Author: Varosian Antranik

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 12 2006

Azeri MP praises UN rights body admission

Baku, May 11, AssA-Irada

Azerbaijan’s recent admission to the newly-established UN Human
Rights Council shows that the UN General Assembly acknowledges that
human rights are being protected and the democratic reforms are
successfully underway in the country, a parliament member has said.
`The membership is another accomplishment we have made,’ said
chairwoman of the permanent parliamentary commission on human rights,
Rabiyyat Aslanova.
Azerbaijan became a member of the UN body following a vote on
Tuesday, receiving 95 votes and beating a number of other countries.
The MP said Azerbaijan will become the first South Caucasus country
to be represented in the Council. `Neighboring states had limited
opportunities to become a member state. It is not by mere chance that
Azerbaijan gained the most votes [among them],’ she said.
Aslanova said that by gaining admission, Baku has acquired an
additional opportunity to convey the essence of the long-standing
Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict it faces with Armenia to the
international community.
`Armenia was not admitted to the council due to the blatant
violations of human rights there,’ the MP added.
Also elected to the bureau have been China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi
Arabia and Pakistan, who have been roundly criticized for poor human
rights record. Countries such as Georgia, Armenia, Slovenia and
Hungary have been closed out of the UN list.*

CD OF KOMITAS’ “PATARAG” BY PERFORMANCE OF “HOVER” CHAMBER CHOIR RELEASED IN GERMANY

Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of professor
Hrant Khachatrian, by the order of the Flora Family Foundation of
U.S. Stanford University, a disk of Komitas’ “Patarag” (“Liturgy”)
by the performance of the male staff of the “Hover” chamber choir
was recorded and released. The recording was done in Armenia, at
the “Vem” studio and the album consisting of 2 CDs each lasting 54
minutes was released in Germany. As Arman Padarian, Director of the
“Hover” choir, informed at the May 11 press conference, about 600 out
of 3000 disks have been already free of charge delivered to the most
important cultural centers and universities of the world. In several
months 1000 disks will be sold through web-site and
1000 disks will be given to the choir. According to Vahe Begoyan,
soloist of the choir, this work by Komitas was first prepared for
release by Komitas’ pupil Vardan Sargsian in 1933. In 1997 musical
critic Robert Atayan prepared and released another variant of “Patarag”
taking into consideration Komitas’ notes preserved at the depository
of manuscripts on Venice Surb Ghazar island. The choir used the very
release of R.Atayan as it was envisaged for a small male choir.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

May 11, 2006
___________________

ASSEMBLY BANQUET ENDS WITH HONORS

By Jake Goshert

Delegates and guests from throughout the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern) gathered at the Hilton in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, on Saturday,
May 6, 2006, for the Diocesan Assembly’s farewell dinner and banquet.

During the evening, filled with food, music by the Washington Armenian Folk
Music Ensemble, and fellowship, the Diocese presented two awards.
Congressman Steven Rothman of New Jersey was presented with the “Friend of
the Armenians” award, given each year to an individual for notable efforts
on behalf of the Armenian people or nation.

Also, three departed leaders of the host parish, St. Leon Church of Fair
Lawn, NJ, were posthumously presented with the “Armenian Church Member of
the Year” award. They were George Dabagian, Sarkis Gabrellian, and Sarkis
Soultanian.

HONORING FRIENDS

With Congressman Rothman, the Diocese honored not only a friend, but a
former neighbor, as he used to live right next door to the St. Leon Church.
A member of Congress since 1997, he has always been a supporter of Armenian
causes, specifically during his time on the House Appropriations Committee’s
sub-committee on foreign aid.

“He has demonstrated his friendship to us by devoting his attention to the
Armenian people and the Armenian nation,” said St. Leon delegate Sandra
Leitner, who was a high school friend of the congressman. “I am grateful he
has applied his principals to support the Armenian people.”

When presented with the award by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Eastern Diocese, the congressman hoisted it above his head, proudly
proclaiming “It’s now in writing. I’m officially a friend of the Armenians.
It doesn’t get any better than that.”

He spoke of meeting Leitner’s family, the Shahinians, in high school, and
immediately feeling a connection to the Armenian people. Later in life, as
he read more about the history of the Armenians, he saw a horrible
connection between their tragedies and those suffered by his Jewish
ancestors.

“As I learned more about history and the history of the Armenian people, I
noticed some striking similarities between my ethnic-religious group and the
Armenains,” he said. “We’re both pretty tough people, though. We have
experienced great sadness in our history. We are ancient peoples. We
suffered the Holocaust and the Genocide, unspeakable horrors. Yet, we
remain hopeful and faithful.”

