The Politics of Bread - January 1993 by Armenian International Magazine

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SPECIAL REPORT

NIGHT VISION

Armenia's fuel crunch is spurring more debate on finding altemative soruces of energy. Revitalizing the Metzamornuclearpowerplant isjust one of the options open to Energy Minister Sebouh Tashjian. COVER STORY

THE POLITICS OF BREAD

Interminable queues for basic foodstuffs, once a notorious Soviet phenomenon, are now back in Yerevan with a vengeance. The circumstances of war, including the lingering effects ofregional and intemational politics, are pushing the Ter Petrossian administration to take stopgap measures to feed the nation. MUSIC

A TRIBUTE TO THE MASTERS

Withitsrobust,highlyexpressive sound, the oudhas been a favorite instrument in the Armenian musical tradition. This month, the Smithsonian releases the works of two oud masters on compact disc. BOOKS

THE TRIBES

WITHIN

Are we Armenian-Americans, American-Armenians or aliens from hell? In a sobering memoir, Arlene Voski Avakian retraces the long, writhing road to self-realiza-

tion. ART

PARAD.'ANOV'S HOME OF THE IMAGINATION

The museum of the late artist is an unpredictable joyride through a lifetime of creation and memorabilia.

Editor's Note

Letters Arts Journal

4 5 8

!nterview

Economy Faces

28 38

Coverdesign: Dicran Y. Kassouny Cover photography: llkhitar Khachatrian

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wELL-Llrpilace Early one moming in December, theAIM building was on local television news in Souttrem Catifomia. Afire had ripped through the second floor of the historic Glendale landmark, and those of us rushing to the site expected the worst. Fortunately, frefighters had controled the blaze early enough to save the AIM offices on the third floor: the bulk of our files and equipment, though smeared with soot and the stench of burnt wood, was not damaged. But the time was ripe for change, and for us the fire incident came to be viewed as a fitting metaphor for a new beginning. After all, 1992 w as aroller coaster most of us longed to leave behind : though we could boast of an editorial scope that had widened as never before, we nonetheless were sffuck by the economic realities of a world-wide recession. Perhaps the most telling sign of the strain on resources was the early demise of AIM's Armenian-language edition, a proj ect that still rouses keen sensations as a future possibility. Within days, then, we moved ourheadquarters to another location. And through the mammoth clutter of letters, manuscriPts, As always, designer Dicran Kassouny's projection panels, posters and clock, overlooking his Macintosh workstation, is a full one hour ahead. coffee mugs that ensued, all eventuatly organized into neat cardboard boxes for the truck ride, we relived the moments, the many crossroads that have made AIM what it is today. Settling down in our new, relatively compact offrces and tending to the business of putting amagazine together while catching up on deadlines, we were afforded a glimpse of the biggerpicture: yes, we hndcome a long way, but we had much to learn still. Perhaps the sweetest revelation was to appear on the computer screen, right before going to the printer this month: proofreading the volume and issue number at the top of the contents page, we reahzedthat we were about to publish this, the frst issue of our

fourthyear.

ffibffl*t'ciA.-

PUBLISI{ED BY

Allr, ltlc.

EDITOR-!N-CHIEF: Vartan Oskanian EXECUTIVE EDI'OR: Salpi Haroutinian Ghazarian

ilANAGlxG

EDITOR: lshkhan Jinbashian

EDITOBIAL CONSULTANI : Minas Kojaian EDITOn EilEnltuS: Charles Nazarian EDITOR aT LARGE: Tony Halpin DIRECTOB OF OPEBATIOilS: Michael Nahabet CONTBIBUf IilG EDITOFS: Vicken Babikian, Kevork lmirzian, Haig Keropian, Mark Malkasian, Taline Satamian, Taline Voskeritchian ASSISTAilf EDITOF: Katherine Chilian ASSISfAilT tO THE EDITOB3 Hasmik Harutunian

GONTBIBUIOBS: Armen Aroyan, Christopher Atamian,

Florence Avakian, Gerry S. Graber, Yvette Harpootian, Linda

Kirishjian, Ani Klchian, Lola Koundakjian, Gilda Kupelian' Gerard Libaridian, Michael Mastarciyan, Moorad Mooradian, Nancy Najarian, Susan Pattie, Raffi Shoubookian

ART DIBECIOF! Vahe Fattal CBEAf tVE SEBVICES DIBECTOB: Dicran Y. Kassouny YEBEVAN BUREAU3 Papken Gadachik (Chiel), Mark Dadian, Gayane Hambartzoumian, Souren Keghamian, Gourgen Khaiagian

CORFESPONDEI{TSr Amman : Ara Voskian; Amsterdam: A6en Nazarian; Boston: Arto Payaslian; Brussels: Kevork Oskanian; Buenos Alres; Sam Sarkissian; Chicago: Sonia Derman Harlan; Detroit: Simon Payaslian; London: Ani Manoukian; iloscow: Tigran Xmalian; Montreal: Gulizar J. Mardirossian ; Paris: Armineh Johannes, Khatchik Kechian; San Franclsco: Janet Samuelian; Sydney: Haig Lepedjian; Tokyo: Sonia Katchian; Vienna: Sebouh Baghdoyan;

Washington: Zanku Armenian PHOIOGBAPHERS: Amman: Karekin Kefelian; Boston: Lena Sanents, Ari Stamatiou; Los Angeles: Michael Agyan, Kevork Djansezian; NewJersey: Ardem Aslanian; NewYork: Harry Koundakjian, Tony Savino; Paris: Armineh Johannes, Aline Manoukian; Providence: Berge Ara Zobian; San Francisco: Armen Petrossian; Yerevan: MkhitarKhachatrian, zaven Khachikian. Rouben Mangasarian ASSISTA1{I TO Tl{E PUBLIS!{EBS: Dikran Djerrahian

CIBCULATIOI{ DIREC?OB: Thomas Yeterian ADIIINISTBATIVE DIFECf OB: Seta Kou20uian ISABKE?lNG DtBECf OBs Candace Kentopian ADVERTISIt{G olRECTOns Aline S Kassabian ADVEETISING DEPABIHEllI: Ani Stepanian' Victoria Manjikian, Hratch Yerknabetian

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ARfilEl{tAN IEtEVlSt0l't pR()DUot0t{s,

tl{c

govemment of national unity in which all major political parties and forces participate.

Armenia's foreign policy at such a critical juncture is too complicated an issue to be left to decide by individuals-whether a democratically elected president or a talented foreign affairs minister. Only a govemment of national reconciliation would be in aposition to develop and define a more or less stable foreign policy, which would then be carried out by its officials and representatives on all levels. Until such a multiparty leadership comes into existence, the present state of disharmony and chaos is bound to persist with its devastating consequences for an already devastated country. A. Nazarian The

Ihe

Ihe only independent yoriety pogrom in lhe world KSCI - TY lnternotiond

(hd

Hague,Holland

PhoneEl8fl824944 You say Raffi Hovannisian's departure will undoubtedly spark a re-examination of

Potential Gitizens While Jivan Tabibian's statement (Cover Story, November) "in a modem state citizenship

is fundamenrally territorial" might be academico-historical truism. the territorial concept of Armenian citizenship is inadequate to our political condition as we are both a

territorial and extraterritorial-transterritorial diasporan nation, unlike any other historical model. In the near future, the citizenship status of the Armenian majorities in regions immedi-

ately adjoining the Republic of Armenia (Karabakh and Chavakhk) and the potential of massive dual citizenships wherever possible for Diasporan Armenians living far from Armenia will add a new dimension to the polity andconstituency of the Armenian State.

HraztanZeitlian Brennvood,California

Statehood: an Exchange The erratic and self-contradictory conduct

of foreign affairs by the present leaders of Armenia is itself an indication of

of policy (Cover Story,

total lack

November).

Hovannisian made his critical remarks against Turkey knowing that his govemment was about toaskforshipmentofTurkish

wheat to

his famine-stricken country, he chose the wrong time and place; if he did not know, this indicates an absence of communication between thetop leaders on majorpolitical issues. Ter Petrossian's complete tumaround on the question of Karabakh since he headed the Karabakh Committee with reunification as its main goal, too, can only be explainedby such a tragic lack ofa coherent and collectively formed foreign policy. Whether or not Karabakh should be rec-

ognized by the govemment of Armenia, or whether Turkey should be dealt with uncompromisingly underall circumstances, can

best be deliberated and determined by a

relations between the Diaspora and the Republic. It should, and it has to be a cold and hard examination, reflecting the reality around us, ourrecent history, ourpresent capabilities and potentials. Jivan Tabibian's effort in this regard is very commendable and should be followed by every person and organization. Regretfully, we are witnessing more of the old romanticism and idealism that have wrought havoc upon us. History tells us that when Eastem Armenia directed the liberation struggle for Westem Armenia, the result was disastrous. History also tells us that when the Diaspora tried to impose its terms on the first republic of Armenia, the result wasn't much different. It should be clear to everyone that the interests of the homeland come first and foremost. The Diaspora has to accept this fact and not manipulate the difficulties of the present Arnenian govemment for its own petty factional interests.

Even if you are not in power, you have to act with the overall interests ofyourpeople in mind and not merely according to your own

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partisan interests. The latter will only increase discord among ourpeople. We need unifying factors. lndependentArmeniais themost ideal of those factors. t-et'sjoin forces to ensure that this one survives and endures.

Harout Der-Tavitian SunValley, California Though correct in its depiction of events leading to the rift between President Levon Ter Petrossian and former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian, Tony Halpin's analysis of the crisis (Cover Story, November) is over-

ONE COMMENCIALPI.AZA

25I'IIFLfi)R IIANTFORD, CT() T03

2032N2400 800 842 8450 CT 800 243 3154 USA

simplified. Primarily, I would like to take issue with the fact that this article dramatized the phantom impact of Mr. Hovannisian's dismissal on Armenia-Diaspora relations. This supposed impact should be summarily challenged. Any remedial student of Armenian politics recognizes that ties between Armenia and the Diaspora in their totality were not

AIM. JANUARY 1993

POLICEOFFICER RECRUIT Serve and protect in a community with a, large Armenian populatiori. $3,144 per mo. (inc. PERS) City of Glendale 613 E. Broadway#100, Glendale, CA 91206 (818) s48 - 2110

strengthened by Mr. Hovannisian's appointment because he was an Armenian-American.

Thus it follows that his dismissal could not cause a reversal ofthat trend. In addition, it must be noted that the role of a foreign minister is clearly defined, i.e., to promote and "market" the national interests of the country he represents within a relativ e ly st ric t policy s e tforth by the head of stat e Like ambassadors who answerto the foreign minister and follow directives issued by their minister, even while maintaining some room to maneuver, foreign ministries are also subject to accountability. In abudding democracy as Armenia, this process was set in motion.

Old-fashioned

US reach Armenia. I would like to suggest that a similarhanddelivery service be established formail going to Armenia. If you live in abig city, it is easy to find someone going to Armenia but when

you live in a city with only 35 Armenian families, such as Austin, itis impossible. Perhaps your readers have a suggestion.

MihranA.Aroian

Ter Petrossian embarked on a historic mission of finding a "modus vivendi" with his nation's neighbors, including its ancestral foe, Turkey. To expound upon the root cause of the conflict between the popularly elected president and his hand-picked foreign minister, one

has to examine the ideological environment in which Mr. Hovannisian's political outlook and affiliations were shaped. He was brought

ilail

noticed that many of the letters that I receive from Armenia are hand-del ivered by Armenian-Americans visiting the homeland and then mailed to my address once the visitors retum to the US. On the other hand, it is clearthat notall ofmy letters mailedfrom the I have

Austin T e c hnolo gY I nc ubator

Austin,Texas

Breaking Points Winter in all its beauty and bittemess has blanketed Armenia in an icy coldness that reeks of death. "How deep is the bottom of the banel? How low can the standard of living

up within the shadow of a right wing

Diasporan political party that continuously advocated a non-conciliatory position towards and espoused unattainable demands from Turkey. By doing so, this organization wontheheartsandminds ofmanyArmenians. However, in the intrigue-filled hallways of intemational diplomacy, coolerheads should

prevail. The foreign minister could not be allowed to set political priorities of his own, some of

which, namely relations vis-a-vis Turkey, were indirectly influenced by a disenfranchised political party. One can freely interpret Mr. Hovannisian's now-infamous speech in Istanbul as catering to the hidden agenda of that political party.

