The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 29, 2004 Monday Home Edition

Veteran disappoints, but newcomer dazzles

by PIERRE RUHE

A couple of decades ago, song recitals were declared dead and all but
buried. Fewer composers were writing for the exposed duo of solo
voice and piano; impresarios found vocalists a tough sell; young
singers didn’t see the benefits of all that discipline.

Well, the rumors were greatly exaggerated. This season in Atlanta has
heard terrific art-of-song performances. Over the weekend, a veteran
and a rookie came to town and, not surprisingly, arrived with
different agendas.

Mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer has been a strong presence at the
Metropolitan Opera for some 15 years. At Emory University, she and
Craig Rutenberg, a lyrical pianist, opened with a pair of “what if?”
composers — music by the wives of great men, women who didn’t
pursue composition as a career, Clara Schumann and Alma Mahler.

Where three Schumann songs from her Op. 12 sounded here like tepid,
nicely wrought parlor songs, Mahler’s set heaved with allure and
personality. In the latter’s “Balmy Summer Night,” Mentzer conveyed a
winking, almost swishy attitude.

Works by Gustav Mahler (earthy) and Eric Satie (cabaret cute) led to
Libby Larsen’s “Love after 1950,” five songs written for Mentzer and
premiered in 2000. Each song gets a treatment: One is blues, another
honky-tonk, a third tango, and so on. Fun to hear and mostly
well-written for the human voice, these songs suffer from Larsen’s
self-conscious, post-modern approach, where the music is remote from
the texts instead of interlocked. And throughout the evening, the
mezzo’s brushed velvety voice sounded a bit weary. It made for a
low-energy recital.

On Saturday, soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, making her Atlanta recital
debut, sang with the giddy excitement of a newcomer, without a
horizon in sight. I first heard her in 1997, in a tiny role at the
Glimmerglass Opera, and wrote she was “exquisite in her pure tones,
generating a frisson of interest in her vocal possibilities.” Even
then, it was obvious here was someone special. Now just 29, she’s
starting to win acclaim in the opera house and through CDs.

Yet the first half of her Spivey recital — Grenados, Rossini and
Vivaldi — seemed more about wowing us with her technique than about
singing to her strengths.

Still a growing artist, Bayrakdarian’s vocal timbre is somewhere
between Kathleen Battle’s and Sumi Jo’s, equal parts soul and
diamond-sparkle coloratura. She summoned despair for Vivaldi’s “The
Scorned Wife,” although she left a few tones (like the word “fida”)
curiously uncolored, like it sat between two regions of her voice and
she couldn’t quite reach it. And was it fatigue that caused some
misfiring vocal pyrotechnics in “Buffeted by Two Winds”? Her pianist,
Serouj Kradjian, proved an inadequate accompanist, flashy and
oblivious to the subtleties of the texts.

In any case, after intermission the Canadian-Armenian soprano finally
let us savor more than just her splendid technical gifts: She became
an interpreter and an actress, telling moving stories with her voice
— the crux of a song recital. She was at turns naive and manic in
Tchaikovsky’s “The Cuckoo” — both funny and scary — pronouncing
the bird’s song like an antique clock gone haywire. She sounded like
a non-smoking Edith Piaf for a set of cynical Kurt Weill love songs,
squatting over the low notes with a seductively nasal drawl. Is the
term “vocal charisma” adequate to describe a singer who makes time
stop, who conjures magic? Whatever that intoxicating property is,
Bayrakdarian has it in abundance — the future of the art form.

GRAPHIC: Photo: In her Atlanta recital debut, Canadian-Armenian
soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian sang with the excitement of a newcomer.
When at her best on Saturday, she was magical.; Photo: Susan Mentzer,
a regular at the Metropolitan Opera, sounded a bit weary in her
Friday recital.; Graphic: CLASSICAL REVIEW
Mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, Friday at Emory University’s Emerson
Concert Hall; and soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, Saturday at Spivey
Hall.

ARKA News Agency
March 29 2004

New Editor in Chief of Azat Artsakh daily appointed

RA President signs decree on awarding honorary titles to theater
artists

*********************************************************************

NEW EDITOR IN CHIEF OF AZAT ARTSAKH DAILY APPOINTED

STEPANAKERT. March 29. /ARKA/. Marsel Petrosyan was appointed as new
Editor in Chief of Karabakh daily Azat Artsakh. As reported by the
Special Correspondent of ARKA in NKR from Stepanakert with the
reference to the NKR National Assembly Press Department, prior to the
appointment the New Editor in Chief was Editor in Chief of army daily
Martik. The former Editor of Azat Artsakh Haykaz Ghahriyan was
discharged from his position according to his own request in
connection with his going to other job. T.M. -0-

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT SIGNS DECREE ON AWARDING HONORARY TITLES TO THEATER
ARTISTS

YEREVAN. March 29. /ARKA/. ARKA President Robert Kocharian signed a
decree on awarding honorary titles for contribution into the theater
art on occasion of the International Theater Day. As the RA President
Press Department told ARKA, honorary titles were awarded to 13
theater artists. Congratulating the theatre artists on occasion of
the International Day of Theater, he said that `theater’s role in
public life is enormous, as well as for raising the national
consciousness’. `We consider that restoration and development of
these traditions for creation a new face of Armenia is important’,
Kocharian mentioned. T.M. -0–

CIS SECURITY CHIEF ARRIVES IN KYRGYZ CAPITAL

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
29 Mar 04

Secretary-General of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty
Organization; members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Russia) Nikolay Bordyuzha arrived in Bishkek today to
hold talks with the leadership of Kyrgyzstan, an ITAR-TASS
correspondent has been told at the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry.