He said he was proud that over the past 10 years he was part of the effort
to provide $1 billion in foreign aid to the Republic of Armenia.

“There’s more work to do,” he added. “We know the economy is moving around
Yerevan, but we need to do much more in the rural areas. But we’re going to
be sure America’s great friend and fellow democracy grows stronger and
stronger.”

He also spoke of efforts in Congress to officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide as a “genocide,” and efforts he has taken to pressure the Turkish
government to also accept its history.

“We are allies, but we can never be friends until you do what is right,” he
said was his message to Turkish officials. “Acknowledge the truth of the
slaughter of a million people. Until you recognize that fact, our
relationship will not go forward.”

He said he hopes to see the United States government officially recognize
the Genocide soon, and urged the delegates to keep pressuring lawmakers.

“Congressman Steve Rothman is a man who has been a true friend of the
Armenians, both in America and in our historic homeland,” the Primate said.
“Especially with his dynamic leadership in the Congress, Congressman Rothman
has been a strong, effective, and reliable ally of our people.”

HONORING PILLARS

In honoring three late leaders of the St. Leon Church, the Diocese was also
honoring three close friends who built successful lives in their adopted
American home, created strong legacies in their communities, and passed to
their children a deep love of the Armenian Church.

“The story I have to tell is of three men. But in a profound sense, it is a
single story,” said Diocesan Council Secretary Lillian Chapian, as she spoke
about the honorees. “It is the story of a certain kind of man — a certain
quality of man — who exemplifies excellence not only in terms of his
achievement and industriousness, but in terms of his personal character,
imagination, and innate humanity.”

George Dabagian was born in Turkey, and went on to create a successful
business, Jersey Printing. Sarkis Gabrellian came from Iran, and built
Gabrellian Associates, a successful real estate development firm. After
emigrating from Israel, Sarkis Soultanian found success with National
Utility Service.

“These three men stood out. They were considered examples within their own
circle: looked up to by other businessmen, and admired by their peers. Each
of them took their success to another level,” Chapian said. “It is also
significant that each of these men made their mark by providing a service to
other people. That is a characteristic that was embodied in their
professional as well as personal lives.”

The awards were presented by the Primate to the wives of the three honorees
— Lucy Dabagian, Siran Gabrellian, and Takouhi Soultanian.

“I’m very proud that all three men whose memories we are honoring were true
Armenians, both in service to country and allegiance to our mother church,”
Takouhi Soultanian said. “They set a great example for other Armenians to
follow.”

“They loved their church and their Diocese and were always proud to be able
to serve,” Lucky Dabagian said.

The three men not only served in leadership positions in their parish, but
also served the Diocese and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in a variety
of capacities.

“They were three distinguished individuals who made us proud and grateful
during their lifetimes,” Archbishop Barsamian said. “All three were true
leaders of the Armenian Church and dear, personal friends to many of us
here, including myself. I miss them very much. They were exemplary human
beings, exemplary Armenian Church members, and wonderful friends.”

“It was a great loss for our whole church, our whole family, when these
three pillars fell in such succession,” the Primate added. “We are all
poorer from having lost them.”

— 5/11/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, presents the
Eastern Diocese’s “Friend of the Armenian” award to Congressman Steven
Rothman of New Jersey during the Diocesan Assembly banquet on Saturday, May
6, 2006.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Barsamian presents the “Armenian Church
Member of the Year” award to Takouhi Soultanian, posthumously awarding it to
her husband Sarkis.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Barsamian presents the “Armenian Church
Member of the Year” award to Siran Gabrellian, posthumously awarding it to
her husband Sarkis.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): Archbishop Barsamian presents the “Armenian Church
Member of the Year” award to Lucy Dabagian, posthumously awarding it to her
husband George.

# # #

ASSEMBLY BANQUET ENDS WITH HONORS

By Jake Goshert

Delegates and guests from throughout the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern) gathered at the Hilton in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, on Saturday,
May 6, 2006, for the Diocesan Assembly’s farewell dinner and banquet.

During the evening, filled with food, music by the Washington Armenian Folk
Music Ensemble, and fellowship, the Diocese presented two awards.
Congressman Steven Rothman of New Jersey was presented with the “Friend of
the Armenians” award, given each year to an individual for notable efforts
on behalf of the Armenian people or nation.

