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03/22/2004
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1) Aliyev, Oskanian Exchange Jabs on Karabagh
2) Command Staff Exercises in Armenia
3) EU’s Talvitie Visit to Armenia
4) Kocharian Removes Additional Senior Prosecutors
5) Mekhitarian School Celebrates 25th, Honors Father Augustine’s Contributions

1) Aliyev, Oskanian Exchange Jabs on Karabagh

YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)–In a speech to a conference on European
integration held in Slovakia’s capital Bratislava late last week, Azeri
president Ilham Aliyev spoke extensively about the Mountainous Karabagh
conflict, and announced that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be
restored. “The Armenian party tries to justify its aggression and occupation,
and speaks about the right to self-determination,” Aliyev charged, saying that
Armenians have already gained independence, and have a country and state. He
called for a demilitarization of the region, comparing the presence of foreign
military troops in Armenia, and none in Azerbaijan. “When there is no foreign
military presence in the region, all conflicts will be regulated.”
Representing Armenia at the conference, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, in
an interview to RFE/RL, said it is absurd to draw such parallels. “It is
obvious that the presence of Armenian population in Karabagh is much older
than
the Azerbaijani Republic, and drawing parallels between the presence of
Armenians in other countries is ridiculous,” Oskanian said, pointing to
Aliyev’s statement as strengthening the Armenian position. “The people of
Mountainous Karabagh indeed have the right to self-determination because this
self-determination is different than others. This is the case when the people
want to gain independence on the territory which has no legal or historical
connection to Azerbaijan.”
Oskanian dismissed links between Aliyev’s call for the demilitarization of
Caucasus and the conflict in Mountainous Karabagh, adding that there is, in
fact, a Russian military presence at the Gabala radar station–a more
strategic
positioning than the physical presence of Russian forces in Armenia or
Georgia.
“Aliyev said this just to please some circles,” stated Oskanian.
Also attending the Bratislavia conference was Oskanian’s Azeri counterpart
Vilayat Guliyev, who alleged he challenged Oskanian to substantiate Armenian
claims that Kocharian and Aliyev’s late father and predecessor Heydar had
agreed on a framework peace deal during talks in Paris and on the Florida
island of Key West three years ago. “I reminded him of his statement and told
him to show me the papers,” Guliyev said, according to the ATV report
monitored
by the BBC. “He said that he will send them by fax on his return to Yerevan.”
“I asked whether the papers had been signed. He said he did not have signed
papers. I said–if there are no signed papers, then what kind of agreement
could we talk about?”
Reacting to the remarks on Monday, the Foreign Ministry in Yerevan said they
only prove the existence of the Key West agreements. “We are glad that Mr.
Guliyev has at last admitted that there is a written document certifying
agreements reached in Paris and Key West even though it has not been signed
yet,” ministry spokesman Hamlet Gasparian said. “Had it been signed, the
Karabagh conflict would have already been resolved.”
Armenia maintains that Aliyev senior scrapped the agreements shortly after
returning home from Key West. Baku denies this, saying that no specific deals
were cut. But according to the chief US negotiator on Karabagh, Rudolf Perina,
the parties were “incredibly close” to a peaceful settlement at the time.
Guliyev and Oskanian are scheduled to hold another meeting in Prague next
week. The talks will be mediated by Perina and the French and Russian
co-chairs
of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Oskanian has said he hopes they will finally clarify whether or not Baku will
ever revive the Key West deal.

2) Command Staff Exercises in Armenia

YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net)–Technical, rear, and medical units of Armenia’s
Armed Forces will conduct command staff exercises in Armenia, March 23-27.
The defense ministry reported the exercise will be held within the framework
of the program “Plan of Readiness for 2004,” and conducted under the
command of
Armenia’s colonel-general Mikael Harutyunian, who heads the general staff of
the Armed Forces.
During the initial stage of the exercises, reservists will be called to
service in order to integrate with the troops.

3) EU’s Talvitie Visit to Armenia

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–European Union’s special representative for the South
Caucasus Heikki Talvitie will arrive in Armenia on Tuesday to meet with
President Robert Kocharian, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, Foreign
Minister
Vartan Oskanian, speaker of Armenia’s parliament Arthur Baghdasarian, human
rights ombudsman Larisa Alaverdian, as well as other parliament members and
court officials.

4) Kocharian Removes Additional Senior Prosecutors

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–President Robert Kocharian continued a reshuffle of his
security cabinet on Monday, dismissing four district prosecutors in Yerevan.
The presidential decree followed last week’s unexpected removal of
Prosecutor-General Aram Tamazian and over a dozen high-level staff changes in
the Armenian police. Kocharian met with the leadership of the national Police
Service on Friday. Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, he said the role
and prestige of the Prosecutor’s Office having decreased under Tamazian, needs
to be restored in order to strengthen the rule of law.
“It must be restored with the help of people who have the skills to do that,”
he said, promising more replacements in the law-enforcement agency.

5) Mekhitarian School Celebrates 25th, Honors Father Augustine’s Contributions

LOS ANGELES–The Mkhitarian Armenian School celebrated the 25th anniversary of
its opening, as well as Father Augustine Sezekoula’s 60 years of literary and
cultural activities. Spiritual leaders, dignitaries, representatives of area
organizations and institutions, as well as school officials and benefactors
were all on hand to mark the two great milestones.
Co-emceeing the event were 1995 graduates Veronica Kouyoumjian and Vicken
Naljian, who smoothly conducted the program in Armenian and English.
Among the many honors extended to Father Augustine for his numerous
contributions were certificates of recognition from US Congressman Adam Schiff
and LA Supervisor Michael Antonovich, and an honorary professorship in
Armenian
Studies from Mashdots College.