He is expected to meet President Askar Akayev, Security Council
Secretary Misir Ashirkulov and the heads of the country’s
power-wielding agencies.

The stepping up of collaboration between the CSTO member states to
ensure security is expected to be discussed during the talks.

Another purpose of the CSTO secretary-general’s visit is to discuss
the agenda of the forthcoming session of the Security Treaty Council
scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan this summer.

It is expected that after Bishkek, Bordyuzha will pay a visit to
Astana.

Interfaith group in ex-Soviet Union to focus on terrorism and tolerance

By Lev Krichevsky

MOSCOW, March 29 (JTA) – A new interfaith group in the former Soviet
Union has passed a resolution condemning terrorism – and could become
a defender of minority rights in the region.`True-believing Orthodox
Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists would never step onto a path of
terror. We are convinced that the people who have conscientiously
become terrorists have denied their own faith,’ read the resolution
passed earlier this month at the Interreligious Council of the
Commonwealth of Independent States.

The organization was formed at the Second Interreligious Peacemaking
Forum of CIS Countries, held in Moscow under the aegis of the Russian
Orthodox Church, the region’s largest faith.

Some observers believe the forum and the interfaith group it created
signaled an important political and diplomatic victory for the Russian
Orthodox Church, which has seen its political influence over the
Russian leadership grow in recent years.

The new interfaith organization `should strengthen the position of the
Moscow patriarchate in Russia itself, forcing the government to view
it as an influential participant in international relations,’ said a
commentary posted at Portal-credo.ru, an independent Russian Web site
devoted to religious affairs.

Jewish religious leaders joined clerics representing major faiths from
across the former Soviet Union in the interfaith group, which seeks to
maintain peace and religious and ethnic stability in the region.

The event at Moscow’s St. Daniel’s Orthodox Monastery was attended by
Russian Orthodox clergy and leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Muslim and Buddhist clerics from all
of the region’s post-Soviet states, except for Latvia, Lithuania
and Estonia.

Notably absent from the forum and the new interfaith structure were
Catholics and members of various Protestant churches. Most of the
former Soviet countries denied those groups the preferential status
accorded to Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Jews.

The Jewish community was represented at the forum by leaders of two
major competing groups: the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations
and Communities and the Federation of Jewish Communities.

Jewish leaders gave high marks to the forum, saying the region’s
minorities would benefit from the ties that clerics of different
faiths forged at the two-day event.

`The most important thing at this forum is our communication, the fact
that it ‘s taking place,’ Aron Vagner, a Chabad rabbi from
Siberia,told a news agency. `When we get back to our communities,
people will be pleased to learn that representatives of different
confessions can find areas of common interest, the issues where all of
us can come to an agreement.’

Some of the participants proposed that clerics serve as peacekeepers
in conflict zones in parts of the former Soviet Union.

The composition of the Interreligious Council’s presidium reflectedthe
division between Jewish groups in Russia and Ukraine – two chief
rabbis from each country became members of the group’s 22-member
governing body.

`The Interreligious Council can become a powerful defender of the
minorities in our countries,’ said Zinovy Kogan, chairman of the
Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Communities of Russia,
who became treasurer of the interfaith group.

`The new organization is undoubtedly a political breakthrough’
for the Russian Orthodox Church, he said. `But having Judaism under
the wing of politically more powerful religious groups – this could
benefit the Jewish community.’

Kogan and other Jewish participants said they expected the new group
would coordinate clerics’ responses on cases of xenophobia,
anti-Semitismand hate crimes.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/29/2004
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1) Canada ANC Steps-up Efforts Leading up to Genocide Resolution Vote
2) High-ranking American military officer set to visit Armenia
3) Congressional Support Grows for Bush to Properly Commemorate Armenian
Genocide
4) Saakashvili Allies Victorious in Polls
5) Turkey’s Ruling Party Strengthens Its Position
6) Schiff Lauds Contributions and Service of Cesar Chavez

1) Canada ANC Steps-up Efforts Leading up to Genocide Resolution Vote

OTTAWA (ANCC)–The second reading of Motion M-380 that would recognize the
Armenian Genocide is expected to take place in late April in the Canadian
House
of Commons. Introduced by private member Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, M-380 was
read and debated on February 25. According to House of Commons rules, motions
by a private member are subject to two readings of one hour each. The vote on
the motion will take place after the second reading.
Leading up to that vote, the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) has
not only been working within Canada’s parliament, but has also been
aggressively pursuing Members of Parliament (MP), as well as affiliated bodies
so as to ensure passage of the motion that states, “That this House
acknowledges the Armenian genocide of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime
against humanity.”
To date, of the more than 50 MPs approached, most have committed to
supporting
the motion.
Alongside these efforts, representatives of ANC regions have been meeting
with
respective MPs, while the ARF Youth of Canada have initiated a mass email and
letter writing campaign to garner support. Area Armenian organizations are
doing the same.
Representative of ARF Canada’s Central Committee and ANCC have met with
executive members of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) to outreach
and gain even wider support for the effort.
The CRRF’s mission is to build a national framework for the fight against
racism in Canadian society. Its mission is to bring about a more harmonious
Canada that acknowledges its racist past, recognizes the pervasiveness of
racism today, and is committed to creating a future in which all Canadians are
treated equitably and fairly.
Members of the CRRF executive promised to extend cooperation and practical
assistance–assuring they would discuss the matter with minister with that
cooperate with the CRRF.
Results of CRRF’s promises came through the following day during a conference
in Montreal, titled Hate and Racism: Seeking Solutions. In their speeches, UN
Special Envoy Stephen Lewis and Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire introduced
Armenian efforts to the body, urging cooperation. The CRRF was a partner in
the
planning and implementation of this important and timely conference.