Also, three departed leaders of the host parish, St. Leon Church of Fair
Lawn, NJ, were posthumously presented with the “Armenian Church Member of
the Year” award. They were George Dabagian, Sarkis Gabrellian, and Sarkis
Soultanian.

HONORING FRIENDS

With Congressman Rothman, the Diocese honored not only a friend, but a
former neighbor, as he used to live right next door to the St. Leon Church.
A member of Congress since 1997, he has always been a supporter of Armenian
causes, specifically during his time on the House Appropriations Committee’s
sub-committee on foreign aid.

“He has demonstrated his friendship to us by devoting his attention to the
Armenian people and the Armenian nation,” said St. Leon delegate Sandra
Leitner, who was a high school friend of the congressman. “I am grateful he
has applied his principals to support the Armenian people.”

When presented with the award by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Eastern Diocese, the congressman hoisted it above his head, proudly
proclaiming “It’s now in writing. I’m officially a friend of the Armenians.
It doesn’t get any better than that.”

He spoke of meeting Leitner’s family, the Shahinians, in high school, and
immediately feeling a connection to the Armenian people. Later in life, as
he read more about the history of the Armenians, he saw a horrible
connection between their tragedies and those suffered by his Jewish
ancestors.

“As I learned more about history and the history of the Armenian people, I
noticed some striking similarities between my ethnic-religious group and the
Armenains,” he said. “We’re both pretty tough people, though. We have
experienced great sadness in our history. We are ancient peoples. We
suffered the Holocaust and the Genocide, unspeakable horrors. Yet, we
remain hopeful and faithful.”

He said he was proud that over the past 10 years he was part of the effort
to provide $1 billion in foreign aid to the Republic of Armenia.

“There’s more work to do,” he added. “We know the economy is moving around
Yerevan, but we need to do much more in the rural areas. But we’re going to
be sure America’s great friend and fellow democracy grows stronger and
stronger.”

He also spoke of efforts in Congress to officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide as a “genocide,” and efforts he has taken to pressure the Turkish
government to also accept its history.

“We are allies, but we can never be friends until you do what is right,” he
said was his message to Turkish officials. “Acknowledge the truth of the
slaughter of a million people. Until you recognize that fact, our
relationship will not go forward.”

He said he hopes to see the United States government officially recognize
the Genocide soon, and urged the delegates to keep pressuring lawmakers.

“Congressman Steve Rothman is a man who has been a true friend of the
Armenians, both in America and in our historic homeland,” the Primate said.
“Especially with his dynamic leadership in the Congress, Congressman Rothman
has been a strong, effective, and reliable ally of our people.”

HONORING PILLARS

In honoring three late leaders of the St. Leon Church, the Diocese was also
honoring three close friends who built successful lives in their adopted
American home, created strong legacies in their communities, and passed to
their children a deep love of the Armenian Church.

“The story I have to tell is of three men. But in a profound sense, it is a
single story,” said Diocesan Council Secretary Lillian Chapian, as she spoke
about the honorees. “It is the story of a certain kind of man — a certain
quality of man — who exemplifies excellence not only in terms of his
achievement and industriousness, but in terms of his personal character,
imagination, and innate humanity.”

George Dabagian was born in Turkey, and went on to create a successful
business, Jersey Printing. Sarkis Gabrellian came from Iran, and built
Gabrellian Associates, a successful real estate development firm. After
emigrating from Israel, Sarkis Soultanian found success with National
Utility Service.

“These three men stood out. They were considered examples within their own
circle: looked up to by other businessmen, and admired by their peers. Each
of them took their success to another level,” Chapian said. “It is also
significant that each of these men made their mark by providing a service to
other people. That is a characteristic that was embodied in their
professional as well as personal lives.”

The awards were presented by the Primate to the wives of the three honorees
— Lucy Dabagian, Siran Gabrellian, and Takouhi Soultanian.

“I’m very proud that all three men whose memories we are honoring were true
Armenians, both in service to country and allegiance to our mother church,”
Takouhi Soultanian said. “They set a great example for other Armenians to
follow.”

“They loved their church and their Diocese and were always proud to be able
to serve,” Lucky Dabagian said.

The three men not only served in leadership positions in their parish, but
also served the Diocese and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in a variety
of capacities.

“They were three distinguished individuals who made us proud and grateful
during their lifetimes,” Archbishop Barsamian said. “All three were true
leaders of the Armenian Church and dear, personal friends to many of us
here, including myself. I miss them very much. They were exemplary human
beings, exemplary Armenian Church members, and wonderful friends.”