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Paper says US influence seen in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan Caspian cooperation

Karavan web site, Almaty
5 Mar 04

Text of article by Dosym Satpayev, director of the Risk Assessment
Group, entitled “Will there be a Caspian duet?” published by Kazakh
newspaper Karavan web site on 5 March; subheadings inserted
editorially

While Aliyev Sr late President Heydar Aliyev was pinned to his
hospital bed, relations between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan appeared
temporarily frozen. Kazakhstan’s participation in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline was in doubt, for example. Everyone
understood that a presence in this project, an alternative to the
Russian direction, could hit at relations with Moscow.

But the meeting in Astana, at which the leaders spoke about everything
openly and without constraint, dotted the “i’s”. Kazakhstan will
supply oil by the new pipeline. But another question has arisen
concerning security in the Caspian.

Political scientists and economists will, following the Azerbaijani
president’s visit, set about tallying the political and economic
benefits from the meeting. But let us, for a start, cite several
reasons why President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s visit attracted
such interest.

Reasons for interest in Azerbaijani president’s visit

First, this was his first visit to our republic as head of state.

Second, Ilham Aliyev is a new player on the political field of Central
Asia, and there is undoubtedly heightened interest in his person.

Third, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as Caspian neighbours, have
practically no contentious issues and are cooperating closely in
various spheres.

Fourth, this visit was indirectly linked with Caspian topics in
various areas, be it the process of demilitarization of the Caspian or
Kazakhstan’s affiliation to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil line. This was
the main and most symbolic subject, in any event.

Ilham Aliyev came to Kazakhstan not only as president but also as a
lobbyist for the abovementioned oil project. He came for a specific
answer to a specific question: when does Kazakhstan intend to become
part of the oil pipe? This is for Azerbaijan by no means an idle
question, since all the participants in this project long since
arrived at the thought that without Kazakhstan the oil line will be
simply populist.

As the Azerbaijani expert F. Fatulla observes, “it is increasingly
often coming to be a question of the oil in the Azerbaijani sector
being insufficient for filling the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. But the
problem is not only that of filling this pipeline but also of finding
oil for the Baku-Supsa and Baku-Novorossiysk oil lines that are
already operating and for two major oil refineries.”

It is not known whether Ilham Aliyev was satisfied with the response
of the president of Kazakhstan, who in oriental fashion subtly spoke
about Astana’s interest in the successful implementation of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project, from the viewpoint of the multi-vector
nature of oil and gas exports included. But, on the other hand,
questions pertaining to the tariffs proposed by Kazakhstan for the
transfer of oil, which did not satisfy Astana, remain.

Will there be enough Kazakh oil?

In addition, Azerbaijan, the United States, Turkey, and other
lobbyists for the oil line could not have failed to have been alerted
by the fact that on the threshold of Ilham Aliyev’s visit the
management of the KazMunayGaz national oil company announced its
decision to begin implementation of the plan for the construction of a
West Kazakhstan-Western China oil line. The legitimate question
arises: where will Kazakh oil flow to the west or the east and will
its quantities be sufficient for filling the two new oil lines plus
the pipe of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which is already
operating, simultaneously?

Also important for Kazakhstan is the level of political risk in the
countries through which the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil line will run. The
reference is primarily to Georgia, where the change of power has not
reduced the political tension, between Tbilisi and the separatist
regions included. In addition, the Chechen hotbed of instability is
still smouldering, which is reflected in the level of security of the
entire Caucasus region.

Threat of terrorist attacks

It is not surprising that during Ilham Aliyev’s visit Kazakhstan
offered to discuss an initiative for the formation of a regional
anti-terrorist centre of Caspian states. This indicates that
Kazakhstan takes seriously the threat of terrorist acts in the
Caspian, which would strike primarily at the oil and gas
infrastructure.

>From the viewpoint of any terrorist organization, sabotage in the
area of the Caspian could have serious consequences: incite interstate
clashes, particularly if they are carried out in disputed oil and gas
fields, and strike at the economic security of certain states whose
budget depends on exports of Caspian oil. This would, naturally, cause
a deterioration in the investment climate, which also would strike
primarily at the economy of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

In addition, acts of terrorism like, for example, the bombing of
operating oil lines or tankers could give rise to serious
environmental problems, which also could result in interstate strife.

Distrust between Caspian states

Another problem into which both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have been
pulled is the militarization of the Caspian. Given the geopolitical
and geo-economic significance of the Caspian, the appearance of the
military factor is perfectly natural. The militarization of the
Caspian region is an objective process, which is only just beginning
to gather speed and is more a restraining factor than an instrument of
aggression.

A principal reason for the militarization of the Caspian is the mutual
distrust of the Caspian states, primarily Iran and Turkmenistan of
Azerbaijan over disputed fields. Nor should we forget the
participation in the process of militarization of the Caspian of third
countries the United States and Turkey which is doing little to
promote a lessening of the mistrust in this region.

China’s increased assertiveness noted

A possible change in the balance of military-political forces in the
Caspian having to do with the increased assertiveness of China, which
also could provoke new interstate strife, is also giving rise to
certain fears in the pessimists. The competition of the oil lines is
making its contribution to the militarization also. We can agree here
with Vardan Oskanyan, minister of foreign affairs of Armenia, who
believes that the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil line
could result in a foreign military presence in the region.

The fruitlessness of the negotiations on the Caspian’s legal status
against the background of the start of the active development of the
oil and gas fields in the Caspian on the part of Russia, Kazakhstan
and Azerbaijan, and now Turkmenistan also may also be highlighted as
being among the reasons for its militarization. The military
reinforcement of these states is aimed at securing the efforts of
their own and foreign oil and gas companies under the conditions of
the current friction between Caspian states. And it is ultimately not
a question of militarization itself but of the fact that this process
is still moving ahead under the conditions of the uncertain legal
status of the Caspian.

