Author: Zakarian Garnik

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER OF ARGENTINA VISITS ARMENIA
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily #156, 02/09/2005

Rafael Bielsa, foreign minister of Argentina, visited Armenia. Within
the framework of his official visit, Mr. Bielsa visited “Zvartnots”
airport, which is owned by “Corporacion America” Argentinean
company. Mr. Eduardo Ernekian, head of the company, accompanied the
Argentinean foreign minister during his visit.

The Argentinean guests walked in the airport and watched the
construction of the airport’s new terminal. The construction of the new
building will be completed till 2008. “Corporacion America” will invest
$105 million for that. This will be the first part of the investment
program of the airport that amounts to $230 million in total. The
arrival halls of the new building will function by the autumn of 2006.

The airport will be equipped with new equipment and the
security systems that keep in line with the highest international
criteria. Particularly, they showed the new security equipment that
defines the identity of the passengers by their fingerprints.

Rafael Bielsa and Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, gave a short
press conference after their visit to the airport. The ministers
touched upon the official meetings of the past two days. Mr. Bielsa
pointed out his visits to the airport and to the Argentinean school
among the unofficial meetings. He said he was especially touched to
see two little children dance Argentinean tango in a country that is
so far from his motherland.

The ministers also said that they agreed to construct the Embassy of
Argentina to Armenia. Though the place of the Embassy hasn’t been
defined yet, the Ambassador of Argentina to Armenia has already
been appointed.

As for the Armenian-Argentinean relations, Mr. Bielsa said that the
Argentinean Armenians are more Argentineans, while he became more
Armenian when he visited Armenia. He added that the relations between
our countries are more than wonderful.

MOSLEMS CENSOR AMERICAN SPEECH
James Atticus Bowden

Opinion Editorials, VA
Sept 1 2005

Right after 9-11 Moslems insisted on being called Muslims. Woe unto
the American who used the former name. Recently, the Mohammedans won
a coup getting a conservative talk show host, Michael Graham, fired
from WMAL-AM, an ABC Radio affiliate. The Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), otherwise known as the ‘Corrupting America for
Islamic Rule’, will expand bias bullying to censor the truth on other
stations and generally throughout public speech.

Graham said, “Because of the mix of Islamic theology that-rightly
or wrongly-is interpreted to promote violence, added to an
organizational structure that allows violent radicals to operate
openly in Islam’s name with impunity, Islam has, sadly, become a
terrorist organization. It pains me to say it. But the good news is
it doesn’t have to stay this way, if the vast majority of Muslims
who don’t support terror will step forward and reclaim their religion.”

He added, “If the Boy Scouts of America had 1,000 scout troops, and 10
of them practiced suicide bombings, then the BSA would be considered
a terrorist organization. If the BSA refused to kick out those 10
troops, that would make the case even stronger. If people defending
terror repeatedly turned to the Boy Scout Handbook and found language
that justified and defended murder – and the scoutmasters in charge
simply said ‘Could be’ – the Boy Scouts would have been driven out
of America long ago.”

That cost Graham his job. Over 15,000 protest calls to support him
didn’t help. The Muslims got Graham for telling the truth. It’s
going to get a lot worse. More Americans must speak in public with a
lot more of the painful truth of Islam. This historical truth is so
politically incorrect it shouts down the public pandering from the
President down to not dare offend oh-so-sensitive Muslims.

Like, Islam is a (or do they insist it is ‘the’?) Religion of Peace.
If Islam is a Religion of Peace then Aztec Paganism was the Religion
of Mercy. Muslims are behind the Communists, but ahead of the Nazis,
for mass murders, individual martyrdom and religious war killing.
Roman Catholicism’s Spanish Inquisition is cited as a counter-vailing
Christian horror, but it’s nothing (estimates of 32,000 deaths,
but the actual records indicate about 2,000 deaths) compared to body
count that begin when Mohammed ordered the massacre, genocide, of a
Jewish tribe just 5 years after starting his religion (627 A.D.)

