, clearly visible
for miles, as ambulances screamed through the streets and firemen
battled to contain the blaze.

Officials at the Ibn al-Nafeez hospital said 15 people had been
admitted with injuries following the attacks. One of the 15 later
died, said Anas Edward, a doctor.

Another police officer at the scene said there were casualties, but
was unable to specify how many.

Nervous police officers fired into the air and an AFP correspondent
saw the gutted shells of the two cars lying in the streets.

A US military spokesman said “at least four explosions” went off in
the central Baghdad area early Sunday evening.

In Mosul, 370 kilometres (230 miles) north of the capital, two car
bombs exploded outside a church in the early evening outside the Mar
Polis church in the central Mohandessin neighbourhood, said Major
Mohammed Omar Taha.

“There are casualties, but we don`t know if anyone was killed,” he
said.

Slovenian envoy, Armenian minister discuss cooperation with OSCE

Arminfo
26 Jul 04

YEREVAN

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received today Slovenia’s
permanent representative to the OSCE, ambassador Janez Lenarcic, who
is the would-be chairman of the OSCE’s Permanent Council and is paying
a visit to the region.

Since Slovenia will chair the OSCE in 2005, Lenarcic asked Oskanyan to
brief him on Armenia’s stance regarding cooperation with the OSCE
bodies and its office in Yerevan, the Foreign Ministry’s press service
told Arminfo. The sides also exchanged views on the OSCE’s activity
and missions in various spheres, including those in regions which are
undergoing transition, such as the South Caucasus.

In this connection, the sides noted the OSCE’s peacekeeping role in
resolving conflicts. They positively assessed the role of the OSCE
Minsk Group in settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.

Oskanyan commented on a CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States]
statement regarding the OSCE’s activity with a view to conducting
necessary reforms. Armenian representatives in Vienna have repeatedly
raised the issue, Oskanyan said.

Oskanyan also briefed Lenarcic on the process of settling the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict, as well as on Armenian-Turkish relations. During
the meeting Lenarcic was accompanied by Vladimir Pryakhin, head of the
OSCE office in Yerevan, and Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal
representative of the current OSCE chairman-in-office.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

July 22, 2004

How to Become Culturally Well-rounded Armenians

New York, NY – Where in the world would you have an internationally
acclaimed theater persona, a renowned photo-journalist, a political
lobbyist, an Armenian- American military man, and an innovative
poet-artist speak to Armenian teenagers within weeks from each to
complement an already rich academic program?

Where would one analyze Siamanto’s Terenig, learn about Vartan
Aykegtsi, the relocation plans of Shah Abbas, the current political
climate in Armenia and Karabagh, and the teachings of the Gospel in a
young people-friendly manner? All that in addition to trips to
museums, screening of the movie Ararat (by special parental
authorization), visits to the Armenian Old Age Home, discussions about
current Armenian issues, Armenian theater workshops and Jeopardy
tournaments.

One need not go far; the Siamanto Academy of the Armenian National
Education Committee (ANEC), offers that opportunity. Known for its
well-formed academic program, the Academy which holds classes at
Woodside’s St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, exposes young
Armenians to current developments in the world of Armenian politics,
history, literature and the arts.

The accredited program encompasses instruction in language,
literature, history, current events and Christian Studies, which
covers a three-year syllabus. Christian Studies are administered by
Very Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian, who with the help of guest
lecturers, has engaged the students at their level in bringing the
Word to them. The Armenian curriculum has been developed over the
years by Dr. Herand Markarian and it encompasses, language and
literature disciplines. Mr. Harout Misserlian has developed a
comprehensive syllabus that incorporate the ethnogenesis of the
Armenian people through modern times.

It is our belief that when anchored in the rich Armenian culture,
students are stronger and more confident to serve as viable citizens
wherever they may be. In that vein, the Academy was happy to invite
Major Aram Sarafian, as a guest lecturer.

Following discussion about his dual heritage, Major Aram spoke of his
military deployments to Bosnia & Croatia, Afghanistan, and Kuwait and
Iraq and about how his Armenian background provided opportunities to
interact with the local Armenian communities, officials of Armenian
descent working for the United Nations and other Armenian-Americans in
the military.