As a result, Azerbaijan is now, not without the assistance of the
United States and Turkey, the second military flotilla in strength
level in the Caspian after Russia. This has given rise to a
retaliatory response on the part of Iran and even Turkmenistan. A
Caspian arms race has begun. And Kazakhstan has decided to join it,
forming its own navy and military infrastructure in the Caspian,
despite Russia protests.

It is interesting to note that Donald Rumsfeld, who spoke in
militarily direct fashion of the United States’s interest in helping
Kazakhstan, building up its military arsenal in this region, visited
Kazakhstan shortly before Ilham Aliyev’s visit. It is noticeable also
that one of the agreements signed between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
was one on cooperation in the military sphere.

One solution is the synchronization of the military interests of the
five Caspian states. It makes no sense to separate the security of its
states from the security of the region as a whole.

But this is merely a pious wish. Reality is pointing to an interesting
situation arising. Whereas in the sphere of division of the Caspian
along a median modified line a stable trio in the shape of Kazakhstan,
Russia and Azerbaijan has evolved, in the military plane in the
Caspian a Kazakh-Azerbaijani duet could emerge, specially since the
two states are being given active assistance by Uncle Sam here.

An anti-Semitic left hook

By Patrick Chisholm | csmonitor.com
March 23, 2004

WASHINGTON – Anti-Semitism traditionally has been associated with the
extreme right. Now, it is becoming more common among the extreme
left. Leftist president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe huffed that “Jews in
South Africa, working in cahoots with their colleagues here, want our
textile and clothing factoriesto close down.” Former Malaysian Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who is no right-winger, lashed out against
Jews who “rule the world by proxy.” One finds pockets of anti-Semitism
at anti-globalization rallies, and plenty of it at pro-Palestinian
rallies. And in recent years anti-capitalist campaigners have been
networking with radical Islamists and neo-Nazi groups via their
websites, according to a draft report by the Technical University of
Berlin’s Center for Research on Anti-Semitism. (This was the same
report commissioned by the European Union, which decided for
who-knows-what-reason not to officially release it.)

Contrary to what one would think, left- and right-wing extremists are,
in major respects, ideological soul mates. Don’t be fooled by labels;
applyingthe simplistic terms of “right” and “left” to complex
political realities naturally begets confusion.

While ultra-rightists are generally thought of as racist and
ultra-leftists as nonracist, the latter are by no means immune to such
decrepitude.

And both camps share these core attitudes: a readiness to buy into
conspiracy theories, hatred of the rich, contempt for speculators and
financiers, a deep suspicion of large corporate enterprises, and a
conviction that the privileged few oppress the masses.

These notions manifest themselves in the party platforms of radical
groups. Here are excerpts from one such platform (courtesy of
Australian writer John J. Ray):

– We demand that all unearned income, and all income that does
not arise from work, be abolished.

– We demand the nationalization of businesses which have been
organized into cartels.

– We demand the creation and maintenance of a healthy
middle-class,the immediate communalization of department stores which
will be rented cheaplyto small businessmen….

– We demand a land reform in accordance with our national
requirements, and the enactment of a law to confiscate from the owners
without compensation any land needed for the common purpose. The
abolition of ground rents, and the prohibition of all speculation in
land.

And here is a quote from one such leader:

“We are socialists, we are enemies of today’s capitalistic economic
system for the exploitation of the economically weak, with its unfair
salaries, with its unseemly evaluation of a human being according to
wealth and property instead of responsibility and performance, and we
are all determined to destroy this system under all conditions.”

Karl Marx? No. Vladimir Lenin? No. Ho Chi Min? No.

Adolf Hitler. And the above platform positions were those of his
National Socialist party. Note the formal name of that party: the
National Socialist German Workers Party.

The far left scapegoats rich people for causing the world’s ills. But
what if you live in a society where most rich people happen to be
members of a different religion or skin color? That makes them
particularly easy to recognize and identify. In the popular psyche,
the wealthy class becomes synonymous with members of that minority
group. So if you’re an envy-laden, paranoid conspiracy theorist,
there’s hardly a distinction between scapegoating the rich and
scapegoating the minority group.

That’s how the Nazis viewed the Jews. It’s how Stalinist Russia viewed
the Jews. It’s how Islamic militants view the Jews. And it’s how many
among today’s far left view the Jews.

Jews are by no means the only (relatively) affluent minority group
that has suffered mass slaughter. The same has been true of Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey), Tutsis in Rwanda, Tamils
in Sri Lanka, ethnic Chinese in Indonesia, and many others.

Palestinian hatred of Israelis, I suspect, is based on more than just
land disputes and the policies of the state of Israel. Much of it
likely derivesfrom envy. Jews as a whole are among the most able,
hard-working, and intelligent people ever to inhabit the
earth. Wherever they go they succeed. They turned Israel into an
economic powerhouse for its size, and “made the desert bloom.”
Success breeds envy. Envy breeds hatred.

Terrorism is the end result. So is an envy-driven economic philosophy
best described as hard-left or socialist: Islamic radicals generally
advocate government ownership of most sectors of the economy. They
detest “middlemen” and the rich. They loathe “foreign exploiters.”
They’re disgusted with materialism and consumerism. And they desire
complete economic equality among all citizens (which, in practice,
translates into everyone being equally poor).

Obviously, a mutual dislike for Israel’s policies is not the only
thing that binds Islamic radicals and ultra-leftists together.

Leftism is generally tolerant of different races and religions. But
not always. Extremists are not going to let Jews off the hook just
because theyhappen to be a different religion. When it comes to envy
versus tolerance, envy very often wins out.