Muslim armies killed, raped, and destroyed more in their conquests
against Christians, Pagans and Hindus than all the Crusades put
together. Even during the ‘Golden Age’ of Islam of the 10-13th
centuries, there was mob violence, forced conversions, mass murder
and expulsions against Christians and Jews from Spain to Iran. Ask
the Armenians about Muslim tolerance in the 2oth Century. With this
century in its infancy, how many hundreds of thousands of Christians
have been killed in the Sudan, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Iraq,
Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines and Indonesia? What religion did the
child murderers of Beslan, Russia proclaim last September? Have
Americans no eyes, no ears, no memory, no history of facts?

If Graham was fired for lightly grazing the truth about Islam, who
will get a microphone or camera to tell these greater truths?

Like, Islam is NOT an Abrahimic religion equal to Judaism and
Christianity. Muslims will say they’re people of the ‘Book’ and point
to Koranic verses to support the claim. But, Muslims have other verses
and teach to the contrary. Moreover, why would the God of the Jews and
Christians dictate in the Koran that Muslims should persecute, kill
or make the Jews and Christians pay taxes and be second class citizens?

And Islamic Civilization is 800 years behind Western Civilization. By
any measure that you mark Islam is as far behind the West as the
Germanic Tribes were behind Rome. Islamic Civilization is barbaric
compared to West. Truth isn’t Islamophobia.

Claiming the Koran is more than the truth, that the very pages are
holy, fits a religion that borrowed from the paganism of Baal –
from the black stone Ka’aba to their old moon god symbol and name
of Allah. It’s what you expect when an illiterate Mohammed makes up
a religion/state/society from what he hears of paganism, Judaism,
and Christianity.

History must be ‘outed’, like Mohammad consummating the marriage
of his last additional wife when she was 9 years old. Pedophile for
Prophet? Islam is the peace of submission for followers, the enforced
peace of suppression, and the final peace of the dead victims.

###

James Atticus Bowden has specialized in inter-disciplinary long range
‘futures’ studies for over a decade. He is employed by a Defense
Department contractor. He is a retired United States Army Infantry
Officer. He is a 1972 graduate of the United States Military Academy
and earned graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia
University. He holds two elected Republican Party offices in Virginia.

U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: DISCUSSION OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
IN ARMENIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WILL BE TAKEN AS DEGREE OF POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENT IN REPUBLIC

ARKA News Agency
Aug 29 2005

YEREVAN, August 29. /ARKA/. Discussion of constitutional reforms in
Armenian National Assembly scheduled for August 29 and follow-up
process will be taken as degree of political development in the
republic, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans said in his
address to Armenian Parliament issued by the Embassy’s Press Service.
The Ambassador expressed hope that parliament members acknowledge
commitment toward their compatriots of reaching accord over the best
constitutional provisions. In his message to Armenian lawmakers,
John Evans stressed the importance of the parliamentary discussion
and said politicians of different levels as well as people have to
take it seriously. In his words, Constitution is the key law for every
country. It took 13 years to work out preliminary version of the U.S.
Constitution, after which the Constitution had been amended 27 times,
latest amendments were made in 1990, the U.S. Ambassador said. In
his words, the U.S. supports efforts of all those who have made
their contribution to the process of working out constitutional
reforms and urges all sides to hold constructive dialogue over the
matter, the message says. Evans noted that rules of political game
in every country are determined by Constitution and any political
party should be interested in setting these rules. In his opinion,
not only politicians, but also ordinary people should concentrate
their attention on constitutional reforms, because this is a principal
document for the country. International community, including the United
States, has always supports the CE efforts focused on constitutional
reforms package elaboration promotion, the Ambassador said. He views
the present draft constitution as a significant and progressive
step. Evans also expressed hope that all necessary measures would
be taken to enhance public awareness of this important process, to
enable people to express their will at the November referendum. M.V.

Agence France Presse — English
August 25, 2005 Thursday 8:49 AM GMT

Russia to host ex-Soviet grouping amid growing tensions

by Olga Nedbayeva

KAZAN, Russia

The historic Russian city of Kazan on Friday hosts a meeting of
leaders of the 12-nation Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
bloc of former Soviet republics, a forum riven by intra-regional
tensions, but one that may still help clear the air, analysts say.

The leaders will meet during celebrations of the 1000-year
anniversary of this city in Russia’s Tatarstan.

The timing is an intentional ploy — first tried by Russia at the
group’s last meeting in May, which coincided with World War II
commemorations in Moscow — aimed at creating a more relaxed
atmosphere and thus taking some of the heat out of the talks, Fyodor
Lukyanov, editor of the journal Russia in Global Politics, said.

