Old Meets New - March/April 1997 by Armenian International Magazine

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Mnncu-Aprl

EDITOR'S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NOTEBOOK

12i

BYTES ON FILE

13i

FOCUS

z h a

ARMENIAN SURVEY

FOREGROUND COVERSTORY

16 18

OLDMEETS NEW ,\rmenia's telephones meet the telecommunications AS IF

1991

rA COVER STORY IU

age

*,r,

major investment repair Armenia's telephone problem'/

MATTERS

An interview with Human Rights activist Kathryn Porter

INTERNATIONAL 26

FOREGROUND

ECONOMY FOREGROUND

PLAYING WITH TIGERS

Armenians in Southeast Asia

RELIGION

ECONOMY 30 Catholicos Karekin I Visiting with 34

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME

A new Abbot General fbr the Mekhitarian Monastery of San Lzztro. Venice

Armenians of Southeast Asia

An interview with Armenia's Civil Aviation Chief

UNDEREXPOSED

OTHER PEOPLE'S MAIL

40i I

ARTS

;

CASTING SOULS

41i

NINE EXTRAORDINARY ARMENIANS

42i

A play about three generations of

Armenian-American

IJ.,I

zt! & z

family, living in the past and in the future. o

RELIGION

44i

STAYINC ABOVE WATER New Abbot General faces old challenges

46i

ESSAY

41 ''

ART Sculptor Alice Melikian's

Coven Destctr By

CmlMEdh

li6prn&nt Slailr: t55;

Mk dlâ&#x201A;Ź Esrt,

RAFFT TeRptruter.t

Ausrali., Arm6nia: $50. Postmastersi Send address changos to AlM.

tR F9REGR9UND

Retrospective I U

Box 3296. Manhanan Beach. CA 90266. U S A

Loying the first stone

flrmenion Picture Boo]ts For

loung Reoders

TEI.[ IUIE WHO YOUR FRIEND IS fletold bq storqtellet fllidz flgbobian lllNnhd

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in 3f full-colot pages flvailable in

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Dzil-u-dzor Publkotions

TDITtlB'S N(lTT

$r tulalty $lories $o liille lime Even under the best of circumstances, it would be hard to fincl the space in a monthly AIM to cover every subject deserving attention. Therefore, under today's difficult circumstances, referring to some subjects more than once seems a luxury.

Yet, there are some subjects that can't be dropped. Thus, the postscript section of our Notebook (page l2) was born. This month's look at the slow and sad progress of the Ara Parseghian Medical Foundation is a follow-up to our first coverage in AIM's People Section in December, 1995.

In a sense, this month's Economy feature on Armenians in Southeast Asia is also a second look at that community (see AIM, February 1993). contributing

FOURTH MILLENNIUM SOCIETY A Notjor-Prolit, Public Benetit Corporation

DIRECTORS

MICHAEL NAHABET VARTAN OSKANIAN RAFFI ZINZALIAN ASSOGIATE ?RUSTEES

KHACHIG BABAYAN FLORA & GEORGE DUNAIANS CALIFORNIA

RAZMIG HAKIMIAN

Editor Hratch rchilingirian rather exhaustive examination of the economic

CANADA

implications of the presence of Armenian businessmen in that booming region

LOUISE MANOOGIAN SIMONE

make many in and outside Armenia take a long hard look.

The SoutheastAsia article is just one part of AIM's effort to strengthen our international connections and coverage, despite today's limited staffing and resources. AIM Associate Trustee Jack Maxian made it possible for Hratch to travel to Bangkok and Hong Kong during Catholicos Karekin I's historic visit there.

when vartan oskanian, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia visits Sydney, Jakarta, Singapore and Bangkok in May, he will be the first Armenian official to visit those pacific region capitals. Through the efforts of AIM Founding Trustee varoojan Iskenderian, an AIM event wiil be planned in Sydney, to coincide with the Deputy Foreign Minister's visit there. I will be there to do some stories about that little known community down under. There's more. Dania ohanian, who has been AIM's Administrative Director since september 1996.just returned from Argentina where meetings with community members and leaders resulted in lots of useful information and new support. Especially noteworthy says Dania was the depth of the Armenian

community's strong roots in Argentina, coupled with their simultaneous devotion and attachment to Armenia and its needs. The work and contributions of Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Siranoush Arzoumanian

Medzadourian and the Arzoumanian Foundation are one such example which we'll feature in an upcoming issue.

NEW YORK

JACK MAXIAN HONG KONG

KOURKEN SARKISSIAN CANADA

FOUilDING TRUSTEES

GARENAVEDIKIAN CALIFORNIA

VAROOJAN ISKENDERIAN AUSTRALIA

MARDO KAPRIELIAN CALIFORNIA

HAGOP KOUSHAKJIAN FLORIDA

ZAROUHI MARDIKIAN PENNSYLVANIA

EDWARD MISSERLIAN CALIFORNIA

BOB MOVEL CALIFORNIA

VAROUJAN NAHABET CALIFORNIA

NORAIR OSKANIAN CALIFORNIA

EMMY PAPAZIAN CALIFORNIA

So many slories. so Iittle time.

ZAREH SARKISSIAN CALIFORNIA

4W+.

RAFFI ZINZALIAN CALIFORNIA

207 SOUTH BRAND BLVD.

SUITE 203

GLENDALE, CA 9I2M, USA Telephone: (818) 246 7979 Fax: (818) 245 0088 6 / AIM MARCH.APRII- I997

TETTTBS

/NNI

207 SOUTH ERAND BI,VD. SUITE 203 GI,ENDALS, CA 9T204, USA

Telephone:

Frx:

t1t .

tlt.245

you glossed over gross violation by the

246 7919

establishments. Nevertheless,

00Et

Incidentally, I am the son of survivors and an activist for the Armenian cause. I am not a card-carrying member of the ARF. My obvious sympathies for that party stem from my sincere belief that in our reality today, the ARF seems

Editor - Publishe; SALPI HAROI,.ilNIAN GHAZARIAN

Yerevan Bureau

Cmrdinator

GoHAR SAHAKIAN

Art Dircctor Rem Tntprxtel Production and Photo Manager PARIK NAZARIAN

Design and Pmduction

RrA

the

examples are quite a few.

SARKrssrAN, VAHAN STEPANIAN

to be the only organization serious about pursuing the Armenian cause.

Editorial Asistents RAIMOND DER AVANESSIAN, NORA NALBANDIAN

Translstors ARSINE ARAKELIANS, HARRY DICKRANIAN ARAM OHANIAN. ARIS SEVAC

VenrxRs S. Dor.ennex,

Dolr-eno

Administrative Dirrctor

DES ORMEAUX, QUEBEc

DANIA OHANIAN

Subscriptions Menager

I receive several magazines in different languages, and AIM gets the highest mark from me. It is excellent. I am in close contact with the Armenian

SEIA KHoDANTAN

Subscriptiom Reprcsentative DoNAr-D Fr-UMERFHir

Advertislng ZARREH MARTIN, RAFFI

OHANIAN, MEI,INE

o-,Illn*: Byl:A:vERnsIc, Y:*:r1I

Att

club in Cambridge, Ontario where AIM

IIII A DAY'S WORK

Contributing Editors SYLVA DAKESSIAN, ToNY HAI,PIN, SARKIS SHMAvoNTAN, RoNALn GRIGoR SUNY JIVAN TABIBIAN, HRATCH TCHII"INGIRIAN,

TALINE VosxERrrcHIAN

Contributons EMN, ARAIK GALSnAN, HRAIR ZoRIAN, YEREVAN; SUSAN PATTE, [oNDoN; JANET SAMUEI,IAN, HRAG VARJABEDIAN, [,os ANGEI.FS; MARK AmASHES

have unconditional faith that

AIM will continue to enlighten its subscribers for years to come. Keep up the excellent work. It is well appreciated. Rosn Pourzen

MALKASTAN, RHoDE ISLAND; GEoRcE Bor,'RNormAN,

Slr-lNls, Cer.rRontte

L,LA KoUNDAKJIAN, NEw YoRKi MooRAD MooRADTAN, WAsr[NcroN, DC

Photogmphen MKHTTAR KHACHATRIAN, ZA\GN KHACHIKIAN, RoUBEN MANGASARIAN. YEREVAN: ALINE MANoUKIAN, ARMII.IEH JoHANNES, PARIS; EDMOND TERAKOPIAN, INNDON; KARINE ARMEN,

KEVoRK DJANSEZIAN, RAFn EKMEKN, ERIC NMARIAN, [,s ANGELFJi GARo LACHIMAN, MARYLANDI ARDEM ASLAMAN, NEw JERSEY: HARRY KOLNDAKJIAN, NEw YoR[i AIA ZollAN: RHoDFj PERG! J::LAND Edllor Emerltus CEARI-Es NAzARIAN

Editorial CoNultrnt MINAs KoJAtAN FoIJNDFD N 1990 FOUMNG VAMAN

EDMR

PUBLISHED

THE

PBLf,SMN

OSKNAN'OUNDNG MICHAEL NAHABM As A PUBLIC SERVICE BY

Foum

MTLLENNTUM

Since I am asking you not to renew

I think I owe you a candid explanation. I started as an enthusiastic reader of AIM, and while rumors were circulating about its lack of financial viability I gave my vote of my subscription,

confidence by ordering two gift-subscriptions of three years each in addition to my own subscription. This, coming from a pensioner on a fixed income, was a strong endorsement for what I

believed

SmE[

to be a first

is widely read by those who speak English. The majority are new-comers and speak only Armenian. My ancestors fled Armenia because of Turkish persecution and settled in Romania and Poland in the l5th and 16th centuries. The Armenians did very well,

and gained great esteem and respect in both of these countries. Economically, we always managed to stand out. Howevel we lost the language, but not the traditions. Under political pressure, Armenians Poland became

Catholics. Luckily

1939. Now, we are again refugees, but we remain Armenian.

class,

Razmig Hakimian,6695 Henri Bourassa West, Montreal, PQ, H4R 2El, Phone 514 339 2517 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Sebouh Amenagim, PO. Box 3000, Sharjah, UAE, Phone 971 6 331 361; Gulizar Jonian, PO. Box t14564, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Phone 971 2 775 721.

97 1

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WRITETOAIMI We welcome all communication. Although wc read all lctters and submissions, we are unable to ackno*ledge everything we recciwe due to limited stafEng and resource. Writc to us! We can be reached u AIMACAZINE@AOt,.COM or the traditional way at AIM PO. Box 10793 GIendale, California 9 1209 -3793, or bv fax,818.246.0088, or phone, 818-246.7979. If,fters to the Fiitor may be edited for publication,

However, when authorities in Armenia started their unwarranted,

over-reacting, undemocratic and unlawful crackdown on a major political party, your pro-establishment bias started to show. In a country with a long tradition of democracy, it is the duty of the non-partisan press to be even-handed between existing political tendencies. However when the authorities start emasculating the opposition, it is the duty of the non-partisan press to act as the quasi-opposition, especially when it is headquartered outside the reach of the oppressive authorities. Unfortunately, AIM took the opposite track. Space does not allow me to give you specific examples of when

Armenian

troyed by the Bolshevik invasion in

Lnxe Knzvszronowtcz UNtvpnsrrv or Wnrrnl@, Or{'r,cnto

non-partisan publication. INTERNATIONAI, SUBSCRIPTION AND ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES ARCENTINA: Colegio Mekhituista, Virey del Pino 35ll (1426) Buenos Aires,541 552 3690 CANADA:

our

Catholic bishops were outstanding men and played a great role. All that got dis-

Thank you again for not depriving AIM. It is my greatest pleasure.

me of

Mrnv NrsslureN Nrcosrn, Cvpnus

What a beautiful job you do! I have the very first AIM and will bind them all. I consider some of your covers masterpieces, but ask you to not paste the address labels so they destroy the cover.

Glory, gladness, sadness and oneness are the four feelings I feel when I receive my magazine. ALrcE MooRADr

BRr.r.rvn.ls, ILr.rNors

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Coue Sx.ene YouR VtstoN, Henn RepoRrs oru Anuerunru woMEN

pourcs,

BUSTNESS AND THE

enrs.

PaRIctPATE lN woRKSHoPS

FOCUSING ON HEALTH ISSUES, HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS AND THE

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or ARverunN woMEN

FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.

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Mtltsren or Soctal WeuraRe, REPUBLIc or Anrvleruta

PnovocantvE pANEL DlscussloNs, INcLUDING o CoruTevpoRAFtY tssuEs FACING ARvelttaru woMEN . Success tN BUSTNESS: THE lMPAcr oN FAMILY CULTURE AND SOCIETY

o ErHrutc tDENTtry AND vALUES lN THE DIASPoBA . GerrurNG powER AND INFLUENcE lN GovERNMENT AND THE ECONOMY

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AIM MARCH-APnrI 1997 / I I

HlITTBOO

In December, 1995, AIM wrote abou-t:v. Notre DameFootball CoachAraParreghian"li',n i game plan: to help find a cure for Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, a rare, incurable childhood disease of which there are only several hundred known cases---.three of them Parseghian's grand'children. The oldest of the three, Michael (left) died last month. Nevertheless, the south Bcnd, Indiafl- od Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation has

not slowed down. Leading the

nation-wide

volunteer campaign are Parseghian's daughter-inlaw Ciady, and son Miohael, a phyqician. The foundation:s firndtaisi+â&#x201A;Ź activities target $2 million a ]ear, until'rhe curd is found fsr this

neurodegenerative

disorder which

causes

progressive deterioriation of t}te nervous system, The research is being conducted undir the

$illIillICIe 1.m.@MillEi@ch t de-mhfr'ltcd I @chEmk

@Ihfr@bb.6 q.dturffiDhlniry@b.t.6tub

N.{ME The Armenian Genocide Home Page

WHERE YOU'LL FIND IT http://wwwscf.usc.edu/-khachato/genocide.html

WHAT IS IT? Provides comprehensive informafion about the Armenian Genocide with excellent layout and "very gaphic" photos. A vast amount of material is presented under four main sections. Definitions, his-

torical facts and information are supported by statistics, charts, media clippings and photos. The last sectim deals with "recognition" and "denial". It provides answers to frequently asked questions.