2) High-ranking American military officer set to visit Armenia

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–The US European Command Headquarters’ Director of Plans and
Policy, Major General Jeffrey Kohler, will be in Armenia on Tuesday. Over a
period of two days, the General will be meeting with Armenian Defense Minister
and Security Council Secretary Serzh Sargsian, and Chief of Staff General
Mikael Harutiunian. Kohler is also scheduled to visit the 12th peacekeeping
battalion of the Armenian Army.

3) Congressional Support Grows for Bush to Properly Commemorate Armenian
Genocide

WASHINGTON, DC– (ANCA)–Bipartisan support for a Congressional letter urging
President Bush to keep his campaign pledge and properly characterize the
Armenian Genocide as `genocide’ continued to expand this week, with over 80
House Members having added their name to the list of signatories, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The grassroots effort to
secure
additional supporters will be expanding in the upcoming week.
Initiated by House Genocide Resolution lead sponsors George Radanovich
(R-CA),
Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank
Pallone
(D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), the letter calls on President Bush to
reaffirm the United States record on the Armenian Genocide in his April 24
commemorative statement. It argues that, `by properly recognizing the
atrocities committed against the Armenian people as ‘genocide’ in your
statement, you will honor the many Americans who helped launch our first
international human rights campaign to end the carnage and protect the
survivors.’ It continues, noting that `Now more than ever as your
administration seeks to bring an end to global terrorism and to help establish
democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq, the memory of the genocide underscores
our
responsibility to help convey our cherished tradition of respect for
fundamental human rights and opposition to mass slaughters.’
Congressional colleagues joining Representatives Radanovich, Schiff, Pallone,
and Knollenberg pledging to co-sign the letter as of Friday, March 26,
include:
Tom Allen (D-ME), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Xavier Becerra
(D-CA), Howard Berman (D-CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Tim Bishop (D-NY),
Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), William Clay (D-MO), Jerry Costello
(D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Duke Cunningham (R-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL),
Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), John Dingell (D-MI), Vernon Ehlers
(R-MI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Lane Evans (D-IL), Bob Filner (D-CA), Vito Fossella
(R-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ),
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Tim Holden (D-PA), Steve Israel (D-NY), Jesse Jackson
(D-IL), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dale
Kildee (D-MI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Nick Lampson (D-TX),
John Larson (D-CT), Steven LaTourette (R-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin
(D-MI), John Lewis (D-GA), William Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ),
Nita
Lowey (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey
(D-MA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN),
Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), James McGovern (D-MA), John McHugh (R-NY), Buck
McKeon (R-CA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes
Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-CA), John Olver (D-MA), C. L. `Butch’ Otter
(R-ID), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward Royce
(R-CA),
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Christopher Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John
Shimkus (R-IL), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Mark Souder (R-IN), Pete Stark
(D-CA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-OH), Christopher Van
Hollen (D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner
(D-NY), Curt Weldon (R-PA), and Frank Wolf (R-VA).
Support for the letter is expected to grow considerably, as the Armenian
American community continues its grassroots campaign to urge legislators to
become signatories. The ANCA launched a WebFax campaign last week, which
calls
on House Members to speak out on a number of Genocide reaffirmation
initiatives
including this letter, as well as urging Speaker Hastert to schedule a vote on
the Genocide resolution, H.Res. 193. That legislation was unanimously adopted
by the House Judiciary Committee and currently has 110 cosponsors. Activists
are also asking their Representatives to co-host the 10th Annual Armenian
Genocide Observance on Capitol Hill, which currently has the support of
over 85
Senators and Representatives.

4) Saakashvili Allies Victorious in Polls

TBILISI (Reuters)–Georgians have handed President Mikhail Saakashvili’s
allies
a big victory in a parliamentary election, bolstering his mandate to press
ahead with reforms but leaving little opposition to scrutinize him.
Despite tension in a wayward province, the election–a rerun of a November
poll seen as rigged–proceeded peacefully on Sunday in the volatile Caucasus
nation that is set to become a key transport corridor for Caspian oil.
An exit poll for Rustavi-2 television forecast that Saakashvili’s National
Movement-Democrats bloc had won 78.6 percent of the vote and no opposition
party would clear a seven percent hurdle needed to win seats in parliament.
“The message is Georgia will take the route of dramatic economic and liberal
democratic reforms,” Saakashvili told reporters. “I’d rather have a bigger
opposition representation but it’s not up to me; that’s the will of the
people.”
A rival exit poll suggested one right-wing pro-business party might have
cleared the hurdle. Preliminary official results were due on Monday.
Saakashvili, elected president by a landslide in January after leading a
bloodless revolution that ousted veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze, has
pledged to unite the divided country and stamp out rampant corruption.
The United States, which backs Saakashvili, is keen to see a stable
Georgia as
the former Soviet republic lies on the route of a Western oil pipeline due to
start pumping Caspian oil to the Mediterranean next year without the need to
cross Russia.