Anotherdimension of the riftbetween the president andthe foreign minister is the laner's overinflatedego in contrast tothe president's subtle and mild manner-at least as it is

publicly displayed.

plummet?" These are questions Armenians

Hovannisian was the ideal candidate at the time of his appointment. By far the best educated foreign minister among his colleagues in the emerging democracies of the former Soviet Union, he is articulate, reasonably assertive and firmly patriotic. He was given the foreign minister's portfolio because of these attributes and not because he was a member of the Diaspora. Those of us who saw him in action at the UN in New York concluded that he conducted himself with utmost valor, after initial stumbles. I would like to conclude my remarks by saluting AIM. Its cover design and page layout are all of high quality, as are the contents and selectionof subject matter. Allow me to saythat inthe view of thisreader/subscriber' yours is a unique publication in the annals of Armenianioumalism in the US.

ask themselves every day. There is a distinct feeling of being held hostage in this country: hostage toextemal conditions that arebeyond the average Armenian's control. In a country that is considered industrialized, and fairly

Edward

N erses BahaYan, J r.

Saddle River,

N ew J e rseY

AIM, JANUARY I993

well off by Soviet standards, the horror of hunger, humil iation, and underdevelopment

is setting in. All factories except those producing bread are shut down, speculation is

rampant, and humanitarian shipments of wheat and other foodstuffs are held up or plundered by unfriendly neighbors. What is the immediate solution? Awareof the crisis is the first step. Feel their plight, even for a moment, and make some noise. A cold, hungry and crippled nation struggling to hold on to its democratic beginnings is in need. Let's practice a new worldness

sharing. Nanc'y Najarian YereYan, Armenia

ilore Viable Health Care System I would like to respond to the letter of Mr.

Youssoufian conceming the article "Bill of Health: AnatomyofArmenia's Medical Care System" (Cover Story, July). As a guest of the Armenian Health Ministry and a volunteer physician, it did not take me long to identify the problems that the Armenian medical care system is facing. Some of the needed changes will apply to all the former Soviet republics and some are specific to the case of Armenia. Besides the parameters we all are very aware of, the specific changes required are as follows: L Reduction of the number of medical students overthe next l0years. This will avoid

from wasting its limited resources, it will in-

flict even more hardship

on a nation that has already had its share ofbad times. Some of these changes will have to be made gradually and some may come spontaneously, as the financial/economic/political situation improves. On the otherhand, some of these changes can and should be applied now to substantially improve the quality of the

present system. without imposing more strains on the budget.

NeshanTabibian, M.D.

Visalia,California

Going the Mile

the glut ofphysicians and allow the best use

Your world-wide coverage of things Armenian made it possible for us to visit the

of resources to create better trained physi-

Sayat Novarestaurant in Tokyo (Travel, June

cians.

1991.) Thank you.

2. Creation of standards of care. This

will

Za r e h

nd Lw: i k

require changing the curriculum atthe Faculty

of Medicine and the retraining of existing

:i;;:i*l

physicians to meet Westem standards. This particular goal may not necessarily require

When my daughter came home for her yearly vacation from Niger in Africa, I was

vast financial resources.

reading the last issue of AIM. "Is that the latest issue of TIME magazine?" She asked me. Without saying anything, Iextendedthemagazinetoher. She was astounded! "Is this really an Armenian publication?" she asked me in surprise. Then and there, she sat down and put an order for another subscription for herself. This was the first time that I felt proud and content, because year after year I had tried in vain to arouse in her some interest regarding Armenian papers or any Armenian publica-

3. Restriction of unproven methods of treatment. In tum, effective and modem medications should be made available. 4. Cost-effective delivery of health care. This may include the closing of 20 to 40 percent of all existing hospitals. If effectivedrugs are available, some 40 to 50 percent of patients can be discharged within a few days to take

medicationsathomeand, inmanyothercases, hospitalizations can be avoided. Also, approximately 40 to 50 percent of physicians can be removed from hospitals withoutanoticeablechange in thedeliveryof care and the discharged physicians can be relocated outside the big cities, where medical care often is deficient. 5. A redefinition of the system. Given the mindset of the communist era, the new system must be streamlined in a way that it will reward the competent and the efficient, while expecting more accountability. I can assure you that Armenia's health authorities are well aware of these needs. But applying these changes are much easier said than done because ofthe following factors:

a) The flow of adequate supplies of medication might be impossible to maintain

the current cash crunch and economic

blockade continue unabated. b) It may take a few years to implement changes in the standardofcare. This, however, is one circumstance that can be corrected without draining existing resources. c) Changing to a more cost-effective system means firing thousands of health care workers. During these days of hardship, it takes a "lot of stomach" to create more unemployment. The educated class, including physicians and nurses, finds itselfplunging into levels of destitution, while teenagers are doing a brisk business on the street comers of Yerevan. Although efficiency will save the country

tion. Thank you for a superbjob.

Hovig O. Etian Clovis,

California

Bad Editing I refer you to my letter which you published in your October issue. My letterdrew its strength from President Levon Ter Petrossian's Jlly 29, nationally televised address. Therefore, by deleting my openingparagraphyouautomatically reduced in half my letter's intended effect. Also, I am a resident of Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada, since 1960, and I am still residinghere. Butyouareindicating thatl live in Manhattan Beach, Califomia. What is going on? Antranig Tatossian Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada

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1993

By KATHERINE CHILJAN

Mirrcr lmage

The Well-Adiusted Tempo "The first thing I played was a Beethoven rondo," says pianist Sergei Babayan. "I don't remember, my sisterstold me.Thefirstmusic I do remember playing was Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Musically gifted children like it because of that big opening chord." Thousands of hours of practice later, Babayan,3l, has made his mark on the international music circuit. He left the Soviet Union in 1989 and went straightforthe piano competitions. He entered and won in the Casadusus lntemational Piano Competition in Cleveland, Ohio, marking the first time a Soviet artist competed without govemment sponsorship; itwas also Babayan's fustpublic

"The film is very romantic, in between dream and reality," says Derenik Yapoujian about film since moving to Hollywood. Yapoujian, 37, left Armenia five years ago, when Soviet restraints on artistic freedom were too much for him to bear. "lt was so depiessing," he recalls. "It was almost impossible to say what you wanted to say, to express your Self Portrait,his first

feelings in fiIm." A veteran filmmaker with over l0 documentaries and dramatic features to his credit, Yapoujian has gamered awards for best original script and trest young director in his native Yeievin. But tlie move to Hollywood forced him back to rock bottom. Since all of his work was technically government property-and therefore non-transportable-Yapoujian had nothing to show to potential investors. It took five years of workirtg at independent television stationi until he found a benefactor. A paltry $50,000 and three months ofelbow grease helped put the 3O-minute piece together, designed as a showcase for his talents at intemational film iestivals. "Financially, spiritually and physically, I'm putting my all in this film. There are no compromises,"hesays. "Andifwe'resuccessful, itwillhelpotherpeopletocollectsomemoney for these kinds ofprojects." Headed for eventual distribution on cable ch annels, Self Porrait tells the tale of a married couple suddenly faced with trouble in paradise. Anxious to please his spouse with some extra

Babayan:

don't wait for a big moment

and ldon't feel diflerent from those who play at big halls each

season."

performance in the West. He now lives in Cleveland and teaches at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Bom and raised in Gumri, Armenia,

Babayan studied at the prestigious Moscow Conservatory. With several top prizes under his belt, including a sweep of all three awards for special performances in the Sconish Intemational Piano Compe tition held last September in Glasgow, Babayan has much to look forward to, though he doesn't seem to expect any bigbreaks. "Idon't wait forabigmoment and Idon'tfeeldifferent from those whoplay at big halls each season," he says. "Some of them deserve to be there, but many play at a

really low level---one person with good connections, good luck and a good managercould play Camegie Hall, but it doesn't change the opinion of some very small group of musicians who really understand what is what. However, if one day you see my name up there, it wouldn't mean much; only, perhaps, that I'm luckier, not necessarily better, than others." Performing Brahms and Mozart concerti are amonghishighergoals atthemoment. He also has recorded aCD for the Belgian Empire Master Sound label, released last December, and anew disc forthe Connoisseur Society of f New York. to debut in March.

Yapoujian (far right) during lilming

Self Portrait

a way out of marital tedium, the husband forges a stolen Picasso painting and collects therewardmoney. His wife, forherpart, isequally anxiousto revitalizethe marriage with some magic formula, also in the form of cash. But the Picasso forgery becomes a-source of guilf ridden torment, ultimately causing a very real distortion on the husband's face, as if in resemblance of the abstract, distorted Picasso portrait. Yapoujian's dream-like narrative blurs fact and fantasy, leaving much to the viewer's imagination. Yapoujian's story was inspired by a portraitby Picasso, and he has atheory aboutthe portrait's abstraction: "Picasso sees the inside of somebody as distorted. I know a lot of people more distorted than that. It would be an ideal world if our intemal distortions were to become apparent on our own faces." Gagik Barsegian composedthe score, which not only reflects the characters'emotions, but se*eris a moral presence. "The music has its own story and it not only agrees with the film, sometimes it fights with it," says Yapoujian. "Usually in film when a character is happy, the musicwillbeherppy-I sayno!Whenhe's happyandwethink it's wrong, itshouldn'tbehappy." Yapoujian believes that adevice of this nature can sometimes be moreeffective than dialogue. Yapoujian has inspired an arny of volunteers to help make his film possible-including Armenianemigrds like himself. "There are so many angry Armenian artists here. They can't find work, so they're ready to help," he says. It was a big surprise for him that so many people would volunteer time and effort. "In America I thought it was money only, but people in this business often do things for the love of it." WouldHollywood successdistance himevenfurtherfrom hishomeland? "WhenIfeel I'm not empty-handed, I'm back. Definitely! As soon as I've made ithere"'says Yapoujian. "The only reason I left was to make

cash as

f,rlms."

AIM, JANUARY I993

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Ouncer@

anotber way people canfill up at am/pm.

mean the status Armenia was in during the Soviet era, we need about 3,500 megawatls and in winter it shoutd be up to 4,500 megawatts," he told the cont-erence. "Today we have to face winter with 2,-5(X) megawatts of capacity and, as we are short o1'l'uel, we can only really make 1,800 megawatts." Government officials made presentations on the variety of fuel options available to the republic. including underground re:elves of coal and possibly oil. encrgy conservation. and alternative sources such as wind, solar power, and thermal energy. But each was

:,::i|r,l$,?St ,.!',t1*a:i

.;....

":cr',ti:ii;:#,

explicit that the one resource essential to Ar-

-f61,;i3. *

at:l?'raa:aaaa

menia was the Metzamor plant, closed since l9lJ9 because of s4fety fears following the l98tl earthquake. With its closure, Armenia lo:l 2-l perccnl ol' its generating capacity. solne [i l6 mcgawatts. "lt should not be considered that all our mines, our geothermal resources, clur oil and gas. will enable us to solve the energy problem of Armenia," said Annen Karapetian, head ofUnderground Resources. "Only after ,$ we have acquired stable sources of energy which will not enslave oLlr nation will we be able to choose which sources olenergy wt: al'e going to maintain. "We cannot throw aside such a big lreasure as our nuclear powcr plant." The t-act that ministe rs ntacle the samc plea

:.t: : a i.t #..

to reopen Metzamor a ycar ago illustrates

divisive the issue

is in

Arnte

how

nia. No

recommissioning work has been done in 1992, dcspitc the expcrie nce o1'last

winter's

energy shorlages, because parliament insists a rel'ercnclum be hcltl f irst on whether to open the plant. Tashjian opposes settling the issue by public ballot, and he receivedbacking tiom the conl-crcnce in its linal declaration.

