RIA Novosti, Russia
Jan 20 2005

EXPERT OPINION: RUSSIA AND US NOT TO COMPETE IN CIS

MOSCOW, January 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and the United States
should not be rivals in the the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS), but work out some rules of the game for the region instead.
This is said in a joint report drafted by the two countries’
political analysts and unveiled on Thursday by Politika Fund
President Vyacheslav Nikonov and Carnegie Moscow Center Director
Andrew Kuchins.

“As the developments in Ukraine have shown, the former Soviet Union
is an especially complicated issue on the Russian-US relations
agenda,” the report states.

Political analysts believe that, since Russian leaders are determined
to dominate the post-Soviet environment while the United States
intends to be proactive in the region too, the drafting of a set of
rules of the game for both to adhere to is the best option Moscow and
Washington can opt for.

The experts noted that a “strategic compromise” on the issue of
Ukraine is unrealistic. The future of Ukraine is going to be shaped
“by the Ukrainians themselves, and any agreement on carving up
spheres of influence is unacceptable and unrealistic,” the report
stresses.

The authors also noted the differences between Moscow and Washington
on the “frozen conflicts” in Abkhazia, South Ossetia (both are
self-proclaimed states in the territory of Georgia), Transdniestria
(the unrecognized state in the territory of Moldova) and Nagorny
Karabakh (an Armenian-populated region of Azerbaijan).

“Russia and the United States reiterated their commitment to a
peaceful settlement of all difficulties, support of the territorial
integrity of Georgia and Moldova and reaching agreement with the
above nations on Russian military presence,” the report reads.

The U.S., the political analysts emphasized, should proceed from the
premise that no long-term agreement on Georgia and Moldova is
feasible without Russia’s full-scale involvement in crafting it.

The report mentions that in spite of the current differences, Russia
and the United States are equally interested in preventing terrorist
forces from operating in the CIS, with opportunities for Russian-US
cooperation in the field available.

At the same time, the authors underlined that the Chechnya problem
should not be approached in the same manner as are other CIS
conflicts.

“Russian-US. cooperation in resolving the Chechnya problem is
unrealistic. Russia alone can resolve the problems of the North
Caucasus while other states may be invited to participate in
reconstruction in the region when it becomes safe,” the report reads.

Family dies of carbon monoxide poisoning in Armenia, latest in rash of
poisoning incidents

.c The Associated Press

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – A 47-year-old man, his wife and his son died
of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a homemade stove Thursday,
emergency officials said, the latest in a rash of deaths in Armenia
caused by gas leaks and faulty heating stoves.

The Emergency Situations Ministry said the man was burning wood and
animal dung in a homemade stove that was poorly ventilated. Officials
found the family dead in their home in the village of Yeranos Thursday
morning.

The incident brings the number of such deaths in Armenia in the past
year to 25, 16 of which occurred in December alone, according to
emergency officials. The prosecutor general’s office, however, said
there had been 24 deaths in 2004 by natural gas poisoning alone.

Many people in the ex-Soviet republic use makeshift stoves and
homemade gas heaters, sometimes tapping illegally into gas lines,
because their homes lack heaters, which are expensive.

Rescuers have saved eight people from poisoning inicidents through the
country already this year, the ministry said, and doctors had
resuscitate two who had been overcome by gas.

01/20/05 09:59 EST

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijanis mark anniversary of riots with Soviet troops that killed
134

.c The Associated Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) – Thousands of Azerbaijanis laid flowers and
wreaths along a memorial in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, Thursday to
mark the 15th anniversary of clashes with Soviet Army troops that
resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people.

The Jan. 19-20, 1990, clashes were some of the most violent to occur
in the months surrounding the breakup of the Soviet Union.

President Ilham Aliyev was joined by other government ministers and
lawmakers in visiting Martyrs’ Alley, a memorial to those killed in
the fighting, which also left nearly 800 people injured.

The riots came amid ethnic clashes between Azerbaijanis and Armenians
and followed a vote in neighboring Armenia to effectively take control
of the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Amid spiraling violence, the
Soviet government imposed a state of emergency in Baku and deployed
some 11,000 troops to crack down on the protests.