U}StDE Provides what you always wanted to know about the Armenian Genocide.

DOWNSIDE Red color overused, links slowly.

TYPICAL QUOTE "Those who forget the past will be destined to repeat it." BY H, TCHI,INGBIAN

12 IAlMMancr-Apnr t997

For 20 years, he was the indisputable leader of what many consider the Diaspora's most powerful institutioa.-lhe.&rrnenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnakrsutr Hrair Marukhian, bortr in Iran in 1933; was the ARF Bureau's chairman and the p4_4y leader who saw the palry come out of its hesitant Middle Eastem period to run a sio4! campaign of political violence against Turkish govemment targets around ttre woii{ He was also the ideologue who defended the. ARF's socialist perspectives fd ffi chagrin of many party members and lqyelists. He is oedited (urd altematively blamed) for the evolution of the party's stance.regarding the government of tho indepenaent Armenian Republic. ln 1994, while swimming in the Mediterranean waters offAthens, Greece, where his family had lived off and on since the beginning of the Lebanese civil war, Maroukhian suffered what has been described as a stroke. He fell into a coma which cortinues until today. He is under his wife's care, kept alive by. tub"i,and fhlids, say those who have recently seen him. The ARF press almost never mentions the former chief's name, not even in the context of an update on his health, or on his legacy.

Ths St. Stepanos chapel-monument at &tilias, Lebanon, bearing the bones of ge,nocide survivors,0eft), iS, by all accormts, the first genocide memorial moflumeflt to

have been constructed-in 1938.

Yerevan's

Tsitsernakaberd came much later, in 1965 and ttle Morrefeno Uartyrs Monument in Califorrda in 1ffi8. The newest memorial to the one and one half million viit'rms ofthe Tl*ish Genocide of Armeirians, in.lg was erected this year, in New Jersey (right).

Arctbishop Mesrob Ashjian, the Prel*lsi.of rhe Armenian Apostolic Church of America, presided over the cercmony dedicating the lZ-foot monurmont of and brrass, on the grounds of the Sts. Vartananz Arnrenian

ffile

The monumeut was financed by a Genocide suwivotr, Garabed Kinosian. dn exhibit &qtt6ing,,all s.rfiie,$ qna$i

ffiffi

guidailee of Peter Penchev, Section Ctuef of

Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology at Neurological Diseases at the Natiolal Instinres of ffuaEL

the National Institutes of inWastrington, DC.

The Parseghian Foundation is looking necessaly funding to support gsaeticist$ who are working to isolate the

fpr the

ilofeqflve gene, which occurs in six percent of the population. -;-' Undl then, "we are savoring our time io-,pther now more than ever," says Cindy lP,+rmghian. era, the oldest child and the only wB mot *fficted with NP-C, "has leamed a us amount from his siblings and t#es:Seat care of thern," his mother noted'

Amount of money in US dollars brought into Armenia by Diasporan Armenians in 1995, according to Chairman of Armenia's Central Bank:

250,000,000 Number of newspapers and magazines registered in ermenia: Number which are published regutarty:

Ranking of 02

-a

120

weekly newspaper about crimes and law enforcement,

published by the Interior

Ministry-in number of copies distributed: 1

Age of Yerevan's Central.Public Library: Number of books the Library began

with:

8000

Number of books in the library's collection today: Number of librarY branches:

5001000

Ranking of circulatory diseases among causes of death in Armenia: Ranking of respiratory diseases among causes of death:

Number of countries where the Sees of Ejmiatsin and Cilicia both claim

jurisdiction:

Ur*r,Greece, US, Canada, Syria, Uruguay, Venezuela)

Volume of water, in cubic meters, pumped into Lake Sevan over the last one and a half decades:

then Ambussador to

ryened

furnenia, Gilmore,

3,000,000,000

The drop, in meters, prevented by this addition:

2.5

Harry

the

Yersvag House of

Architscts. An

Number of those in official delegation accompanying Iranian President Rafsanjani to Turkey in late DecemU"t,

250*

Atnsdan jury nar-

rc$,ed tl-lF tield to

*ir

finallstrc, and

ff,

New

Number in official delegation accompanying Iranian Vice-President Hassan

Habibi to Armenia in late DecemUe.'

110*

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K$ofkiail,which

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Armenia and Karabag,h Handbook, Aravot, Azg, Manchester Guardian

oat'-veeinl3evan cast inYerevan.

AIM MARcH-APRuI997

ll3

T[e ilew Cltiel Fifteen days after Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian resigned from his post, President Levon Ter Petrossian did what he does best. Make a chess

move that is at once unexpected, incredible and

complex.

On March 20,Ter Petrossian appointed the elected president of Karabakh, Robert Kocharian, as Armenia's prime minister. Kocharian, 41, was bom in Stepanakert. After graduation from local schools, he served in the Soviet Army. In 1982, he graduated from yerevan Polytechnic Institute's Department of Electrical Engineering. He worked at the Stepanakert Electrical Company, as well as the Silk Factory, which became one of the focal points of the newly-developing Karabakh movement. From 1988 on, he was at the forefront of the movement and elected to

the Presidium of Armenia's

Supreme Soviet.

He was twice

elected President of Karabakh, first by Karabakh's parliament in 1994, then, in November 1996, by the general population. Reactions to Kocharian's appointment were varied. The Americans were

guardedly cautious: "We hope this doesn't mean that [Armenia intends to

annex Karabakh.]" The Russians were even more

taciturn, saying this was strictly an intemal Armenian matter. Azerbaijan, rather belligerent at the beginning, calmed down after it became clear that Kocharian would resign from his position as president of Karabakh. What does the appointment really mean? Not surprisingly, there were as many opinions as there are Armenians. Ter Petrossian's own explanation was clear. After the divisions which became so pronounced within Armenian society following the September elections, it was necessary to name someone respected by all factions and able to work with everyone. But there are plenty of other questions still outstanding. Would Kocharian, an outsider, be able to work within what has already become a fairly entrenched buddy system? Would Kocharian,s reputation as

a straight-shooter make him more or less pliable among the well-developed and corrupt institutions which must be cleaned up? Does the choice of Kocharian say something about the general lack of leaders in Armenia? By his selection, does Ter Petrossian want to pave the way for a possible Kocharian candidacy for Armenia's presidency in 2001?

How will Kocharian make the transition from a tight, central govemment to a sometimes loosely-connected series of ministries, with a myriad personalities and workstyles? Is he a team player? How will he construct his team? Where and how will he seek input on the complex economic issues which are to be the staple of Kocharian's work? Will Ter Petrossian's generous appointment and Kocharian's firm accep_ tance set aside the sometimes artificially created rumors about an opposition of views between the two leaders? Intemationally, those who had refused to

give him the time of day would now be forced to sit

and

negotiate with him, said some. others insisted that the reverse could also be true. Representatives of international organizations and agencies could easily say they want to deal with someone else, thus undermining his authority. was this risk intentionally taken then, as some sort of litmus-test, to see the extent of rejection that might await a more sensational rapprochement between Armenia and Karabakh? Would this destroy the painstaking efforts to provide Karabakh with its own identity and structures,

separate

and distinct from Armenia? Or would this

simply

strengthen Karabakh's hand, and make it an even more imposing factor in Armenia's development. On the other hand, was this simply a restatement of the obvious-that economically and politically, Armenia and Karabakh have been inextricably linked since the beginning? Indeed, was this the cleanest way to join the two, in finding an acceptable resolution? Could there be a more fundamental way of assuring that whatever solution is found is acceptable to both Armenia and Karabakh, and that the immediacy of Karabakh's critical situation won't somehow come to hold Armenia's-and Karabakh,s-future hostage?

Most importantly, just as many others who become quickly frustrated at the pace and style of work in Armenia, will Kocharian last? gv Selpt HanoulNnu GH.c.zrxrnN 14

I AIM Mencu-Apnrr

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ARMTNIAN SURVTY Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos visited Armenia in early April and met with President Levon Ter

Petrossian, Prime Minister Robert

and continued after the appointrnent of Igor Rodionov, but without his knowledge, and without the authorization of President Boris Yeltsin. Armenia did not pay for the weaponry. The reason and the timing of the leaked reports continue to be a soruce of speculation. They coincided

with the resumption of the Minsk Group talks in Moscow. Azerbaijan repeatedly accused Armenia of preparing for a resumption of military activities. Russian legislators who did not want to ratifu the Armenian-Russian military base ageement used the weapons transaction to call

for a

redefinition

Transcaucasian policy.

Russia's

At the same time,

to curtail the amount of aid Armenia receives from the US, pointed to this weapons ransacAmerican legislators who want

tion as evidence of the need to further support Azerbaijan.

Kocharian, National Assembly President Babken Ararktsian and Catholicos Karekin I. Pangalos and Foreign Minister

The March trip to these four Middle

consular matters. Pangalos stressed that

larly successful. The Armenian embassy in Cairo was ofhcially opened during the Minister's visit, and in the presence of various dignitaries, including Egypt's Minister of Economy Nawal El-Tatawy (center, with Arzoumanian, right, and

the

Armenian market, as are telecormunica-

tions and technological firms, some of whose representatives had accompanied him to Armenia. Accompanied by First Deputy Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,

Pangalos (center, above visited the Martyrs Memorial Monument to pay his respects to the memory of Armenia's Genocide victims. Pangalos received an honorary doctorate from Armenia's Academy of Sciences.

In February, reports surfaced in Russia

that Russian weaponry was being illegally supplied to conflict zones, including Chechnya, Abkhazia and Karabakh. When the Russian Defense Minister confimred these reports, the Armenian Foreign Ministry denied them, and the Azeris protested. Since then, spe-

cific numbers and types of

equipment have been sufficiently cited to verify the reality of such reports, although the reasons behind them remain unclear. The shipments ostensibly began during former Defense Minister Pavel Grachev's tenue

1997

Damascus, Beirut, Amman and Cairo

Alexander Arzoumanian signed agreements to cooperate in postal delivery and

Greek banks are interested

I6 / AIM MARCH-APRIL

Five years after Armenia established diplomatic relations with Egypt, Syria and Lebanon, Foreign Minister Alexander Arzoumanian traveled to

Eastem countries was considered particu-

Armenia's Ambassador to Eglpt Edward Nalbandian, left). In Cairo, Arzoumanian also addressed the Arab Lrague, a fust for a representative of a non-member country. During his own comments, the lrague's General Secretary was quick to point out that the Karabakh conflict was not religious in nature. In Syria, there

ffi-WY,#.l

i{1ffil6$.(*W;/1/#trJrl$11(}W*,

,:.

were discussions ak)ut the opening of a

Syrian embassy

Yerevan,

and

involvement Armenia's in the construction of an underground metro in Damascus. The lrbanese and

*ffiS.Wii

i|i$ffiilllXW{1,\lllffi

govemment. Attendance numbered different sources. The alliance promised

embassies in Yerevan. In all four capitals,

the two sides explored possibilities of

continuing efforts to reach out to members of the opposition, top govemment

z 9.1

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bilateral trade and investrnent, as well as cooperation in the fields ofeducation, science, culture and education.

When Kyrgrzstan's Prcsident Askar Akaev visited the Martyrs Memorial Monument in Yerevan on APril 21, he became the first head of a Turkic state to

3 a U

Robert Kocharian met with members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutiun Bureau, at President lrvon Ter Petrossian's initiative. While

of the Bureau publicly

acknowledged this as an important first step, and called a meeting with the

officials, including Prime Minister

members

Yerevan,

With the arrival of Alexander Bochko

between 2,000 and 10,000 according to to step up the pace ofthese public rallies beginning in May. At the same time, in

too, discussed

of the schools are in

others are in outlying regions.

their discontent with the Ter Petrossian

opening

Jordanians,

Some

The opposition "National Alliance" held a few demonstrations, voicing

President, "still pre-mature", members of the ARF Armenia organization dismissed the meetings as insignificant.

Armenia's Ministry of Education is experimenting with the creation of

local school boards. CompletelY unheard of in the centralized Soviet period, these boards will function in less than 10 schools. for starters.

I &

as Armenia's new ambassador fiom Ukraine, two CIS countries are now

reprtsented in Armenia's diplomatic corps. Bochko (above) who had studied in Armenia, speaks Armenian and is the 12th resident ambassador. Britain's new ambassador to Armenia, John Mitchener, presented his credentials to President Levon Ter Petrossian in APril. Ter

Petrossian expressed hoPe

that

Mitchener would continue to help further develop Armenian-British relations.

do so. Along with other official visits in the region, Akaev met with President Ter Petrossian and signed bilateral agreements. He also visited the Matenadaran and Armenia's gold factory. The presidents announced that the two countries would launch a joint venture to produce gold jewelry..