The plant's chief director, Mihran Vartanian, described its humiliating deterioralion while the politicians prevaricate. E,lectrical equipment has been stolen by thieves cager to sell their silver content. Telephones. roofing sheets, even metal wall covcrings have also been stripped tiorn the buildings. Smashed windows go unrcpaired, heating systems are broken, anti-firc devices were damaged by the cold. Experienccd perThe Metzamor nuclear power plant, top, may Cost as much as $100 million to return to sonnel have drifted away becausc ol- the full opelation; gasoline prices have skyrocketed because ol shortages, above. paralysis. "We are standing belorc an abyss. What power. ol west li)r new sources and south wathe power, has caused of 5-50 megawatts is going to happen to this cntcrprise'/" asked Agrecrnents have bectt signed fbr a ltumber tcr level irr Lake Sevan to drop I lJ meters since Vartanian. "Either say ycs or say no so we can o1'cnergy pro.jects with Iran involving gas and the late 1930s. decide what to tio." He be lieves thc answer oil. A short-livecl agrccment was also signed Armenia has gone from an encrgy exmust be yes. "The Annenian pcople cannol by Turkey to sell clectricity to Amenia beporting country under the Sovict system to survive without an atomic station. Nobody ginning on Dccember l. Under Azeri presone that depends today on fbrcign oil and gas provide them with such a reliable source can "technical due to perhaps simply surc. or The percent its consumption. of tbr 96 ol'powcr. This station can give energy to the problerns" as it claims, Turkey reneged on the blockade liom Azerbaijan costs Armenia republic regarclle ss of any blockade." It will promise. This was the first official contract about 30 percent ol its annual gas supplies. takc ul lclst $25 million to ree ommission ju:t signed by the -eovemments of Armenia and Fighting in the north Caucasus has lecl to one of the two reactors at Metzamor. In all, as Turkey, despite the gray area sunounding the repeated sabotage this ycar of thc ttther main much as til00 rnillion may be necessary to absence of diplomatic relations between gas line to Arrnenia through Georgia. The bring thc slrlion to l'ull operation. Tashjian must Sebu Minister Energy them. de liverics of same problem has disrupted rail Tashjian argues that it would cost maybe now look for other sources to f ill the demand oil from Russia, Armenia's major supplier. twice as rnuch to close Metzamor and de. tbr energy Largely cut ofl'from its lormer Soviet commission it. Either way Armenia must "To come to a norlnal conclition, and I partners to the north, Armcnia has looked AIM. JANUARY

IC)C)3

s G

: =

Overcrowded buses are amonE the most visible signs ol the deterioratino oublic transportation svstem, above; no fuel also means that-trash accumulates on city stieets, left.

amount of fuel that we now importcould be used for heating

i =

houses instead of generating energy." He wants to run the present reactors for about seven years

then build

new atomic plant, which could cost $2 billion.

But just how risky

would

Metzamor

be? Armenian engi-

neers told one con-

ference

working group tackling the probability of an accident that there was

one chance

money-far

better, he says, to get a retum for your cash in energy and seed money for the next generation of nuclear stations. spend

"We need 700,000 tons of diesel fuel to generate the same amount

ofenergy

as one

nuclear reactor. After recommissioning the first reactor, industry could work and the 14

100,000 per reactor year of operation for a release of radioactivity. "That's higher than in westem plants, but the Russians took a more practical view of whatcould go wrong," said Dave Tateosian, a supervising engineer in mechanical and nuclear engineering for Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San

AIM, JANUARY I993

Francisco. "The bottom line is, can you operate the plant with an acceptable risk? Overall, I think they are good plants." Even if parliament changes its mind tomorrow, it would take between l8 months and two and a half years to bring the station back to life. At a minimum, therefore, Arme-

nia faces two more cold winters until Metzamor could be ready in 1995. Other parts of the power network, such as the Yerevan steam plant, have come to the end of their life. The Hrazdan steam plant, which is capable of generating 1,100 megawatts, more even than Metzamor, is aging fast. A number of projects are in the works, principally a $60 million plan to finish construction of Unit Five of the Hrazdan power complex by the end of I 993. The collapse ofthe Soviet Union halted work on the unit when it was 70 percentcompleted. Armenia is seekingaloan from the European Bank for Reconstnrction and Development to pay for the rest of it and repay the money from operating revenues. The ministry hopes to earn $17 million in profit in I 994 alone by selling the electricity to domestic and foreign customers for hard

currency. Officials predict conservation

measures, such as droughtproofing and replacing light bulbs with low-energy models, could save 30 percent of energy in the notoriously wasteful Soviet system. They hope civil unrest in Georgia will only temporarily halt work to install compressors capable of doubling the amount of gas carried in the main pipeline through that country to Armenia. Deals struck with Iran in May will provide Armenia with up to 10 billion cubic meters of gas in new pipelines by 1996, equal to nearly 75 percent of current consumption.

barter agreement between the two countries should also supply Armenia 20 percent of its annual residual oil needs, if problems of transporting it by rail through Nakhichevan can be resolved. Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and hydrothermal power, could be exploited to produce at least I 0 percent oftotal energy requirements by the year 2000. An agreement has already been signed with French experts to find ways of using Armenia' s geo-thermal resources. Proposals to create a network of small hydroelectric stations capable of producing 200 megawatts by the year 2000 have been drawn up. Another 200 megawatts could be created if sufficient funds can be found to build all 135 projects in the program. More delicate problems range from creating a legislative basis for safe investment to restructuring energy prices in Armeniato reflect world levels. Prices have risen substantially already, but electricity is still sold to consumers for only one-tenth of what it costs to produce. The continuing impoverishment of the general population makes it difficult to raise prices quickly. Yet the ministry must demonstrate topotential foreign investors that power generation in Armenia is a profitable proposal. Withoutforeign money, Armenian or otherwise, the prospects for closing the counffy's energy gap become immeasurably more difficult. A year after the creation of Armenia's

energy ministry, its first energy planning conference was intended to demonsffate that

realistic solutions are available to solve the all-too-real problems. Organizers plan a follow-up session in May to discuss concrete ventures with foreign companies. When power is a day-to-day juggling act in Armenia, it is hard to remember that I 0 years ago the republic was capable of exporting 500 megawatts of electricity a year. The task set by the conference was to regain the energy independence of that golden age. "Without exaggeration, we are trying every day to solve the problem of oil and gas

imports," Prime Minister

Khosrov

Harutunian told them. "I am sure future generations will not recall these present difficulties, but they will remember that this conference was held about power. We are writing the future of our country. We have real opportunities to be optimistic and look for solutions because these solutions do

exist."

NOI'UAYOUT? Armeniab Declaration of Nationnl Disaster By TALIHE SATAillAl{ lthough the world, and especially the UnitedNations, was aware of the disaster brewing in Amrenia, it madefew attempts t0 prevent a catastrophe, prompting President levon Ter Petrossian to declare a State of National Disaster on December 7. "The international community may have been aware (of the

worsening situation), but Ter Petrossian's appeal re-emphasized it," Daniel Puzon, Military Assistant to Ambassador Richard Armitage, Deputy to the Coordinator for US Assistance to the New Independent States, said. Puzon and Armitage were part of a sixmember US team to visit Armenia, Georgia and Russia in early January. The response to Ter Petrossian's appeal, which was mainly a call forinternational assistance to relieve the energy crisis in Armenia, has yet to fully satisfy the expectation of

the Armenian government, according to Aram Abrahamian, Ter Petrossian's depuq, press secretary. "Armenia is aot bankrupt. What we are asking for is not assistance but

neighbors to lift the blockade against Armerua.

After the UN appealed to Georgia and Turkey to open a reliefcorridor through their territories to Armenia, Georgia responded affirmatively on January 4; it agreed, atmost one montl after Ter Petrossian's appeal, to o'trans-ship 300,0m tons of heavy oil from Russia to Armenia," although the shipment may not be safe if the intemational cornmunity fails to obtain guarantees from Georgia whose internal problems are also affecting the flow of fuel. AJthough the Georgian government is not in complete control ofthe country and is under Azerbaijani pressure to cut offfuel sup plies to Armenia, &e UN is trying to get guarantees from Georgia that fuel shipped tkough its territory would not be subject to banditry, according toDedring. Onthe other hand, Turkey has simply notrespondedto the appeal, according to Dedring. According to Abrahamian, Georgia also diverts gas destined to Armenia for its own

for the products that we purchased and which are righffirlly ours," Abrahamian said. On the day following Ter Petrossian's appeal, the UN Depqrtment of Humanitarian Affairs (UNDHA) issued an "tmmediate Emergency Appeal for Annenia and Azerbatjan," in which it underlined *re importance of negotiatingthe opening gf relief

vide assista$ce, hot also rejected a joiai American-Russian appeal for all parties to

corridors "to avoid & oaiastrophic lrinter

talkpeace, preferring instead to resolve

season in Iand-locked Armenia.'l The need for the UN to respond became

matter, militarily. The only remaining option is to ship fuel tlunugh kan, a politically precarious process accordirg to many, which Dedring c.har4i]:

much more "urgent" with Ter Petrossian's appeal and with reports f,r.gm the UJtl's permanent mieqion in Yeroyan that "the situation (here) is totally catastrophic," according to Juergen Dedring, Senior Humanitarian Officer at the UNDHA. In Armenia, ternperatures fall below OoF to - 13"F and winter may last up to seven months at high aldrudes, the UN report stressed. That same week, the United States pledged up to $5 million to facilitate the shipment of oil from Russia to Armenia. But

more funds are needed. especially if

'lechnicals" are hired to guard the shipment, according toDe&ing. The US alsoappealed to the G-7 members to make additional cash donations to cover transportation costs. The French responded by encouraging the parties involved to cooperate. In early January, a delegation of French-Armenians visited Foreign Minister Roland Dumas in Paris. Durnas informed the deleg*tian that France would try to influence Armenia's

AIM, JANUARY 1993

use.

The reason for the emergency is, of course, Azerbaijan's four-year-old blockade which has shut down the nrain gas and fuel artery into Armenia. Azerbaijan not only did not accede to inLernational requests to pro-

fhe.l

' i

terizedas'leng&yanddifficult-",,

Prrese*tly, gasolino,is being qirliftcd frtxu the Black Sea port of Sochi to Yerevan '25 tons per flight, once a day-twice at most,

we're Iucky, but this can't even meet emorgency life support needs (ambulmee*i etci) of Yerevan," Sebouh Tashjian, Arrnenia's Energy lvlinister is quoted as saying in 6n anicle in P I att' s O il gram N ew s. Though &e intemational communify has responded by issuing statements of sup,port,

appearing to exert political influence on Armenia's neighbors and by making financjal contributions, the result of this flurry of activity is not yet clear and will take time $o have an impact. "There are thousands ofdetails" thatneed tobe ironedcut, {ccordingto Alexander Arzoumanian, Ar:nenia's Per-

to the UN, who expressed general satisfaetion with manent Representative the response.

THE RACE FOR ALTERNATIVES A C onv e r s ati o n With E ne r gy M i ni s t e r ByTONYHALPII{ On January 8, Sebouh Tashjian will complete one year as the Re-

public of Armenia's Minister of Energy and Fuels. He has worked as an engineer and specialist in business

management for the Southem Califomia Edison power company for 20 years. This interview was conducted before the Turkish decision to with-

draw from a deal that would have provided Armenia with up to 150 megawatts of electricity. AIM: How do you feel about the en-

ergy conference you have just hosted?

z o ts

= =

Sebo

powerplant is notathreatto their welfare and doesn't pose a long-term risk to the country. They have to be given assurances by the technologists that the associated risks are acceptable. Only then can you have public support for reopening the power plant. Each

uh Th s hj i an

will be in May. This will be an implementation conference where we will invite outside firms in energy-related fields to put some of these concepts to work,

How much of thefinal declaration ol the conference do you really

thlnk you can achieve?

Theconferencedidnotdeal with anything futuristic to the point where time and technology will impair its implementation. We talked about real things. We talked about completing several power stations that are halfway finished in that was absurd, unrealistic or

of the Hrazdan power station which is 70 percent complete. The conference tackled the possibility of restarting the nuclear power plant, which is real. We talked about a gas pipeline from Iran, which is real and can be done. We also talked about renewable energy and charted a course so that, by the year 2000, we may produce energy from wind, solar, and perhaps waste, in the orderof I 5 to 20percent of Armenia's total needs. I believe the majority of the planning is implementable and within the budgetary concepts we are dealing with now with banks and private companies. Armenia, specifically Unit Five

The nuclearpowerplant problemhas three aspects. The technological, which should be

left only to the technologists to decide, involves issues of safety and risk as well as of operations, since the plant has been shutdown forthree and ahalf years. The technologists must consider the seismological issues and the possibilities ofpreventing contamination of the country's water table. The secondaspect iscommercial. Whether we decide to reactivate the plant, or for that matter to completely shut it down, it requires significant sums of money. It requires more money to shut it down than to restart it. Part of thejob is to convince the world community, specifically the European Community andthe World Bank, of the value of the powerplant to the economy of Armeniaand that it doesn't create undue risk to the region, so they will feel comfortable in providing the capital to do the readiness

TASHJIAN:

The conference was frankly

technologists in the Diaspora and gave them an understanding of the actually high level of technical knowledge in this country. It will create a long-lasting partnership. The final achievementwas that we agreedtomake this a standing conference, and the next meeting t6

fate of the power station.