Gudrat Gasanguliyev, a parliamentary lawmaker, said it was still
necessary to hold accountable those who ordered Soviet troops to
violently quell the unrest in 1990. Some Azerbaijanis have called for
former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to stand trial for the
deaths.

“Azerbaijan should find the courage to announce the guilt of Russia
in the events of January 20 and its participation in the occupation of
the territory of Azerbaijan,” Gasanguliyev said.

01/20/05 11:05 EST

Jerusalem Post
Jan 20 2005

Legislators take ‘Christianity 101’
By ETGAR LEFKOVITS

In the latest sign of the ever-warming Israeli-Christian relations,
Knesset members from the ‘Christian Allies Caucus’ and
representatives of the Chief Rabbinate on Thursday took a snap course
in Christianity, and then visited the heads of different Christian
denominations represented in the Holy Land in an effort to bolster
the cooperation between the two faiths.

The initiative, carried out in conjunction with the Jerusalem office
of the American Jewish Committee, which hosted the seminar, offered
the legislators an opportunity to learn more about the varied and
diverse branches of Christianity, which they are trying to
court as supporters.

“We must understand and internalize that the Christians represent a
strategic interest for the State of Israel,” said caucus co-chairman
MK Yuri Shtern (National Union) at the event, adding that “it
is incumbent upon us not just to look out at the Christian world with
preconceived notions based on relations in the past.”

The Knesset’s increasingly influential Christian Allies Caucus, which
was established last year with 12 MKs from six parties, aims to
garner the support of, and work with, pro-Israel Christians around
the world.

The meeting Thursday, attended by nearly all of the Chief Rabbinate’s
delegation for relations with the Catholic Church, was indicative of
the growing awareness Israel is placing on the Christian world at
large, and the Evangelical Christian community in particular.

“It is important that members of the caucus have a better
understanding of the Christian world at large, and the potential
alliances as well as pitfalls, and it is equally important that they
know that they have the support of the rabbinical establishment,”
said Rabbi David Rosen, the International Director of Inter-Religious
Affairs at the American Jewish Committee who presented the group of
legislators an overview of the different Christian denominations.

After the lecture, several of the legislators went to the Old City of
Jerusalem for separate meetings with the Latin and Armenian
Patriarchs as well as with a representative of the Greek Orthodox
Patriarchate.

Calling the interfaith meet, attended by a delegation from the Chief
Rabbinate, a “breakthrough in Judeo-Christian relations,” caucus
director Josh Reinstein said that the caucus had opened the doors to
cooperation between Christians and Jews “in a way we never thought
possible before.”

The Gateway, University of Alberta, Canada
Jan 20 2005

Over-sensitivity is making it pretty goddamn tough to live in Canada

Josh Kjenner

I hate shoveling my sidewalk. Whether my roomies agree with me on
that issue or are just a bunch of lazy pieces of shit, I’m not
sure – either way, our walk seldom gets shoveled.

When I say seldom, I mean about once a year, when the tickets or
ticket threats start coming. Other than that, no way. In fact, right
now our walk is at the point where one would have to take an
approximately six-inch step from either neighbour’s concrete-exposed
perfection to have the privilege of standing on The Josh’s sidewalk.

I’ll be the first to agree that, like me, this is both ugly and
slothful. But the good people at City Hall and Canada Post have come
to the conclusion that this is also dangerous, and now I can get a
ticket for it.

This threat of a ticket is not based on logic or research or anything
like that; it’s predicated upon a crippling fear, likely of being
sued. The packed snow that makes up our front walk is about as slick
as my lonely, late-night-party-line-commercial-watching ass, but
that’s irrelevant – at some point in history, some asshole has
successfully sued a homeowner on the basis that said suer doesn’t
know how to goddamn walk, and now the rest of us are fucked.

This is why I had to sign a waiver to go roller skating the other
night, and why the insurance I’ve taken out on my ass has doubled in
cost, and why frigging Cram Dunk is probably thinking about forming a
risk management department. It’s ridiculous.

