Hear No Evil, See No Evil - March 1996 by Armenian International Magazine

Apau SurrH INSTITUTE

WHY AND.HOW TO INVEST IN ARMENIA 8th, 9th and 10th Mry 1996, Yerevan

LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN, PnnsIprNr or AnUENIA lnoites you to Yereaan to see first hand the far-reaching goaetnment reforms and positiue market deaelopments in this strategic country and to meet the key ministers, including:

HRANT BAGRATIAN, PnIr,aE MINIsTER Veuneu AvRNEssIAN, MrusrER or EcoNovrv

H.E.

LrvoN BenrnouDARIAN/ MmrsrEn or FrNaNcE Bacnar AsnrntnN, Cnarnueu oF rHE NerroNm Ba.Nr PevEr GgerrexHCHIAN, CnlmMa.ru, Boano or PnIvlrzArIoN Asgor VosxeNnN, MrNrsrEn or AcRIcuLruRE lNp Foop AsHor Slm,nLq,N, MrNrsrnn or IruousrRv IN A HIGH.LEVEL

GncIx SrrannezIAN, Ve}Ir |ezueoenlAN,

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MrNrsrER oF rHE Rnrunrtc oE AnvreNIa, PnrstonNr, AnuEttInn BusINEss Fonuvt

INVESTMENT WINDOW FOR KAZAKSTAN 6th and 7th )une 1996, London reslistic inoestment opportunities into its country, qnd to highlight potential co-operation in its oil and gas sector snd the minerals and ruining industries, the Kazak goaernment together with the Adam Smith lnstitute is hosting its first 'lnaestment Windout' for the global inaestor community

To promote

H.E.

AKEZHAN KAZHEGELDIN, PnluE MtmsrrR oF KAzAKSTAN

will

bring a team of senior representatiaes from his goaernment to London, including:

UuInzRr SHurErv, MrNrsrEn or EcoNorrrv ArrxaNoER PAvLov, MINIsTTR or FlNaNcn Onez DzneNposov, CH^l,rnrvrAN oF rHE N.qtIoN.q.r BnNx Gnnny ScuroIr, MmrsrEn oE lNousrRv aNo Tnlor NunreN BarcnannEV, MrlrsrEn or On aNo Ges SrnIxrEx DeuxErv, MrNrsrER or Gnorocv Senurat KnruunzAYEV/ CHarnulN or Srarr PnorEnrv CouruIrrEE complemented by high-leael Keynote Speakers from the West, including:

RoN FnEEMAN, Frnsr Vrcr PnnsrouNt, EBRD For full conference programme and registration details, please complete and return this application form to: Ulrike von Lonski, Adam Smith Institute, 11-13 Charterhouse Buildings, London EClM 7AN, UK. ArM3/e(r Tel: +44 (0) L71 490 3774, Fax: +44 (0)1-71 490 8932 Name:

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7. NO.3

EDITOR'S NOTE

1996

LEITEflS TO THT TOIIOH

BYTES ON FILE

FOCUS

AHMENIAI'I SUffVEY FOREGROUND

COVER STORY

ANALYSIS

Deputy Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian lays out the ground rules fbr successful negotiations.

KARABAKH'S FUTURE

A Maternity Hospital Guarantees Karabakh's Healthy Future.

II'ITIBlllATIONAT

1f, HEAHil(lMr,SElr0Mr I U Hidden lives and unspoken social problems are slowly sudacing in the laqe Southern California 0iaspora

My friend's enemy is my enemy? Armenia is caught between Iran and the US. TC()N{}MY

A STORY ABOUT BREAD BUSINESS PROFILE: BOB KEVORKIAN OF

THAILAND

s0cErY

France Forum heats up Armenia's classrooms.

TDUCATIOl\l

32 SPOHTS

Davis Cup, Here

we come!

BOOKS

THE WORK OF BIBLIOGRAPHER HAMO VASSILIAN

TIIE JOURNAL OF ARMENIAN INFORMAT]ON PROFESSIONALS

AHIS SOVIET ERA POSTAGE STAMPS.

GARNI. A MUSICAL PIONEER.

SPOHTS

Ut\lDEHEXPOSED

GLOBAL AGENDA

TDUCATION Kambakh University has over a doren departments and a dormitory.