A Thrkish Court of Appeals let stand

a lower court ruling which relieved the Thrkish publisher of sociologist

o &

Vahakn Dadrian's study of the Armenian Genocide of criminal liability. The court found that the subject of the book was something "known to both Armenians and Turks and did not represent anything new." The ruling implied that the book's fault may be in its one-sidedness, but that that in itself was not sufficient to find the publisher

guilty of "inciting racial or religious hatred." The Appeals Court declared "there aren't even enough Armenians in this country" to cause such incitement. The book's publisher hailed the ruling as a further step toward developing Armenian-Turkish mutual understanding.

IN E

z E

The first four stones of the foundation of Yerevan's new SL Grtgory the Illuminator Church were placd during a oeremony attended by Catholicos Karekin I and other religious and civil leaden, including Armenia's President. The four stones, representing each of the four gospelists, will be followed by stones symbolizing the rest of the 12 apostles. The cathedral, located in the center ofYerevan, on land acquired by Catholicos Vazgen

I, will seat 1700, and will be ready by the l700th anniversary of Armenia's acceptance of Christianity as a state religion. Alex Manoogian had pledged his financial support towards the consfiuction ofsuch a cathedral, and his family has agreed to support the consfiuction. The Catholicos called on Armenians everywhere to consider the building of this only large church in Armenia a part of their individual responsibility. AIM MARcH-APpt- 1997 I 17

CIIVTR STIIBY

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In an envirownent where business transactions are almost exclusively conducted with

ahram Soghomonian is grinning. Normally tacitum and cautious, the executive director of Armentel smiles as he describes Armentel's emergence as a regional telecommunications power. "We are a solid company. When Siemens sold us digital equipment for the new telephone system, they extended a US $75 million line of credit for the purchase without government guarantees. We are the only company in

|| I Jr

Armenia to have received that much credit without govemment backing. And we will be the fint in the Caucasus to completely digitalize the narional telephone system." It takes a short look around Armenia to understand Soghomonian's pride. The telephone system he is talking about is inconsistent at best, and totally unreliable according to most users. Armentel is close,

Soghomonian says,

to completing

an Yerevan telephone system

upgrade ofthe to state ofthe art technology, including a fiber optic backbone that will make

/AIM Manc}r-Apnll"

1997

Armenia

the

la|

percent up-front payment, and in cash.

communications link

benreen the Middle East, Russia and East Europ. It is introducing cellular phones, automatic paging, digital public phones, phone cards, cable TV, and is poised to be

in an agreement that is to be valued at more than

privatized rumored

US $ 300 million. As it tackles both the renovation

the current archaic telephone system and prepares itself for privatization and addi-

tional invesfrnent, Armentel is becoming one of the most important examples of

the govemment's commitment to

market economy.

The 51 percent

of the

company

owned by the Communications Ministry is being sold in a tender process brokered

by t ondon's Wasserstein, Penella

Co.

(This is the same company which supervised the successful sale of TelMex.) The other 49 percent of the company will be retained by TransWorld Telecom registered in the Channel Islands. Initial interest in the sale is surpris-

ing for a county as small as Armenia. "The latest tally is 20 companies," says Robert Green, an Intemational Financial Consultant working with Armentel on the privatization program. "And we haven't

even published our final prospectus." Soghomonian says, "These are wellknown intemational firms able to raise

of millions of dollan in capital." Minister of Communications, Grigor

hundreds

Boghbatian says, "I want the buyer to be a

Iarge telecommunications operator like Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Greek Telecom or AT&T, so that westem management standards develop in Armenia."

Just how big

will

continue to

is this purchase?

"Deutsche Telekom was going to pay $525 million for non-controlling interest in Kazakhstan's telephone system, which is about the same size asArmenia's,"Amo Vigen, vice-president for TransWorld Telecom, says. "And it doesn't have any of the advantages that Armentel has." Vigen would not confirm any figures but

Wi"..$!4-s.@i"<-.;ill;r(.:(.4

r]W*i says the market

will drive the hnal price.

O(her sources say TransWorld Telecom expects up to $300 million, but if less than $100 million is tendered, they will attempt to buy the controlling two percent of the company.

The key to attracting companies the size of AI&T or Deutsche Telekom into any regional phone provider are the settlement ratios. Under agreements with the Intemational Telecommunications Union, whenever someone calls Armenia. their provider (AT&T, MCI, Sprint) makes a settlement payment to Armentel. The more calls that are made from outside, the

more revenue Armentel receives. This ratio of payments is one of the most appealing parts of this privatization offer. "Armenia is one of the countries with the biggest Diaspora," Mgen adds. "The

number of minutes of calls going into Georgia was maybe half a million in 1993. The number of calls from the US to Armenia was about eight million. This has provided a very secure and very large revenue stream that is dollar based and not supported by the local economy." Mgen estimates that trafhc has grown 80 percent since 1994, making the revenue stream more lucrative for a privatized Armentel.

Also appealing for

story apartment with two staircases-cach sewing 50 people. Cable TV is a one-way system; we run one wire up into the build-

ings and connect them." And is there a market for Cable TV in Armenia? Both Green and Vigen cite their own market studies showing that 35 percent of the population is prepared to subscribe if the monthly fee is between $10 and $15.

Yerevan is not the first city in Armenia to be digitalized. The French f,rm Alcatel has installed a digital switch-

ing station in the northern citY of Stepanavan, and Greek Telecom has begun work on fiber optic cable connections between Yerevan and kan. Another

planned linking Yerevan with the Georgian border. There are obstacles to this process, not the least of which is ensuring that the process begun by Armentel to fully renovate Armenia's telephone system contin-

ues after

it is privatized. According

iilrexl>)})ii

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Soghomonian, there will be clauses in the

privatization agreement limiting rights to establish tariffs and requiring the new company to complete the upgrade of phone systems throughout the country. In exchange, the govemment is offering the new company a 15-year exclusive license for providing telephone service in Armenia.

But why a monoPolY arrangement? After all, the monolithic monopolies of the Soviet Union are responsible for the current archaic system, and there are doubts

will

guarantee cheapeq more reliable service. Vigen and

that another monopoly

Soghomonian prefer to call it an "exclu' sive agreement for 15 years." "Not all ofcapitalism has been based on competition. [n the telecommunica-

tions area, you are only now seeing

break-up of monopolies in well-developed

countries. There, the monopoly first created the infrastructure and the ability for the country to introduce competition.

corporations

purchasing Armentel is the counffy's brain power. "We have never seen an economic base that is as dynamic as the one here," says Green. "There is a basic infrastructure. In years past, the Yerevan Physics lnstitute was the brain trust for the Soviet Union. Much of the interested

nuclear work was done right

here.

Armentel has a few key employees from that institute. And we have found that the level of expertise in computerization at Armentel is equivalent to the best computer programming and knowledge we have seen in the entire world."

"The Soviets built a substantial infrastructure," Vigen adds. "Yerevan is a city of over a million; it has its own subway system. They also have undergtound cable ducts to every portion ofthe city. There are about 6000 people per square meter in Yerevan. New York has 5000 per square meter." The population density and underground ducts make installation of the new cables easier and allows a second income stream which Armentel will introduce by the end

ry k/

of 1997---<able TV."

Gable W, Too "Yerevan is the largest city in the world without cable TY" Vigen explains. "The average building out here is a 12-

Armenia's Minister of Communications, Grigor Boghbatian

AIM MACH-APRI- 1997 I 19

In the US, AI&T was a monopoly for many, many years," says Soghomonian. Vigen cited an opposite trend. "Now

British Telecom and MCI are merging. Mercury and Cable and Wireless are basically one company." With licensing for cellular service, cable TV and telephone, Armentel believes it can project enough profit to attract an intemational comparly.

"We're not afraid of competition," Vigen adds. "But I know that two different entities cannot build a 42 kilometer (fiber optic) ring in the same place and make them both profitable. There is only room for one ofthose rings." The first six exchanges to enjoy digital service will begin operating sometime

between now and November. The date varies depending on the source. When it does happen, the switchover will result in nothing short of a miracle for anyone who has suffered ttrough the cur-

rent system. "When we started here, the call completion ratio was something like eight to 11 percent," adds Vigen. "That means that the majority of calls weren't even getting through." This explanation is entirely unnecessary for anyone who has

z d .<

V & F

z Vahram Soghomonian, director of Armentel, above, and the post building, right, in which Armentel's offices are housed. leave the workers who spent years working with old systems? Will they become new unemployment statistics? "The required clauses in the priva-

tization agreement will include opportunities for our workers to be trained in the

new technology," Soghomonian says. And for those who cannot be trained,

lived the frustration of trying to make calls inArmenia, only to give up and walkoveq instead. Vigen says the call completion rate after the new system is operating will be the same as in the US-99.9 percent. By building out the fiber cable to 41

there will probably be a stipulation that the new owners will have to pay out fwo years of a worker's salary (about $3040 a month) to lay them off."

192 towns, Armentel will

The monthly charge for the new ser-

cities and

increase service

from

650,000 to

mil-

ment made by Siemens Corporation of

vice will be 1000 Dram (about $2.20) a month. After 120 minutes of use per month, customen will pay eight Dram

phones or form cooperatives to obtain ser-

per minute. Pensioners will receive a 50 percent discount in tariffs andbusinesses will compensate for that reduction by paying 21000 Dram amonth and 20 Dram per additional minute. Armentel estimates an average customer's bill will be equivalent to $5 a month. The price may not sound too high, but on top of raises in electric rates and other services, the average customer in

vice.

Armenia, still just leaming to pay for

All this for

the cityfolk. And the counnyfolk? Vigen explains, "The goverffnent has not required us to install rural telephones. That is more expensive to do." Vigen reasons that rural users will be

within four

to five

kilometers of

Armentel's service, and can

use

radio

Where does this new technology

1997

day,"

"Who in Armenia speaks so little? It takes

four minutes just to say hello." Davtian said she would have to tum offher phone, since she still cannot afford to tum on her

lights.

Armentel disputes Davtian's "If you look at the published

concerns.

gross domestic product for Armeni4" "It's $675 million. Then, there

is the shadow economy. The Minister of Economy has made some projections, and I'm working now with the head of the economic research department the American University of Armenia on their projections of what the size of the shadow economy is here. We believe that it's about five times the published figures. It's up in the three to four billion dollar range. This still makesArmenia a small economy, but as you begin to compare that to the number of people, there is much morc disposable income than most people think.

what used to be free services, may find

Gellularc and Pagers "That's why we think we'll have a dynamic market in cellular telephones." Armentel's new cellular phone system is due to begin operating by the end ot 1997.' Fifty percent of the system has

been installed

in l1

sites,"

says

Soghomonian. When it is completed we will serve all of Yerevan, the Zvarfirots airport and Ejmiatsin." The system uses Siemens cellular phones, which will cost $300 to $3000 for phone and installation

of service,

20 lA]i|yl Mmcn-Apnn-

investing $20

million---rses EWSD switching equipGermany. It will not include ISDN connections which permit fax, computer and multiple telephones on one line. "The capacity is there," Vigen says, "But there arenl enough fax machines and computers in Armenia to justifu ttrat right now." The cost of installing ISDNas high as $525 per customer-is prohibitive for most residents. Vgen expects ISDN to be introduced within five yean.

"That's four minutes

exclaimed Yerevan resident Ira Davtian when told of the new price structure.

Green says,

lion users. The new system-for which TransWorld Telecom

hard to pay for the telephone, too.

er at the United Nations

popular in Europe by customers frustrated with their monopoly telephone companies. The Callback system is simple to use. By dialing a service number in the US and hanging up after the first ring, the caller accesses a computer which immediately dials back and provides the caller with a US dial tone. Callback services have forced the major operators to reduce charges simply to maintain customer base. A staunch believer in the market system, Vigen looks forward to the competition and its impact on prices. "Once your

ject to build an independent Global

digital phone gets tumed on locally, Callback is going to create the market

Development Progam, says. "You have to call many times and tell them your life history to get someone to listen to you, and even then you have to find a relative in the company to get a repairman." Nazarian says the system, designed for calls to the US, is difficult to use when calling elsewhere. "Some calls are impossible. Every time we send a fax to Geneva, if it is more than thee pages, the phone line shuts down. From Dubai, no one can reach us." Nazarian is heading a [N pro-

lnformation Structure in Armenia, including a data transmission channel to the outside world. The network may become-

along with satellite connections at embassies-the only independent communications network in the country.

By any measure, calling out of

Armenia is expensive. Even if one accepts the argument that a monopoly might be good for the development of

z E U

infrastructure,

isn't

also true

that

reduced prices increase volume, and there-

z r z

"A tnrck driver will be able to drive all over Armenia and still remain in full telephone contact. This is part ofour effort

to improve intemational

transportation,"

adds Vigen.

Perhaps the impending success of cellular can be judged by the popularity of the new paging service whichjust began in January. Using Motorola pagers and technology, the system offers numeric or alphanumeric paging services. The cost of a pager and setup is $100. Monthly fees are $10 (numeric) or $15 (alphanumeric) per month. "People who use these pagers can be contacted from anywhere in the world," boass Soghomonian.

There's more. Public phone users will have access to prepaid phone cards this summer. Armentel recently acquired 100 taxi phones and 50,000 prepaid phone

cards. The new phones will cost 20 Dram a minute.

Reaching Out Usen of the culrent intemational line (the so-called "AT&T line") give mixed reviews. Considered expensive ($499 to install) and not always reliable, those who can afford a direct intemational coiltec-

tion are increasingly using optional services to reach out. "Service for the intemational line is tenible," Tigran Nazarian, project manag-

fore increase profits? "For us, no," replies Soghomonian. As an example, Soghomonian described

the differences

pay-out agreements

between Armenia and the US, where the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sets the base rate for intemational

price, with which we must compete. I predict the market price is going to be l0 percent below the $2 rate. We're going to be offering volume discounts." A sampling of Callback services for calls from Armenia to the US showed rates as low as $1.09 a minute. Clearly the race for customers has already begun.