The leaders, Lukyanov noted, “have a hard time finding a common
language”.

Topping the meeting’s formal agenda is restructuring the operations
of the CIS and cooperation on “humanitarian and social issues,”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.

The group will also make a declaration on the forthcoming 20th
anniversary next April of the world’s worst nuclear disaster at the
Chernobyl power station in Ukraine in 1986.

While the CIS block was formed out of the ruins of the Soviet Union
in December 1991 in order to retain some of the structures and ties
that bound the old empire together, Moscow has acknowledged that it
is now of only limited usefulness.

In May Russian President Vladimir Putin said that fulfilling
“economic super-tasks” was beyond the CIS’s competence and instead
described the bloc as a “useful club for exchanging information”.

Western institutions such as the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also acknowledge that the CIS summits
have at least one useful purpose, enabling talks between the leaders
of two of the bloc’s most fractious neighbours, Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

As at previous CIS meetings, Armenian President Robert Kocharian will
hold talks on the sidelines of the summit with his Azeri counterpart
Ilham Aliyev. The talks follow renewed threats by Azerbaijan to
retake territory seized by Armenia during a war in the early 1990s.

In place of the unwieldy CIS, Russia has in recent years sought to
create smaller, more task-specific blocs such as the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation, a security grouping that brings together
Russia, China and four of the Central Asian former Soviet republics.

But even some of these structures have looked battered, as
fundamental tensions have torn apart the former Soviet space in the
last two years, reflected in popular uprisings in both Georgia and
Ukraine.

This week speculation mounted in Russia’s media that a four-way
Single Economic Space, which comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia
and Ukraine, is close to collapse as Ukraine, following last year’s
“orange revolution” against a pro-Moscow administration, plans to
join a rival Westward-looking bloc.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko last week met with his
Georgian, Polish and Lithuanian counterparts to discuss the creation
of a Democratic Choice Community seen as a future counter-weight to
Moscow.

Alexei Makarkin, an analyst at the Moscow-based Political
Technologies Centre, says this nascent axis between the Baltic, Black
and Caspian Seas has all the ingredients needed for success — strong
leaders, Western sponsors, and political and economic goals, such as
exporting democracy and creating a transit corridor for the Westward
shipment of Caspian Sea oil.

“This alternative to the CIS would attract strong figures, leaving
Moscow all alone,” Makarkin said.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS TSAKHKADZOR TOURIST CENTER TO GET FIRST HAND
VIEW OF CONSTRUCTIONS WORKS

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25. ARMINFO. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
visited Tsakhkadzor tourist center yesterday to get first hand
information on the construction works.

In particular, the president visited the third section of the ropeway
in Tsakhkadzor tourist center which is some 3,000 meters height over
the sea level. The construction meets the latest European standards
and is to be completed within two months. Robert Kocharyan pointed
out the importance of construction for provision of variety and high
quality services to tourists. The president pointed out that the most
important task was upgrading the level of services to international
standards. As a rule in winter time tourist activity in Armenia is
falling. The president hopes that due to development of
infrastructures in Tsakhkadzor tourist center, improvement of service
and construction of new hotels, it will be possible to balance the
seasonal demand for tourist services and offer high quality tourist
products.

IN NEW IRAQ, SHAKEN FAITH
BY TIMOTHY M. PHELPS
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Newsday, NY
Aug 26 2005

Christians, Jews and other religious minorities live in fear of
harassment or death

BASRA, Iraq — For Yousef Lyon and other Christians in Basra, the
downfall of Saddam Hussein has meant a terrible loss of religious
freedom.

The social club where Lyon and his friends would gather in the evening
to play dominoes, where families danced or listened to live music on
holidays, is closed. Wedding celebrations are held quietly at home.

“Of course, during the Saddam regime it was better,” said Lyon, 40,
a member of the city’s small Armenian community. “Now we are afraid
from the religious parties that maybe they will throw a bomb at us.”

Not just the Christians, but many of the city’s minorities — from
obscure sects like the ancient Sabeans to the Sunni Muslims who used
to run Iraq and still predominate in the rest of the Arab world —
live in fear of the hard-line Shia religious parties and their militias
that now rule Iraq’s second-largest city.