SMOOTH VOTE

Initial reports of disruptions to voting in Ajaria, an autonomous province
whose leader has been at odds with Saakashvili, were denied by local election
officials.
Saakashvili’s success in tapping deep-seated frustration with a post-Soviet
history marked by civil wars, corruption and Russian efforts to wield
influence
has left many opponents discredited and in disarray.
US ambassador Richard Miles had hoped opposition parties would win some
seats.
“Any democracy needs an opposition in the parliament,” he said.
Sunday’s poll was for 150 seats in the 235-seat chamber; the other 85 seats
were not nullified after the November vote. If the Rustavi-2 exit poll proves
correct, only some deputies elected first time round will provide
parliamentary
opposition.
Saakashvili’s attempts to bring to heel Aslan Abashidze, leader in Ajaria,
had
raised tensions in the Black Sea region.
Kalashnikov-toting supporters and military units loyal to Abashidze have
increased the danger of armed conflict in a country that has two openly
separatist regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which did not participate in
the vote.
“For the first time in 10 years the local powers in Ajaria have lost an
election,” Saakashvili said. “The age of feudalism has ended in Georgia.”
For his part, Abashidze accused the government of planning to falsify results
in Ajaria to prevent his Revival party returning to parliament. Ajaria has
jealously guarded its autonomy and control of the oil-exporting sea port at
Batumi.

5) Turkey’s Ruling Party Strengthens Its Position

(Eurasianet.org)–Turkey’s ruling conservative party won a strong mandate in
local elections on Sunday that could strengthen its hand in taking the largely
Muslim country into the European Union and in pushing for reunification of the
divided island of Cyprus.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) retained control of key
municipalities, including the capital, Ankara, and the country’s largest city,
Istanbul, with gains in regions long dominated by left-wing groups.
“Turkey has voted once again for stability and progress,” said Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan after claiming victory.
Erdogan assured Turks that “this victory will not cause us to lose our heads.
To the contrary, it will increase our sense of responsibility.”
He has backed the latest UN plan to reunite Cyprus. He was expected to fly to
Switzerland this week to join four-way reunification talks between Turkey,
Greece and the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
Western diplomats say Sunday’s result is likely to strengthen his position
against hawks within Turkey’s powerful armed forces, who oppose the UN plan.
At the national level, Erdogan has already pushed through many social reforms
aimed at opening membership talks with the EU. These include easing bans on
the
Kurdish language and stiffening penalties for torture.

6) Schiff Lauds Contributions and Service of Cesar Chavez

ON CESAR CHAVEZ DAY, REP. ADAM SCHIFF COMMENDS ONE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST
ADVOCATES FOR WORKING FAMILIES

WASHINGTON, DC–In honor of his many contributions to the farm labor movement
and for his leadership on behalf of working families, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
issued the following statement on this day set aside for remembering Cesar
Chavez:
“Today we remember Cesar Chavez–one of our nation’s greatest advocates for
working families. Cesar Chavez is best known as the founder of the United Farm
Workers of America, AFL-CIO (UFW) and for his work on behalf of the farm labor
movement. That, however, was only the tip of the iceberg. Throughout his
entire life, Cesar Chavez championed non-violent social change, dedicated
himself to public service, and petitioned for improved workers’ rights.
“Cesar Chavez led the first successful farm workers union in American
history,
achieving dignity, respect, fair wages, medical coverage, pension benefits,
and
humane living conditions, as well as countless other rights and protections
for
hundreds of thousands of farm workers. His union’s efforts brought about the
passage of the groundbreaking 1975 California Agricultural Labor Relations Act
to protect farm workers. Today, it remains the only law in the nation that
protects the farm workers’ right to unionize.
“In California, we have Cesar Chavez Day to remember and honor his
contributions, but we must work together to bring national attention to the
work of this great leader. The significance and impact of Chavez’s work
transcends any one cause or boundaries and that is why I support
legislation to
establish a national Cesar Chavez Day (H. Res. 112, introduced by Rep. Joe
Baca) and protect historic sites associated with his life and the farm labor
movement (H.R. 1034 introduced by Rep. Hilda Solis).
“Today, we honor Cesar Chavez, an inimitable leader and great humanitarian
who
influenced and inspired millions of Americans to seek social justice and fight
for civil rights.”
Rep. Schiff represents California’s 29th Congressional District, including
the
communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel,
Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena, and Temple
City.

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

PRESS RELEASE
March 24, 2004

Contact: Ardashes Kassakhian
Telephone: 818.500.1918

ANCA LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS TO SPONSOR MAJOR KERRY CAMPAIGN EVENT

LOS ANGELES, CA – National, regional and local leaders and supporters
of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) are sponsoring a
major fundraiser in Beverly Hills for Democratic presidential
candidate, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

The event, which will be held on March 30th at the home of noted Los
Angeles businessman Ron Burkle, will feature a concert by James Taylor
and remarks by former Secretary of State William Christopher. ANCA
supporters are among the leading contributors for the event, which is
expected to collect over half a million dollars for the Kerry
campaign.

“We have been encouraged by the enthusiastic outpouring of support for
the Senator and the growing interest in his campaign from all segments
of the Armenian American community,” said ANCA-Western Region Chairman
Raffi Hamparian. “We have, for more than two decades, known of
Senator Kerry’s principled leadership on issues of concern to our
community. We look forward to doingall we can to share his excellent
record with Armenian American voters in the weeks and months before
the November 2nd election.’