PRESS OFFICE
ARMENIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA WESTERN DIOCESE
3325 NORTH GLENOAKS BLVD.
BURBANK, CA 91504
TEL: (818) 558-7474
Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRIMATE’S EASTER MESSAGE

“To me, living is Christ and dying is gain”.(Philippians 1:21)

Inspired and enriched by the mystery of the Holy Resurrection of Christ
the words of St. Paul are as powerful as a prayer. The same words not
only come as powerful prayer echoing in our hearts, but as a way of
life, because we realize the truth that “Christ loved us and gave
himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph. 5:2)

The mystery of the Holy Resurrection of Christ becomes the essence of
our spiritual life only when the old person in us is reborn and we
fearlessly inaugurate the new man, ” to put away your former way of
life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed
in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self,
created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and
holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-25)

The entire spiritual journey of Lent leas us to the glorious mystery of
the Resurrection of Christ, which ushered in for mankind a new life and
the Christian believer discovered within himself the divine power that
enables one to constantly renew his life to the extent that he feels in
his soul the miracle of the new life.

Dear faithful, with a joyous heart we send you our Easter Message and
call upon all of you to rededicate you lives to Christ, to enter the
depths of the mystery of the Holy Resurrection through the most noble
life of prayer, and to discover in your souls the divine grace which
makes it possible for us to renew our God-given lives. Undoubtedly each
one of us needs the power of regeneration. Life may often be influenced
by the manifold temptations of the world, but when a life is established
on the cornerstone of the life-giving Resurrection of Christ it can
repel the perils that it encounters every day.

The glorious Resurrection of Christ opens before us the dawn of a new
life. The Giver of life opens before us a new way in Christ, the Son of
God, so that through the sacrifice of His life becomes the spiritual
light of a new life for the entire human race.
Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!
The foundation of our Christian faith is the Holy Resurrection of
Christ. Without the Resurrection of Christ Christianity would become for
us a set of moral principles for life and a guiding doctrine. But
Christianity is life itself, the source of salvation, because it is
anchored in the personal sacrifice of Christ. Christianity is the
movement from the mind to the heart that is dawned first in our own
thoughts and then becomes the moving energy of our entire being. It is
not possible to explain in words alone our faith in the Holy
Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ is ever spreading force that is
kneaded in our essence and separates us from the foreign thoughts that
have no root in God. In the words of St. Nersess the Graceful we subject
our souls entirely to God and we take refuge in His power. “To you I
surrender my soul. You provide and satisfy the needs of my soul and
body.”

Dear faithful, the resurrection of Christ casts the roots of new life
also in our Holy Church when we awaken in us the vision of a new Church,
a revitalized Church. The Armenian Apostolic Church has reached such a
critical moment when the mission of our Holy Church must echo the new
circumstances of life. And to revitalize the Church means to lead the
very same Church to a spiritual rebirth in the mystery of the
Resurrection. To revitalize does not mean to reject the traditions that
have reached us through the centuries, but to connect the people to
those traditions, and to reunite as one reality the Church and the
people who are drawing apart from one another. For when the Church does
not reflect our life today she remains merely a concept, a lifeless
doctrine. We are living in times when Christianity remains disconnected
to man, when one turns to other sources to satisfy one’s spiritual
thirst, sources that provide only temporary satisfaction to one’s
spiritual needs. Today this is the reality in Armenia and in the
Diaspora. The reality is no different for the faithful of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. In order to satisfy
their spiritual thirst children of our Church leave the Mother Church
and lead their lives on the paths of uncertainty. The situation dictates
that we stay in our home and rejuvenate, renew and enrich the traditions
of the Armenian Church that have reached us through the centuries. The
Church is not a reality detached from us, and it is necessary to make
the active life the very aim and purpose of the Church through visible
actions. Anything else would suggest weakness, which we reject.

The glorious Holy Resurrection of Christ today is an invitation to all
the children of the Armenian Apostolic Church without exception to
return home. The mystery of the glorious Resurrection of Christ becomes
real when through Holy Etchmiadzin a new unity is established in our
community, a unity whose strength will enable us to see more brightly
the eternal truths.

Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate
Easter 2004

California Courier Online, March 25, 2004

1 – Commentary
Armenia Finally Protests British
Ambassador’s Denial of Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
**************************************************************************
2 – Alumni Upset at AGBU for Reported
Closing of Melkonian Institute in Cyprus
3 – ARF Dro Gomideh Event Raises
$50,000 for Mesrobian School
4 – Rep. Schiff Names Aida Yeghiazarian
As Woman of Year for 29th. District
5 – WAAA Armenian Summer Games
Returns to Central California
************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Armenia Finally Protests British
Ambassador’s Denial of Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