Freedom has been curtailed for women, too. Several decades ago,
almost no woman in Basra covered her head. Now, they all do, under
fear of harassment or worse. Women working for foreign companies or
governments, and those considered to have loose morals, have been
marked for death by the militants — two Iraqi sisters who worked
in the laundry at the American compound in Basra were assassinated
last year.

Cosmopolitan city

Basra is an ancient port city with a proud cosmopolitan history,
where Christians, Jews, Sunni, Shia and many other groups lived in
relative peace for hundreds of years, according to local historians.

The Jews left en masse in the years following the founding of Israel
in 1948. Now, although no one keeps records or statistics, the other
minorities are leaving as well, though many had cried with joy at
the toppling of Hussein.

“Saddam Hussein was a criminal and an oppressor. Everybody knew that,”
said Majid, 45, a Sunni taxi driver who said he was afraid to be
identified further. “These new parties cry for society, but try to
drink the blood of the people.”

Hussein murdered thousands or tens of thousands of Iraqis, most of
them Kurds in the north and Shias in the south. Shias in Basra were
particularly singled out in retribution for their leadership in a
failed rebellion against Hussein in 1991, when U.S. forces refused
to intervene to protect them after the first Persian Gulf War.

But Hussein did not see Christians and other minorities in Iraq as
a threat because of their smaller numbers and because his regime was
secular and not as hostile to other religions or the rights of women
as are some of Iraq’s current officials.

‘They will kill you’

“You can’t say no to those people; they will kill you,” Majid said of
the current leaders here. “Even just if you have a different viewpoint,
you will have a problem.”

He said he is trying to sell his house and leave Iraq, but has had
few prospects. “By God, I don’t know,” he said. “I want to leave,
but where should I go?”

Basra is a city of 2 million people, predominantly Shia. An estimated
200,000 to 300,000 Sunnis, and perhaps 5,000 or 6,000 Christians,
live in the area.

Across town from Lyon and Majid, about two dozen Presbyterians, many
elderly, gathered on a Friday evening for a service designed for
those who must work on the Christian Sabbath. Their pastor recently
fled Basra in fear, so a young, recent graduate in theology presided.

“At the beginning, we were very happy when the British army came to
Basra. Everything was totally beautiful,” said Zuhair Fathallah,
a plastic surgeon who is an elder of the National Evangelical
Presbyterian Church.

While most of his fellow parishioners disliked Hussein, he protected
their rights to practice their faith. “From a religious point of view,
we were free to do what we liked,” Fathallah said. “As long as you
keep away from him, you will be safe.”

No more Sunday school

But a year after Hussein was overthrown, things began to change in
Basra. In April of last year, one of the Shia militias revolted against
the British army. Christians who had been licensed to sell alcohol
under Hussein were attacked and sometimes killed by the militants. The
church started to receive threatening letters intended to extort money,
Fathallah said.

“The fanatic people think that if you don’t obey law, they will move
against you,” he added.

Social activities have been curtailed. The nursery school is closed.

There is no more Sunday school because of fear the school bus will
be attacked.

Fathallah said Presbyterians started leaving Basra in large numbers
in 1991 after the failed uprising against Hussein, which followed
Iraq’s disastrous invasions of Iran and Kuwait. But that trend has
continued in the past two years. The church had 300 mostly large
families during its heyday 30 or more years ago. Now just 35 families
belong — a total of 150 people.

But Fathallah said he is still optimistic that Presbyterians will
continue on in Basra because their church was registered as an
autonomous entity based in Iraq a few years ago and services are held
in Arabic.

“If we can survive, we will be a good church,” Fathallah said. “Basra
is the best city, and we are good survivors.”

SON OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER ALMOST RUN OVER PEDESTRIAN
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 23. ARMINFO. Son of Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara
Oskanyan has almost run over a pedestrian.

According to “Haykakan jamanak” Yerevan newspaper, the accident
occurred on the night of August 22, at the crossroad of Amiryan and
Mashtots streets in Yerevan. The victim Karen Gyurjyan (1980) with
fractures and bodily harms were taken to the reanimation department of
St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Centre. According to the
information, Minister’s son committed the accident on Audi A-6
automobile belonging to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry. An action was
brought before the court on this fact, Yerevan State motor licensing
and inspection department conducts investigations.