As Siamanto Academy student, Tamar Samuelian said, “I enjoyed Major
Aram Sarafian’s presentation very much. It sort of gave us an idea of
what the other soldiers are doing presently in Iraq, Kuwait and
wherever else troops are located. His presentation also taught us
that being Armenian . can be very beneficial to us . It can also help
others learn about Armenians. I also learned you don’t necessarily
have to be known throughout the world, to be important.”

Harry Koundakjian, the internationally known Associated Press
photo-journalist, was also invited to address the Academy
students. Mr. Koundakjian’s interesting selection of slides depicted
important events of the last 50 years, when he covered events in the
Middle East and especially Armenia. His travels in more than 30
countries recorded the lives of kings, presidents, our catholicoi,
famous writers like William Saroyan, singers like Charles Aznavour,
artists, dancers like Noreyev, Fonteyn as well as political and
national, religious leaders. Harry was in Armenia to record the
earthquake. Among Koundakjian’s favorite photographs is a picture he
shot of the raising of the Armenian Tricolor, at the United Nations
when Armenia was accepted as a member to the world body.

Kevork Mourad, the talented artist who had his artistic formation in
Armenia and who has exhibited extensively in the United States and
Armenia, showed a power point presentation of his technique and
works. He also gave a brief overview about Armenian art and
artists. Mr. Mourad’s interactive presentation ended with drawings by
the students.

Nora Armani, the much-anticipated, internationally acclaimed stage,
film and television personality, held a theatrical workshop for the
students. The session held in Armenian, elicited impromptu responses
and improvisations by the students. After an introduction about
Armenian and international theater, the artist showed the students
practical acting techniques.

A slide presentation “This Summer in Karabagh” and commentary by Neery
Melkonian, Founder and Executive Director of NK Arts, a non-profit
organization committed to stimulating economic growth and social
recovery in the Nagorno Karabagh Republic, was a presentation of
stunning visual overview of various NK Arts initiatives including the
production of the annual Festival of Shushi. NK Arts provides
vocational training and local jobs, introduces basic business
principles, and sets up oversight and management structures for this
emerging nation also known as Artsakh.

Armenian National Committee (ANC) New York director, Antranik
Vartanian was another welcome guest. Following a presentation of the
work engendered and propagated by the ANC one of the two Armenian
lobbying groups in Washington D.C., Mr. Vartanian showed a BBC
documentary. “Armenia: The Betrayed” was an authoritative account of
the history of the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish government policy
of its denial. Mr. Vartanian gave a historical background about the
inception of the ANC on the 50th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. Now, 36 states have accepted the Armenian Genocide.

The Siamanto Academy sponsored by the Armenian National Education
Committee meets on Saturdays at the St. Illuminator’s Armenian School
in Woodside. All graduates of Armenian schools in the New York, New
Jersey area are invited to take this valuable opportunity to further
their knowledge of the Armenian language and culture. This year, ANEC
invited Dn. Krikor Lakissian to serve as the principal of the
Academy. Dn. Lakissian has been instrumental in transmitting the love
of the Armenian ethos to the students in addition to his role as
principal and occasional instructor. Ms Gilda B. Kupelian continues to
lend her support and active participation in the supervision and
accreditation process of the program.

ARMENIA THIS WEEK
Monday, July 19, 2004

CONGRESS VOTES TO RESTORE ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN MILITARY AID PARITY
A congressional vote last week reinstated the policy of parity in U.S.
military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, appropriating $5.75 million
to each. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 365 to 41 to pass the
foreign aid bill that also earmarked $65 million in aid to Armenia and $5
million to Nagorno Karabakh. Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben
Shugarian commended the congressional action, saying it would pave the way
to greater U.S.-Armenia military cooperation.

The United States has maintained the unofficial parity approach since the
early 1990s, when the U.S. Congress sanctioned Azerbaijan over its conduct
of the war against Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia (known as Section 907 of the
FREEDOM Support Act). The U.S. first began providing military aid to the two
countries after a 2001 congressional vote, which satisfied the
Administration request to waive Section 907 to allow for a greater U.S. role
in cracking down on Islamic radicals within Azerbaijan and for
counter-proliferation efforts in the Caspian. The waiver mandates that none
of this U.S. military aid could be used against Armenia. Last February, the
Bush Administration attempted to renege on the parity agreement, requesting
more military assistance for Azerbaijan than for Armenia. The vote by the
House of Representatives would reinstate the policy.