Senator Kerry, during his long tenure in the U.S. House and Senate,
has consistently been a leading advocate of issues of concern to
Armenian Americans. As a U.S. Senator, Kerry has forcefully fought
for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He is currently a
cosponsor of the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164, and he voted, in
1990, on the Senate floor for Senator Bob Dole’s (R-KS) Genocide
Resolution.

Meeting with ANCA-WR Executive Director Ardashes Kassakhian and ANC
activist Mihran Toumajan last September, the Senator acknowledged the
support of many Armenian Americans during his political career. On
the issue of the Genocide Resolution, which specifically references
the Armenian Genocide, the Senator promised continued advocacy. “It
is called justice, and we will get there together,” pledged Senator
Kerry. “I was incensed when the Turkish lobby and its allies
disrupted the bill in the Senate before,” Kerry added, referring to
the 1990 vote on Sen. Dole’s Genocide Resolution.

The Massachusetts Senator has been a vocal and effective champion of
stronger U.S.-Armenia relations and has consistently backed
legislative initiative to increase aid and expand trade with Armenia.
He is currently a cosponsor of legislation, S.1557, which would grant
Armenia permanent normal trade relations status.

Significantly, Senator Kerry has spearheaded a number of initiatives
to lift the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades. In 1991, he was the
lead sponsor of legislation, which was later enacted as Section 907 of
the Freedom Support Act, that restricted U.S. aid to the government of
Azerbaijan until it lifted its blockades of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh. He also worked for the adoptionof the Humanitarian Aid
Corridor Act, which called for U.S. aid to Turkey to be cut off unless
Turkey lifted its blockade of Armenia. As recently as this January,
Senator Kerry formally called on President Bush to press the visiting
Prime Minister of Turkey to lift his nation’s illegal blockade of
Armenia.

First elected in 1984 from Massachusetts, Sen. Kerry is currently
serving a fourth term in the US Senate, where he represents one of the
largest Armenian American communities. He serves on the Senate
Finance Committee, the Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the
Subcommittee on Central Asia and South Caucasus.

For two differing perspectives on the Bush Administration’s record on
Armenian American issues, visit:

* Armenian American Democratic Leadership Council

* National Organization of Republican Armenians

#####

75-Nation Study of Lying Shows Differences Among Cultures
Released: Mon 29-Mar-2004, 18:10 ET

Newswise – Americans think they can detect a lie less than half of the
time. Norwegians and Swedes rate themselves even worse. Turks and
Armenians, however, say they can spot a liar upwards of 70 percent of
the time. Worldwide, people surveyed say they can detect 53 percent of
lies.

Those are among the findings of work done by Texas Christian University
Psychology Professor Charles F. Bond, and fellow researchers. Bond
helped to explain research into international deception at a
Congressional briefing session in Washington, DC recently.

`We have conducted a 75-nation study with 4,800 participants,’ says
Dr. Bond. `Eye contact, or lack of it, was mentioned more than any
other cue as an indicator that a person is lying.’

And all that shows, apparently, is just how often people can be wrong.

`This belief is most likely inaccurate,’ says Dr. Bond.’ least in
western research, eye contact has only a weak relationship to
deception.’

While shifty eyes are regarded with suspicion across the globe, the
researchers did find some international differences.

`Around 15 percent of respondents say that liars actually make moreeye
contact,’ says Dr. Bond. `We were interested in this minority view.’

In lands where Islam is the dominant religion, just under 30 percent
of respondents said that people make more eye contact when they are
lying. Fewer than 15 percent of residents of lands where Protestant
Christianity was the dominant religion felt the same way and the
figure was about 11 percent in nations where Roman Catholic
Christianity was dominant.

People who live in the poorest nations tend to believe that they are
most effective at spotting whoppers, Dr. Bond notes.

There are differences among cultures in the estimation of how many
lies are being told. Taiwanese and Portuguese believe they are hearing
about four fibs per week. Americans think they are exposed to eight
prevarications weekly.

Pakistanis and Algerians tend to be less trusting. Those surveyed in
those nations think they are mislead between 12 and 16 times weekly.

There are also differences among nations in peoples’ evaluations
oftheir own abilities to lie. In the United States, people believe
they can get away with lying 56 percent of the time. Chileans and
Argentines, by contrast, believe that they will be caught about 60
percent of the time. Those living in Moldova and Botswana think they
are detected lying fewer than 25 percent of the time.

Protestants think they get away with lying about 55 percent of the
time while Catholics believe that about half of their lies are
detected.

`Muslims rate themselves the worst at lying,’ says Dr. Bond.

Muslims think they get away with it only 47 percent of the time.

Dr. Bond outlined his research in a presentation titled `International
Deception,’ March 19 at the Rayburn House Office Building in
Washington, DC as part of a congressional briefing titled `Detecting
Deception: Research to Secure the Homeland.’

The event was sponsored by the Consortium of Social Science
Associations, the American Psychological Association and the National
Communication Association with funding from the W. K. Kellogg
Foundation.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

MONTANA GOVERNOR COMMEMORATES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

— Montana becomes 32nd State to
Recognize the Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON, DC ­ Montana today became the 32nd U.S. state to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, joining with the Armenian American
community and all people of good conscience in honoring the victims
of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

Governor Judy Martz, in a letter of recognition sent to the ANCA,
stated that she was “pleased to recognize your achievements to
bring awareness and recognition to the one and one-half million
Christian Armenian men, women and children who were victims of the
brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Government from
1915 to 1923.” She went on to explain that recognition of the 89th
anniversary of the genocide is “crucial to guarding against
repetition of future genocides.”