“It was a great loss for our whole church, our whole family, when these
three pillars fell in such succession,” the Primate added. “We are all
poorer from having lost them.”

— 5/11/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, presents the
Eastern Diocese’s “Friend of the Armenian” award to Congressman Steven
Rothman of New Jersey during the Diocesan Assembly banquet on Saturday, May
6, 2006.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Barsamian presents the “Armenian Church
Member of the Year” award to Takouhi Soultanian, posthumously awarding it to
her husband Sarkis.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Barsamian presents the “Armenian Church
Member of the Year” award to Siran Gabrellian, posthumously awarding it to
her husband Sarkis.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): Archbishop Barsamian presents the “Armenian Church
Member of the Year” award to Lucy Dabagian, posthumously awarding it to her
husband George.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO PROBLEMS OF CAUCASUS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. An international conference on the
theme “Caucasus without Conflicts and Terrorism. On the Crossroads
of Civilizations” will take place in Yerevan on May 17-18. The World
Congress of Armenians and the “Dialogue of Civilizations” National
Center are organizers of the event.

Aram Sarksian, the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia,
a Council member of the “Dialogue of Civilizations” National Center
informed about it at the May 10 meeting at the National Press Club. The
goal of the conference is to find common borders for settling problems
existing in Caucasus: “Caucasus is one of the most difficult regions
of the world where a war may start any time.

But we are doomed to live together in this region, and that’s why the
sides must listen to and understand positions of each others.” It is
envisaged to prepare a “Declaration about Peaceful Caucasus” according
to data of the event. Aram Sarksian informed that representatives
of Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Iran, Russia which will be represented
at experts’ level will participate in the event. Representatives of
Azerbaijan as well were invited to the event but they did not give
agreement yet: according to A.Sarksian, most likely, they are afraid of
problems in their own country. A number of experts from Europe will
also take part in the conference. The “Dialogue of Civilizations”
National Center envisages to organize similar events every year.

‘CILICIA’ RESUMES NAVIGATION

AZG Armenian Daily
11/05/2006

Serge Sargsian, Armenia’s defense minister, met with “Cilicia”
vessel’s crew, yesterday.

Colonel Seyran Shahsouvarian, press secretary of RA Defense Ministry,
informed that Karen Balayan, captain of the ship, and writer Zori
Balayan, represented the preparation works for the sea expedition
to Mr. Sargsian.

Mr. Sargsian stated with satisfaction that two previous expeditions
were successfully completed and added that the grasped experience will
help finish the third expedition with honor. Mr. Sargsian awarded
“Cilicia” vessel’s crewmembers with “Admiral Isakov” medal for
restoration of the tradition of middle age Armenian navigation and
shipbuilding and contribution to strengthening the relations between
Armenia and Diaspora.

Armenia Fund, Inc.
111 North Jackson St. Ste. 205
Glendale, CA 91206

Tel: 818-243-6222
Fax: 818-243-7222

Contact: Sarkis Kotanjian
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
May 10, 2006

Mark Geragos Elected to Armenia Fund International Board

Yerevan, Armenia – Prominent celebrity attorney and CNN legal analyst
Mark Geragos was appointed to the International Board of Trustees of
Armenia Fund – the governing body of the worldwide organization. The
Board of Trustees, which is chaired by President Robert Kocharian,
unanimously approved Geragos’ appointment as a new Trustee to the Board.
As a premier organization tasked with crucial nation-building projects
in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, Geragos stated, `What I like about
Armenia Fund is what I call the `ecumenical nature’ of the organization,
meaning that it brings together Armenian political, cultural
organizations, and religious institutions around the world under one
mission – to rebuild Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.’

In the past three years Geragos has participated in Armenia Fund’s
annual Thanksgiving Day Telethons and assisted the organization with its
fundraising efforts. “Geragos is a great addition to the International
Board of Trustees of Armenia Fund. He brings enormous access and a wide
range of resources to our organization to further our nation-building
activities in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,” said Maria Mehranian,
Chairperson of Armenia Fund, Inc.

During his visit, Geragos had the opportunity to meet with His Holiness
Karekin II, Catholicos of All-Armenians. On the sidelines of the Board
meeting, Geragos also had a private meeting with President Robert
Kocharian. The President warmly welcomed his election to the Board of
Trustees and expressed his willingness to work closer with him.