In his turn, they confirmed in Armenia’s Police press-service the fact
of the traffic accident, however, they noted that the investigation
should clear up the details of the occurrence, including the
circumstance on what automobile the accident has been committed.

To remind, this accident is not the first which Ara Oskanyan
committed. Last year, on “Mercedes” (also belonging to Armenia’s
Foreign Ministry) at the way from Parakar village to Yerevan he
crashed to the traffic-post getting bodily harms and damaging state
property.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
August 22, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]

CONGRESSIONAL LETTER URGES SECRETARY RICE TO DENOUNCE RAILWAY PROJECT
WHICH EXCLUDES ARMENIA

Proposed Railway Would Connect Turkey, Georgia & Azerbaijan

Washington, DC – Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), along with
Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Steven Rothman (D-NJ),
Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Edward Royce (R-CA)
and Adam Schiff (D-CA), today expressed their dismay to Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice over the Turkish government’s announcement to
move forward with a proposed rail link project that would connect
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, but exclude Armenia.

In a letter sent to Secretary Rice today, the lawmakers urged the
U.S. government to denounce the rail link which bypasses Armenia and
undermines U.S. policy goals in the South Caucasus region.

The congressional letter said in part:

“Open and integrated transportation routes among Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia, and Turkey are necessary to promote cooperation, support
economic growth, and help resolve regional conflicts. Unfortunately,
this policy is being undermined by efforts to exclude Armenia in
regional development projects…In no way should the United States
condone a proposal or program that directly undermines our goal of
fostering integration and cooperation among the countries of the
region.”

In July, Knollenberg, along with Pallone and Radanovich, introduced
legislation (H. R. 3361) that would prohibit funding for this
ill-proposed route, which is estimated to cost between $400-800
million and could take years to construct. The existing Kars-Gymuri
line which links Turkey, Armenia and Georgia could be operational in
weeks with only a few minor repairs.

“The Assembly commends the leadership of Congressman Pallone and his
colleagues for spearheading this letter and the legislative
initiative,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair
Hovnanian. “Excluding Armenia from economic and commercial
opportunities undermines longstanding U.S. policy of promoting
regional cooperation and economic integration in the South
Caucasus. The Assembly strongly supports this congressional effort and
will continue to fight against such attempts to isolate Armenia.”

Introduced prior to the congressional August recess, H. R. 3361
currently has support of 20 Members and is expected to garner
additional supporters when Congress reconvenes after Labor Day.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

NR#2005-085

Editor’s Note: Below is the full text of the congressional letter to
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

August 19, 2005

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C St, NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice,

We were troubled by the Turkish government’s recent announcement that
the Turkish railway project connecting Kars Turkey, Akhalkalaki
Georgia, and Baku Azerbaijan is moving forward. According to the
statement, there will be a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey to discuss the
next phase of the project. We are writing this letter to urge you to
denounce this proposed rail link because it is specifically designed
to exclude the Republic of Armenia and undermines the United States’
policy toward the South Caucasus region.

The United States’ policy toward the South Caucasus region is focused
on fostering regional stability and enhanced cooperation. Open and
integrated transportation routes among Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
and Turkey are necessary to promote cooperation, support economic
growth, and help resolve regional conflicts. Unfortunately, this
policy is being undermined by efforts to exclude Armenia in regional
development projects. The proposed rail link would cost between $400
million and $800 million and would take years to construct, while a
perfectly workable rail link already exists and would be fully
operational with a few minor repairs.

There is only one difference between the existing and proposed rail
link: Armenia. The existing rail line goes through the city of
Gyumri, Armenia. This new rail line has been proposed so that the
region can develop economically without any benefit to Armenia,
further strangling them into economic isolation. Azerbaijan’s leading
role in developing the proposed new railroad and other similar actions
serve to undermine and avoid a just solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and potentially destabilize the region.

We have recently proposed legislation (H.R. 3361) that would prohibit
United States’ funding from going toward the construction of this new
railroad. In no way should the United States condone a proposal or
program that directly undermines our goal of fostering integration and
cooperation among the countries of the region.

It is critical that the Department of State be on record denouncing
this proposed rail line because it goes against a stated United States
policy. This rail line would further isolate the Republic of Armenia
and deny them much needed opportunities for economic growth. Thank
you in advance for your consideration of this very important issue.