The Armenian Foreign Ministry joined last week with hundreds of Armenian as
well as non-Armenian individuals and organizations from throughout the
world to protest the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the British
Ambassador. The Armenian Public (State) TV, broadcast to Armenian
communities worldwide, devoted close to 5 minutes of airtime to the
controversy surrounding the British Ambassador.
In response to the flood of e-mails and the media coverage as well as the
public condemnation issued last week by Levon Lazarian, the leader of the
ARF Parliamentary faction, the Armenian Foreign Ministry finally lodged an
official protest with the British Ambassador for her denial on January 20th
that a genocide was committed against the Armenians in 1915. The Agence
France Presse quoted the following very mild statement of foreign ministry
spokesman Hamlet Gasparyan: “we regret the position” taken by Amb. Thorda
Abbott-Watt. “Every country has a right to make up its own mind on this,
based on their own strategic interests. But on Armenian soil, the
ambassadors have to be more sensitive and delicate.”
In addition to the flood of e-mails sent by individuals, Armenian as well
as non-Armenian organizations from 17 countries (Armenia, Australia,
Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania,
Norway, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United
Kingdom) have issued statements seeking a public apology from the British
Ambassador and urging her withdrawal or expulsion from Armenia. Protest
e-mails have been sent not only to Amb. Abbott-Watt, but also to the
British Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister Tony Blair, and to the Armenian
Foreign Ministry.
The e-mail campaign has already had a desirable effect on Amb. Abbott-Watt.
Last week, when an Armenian TV reporter approached her, she declined to
make any further comments on the Armenian Genocide. Consequently, other
Ambassadors in Yerevan, having become aware of the reaction of the Armenian
people and the government on this issue, would be more circumspect in their
future statements on the Armenian Genocide. As April 24 is approaching,
protest demonstrations should be organized in front of the British Embassy
in Yerevan, the British Foreign Ministry in London, as well as all British
Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.
In the meantime, everyone should continue sending e-mails to the British
Ambassador ([email protected]) asking her to make a public
apology for her offensive remarks on the Armenian Genocide. E-mails should
also be sent 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
them to withdraw their 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 correspondence on this issue, please check the
following web site (). The latest update is the
blistering statement issued by Ara Abrahamian, the Chairman of the World
Armenian Congress. He described the British Ambassador’s conduct as
unbecoming of a diplomat and called for her immediate expulsion from
Armenia!

“NO ARMENIANS ALLOWED”