Geragos has been quite active within the greater Armenian-American
community realm. Recently, along with other Los Angeles based attorneys,
Geragos filed a lawsuit against German banks – Deutsche Bank A.G. and
Dresdner Bank A.G – regarding heirs of Armenian Genocide survivors that
the banks have refused to pay.

Geragos’ clients among others have included Hollywood actress Winona
Ryder and pop icon Michael Jackson. A graduate of Loyola Law School in
Los Angeles, Geragos was recently named as one of the most influential
attorneys in the country. The Los Angeles Times describes him as
`seemingly unbeatable’. As a Trustee of Armenia Fund, Geragos is
certainly going to further rally the financial resources of the Diaspora
for infrastructure development projects in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation
established in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and
infrastructure development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Armenia Fund, Inc. is the U.S. Western Region affiliate of `Hayastan’
All-Armenian Fund. Tax ID# 95-4485698

ZNet.org
May 9 2006

Subordinate and Non-Subordinate States
An interview with Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky interviewed by
Khatchig Mouadian
May 08, 2006

Noam Chomsky, whom the New York Times has called `arguably the most
important intellectual alive,’ was voted the leading living public
intellectual in The 2005 Global Intellectuals Poll conducted by the
British magazine Prospect. Chomsky, Institute Professor Emeritus at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a world-renowned
linguist, writer, and political analyst. He is the author of many
books on US foreign policy and international affairs, the most recent
of which is `Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on
Democracy.’

This interview was conducted by phone from Beirut on May 2, 2006.

Khatchig Mouradian- In an article entitled `Domestic Constituencies,’
you say: `It is always enlightening to seek out what is omitted in
propaganda campaigns.'[1] Can you expand on what is omitted in the US
propaganda campaign on Lebanon and Syria after the assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in February 2005?

Noam Chomsky- The only thing being discussed is that there was an
assassination and Syria was involved in it. How come Syria is in
Lebanon in the first place? Why did the US welcome Syria in Lebanon
in 1976? Why did George Bush I support Syrian presence and domination
and influence in Lebanon in 1991 as part of his campaign against
Iraq? Why did the US support the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982?
Why did the US support Israel’s 22 year occupation of parts of
Lebanon, an occupation in violation of Security Council resolutions?
All these topics, and many others, are missing from the discussion.

In fact, the general principle is that anything that places US
actions in a questionable light is omitted, with very rare
exceptions. So if you blame something on an enemy, then you can
discuss it, and Syria, right now is the official enemy. That doesn’t
necessarily mean that the charges against Syria are wrong. It just
means that everything else is omitted.

K.M. – When speaking about regimes in the Middle East, you often
quote the expressions `Arab façade’ and `local cop on the beat.’ What
is the role of Lebanon in the area?

N.C. – The phrase `Arab façade’ comes from the British Foreign
secretary Lord Curzon after WWI. At the time, when the British were
planning the organization of the Middle East, their idea was that
there should be Arab façades which are apparent governments, behind
which they would rule[2]. The expression `local cop on the beat’
comes from the Nixon administration. It was their conception of how
the Middle East should be run. There should be a peripheral region of
gendarme states (Turkey, Iran under the Shah, Israel joined after the
`67 war, Pakistan was there for a while). These states were to be the
local cops on the beat while the US would be the police headquarters.

The place of Lebanon was critical. It was primarily of concern
because of the transition of oil and also because it was a financial
center. The US was concerned in keeping it under control to ensure
that the entire Middle East energy system remains controlled.
Incidentally, for the same reasons, the US has regarded Greece as
part of the Near East. Greece was actually in the Near East section
of the State Department until 1974, because its main role in US
planning was to be part of the system by which the Middle East oil
gets transported to the west. The same is true with Italy. However,
Lebanon had a much more crucial role in this respect, because it is
right in the center of the Middle East. The aforementioned, as well
as the support for Israel’s action- Israel being a local cop on the
beat- were the motivating factors behind Eisenhower’s dispatch of
military forces to Lebanon in 1958.

K.M. – And what does the US administration expect from Lebanon today?

N.C. – The role of Lebanon is to be an obedient, passive state which
regains its status as a financial center but accommodates to the
major US policies, which do include control of the energy resources.

K.M. – What about Lebanon’s role within the context of pressuring
Syria?