Also, it seems that if one has lived his or her life and successfully
avoided getting sued, he or she has likely pissed someone off in the
process. Pretty much every action that would have been viewed as
mildly controversial ten years ago will now cause some random,
marginalized group to react in `outrage.’

Take, for instance, the issues that arose when Conan O’Brien had a
few shows in Canada and Triumph the Insult Dog called the Québécois
`dull and obnoxious.’ Legions of people across Québec and Canada
alike reacted as if O’Brien had sodomized Lucien Bouchard on Saint
Jean Baptiste Day and wiped himself off with the Fleur-de-Lys. And
for what? An insult that wouldn’t elicit a response at a Mormon
Jesus-fish convention. Political correctness has become so overblown
in Canada that we are starting to lose sight of reasonability.

Although it seems by the randomness of this article that I likely
substituted a Vicaden/Wild Turkey colada for my porridge this
morning, I’m actually driving towards something here: Canada, because
of these trends, is becoming increasingly difficult to exist in. More
and more, we barely live; we basically just eat, breathe, shit, sleep
and occasionally masturbate while trying to avoid getting sued or
hurting someone’s feelings.

This drives me crazy. I want to go back to the `80s, when it was
still okay to paddle high-school freshman without getting the fuzz on
your tail, or make a joke about an Italian, or wear cut-off jean
shorts without making babies cry. I’m so sick of signing waivers and
paying insurance and tiptoeing around people who don’t share my exact
sex/ethnic/physical ability/sexual orientation/hair colour/blood type
composition that I could seriously just pack up and move to Armenia.

In fact, I just might do that. Frankly, the world deserves to see my
thighs covered only with six inches of frayed denim and a thin coat
of sweat.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, January 20, 2005

AGBU SAO PAULO CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY

Sao Paulo, Brazil – Founded in 1964, AGBU Sao Paulo celebrated its
40th anniversary on Sunday, November 28, 2004 with a special luncheon
for over 450 AGBU members, donors, and friends. During the afternoon
program, AGBU Sao Paulo acknowledged all AGBU members who were
instrumental in the establishment, growth, and success of the chapter
over the last four decades.

The 23 founders were honored with eight receiving the venerable AGBU
Veteran Member award and fifteen individuals accepting silver plates
in honor of their now deceased family members.

Silver plates were awarded to the former chairmen: Avedis Clemente
Kherlakian (represented by his widow), Andre Jafferian (represented by
his son Pedro Jafferian), Antonio Miksian, Zaven Der Haroutounian, and
Regina Woskergian Bazarian. As a mark of distinction for their service
to AGBU, the Central Board bestowed upon former chairmen Eduardo
Mekbekian and Jorge Kevork Der Haroutounian the designations of AGBU
Honor Member.

Also honored were the pioneers of the Chapter’s educational program
which began with Armenian language classes in 1975 and expanded in
1985 with the establishment of the Paren and Regina Bazarian primary
school: Anahid Mekhalian, Chake Atchabahian, Hripsime Bedoian, Paulo
Pajanian, Davinia Mekitarian, and the school’s Principal, Nelly
Nalbandian.

Together, the Chapter headquarters and the School comprise the AGBU
Sao Paulo Center, an expansive complex serving the educational,
cultural, and social needs of the Armenian community and the youth in
particular. Since founding their Youth Committee in 1973, AGBU Sao
Paulo has had positive results in the succession of Armenian youth
into local chapter leadership positions.

Taking stock, AGBU Sao Paulo Chairman Carlos Matheus Der Haroutounian
expressed the sentiments of many, “We are one of more than sixty
chapters spread all over the world, the youngest in South America, and
the only one that speaks Portuguese. We are a ‘grain of sand’ among
the thousands of AGBU members in the world, but we are a chapter that,
here in Brazil, has a position of leadership in the Armenian
community, which in only four decades passed from a tiny office to the
large Alex Manoogian Complex, and whose work and success are an
example for our sister chapters.”

AGBU Sao Paulo is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Armenian
heritage and culture through humanitarian, educational, cultural, and
social programs within Sao Paulo and across Brazil. For more
information, please contact AGBU Sao Paulo at 55-113-814-9299 (or
9930) or e-mail [email protected]. For a complete directory of
AGBU’s global chapters, please visit and click Global
AGBU.