Sincerely,

Frank Pallone, Jr.
Joseph Knollenberg
George Radanovich
Steven Rothman
Joseph Crowley
Thaddeus McCotter
Edward Royce
Adam Schiff

PRESS RELEASE
August 22, 2005
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]; Web:

Ambassador Markarian’s Interview to the Armenian Mirror Spectator

The Armenian Mirror Spectator published an exclusive interview with
Ambassador of Armenia Tatoul Markarian in its August 13, 2005 issue. This
was the first interview granted by Ambassador Markarian to the
Armenian-American media. Following is the text of the interview.

*****************************************************************
M-S: What is your biggest challenge in Washington? You have dealt with the
US government for a long time. Do you notice an improvement in relations or
a downward trend?

The biggest challenge, if it can be called so, is to further promote the
already excellent bilateral relations that are soundly based on shared
values and interests. Since the restoration of Armenia’s independence, the
United States extended significant political support and humanitarian
assistance to Armenia, helping Armenia to sustain an independent statehood
and implement democratic, legal, and economic reforms.

The cooperation between the United States and Armenia started immediately
after Armenia’s independence in 1991, and the scope and substance of our
relations continues to increase. The United States plays an important role
as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, mediating the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement. Armenia is a partner of the United States in the global
war against terrorism.

As you know, Armenia has been selected as a potential recipient of the
Millennium Challenge Account funds, which reflects the U.S. assessment of
Armenia’s economic and social conditions. The MCA funds and continued U.S.
assistance to Armenia will advance the objectives of poverty reduction and
promotion of economic growth.

U.S.-Armenian military and security cooperation expanded in the last three
years. So, the trend has been positive, and it will continue. Independently
of the currently high level, our priority is to work to further expand and
deepen our bilateral relations in all areas. We greatly value continued U.S.
assistance programs in Armenia and humanitarian assistance to Karabakh.

M-S: A large US delegation, including two senators, recently visited
Armenia. Also the US has opened a very large embassy there. Do you think the
US is
placing greater emphasis on Armenia in its foreign policy?

Mutual bilateral visits occur on regular basis. This year alone, in addition
to the visits to Armenia by Senators Norm Coleman and Chuck Hagel, Chairman
of the Armenian National Assembly and the Foreign and Defense Ministers of
Armenia will visit the United States. Such visits and institutionalized
meetings and consultations between the Governments of our countries, such as
U.S.-Armenia Economic Task Force, U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialog, Bilateral
Defense Consultations, provide a framework for dialog on bilateral
political, security, and economic cooperation.

As for the opening of the new U.S. Embassy building in Yerevan, which is
indeed one of the largest in the region, it is a testimony of the solid
basis and the enduring nature of our bilateral relations.

M-S: Do you see any movement on the Karabakh negotiations?

Active dialog on Nagorno Karabakh peace process is conducted on the level of
the Presidents and Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Foreign
Ministers meet periodically, and the Presidents have met during
international forums during the last two years.

Recently, there have been many public statements from parties, as well as
mediators. Issues of interest are being actively discussed. President
Kocharian will meet his Azeri counterpart during a CIS Heads of State summit
in Kazan, Russia in late August. This meeting is acclaimed as a potentially
important discussion of key aspects of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement. It is difficult to predict whether there will be a full
consensus soon. However, Armenia remains committed to an early, just, and
durable resolution of the conflict by peaceful means.

M-S: What can Armenian-Americans do to help Armenia more?

Armenian-Americans have contributed significantly to alleviating
humanitarian needs in Armenia and Artsakh, and are still implementing many
projects, such as building roads and schools etc. Such assistance projects
have been supported by individuals and organizations. The Lincy Foundation
has financed the restoration of Armenia’s road infrastructure and other
valuable projects. With participation of thousands of Armenian-Americans,
the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund completed the strategic Goris-Stepanakert
highway and is currently building the North-South Highway in Artsakh. Such
examples are many, and this assistance is greatly appreciated by the people
and the Government of Armenia.

At the same time, Armenia offers many economic opportunities for the
commercial involvement by the Armenian Americans. Most U.S. investment to
Armenia went into Armenia’s hospitality and IT industries, particularly
software manufacturing. Without underestimating the ongoing humanitarian and
social programs carried out in Armenia by the Diasporan individuals and
organizations, greater commercial involvement by Armenian-Americans will be
mutually beneficial and promote more open business environment in Armenia.
That is exactly what today’s Armenia needs most. Both the Homeland and the
Diaspora can benefit from this synergy.