Another option which has completechanged the playing field is the new Internet phone service. Using a local

lntemet connection, customers place digital calls that are carried via the Intemet to any location in the world. The receiver does not have to have an Intemet connection, since the new service places calls

directly to phones. The cost is as low as 10 cents a minute, anywhere in the world.

calls. Soghomonian says for calls to

Armenia that rate is $l per minute. Add to the base pay-out rate additional company costs, and AI&T's profit is close to five cents a minute

on their discount Armenia minute rate

Per-

$1.19. Because AT&T has such a large customer base, it can afford such low profit

per minute. The much smaller Armentel cannot hcause its Percustomer costs are higher than

AI&T's, Soghomonian explains. Neverlheless, once the digital system is completed in Armenia, Soghomonian expects to see uP to a 50-percent reduction in per-minute charges on intemational calls "within 5 years."

Alternatives Meanwhile, although the cash communication in Armenia is not inclined toward competition, customers do not have to wait irve yean for cheaper calls. There are altematives to Armentel. Callback service has become increasingly cow

An\,I

Mrncs-Apnrt 1997 121

Since lntemet Phones process voice into data which is transmitted in packets over the [ntemet, it is not subject to telephone tariff restrictions and monopoly conffol. In fact, anyone who buys the software can now use lntemet Phone to place calls to or from Armenia. Can a phone company fearful of los-

ing profits cut off the lntemet service? "While it is technically possible to monitor Intemet traffrc," says Gregor Saghian, Technical Director of Arminco, a private telecommunications company (see AIM, September-October 1996), "the technology is so sophisticated, any hacker can bypass attempts to stop Internet traffic, or the Intemet Phone." Emin Gabrielian, a department head

at InfoCom, an agency set up by two departments of the Ministry of Communications, agrees with Saghian and adds that tnfoCom plans to take advantage

but at a

of the lntemet Phone service, markup for their own link.

"Intemet Phones are not regulated by the exclusive Armentel telecommunications agreement. This is transfer of data, and we have exclusive rights for that." Of course, anyone can also directly download the software at no cost.

InfoCom has much at stake in the new market, since it has an agreement with MCI to provide intemational phone service. Gabrielian says that InfoCom has already dropped its prices by 50 percent, but their rates are still higher than the

Callbacks.

Both Armentel and

InfoCom

acknowledge that while options exist, as Artak Gabrielian, President of InfoCom says "a person would have to know about them." As for Soghomonian, he does not see a significant future for Intemet providers as they are now accessed Armenia. "We have a couple of minor companies," Soghomonian says. "As I see it, the service will become free. In the west, you dial a number on your phone, and the call is included in your monthly service fee." Not a regular [ntemet user, Soghomonian was unaware that all Internet Providers charge a connection fee. The minor companies have plans of their own. InfoCom is placing its sights on the telegraph market, and plans to introduce an lntemet phone connection with

telegraph global link. The service will allow users to send telegrams via their computer and their individual phone con-

nection. Arminco envisions Intemet Phone service as a growing part of Intemet usage, with or without any provider. They also plan to begin Online

vision

tors in Armenia for retail. They use us as their backbone, they ride our fiber; it's really our service. I'm making good money as a wholesaler and I don't have to deal with the customers. In fact, we actually own part of them," Vigen adds with a

loaded, and the user is immediately wired to CNN, MTV, any channel in the world."

laugh. There is linle doubt the new telecommunications system will provide opportu-

Video conferencing, facilitated Internet

Offices, and television links via the lntemet.

'The Intemet already broadcasts telefrom anywhere in the world," Saghian notes. "The software is down-

Vigen foresees a good future for the lntemet in Armenia. "One of Armenia's best exports will be brain power. Just as certain regions of India are big programming centers, I can see Armenia zts a pro-

gramming center

for

European and

American companies. We have some of

the best progrilnmers around." Vigen believes that the future of the Intemet as a backbone for business in Armenia is very

good, and cited Oracle and SQL as two examples of companies now using the Intemet to conduct business in foreign counfies. In fact, there already is an

American company using the Intemet Ofhce to employ Armenians. Heuristic Physics Laboratory of Califomia is developing software with a team of Armenians who send finished work to the head office via the Intemet.

z s

t O

V tr

Arno Vigen, vice-president of Transworld Telecom 22

AIM Mencn-Apnll 1997

"I don't think that the people that grew up in the Soviet era quite understand the commercial aspects," Vigen says. Conceming Arminco and InfoCom, Vigen adds, "We have two good competi-

nities for Armenia. Whether the companies in charge will indeed deliver what is possible and provide quality service, as well, remains to be seen. It depends to a great extent on how much is expected of them by other govemment agencies who also depend on the communications links which are so sorely missing now.

Communications

is a vital link in

constructing a new economy, and the new technologyArmentel is installing will create a threshold for Armenia's emergence into the high-technology market. Entering that market is more than using the technology; it is competing in a free market notorious for offering ever better service for ever-lower prices. While Armenia's potential to exploit its brain power is formidable, unless the costs of doing business (including telecommunications) are as cheap as they are in the intemational arena, it may hnd itself outpriced before it even leaves the gate. BY RICK NEY

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ffiIffiKBm*HMu*ffi The Congressioaal Caucus on Armenian Issues has 55 members (including over one-third of thE California deloguion). Its co-chaimen, Congressmen John Porter of

Illinois and Frank Pallone of New Jersey are vocal advocates ofArmenia and Karabakh. They lead the

bi-partisan Caucus, founded in January 1995, in its efforts to maintain and shengthen the US-Arnrenia relatio,nship, and to restorp to the people of Armenia "a sense of hope for the future." Not bad for a small country half a wodd away from Washington, DC. Just this year, Pallone visited Armenia and Karabakh. He and Porter have co-signed several letters to President Clinton, congressional colleagues and the media, defending Karabakh's right to self-detemrination, Armenia's securify interests and criticizing the continuiag blockad

of Armenia and Karabakh by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Yet, Armenia's most passionate and committed advocate in Washington is not a member of the Caucus. Or even of Congress. Kathryn Porter

head of the Washington, DC-based Human Rights Alliance, which

believes in a "head in &e sky, feet in the mud" approach to despair, violence and injustic+*all of which cauld have been foutrd in Karabakh not too long ago. Porter. wife of Congressman John Porter, was interviewed in Los Angeles during an Arrnenian Assembly sponsored trip. People are saying, "This is it. I am here. I am going to be here. I am going

to be here." People are not saying, 'If this happens, I will do this, or if that

I will do that." There is an intensity that is probably unparalleled in any other situation in which I've

happens,

found myself. Does that have something to do

with the fact that they have been successful enough militarily to have some sort of control over their destiny? Yes, I think that's right.

How can the security of Armenians in Karabakh be guaranteed given the current Congressman John Porter, left, his wift, human rights activist Kathryn Porter, center, with the chairman of the Armenian Assembly of America, Hrair Hovnanian, right.

There are political realities which

Tell us a little bit about your

with the Kurds in Iran, Iraq, Syria and

organization, please. The Human Rights Alliance is a private, non-profit organization, based on four comerstones: the search for truth, the empowernent of local people, the education of policymakers and the

specifically southeastern Turkey, led me to try to find the roots of this chord

of Turkish aggression which tied all these people together. That led me to

ernmental organizations and individuals.

How did you get involved with Armenian issues?

It was the logical outgrowth of my work in other places. I've worked in over 60 countries. I've been active with people in Cyprus, where I led 1000 women across the Green Line into Turkish occupied territory. My work 24

AIM Mancx-Apnru 1997

should be addressed in a much stronger way, here in the US. Armenians should speak with one voice, particularly on

the Hill, and with the administration. There have been too many voices

Armenia, four years ago. And was there again, most recently last year.

giving too many different signals. It's as if a war is being fought here, over Armenia, and that is unfortunate. Look

Please compare what you saw in Karabakh with what you have seen

at Israel. The Jewish community can fight amongst themselves, and often they are very vitriolic, but when they

general public, and the creation of creative alliances with other non-gov-

political statemate? There simply are no guarantees.

in other countries in

situations

similar

ceasefire-somewhere between peace and war. I saw hope there. For instance, in Iraq with the Kurds, you don't see a lot of hopefulness. tn Karabakh, you see people trying to build their lives, their future, with a fiercomeness, a fearlessness, that I

dont

see

in a lot of other areas.

approach Congress, it is with one voice.

How have you come to experience those conllicting messages? Through the reality of living on the Hill. My husband is co-chairman of the

Armenian Caucus, and he is co-chair because I pushed him to do that. When

them women, about their lives and why they have put their lives on hold to stand up for something that's real, really touched me. It's very difficult to put your life on

the line the way they are. They are doing it for reasons we seem to have lost in the US. Here we are wrapped in the cotton bedding of possessions and material goods, while they're fighting the moral battle which we should hold closer to ourselves here. My second trip

to Karabakh, I stayed with a family. They were wonderful. I helped the woman milk the cow, bake bread.

o E

Everything on the table-and there was a mound of food-she had made with

r:t

i: l i;it;rr !r!

onSressman conferring with Karabakh President Robert Kocharian, on board a helicopter, en route to Stepanakert.

he is approached by various members of Congress, telling him they are hearing all these different stories, he comes to me asking "what's the deal?" I think it hurts all Armenians when that happens.

issue, do you see room for compromise anywhere?

cost,

surviving in Karabakh.

for the region's economic development-because of the oil and

opinion-people who will, for the sake of their own resume, perhaps, want to

though people try to disguise them in other colors.

see a

resolution to this situation, so that

striving for what is right for the people

Karabakh.

I feel

there

unparalleled push at this time to try to come to some sort of agreement with

Azerbaijan, to placate Turkey at the same time. Then, the situation in Iran, in haq, the relationship with Azerbaijan is also a factor. That's how people in the

State Department are looking at it. People look at Armenians and see a

problem that

bigger and more

interconnected than that. But, I want to make this point: I have never seen such

an onslaught of lobbying in Washington. It is a warzone, it is a critical period. I believe the next three to four months are the most critical for this issue. People who have been close friends of mine have approached me, knowing how I feel about this issue, people I haven't talked to in years have approached me saying that I should go to Azerbaijan, that I should go to Ttrrkey,

What social and economic in Karabakh which

problems exist

can be resolved even in this undefined political situation, to ease the population's daily problems?

I've been a pioneer on

these

micro-lending programs that extend small loans to help people generate the

capital they need

to start small

businesses, particularly for women. I believe that is the kind of thing we can do with not a lot of effort, and not a lot of money, and it can really help people

there try to rebuild and improve the quality of life. It works everywhere and I don't know why we can't do more of that in this region.

How do you explain your active commitment to Karabakh? I've been to the frontlines a few

times

was

impacted me. I would love to make a documentary from the eyes of a woman

What can Armenians in the West

Karabakh. There is no other place to be. I see the people in the State Department taking a less than moral stance, in my

it's resolved on their watch, rather than

if I

of her family. It really has

part

I think any quick settlement of this will guarantee conflict in the future. It has to be a fair settlement. It can't be just to satisfy oil interests, or other political interests in the region. I stand by my commitment to put my life on the line and fight there, if necessary. It is one of the places inthe world where the issues are black and white, even

I think there's been too much compromise. We've tried too hard to placate the other side. I think we have to stand tall and be behind the people of

warmth, she welcomed me as

that I should be more reasonable. They are clearly being pressured themselves. Do they want a settlement, at any

those benefits?

In the Karabakh

her own hands. The resourcefulness that she showed, the hospitality and

to talk to the

soldiers there.

Sitting in the trenches under the cover of night, talking to the soldiers, some of

do to have the most impact?

I can give you a long list. You should be talking to every member of Congress, partcularly in the Appropriations, Foreign Operations, the Intemational Relations committees, and in the Senate, as well. They need to understand the depth of your feeling on these issues. You should go to Karabakh and understand what it's really like. You should try to fund some activities there. It is very difficult to look at the lobby that Turkey has: $37.5 million a year

goes into that lobby. Then, you have little organizations like Human Rights Alliance running against it. It's a David

and Goliath situation. So, it's about supporting organizations, being person-

ally involved with the issues and communicating that. Armenians are much too closed. You should be talking about these issues. I'm surprised that more Armenians aren't more vocal.

In your experience, what is

the

most effective way to communicate with policymakers? Normal letterwriting is not enough.

I'm a believer in the pound the tables method. If that doesn't work, grab the lapel and say, "Hear what I'm saying, this means something to me." It's not enough to write a letter. Get involved as if this were something that you really care about, that's vital to you. sY Ar-ex SARKISSIAN

AIMMencu-Apnu1997 125

lillTtRilATl0[lAL ffir;*,lsfuffii,,;1&{...8r=+,,a5,1@-;.w;;.;1:,,r2,1;i,l+*..y.rMi]ffif}}#r)ffi As part of the investigation into US President Bill

Clinton's election campaign's possible

irregularities, the name of LebaneseArmenian businessman Roger Tamraz. came up as a

Democratic Party donor. Tamraz and his

company Tamoil contributed at least $177,000 to the Democratic Party in 1995 and 1996. Tamraz had heen

negotiating to build a multi-billion dollar oil pipeline from the Caspian Sea to Turkey, and he wanted the Clinton Administration's support. Tamraz, a US citizen, wanted the pipeline to pass through Armenia and Turkey. In fact, reports say he tried to negotiate with Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach a compromise settlement over the Karabakh conflict, but did not succeed.