ESSAY

CoveR llrusrRartol aruo Desrcr.r sv

Rlrrr Tlnprrunu

AIM (ISSN 1050-3471), MARCH 1996, Vol. 7, No. 3, rs pubhshed monlhly. S45 per yea( by The Fourlh Millennium Society, 207 South Brand Boulevard, Suile 07. Glendale CA g 204: Phone: (8 8) 246-7979. Fax: (8 I 8) 246-0088. Second Class Postaqe pa d at Gtendale, CA and add[ional naihnq oft,ces. Canada Posl Pub|canons Mai, Producl Sales Agreement No 05 6457 O Copynghl t 996 by The Founh Mrllennium Sociely All nghts reseryed. AIM may not be reproduced n any manner, either in whole or in part. wilhout written permission trom the pubhsher. The edrtors are not reaponsible for unsolicited nanuscr.pls or ad Jnless a stamped. selt-addressed envelope rs enclosed. Oprnrons expressed in signeo art,cles do nol necessarily represenl lhe views ofTheFoudhl\,4rllen.rumSociely. Foradvedisingqueriescall 1-a1a-246-7979. Subscflplionratesforoneyear.US $45.Canada$55,France:350FF ($55); Europe, Far East S America, Alrica, Commonweallh oI lndependenl Slates: g55i Middle East, Australia. Armenia: 950. Postmasters: Send address changes lor Al[r, P.O. Box 3296, N,,lanhaflan Beach, CA 90266, U.S.A. 1

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HplI-o Our TUpRE TOURIH MIII.BUNIUM SOGIEIY here was the woman on the east coast who thought the story on the visit

of Catholicos Karekin I to the communities of North America (AIM, February 1996) was "bold." There was the eternal cynic who wanted to know whether all the topics covered in the "1995-1996: Looking Back, Moving Ahead" (AIM, January 1996) story would ever make it as the subjects of individual articles in months to come. There were the dozens of appreciative readers who called to say they were "wowed" by the beauty of the cover of the February issue. A long-lost friend called to say that the large photo of Karabakh's President Robert Kocharian under the United Nations emblem made him proud. There were the chuckles over the president's tie and the mouths hanging open over the disabled sailing team (Underexposed, February 1996). One of the patrons of the Fourth Millennium Society (p. 1l) offered to send the Head of the State Department's Office of Caucasus and Security Affairs a gift subscription. His letter had appeared in Other People's Mail (AIM, January 1996). But since he already receives AIM so we sent the gift to his boss.

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KHACHIG BABAYAN FLORA, GEORGE DUNAIANS CALII.-ORNIA

RAZMIG HAKIMIAN CANADA

JACK MAXIAN HONG KONG

FOUl{DING TRUSTEES

But there was only one letter to the editor. There were many welcome pats on the back and the encouraging remarks to persevere. Some of them

GAREN AVEDIKIAN CALIFORNIA

VAROUJAN ISKENDERIAN

are reprinted on the facing page.

AUSTRALIA

But we know you're out there, because 496 of you from 29 states and23 countries responded to our four page letter of explanation and appeal, and donated $43,576.00. At press time, the donations were still coming in together with the notes of appreciation and solidarity. This is a high return for any sort of mail appeal. But then, we always knew our subscribers were special. One thoughtful reader from Connecticut actually underlined and highlighted passages in the letter, added comments and sent it in with her check. Another took the time to include a list of suggested story ideas-the new Armenian citizenship laws; an update on the Metsamor nuclear power plant; the Armenian Missionary Association's activities in Armenia, and their reception by the people and the government, and ancient pre-Christian Armenian deities. The first three were already on our list. The photographic coverage of the "Tearentarach-Trndez" celebrations in Armenia this last February (see page 43) is perhaps one way of approaching the last suggestion.

If just a few of the 30,000 readers who see AIM's 10,000 copies each month "talk back," imagine the dialogue that would be created. We're waiting with bated breath.

MARDO KAPRIELIAN CALIFORNIA

HAGOP KOUSHAKJIAN FLORIDA

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6 / AIM MencH 1996

IUNI Editor - Publisher Serpr HlnotnruteN GHAZARIAN

Zoryan Institute established and I edit, Diaspora (see AIM, April l99l) there is

Assistant Editors SYLVA DAKESSTAN.