Armenian MP warns of devastating consequences of US attack on Iran

Arminfo
20 Jan 05

YEREVAN

US preventive actions against Iran might cause a long-lasting tragedy
in the whole of the South Caucasus, which can be compared with the
ramifications of the recent devastating tsunami in Asia, MP Vazgen
Manukyan, leader of the National Democratic Union of Armenia and a
veteran of Armenian politics, who has run for the presidency for four
times, told Arminfo while commenting on the recent statement of the US
administration threatening Iran.

Manukyan believes that pragmatism will prevail over emotions and the
USA will not start hostilities against Iran. However, it cannot be
ruled out that the USA will make certain preparations for this kind of
action. In that case, a difficult time will start for Armenia’s
Foreign Ministry, as the Washington administration will try to win
over all the South Caucasus countries in order to gain support in the
region, he said.

“But I think that this will not happen,” the MP said.

Azeris celebrate as Neftci beat Armenia’s FC Pyunik in Moscow

Arminfo, Yerevan
20 Jan 05

Moscow, 20 January: Yerevan’s FC Pyunik has lost 2:0 to Baku’s FC
Neftci in the quarter-final of the 13th Commonwealth Cup and has been
knocked out of the championship.

The match turned out to be edgy – the pitch and the stands were filled
with real passion. It became obvious before the match that the
Azerbaijanis had already won a small victory. Not only were there many
of them in the Dinamo arena, but they had also prepared carefully
before entering the stadium. They brought in flags and drums, some
painted their faces and wore team baseball caps.

There was terrible noise an hour before the match. Unlike the
Azerbaijanis, the Armenian diaspora, which occupied the opposite
stands, was quiet. (The fans had farsightedly been divided into two
opposite stands.) A couple of flags, a placard (which was illegible),
a few half-hearted chants of “Pyunik!, Pyunik!” But there was no
drive. The police were at first confused. One of the policemen was
totally perplexed by the national flags [of Azerbaijan and Armenia],
not allowing Armenians to their side of the arena and sending them to
the Azeri side. And only after he was shown a passport and told that
the orange colour is only on the Armenian flag, did he try to remember
this and not make any further political mistakes.

In the meantime, spectators were being checked in the foyer. Plastic
bottles (a large pile of them amassed near the entrance), vacuum
flasks, pliers, scissors and chains were not allowed in.

Now, lets get back to the pitch. When Neftci came out to warm up, the
noise grew deafening again. Each of the players had to greet his
acquaintances. Otherwise, it would have been an awful shame. One of
the representatives of the team phoned Baku and allowed those who had
not come to Russia to hear the noise in the stadium. Armenians gazed
at this gloomily. And even when their team appeared on the pitch, they
did not display any special emotions. But everybody was drumming on
the stands.

And another interesting point. As has already been mentioned, the fans
of the teams were sitting in opposite stands. When teams enter the
field, usually they greet all the spectators. But this was not the
case this time. The players of Pyunik waved to their own fans and the
Neftci players did the same.

A serious conflict almost flared up in the stands a few minutes into
the match. The national flags of the countries participating in the
championship were hanging at the balcony where the Armenians were. And
they [Armenians] wilfully hung their national banner over an Azeri
flag. The Azeris were quick to ask for restoration of justice. They
first asked the police for help, who did not immediately realize what
the conflict was about and so chose not to intervene at first. But
some of them did understand and went over. There was the sense of
something ominous in the stands. The fans shouted at one another,
using offensive words in Russian. The Azerbaijanis demanded that the
Armenian banner, for which they had shed blood [as received], be taken
away. But the Armenians refused to do so. A police officer attempted
to calm down the quarrel. He ordered that the banner be removed and
advised the Azerbaijanis to leave the stand. Although the sides were
eager to fight, they restrained themselves. There was no conflict
after the match either. Neftci won the match 2:0. The Armenian
diaspora left the stands long before the match ended. They were upset,
but without anger.