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati visited Azerbaijan in late April. Discussions

focused

regional cooperation, the Karabakh conflict, as well as oil-related issues. In a meeting with Azeri presi-

dent Haidar

Aliyev,

Velayati stressed the need for the five Caspian states to find a united solution to

the dispute over

the

Caspian Sea's status.

Although just a few days

earlier Velayati had referred

to Azerbaijan's opening of

its oil

to US oil a "historic

reserves

companies as

mistake,"

in his visit

Baku, Velayati is reported to have urged Azerbaijan to consider Iran as a possible oil export route. In general,

Iran's Foreign Minister called for closer ties between the two countries, especially since the number

of Azeris in Iran is greater than Azerbaijan's own population. Despite Aliyev's request that Iran "exert pressure" on Armenia, Velayati simply promised to promote "normal relations" between the two neighbon.

IAIM Mencn-Apnlr-

1997

Greece

will probably support Azerbaijan in its efforts to seek full membership in the European Union

is to increase mandatory education to eight years, in order "to prevent the formation of two streams-one

was the statement of Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos after a meeting with his Azeri counterpart, Hasan Hasanov. Regarding the

religious and one secular-after the primary schools," according to those

in the Higher

the territorial integrity and inviolability of

National Education The military's Council. involvement is just one example of their recently stepped-up efforts to veer the government away from its Islamist

Azerbaijan along with the security of

leanings.

Karabakh conflict, Pangalos said that

Greece "supports

national minorities,

Minister Tansu Ciller has come out clearly in favor of the army leadership's recommendations. The focus of the debate is Turkey's compulsory

schooling

law which

currently requires only five years, after which students can choose among various types of schools, including controversial religious schools whose enrollment has gone up to nearly half a million. The intent of the new legislation

Chechens and the Russians, nevertheless there is little upon which they agree. Aslan Maskhadov, the elected president, recently named his top rival in the elections, Shamil Basaev, as one of three first deputy premiers. Basaev's responsibilities include the lucrative oil sector, and as such, he must work with the Russians and Azeris. Yet, the Russians consider

Basaev one

agree-

was

signed by Azerbaijan's Vice Prime Minister and the heads of the European Union's TACIS and ECHO programs, about providing

ment

There is no fighting between the

of measures aimed at fighting T[rkey's Islamic fundamentalists, the president has made no strong effort to implement them. Prime

as an independent state.

In early April, a financial

particularly Armenians, living in the republic."

Although the T[rkish military pressured President Necmettin Erbakan (center, below) into signing a series

continue to conduct negotiations with Moscow, which will lead they hope to a "treaty". Russia, according to Mashkadov, is attempting to link economic and political issues. The Russians, on the other hand, are not talking about a "treaty" because that would imply recongition of Chechnya

$6.5 million for the reconstruction of the occupied territories in Azerbaijan. Reports say construction may begin in

the town of Horadiz located

the

strip south of Karabakh, near Iran.

Presidents Levon Ter Petrossian of

those primarily

Armenia and Haidar Aliyev of

responsible for the large hostagetaking in 1995, and did not look

Azerbaijan met for about one and a half hours during the CIS summit in Moscow at the end of March.

favorably on his appointment. Mashkadov, however, is counting on Basaev to bring the oil industry under some government control, and provide the Chechnya with the necessary funding to operate, and to

Both presidents insisted that their side

would not be the one to break the ceasefire. They also agreed to speak

more frequently and meet at every opportunity presented at intemational gatherings. Ter Petrossian also met with Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The two discussed a new agreement

between Armenia and Russia, on friendship, cooperation and security.

The death of Alparslan Thrkes, leader of the right-wing Nationalist Movement Party, also known as the Grey Wolves, in early April, resulted

in, among other things, the postponement of Azerbaijani President Haidar

Aliyev's trip to Turkey. Aliev had at one time said that the Azerbaijani Grey Wolves were involved in an alleged coup against him in 1995, and that the Turkish security forces, too, were implicated in the incident.

AIM Mencs-Apnn

1997

I 27

TCO NO MY

q 0

zE] & z N

The foreign ministers of Armenia, Iran and Thrkmenistan met in Yerevan in another in a series of trilateral meetings designed to lead to closer political and economic cooperation among the three states. The visiting ministers met with Armenia's ministers of industry, energy and trade and tourism.

April for

Recent clashes between Azerbaijani

and Armenian troops on the border between Azerbaijan and Georgia could threaten the future of a planned export

pipeline linking Baku Georgia, according

to Supsa

in Azerbaijan's

Foreign Minister.

Foreign Minister Hasan Hasanov accused Armenia and Georgia of

intentionally attempting to obstruct the construction of this pipeline.

The European Commission and the Georgian government sponsored a conference on reviving the historic Silk Road, which ran from China via

2 a

Central Asia, the Transcaucasus and Turkey to Europe. Participants in the conference, which opened in Tbilisi in

early April, included the

k premiers and transport ministers I U

V &

Black Sea Economic

deputy

of the

Cooperation

member countries as well as representa-

tives of the Intemational Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Deveopment. The

28 /AIM Mencu-Apnrr- 1997

so-called TRASECA project foresees the expansion of existing road, rail and telecommunications links as well as ferry services across the Caspian and Black Seas. It could earn Georgia more

than $300 million in transit tariffs in

1998 alone. Although the proposed transport routes do not cross Russian territory, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze favors Russian participation in the project.

The

Japanese

government

provided Armenia wtth 27

km of

high-voltage cables worth US $1 million. Takhehiro Togo, Japan's Ambassador to Armenia, announced the arrival of the

cables, provided

by the

Toyota

Corporation. Energy Minister Gagik Shahbazina explained that the cables are one expression of Japan's interest in

improving economic with Armenia.

relations

The European Bank

for

Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held its annual meeting in mid-April. In its report, the EBRD cited the progress made in macroeconomic

stability by Armenia,

Georgia,

Just two years ago, Armenia had nearly 80 comrnercial banks. With recent closures and mergers, the number is down to what is considered a more realistic 34. Two recent closures were the result of insufficient capital

Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, and predicr ed that the fruits of such efforts will be visible in the coming years. Armenia's Gross National Product is expected to

funds.

regisrter

an agneement on cooperation

a 5.4 percent

growth,

In March, flslinns and Azeris signed

in vari-

Azerbaijan's 5.5, Georgia's 8.1.

ous trarcportation related matters,

The Kanaz Aluminum Factory of

including taxation of Iranian vehicles in Azerbaijan, regulations for Azeri fransporters in Iran, tariffs within the Belyasuvar-Iran-Nakhichevan border region, insurance and security. Iran's

Kanaker near Yerevan, long considered one of Armenia's top production

facilities, has joined with the Czech Kovohute concern, after one and a half years of negotiations. According to the agreement signed

in March, the

Czech firm receives a 51 percent share in the new enterprise in exchange for a $3.5 million investment. Of the initial $2 mil-

lion, $600,000 will go to pay off Kanaz's debts. It is expected that tlp facto ry should soon rehrn to its 1980 production saos, and employ some 1000 workers.

minister

highly skilled specialists to produce textile and clothes." Kane said that the objective of her visit to Armenia was to assist in establishing a higher fashion design school in Armenia on the basis of "Atex" Fashion Design Center, as well as to study the activities of textile enterprises and work out a program on devel-

opment of textile industry in Armenia. As a result of this visit Textile Net of

Armenia,

organization , which

includes a number of textile enterprises of Armenia, was established to promote the development of the fashion design and textile industries, their marketing and management.

transportation visited

Azerbaijan to negotiate and sign memo-

The French Castel and Armenian

randa covering these subjects with Azerbaijan's Azerautonagliat state-

Silgroup companies signed an agreement on cooperation in Yerevan. Under the agreement the French firm will invest US $18 million for production of beer, mineral water and bottles in Armenia. Aram Vardanian, Chairman of the Industrialists and Businessmen 's Union of Armenia said that this deal was the first of its kind.

owned concern.

After a recent visit to Armenia, Rita Kane, head of the International

Textile and Fashion

Design Association said, ttArmenia has huge domestic resources and a big army of

AIM MARCH-APRtr- 1997 129

ECINIMY

w...\\.\\xa.

ere. in Asia, we are spoiled. We

lf have not seen any political I J difficulties for a long time. The Far I I Easterners in general are not really

interested in politics. Their main aim is business and how to increase productivi-

ty. This is why this region has been growing at a very fast pace. Everybody

interested in making money. Economics comes before politics," observes Vartan Keshishian, President of Hong Kong-based Checkmate lndusries. There is no doubt that Southeast

Asia is one of the fastest growing markets in the world where several economic growth areas have been created complementing regional political-economic clubs, such as the Association of South-East Asian Nations-ASEAN (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). While the West is discussing the "new European securi-

ty architecture," Asian

countries are

forging ahead with their economies and information technology infrastructures. The boom in Asia is attributed to the region's strong economic agenda,

which comes before and above any political agenda. There is increasing 30 / AIM MencH-ApnL 1997

rlm.r,ffiit,

economic cross-fertilization between

Asia, Europe, North and

South

America. Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are seen as the new economic space where Asian companies can capture a share of the market. The few Armenian businessmen spread throughout Asia see a realistic potential for Asian-Armenian eco-

the

political instability of

the region and

neverthe-

prices, but we do

Daniel

not know much

about

in Singapore, where there is no direct

to free waters, why not in

Armenia?"

One

of the key

with

advantageous

Manoukian. Managing'flI Director of Armen Thai Trading Co., Bangkok, is very optimistic. "If they can create a big market access

are

used to the Far East

ductive,

less exploring the possibilities of investment in

Armenia.

in Armenia. We

market, very pro-

the

implied economic risks,

this group is

Armenia do not know what is going on in Armenia, really." Keshishian concurs, "We do not know the mechanics of doing business

which is a very labor-intensive

nomic development as

well. Aware

President of KorAm Bank, Seoul, Korea, expresses a view shared by many. "Those of us living outside

problems for

investors interested in Armenia is the lack of adequate information on the inner workings of Armenia's economy.

Zareh Misserlian, Executive Vice

Armenia." The lack of a long-term economic plan and priority for private investment is another problem. Misserlian explains, "A pro-active process is needed on the part of the govemment of Armenia, or the ministry of investment or trade. Armenia has to prioritize its economic needs, develop a plan and then, based on this plan, tell investors these are the things we are looking for. You cannot just say, 'Hey

you guys come on in. Armenia is free, why don't you come and invest here.' The govemment must present its plans and say, 'If you can help us and make money doing it, be our guest; we will give you all the incentives.' " Misserlian points to the economic experiments of Asian countries. "There

more on skill and manpower. Given

million in the project.

Asia's interest and heavy investment in information technology, Armenia could benefit in this fast-developing market. Highly skilled labor and expertise in science and technology make Armenia an attractive place to look for help. In fact, "human resources is the

Singapore has signed pacts with many nations to achieve its goals. In February of this year, it announced a five-year agreement with South Korea to cooperate in science and technology. Singapore has similar agreements with

says Majdi

has its own "Silicon Plateau" (the

job in Asia"

to reinvent the wheel. Armenia can learn from Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia,

biggest

Thailand, the Philippines and Hong

Shanghai.

is no

need

Kong".

Abulaban, managing director of carparts maker Delphi Packard Electric

"It's probably

the most critical factor to the ultimate success of a

venture."

What does Armenia offer? Most of Armenia's current export earnings are from sectors such as textiles, leatherware, chemicals and petrochemicals, machine tools, synthetic rubbers, agricultural and food products including wines, brandies and bottled mineral water. There is also a small car manufacturing

Armenia could provide much

to Asia. Benjamin Kharlaki an, Project Manager at ALCAIEL, a French telecommunications giant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, explains, "Manpower is becoming very expensive in Asia." In addition to

needed scientific expertise

India, Germany and China. Taiwan also Hsinchu Science Park).

Another major

IT project in

the

region is Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) as the country's technology center. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad has traveled to many countries to persuade foreigners to invest in the MSC project. To support the project, the

Malaysian government

offering

potential investors exemption for up to l0

corporate-tax years and the opportunity to tender for

infrastructure contracts,

which

facility, Yeraz.

will be awarded

on a preferential

However, these sectors

basis.

These commitments will be detailed in a

are highly dependent on imports of raw materials,

Multimedia

intermediates and energy. Therefore, the blockade of Armenia has particularly affected their development. In the area of natural

Bill

Guarantees, which is expected to be ready by the end of the year.

The Philippines, even

with many

resources, Armenia has

internal

copper, semi-precious and

political problems, is

precious metals, natural

paying serious attention

stone resources and gold.

(left to right) Beniamin Kharlakian of Bangladesh, times, Southeast Asian businessmen Vartan Keshishian and Jack Maxian of Hong Kong, with Catholicos Karekin I, Armenia produced about during the patriarch's February visit to Bangkok, Thailand.

fact, in Soviet

two tons of gold per year. The technology sector includes radio

electronics, satellite antennae and man-

agement devices, telephone batteries

andelectronic

thermometers,lasers, solar baths and collector engines. Banking and financial services is another potential sector. The establishment of Midland-Armenia Bank, in late 1995, encourages other financial insti-

to pay serious attention to Armenia as a financial service hub for

tutions

the entire region. "We are seeing Westemers coming to Armenia with confidence. This means that there are possibilities. As Armenians, we would also like to be there in order to either create new markets or contribute to

expertise, "Armenia could also provide semi-finished products which might cut the cost of producing an entire product in Asia."