But the parliament won't allow you to spend any money on reopening the station as long as the question of a referendum remains. That's true. Butlexpect thatthe parliament I 99 I decision toputto areferendumthe fateoftheplant. The parliament has to reconsider that. What I expectis the govemment torescind thatdecision. Thematterstillhastb gototheparliament; the ministry will prepare the arguments, present it to the government, and the govemment will then make a presentation to the parliament. If

will reconsiderthe November

Given the political controversy, ean you expect a decision soonto reopen the nuclear power station?

excellent in three ways. From the administrative point of view everything ran like clockwork. From the technological point of view, it did give us some things we had not thought about in our energy planning processes. Thirdly, it gave us a bridge to the

of these three elements is equally important and each can be responsible for the ultimate

job. The third is the political, or what I prefer to call the psychological aspect. The people in Armenia have the right to expect that the

AIM, JANUARY

1993

the electedrepresentatives in parliament,

who

have a vested interest to protect their constituency, feel reasonably comfortable with with the the recommendations, then they help of the govemment, the ministry, and the technologists---can explain to the people why they should or should not open the power plant. I would hope that it would rest at the level of the parliament. The nuclear power plant is not something new that people have to understand. The issues have been stated

several times overthe last two years. There are

certain things we can do to increase safety above and beyond that condition. And in the final analysis there are things we cannot do, because you can't take any nuclear power plant designed in the late 1960's or early 1970's and completely conform to current intemational norms. The issue then revolves around the probabilities of risk and safety. I don't see long{erm debates. I hope that in a couple of sessions the parliament will make a decision. Ifthey wanttocloseit, fine, sobe it. If they want to reopen it, that's also fine. I want toforce adecision by the parliamentby theend of January orearly February at the latest.

ls it your lirm conviction that,

without the nuclear plant, Armenia cannot meet its energy needs?

I would go further than that. Without a nuclear power plant Armenia cannot surv ive. If it's not this nuclearpower plant, it's got to be another nuclear power station because Armenia today does not have the resources and can't depend indefinitely on outside resources to generate its electriciry and heating needs. The second point is that there are estimates that the natural resources of the world

will be significantly curtailed by the year ZOZ5.Tlrcyhave since revised those to 2040 or 2M5. If it is not today it will be in 20 or 30 years that we will have to face the music. We have to find another way to generate electric-

ity.

AIM, JANUARY 1993

I must tell you honestly that there are factions in any country thatoppose anything the government does, good or bad. There is an

niversary in office. What do you consider yout successes and failures?

element in Turkey as there is one in Armenia that look at these relations from a political

Come January 8 , I will have completed one year of service as Minister of Energy. I have

point of view and see it as an opportunity to getatthe govemment. ButI think the govem-

had some achievements and some disap-

ments are more mature, to overcome this kind of short-sightedness. We have to appreciate

the fact that, whatever differences we have with our neighbors, in order to live in the region in a way that we can benefit from each other, we have to find ways and means to get to that point. We may have some political claims butl don'tthink we shouldmix the two. I have always advocated the philosophy that politics and econoinics should not be interwoven. Let the politicians settle political questions, and technologists and economists settle economic issues.

You are approaching yourfirst an-

pointments. lrt me first talk about the disappointments. I would have liked very much to make the energy picture for th e 1992193 wntera better one than what appears to be in the

forecasts.

would have very much liked

people to have all the electric power they needed and all the heating they needed. We worked very hard to get to the point where we could achieve that. Frankly, there are certain

things that are completely outside of our ability to get to that objective. One is the political situation in the region, both directly and indirectly associated with Armenia. The direct one is the relationship with Azerbaijanwe have not been able for one Whole year to convince the Azerbaijani govemmentto open

the pipeline so we can receive gas through Azerbaijan. We have not been successful in convincing them to supplement us with additional energy requirements by selling us energy. We are a victim of, but not directly involved in, the loss of the other avenue of getting fuel into Armenia through Georgia. The political picture in Georgia has made things greatly worse for us. We are now in the fifth month where there has been absolutely no railway transport intoArmenia to bring in fuel. The gas lines that serve Armenia via Georgia from Turkmenia have been sabotaged time and again in Georgia for political reasons. There was a time in June when we were cut off from gas for five weeks. Some

three months ago, conflict in the North Caucasus resulted in the blowing up of the majorpipeline serving Georgiaand Armenia, so we had to go to a

smallerpipeline to get in

what we could. This reduced the quantity of gas, which created shortages to the point where we had to use the oil we had accumulated over the past l0 months as reserves for the winter months. Today, we have depleted ourfuel inventory in Armenia to where we can only sustain underextreme conditions, where no energy is incoming, about l0 days ofcurrentneeds of the republic. In thatcontext I have been disappointed that we have not been able to bring a political change in the region whereby we can benefit from the results. On the positive side, there have been things we have done that have been highly successful. We have established a ministry that is staffed with well-groomed, highly dedicated people. We have 85 people working in the ministry and, through the administrative services of those 85, we manage 35,000 people who supply the electricity, heating, and fuel

ofthe republic. We have done some intermediate and long{erm planning, knowing full well that there is no way in any society that you can needs

overcome energy shortages within a year. It takes two major things for capacity to come on line: money and time. An average power station costs about $300 million and the average time to build it is about five years. There are no immediate miracles that could overcometheshortage. Weareworkingdiligently tobringon line UnitFiveof theHrazdan thermal powerplant by the end of 1993. The construction work is in progress and I believe we

willbeabletodoitas scheduled. Wehavealso mapped all the hydro resources of the republic and have an estimate of 400 megawatts of capacity available that has not been tapped to date. We havecreated aprogram tobe able to at

leastputonline about200megawatts ofthis

resource by the year 2000. Three small hydro

plantsarenowunderconstructionandit'sour plan to begin construction of two or three of the remaining projects every year. There are 135 projects in total, ranging from l megawatt to 70 megawatts. We are working with Iran on two counts. First, to try to bring in fuel oil; actually, we have an agreement but we have

AIM, JANUARY

not been successfu I at bringing the

oil in for one simple

reason: the

only economical way to bring fuel into Armenia is via railroads that pass through Nakhichevan. We tried on three different occasions to bring rail cars through; we were intercepted and we were not able to reach the Iranian side to bring

in the fuel. We are currently working with the govemment of Iran tobring in partofthe fuel over the newly-constructed land bridge

over the Arax river, so we can secure the needs

of the southern

part of the republic in the winter

months. We have signed an agreement to create a pipeline between Armenia and Iran. The preliminary studies are complete and we are in final negotiationsto select the route and begin con-

struction

of a

l50-kilometer

pipeline. The project will take two years to be completed and will require outside financing. We are in contact with banks to be able to Armenia's industrial production cannot regain its lormer level of output without a fundamental improvement in the fund finance, which we estimate political climate. at about $50 million. We have worked with Eastern European countries, cation of our people working seven days a week, 14 to 16 hours a day to supply the critiwith Bulgaria, Romania and Poland, to try to cal day-to-day needs ofthe population and, in import electricity to Armenia. We have a the meantime, Iook to the long- and mediumcontract to do so from Poland and I am hopterm needs of the Republic of Armenia. ing to bring electricity from Poland, through Ukaine, Russia and Georgia, toArmenia. We When you a::ived here, you said it should be able to get 50 megawatts to 100 was for one year. Are you leaving megawatts of such power by the end of this year. We have worked with the US Govemment and secured financial aid of$200,000 to examine our heating systems and upgrade the

technological and operational systems. We have also received $450,000 for the planning

of the Hrazdan Unit Five power plant, and $400,000 to evaluate the natural resources of Armenia, specifically oil and gas. We have worked with the European Community and received 300,000 ECU ($380,000) to study the existing condition of the nuclear power plant andcome up with aschedule and a plan for what it takes to put it back on line, if such a decision is made by parliament. We are in touch with the Canadian government to look at the next generation of nuclear power plants in Armenia. We have also established an understanding with the govemor of Califomia fortechnical assistance in the energy field, and worked with several manufacturers of components for small hydro turbines, solarenergy and windenergy, tofind out the possibilities of manufacture of those components in Armenia. This way, when we put these resources into operation, it will be less expensive for the Armenian govemment. In these respects I feel pretty good that we have achieved things that wouldnothave been possible if the ministry was not in existence. All these things came about through the dedi-

or staying on?

I did say I would serve for one year. I will be honest and tell you that for me not to stay

anylongerwouldbeunfairformypeopleand my country. Notbecausenoone individual is ineplaceable by another individual, but be-

cause there are so many projects that are half completed and I think my staying here longer

will bring most of them to their final conclusion. I have reconsidered my initial commir ment and I have made a decision to stay here as long as it's required or necessary to bring most of those projects to fruition. It is very difficultforme to make thatdecision, for two reasons. First and foremost is from the family point of view. I am here by myself. My family is in Los Angeles. I have two children in college, and, overthe last year, I have not spent more than 15 days with my

family. The other reason, frankly, is economic. When you make a long-term commitment it is difficult to sustain yourselffrom the point of view of financial needs. But I think the

cause is greater than those issues. I expect to be here as long as it takes to get all these projects Ihave startedtothepoint where Ifeel comfortablethatithascome tothe stagewhere they can be handed over to the next minister. Then I will stay on the side as a consultant to support him in accomplishing the remaining

AIM, JANUARY 1993

portions of the projects.

Do you find youl work more ftustrating than enjoyable? I am a very tense person. I always like to work under pressure, I think my productivity is significantly higher under those conditions. But there is a tolerance limitbeyond which the human body cannot endure. I have my down days and, very occasionally, there are days when I get tempted to reconsider my longtermcommitment. ButI snapoutof itquickly. I realize that what we are here

for-the country and the people-is

much greaterthan the temporary difficulties, personal difficulties and setbacks that I feel now atthis stage of my life. In the final analysis we are doing two things in this country. We are building a democratic society and we are

shapingthefutureofthenation. Putthosetwo things togettrer and everything else diminishes in the final accounting.

THE

POLlrlcs

OFBREAD A Report on Armenia's Struggle

for Subsistence ByTony Halpin All Photos by Mkhllar Khachalrlan

he idea of widespread hunger in Armenia may seem absurd to anyone familiar with Yerevan's summer food markets groaning with fresh fruit and vegetables. Even in the present straitened times, when bread is rationed, it is hard to conceive of actual starvation. Butif agricultural specialistFredWoods iscorrect, thatterrifying prospect is less thannine months away. Woods is one of a two-man United States Department of Agriculture team advising Armenia's Ministry of Agriculture as part of a three-year joint program to improve food production in the re-

Unpalatable as it may be,

public. What he has concluded about the state of farming in Armenia puts the present bread crisis into sobering perspective. "I dontthink this yearthere will be massive starvation, but there is a good chance there could be some, even this year," he said in an interview in his office overlooking Republic Square. "But unless something changes before next winter then, yes, we do face the possibility of massive starvation." The present bread crisis provides evidence ofjust how serious the situation is becoming. Citizens are each limited to 250 grams per day and that they get even this much is due to imports ofwheat fromTurkey, reckons Woods. When fighting inttre Abkhazia region of Georgia intemrpted grain deliveries from Russia in the Fall, Armenia was forced to dig into its reserves to provide bread for the population. The continuing crisis meant that by November 1 Armenia had less than two days supply of flour remaining. "On November 3, the first shipment of Turkish wheat arrived. If it had not been for the Turkish loan, the country really faced about one month without wheat. That came in the nick of time," Woods said. Though Armenia has agreements to bring wheat from other places, notably Russia, the United States and Europe, none of it would have reached the republic before November. Armenia needs I ,000 tons of wheat each day to feed the population.

Armenia is now wholly

dependent on

foreign grain imports for its bread supply this winter.