N.C. – The question of Syria is a separate one. Yes, Lebanon is
expected to play a role for putting pressure on Syria. However, the
problem for the US is that Syria is not a subordinate state. There
are a lot of serious criticisms you can make about Syria, but the
internal problems of that country are of no special concern to the
US, which supports much more brutal governments. The problem with
Syria is that it simply does not subordinate itself to the US program
in the Middle East. Syria and Iran are the two countries in the
region that have not accepted US economic arrangements. And the
policies against such countries are similar. Take the bombing of
Serbia in 1999, for example. Why was Serbia an enemy? Certainly it
wasn’t because of the atrocities it was carrying out. We know that
the bombing was carried out with the expectation that it would lead
to a sharp escalation in atrocities. We know the answer from the
highest level of the Clinton administration, and the answer was that
Serbia was not adopting the proper social and economic reforms. In
fact, it was the one corner of Europe which was still rejecting the
socioeconomic arrangements that the US wanted to dictate for the
world. The problem with Syria and Iran is more or less the same. Why
is the US planning or threatening war against Iran? Is it because
Iran has been aggressive? On the contrary, Iran was the target of US
backed aggression. Is Iran threatening anybody? No. Is Iran more
brutal and less democratic than the rest of the Arab world? It’s a
joke. The problem is that Iran is not subordinating.

K.M. – In this context, why is Europe increasingly being supportive
of US policies in the Middle East?

N.C. – If you look back over the past decades, a major concern of US
policy -and it’s very clear in internal planning – is that Europe might
strike an independent course. During the cold war period, US was
afraid Europe might follow what they called `a third way,’ and many
mechanisms were used to inhibit any intention on the part of Europe
to follow an independent course. That goes right back to the final
days of World War II and its immediate aftermath, when US and
Britain intervened, in some cases quite violently, to suppress the
anti-fascist resistance and restore tradition structures, including
fascist-Nazi collaborators. Germany was reconstructed pretty much the
same way. The unwillingness to accept a unified neutral Germany in
the 1950s was predicated on the same thinking. We don’t know if that
would have been possible, but Stalin did offer a unified Germany
which would have democratic elections which he was sure to lose, but
on condition that it would not be part of a hostile military
alliance. However, the US was not willing to tolerate a unified
Germany. The establishment of NATO is in large part an effort to
ensure European discipline and the current attempts to expand NATO
are further planning of the same sort.

European elites have been, by and large, pretty satisfied with this
arrangement. They’re not very different from the dominant forces in
the US. They are somewhat different, but closely interrelated. There
are mutual investments and business relations. The elite sectors of
Europe don’t particularly object to the US policies. You can see this
very strikingly in the case of Iran. The US has sought to isolate and
strangle Iran for years. It had embargos and sanctions, and it has
repeatedly threatened Europe to eliminate investments in Iran. The
main European corporations have pretty much agreed to that. China, on
the other hand, did not. China can’t be intimidated, that’s why the
US government is frightened of China. But Europe backs off and pretty
much follows US will. The same is true on the Israel-Palestine front.
The US strongly supports Israeli takeover of the valuable parts of
the occupied territories and pretty much the elimination of the
possibility of any viable Palestinian state. On paper, the Europeans
disagree with that and they do join the international consensus on a
two-state settlement, but they don’t do anything about it. They’re
not willing to stand against the US. When the US government decided
to punish the Palestinians for electing the wrong party in the last
elections, Europe went along, not totally, but pretty much. By and
large, European elites do not see it in their interest to confront
the US. They’d rather integrate with it. The problem the US is having
with China, and Asia more generally, is that they don’t automatically
accept US orders.

K.M. – They don’t fall in line…

N.C. – Yes, they won’t fall in line, and, especially in the case of
China, they just won’t be intimidated. That’s why, if you read the
latest National Security Strategy, China is identified as the major
long range threat to the US. This is not because China is going to
invade or attack anyone. In fact, of all the major nuclear powers,
they’re the one that is the least aggressive, but they simple refuse
to be intimidated, not just in their policies regarding the Middle
East, but also in Latin America. While the US is trying to isolate
and undermine Venezuela, China proceeds to invest in and to import
from Venezuela without regard to what the US says.

The international order is in a way rather like the mafia. The
godfather has to ensure that there is discipline.

Europe quietly pursues its own economic interests as long as they
don’t fall in direct conflict with the US. Even in the case of Iran,
although major European corporations did pull out of country, and
Europe did back down on its bargain with Tehran on uranium
enrichment, nevertheless, Europe does maintain economic relations
with Iran. For years, the US has also tried to prevent Europe from
investing in Cuba and Europe pretty much kept away, but not entirely.
The US has a mixed attitude towards European investment and resource
extraction in Latin America. For one thing, the US and European
corporate systems are very much interlinked. The US relies on
European support in many parts of the world. For Europe to invest in
Latin America and import its resources is by no means as threatening
to US domination as when China does.