After the match, the Neftci players celebrated the victory as if they
had won the World Championship. In Baku, people congratulated Neftci
as though they had won the Champions’ League. The Armenian players
first attempted to fight with them [Azeri players] on the pitch and
then with the referees. (There were minor clashes during the match as
well.) The coach of the Armenian team, Vardan Minasyan, dissuaded them
from brawling and he even resorted to force to get the players off the
field.

[Passage omitted: unimportant details]

Federal Judge Steps In, Halts Girls’ Deportation
KLASTV.COM
20 JAN 2005

A family attorney says the girls spent nearly 10 hours in a holding cell
waiting for their deportation flight out of Los Angeles. In a race against
time, friends, family and lawyers teamed up to keep the girls here.
Atle Erlingsson, Reporter

(Jan. 20) — An emergency court order came late Wednesday afternoon just
minutes before the girls were to board a flight for Armenia. Eyewitness News
first reported this story Tuesday night and it captured the hearts of many
Las Vegans who have called wanting to help.
Reporter Atle Erlingsson has been following the story from the beginning and
has the following developments.
A family attorney says the girls spent nearly 10 hours in a holding cell
waiting for their deportation flight out of Los Angeles. In a race against
time friends, family and lawyers teamed up to keep the girls here. Some
spent time in federal court while others hit the picket lines.
Ruben Sarkisian, the teen’s father, said, “My knees were shaking. I had to
sit down. It’s hard to express. I was not laughing. I was literally in
shock.” Sarkisian couldn’t believe the news.
Sarkisian’s two oldest daughters, 18-year-old Emma and 17-year-old Mariam
are caught in the middle of an immigration tug-of-war. The government wants
them deported. Their family wants them here.
“I really hope that my girls will be released as soon as possible,” Rueben
said.
Emma and Mariam have lived in America most of their lives. They immigrated
here with their mom 14 years ago. The girls now live with their dad who is a
resident. But the government says the girls are not and must leave.
These are two Americanized teenagers who could be sent back to Armenia
thousands of miles away to a lifestyle they know nothing about.
Family attorney, Troy Baker said, “They don’t speak the language of the
country they’re being sent back to. They don’t have any friends, relatives,
nothing. They would literally be taken off the plane and left to fend for
themselves.” Troy Baker is one of three immigration lawyers helping the
family.
Late Wednesday afternoon, a federal judge granted an emergency stay
preventing immigration officials from deporting the girls until all issues
can be hammered out in court.
Meanwhile, two-dozen friends and family picketed outside the Las Vegas USCIS
office demanding the release of the girls.
Baker says the government is keeping them at an undisclosed location in Los
Angeles; “Essentially they’ve been in a hotel, converted into a jail cell,
if you will, guarded, unable to leave. No freedom whatsoever.”
Immigration officials have until Monday to respond to the emergency order. A
judge will then set a date for a hearing.
The government is still detaining the girls. But family attorneys plan to
file another motion Thursday hoping the judge will free them until their
future is decided.

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Armenia Signs Memo of Understanding with the Arab League

Armenia signed a memorandum of understanding with the League of Arab States.
On January 19, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and Secretary General of the
League, Amr Musa, signed the Memorandum on regular political consultations
and cooperation in the fields of science, education and culture.

In the course of the meeting which took place before the signing, they
exchanged views on the international situation, as well as recent regional
developments. Minister Oskanian and Secretary General Amr Musa spoke at
length about the upcoming elections in Iraq and issues relating to the
settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Minister Oskanian briefed the
Secretary General on the present situation in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia¹s relations with its neighbors. Minister
Oskanian invited Amr Musa to visit Armenia.

One day earlier, Minister Oskanian had met with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Egypt, Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The ministers expressed their
satisfaction with bilateral relations and the high level of cooperation
within international organizations. Minister Oskanian presented President
Kocharian¹s letter addressed to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

On the same day, Minister Oskanian met with Egypt¹s Minister of
International Cooperation and President of the Armenian-Egyptian
intergovernmental commission, Ms. Faiza Abul Naga. In the course of the
meeting, they discussed issues on the agenda of the regular, fourth session
of the Armenian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission, as well as prospects
for deepening cooperation in various fields.