The L.A. Weekly, in its Feb. 20-26, 2004 issue, published a notice for an
upcoming multi-ethnic, inter-faith concert. The announcement contained the
following very offensive statement regarding Armenians:
“SACRED SOUL features The Yuval Ron Ensemble (with Najwa Gibran) and The
Gwen Wyatt Chorale. ‘An outreach for the Israeli, Jewish and
African-American communities in L.A.’ No Armenians allowed. WILSHIRE UNITED
METHODIST, 4350 Wilshire Blvd., Sun., Feb. 22, 4 p.m. (818) 505-1355.”
The L.A. Weekly received complaints from many of its 200,000 readers as
well as a letter from Jay Shanker, the attorney of Mr. Yuval Ron demanding
that the “paper print an immediate and prominent retraction and apology for
the statement in this coming week’s issue.” The lawyer characterized the
publication’s wording as “intentionally and provocatively hateful and
inflammatory.” Shanker also stated, “a large number of the anticipated
audience for this event elected not to attend based on this offensive
notice. Your full and timely cooperation in this regard will greatly
influence my client’s and his associates’ decision as to whether any
further action should be taken against your paper.”
In response, the L.A. Weekly, in its Feb. 27-March 4, 2004 issue, published
the following “apology” at the end of its Letters to the Editor section:
“The Weekly sincerely apologizes to the performers, concert promoters, and
anyone else upset by the Feb. 20-26 concert listing for the ‘Sacred Soul’
event at the Wilshire United Methodist Church. Although the brief
commentary was intended solely as a joke, we recognize it may have offended
some readers. For that, we are truly sorry.”
The above statement satisfied neither the Armenian community nor the
organizers of the concert. Mr. Yuval Ron wrote to the L.A. Weekly on March
1, 2004, to express his “disappointment of the half hearted apology.” He
demanded “a direct and more detailed letter of apology,” otherwise he
threatened to take “further public and/or legal actions” against the
publication.
In response, Laurie Ochoa, the Editor in Chief of the L.A. Weekly, wrote to
Mr. Ron, expressing the paper’s “most sincere regret about the insensitive
commentary, a tasteless attempt at humor by those who compile our concert
listings.”
On March 5, 2004, Rev. Franklin D. Sablan of the Wilshire United Methodist
Church wrote to the L.A. Weekly, stating that he “was deeply offended” by
“the racist comments.” He charged that the paper “maligned the name of the
Wilshire United Methodist Church.”
Last week, several Armenian community representatives, including this
writer, met with the L.A. Weekly. The editors disclosed that Libby
Molyneaux, the Associate Calendar Editor, was the one who inserted the
anti-Armenian remark in the concert announcement, “as a joke.” While the
editors expressed sincere regret for the offensive insertion, they felt
that their published apology ended the controversy. They said that they
could not dismiss the offending employee due to restrictions by the labor
union.
When the Armenian group insisted that the published apology was inadequate
and the Armenian community may consider legal action, the editors said they
would rethink their position.
Given the large circulation of this publication and the offensive nature of
the inserted statement, readers are urged to send e-mails to the Managing
Editor, Sharan Street ([email protected]), to express their outrage,
demanding that a more elaborate and prominent retraction be published and
disciplinary action be taken against the offending employee.
Armenians should also consider, after consulting with lawyers, filing a
lawsuit for the violation of their civil rights under Federal and State
statutes.
**************************************************************************
2 – Alumni Upset at AGBU for Reported
Closing of Melkonian Institute in Cyprus
By Jean Christou
Cyprus Mail
NICOSIA, Cyprus – The Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia is to
close from June 2005, the New York-based foundation that administers
Armenian schools worldwide announced last week.
The move by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), which said only
three months ago that the 78-year-old school was not for sale, has angered
the 3,000-strong Armenian community on the island.
They said yesterday they planned to stage a demonstration on March 24
against the closure of the school, while the Melkonian’s alumni hope to
take legal action.
In November, the AGBU denied reports that the loss-making school, sitting
on a £40 million plot in the capital’s commercial district, was up for
grabs by developers and would be sold.
But in its announcement yesterday, the AGBU said that after “extensive
deliberations and thorough assessment,” the Central Board had resolved
unanimously to discontinue the school in June 2005.
“The Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI), as a significant and historical
institution within AGBU, has been a concern of the Central Board over many
years. This decision is based largely on the Board’s conclusion that MEI no
longer meets the challenges of its mission in the present context of the
Armenian world,” the AGBU said.
“The ultimate objective is to lay their hands on the land and take the
funds out of Cyprus,” Shavasb Bohdjalian, head of the alumni, told the
Cyprus Mail yesterday.
Since the controversy began, the Armenian community has managed to have the
Melkonian declared a listed building and has persuaded the Forestry
Department to file an application to declare the wooded area
in the grounds as a protected forest. Legal action is now being considered,
Bohdjalian said. If there is a case, it is likely to be fought in the
Cypriot courts, he said.
In a paid ad that appeared in local papers 10 days ago, Gordon Anderson,
the American representative of the AGBU, said that “several options are
being considered” to accommodate the 200 or so students at other schools so
that they can gain an education “that will have an Armenian component.”
The AGBU administers 22 Armenian schools worldwide, including the
Melkonian, which was founded in 1926 and is today the only secondary school
in Cyprus for the Armenian community.
“It is not just a matter of the sale of the land and the flight of some 80
million dollars to the US in violation of a 1926 will by the founders,” the
alumni said. “It’s also abuse of the rights of Armenian children who are
being deprived their human right to a fair education based on their
cultural heritage,” they said, adding that
the AGBU Central Board had refused to discuss ways to save the school
because their main aim was “to take the money and run.”
The AGBU said the Central Board fully recognized and honored the continued
legacy of the Melkonian Brothers, and “is determined to perpetuate their
memory through new educational programs to be implemented within and
outside Cyprus, in line with the spirit of their donation to AGBU.”
However, the alumni said the AGBU’s talk of co-operating with other
institutions, research centers and even universities was a public relations
gimmick that aimed to mislead the Cyprus government into allowing the sale
and subsequent export of the funds.
**************************************************************************
3 – ARF Dro Gomideh Event Raises
$50,000 for Mesrobian School
MONTEBELLO – For the second year in a row, a dinner dance organized at the
Montebello Armenian Center by the A.R.F. San Gabriel “Dro” Gomideh on March
6 netted the Mesrobian Armenian School of Pico Rivera a resounding $50,000.
Nearly 400 guests were on hand, representing local civic and youth
organizations, to show their support for the educational institution and
the local Gomideh.
Master of Ceremonies Nazareth Sadorian welcomed the guests and the
dignitaries, which included Holy Cross Armenian Cathedral’s pastor Very
Rev. Hrant Yeretsian, and Rev. Khoren Baboushian, and representatives from
the ARF Central Committee, including Chairman Hovig Saliba.
The highlight of the evening featured a tribute to long-time educator and
one of the charter instructors at Mesrobian School, Roubina Pakradouni, who
retired last year after 50 years of devoted and caring service to Armenian
education. With distinction, she taught Armenian elementary students,
first in Lebanon for 12 years, and then for 38 more years at Mesrobian
School.
The well-respected educator was presented a plaque to a standing ovation
from the guests, acknowledging her selfless service.
Pakradouni spoke briefly and emotionally, thanking the Gomideh for the
honor, and also thanked members of her family for their support, her former
teachers and, in particular, her 94-year-old mother, Manoushak Nakashian
Pakradouni, who was present to witness the presentation of the plaque.
Appreciative remarks were presented by her former Mesrobian colleague, also
a long-time educator, now also retired, Marie Ohanessian.
Remarks were also made by Mesrobian School Principal Hilda Saliba.
In his remarks, “Dro” Gomideh Chairman, Sarkis Sassounian reiterated the
Gomideh’s commitment to the Mesrobian School and the spirit that embodies
Armenian education, civic dedication, and the pursuit of the national
aspirations of the Armenian nation.
The other highlight of the evening came after popular singer Karnig
Sarkissian began his long-awaited performance of revolutionary songs.
Galvanizing the substantial number of members present from the Armenian
Youth Federation, and friends, the inspirational and traditional songs also
elicited requests and accompanying donations, which by evening’s end rose
to $42,000, including a generous contribution of $12,500 by the Nourian
Family. To round out the number and match last year’s amount, the “Dro”
Gomideh added $8,000, bringing the total to $50,000.
“The amount contributed was just as impressive as the community spirit and
unity demonstrated this evening,” one of the guests remarked afterwards.
“It was truly an inspiring evening.”
The evening’s musical entertainment was provided by Bedig Yeranosian and
the Knar Band.
**************************************************************************
4 – Rep. Schiff Names Aida Yeghiazarian
As Woman of Year for 29th. District
WASHINGTON, D.C. – To commemorate Women’s History Month, U.S.
Representative Adam Schiff announced last week that he has named Aida
Yeghiazarian of Glendale, California as one of the Women of the Year for
California’s 29th District. Yeghiazarian was honored at a “Women of the
Year” luncheon hosted by Rep. Schiff on March 22.
“Over the years, Ms. Yeghiazarian has been an active volunteer in Glendale
and advocate for better education programs for Armenian children in
Southern California,” Rep. Schiff said. “The entire community joins me in
thanking Aida for her continued efforts to make the 29th Congressional
District a
more vibrant and enjoyable place in which to live, and for her devotion to
those in need.”
Yeghiazarian was born in Tehran, Iran in 1955. After attending Reza Shah
High School, she took accounting courses at a local college for one year.
Although her studies in Iran were interrupted when she and her family
immigrated to the United States in 1977, Aida took many courses in the
United States over the next few years, including management of commercial
properties, business and real estate law and English. In 1979, Aida married
her husband, Vahe, and they moved to Glendale. In 1980, Aida obtained her
real estate license, and with her husband, bought a franchise of the Re/Max
Real Estate Agency. They have 2 daughters, Sevan and Anie.
While maintaining a full-time career, Aida volunteered at all of her
daughters’ schools, including the Verdugo Gymnastics School, Flintridge
Preparatory School, the Champion Gymnastics School and Van Nuys Gymnastics
Olympica. Formerly active in the PTAs of Tufenkian Pre-school and Chamlian
Armenian School, she still assists Chamlian School in its fundraising
efforts.
Yeghiazarian has been on the Glendale Board of Realtors for over 24 years,
serving on their commercial real estate advisory committee. She is a
member of the National Association of Realtors and a member of the
California Association of Realtors. Because of her real estate experience,
Aida feels fortunate to be able to help financially struggling families
with their financial planning, often by working without commission.
Yeghiazarian spearheaded the successful fundraising campaign for the
Glendale Police Memorial Fund, raising over $35,000. She is a former
President and 12-year board member of the Armenian Educational Foundation.
She also serves on the Armenian National Committee of America Western
Region, is a member of Homenetmen, and the Armenian American Chamber of
Commerce.
**************************************************************************
5 – WAAA Armenian Summer Games
Returns to Central California
FRESNO – This year marks the 34th year of athletic competition hosted by
the Western Armenian Athletic Association. The events will include men’s
basketball, women’s volleyball, tennis, and track and field.
The games, which are an opportunity for athletes of Armenian descent to
showcase their skills, will be held June 18,19 and 20 at Buchanan High
School in Clovis.
This modern complex has outstanding facilities, including a 9,000-seat
stadium with an all-weather track. Track and field events on Saturday will
be open to people of all ages and be contested in age groups. Tennis will
also be held on Satuday and will include singles and doubles competition by
age groupings. Two campus gymnasiums will be home to the basketball and
volleyball tournaments.
WAAA President Van Der Mugrdechian and Vice President Marty Bohigian are
looking forward to a successful return to Central California from the Bay
Area. Several activities are being planned in conjunction with the sports
events to help make this a weekend everyone will enjoy. Entry forms and
details of activities will be available soon.
For more information, contact Der Mugrdechian at (559) 298-2371
[email protected] or Marty Bohigian at (559) 297-7887,
[email protected].
******************************************************************
**************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to:
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authorship.
**************************************************************************