Montana joins 31 states that have already recognized the Armenian
Genocide through Governor proclamations or adoption of State
resolutions, including: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah,
Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Commenting on Gov. Martz’ statement, Montana resident and lifelong
ANC activist Yedvart Tchakerian stated “I am proud of Gov. Martz’
principled stand recognizing the Armenian Genocide and joining with
our community in this solemn remembrance. I can only hope that our
legislators in Washington will take similar action through passage
of the Genocide Resolution in the House and Senate.”

Armenian American activist Bob Semonian, a long-time friend of the
Montana Governor, played a key role in bringing this matter to her
attention.

The complete text of the letter of recognition is provided below.

#####

TEXT OF MONTANA GOVERNOR’S STATEMENT

April 2004

On behalf of citizens of the State of Montana, I am pleased to
recognize your achievements to bring awareness and recognition to
the one and one-half million Christian Armenian men, women and
children who were victims of the brutal genocide perpetrated by the
Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 to 1923.

The Armenian genocide and massacres of Armenian people have been
recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a thriving and
noble civilization over 3,000 years old. Recognition of the eighty-
ninth anniversary of this genocide is crucial to guarding against
the repetition of future genocide and educating people about the
atrocities connected to these horrific events.

I urge recognition of their plight on April 24th, 2004, which is
nationally recognized as a Day of Remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915-1923.

Sincerely

[signed]
JUDY MARTZ
Governor

PRESS RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2004

UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association
Graduate Students Association
c/o Armenian Graduate Students Association
Kerckhoff Hall Room 316
308 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Contact: Lilit Keshishyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

UCLA AGSA and ASA bring contemporary Armenian art to campus

The UCLA Armenian Graduate Students Association in conjunction with the
UCLA Armenian Students Association welcomed the campus community to a week
of contemporary Armenian arts hosted at UCLA’s Kerckhoff Hall Art Gallery.
The week-long series of events included an exhibition of visual arts from
March 8th through March 12th.

The exhibition, entitled “VIIISIONS: An Exhibition of Contemporary Armenian
Arts” featured works by prominent Armenian artists; Vachag, Seeroon
Yeretsian, Martiros Adalyan, Sev, Vahe Berberian, Kaloust Guedel, Alina
Mnatsakanian, and Samvel Saghatelyan as well as poet Lory Bedikian and
vocalist Soseh Keshishyan. Artists Sev, Vahe Berberian, Kaloust Guedel and
Samvel Saghatelyan participated in the Monday afternoon opening of the
exhibit at which they introduced their work and answered questions from
students and faculty members.

“It was rewarding to see the positive responses of both Armenian and
non-Armenian students and faculty at the exhibition,” commented UCLA AGSA
project director for the exhibition, Lilit Keshishyan. “I think the
exhibit, poetry reading and performance provided a rich and fulfilling
experience because it formed a creative and intellectual atmosphere, and
welcomed interaction between the artists and audience.”

On the evening of March 10th, UCLA Alumna Lory Bedikian delivered a poetry
reading at the gallery. Bedikian has read in numerous southern California
venues including California State University – Northridge, the Los Angeles
Poetry Festival, KPFK’s Inspiration House, and The World Stage as well as
for the YWCA of Pasadena. Presenting poems relating to issues of Armenian
identity in the diaspora and childhood experiences, Bedikian later
commented, “Reading at the gallery in the presence of such artwork reminded
me, once again, that the Armenian/Armenian-American artist’s voice is alive
and in significant progressive stages here in Los Angeles.” She also noted
that, “What is even more significant is that UCLA student groups have
recognized the relevance of organizing such events. One can only hope for
larger forums and diverse audiences in the future so that we can share our
rich art forms. As an alumna of UCLA, I was especially honored and excited
to read my poetry at this venue.”

Following the reading, Bedikian discussed her inspiration for writing and
encouraged all interested writers to continue writing and expressing
themselves through literary art. The evening ended with an a cappella
performance of three Armenian songs by Soseh Keshishyan. Keshishyan, who
has been singing at various venues for more than 10 years, is third-year
Ethnomusicology student at UCLA.

Sophomore, Sos Bagramyan, noted that “Samvel Saghatelyan’s pieces were
particularly interesting to me because of their intricate synthesis of
eroticism, dark colors and written text. It was really refreshing to see so
much talent and variety in the Armenian artistic community put on display
at UCLA. Events like this that bring not only the artistic achievements of
minorities like Armenians, but all arts in general into the academic forum
should be more frequent and encouraged by the university.”

All artists were invited back to campus for the closing of the exhibition
which was held on March 12th. There the artists mingled with the students
and members of the community at large in attendance. “Youth and young
energy is always inspirational for the artist and hopefully, in turn, the
artist will be able to inspire the students,” reflected Vahe Berberian.
“The artist-audience relationship is always a symbiotic relationship and it
is always nice to rekindle interests on both sides.”

———- Attachment # 1 of 1: “VIIISIONS” Photographs (3) ———-

– 1 – Photo viewable/download-able at:

– 1 – Caption: Myrna Douzjian (UCLA AGSA, organizing committee) introduces
the artists to the audience at the gallery opening on March 8th.