AIM. JANUARY

-â&#x201A;Ź.:,ii'

'l'hc agrccrrrcnt to buy that antount fiom 'l'ur-kcy lirr l(X) du1,s has sot of l to a slow start.'l'hc nurrirrrr,rnr tlclivcrerl on auv one clay r,rp to thc cnrl ol'Novcntbe r ltas hcen 880 tons. but thc avcragc has slor,r. lt,riscn to at

Diaspora Armenians continue to send planeloads of relief supplies to Armenia, left; yet the aid has not wiped out the bread crisis, above; the Armenian government has been forced to issue ration cards limiting bread consumption, below.

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-.iiF%', d.E ',#.f- ' f#

Wt*#i';fil

least 70()tonsriailr,, as tcchnicaI problcnts arc iron ecl out. "This can hc srlLrcczctl lo ir tlay's supplv. It gives ncu rr.rcitrrirrg to tllc phrasc 'givc us this tla1, our daiJy' brcad."' notctl Woods. Unpalatable as it rnat be . Arnrcnia is rrow u ltollr llgpgn,ienl lrr lore i$n .lllrirr irrrPorl: fbr its blcad suppll,this winrer. A ship brintins the Iirst 33.000 tons of Anterican whcal rlockeil at Batunii in Georeia on Novernhcr lll. to be transl'errecl to Annenia hy train. A iirrthcr 33.000 tons is to be clelivcrecl latcr. 'l'rucks carrying 6.000 tons of Syrian wheat $crc cxl)cctc(l in early December lo cr.oss into ,,\nncniu lionr Turkey at Markara. the t'irs1 tinrc in 70 vctrs that the briclgc over thc .\ntr tirt't lt;rs lr.'ert opcn.

icillly. Arrlcnia nor.l has no rcserves villascs havc tratlitionallv kept around

Ol'l Lrr"rt

-10,000 tons ol'cach ycar's han,est fbr their ()wn usc, arrd to providcr sccrl lirr thc ltrllor,, ittg year's crol-rs.'l'hc gove ntrtrcnt. bclicving thcre to hc ls rnuch as -50.(XX) tons. had br. Ot lohe r r k rrrlrle rl llrr. 1rl i1 .. it l,:rit l ti rr u lr.';rt to 20 rublcs a kilo in an cllirrl to sct lrrnners to sell. It also set brcad nrtions lirr tltc coLrntry side at a lor,,er nrtc than thc citics to lirrcc villa-gers to use thcir rcscrvcs. "What this nreans tirr ncxt vcar is tltat thc lixrcl situation is going to be worsc thun it is this vear." saiclWoods. "Not only bccausc ol' that. but because tarnters wcrc rrot ahlc to plant tu o-thirds of their alltLilltn wheat cl1rp duc to the lllel shortages in the country."'l'hc inltLlnrn crop. whrch is har-vestecl in June ancl

.lul\. accounts for two-tl-rirds of Anrrcnia's rkrnrcstic r.l,he at prociuction. In et-lbct, Arrnenia ri ill r:rou,sliehtly ntore than hall'as nrucl-r ulrcal nert ycar as it did in 1992. Since the re public norrnally grows about 28 percent ol its annual whcat nceds. about 21.50.000 tons. thc silruttion is potentially catastrophic. "LJrrlcss thc governntcnts of thc West that hirvc whcat or assistancc pro-grillls can come throuqh to rnecl thal ncerl it is soing to be a pretly rlirc situation." suitl Woorls. Anncnia is tryinr: [() collpcltsalc bv arranging lirre ign purchases antl incrcasing thc sprinu crop planting in April. Bul this clop provirles a

smallcr vielcl. Woods cstintatcs lanlcrs would have hacl to plarrl up t0 tu,icc the short-

pq!J lrp

-e

fall to recover tl.rc suntc aritoultt ol grain. Annenia's clcputr, ugricullure ntinistcr,

4*,

Ishkhan N{ardirossian. blantcs thc currcnl tbod shoflages on the "n,rtrns.judlntcnt antl bad or-ganIzation" olthe sepuratc Ministry of'

Food and Suppll'. Foocl Minister Rlt'ik Shahbazian r.r,as recenth, flred. Mardirossian, a Diaspora Armenian llrun France. adn'rits the situation is grave. hut hc ili sputes his Anterican advis<tr's conclusions. "l rkrn't agrec with his analysis. Yes. there ri ill be I'runqcr. tl'rough not in the sarne de gree

or condition as Africa. I don't think people will die of hunger, our Armenian philosophy will never let somebody die from hunger." Nevertheless,heexpects Armeniatoproduce as much as 30 percent less food next year. "Poverty will increase, but I think we will survive. I am very optimistic." He says Armenia has now negotiated sufficient wheat imports to meet its needs for a year. The country usually imports at least one million tons annually for its people and livestock, but whereas the Soviet system plugged the gap in the past, Armenia must now buy wheat at market prices. Part of the reason the govemment increasedbread prices from six to 32 rubles per kilo was to discourage farmers from feeding livestock with bread rather than cattle feed, which costs l2to 15 rubles akilo. In an ironic twist, Mardirossian says 50,000 tons of cattle feed wheatexpected to arrive from the United States in February may be used for people. "This is not usually good for bread but if possible we will use it to make bread. If not we will give it to the animals." He hopes anyway

that enough wheat will have entered the country by then to allow the govemment to lift bread rationing. "We may keep it a little longer. It's good for Armenians." But the real crunch, according to Woods, comes next year and for this the ministry's plans seem more nebulous. Mardirossian admits there is little they can do to reverse the

decline

agriculture as long as the

Azerbaijani btockade continues. "We must have peace. Armenia is finding it very difficult to survive in a non-declared war. We can't afford the blockade for another one or two years." Under normal circumstances, with imports and exports flowing freely, he believes Armenia's farmers could double their productivity within three years. Woods agrees, but says this would also take a "fairly large expenditure" to upgrade the country's

irrigation network. Without a change in the region's political climate, not only between Armenia and Azerbaijan but in Georgia too, the outlook is grim. Insufficient livestock feed has already caused Armenia to slaughter much of its AIM, JANUARY

1993

poultry and pigs. The same thing is now happening with calves. Mardirossian agrees with Woods that a large area of land used to grow winter wheat was not planted this year because offuel shortages. He insists, however, that farmers largely compensated for this by planting wheat in top grade soil normally used to grow fruits and vegetables. "But this is bad for Armenia. Next year it means we will have shortages of fruit and vegetables, while the amount of flour will perhaps be the same as in previous years, perhaps a little less," he said.

What makes it so hard for Woods to see how the republic can secure enough food next

year is the way in which this year's wheat supply has been acquired. Armenia has taken a 38 million ECU ($48 million) loan, at between 9 and l0 percent interest, from the European Community to buy 200,000 tons of wheat. All of it must be repaid over three years,beginning in l993. "Theywillalsoneed to buy wheatnextyear. There's aquestion of where the money will come from both for the payments and the additional purchases."

Mardirossian doesn't expect to sircceed. we will be able to pay all the

"I don't think

loan in three years. We must at least pay the interest but the capital will have to be paid in the long

run."

The Turkish wheat, too, is draining the coffers. The agreement provides for Armenia to reimburse Turkey with 100,000 tons of wheat bought with the EC loan, plus 950 a ton for transportation and other costs. "That means 100,000 tons of wheat will cost us $5

million extra. We must pay after each delivery of 5,000 tons or they don't deliver the

next. Those are the conditions,"

said Mardirossian. Though privatization of farmland boosted production, its effects were lopsided.Quan-

owned by people with no prior experience

producing grapes. It is a fairly specialized production," said Woods. "I understand productionofArmeni:rncognac, which isrecognized as quality product, is downby a third simply because grape production is down." Govemment failure to pay farmers for their grape crops in the last two years is also

prompting many to consider plowing up vineyards and planting fruit and vegetablei instead, certain that they can realize a profit at the private markets. "You can drive out through the countryside and see that, even ifthey are not ripping

out vineyards, they are not being properly cared for," said Woods. It is part of his assignment to develop an extension network of

this is sufficient compensation. In any case, he says, the fall inexports

toes,

ofprocessedtoma-

fruitjuices,jams, and cognac hurts the

national economy. The deputy ministerconceded that only 20-30 percent of meat processing capacity is operational, and probably half that number of dairy factories. Another consequence ofthe bottleneck between production and processing is that as much ai 30 percent of crops, according to Woods' "conservative" estimate, is simply left in the fields to rot. The lack of a market for processing means the quantity of available fresh fruit andvegetables wouldthreatentheretailprice if it all went on sale. The'cost of recovering tomatoes they knew they could not sell at a profit meartt "hundreds ofhectares" were not harvested this year, said Mardirossian.

The government intended to begin privatizing the food processing, transport, and distribution sectors earlier this year, but the necessary legislation is stalled in parliament. "Theprojectexists but we cannot implement it unless the parliament passes the law. It's a little bit like a bastard," said Mardirossian. Whatcan Armeniadoto improve the situation? Woods is adamant that farmers must be prevented from destrdying vineyards, since they take five years to replace. Links between various sectors of the food industry also need tobe re-established urgently. Aroundthe time

Clockwiselrom top left: a

soupkitchen

ln Yerevan serves 120

senlor cltlzens and dlsabled peoplewho

mlghtotherwise go hungry; bread llnes are e common slght ln Armenlan cltlesat all

night; lorced dou(1h, bread, ovens unavaltable.

times of day or bread factoi'ies arc sometames to sell lnstead of when tuel to heat the ls tities of milk, eggS, and meat hate all fallen with the decline in livestock farming.Grape yields have also dropped, partly because the distribution of land among all residents of a village, and not simply memters of farming collectives, meant vineyards ended up in the

wrong hands.

"As much

agricultural education to help people acquire new farming skills. But the rush to privatize farrnland, partly out of fetirs of a reactionary coup in Msscow and partly because it waS a popular idea in Armenia

brought o&er prottemsi Since the processing fac-

tories and distribition

networksremainedinstate hands, the reforms broke the connections between the differOnt lints in the food chatn. Prices paid by the factories have not risen in line with farm. ers'production costs, so the fanhers simply

don'tdelivertheirfnrit and vegetables. "Processing production is way down on virtually every commodity," said Woods. Mardirossian counters that Armenians a long fradition of processing their own foodstuffs at home, but Woods doubts that have

as 60 percent

of vineyards are

AIM,JANUARY

I93

of independence, Armenia was growing 35 percent of its dotnestic food needs. Many people today dream that the republic can become self-sufficient, said Woods. *I don't think that's possible and certainly not very practical because ofthe shortage of land in the counEy."Instead, he urges Armenia to decide what crops it is able to grow best, theri to produce as much of them as possible and export goods to pay for imports of otherfoodstuffs. A little lateral thinking also helps. He gave an example of a sugar beet factory in Spitak destroyed in the 1988 earthquake. Local officials have concentrated their efforts on rebuilding the plant but sugarprocessing is energy intensive, acommodity Armenia lacks. Since sugar prices are low because of a glut on the world market, Woods argues it would be more economical forArmelnia to grow potatoes in the same soil, part ofwhich could be exported to pay for sugar. Short-termpredictions from bothmen remain exceedin!1ly bleak. "I am an optimist, but this is a very bad situation and I can't imagine staying the same," said Mardirossian. "Wemustsurvive andwe shall survive." Woods is more direct. "It's a pretty grim outlook. I dori't see how it can be any differentforthe nextthree to five years. Three years regardless of what happens to the blockade, and foi much longer if the blockade continues. "A sribstantial part of the population cannot afford much else to eat but bread. I think most of them wiil get by this year but I don't know whatthey are going todo withanother

year."

ATRIBUTETOTHE MASTERS T he Smiths onian

le as e s Tw o

M ai or

ud Worl<s

By YIGTOR KIOUIAPHIDES hen the eminent composer and

musicologist Bela Bartok traveled to Turkey in 1936, he encountered a whole different world of music and tradition. He was one of the first Westemers to study the music of

Anatolia. Americans first heard Middle Eastem music in the night clubs scattered throughout thecountry. PeacockLane inLos Angeles, Greek Town in Detroit, Fresno's

Fulton Street and the most well-known, Eighth Avenue in New York City, were havens for the early Armenian, Greek and Turkish immigrants. A slice of life from the old country was recreated in America where music transcended political boundaries. The oud seems to have intrigued the American public almost immediately. Its pear-shaped belly resembles a large mandolin. The great grand-daddy of the guitar, the oud is fretless and tuned in fourths, allowing the artist to play the exotic modes and scales of the Middle East. Jazz flutist Herbie Mann was one of the first to realize the versatility of the oud when he recorded a fusion album of mideast-jazz in the late 1950s.