FEATURE-Who’s the rebel now? Lines blur in Chechnya

By Oliver Bullough

GROZNY, Russia, March 23 (Reuters) – For Moscow, it is simple: Chechen
rebels are terrorists and must be destroyed.

But on the ground in Chechnya, government supporters and rebels are
sometimes hard to tell apart.

Rebels who change sides are absorbed into the pro-Russian government’s
ranks without question. Many do not demand independence, while the
government is increasingly assertive towards Moscow.

Moscow’s bearded footsoldiers in the region, with their mismatched
uniforms, Kalashnikovs, and habit of firing volleys of gunfire as
wedding parties drive past not only look like the people who defeated
Russia in 1996 — they are the same people.

In Argun, just east of the regional capital Grozny, one 25-year-old
member of the thousands-strong Security Service said most of his
comrades were rebels who had changed sides.

“We nearly all were,” he said, as he leaned against a wall and
chain-smoked. “I only changed sides three months ago, before that I
was up in the hills, dodging the federals.”

Higher rank personnel are crossing over as well.

Top rebel Magomed Khambiyev surrendered this month, faces no criminal
charges and has asked to join Moscow’s side. Officials in Chechnya say
they would welcome him.

Pro-Moscow Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov’s son Ramzan — the
region’s second most powerful man as head of the Security Service —
said he wanted rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov to come and join the
government as well.

“He is a good military man, let him train our soldiers,” said the
burly 27-year-old in his home village of Tsenteroi in the foothills of
the Caucasus mountains.

REBELS?

President Vladimir Putin vows to destroy the “terrorist” Maskhadov,
and refuses to negotiate with him. His peace plan centred around a
referendum last year to anchor Chechnya in Russia and internationally
criticised elections won by Kadyrov.

Maskhadov spearheaded the drive that forced Moscow first to the
negotiating table and then to grant Chechnya de facto independence in
1997, but Ramzan Kadyrov spoke highly of the former Soviet colonel.

“Maskhadov is an educated man…We need such people and it’s right to
make use of them. He should not be president, but he should be
military commander,” he told reporters.

Politically, the two sides are closer than Putin says. Rebels who ran
Chechnya until Putin sent troops back in 1999 now speak vaguely of
compromise — some form of autonomy within Russia perhaps, with
current guerrillas invited to participate.

Kadyrov, on the other hand, is making increasingly tough demands of
Moscow.

Last month, he demanded Russia pay transit fees for the gas that
crosses Chechen territory on its way to Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Russian newspapers reported.

He wants control of the military campaign to be handed to his
government, and his long-term demand that all revenues from Chechen
oil should revert to Grozny is a major stumbling block in Moscow’s
attempts to define Chechnya’s status.

LINES BLURRED

Hardline rebels, who have staged a string of suicide bombings in the
Caucasus and Moscow, refuse to consider any compromise with
Russia. But moderates take a line more conciliatory than Kadyrov’s.

“No one is talking about independence any more,” top rebel envoy
Akhmed Zakayev told Reuters in a recent interview in London, where he
is in exile.

Kadyrov says only former rebels have insight into rebel plans required
to catch their former comrades-in-arms. But Zakayev says the presence
of former separatists in Kadyrov’s ranks has undermined Moscow’s rule.

“Money for our armed forces comes from Russia, it comes via Kadyrov’s
administration. There is not one minister, manager or village head who
does not give us money,” he said.

“While the Kadyrov administration continues, we will never have
trouble with our finances.”