– 2 – Photo viewable/download-able at:

– 2 – Caption: UCLA Alumna Lory Bedikian reads selections from her poetry
to the students gathered at the Kerckhoff Hall Art Gallery on March 10th.

– 3 – Photo viewable/download-able at:

– 3 – Caption: UCLA students enjoy an evening poetry reading and a
cappella performance.

California Courier Online, April 1, 2004

1 – Commentary
State Dept. Offends Armenians
Calling the Genocide “Alleged”

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
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2 – UACC Chancel Choir Presents
Holy Week Cantata, April 8
3 – Diocese to Conduct Easter
Services at Ararat Home
4 – Matiosian Wins Emmy,
Golden Reel Awards
5 – Special Books Comfort Alzheimer Patients
6 –
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1 – Commentary
State Dept. Offends Armenians
Calling the Genocide “Alleged”

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

In an alarming development on the eve of the 89th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide and just months away from the upcoming presidential
elections, the Bush Administration has gone out of its way to offend and
alienate the large and influential Armenian-American community.
In the “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2003” recently released
by the US Department of State, the following two sections in the report on
Turkey refer to the Armenian Genocide:
Section 2: “In June, authorities arrested and indicted teacher Hulya
Akpinar for comments she made during a conference in Kilis Province on the
alleged genocide of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire.”
Section 5: “In April, the Education Ministry issued a circular urging all
schools to have their fifth-and seventh-graders prepare a one-page essay
arguing that allegations that the Ottomans committed genocide against
Armenians are ‘baseless.’ ”
Referring to the Armenian Genocide as “alleged” or “allegations” is
appalling. The last time the State Dept. used such denialist language was
back in 1982. Since then, successive administrations have used euphemisms
and other evasive terminology. By saying, “alleged,” the State Department
is in fact joining Turkey in denying the veracity of the Armenian Genocide.
It is highly ironic that this administration came to the White House with a
personal promise made by Pres. Bush that he would support the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide. During his term in office, the President has not
only broken his promise by avoiding the words Armenian Genocide in his
annual April 24 proclamations, but has allowed his top aides in the White
House, the Pentagon and the State Dept. to oppose any mention of the
Armenian Genocide by the U.S. Congress and state legislatures.
This is outrageous. Armenian-Americans will not forget the Bush
administration’s misrepresentation on this most important and sensitive
issue to all Armenians worldwide. In the next presidential election, no
self-respecting Armenian should vote for Pres. Bush nor contribute a cent
to Bush’s re-election campaign.
Please e-mail your complaints to the White House: [email protected];
and the State Dept:

Demonstration Against British Ambassador

The latest development on the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the
British Ambassador to Armenia, Thorda Abbott-Watt, is an announcement by
the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF) that a
demonstration will be held in front of the British Consulate in Paris (18
bis rue d’Anjou) on Saturday, April 3, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Similar
protests are expected on April 24 in front of British Embassies in several
other countries, including Armenia.
Last week, 14 Armenian organizations from a dozen European countries sent a
joint letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair requesting a public apology from
Amb. Abbott-Watt and urging the British government to take “all necessary
measures in order to prevent the recurrence of such shameless incidents in
the future.”
Dozens of Armenian and non-Armenian newspapers from around the world have
been covering the controversy revolving around Amb. Abbott-Watt. The Azeri
newspaper “Echo” published a lengthy commentary on this subject,
speculating on whether the British government would recall its Ambassador
from Armenia or “the diplomatic scandal will eventually end by the
Armenians quieting down all the fuss.”
A prominent newspaper in Armenia, Azg, published a commentary on March 27,
urging Armenians to boycott all events attended by Amb. Abbott-Watt. It
would be equally effective if Armenian officials and organizations do not
invite her to any events or conferences. If she is shunned by Armenian
officials and isolated from Armenian society, she would not be able to
carry out her diplomatic duties in Armenia. The British government would
then have no choice but to recall her back to London.
Meanwhile, more e-mails from hundreds of Armenians as well as non-Armenians
from several countries (including Armenia and the United Kingdom), continue
to be sent to the British Ambassador in Armenia:
[email protected]; to Michael Jay, the Under-Secretary and Head
of the UK Diplomatic Service: [email protected]; and to Prime Minister
Tony Blair through the following web site:
(click on select a subject,
select “international affairs,” and then click on the “go” button), asking
the British government to withdraw its Ambassador as she can no longer
effectively carry out her diplomatic duties in Armenia. Please send copies
of your e-mails and any responses to the Armenian Foreign Ministry
([email protected]) and to [email protected].
To review articles and statements on this issue, please check the following
web site:

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2 – UACC Chancel Choir Presents
Holy Week Cantata, April 8
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The United Armenian Congregational Church Chancel Choir
will present a Holy Week of Sacred Music, April 8, at 8:15 p.m. at the UACC
sanctuary, 3480 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles.
The UACC Chancel Choir will perform the cantata, “The Seven Last Words of
Christ,” by Theodore Dubois.
The Cantata will follow the traditional Maundy Thursday supper and
communion service that will be held in UACC’s Paul Aivazian Hall, beginning
at 7 p.m.
The Choir of about 40 singers will be joined by soloists Nune Kartalyan,
Suzie Mazmanian, Raffi Kerbabian and Aren Der Hagopian, with Martha Sarian
as organist and H. Hrant Agbabian, Director of the Chancel Choir.
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3 – Diocese to Conduct Easter
Services at Ararat Home
LOS ANGELES- Continuing a tradition of the Western Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, special Holy Easter Church services will be conducted at
the Ararat Armenian Home, 15105 Mission Hills Rd., Mission Hills on April
12, at 11 a.m.
Los Angeles area clergymen of the Western Diocese will participate in the
Church services.
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4 – Matiosian Wins Emmy,
Golden Reel Awards
LOS ANGELES – After winning the prestigious Academy of Arts and Sciences
Emmy Award for Best Sound Editing on a Television Series, Mace Mationsian
also won the Motion Picture Sound Editors, Golden Reel Award for Best Sound
Editing in Television.
The Academy recognized the Chicago-born Mationsian for his work on the CBS
TV hit crime drama series, CSI.
The Golden Reel Award was presented to Matiosian for his work on CSI at the
Motion Picture Sound Editors Annual award banquet held at the Century Plaza
Hotel on Feb. 28. This was Mationsian’s seventh Emmy Award and ninth Golden
Reel Award.
Mationsian is currently the Supervising Sound Editor on CSI, the number 1
rated show on television.
He also recently completed HBO’s Carnivale series.
His credits include Hack, UC Undercover, Star Trek: the Next Generation,
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the Others, Baywatch, McGyver and dozens of TV
movies and specials.
Currently living in Santa Barbara, Calif., Mationsian works in Hollywood at
the Todd AO Studios.
He began his career in sound at Ryder Sound Services in Hollywood, which
was owned by Levon Chaloukian.
**************************************************************************
5 – Special Books Comfort Alzheimer Patients
By Paula Lloyd
Neighbors Cityview
FRESNO -Margaret Magarian, 91, has one favorite book. It’s a think
scrapbook of family photos and memories designed by her daughter that she
reads over and over again.
The pictures and written memories comfort her mother, who has been
diagnosed with dementia, says Judi Magarian-Gold. The book also provides
hours of entertainment. “She says, ‘I’ve read them 100 times, but I sure do
love them.'”
Magarian-Gold and longtime friend Jan Lewis developed three paperback,
plastic com-bound memory books to give Alzheimer’s and dementia patients
and their families, or any senior, a way to record and preserve memories.
Sitting at the kitchen table of her Fresno home, Magarian-Gold opens the
first thick, hard-bound photo album she made for her mother.
Lewis and Magarian-Gold met in 1962 at California State University, Fresno,
where they earned teaching credentials. The two retired teachers have each
published educational materials.
They also have shared the joys and sorrows of caring for aging parents.
That experience, coupled with their teaching and writing skills, led to the
creation of the memory books.
Like Magarian-Gold, Lewis had also created a book for her mother, Opal
Lewis, who died in May at 84.
Magarian-Gold and Lewis also realized there wasn’t anything on the market
like what they wanted. “There are plenty of books, but no workbooks,”
Magarian-Gold says.
Memory books are helpful for Alzheimer’s patients, Lewis says, “because
long-term memory goes last.” Linda Hewett, co-director of the Alzheimer’s
and Memory Center, says the memory books “create a structured way for
family members and friends to talk with a person who has difficulty
communicating, who often doesn’tj remember what happened yesterday.
“I think they have hit on a really great idea,” Hewett says.
The books are purposely printed in a less-inexpensive format, to be more
accessible. “My Album of Memories,” a scrapbook-style workbook for pictures
and written recollections, and “Family History,” a workbook with questions
to spark conversations about family and friends, are each $12.95.
“Journal of Loving Memories,” a workbook for family and friends to share
their recollections, and a 2004 calendar with pictures drawn by
Magarian-Gold that seniors can color are each $8.95.
For details call (559) 431-8571 or 448-0555.
******************************************************************
6 – Burbank Library Getting Hundreds
Of Donated Armenian Books
By Alex Dobuzinskis
Los Angeles Daily News
BURBANK — Burbank libraries will soon have more than 200 donated books
either about Armenia or written in Armenian for their international
collection, a community organizer said Wednesday.
The library’s acquisition of Armenian books comes at a time when the number
of Armenians moving into Burbank is on the rise.
Pharmacist Tamar Kekorian, the wife of Burbank school board member Paul
Kekorian, said about 100 books were collected at a book fair earlier this
month and other books have been collected in the meantime to bring the
total to more than 200. The goal is to collect 400 to 500 books.
“It’s such a tremendous project that we decided to stretch it over nine to
10 months so that we can actually accomplish it,” Kekorian said.
The books already collected are valued at more than $5,000, she said. The
books were donated by local residents, and some provided money to buy new
books.
The first phase of the book collection focuses on books about Armenian
history and the Armenian genocide of 1915.
The next phase of the collection will involve the donation of children’s
books, some of them written in Armenian.
One of the books ready to be donated is by poet Hovhannes Toumanian, who
was born in 1869 and wrote a number of short, fablelike stories such as
“Nazar the Brave.”
Nazan Armenian, a member of the Armenian National Committee of Burbank,
said the book donation program is good for the libraries.
“It will drive more Armenian patrons to use the library,” she said.
Kekorian said she got involved in collecting books for the city after head
librarian Sharon Cohen approached her husband and asked for help in
obtaining more books about Armenia.
“I would like to encourage others to be involved in projects like this.
Because due to budget cuts, it’s very difficult for libraries to have the
kinds of collections that they would ideally like to have,” Kekorian said.
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