Gybereconomics These days the hot topic in Asiaand the rest of the world-is information technology (IT). Singapore announced a master plan aimed at turning Singapore into one of the first countries in the world with an advanced information infrastructure by the year 2000. It will develop a national super-network to provide

a facility to every citizen under Singapore One

ty network platform which will deliver applications to government depart-

Armenia's computer technology sector

ments, homes, educational institutions and businesses. So far the government of the small island has invested $58.8

(semi-conductors, micro-processors) since it relies less on raw material and

development.

and Technology Agenda

for

National

Development (STAND) or STAND Philippines 2000 was announced, to emphasize the development and utiliza-

tion of superior technologies in order to gain a competitive advantage in the world market. In Thailand, the national IT2000 projects include SchoolNet, a project to link all state high schools nationwide through the Intemet; Government Information Network, connecting government organizations; the Information Superhighway testbed, a pilot project using a high-speed ATM-based technology network; and a Software Park.

the

project-a high-capaci-

existing projects," Keshishian said.

There are high hopes for

to IT

Recently, the Science

Give and Get These major computer and techno-

logical developments in Asia provide Armenia with vast opportunities, espe-

cially given Armenia's large potential of "human power". There is much to

AIM Mrncx-Apnr 1997 / 31

give to Asia and much to receive. Generally, when speaking about the economic potential of Armenia, the focal

ond, a free trade environment and

commodities are technology, science

finally, a sense that at the end of the

and services. However, the focus ofeconomic development has been a one-way street: investment in Armenia's domestic market.

day, you are making some money." At present, it is difficult to find all

"Commercial projects must

mutually beneficial," says Azat Martirossian, Armenia's Charge d'Affairs in Beijing. "Armenia could have a complementary economic relationship with Southeast Asia. We could receive raw material from the region, and the region could benefit from our scientific and technological advances".

Looking for a Plan Many observers point to the lack of a planned and "pro-active" economic approach on the part of the Armenian govemment. Misserlian explains, "You cannot say, 'We need new houses, let's build a break factor; or, we need shoes,

let's build a shoe factory.'A lot of these projects are disjointed. What we need is a plan of operation. Does Armenia have a five-year economic plan? When you make a long-term plan, then you look at it strategically and you coordinate the

work of various ministries who

are

involved in the plan." Indeed, as in China and other CIS countries, Armenia has many organizations, but no institutions. Cooperation among organizations, and often within them, is quite rare.

As for long-term benefits in

the

region, Misserlian notes, "You can send lO or 12 professionals from Armenia to go and see what is going on in Asian countries and then come back and say these are the things we could benefit from." For instance, some 220 Chinese officials are currently in Singapore learning about public administration, to

"adapt Singapore's experience

and

develop a first-class China." The development of economic bridges, on regional or intemational levels, takes serious

planning, research, negotiation

and

long-term vision. It also takes funding. The Diaspora can help in all these areas.

Free TradeEnvironment Manoukian, who has done business Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and now Thailand, lists the

key factors for foreign investment. "As businessmen, what we

look for in

country, first, is political security; 32 I

AIJ0/1

MARCH-APRIL 1997

a sec-

incentives; third, some commitment and guarantees by the government; and

these conditions in

Armenia. Armenia's tax law, a key incentive for

investment, is arguably unappealing to investors. Currently, the corporate tax rate is 30 percent, value added tax stands at 20, excise tax at 0-75 percent, enterprise profit tax at 12-30, and personal income tax at l2-3O percent. A recent country profile prepared on behalf of theArmenian govemment for

the 1996 EBRD Annual Meeting in Sofia, reports that value-added tax exemptions for a number of goods have been eliminated. Most exemptions from enterprise profits tax have been reduced and the tax rates on a number of goods have been increased. The report further states that "current government progmms call for VAT tax

overcome the problem with long-term planning. Keshishian explains, "If you are creating something, then you'll make every effort to find ways to bring your products to the markets that you

Ifyou are not producing or creating new products, you do not need

have.

those routes.

goods exist, then you

think about the possibilities. History shows us that everything is feasible."

Patience, Patience Would an Armenian businessman treat Armenia differently because of his national identity? Yes. "We would be

more understanding and patient," Keshishian affirms. "It means thinking in long terms. Unlike Asia, you cannot

go to Armenia for the

short-term.

Anyone who is looking to Armenia for short-term returns is not going to be successful. In fact, I would discourage anybody from doing that because it could lead to a loss and tre word would spread thatthings don't

work inArmenia""

The experience and professional

exemptions to be reduced further, excise rates to be increased and collection efforts to be enhanced." Besides taxes, commercial and

expertise of Armenians working inAsia for decades are an invaluable resource

labor laws have not been fully devel-

resource,

oped in Armenia and the nature of government guarantees, commitments and incentives are not clear.

willingness of the Armenian govemment to develop a free-ffade environ-

Misserlian puts it simply. "In some countries, the law is written so

loosely, that the bureaucrat can interpret the law anyway he wants, and for that, he would demand a price. This makes it difficult for investment." Many complain about comrption in Armenia and all the countries of the former Soviet Union. Vartan Keshishian looks at it differently, "I do not see a problem with comrption.

Comrption is one thing, red tape is something else. If there is red tape, business does not go forward. This would not make Armenia interesting for any investor. If there is comrption, but business is going forward, we have to close an eye to it. We are used to these things in Asia. In fact, in my business experience, at times, if I don't see a bit of comrption, I become very suspicious." As for the problem of transportation and trade routes, Iandlocked and blockaded Armenia has very difficult obstacles to overcome. Experienced businessmen in Asia offer a creative solution. While acknowledging the difficulty of the task, it is possible to

for Armenia. This human and capital

and when coupled with the

ment, could create a dynamic economic bridge between Armenia and Asia.

What makes Asia particularly attractive to Armenia is the process by

which the region transformed itself from economic stagnation to prosperity. "We have to bear in mind that, other than Japan, all of the countries in the region created their economic boom in the last l0 to 15 years. Their pre-boom condition was not much different than

that of Armenia today. In fact, some counffies were in a worse economic

condition," points out Martirossian, Armenia's Charge d'Affairs in Beijing.

As Kenichi Ohmae, a

Japanese

business consultant puts it, "We are creating new types ofvalue-added industry

in Asia, not a

Hollywood fantasy

world." Is Armenia ready to

join the "Asian

tiger"?

Are Armenians around the world ready to put aside fantasies and dreams

and help create a real country with a viable economy? BY IIRATCH TCHtr-INGIRIAN

L*oy Ar*dlissian ArronNEY AT Lew SPECIALIZING IN

TJ.S. IMMIGRATION LAW BUSINESS, CORPORAIE

AND INDIVIDUAL IMMIGRATION MAITERS FOR CLIENTS ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR FREE CONSULTAIION ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB VISIT OUR HOME PAGE http :i/www. directnet. com/- avedis or email: avedis@direcrner.com

rpl: 8r8

oSoo nex:8r8 792 5rrr 225 SOUTH LAKE AVENUE gTH FLOOR PASADENA, CA grror 792

U.S.A.

ffinililrlry Hp

ilnlt $.ffiU1ffi Civil Aviaties**d bccorne

ary*e

"t*

* .l

L ri:t

flre Sh {$ti

h{ns

s x a

i ifl,WWffiffi

iiir

g z

What could have been done over

the last several years but wasn't, or what can still be done, to bring the Zvartnots airport and civil aviation capacity up to the level, of say, Baku? Within the former USSR there are only eight airports with a ICAO class 2 rating and Zvartnots is the only one in the Transcaucasus. The airports of Tbilisi and Baku are of a lower category. Nevertheless, our airport is still not up to international service standards. One reason is that in the Soviet Union,

Zvartnots did not function as an international airport. For example, travelers did not need to pass through

won't be completed in

1997.

It's

of US $2.5 million, up to a maximum

the egg. KLM

of US $5 million, we can meet intemational standards. We may not become

Frankfurt or Amsterdam but we can meet all intemational standards within one year. It will be a completely selfsufficient autonomous facility able to service transit aircraft, as well as craft based here. Many airport services can

be privatized, as we have already begun to do at Zvartnots. The govem-

ment's 1997 privatization plan

does

not include the airport itself, although does include Armenian Airlines.

Throughout

the world, there

customs. In 1993, the govemment decided to modify some buildings and bring them up to international standards. Some of those plans were not made correctly. Today, we have made what changes we could with our own resources.

airports that are private facilities, and others which are govemment-operated. It isn't yet clear which way our government will go with Zvartnots.

In other words, there are plans to

upgrade but there aren't sufficient

Why haven't investors been found? Does KLM, for example, first have to say they'll fly into

resources to carry them out?

Yerevan

That's right. If left to our own resources, the necessary modifications 34

AIN/ MencH-Apn[ 1997

KLM to consider flying to Yerevan?

However, with a minimal investment

are

for investors to become interested, or do investors make improvements first, in order for

little bit like the chicken and

will consider coming in when our level of service meets their requirements. For that to happen, there must be additional investment and

improvement.

course, KLM's

willingness to come here will give our

airport additional authority with which to find and court potential investors.

How is it that Azerbaijan, which suffered the same Soviet limitations, was able to upgrade its

airport such that four foreign carriers, including United and Lufthansa, now fly to Baku? Our policy was somewhat different in the past-rather closed to foreign flights. The KLM representative was in Armenia recently, and we are awaiting their reply. They are a very reputable company and we would be

pleased to continue our association with them. We are already working with them, as they build an 80,000 ton capacity cargo terminal, with a loan

from the

European Bank for \econstruction and Development (EBRD). The KLM Avia-service Center won the bid for the operation of the freight terminal.

Is today's cargo need as great as

was when the proposal was first presented and funded? Would

EBRD have funded

today,

something essential for

the

Tbanscaucasus?

If I

was to present the proposal would propose that both passenger and cargo terminals be

today,

constructed simultaneously.

Armenian Airlines would lose out? That's what the thinking has been up to now-that if other airlines fly into Yerevan, the financial situation of Armenian Airlines will deteriorate. I have to tell you that the financial situation of Armenian Airlines is not great, today, either. On the contrary, with competition, Armenian Airlines will have no choice but to improve and grow. Today Armenian Airlines has a monopoly-that has its up and down sides. I would want foreign carriers flying into Zvartnots. Our service will improve and our costs are still quite compete.

Of course, for the airport, the presence

of international carriers can only be

good sign.

You appear to have series of tough choices: Do you put money into marketing, into lmproving and renewing technology or aircraft, into training, etc. How do you choose? Unless we maintain certain techni-

cal and other standards, we lose our category

rating. Therefore, we are

very careful to provide top-notch main-

tenance

navigation-related func-

tions, such as runway

z o a Z

Is it true that if foreign carriers were allowed in, everyone would prefer to fly the foreign planes and

low. We'll be able to

maintenance,

lighting on the runway. security issues. We have costs on the ground. We have

craft which need to be repaired and updated before they can be seaworthy. 1998, we must acquire at least two European crafts for flights to Europe. This will improve the quality of service

Cucumber fields adjacent to Zvartnots airport, top right.

requirements or receive training. Now,

be evaluated. The ones who do not pass

training center and we have advertised for applicants. Those with a college education, able to speak a foreign language, will be given priority. At the same time, those already on duty will

will

we have established a

be replaced by new recruits.

Nevertheless, old or new staff, they all need intemational experience. Rv Salpl HARourrNrAN GHAZARIAN

ARMPNIAN RUG BOOK ABTilEilIAN RUGS from the GREGORIAil GOLLECTION by Arthur T. Gregcrian antl Joyce Ciregorian wos published- ll i*

available lor $29 (Fastpaidl cirectly lrom The G.egorren C$llection, Box 6?0003, Newlon lqr,uer Falls, MA 02138. This is the iirst definitive book cn a nelv classilication ol Oriental Rugs. tvlr. Gregorian il.egan collectirrg ruES with Arnlenia'l inscripiions mcrre thar: li{ty years ago. Hu rro'.v has the larqest colieclion in America, tr0m $'hich

104 exarilples have treen selecled lo illustrale this hook. all ir-. fuli color. The 104 rugs in Armenian Rugs from tho Gregorian Collaction now form the nucleils of the ruo collectiofi oi the Armenian l..ibr8ry and Museirm r,}f Arnerica, lnc., 65 Main Strset, Waiarl{.}wn, MA 02154. ln past }'sars ntany of them have been exhit)ited al Museuris and i.rniversities acioss the counlry. Arthur T. Gregorian's leclure$ and exhibils have helped bting lhe term "Armenian Fug" into common accâ&#x201A;Źptance atter yeai's ol struggle for recognilion v'lillrin ine Orier:tal Rug collrrnunity. Order your copy todily.

and our ability to

compete.

Unfortunately, the quality of our service is still quite low. In the past, our service staff did not have to meet any

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AIM Mmcu-Appw 1997 135

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to Blue Crane Books P.O.Box 291, Cambridge, MA O223a (price includes postage) A community service by Blue Crane Books. All proceeds are forwarded to Armenia Fund USA

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for cdbgq w gnaduate

r,gcfffiE*8t&bnts wfllHq tg ommit two &ys a wmk lnterns will r@ive an

infsrfudion to the &le olArnenian missiorE and repreumrmtiors abrod,

willrtprk on spedbprWds ol a onr.

msr#|, crdtrral arU eOucaftonat

ffii||

teltl&ffi

in development ol infqrmailon

ptâ&#x201A;ŹE@n pa*ruei oer@*reConsu@

p.Jia,$flil

ard

ard in repein cerhin cultuml,

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AIM MARCH-APRI- 1997 137

UHD

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6*.':+*r;nsd$p{'d/dffid"##tr#ffi#ft$:r.iiw":*{

X P0 SE[

r,tda#s#s$r${$ffiffi#&ur6,sgs$ry+rn

Dr. Jaskl:KeYofkian is the',,ehild of genocide survitaf$, That's very hard,",to mim orre takes even a quiok look

ar the pathologi$tr$ art-

rysi*. some of which w,ere,,on dirplay al the

Ariana Ga[ety

Rryal Oak, Miihigan i* March. The titles

aren't very subtle, elthor". Tlte painting

atibve is ealled Genocide

afid Keioildan

used

gom! sf his own blsod to paint the frqo red

Thu" plryeiriafi ;: "" w**e some call "Dr. Death'l because'of his advoeaey of a p.atient s right io

a paintess dEnth wilh which inctrudcs tryin g to

g* a'T,ight

to Physician Aid in Dying" proposal on the Michigan state ballot in 1998.