Smithsonian/Folkways will honor two Armenian oudists by releasing their music

on CD this month. En-

titled

Richard

Hagopian Performs Works of Armenian Composers, Volume

(the

frst volume

was

released by Arc Music

in London) and Oud Artistry of Oudi Hrant, the recordings represent

two generations of Armenian oud players. Richard A. Hagopian was born and raised amongst the early Ar-

menian settlers in Fresno, where Armenians led in the agricul-

tural development of Califomia's rich

San

Joaquin Valley.

Richard Hagopian was bestowed wlth the tltle ol .,Oudi,'

"ManyoftheFresno immigrants brought

in 1969.

musical instruments with them,"

says

was 13, Hagopian was playing in a local

Hagopian. "Ouds, kanuns, zoorna, davul, tar, clarinet and violin players could be heard at the weekly ftanteses and Amenian coffee

band with old-timers three times his age. His

houses in downtown Fresno." By the time he

THE EVOLVING OUD goes, L,amak hung the young man's remains on a tree, and the desiccated skeleton suggested the form ofthe oud. Throughout history, versions of the instrument have made their mark in various civilizations from Spain to China. The oud first appears in Mesopotamia during the Kassite period (l60Gl150 BO,

with a small oval body. A largervariety, similar to

Africa and barbat in lran. The word oud means "twig," "flexiblerod" and also "aromatic stick."

oud was assimilated into the indigenous musical traditions of the Persians, Greeks, Armenians, Kurds and Egyptians long before the rise of the Seljuk Turks 1072. Even during Ottoman times, the oud was played predominantly by non-Muslim subjects, as Islamic law forbade the indulgence ofthe sensual pleaSures, and the music of stringed instruments in particular. Consequently, many of the musicians of the sultan's court were Armenians and Greeks.

InPersianmythology,theinventionoftheoud isracedtolamak, a descendant of the Biblical Cain. On the death of his son, the story

the instrument's present-day dimensions, appears in a relief at Alaca Huyuk in Anatolia dating from the Hittite New Kingdom ( 1460- I 190 BC). Today in the Middle East, the oud is known by different names: ut or ud in Turkey, laouta in Greece, udi in

musical training started with clarinet and violin lessons, but his oud playing seems to have been influenced by the records his

Indeed, Armenian and Greek luthiers brought the art of oudmaking to new heights. Some 150 years after the violin had been perfected inltaly, Onnik Karibian's ouds, made inlstanbul,carneto beregardedasttre Stradivarisoftheoud. Karibian's designs were inspired by the experimentations of Monol, a Greek master oud-maker. The pear-shaped body of the oud is usually consffucted of cypress, pistachio, oak, mahogany, cedar or pine. The surface is made of fine spruce, while the fingerboard is put together with hard

ebony. Arabic craftsmen often inlay detailed

Archaeological findings show that the oud was mother-of-pearl designs on their ouds, which are integrated into Armenian musical tradition beginusually 6-8 cm larger than other models. Tradining in the third century BC. More than I fi) reliefs tionally, an eagle feather is used as a plectrum, excavated near the ancient temple of Gami depict though moderndayperformers often use picks of minstrels playing the oud, kanun (the lap harp), Oudbt deplcted ln Armenian illu- plastic. Theoriginal gutstrings, too, have been remanated manuscrlpt,datod 1 400 homs and various percussive instruments andbells. placed with silver-wound nylon strings similar to The oud was canied into the Christian era in Armenia with several those used on aclassical guitar. examples of illuminatedmanuscripts depicting the use of the instruThe art of oud-making is still preserved in Armenia by contemment in secular and religious ceremonies. porarymasters suchas MovsesBedros Keshishianandin the United Contrary to popularArmenian belief, the oud was not traditionStates by John Mirjanian and Peter Kyvelos. ally viewed as a Turkish instrument. Historians have shown that the G. llagopian

-Harold

AIM, JANUARY 1993

father collected from the old country, especially those of the blind master, Oudi Flrant Keni<ulian. Later, he studied with Kanuni Garbis Bakirjian, who taughthim the theory and rudiments of Middle Eastern music. Kanuni Garbis was instrumental in arranging an introduction with young Hagopian's idol, Oudi Hrant. "In 1950," recalls Hagopian, "Oudi Hrant came to Fresno. No children were allowed at the concert. I was I 3 and special allowances were made. When the curtain opened, two beautiful ouds were revealed, resting on top of a grand piano. My own oud was an inferior instrument, generously loaned to me by a friend of the family. "After the concert, my teacher took me backstage where the blind master was resting. It was the most exciting day of my life. Hrant gave his blessings saying in Armenian, 'You will grow up to be a great musician too.' Moments later, one of the ouds was handed to me. It was a gift. My grandfather and his friends had chipped in to buy it for

me." Hagopian became one of the most popular Armenian artists performing frequently up and down the west coast. In 1965' he received national acclaim as the music director of the "Cleopatra Revue", which presented one of the first large-scale, choreo-

graphed Middle Eastem dance companies. Wiih a cast of 22 dancers, they performed one of the longest-running lounge shows on the Las Vegas strip. The group produced aset of four recordings and became one of the

Oudi Hrant Kenkulian is considered by many to be the single most inlluential oudist of the 20th century. most popular Armenian bands in the country, having performed in New York, Boston, Hartford, Philadelphia, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fresno' In 1980, Hagopian was asked to teach at Fresno State

University

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AIM, JANUARY I993

was both surprised and gratified to find so

many American students genuinely interested in Armenian culture and the oud," he In 1989, Hagopian was invited to present anOud MasterClass at Manhattan School of Music, following his New York concert debut at Merkin Hall. The World Music Institute presented him in a concert of Armenian music, which prompted arecording of works by Armenian composers. T/re N ewY orkTime s called him one of the foremost virtuosi of the oud. The Smithsonian first heard of Hagopian when he received the National Heritage Fellowship in 1989, the nation's highest honor awarded to folk artists. The award was presented to Hagopian by the National Endowmentforthe Arts in a special ceremony at the Capitol hosted by Charles Kuralt, who presented I 2 ethnic artists from throughout the country together in concert at Washington D.C.'s Lisner Auditorium. Hagopian has passed on his art to his son Harold, who learned to play the kanun, the 72-stringed harp of the Middle East. Father and son perform together on the two new recordings. Besides music, Hagopian is passionate about Armenian art, having traveled to Venice to admire the collection of manuscripts on the island of San Lazzaro. He is an avid collector of books dealing with Armenian subjects. The gleam inhis eye isapttobe as bright when he is showing his first edition Van Lennop Portfolio as when he sits on stage to sing an Armenian love song. says.

Oudi Hrant Kenkulian (1901-1978)

considered by many to be the single most

influential oudist of the 20th century' His improvisations revealed his ingenuity in exploring a new, more technically advanced approach to the oud. The title "Oudi" was given to him denoting him as "Master of the Oud." In Turkey, he is known as "Hrant Emre," meaning "of the soul."

The Smithsonian/Folkways brings together a unique recording of the blind master singing his own compositions and perft-'rming the art of taksim (Middle Eastem improvisation.) Kenkulian was bom in Adapazat, Turkey, and lived in Istanbul throughout his life. He composed songs both in Turkish and Armenian. The new CD presents both styles'

including his rarely heard "Hoknadz Durtmadz," one of his early love songs. Kenkulian did not record many of his Armenian songs in Turkey, possibly fearing persecution. Many of these were recorded by Hagopian for the first time on theWorks of Armenian Composers CD. Kenkulian is regarded in Turkey primarily as a composer and artist of the older Ottoman classical style. The Armenian community has honored him with a monument at the Armenian cemetery in Sisli near the church where he served as soloist in the choir. Victor Kioulaphides is a music critic for theNational Herald.

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FIELDS Armenian tobacco industry produces about nine billion cigarettes a year; Accord* ing to Lidia Sargsian. directoi of tn.errtabak facrory, local Iorrrrption accounts for more than half the national output-some five biliion cigaretres. Fornded in 1924 andconsidered b5r Soviet standards to be one the most sophisticated factories of its class, Armtabak employs over I ,z}O,mostly female, workers anO puts out an assoftment of cigarettes with brand names like llerevan, Dvin, Arin Bert and Hayastan But due to the usual lack of Westem manufacturing technotogy, nrmenian-made cigarettes have an exffemely heavy flavor, with pungent taste- and texture-altering chemical agents and roll paper that is of such low quality thatcigarettes need to be constantly relit. These characteri stic s make Armenian cigarettes highly popular in CIS countries, but unsuitable for export elsewhere. .,Our cigarettes are of the oriental fype, and if aEuropean smokes them he will start coughing immedi ately," says Sargsian. Tobacco plantations in Armenia have declined steadily ft since I 985, with total output falling from 1 2,000 tons per ,%t"' year to less than 2,000 tons. According to Sargsian, the ffi Soviet Union consumed over 450 billion cigarettes a day prior to 1985, when Mikhait Gorbachev launched a unionArmtabak Director Lidia Sargsian wide campaign against drinking and smoking. ,,Huge governmelt cut-backs in the funding of vineyards and tobacco plantations drove scores of farmers out of business," says Sargsian. As a result, many farmers converted their fields into potato plantations. he

ffi

The Democratic Movement was another factor contributing to the decline in tobacco production in Armenia' because an important segment of tobacco planters and workers consisted

Azeris who have since fled the country sargsian exprains. Today theArmenian cigarette industly imports -ort of its tobacco supply from Moldavia and the central Asian republics. Cigareffe paper, cardboard boxes and cellophane are also imported from countries like Austria, Finland and Spain. AIM,JANUARY

19S3

Yerevan L-3 Novembel 1992 Themembers of theArmenianBusinessForumBoardof DirectorsmetinYerevanon Economy Mr. Armen Darbinian. The following members were present:

Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr.

Levon Aharonian Telman Der'Eedrossian

Annen Der-Torossian Rou.ben Gregorian Mr.Vahefazmadarian Mr. Michel Minassian Mr.Edouardo Sarian Mrs. Hetmine Nagdalian Mr.Hratch Sarkis Mr. Souren M. Sarkissian Mr.Hovsbp Seferian

1-3November 1992 inthepresenceof

(Iran) (SanFrancisco) (France) (France)

(LosAngeles) (Aryentina) (Annenia) (LosAngeles)

(SaudiArabia)

Mr.Raz4igstepanian

Vice President

(Arrrenia) Secretary President Represented by Mr. R. Mozian

Vice-President Treasurer

0ndia)

(Austria) Mr. Berdi Ifissi;lian, Forum Member, was invited as an advisor'

During the said meeting, the following matters were discussed:

lDL

1) The

activity of the Executive Board since its electioninMay

2) The

reports of the Regional Representatives who were present were

Pect&

ffiaffi mffiffi'

d) To convey to the authorities the Forum's ","ry importance of expediting privatizationprocess in

heard. 3) The

oreanization of the Yerevan Office and the appoinfinent of the

M*rg"iit

th" person of Mr. Madimir Shegoyan were confirmed'

It was decided to prepare feasibility studies through

oiganizations regarding the various aspects.of Armenig's economy,

buffi6M$

4) An entire flay was allocated to visit the very- important

Oi." pr"p*"d

organization's past, present and future activities.

7) The board members were received by Vice President Haroutunian, Prime Minister Mr. Khosrov Haroutinian g

"i{razdanmach" complex, wheretheDirectorGeneralof the said organization, Mr. Telmin Der-Bedrossian, gave an exPose of the Theboard membershad also the opportunity of meeting the directors of the "Arevelk" association whichl'ras 21 members' These members are Armenia's most important heavy and light industrial otgarrrizations. Mr. Ashod Safarian, Ministerof Industry, whowaspresent gave a brief but most interesting speech. The board members had also the opportunity to listen to Mr]t'trtttan yaraitossian, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. 5) The

following resolutions were adopted:

a) Tourism: The board finds that under the present circumstances the Tourism krdustry is the most convenient medium of helping Armenia's economy-by providing hard currenry to the country'

tirese sludies would be available to busin6ss firms interested in investments or joint ven

of Economy Mr. Hrand Pagradian. Resolutions cussed with these Ministers. It was decided to hold the General Assembty Mggtlng inYerevan from the 27th through the3lst of May 1993.