M-S: What is the effect on Armenia of the start up of the Baku-Ceyhan
pipeline?

Armenia’s economy has followed its own path of development and is now more
efficient and diversified than those of its neighbors. We will continue to
implement economic and legal reforms to further improve the business
environment and stimulate domestic and foreign investment.

Armenia’s economic progress has been accomplished despite lack of
significant natural resources and under conditions of a blockade, which
fostered greater efficiency and more competitive economic environment.
Nevertheless, Armenia is part of the South Caucasus region and Armenia’s
vibrant economy will be able to benefit from regional wealth.

The challenge for the region is to ensure that the oil and transit revenues
are used efficiently and transparently. All too often in other countries the
oil wealth has been squandered and embezzled. In this regard, the
international community possesses the levers to ensure that the proceeds
from the Caspian oil are used constructively and do not threaten the peace
and stability in the region.

M-S: How will the transfer of Russian troops and military equipment from
Georgia to Gyumri affect Armenia-Russia relations and Armenia-US relations?

The issue of withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia is a matter
between Georgia and Russia. The transfer of military ammunition from the
Russian base in Georgia to the Russian military base in Armenia does not
violate any international agreement. This does not constitute a threat to a
third party and will not affect regional security. Moreover, this has in no
way affected our relations with the United States.

M-S: Recently, a historians’ conference scheduled by three universities in
Istanbul to deal with the Genocide was canceled by the Turkish government.
Nevertheless, there were a large handful of Turkish scholars ready and
willing to discuss the Genocide. Do you think this is a hopeful sign?

Armenia and the world follow these developments in Turkey with close
interest, as they show the true actions and intentions of the current
Turkish authorities. In my article in The Washington Times, I questioned the
sincerity and plausibility of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s initiative
for a ‘joint study of history’ given the legal and other obstacles to the
free discussion and understanding of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. The
threats from the Turkish government that led to the cancellation of this
conference of Turkish historians answered my question.

It is encouraging that some representatives of the Turkish society are
willing to discuss the contentious issues of Turkey’s past and present,
including the Armenian Genocide. It is all the more disappointing that the
Turkish government forced the conference to close simply because it could
not control the substance and outcome of the discussion. As a result, it
generated significant criticism from the West, since Turkish aspirations for
joining the EU cannot be taken seriously if Turkey is unable to internally
discuss and address all issues in an open and democratic manner.

M-S: Recent anti-smoking legislation was passed in Armenia. Studies have
shown that 22 percent of Armenian men die from smoke related disease. Do you
think
the Ministry of Health and the government will have the resources to enforce
the legislation and launch a public education campaign?

As the Armenian economy develops and civil society strengthens, the Armenian
citizens begin to think beyond the immediate, current needs. This includes
tackling issues related to quality of life, such as smoking, environment,
and food safety, among others. It is no coincidence that after some Armenian
NGO’s began to carry out anti-smoking and healthy lifestyle campaign the
National Assembly responded and passed this law. The passage of this law is
the first step, and will be followed by others. We have the example of other
foreign countries which have managed to reduce smoking dramatically within
one or two decades, and it can be done in Armenia as well.

(Reprinted from the Armenian Mirror Spectator, August 13, 2005, p. 1)

UNIT DEALING WITH PROBLEMS OF DIASPORAN SCHOOLS TO BE SET UP AT
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION

YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is ready to organize
free teaching of all those Diasporan Armenians who want to study
Armenological subjects in Homeland. RA Minister of Education and
Science Sergo Eritsian stated this at the August 19 meeting with
Diasporan Armenian teachers at the Gevorgian theological seminary. He
underlined the importance of running one-month training courses
for Diasporan Armenian teachers. Sergo Eritsian announced that it
is planned to set up at the National Institute of Education a unit
dealing exclusively with problems of the Diasporan schools. S.
Eritsian said that the ministry is prepared not only to provide
the Diasporan schools with textbooks, methodological guides and
educational programs but also to send experts who will give advice
to the Diasporan Armenian teachers on the spot.