According to a change in US irnmigratiOn la+r":.ithose imrnigrantp who are not citizene'andhavebeniir fhe US lonpthan fivc years will no longer receive public assistance after,e,ugusi 1992. This effects thousands of Armenian-AmCricans who have lived in the US for over a decade. having escaped either Soviet communism, the lranian Revolutiron. or the Lcbanese Civil War (like Samuel Dakessian, left, of Waltham, Massachusetts, and his mother Marie, 96.) These long-time US residenis often lack language skills necebsary to takc ihc citizenihip test, or.-lesrr the basic US history nooe$sary to p-..fl$.s lhe tsst. Yet withour cit nship, they will lose the smial, health and housing benefits on which they rely. "'' Althougfu ese legal resiOents will be eligible for general relief, this too is not much of a he$, sine it provides below-survival level aid. Especially, in Southim Califomia, the situation will become critical for Armenian .tdfifly--, residents say social. workers, because, many live alone, or are dependent on families who themselves rely ofl Sovernmâ&#x201A;Źnt Bssistance or are barely self-sufficient. The cut in hnefits affeas health care, as well. It is not clear what assistance will.be available for &ffi. $ome aro afraid of being left homClbss. Although minority groups and social service organizations are struggling against the legislative changes, the role and capacities of Armenian organizations and institutions rernain unclear.

38 /AIM Mencx-ApnL 1997

a{$sr##(

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u ii::.

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? w##ffi

Photognpher Uarry l(ong,tflnltiian remembers when Rudolfl Nuroy.ev danced at the Summer Festival in Baalbek, in the gre-war yearn. ,'- , , This war the Nureyev Uaprwed$

photographrrs Llnda Yartoogian

and husband Jack.

@ft) Some

previously published, rhese pho-

date frsm the 1970]s, of AIp.,$. in 1993, his legend hygg o* lrffilMtd photos, said Koundakjian, rrm*i f.ograptus

Although Nureyev died

z x{

leicas and black and whites, show 6. human body as Nureyev perfected it. On display et'the Central P West Cultural Center Gallery in March, the photos reminded viewers of the

extraordinary Brtist. They also made

clear what Dame Margot Fontsyn had

of Nureyev's art *He in homr n would like to he, and he rnaken it said

easier for me to dance as I wish."

Arctrbis!,op Nerner Boz&liafi caried {bo *Way cross during the second segmu*,,of the of, the Cross" insi& the arrcient Roman Colisoum

during ttre traditional Good Fhiday procession March 28. Pope John Paul tr canied the cross only for the fint satioru Observers explairmd the particlpation ofthe Holy $ee dqqgqfqirrip erffinsny as recognitian of the ,nf the Armeniur Church. Catholicos lkrekfur I, upon the request of the Pope, had written the 14 meditations and pr*yorr fcr6e 14 ntatiors of.tlr Cross, Ttry were read in ltalian by *ie FBpg snd other invited guests, as wetrl a* pgblirhsd book, in Englieh and fudian,.with cCItof ilhftshfl. dons fro,rn Armenian manuscripts.

Producers Harold Kazanjian (left)

Star.Wars

fame, and Hank Moonjean (right) *f D.g.p.,g._eyus Liaisons, Smokey and the Bandit,Thc Qr**i G,NdW,

and dozens more, 1ryere on hand during the Arpe,,.film Foundation for the Arts first film festival in Affil" to showcase oew young talent, and to speak ofthe q*als

of film production. Paul Petg-rson introduced the 12 films which were screened at tlre Alfred Hitchcock theater in Universal Studios, followed by an hour-long discussion of the tough questions: script first or funding first, Armenian chardcters in non-Armenian works, or Armenian themes with and tribulatious

name non-Armenian stars. No conclusive answâ&#x201A;Źrs,yet,

but at least the dialogue has kgun betrrwn successful and the aspiring. Over 2ffi attended.

fip--.

AIM MARcH-APnt 1997 139

THESE ARE REAL LETTERS TO REAL PEOPLE. SEND US YOURS

Hi G,

Dear D,

I have two questions for you: Were Armenians allowed

to go to

church

during Soviet Times?

Do people from Karabakh speak Armenian? Sorry, I'm an apush amerikatsi. Hajogh, D

Dear D,

Yep, That's right. Armen and I

finally went to Vanadzor and

got

ZAGS-ed, you know, did the marriage thing. I'll let you know when the party is. I'11 let you digest this bit of news and get back to you tomorrow. P.S. I still don't know whether I'm a Kalalyan or Kalalian-so confusing

for an odar. So long,

Dear D,

When I was writing you about two words in the Kharabakh dialect which

are similar to the same words in I neither was joking nor had

rVil Dear T,

English,

intentions to insult you.

People

Karabakh

speak

Armenian using a dialect very different from the other Armenian dialects.

They use many Russian (and some Azeri) words. In schools, they were taught very correct literary Armenian. I was astonished often how some of them spoke good and clean Armenian, more than in Armenia even.

As in all republics in Former in Karabakh, Russian

Soviet Union,

was taught very well, too, and some of the graduates from the Russian schools even knew written Russian better than

written Armenian. But, at that time, it

was the same in Armenia, too. That is why when speaking with someone in Armenia, they feel more free in Russian than in the Karabakh

I looked up your new last name in the local Armenian Directory. There are

17 Kalalians listed. There are zero Kalalyans listed. The use of "y" in most names listed is very rare compared to "i". However, "y" tends to have a slightly greater chance of maintaining Armenian pronunciation. The "ian" suffix always picks up the two syllable pronunciation. You can avoid being on every Armenian mailing list under the sun

ifyou drop the "ian" suf-

fix altogether

(as

dialect. Maybe, that's why sometimes they left the impression that they don't speak Armenian.

As for the two words esh, shish and others, I can say that my Granny is from Karabakh and they really use not just Russian words, but some of them seem to be English. For example to call someone esh they just may say "donkey mard." "Bottle" is even used

instead

of shish. So no

apush

amerikatsi, please. Best G 40 /AIM Menor-Apnrr 1997

if you're really going

to do that). What is ZAGS?

Krvonx Dtexsrzarl

Well, Armen's passport lists him I guess that's his name.

as Kalalyan, so

We have no desire to live in a place that is jam packed with Armenians; we are going to live in Idaho. I have moved out of the apartrnent,

staying a few days in the dorm so I should get my butt in gear and get a ticket out of here. No way in hell am I gonna spend the rest of the week in a dorm room without water, We are trying to find a place where both of us can go for a few days. Russia is out of the question 'cause the visa guy is a jerk. Today I thought we could go to Kiev. The American embasssy here told me that a visa is required for me. Damn. everywhere

wanna go,

Armen doesn't. Where

I need a visa, I can go visa-

free, he must jump through hoops nry-

ing to get a visa. So perhaps we

will just check into

the Hotel Armenia for a few

days, shower, eat khoravats, watch tv ..... Zags is the place where people go

to get married. How long did you live here? It is kinda like going to Disney land, but better. Bye, Kalalyian (problem solved)

A BTS

0a$llllu $ulll$ ll

il,,:',0,#'n';t .'"|,jh,,txnoil JI r:,lm;*Ji: ffx";ff,T'ff ,:i

copied Aivazovsky's "Ninth Wave." That led her to art school.

Three years later,

impetuously decided

Melikian. Her US sculptures and

sculpture.

brilliant glass designs and windows were on display at the Bamsdall Gallery

class

Theater

in Los Angeles. The

keynote

speaker was fellow artist Armine Galents.

visiting

from

Yerevan. Images of Melikian's

many pioneering sculptures in Armenia were projected behind

the

Galents

offered

diminutive

while

she

creative

for

in 1946, she to move to

early bronze "Lenin, the Child" rests in her hands, and with "Rodin's daughter" something European is evident in the work. It was 1965 when she sculpted a bust of Harutune Galents, the lyric colorist who had repatriated from lrbanon, with his wife Armine. Three decades later, as Armine Galents concluded her tribute to

was the only woman in my

l 1 years," and adds,

was

only

the fourth woman sculptor in Armenian

When in 1954 she art." graduated from Yerevan's Fine Art and Drama Institute, her powerful student works had already been exhibited and purchased by the Armenian Art Ministry.

The Ministry's Shurik

Der

Kaprielian said in 1971, "SculptorAlice Melikian is generally known for her portraiture. Her work is distinguished by expressiveness and, at the same time, accuracy of likeness with an ability to capture in a person the most distinguishing characteristic of their spiritual cast of mind." He called her per-

in Los Angeles, she stated, "Women artists had to have twice the

Melikian

strength of men because we have families. Alice's work here has become more free, and inside her soul is the rebirth of

ception original, without artificiality, and emotional. "They are the real people of our times." At first, the real people were local luminaries like conductors

Mikail Tavrizian

(bronze,

Yerevan Opera House) and Ohan

Durian (bronze, Yerevan Music Museum), composor Hovhannes

Chekidjian, Shakespeare scholar

Luisa Samvelian-"She wanted her hair to look like a ponytail, a

horse's tail,

to show internal

strength." The poet Hovannes Shiraz, posing for Melikian' above. Melikian, lefi, The steady stream of commiscasting the likeness of Gatints, after Galents had painted Melikian, sions enabled Melikian to assume

inset. Stained glasses, below.

breadwinner status. Authorities

analysis of Alice's life and work to 300 guests. "Your origins were in Paris in the Belleville neighborhood of Piaf and

directed her towards guests from abroad-violinist Isaac Stern (Kamo Theatre Hall) composer Benjamin

Chevalier. Your family, like mine, was fromAdapazar. When you were 10, your family repatriated to Armenia and you lived there from 1936 until 1978." Melikian remembers making that boat trip, and remembers that among the 400 Armenian families on board, there was another artist, Yervant Kochar, and-Komitas' body, leaving Marseilles, for its final resting place. She always drew and painted as a child. enjoyed the tactile sensation. too. of constructing a little house. using a matchbox to mold miniature bricks of

Britten (National Museum of Armenia)

soil and crushed wheat, as she had seen workers do. By 14, she successfully

from Egypt, caricaturist

Alexander

Saroukhan, and, from Paris, and Charles Aznavour. "I was the first to go backstage at the Yerevan Philharmonic. As Aznavour

I was downstairs in prompter's box

began rehearsing,

the

quickly working with the clay. My father Minas and I worked all night casting it in plaster: We boxed it, brought it to his hotel, and off to Paris it went the same night!" Melikian's unsurpassed portraits and bas-reliefs number 200, and grace six national museums, I I house-museums, various schools and theaters. Her

those colors she never forgot," referring to Melikian's new abstract stained glasses.

The two artists are hoping for

combined Galents and Melikian retrospective to take place in Yerevan, soon, and the two artists will meet again.

Tr,xrlNo sv hNEr

PHoros

S.qMUEI-IAN

AIM MARCH-APIII 1997 I

ARTS ryffi.\,.:>))

;

i,iuEffiffi

]llilte [xlraordinary Arlneltians questioned his grandchildren about

their American schooling,

asking

hopefully, "Have they started teaching you about Armenia yet?" Despite its tragic undertones, the

play is

full of

humor. There

the

eccentric hypochondriac, Aunt Louise, who constantly tries to get her unwilling brother, a doctor, to listen to her heart; there are English malapropisms perpetrated by austere and elegant Non, the matriarch of the family; and above all, there is food, food, and more f

food-sustenance being one thing

U &

Armenians apparently don't leave home without, even if it's just for a short drive to visit a gravesite. Ayvazian, 49, who now lives in

z o

Memhers of the cast from the Manhattan Theatre Club production of Nine Armenians in New York, ahove and top right.. Plavwright Leslie Ayvazian, below.

fl I

nitOren nororiously tune out rheir elders: hearing Grandpa start

u ;::'ft :l : I}x;:,il-Ji'i' ;:: rolling on the younger generation's part. :

But what if your grandfather is trying to tell you about genocide? "As a child, I couldn't relate to my grandfather's stories-a part of them seemed completely unreal to me; this whole other life had existed in a country

couldn't even

go see," recalls

playwright Leslie Ayvazian. "My friends didn't even know what it was to be Armenian. They always thought I was just saying'American' wrong," she says, only half-jokingly. Growing up in New Jersey in the 50s, Ayvazian heard the stories of ancestors murdered by the Turks in 1915. Her

grandfather,

the

charismatic

New Jersey with her husband

of 1996, and by the legendary Gordon Davidson in Los New York in the fall

Angeles in the upcoming production this summer, it is a story that many find hard to tell. "For years, I didn't want to know, I just felt it didn't have anything

to do with me. After they died, I allowed myself to really hear the stories, to re-listen, re-read. I cried a lot, I visualized what had happened to my ancestors not too far away. I realized my grandmother lived with that sorrow and grief throughout her life. It was in her eyes, in the curve of her back when she played the organ, yet she had three and

kids, cooked three meals a day,

taught us the meaning of love." The play revolves around Ani, an idealistic student who, to the dismay of

her parents. decides she must visit

Rev. Antranig Bedikian, one of the founders

Armenia to see

of the Armenian Missionary Association of America, made sure of it. However, several decades passed before Ayvazian truly connected to her family's past.

relate to their Armenian past in various

"It

wasn't until after both my grandparents passed away, and I moved into their house, that I felt that of all the stories I wanted to tell. this was the one I needed to tell first," Ayvazian says. The result is a 90-minute semi-autobiographical drama that revolves around three generations of an immigrant family. Directed by Lynne Meadows in

42 letu Mencu-Apnn-

1997

and

young son, moved to New York in 1977 to pursue an acting career. Nonetheless she "always knew" she wanted to write. "There's a time in your life when you

for hersel.