K.M. – In one of his recent speeches, Hasan Nasrallah, the
secretary-general of Hizbullah, spoke of solidarity with the
resistance movement in the occupied territories and with `our brother
Chavez.’ Let us speak about the common link that brings people on
different sides of the Atlantic, and of different ideological
background, together.

N.C. – The common thing that brings them together is that they do not
subordinate themselves to US power. Hizbullah knows perfectly well
that they’re not going to get help from Venezuela, but the fact that
they are both following a course independently of US power and, in
fact, in defiance to US orders, links them together.

The US has been trying, unsuccessfully, to topple the Cuban
government for more than 45 years now and it remains. The rise of
Chavez to power was very frightening to US elites. He has an enormous
popular support. The level of support for the elected government in
Venezuela has risen very sharply and it is now at the highest in
Latin America. And Chavez is following an independent course. He’s
doing a lot of things that the US doesn’t like a bit. For example,
Argentina, which was driven to total ruin by following IMF orders,
has slowly been reconstructing itself by rejecting IMF rules, and has
wanted to pay off its debt to rid itself of the IMF. Chavez helped
them, and he bought a substantial part of the Argentine debt. To rid
oneself from the IMF means to rid oneself from one of the two
modalities of control employed by the US: violence and economic
force. Yesterday, Bolivia nationalized its gas reserves; the US is
only (only??) opposed to that. And Bolivia was able to do that partly
because of Venezuelan support.

If countries move in a direction of independent nationalism, that is
regarded as unacceptable. Why did the US want to destroy Nasser? Was
it because he was more violent and tyrannical than other leaders? The
problem was that it was an independent secular nationalism. That just
can’t be accepted.

K.M. – You talked about the Chavez government’s popularity at home.
The polls show that the same is not true about the Bush
Administration and its policies, both at home and abroad. Despite the
discontent on a wide range of issues, little has changed in terms of
US policy. How do you explain that?

N.C. – In a book that just came out, I talk about this at some
length. The US has a growing and by now enormous democratic deficit
at home; there’s an enormous divide between public opinion and public
policy on a whole range of issues, from the health system to Iraq.
The Bush administration has a very narrow grip on power- remember in
the last election Bush got about 31 percent of the electorate, Kerry
got 29 percent. A few changes in the votes in Ohio and it could have
gone the other way- they’re using that narrow grip desperately to try
to institutionalize very radical and far reaching changes in the US.
They can get away with it because there’s no opposition party. If
there were an opposition party, it would have totally overwhelmed the
Bush administration. Every week, the Bush administration does
something to shoot itself in the foot, whether it’s Hurricane
Katrina, corruption scandals, or other issues, but the formal
opposition party can’t make any gains. One of the most interesting
things about US politics in the past years is that while support for
the Bush administration, which was always very thin, has declined
very sharply because of one catastrophe after the other, support for
the Democrats hasn’t increased. It is increasing only as a reaction
to the lack of support to the Republicans. This is because the
Democrats are not presenting an alternative.

K.M. – You mentioned your recent book, Failed States. In the
Afterword of that book, you say, `No one familiar with history should
be surprised that the growing democratic deficit at home is
accompanied by declaration of messianic missions to bring democracy
to a suffering world.’ How much are these `messianic missions’
helping the Bush Administration?

N.C. – They’re helping the administration among the educated classes.
I discuss this in some length in the book. The messianic missions
came along right after the failure to discover weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq. The invasion was only on the ground that Iraq
was just about to attack the US with nuclear weapons. Well, after a
few months, they discovered that there were no weapons of mass
destruction, so they had to find a new pretext for invading and that
became the messianic mission. The intellectual classes, in Europe as
well, and even in the Arab world, picked this up: the leader said it
therefore we have to believe it.

Among the general population, however, I don’t think these messianic
missions have much influence, except indirectly. This whole rhetoric
is a weak effort, and in fact by now it’s pretty desperate.

K.M. – My final question is about Turkey, one of the local cops on
the beat. I was quite disturbed by the recent developments in the
Southeast of the country. You have been to Turkey a number of times,
and you have also visited the Kurdish regions. What is your take on
the current status of freedoms in Turkey?

N.C. – As you most probably know, the leading Human Rights Watch
investigator in Turkey, who is an extremely fine person, Jonathan
Sugden, was just expelled from the country because he was
investigating human rights violations in the Southeastern zone.