Los ANGELES

MARK GRIGoRIAN, YEREVAN

always a quiet competition between diasto persuade the

Art Director

poras which seek

RAFFI TARPINIAN

Design, Photo Editing and Production AnEc Aserpr,cN. ZAvEN KHACHTKIAN. Rouggn MeNce.se.RrAN, PAUL M. PApp

American ruling elites that America's interests are what the diasporan lobby

Editorial Assistants

claims, and the govemment's attempt to enlist or "commission" the diaspora to act as a disseminator of the govemment's views in the homeland. This complex

COHAR SAHAKIAN, YEREVAN MECAN BARRON. LoUISE A. SMITH NEw YoRK

Translators ARAM OHANIAN, ARIs SEVAG

Director of Operations

interactional dynamic is not adequately reflected in an otherwise intriguing article. ANCA and the Assembly are right to dispute the State Department's claim that they alone know what the US's interests

Sgr,,r KuoonNleN

Subscriptions AsHor BocHossrAN, YEREVAN Advertising EDWARD JAMccrrcHIAN, MELINE OUNJIAN

Contributing Editors Touy HelprN, Snnxrs SsuevonteN, RoNALD GRlcoR SUNY, JIVAN TABIBIAN, TALINE VoSKERITCHIAN

Contributors ARAM ABRAHAMIAN, ARTASHES Erunr, YenevnN; HRATCH TcHrLINcrnreN, SuseN PATTTE, LoNDoN; JANET SAMUELIAN, LoS ANCELEs; MARK MALKAsIAN RHoDE ISLAND; GEoRcE BouRNourrAN. LoLA KoUNDAKJTAN. NEw YORK: MooRAD MOORADTAN, WAsHrNcToN, DC

Photographers MKHITAR KHACHATRIAN, ZAVEN KHACHIKIAN. ROUBEN MANGASARIAN,

YEREVAN;

ALrNE MANoUKIAN, AnulNss JoHe.NNEs, PARrs; EDMON TERAKoPIAN, LoNDoNI KARTNE ARMEN, KEVORK DJANSEZIAN, LoS ANGELES; ARDEM ASLANIAN, NEw JERSEY; HARRY KoUNDAKJIAN, NEw YoRK; BERGE ARA ZoBIAN, RHoDE ISLAND

Editor Emeritus

MINAS KO,AIAN FoUNDED rN lgm FOUNDIN(; EOITOR FOUNDIN(; PUALISHER VARTAN OSKANIAN MICHAEL NAHABET

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WRITE TO

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We welcome all communication. Although we read all letters and submissions, we are unable to acknowledge everything we receive due to limited stafling and resources. Write to usl We can be reached at AIM4M@WELL.COI\I or the traditional way at AIM PO. Box 10293 GIendale, Califbrnia 9 I 209-5295, or by fax, 818.245.0088, or phone, 818.246.7979.

ktters to the E-ditor

read your article about lobbying,

est and some dismay. Throughout, your reporter refers to what she apparently regards as an invariable gold standard: "US interests." For example, she writes

ition of US interests. However, such

A NON.PROFIT CORMRATION

2El,

"The Race is On: Who Shall Influence US Policy on Armenia?" (Cover Story, February 1996) with considerable inter-

BUILDING CHARACTER Perseverance is our national character. Keep up the excellent work you have been doing. Anpr PeNossreN-MurrART WrLLowoer-r, ONrenro, CeNapR

Keep up the good work SrnpeN ALrouNreN LanNace, Cypnus

there is a consensus about obvious defin-

As A PUBLIC SERVICE By THE FoURTH MILLENNIUM StrIETY PUBL|SHED

2517

CONSIDERABLE INTEREST

that 'A greater problem for the State Department is that ANCA and the Assembly often work against US interests." Your correspondent assumes that

CHARLES NAZARIAN

Editorial Consultant

514 339

KgacHrc Tor-olyaN WesleynN UNrvnnsny Mroor-srowN, Cor.rNecrrcur

may be edited fbr publication

not the case. The US State Department

MORE PLEASE

repeatedly seeks to intimidate and co-opt lobbyists who appeal to the US Congress by invoking its own version of US interests. Why? Because it deeply resents the

As a suggestion, could you note a brief description next to pictures to make

democratic pluralism

that

enables

Congress and diasporan lobbies to influ-

ence policy and to help define what US interests are.

To give you a pointed example: is it self-evident that US interests require an alliance with Israel. with its five million people, rather than with the 120 million Arabs whose states control so much of the world's oil? It was not self-evident until Jewish academic analyses, media influence over public opinion, and lobbying together established that counterintuitive notion. The struggle over how to define US interests comes before policymaking, and it is an intellectual and academic struggle as well as a political one.

reading easier and more informative? Best wishes for success of the maga-

zine in the future. S.qnrrs MorssssreN

NonrH

MlNl1

NSW,

Ausrnelra

I believe in democracy and in the ARF's ideal of a free, independent and united Armenia, but I also believe in an Armenia for all Armenians. Moreover, I believe AIM a credible front representing Armenians intemationally. I welcome you back and commend you for your determination and commitment to staying on the course of true journalism. Hr,n.c.Nr Beer-RNleN

DoN Mrr-r-s, ONremo, CeNepe

As the Israeli political scientist Yossi Shain has written in a joumal that the AIM Mencr

1996

Address Send

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oller your organlzatlon one page space in AIM, once a year, FREE OF CHARCE. to publish your annu-

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Ihnntt You for Fillrnq

lvlU

Bottle

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Fill out the form below and mail it along with your donation to:

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principles.