The members of Ani's family ways: her younger siblings, who

are

mostly preoccupied with rollerblading American

and other facets of

childhood, nonetheless think it's "cool" that their big sister is off to advenrureland. For those older and wiser, on the other hand, the prospect of Armenia

evokes painful memories and minimizes the family's peaceful

existence. One does, however, get the idea that Ani's late grandfather would be proud of her: After all, he'd always

feel like you should move into what you

really want to

do-it's

almost as

you've earned it, or you can't stand not doing it anymore," she muses. Like many writers, Ayvazian has always carried notebooks with her in case inspiration hits, and now has a file box at home that contains 20 years of ideas.

During those two

decades,

Ayvazian acted in Lips Together,Teeth

Apart; Jenny Keeps Talking; collaborated with others in Mama

Drama; and wrote and performed her one-woman show, Footliglrtr. She also

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starred in Neil Simon's Lost inYonkers. She thinks her theater experience may

have something to do with the success of Nine Armenians. "When I finished writing the play, I had 25 years in the theater. I knew where to go with it." She went to New York and the play

opened

to critical

acclaim

at the

Manhattan Theatre Club. "They put on four plays a year, chosen from 1000 submissions," she explains, iustifiably proud. "My intention was to write it in a way that the audience could identify with the family, not feel sorry for them because they were victimized, or not see them as foreigners, because they'd never heard of Armenians." At the same time, Ayvazian explains, she wanted to get the word

'Armenians' up

a d

in the marquee. "I

wanted Armenians to see themselves up

in lights." And to be

counted.

"Armenians always feel their history isn't counted, the genocide is counted, they are not counted. The number nine is in the title intentionally. This is about a whole people."

And the

audience responded.

Ushers at the Manhattan Theatre Club said more than one theatergoer walked out saying "I wish I were Armenian."

music-

hearts-without the heavy polemics of teaching people what they 'should'

especially the music. Although each production is completely new, the mainstay of the play is George

know." Ayvazian's Singer's Boy, a fivecharacter piece, starring Olympia

They were pulled in by the food, the religion, the dance and the

Mgrdichian, the oudist.

wrote the

play with him in mind," Ayvazian

is playing at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. Dukakis,

explains.

sv MsceN BeRnoN

An insert with a brief history of Armenia and a list of Armenian relief funds found within the playbill immedi-

ately signals that this is no ordinary play. Ayvazian explains, "The real truth is that I wanted this play to be the kind

Nine Armenians will runfrom July I 3 through August 3l at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and then move to the Denver Thealer Center in September.

experience that opened people's

km.gll3qs ilforq The Los Angeles World Affairs Council presents

Armenia's First Deputy Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian

The childhood experienceo of

Arlhur $r m en a q) G r e qo ri an are like Nhoee of lhousands of olher refuqeeo from lhe Turkieh maooacreo of 1915-1b Ae a child of nine, second in

command tro his falher, he aesumed adul| reeVonoibilil,ies tor hie family'e eafety. Ihey journeyed for Lhree yearo, by ox carb, on foot, by, eleamer and train, from their emall villaqe in norLhSpeaking on 'The Determinants of Armenia's Foreign Policy"

The Biltmore Hotel 506 S Grand Avenue I..os Angeles, California

Monday, June 30, 7:30 p.m.

2r3.628.2333

weslern lran Lo Dasra in Meoopotamia and Lhe Vroteclion of a brilish refugee cam?, Lhence l,o Dombay, Genoa, Marseillee

and finally of America.

lo lhe eafeLy

$24 postpaid Dr, Vatut GftgoriaL Prafubat of Bou Uaiwity, *y: futhur Crcgoriant recordings makes for f*cinaring rcading. A tragic cpisodc in Middle E*tcrn History which is oftcn forgomcn bur nceds to be told

Da EhiaaYdnbatn, Hdto?

Kcu*iat

l'rofaeor d lraaiaa Sndictu

Columbie Uaiwityt r1c This is a moving story that has anrhrcpologial, wiologicd and historical facets that muld bene6t remrches in thae fields.

Order From:

Arthur T. Gregorian 100 Newhrrrv Coun, Suite 502Concord,

01742

AIM MARcH-APnrr- 1997 / 43

RTTIGION

Neul Ahhot General Faces 0ld Challeruo$ tural and religious legacy and tradition. Leading the effort is the newly-elected Abbot General. Reverend Father Vartan

Keshishian,

the l3th Abbot

after

Mekhitar.

"I am well aware of

the

Congregation's current difficulties," says the Abbot, who had been principal

of the Colegio Mekhitarista in

Buenos

Aires, Argentina for nearly three years

prior to his election in March. "With God's help, and with the selfless and complete cooperation of my brothers, I have agreed to work towards the resolution of the financial, organizational and recruitment problems that we have been facing for nearly a quarter of a century." The problems to which the Abbot

refers are complex. "The financial problems were somewhat resolved with the sale of Congregation property,

together with donations

philan-

thropists," Abbot Keshishian explains. The greater problems are those of

organization and recruitment. Down from a total brotherhood of more than

hen Abbot Mekhitar of Sepastia was forced to flee to Venice in

Armenian religious and cultural traditions.

1715, the Senate ofVenice issued a the Mekhitarian Congregation the Island of

Towards this end, over the centuries, the Monastery's several hundred publications featured historical,

San Lazzaro, in perpetuity. There, on the 30,000 square meter island, the 20plus monks established the San Lazzaro Monastery, with its own printing house, library. museum and seminary. Abbot Mekhitar and his followers continued to consider themselves part of the Armenian Apostolic Church, but with a special mission: not to proselytize but to study and perpetuate

literary, cultural works by the polylingual monks from Armenian communities around the world. The Mekhitarian schools in Argentina, Syria, Lebanon and Italy prepared a number of community leaders

special decree giving

44 I AIll{ Mancu-Apnrr- 1997

and Congregation members.

That was then. Now, the

same

schools and the same congregations are struggling to maintain the high cul-

50 just 20 years ago, today, there are just over 2-5, most of them over 50 years old. Novitiates used to come from schools and communities of the Middle East. "Although we do have some 20 seminarians, not all of them

will go on

to take their vows. We are counting on new students from Armenia." Currently, there are some soldiers from Armenia and Karabakh among the seminarians. as well as graduates of musical and other schools. Not all agree that this option is workable, however. "There is a certain culture that is necessary if one is to be able to follow the strict educational and social requirements of the seminary,"

says one former priest from

San

Lazzaro. "It is difficult to expect that these youngsters-sometimes trauma-

uraintain ownership

these

Arnrcnian trcasures and continue to make thent available to religious and acadernic cornmunities. 'that will only happen if the Abbot Ceneral and his brothers succeed in bringing in new members,

leorganize administratively and tis-

cally. and perpetuate the potential and capacity of the Mekhitarian

of San Lazzaro as cultural and literary bastion. Corrglegation

Maybe the advent

the

Congregation's 300th anniversary in

2000,

just one year befbre

the

Arnrenian Apostolic Church celebrates its l700th anniversary, will be

the oppoltunity tbr the

changes

cveryonc wants and which will ben-

efit everyone.

z z o

BY DANIA

tized,

sometlmes

$ar leJi) Abbot General Vartan Keshishian dt the entance of

spoiled-will be able to become tomorrow's intellectual and religious leaders."

Enlisting new

the monastery-. (top) The Church on the island was restored to its original Gothic sryle in 1909. (center) lhe reJectory ofthe head-monasle ry, whe re, during meals. the Bible is read aloud by a young seminarian. Pietro Novelli's Last Supper hangs on the main wall.

stu-

dents is not easier in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas either. where a religious calling is not the respected option

it once

was.

Where does all this leave the Congregation'?

Its library of

150,000

volumes, and thousands

(bottom) Lord Byron studied from 1816 to 1823, but he didn't sleep here. No outsiders are allowed in the monastery overnight.

. i

here

manuscripts, its museum E

of literary

and cultural

treasures, including

the

OneueN

;

rare Egyptian mummy, are all national as well as international treasures which may one day be without curators. The Congregation's ample publication programs have slowed down, not because of lack of financial resources so uruch as the absence of the necessary academic and intellectual training among the monks. Although not in immediate danger of financial insolvency as it was in mid-1980s, San Lazzaro's book and manuscript preservation process has slowed down becaues of lack of resources.

Fortunately, the Italian Cultural Ministry

is involved in

the

preservation and maintenance efforts that are needed fbr the lsland of San Lazzaro to remain the "Armenian Island", the destination fbr more than 25,000 tourists each year. Unfortunately, it is impossible to remove any "cultural treasures" from Italian soil. Therefore,the Congregation, and the Arrnenian corn-

munity around the world, have no choice but

support the Mekhitarian Congregation's presence on San Lazzaro island in order

z7! a =

AIM Mencu-Apprt

199'7

I 45

ESSAY

fiYutlr 0wn RIsk I I r!

f there is one place. where the art

Even stray dogs, joining

its small ironies. U-turns are permitted on main thoroughfares but only at busy

art, Iooking each way, tails tucked in, then crossing deftly between scores of

intersections where there is no tum lane or tum signal. The first time one experiences this maneuver in a car with a

pedestriturs know this truth well.

of jaywalking has been raised to new professional heights-worthy of being named the national game-it is in Yerevan, Armenia.

the commotion, seem to have mastered the

There, people casually, fearlessly, will cross a busy four-lane thoroughfare with apparently little attention to the light. Traffic lights in Armenia get as much attention

oncoming vehicles.

herd

Unique driving conditions make

jaywalking particularly hazardous. Pot-holes are not uncommon, and

metal bearing down is, no

doubt, what Amelia Earhart must have felt when her engine began to sputter. Why, then, are so many willing to

risk life

limb

as the tacky

pink

ing

neon

and

crossthe

light at a local

street?

grocery store

There are

advertising beer, or as a

yellow for

Some say it

card Maradona

in a Cup

is because under the

World

soviets there were fewer

soccer -d

game.

At first, it frightening

cars; others believe that

witness

children being

pedestrians

$l\.'

have

coached bv I theirparents to 6 look left and ! right for an

working traf-

becomes clear, these are the Wayne Gretzkys and Michael Jordans ofjaywalking. Following surprise and fright, one can only marvel at the miracle that more pedestrians, disdainful of crosswalks, green lights and underpasses do

not leave the bull-ring due to injury, or even death.

To complicate matters, traffic lights do not always work, and the average pedestrian, without any doubt

difficulty deciding which condition

is more perilous--for without red lights

much like the flags on a ski slope that the skier has to stay clear of, a driver will understandably swerve to avoid them thus increasing the unpredi tability of traffic direction. Even when conditions are normal, however, little

attention is paid to common sense speed limits or double lines if a driver is in a huny. Only at busy intersections where there is great risk of colliding with another will attention be paid to

traffic signals. When a collision or fender bender occurs, one of two scenarios will follow: a painfully conciliatory effbrt to resolve the issue through kindness and understanding, or a knock-down,

drag -out dispute which

will

draw

more cheering onlookers than a Tyson

it is clear that a driver will not stop.

boxing match. Victory at

When lights are doing their electronic dance, however, there is no guarantee

physically brutal contest is the true

that drivers, armed with their gas pedals, will give right of way to their opponents crossing with the light.

willingness

compensation for damages goes a Iong way to ending the episode.

It's always a risky business, and Yerevan

Driving in Yerevan is not without

46 lAlM Mencu-Apn[

the

absence of

these reckless street matadors perched precariously in the middle.

has

been

conditioned

opening and move into the center of the street, against the light, as cars, buses and trucks, rush bull-like past

Quickly,

number of opinions.

1997

measure

fic lights during the early years of the blockade. And still others maintain that jaywalking is common in this region of the world.

The more likely answer, perhaps, is what can be described as the survivor

theory. Seen another way, to most Armenian jaywalkers, there is no dan-

ger.

Crossing

a busy

with which one must deal each day simply in order to survive.

ln the final analysis, hardship

and

danger are relative. Subconsciously, perhaps it is a sense of dignity that comes through what traffic lights and speed bumps cannot.

this

righteousness. Also, the to make immediate

street with

oncoming traffic is just another routine in a life ofdaily irrationalities, of unexplainable, even unjustifiable hardships

sv J.H. EspenlAN JoHN ESPERIAN ls A pRoFEssoR oF ENcusn

nrtnr

Coulr,tutrtrv ColLror or Sourumr

Nrvepl n Les Vecls, Hr spsN-rrrm FALr1996 reRM er rru ArvmnrceN UNnT nsnv orAru,mNm

n YrxrvnN.

v0lj'HEo]{LyH[''P[fl[dnv iTage^

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AnrerrTel GSM Cellular Telephone System will become operational on June 1.1997