Withthis communique, theboardof Directorsof the fo businessmen in Armenia and ur the Diaspora to join members and participate in its activities to development of the Motherland's Economy.

YEREVANOFFICE:

Therefore, it was aeciaLa- to suggeit to the government to raise the status of the saidindustry to thatof a full ministry'

The Forum to cooperate with this ministry for: 1- Improvemmt ind reorganization-of llereva1 Airport with the

assistince of westem experts/specialized organizations' 2- Improvement and rmrganizition of the exlsting as well as.the creation of new hotels with the cooperation of important westem organizations.

b) Improvement and/or construction of roads, particularly the

highday

Meghri-Yerevan due to its importance under the present

circumstances.

cb-mpetent

Armenian Business Fogllgr Yerevan Hanrabedou{1n I Garavaragan doun 3

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THE TRIBES WITHIN

More serious rebellions later taught her to avoid the negative reactions she was certain provoke when, for example, she flouted her

family's racism to date aEhckman.

The Avakians, who come across as the heavies in this tale ofthree generations tom

between two homelands (Armenia and

America)

are

atextbook exampleofthe clas-

sic Armenian family with an overlay of LIONWOMAN'SLEGACY: ANARMENIAN.AMENCAN MEMOIR

their families together in the years following 1915. This memoir, more than a confession of a "third-generation retum," marks the author's literary travels back through an unhappy young adulthood in search of stability and an elusive identity. Not until the close of this intenselypersonal andlyrical work when Avakian,nowmiddle-aged, listens onceagain to the heroic tale of her grandmother (akalion

By Arlene Voski Avakian. The F eminist Press, New York, I 992, 295 po.$14.95.

Reviewed by JOAil BATBERGER he memoir, an actor-oriented approach to the writing of history, is

literary device favored by

Diaspora Armenians for the im-

Woman), translated from the Armenianbyher

mother's sister, AuntyArs, and spoken intoa tape recorder, do both authorand

readerfinally

understand the true meaning of Armenian

survival.

portant mnemonic task it performs: reminding the world about unspeakable

events, little-known and often poorly understood, which occurred in the villages and towns ofcentralAnatoliaatthe beginning of the 20th century. Although they are not the central motif of Arlene Voski Avaklan's narrative, the devastation, deportations, and genocide suffered I .5 million Armenians at the hands of

the Ottoman Turks during World War

nevertheless provide the background against which her education and emotional development took place. The Armenian Genocide identified as her matemal grandmother's story is initially rejected by the authorwhen,

l;nrrWommfs Luyary ltndrmeniarlvlgneficorlt lvlenlrrir

ArlelrrYoskifunkiart

ateenager

none ofethnic hatred, shefirsthemsofit.

Many years later Avakian understands the story as herown. Written from the point of view of a third-generation American-bom woman,

tenacity and struggle which are the most enduring aspectsofAvakian'snature,were also

an integral part of her

Armenian

grandmother's character. Avakian's insight into the commonalities ofthe differentkinds

of battles both grandmother and granddaughter have waged against injustice helps herto accept the fact she long sought to deny: that she is indeed a true descendant ofthe val-

iant Armenian women who fought to hold

that she was an American and would decide for herself whom and when to marry. In I 960 a young woman could escape from the natal family by marrying outbf it. This action, however, entailedthe set-

ting up of a conjugal family of her own. As Avakian soon discovered, the marriage certificate was not a permit to live a life freed from familial constraints. After an unplanned pregnancy caughther un-

role of homemaker held few gratifications. Feeling stranded at home, and confined by two young children who needed her constant attention, she sought emotional support from a husband who

LionWoman's Legacy touches upon is-

family. The final chaprers indicate that the

suitable husbands were selected for young girls by theirfamilies), announced

awares, she recognized that marriage and starting afamily "had only concluded a long process of giving up myself." The

with little experience of prejudice and

sues already familiar from fiction and ethnic studies literature. The adolescent's confl ict betweenherown assimilationist aspirations and the distinctly old world values espoused by her raditionalist immigrant family is wryly told. The opening chapters portray achild's determination to escape the embarrassments of her authoritarian and overly-protective Armenian

Middle Eastem values (which favored strong roles for males while devaluing the worth oi women.) Well-to-do Oriental rug merchants whohadarrivedinNew YorkfromPersia, the Avakians were unscathed by the terrible ordeal suffered by the author's matemal relatives who came from Turkey. Uncle AIex, her father's elder brother, was the head ofthis patrilateral fratemal joint family. As it was the custom to solicit his approval regarding all important family events, her fatherhad to ask permission forhis daughter to marry when she decided at the age of 2 I to wed her impoverished lrish Catholic college sweettreart. Told that it would be betterto wait until the young mancouldprovide forher, theheadstrong bride-to-be, chafing underthe constraints of old world custom (according to which

Until that moment of clarity, however, Avakian seems to be traveling another path in search not

ofher Armenian roots, but ofa

unified self, emptied of all possibility of bearing aparticularethnic stamp. She wants to be unmistakably American, not an Armenian-American, but unhyphenated American. Her adolescent attempts to erase the tell-tale Armenian from herperson were conventional and cosmetic . Fighting to wear stockings and highheels, touselipstick, andto shaveherlegs brought herinto openconflictwithhermother.

AIM, JANUARY 1993

summarily shutheroutofhis studentand faculty worlds. First her anger and then a growing sense of guilt brought Avakian almost to the breaking point. Although the narrative is told solely from the author's point of view, it is clear that the sense of unbearable isolation and the absence of emotional support she encountered are not meant to be idiosyncratic. They are presented as symptomatic of a gen-

eration

Americans known as "baby

boomers"whomarriedyoung, gavebirth and resided unhappily ever after in single-family homes in the suburbs. The nuclear family, once perceived as the ideal social unit by a post-World WarII generation of Americans, didnotserveits memberswell, tojudgebythe account given by Avakian. Avakianherself had been raised in avery different family tradition. There were always

the uncles and aunts

and

A SenSe Of

cousins, any number of whom could be on to pitch in during

counted Unbgafable mo- iSOtatiOn and the-

ments of crisis, to cook at

ramily reunions, to

visit

absence;i

*n- emgtignalSUppOft are presen!9d^31

*artur"intt"choresand

ln';""*f:no.o' Avakian had found symptOmatic of g.o*tng up in the

Arme- generation of

Hft:lr"::1ffi'Jt:: teach at the University

Massachusetts

Hf}r'i":,lir;:o

Am-

**n*

Avakian'smemoir,

X,H[';.,I;'?1il5':kifr oitte f;u"teu.family, is a personal Ti1.:ryt:::

kiown ilffJ:'Tffi'ff"ffi ilffi"#;'t$r,i:ili'J Ariericans l'baby middleclass,asendorsed Later she

*ould-"o."

bgoqrel:l: y1"_ :"J,"T,xiJ#:fi:,l"3ll: r,,;*n:ni1lll,jgd married young, gaye tque, byherownadmis-

obligations.Missingthese

tife :.rnttappilv bifth and fesidgd

divildends of famiiy she would not encounter them again in any

sion, was bom from the

eve-r-. $:iig".'flrl[*i.t:';.?!^ traditional iamily structure. aftef in Single.family age of.six, finds herself l]#,#'r"1'im"$n:R: kffflffi*.t'[ilH; homesrn commitment,shebecame active in campus

groups

the SUbUIbS.

change. Her work sfonsoring "rrri.'utu* olpeneaop[ortunitiestoteachn-e*courseson rubj".6 which were iust beginning to gain recognition as part of tne iurrlculum on

birttr"of a baby brother. The adult Avakian con-

tinuestobedistressedbythepnolryallTdP to men at every level of American society,

I I I viewinghermandatetopro^motesocialcharrye I as the natural outcome of this early painful passionate her In .u-put"t. Ameican I lessonlearnedwithinherArmenianfamily. championing of ihe causes of civii rights and I lf ner agcouTl sounds either too mythical or female studfes (an early pr"cu.roi of the I overly Freudian, the reader can understand

herevocation of the expulsion from adomestic Eden as an explanatory gesture, as well as identify with its emphasis on sibling rivalry. Avakian's book Presents only one woman's life, so perhaps it is unfair at this juncture to ask whether she can offer other women viable altematives to either of the two

family systems, extended and nuclear, which seem to have served her so inadequately

Will

her own escape from family entrapment, which catapulted her into prominence as a social activist, provide a useful template for other women similarly enrapped? How many women who share Avakian's anger will be able to find the courage and the strength to

walkaway from amarriage whichno longer sustains them? And how manY of these women also seekingloving, supportive, and, above-all,'fr fty-frfty" relationships, expectto find those qualities in a life partnership with another woman, as Avakian herself has done? The lessons of LionWoman arenot so easily

leamed as Avakian demonstrates in this powerfrrl memoir. Armenian and American ieaders, haunted by the questions she raises long after they have finished reading the book' have much to leam themselves from Lion Woman and herprogeny. Joan Bamberger b Assoclate Professor of Anthropology at Wellesley College ln Wel lesley,

Massachusetts.

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Arthur Zakarian

AIM, JANUARY 1993

m# M,.t oFl

By TALlllE VOSKERITCH IANC'

HOME ATION luminous rooms house the art works which Sergei Paradjanov produced and the objects with which he lived in his ancesffal home in Tbilisi. Hereareoilpaintings,

dolls and puppet-like figures, mixed media assemblages, engravings,

pencil and ballpoint pen sketches, flower arrangements, visual recreations of Georgian tales, initial sketches hats,

! n z o

for The Color of Pomegranates, The Fortress of Suram, the unfilmed Ham/e/, illustrations of Biblical scenes, and homoerotic

drawings. The materials emp-

loyed include burlap, silk, felt, glass,

crockwise rrom reft:

sypsum,metal,paper,,J#Jl?j"X11ftEJH;Jl?H"?1j1",* canvas, wood, beads, opening i magazine clippings, mirrors, fur, shoe laces. f Heretooareobjects from Paradjanov'shoms-rnorethan ! a dozen of his scrapbooks, childhood memorabilia, a selfAIM, JANUARY 1993

Awoman who had ffaveled from Kiev arrived in Yerevan one week before the opening, with a bundle in her hand. It tumed out that, as an aspiring cinematographer, she had once carried on a correspondence with Parajdanov when he was in Ukrainian jails. She had come to donate his letters to the museum. portrait of John Updike which the writer dedicated to Paradjanov, more than 20 scripts,

embroidered fabrics, a letter from Federico Fellin i pasted on a piece of embroidery and framed with peacock feathers, Paradjanov's scarf and casquette, his bed and

childhood trunk. windowframes turned into art objects, old containers and broken dishes, threaded

Mikaelian, Sargsian and Abrahamian began looking for aperrnanent home in Yerevan for the Paradjnaov collection. (Paradjanov's father was something of an adventurist and an antiquarian and had

"Based on Paradjanov's instructions, we

of With

by Paradjanov and then drive back to Yerevan

amassed a large collection

art objects.)