03/22/04 21:03 ET

Armenian Studies Program
University of Michigan, International Institute
1080 S. University
Suite 2660
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
Phone: 734/615-4304
Fax: 734/763-9154
Email: [email protected]
Contact: Julie G. Septrion, Program Coordinator

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE CHURCH OF ARMENIA TO BE HELD AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
ANN ARBOR, APRIL 1-3, 2004

An international conference entitled “Where the Only-Begotten
Descended: the Church of Armenia through the Ages,” will be held at
the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Some forty papers, by experts
from Armenia, Europe and the USA, will highlight certain aspects of
the history, dogma, rites, literature and religious, social and
political role of the Church of Armenia, and the nature and extent of
the relations this 1700-year-old national church has had with other
Christian Churches as well as Zoroastrianism and Islam. The
conference is sponsored by Mike and Shirley Kojaian and the Alex and
Marie Manoogian Foundation.

The Church of Armenia has fashioned the Christian Armenian
tradition and, until recently, has been nearly its sole custodian.
There is no adequate history of this venerable tradition; and no
comprehensive history of the Armenian people can be written without a
history of its oldest and most influential institution. It is with
the express purpose of filling this gap that this international
conference is being convened. The proceedings will be published as an
outline of a history of the Church. It is hoped that both the
conference and the volume will inspire further research leading to
even better histories of the Church of Armenia herself and the
Armenian people.

The conference has been organized by the Armenian Studies
Program at the University of Michigan, and will be held in Ann Arbor,
April 1-3, 2004. The sessions have been arranged chronologically and
thematically and will meet from 9:00am to 5:00pm on each of the three
days. At 7:00pm on the evening of April 1, Dr. Robert W. Thomson,
Calouste Gulbenkain Professor Emeritus of Armenian Studies, Oxford
University, will deliver the keynote lecture on “The Armenian
Tradition of Biblical Commentary.” This lecture is at the same time
the fifth in the newly-inaugurated “Michigan Lectures in Early Judaism
and Christianity” series. It will be followed by a public reception.
For the benefit of those who might be able to attend, the sessions on
April 1 will be held at Shorling Auditorium (School of Education) and
those on April 2 and 3 at The Alumni Center, Founders Room. For more
information, please contact Julie Septron ([email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>_), tel. 734/615-4304.

“KARABAKH PEOPLE MEET HERE”

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
22-03-2004

Recently attracting posters appeared on the walls in Stepanakert with
the web address We were interested in finding out
more and found the designer of the web site, who is our compatriot
living in Moscow Tigran Atajanian, now in Stepanakert temporarily. – I
decided to design this web site because our republic does not have
Internet resources where people would be able to search for necessary
information or just have fun. Do you have commercial intentions? – No,
when creating the site I did not have mercantile aims because I knew I
would not get significant profit but I would have something to occupy
myself with. Besides, the favourite entertainment of the town youth is
“chatting”, so I thought why should they chat in Russian or Yerevan
sites. The web site offers the following services as well: labour
registry office, sale and purchase, advertisement. And as the symbol
of Artsakh is the statue “We and Our ! Mountains”, we named the site
so.

GERDA HAKOBIAN.
22-03-2004

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
March 19 2004

DAMAGE REPAIR

Recently `Azat Artsakh’ informed about the damage caused by strong
winds in several regions of the republic in the months February and
March, anticipating state assistance to people who suffered from the
disaster. During the March 16 government meeting NKR prime minister
Anoushavan Danielian set forth this question too. `The size of damage
is rather big,’ said the head of the government, `we already have the
references from the administrations of the regions sustained
significant damage from the winds which will be summed up and
compensation will be made in the shortest possible term. Priority
will be given to the state enterprises on which the families of
killed or disabled azatamartiks and insecure families depend.’
According to the prime minister, they have to find the most effective
variant: to provide assistance either in the form of cash money, or
building materials. Immediately after the settlement of the technical
aspect of the issue compensation will be provided in the shortest
possible term.

NIKOLAY BAGHDASSARIAN

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
March 19 2004

MEETING AT NKR MFA

On March 17 the NKR vice minister of foreign affairs Masis Mayilian
met with the coordinator of the European program of the international
organization `Article-19′ Irina Smolina (Great Britain). The guest
said she arrived in Karabakh for the aim of organizing a round table
with the Stepanakert press club on the topic `Public radio and
Television: Problems and Prospects’. She mentioned that within the
framework of the project for maintaining democracy in the South
Caucasus through freedom of speech the international organization
`Article 19′ has been carrying out work in the recognized, as well as
non-recognized states of the region, including Nagorni Karabakh since
last April, in three directions: legislative and institutional
activities, free circulation of information and enlightenment
programs. Masis Mayilian welcomed the activities of the organization
and mentioned the importance of the fact that `Article 19′ also
cooperates with states that are not recognized by the international
community, for despite their recognition all the nations of the South
Caucasus should be provided with equal possibilities and assistance
for the development of the society. According to Masis Mayilian, a
lack of balance in this sphere may endanger the stability in the
region. `The authorities of Nagorni Karabakh are interested in
development of a civil society in the republic and in this reference
your cooperation with the regional partners is very useful. We are
open to the world and always seek for integration in international
processes. We recognize that the future of the republic of Nagorni
Karabakh is greatly dependent on the fact whether we will succeed in
building a democratic country,’ emphasized the vice minister of
foreign affairs of NKR. At the request of the guests Masis Mayilian
presented the establishment, structure and activities of the NKR
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He mentioned that the establishment of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993 was the requirement of the
time and circumstances because the young state as a conflict party
faced the necessity of conducting negotiations for the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict on a professional level. At the end of the
meeting Masis Mayilian stated the willingness of the foreign ministry
of the republic to assist to the implementation of the programs of
`Article 19′ in Nagorni Karabakh.

AA