Meanwhile, capitalizing on higher oil prices, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev ordered $35 million in oil revenues to be used for additional
military spending this year. The funds would cover an average of 1.5 times
increase in salaries for officers in the scandal-plagued Defense Ministry
and similar or higher increases in the National Security Ministry. The
salary hike was announced last month shortly after a senior officer at the
Azeri mission to NATO defected to a European country. (Sources: Armenia This
Week 2-6; Day.az 6-29, 7-6; RFE/RL Armenia Report 6-29; ANS TV 6-30; AAA
Press Release 7-16; Regnum.ru 7-13)

POLL: FEW ARMENIANS CREDIT GOVERNMENT WITH ECONOMIC RECOVERY
While most Armenians have seen their family budgets grow over the past three
years, only a few of them credit the government for the improvement, a
recent poll found. A survey of 1,127 Armenian citizens was conducted by the
Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS), a Yerevan
think tank. The surveyed group was mostly female (60 percent), not working
(41 percent unemployed, 10 – retirees and 7 – students) and self-described
as middle class (63 percent; just over 3 percent said they were affluent,
while 33 percent said they were poor).

54 percent of the respondents said their family budgets have grown in the
past three years, but only 44 percent think the recent double-digit economic
growth had a positive impact on them. Most respondents credit their own
personal efforts for the improvement. This view reflects a widely held
belief that economic growth is largely a result of the government’s policies
rather than an indicator of performance by mostly privately-owned Armenian
economy. In 2001-2003, Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by over
40 percent, with the volume of exports more than doubling. Between 1999 and
2002, the GNI coefficient, which is used to measure income disparity, had
improved from 0.6 to 0.4.

Fully 75 percent of the surveyed group blamed economic problems in Armenia
on internal factors, such as economic monopolization, corruption,
demoralization and taxation policies, with less than 10 percent blaming
external factors such as the Karabakh conflict and closed borders. Just 26
percent believed that a change of government would be the best way to
address economic problems, with 65 percent arguing for improvement or change
of government policies. Over one half of all respondents said they expect
Armenia to become a prosperous country in 10 to 25 years.

Also, 70 percent of respondents said Diaspora plays an important role in
Armenia’s economic development, while 54 percent named economic links with
Russia and 12 percent – the United States. (Sources: Noyan Tapan 7-15;
7-16; Arminfo 7-16)

UNITED NATIONS’ INDEX RANKS ARMENIA’S “HUMAN DEVELOPMENT” AHEAD OF NEIGHBORS
Armenia continues to rank ahead of its neighbors in terms of human
development, the United Nations (UN) reported last week. The UN calculates
the rankings based on life expectancy, education and income. According to
the most recent index Armenia was 82nd, Turkey – 88th; Azerbaijan – 91st,
Georgia – 97th and Iran – 101st out of 177 countries ranked. Norway, Sweden,
Australia, Canada and the Netherlands topped the list, and together with
fifty other countries, are “countries with high development.” Armenia and
its neighbors are in the “medium development” group.

The UN rankings were based primarily on 2002 data. At the time, life
expectancy in Armenia was over 72 years, combined elementary, middle and
high school enrollment at 72 percent, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per
capita at $3,120 (with purchasing power factored in). In 2003, the GDP per
capita is estimated to have grown to $3,900, compared to $3,500 in
Azerbaijan and $2,500 in Georgia. According to the UN index, by 2002 Armenia
had recovered to slightly over the 1990 pre-independence level of
development. (Sources: Armenia This Week 12-6-02; Arminfo 7-15; Noyan Tapan
7-15; 2004/pdf/hdr04_HDI.pdf)

Visit the Armenia This Week archive dating back to 1997 at

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ArmenPress
July 19 2004

NUMBER OF MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES GROW

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: An estimated 8,245 marriages were
performed in the first half of 2004 against 7,101 of the same period
of time last year. The marriage growth rate made 1,144. According to
a special department of the justice ministry, registering marriages,
5,601 marriages were performed in the regions and 2,644 marriages in
the capital city of Yerevan.
Also 1,042 divorces were granted in the same time, out of which
543 in Yerevan and 499 in regions. In the first six months of 2003
951 divorces were granted.