Paradjanov's approval, theychosethestructure

in Gughatsor which had originally been

dried red peppers on

which hangs a doll, pomegranates resting on window sills, a collage of dried flowers, Christmas

Museum is an extraordinary achievement. The bedroom and the dining room replicate his ancestral home, and there are sections de-

voted to his prison drawings and doll collection. In its totality, though, the museum does not adhere to a strict chronological, thematic,

folk arts quarter. The

Instead, the Paradianov displays its more than 250objects as though they were parts ofa large, ongoing, and ever-changing collage where images reflect and echo each other in new guises and transfigurations. "We did not attempt to recreate his Tbilisi home, which, like his life,

988 earthquake and

general situation in Armenia delayed the the

completion

museum. "When

Hambartsum

drawer. and an abacus. The array is in-

to begin the implementation." In concept and execution, the Paradjanov

intended as the carpenter's workshop in a proposed I

decorations and postcards in a

would design each wall," says Abrahamian, a Yerevan State University social anthropologist. "Zaven would photograph it, make thefour-hourdrive to Tbilisi, have it approved

Galstian

or biographical sequence.

credible, the impact

became mayor of Yerevan,"

was highly eccentric and unusual," says Mikaelian. "We wanted to recreate the dra-

unfbrgettable. "The idea of the

expedited

Mikaelian, "he

matic, performative atmosphere of that continuum of Paradjanov's life, home, and art." The scope and depth of the Paradjanov Museum extend farbeyond Paradjanov's half dozen completed films which have so far de-

says

museum was bom

the completion, cleaned

one evening five

up the surrounding

Ttrilisi,"

area, and provided

years ago in

says

Karen Mikaelian, who directs the museum from a modest o 1yrr"

G i oco nla Metqry grphoses. Col lage. Paper, old churchframe.36x30cm.

ifr" iliii n"or"" "Zaven Sargsian, Levon Abrahamian

and I used to visit Paradjanov regularly. We had been friends with him and with each other for many years," he adds. A painter and art historian in his mid-40s, Mikaelian is a softspoken, unassuming man who moved to his present position from the Ministry of Culture. "During one such visit, Paradjanov expressed the wish to have an exhibition in Armenia of some of his works." The exhibition opened in January 1988 at the Museum of Folk Art and lasted forthree months. "Sometime after this exhibit, the ideaof such amuseum became real for him and for us," says Mikaelian. In December 1989 a second, larger exhibition was mounted. "Paradjanov used to say that he had three homelands," says Sargsian, an ethnographer who currently directs the Folk Arts Museum. "He wasbom in Georgia, lived in Ukraine, and wanted to die in Armenia. Toward the end of his life, he was convinced that Armenia should also be the custodian of his art collection." Sargsian adds that "in the course of two years, we made innu-

merable trips to

Tbilisi. We would go to

Paradjanov's home, pack my tiny old car with the materials, and retum to Yerevan."

Shortly after the first exhibition,

funds lorthe opening.

fined his reputation as an artist. But

He realized the importance of the museum for the city of

Paradjanov was primarily a visual artist and his contributions to film aesthetics are firmly grounded inthe notionthatfilm is avisual art. His own films are experiments in liberating cinema from literature and theater and trans-

Yerevan," he adds. Themuseum officiallyopenedon July 27, 1 990. "People came from all over, from as far

as westem Europe," says Mikaelian. A woman who had traveled from Kiev arrived in Yerevan one week before the opening, with a bundle in her hand. It tumed out that, as an aspiring cinematographer, she had once carried on a correspondence with Parajdanov whenhe was in Ukrainianjails. Shehadcome to donate his letters to the museum. "More than 600 guests were here that evening," adds Mikaelian. "Fellow workers in the Soviet and Armenian film industries, writers, musicians,

government officials, common folk Pnradjanov hadbefriended in Yerevan, Kiev, and Tbilisi. The most famous thief of Tbilisi was also here retuming items Paradjanov had exchanged with him!" Paradjanov did not live to see the opening, but he supervised the planning of the museum closely, flrst from his home in Tbilisi and later, when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, from hospital beds in Tbilisi and later Moscow. Living in the shadow of his impending death, Paradjanov must have thought of the

museum itself as a work of

art-his most

comprehensive-which would assemble under one roof the many facets of his life.

AIM, JANUARY

1993

forming it into atruly contemplative medium, such as sculpture or iconography. In this context, the museum must be viewed as a grand, generous recreation ofthat continuum and not merely as acomplementto Paradjanov'scin-

ematic output. Paradjanov's figurative imagination is literally tumed inside out, its components laid bare, and its various facets arranged in ways which are loyal to the very sources

ofhis art.

"The principle which underlies much of Paradjanov's art," says Abrahamian, "is the transformative mode of composition." This mode has deep roots in Paradjanov's personality and his notions of artistic production. In life as in art, Paradjanov was a great performer. Like an alchemist, he was always changing everything within his orbit-himself, mostof all-intonew andmore stylized creations. "He was constantly rearranging things and people," says Sargsian. "He was always involved in some sort of exchange." Many of the things which Paradjanov transformed into art revealed themselves to

him in the back alleys, pawnshops,

and

gravesites of Tbilisi. Others came from his ancestral home. Others still came from his

years in prison. The Soviet penal system, where he spent a total of eight years, proved

fertile ground for Paradjanov's improvisa-

these familial col-

Ukrainian jails, Paradjanov was a floor

lages, it is usually his father

who bears the brunt of

sweeper, and his broom brought him in contact with a vast array of discarded objectsbroken plates, twisted barbed wire, bent silverware. He would later transform the metal

Paradjanov's irreverence, while his mother's image

milk bottles into decorative coins which he engraved with his fingemails; the broken plates would appear in a number of works includingThe Walnut Marmalade of My G randmot he r andW hit e Tulrp ; the barbed wire would betwistedaroundhis father's head in My Father's Amusing and Unusual Life;

the bristles of a comb would be utilized in Gaelic Rooster. Bom of artistic necessity and conditions of confinement, this transformative mode gives much of Paradjanov's work a playful, irreverent quality which often borders on the subversive. ln the Gioconda M etamorphoses, for instance, the irreverence is directed atatimeless icon of Westem art. In one work in the series, her face is cut up, an intruding hand is reaching for the rose resting in the cleavage ofher dress; in another she is decorated with a glitzy crown, gluttonously feasting on a fish with a real fork and spoon. In several other works specifically inspired by his childhood, Paradjanov employs the same transformative mode to lay bare acomplex set of familial relationships. In My Mother in Fur Paradjanov pastes real furaroundhis mother's neck, while in the bottom right hand comer a o

plays the flute.

tional impulses. During his imprisonment in

caps of

z s

curious-looking figure

appears and

reappears throughout the museum in a

multitude of transfigura-

lions-timeless,

ever-

present, and beautiful.

Such

transfigurations

play themselves out from

work to work, room to room, visitor to visitor. A doll depicting Lily Brik, for instance, recalls an earlier

I n

photograph of the legendary actress in another room of the museum: a reference to

Tarkovsky

in one room

brings back an earlier assemblage,

IIe

N ight Bird

My Father's Amusing and Unusual Life.Collage. Wood, wheat grains, nuts, glass, gypsum, wire. 55x53x33 cm,

Tarkovslq. And at the center of this endless transformation is Paradjanov himself, spinning a flood of self-images, peering at the v isitor from a million nooks and crannies. He

is everywhere and everything-with

his mother and father, with his dismembered dolls and prisonerfriends, with Lily Brik and Queen Tamar, with the street folk that he loved so much, with his childhood trunk tumed into an elephant. With us all. "Things have not been easy for the museum in the past two years," says Mikaelian in his usually understated

angles.In timethe parts inevitably begin

tofall

apart." The pasttwo years have alsobrought much deserved exposure and recognition to the museum. Exhibitions of selected pieces were organized in some Europeancities. For I 993,

there are plans formuch largerexhibitions in Paris, London, and Tokyo. "AIl this is good," says Mikaelian calmly, "but transportation is the perennial obstacle. Armenia is not in a position to assume the transportation and in-

surance costs

these fragile, valuable

tone. "We are working with

pieces."

very few resources." De

"Everywhere we take the art objects, the reaction is the same," says Mikaelian. In all likelihood, visitors to the Cannes, Lodz and Kiev exhibits in I 991 responded in the same way as did the residents of Yerevan in January 1988 when the first Armenian exhibition took place. Abrahamian points out that the

spite the seemingly insurmountable difficulties, the =

pasted together and on top ofeach other at odd

museum has been involved

in repairing and restoring some of the works and in establishing contacts with intemational cultural organizations and institutions. "At the present time," he adds, "the progress of our work depends on the overall situation in Armenia."

And while Mikaelian can list half a dozen future projects he would like the museum to undertake. he is

very clear about priorities. "First and foremost we need glue and lots of it. The assemblages which TheWalnutMarmaladeof MyGrandmother. Collage.Textile, Paradjanov made involved crushed porcelain, drynuts,wood, metalspoon. 46i51xgcm. millions of pieces which he

exhibit coincided with the first national democratic demonstrations of February I 988. "The impact was remarkable."he says. "Tens of thousands of visitors transformed the exhibition into something akin to a shrine. They came in large numbers, not as observers but moreasparticipants in aritual. Manyof them later retumed for a second, third, fourth visit, with flowers which they placed at the foot of favorite art works."

So too with the Paradjanov Museum. Down Proshian Street, through the wooden door, past the courtyard and small garden, one retums to it again and again. not as a visitor but as a wanderer retuming home, yet another

time.

Living inthe shadow ofhis impendingdeath, Paradjanov musthavethoughtofthemuseum itself as a work of art-his most comprehsnsiys-which would assemble under one roof the many facets of his life. AIM, JANUARY I993

lnstant Recall Samuel Garibian is the thid Armenian mentioned last year in the Guinness Book of Records, in company with Igor Nersessian, who swam across Lake Sevan, and Robert Galustian, who pulled two railroad wagons by his teeth. Garibian's feat was not attained through sports or tricks, but was purely a mental skill: setting the world record by memorizing 1,000 words in a dozen languages dictated to him by a special commission for five hours. Garibian claims that he can remember as much as 5,000 words if necessary. He discoveredhis phenomenal ability eight years ago when physi-

ciansadvisedhimtoavoidreading afteraminoreyeoperation. Then a law student, Samuel decided to leam his lessons by heart . It was theArmenianearthquake whichbroughthistalenttothe fore, when hewas abletoinstantly recall thenames and addresses of thousands of victims--those wounded, survived, or lost and found-helping desperate relatives and of-

ficials cope with the disaster. Now his memory brings him more honor and money than would a career in law. Garibian gives seminars on his own method of memorization, based on the mnemonic devices of ibsurdum, alogical association and onomatopoeia. In other words, he tries to re-activate in his students the fresh perception state

ofchildhood.

RecentlyGaribiantookhismethodtolsrael,wherehetaughtHebrewto Sovietimmigrants. Israelis dubbed him the "Computerman." In September this year, Garibian rented the biggest concert hall in Yerevan for his seminars. The majority of the audience comes to study language; refugees from Azerbaijan want to Ieam Armenian, while Yerevanites try to study English. Garibian donates l0 percent of his income to the families of warriors killed in Karabakh.

-Tigran

Xmalian

An Aussie Scorc "Now there are certain things they can' t say about me; they can' t say'Brian Goorjian can'twin-thathe can't win the big one,"'exclaimed the winning coach for the Australian National Basketball I-eague (NBL) championship title. Armenian-American Goorjian has been a winning coach in his adopted country for several years, but has never secured top honors until last month's win with his team, the South East Melboume Magic. Dad-respected high school and college basketball coach who worked closely with the legendary Jerry Tarkanian- Edward Goorjian made basketball the family business. He obviously trained his three sons well: Brian's brother, Greg, was abasketball recordsetterwho went on toplay atthe University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Kevin, also an accomplished player, is now Brian's assistant coach in Australia.

Nicknamed "BG," Goorjian first made headlines as a high school athlete. He played for Pepperdine University in Califomia, helping the team qualify forthe "sweet 16" top teams and

eni& the prestigious National College Athletic Association toumament. His affair with Australian basketbilt began upon graduation in 1977, when he accepted an offer to play with the Melboume Tigers. His superlative record there (including an average of 20 points per game) helped catapuli the team into the NBL. He scored 525 points in 24 games with the Tigers, and remains the club's all-time best three-point shooter. The Glendale, California-bom Goorjian proved to be a lucky charm for Melboume's Homenetmen, the Armenian basketball team, whose members first spotted theircompatriot on television. Homenetmen subsequently solicited Goorjian to coach and play in a game against its chief rival, the unbeaten Sydney Homenetmen team. Scoring no less than 48 points himself,

Goorjian steered Homenetmen to a 63-55 victory. Retiring as play er atage32,Goorjian continued his basketball careerfirst as assistant coach in Geelonf, Victoria, and then as coach in Ballarat, winning the championship-both years he was there. By 1987, Goorjian was first choice for the position of headcoach for the NBL's EastsideSpectres,whichheaccepted. Hebroughttheteam, nowcalledthe SouthEastMelboume Magic, to the playoffs in 1990 and 1991. BeyondGoorjian's aggressive defense,hebelieves success alsodepends onhaving asense of humorand creating afun work environment. "My father taught me this. It creates arelationship between you and your players," he explains. "If something is wrong on a personal level it comes straightouththosesessions, thenyoudealwiththeissue, andit's over."The6'4"Goorjian is married and has a seven-year-old Markarian

daughtet.

-llfred

AIM,JANUARY

1993

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