In 2002, the situation in Turkey and especially the Kurdish zone was
pretty bad, but in the next few years it improved and now it’s
regressing again. Let me just give you a personal example. I was
there in 2002 to participate in the trial of a publisher who was
being tried for publishing some remarks of mine about Turkey. Now he
is again on trial for a different book.

There are many reasons for the regression. The military is exerting a
much heavier hand; the reforms that were slowly taking place are
reduced. My own feeling is that one of the reasons for these
developments is the hostility of Europe towards allowing Turkey into
the EU. There’s a pretty strong element of racism in that, which
Turks are not unaware of.

Khatchig Mouradian is a Lebanese-Armenian writer, translator, and
journalist. He is an editor of the daily newspaper Aztag, published
in Beirut. He can be contacted at [email protected]

[1] Noam Chomsky, `Domestic Constituencies,’ Z Magazine, 11:5, p. 18.

[2] Lord Curzon once said that Britain wanted an `Arab facade ruled
and administered under British guidance and controlled by a native
Mohammedan and, as far as possible, by an Arab staff.”

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 8 2006

Images of Black Sea plane wreck flight recorders expected
11:24 | 08/ 05/ 2006

SOCHI, May 8 (RIA Novosti) – Rescuers expect to receive Monday images
of objects believed to be the flight recorders of an Armenian Airbus
A-320 airliner that crashed off Russia’s Black Sea coast last week,
killing all 113 people on board.

A rescue worker said experts had obtained hydroacoustic data using a
new Kalmar deep-sea search vehicle working at the scene to locate
pieces of the wreckage and the flight recorders, which are key to
identifying the cause of the tragedy.

“Several objects have been found with the same coordinates as the
radio signals picked up by French experts, believed to be coming from
the flight recorders,” the rescuer said. “If these objects are the
black boxes, we will try to retrieve them.”

He said experts had established that the objects were at a depth of
around 400-450 meters (about 1,470 feet).

Experts earlier said the plane parts had been discovered at a depth
of 680 meters (2,230 feet) and were skeptical over the possibility of
retrieving them from thick sulfuric hydride sludge on the seabed.

THERE WILL NOT BE A SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF ONE COUNTRY

Lragir.am
5 May 06

Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan declined to comment on the causes of
crash of A320 of Armavia Airlines May 5. He advised the news reporters
to wait for the official statement. “To prevent allegations, this is
a case when a wrong version would cause a psychological shock in our
fellow countrymen, the relatives and friends of the victims. Let us
wait some more days to draw the right conclusion, because there can
be superficial suppositions, but a technical examination may show
that the real causes were different.

This is a very subtle issue,” said the prime minister of Armenia.

He said it is not necessary to involve the Georgian side in the
investigation yet. The prime minister thinks that the materials
provided by the Georgian dispatchers is enough. “In other words,
their direct engagement in the investigation, it is the problem of two
states. We needed those documents, 95 percent of all that process,
we have, the Georgian side has provided, and we are grateful to the
Georgian government. I think if such necessity arises in the future,
our Attorney General will take that step, but first it is necessary
to examine the materials at hand, alanyze, and take the next step if
there is necessity,” says Andranik Margaryan.

The prime minister emphasizes that both the Russian and Georgian sides
respond effectively to all the requests of Armenia. Andranik Margaryan
says there is a satisfactory level of cooperation and good will to
find out the cause of the accident. The prime minister reminds about
the French too, who are also interested in finding out the real cause
of the disaster. “They are interested in displaying the advantages
or safety of their airplane, therefore there will be an objective
assessment, not merely a subjective assessment of a sinle country,”
stated Andranik Margaryan.

ARMAVIA OWNER: FAMILY OF EACH KILLED IN CRASH WILL RECEIVE ABOUT $20,000

Yerevan, May 4. ArmInfo. The owner of 100 pct stake of Armavia airline
Mikhail Baghdasarov says Airbus A320 flying from Yerevan to Sochi
was in good repair.

Baghdasarov says the aircraft underwent full-scale repair in Belgium
in April. The fuelling before the flight would be enough for a return
flight. The crew comprised only high-skilled specialists. If the
initial command to return was fulfilled, no problems would emerge,
Baghdasaryan believes. Both the aircraft and the passengers were
insured by the Armenian company. The latter, in its turn, reinsured
its risks in London. The family of each killed person will receive
about $20,000, Baghdasarov says, adding that “it is impossible to
recoup such losses.”