To that end, we believe this offer will be welcomed by all fbr-

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9 /AIM

Mencn1996

75(, Dollar value of a roundtrip Paris-Yerevan-Paris ticket on Armenian Airlines

146(D Dollar value of a roundtrip London-Baku-London ticket on British Airways

s(D(D

Number of Armenian priests before l9l5 5(D(D Number of Armenian priests today

1 Rank of Turkey among countries with most imprisoned journalists

Rank of Ethiopia

o.6 Percentage of Armenia's 1995 intemational trade with Turkey

24-2 Percentage of Georgia's 1995 intemational trade with Turkey

24-3 Percentage of Armenia's trade with Russia

t 3-9 Percentage of Georgia's trade with Russia

o Percentage

Armenia's trade with Azerbaijan

12-2 Percentage of Georgia's trade with Azerbaijan

t2 Percentage of Georgia's with Turkmenistan

l7 -7 Percentage of Armenia's with Turkmenistan

5-2 Percentage of Georgia's with Armenia

6-3 Percentage of Armenia's with Georgia

Azg, Economisl, Hayastani Hanrapelutiun, Levon Travel, AIM Research

NEW RELEASES PlIR0tll$ 0r IHE T(IURIH ]UTIlIflItlIUM StlGIETY Patrons of the Fourth Millennium Society are committed to the well-being, growth and development of Armenians and Armenia through the promotion of open discussion and the free flow ol information among individuals and organizations. Their financial contributions ($1000-$5000) support the work ol the Fourth Millennium Society and ensure the independence of AlM..

s E !! c

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Mrunmr mro ELElaerH AcgeetAN LIRRv Seon BaRues VARTKES AND Jearu BeRsm,r

llo

ARueru DERoenmt

tultt

I 3

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ARaxre M. HARoUTNTAN KRTKoR AND

m dhlf

HARRY AND AIDA KoUNoAKJIAN KRIKoR KRTKoRTAN AvrK MAHoESIAN ALEX MANoocrAN STEPAN AND ERDJANIK MARKARIAN HARoUT AND RITA MESRoBIAN JASMTNE McRDtcHtAN

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Steve eno

UtrrcJ,

HARour lsrANsuL|AN

ARPIAR AND HERMINE JANOYAN KEVoRK AND SATENIG KARNERJIAN

Geoncr nlo GRece Krv Gnno Kesevrru Jouu auo Rose Kercuovau

t ANAHIT

rmilllt InilthitE 810

! -=

*! F

tRElIr$

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AIM MARCH 1996 I

*'!&ir:; ),)11

,.:i.,

i:,i,tii,lrliri

lefi!{!{{" ..r:,

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the Supreme Council

Mountainous Karabakh

CIS. First in an independent statement, and then in ajoint statement with visiting

signed an agreement on parliamentary exchanges of delegations and information. Azerbaijan immediately issued an official protest, saying this constituted de-

Turkmen President Saparmurad Niyazov, Ter-Petrossian reaffirmed that the sovereignty of Armenia (and Turkmenistan) is legitimized by a national referendum which expressed the will of the people

and reflected their commitment to the

The Armenian government react-

development of independent and sovereign statehood. Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze stated that the vote "could only harm" the integration of the CIS

facto recognition by Armenia Karabakh's independence.

ed harshly to a resolution passed by the

Russian State Duma renouncing the December 1991 Belovezhsk accords, by which the 1922 treaty forming the Soviet Union was abrogated.

Armenian President Levon Ter Petrossian said the Duma's decision was a "provocation against the independence

states, while Russian President Boris Yeltsin denounced the resolution as scandalous and unconstitutional. Other CIS

presidents reacted negatively, as well, with the exception of Belarus which leans toward re-unification with Russia.

and sovereignty of the republics of the

fifteenth

The

of the Yerevan Metro is celebrated this month. anniversary

The length of

the transportation network is l2

underground

km. (8 miles) with eight operating stations serving approxi-

mately 130,000

passengers per day. The

Metro was the only means

transporta-

tion available to

the

populationof Yerevan during the severe energy shortages of 1992 and 1993.

14 / AIM Mm.cH

1996

Wiei$WWffi

S$&f,tliiia

;1' i :

LT' ;-

:f;

.q-1.

The one-day visit of Turkmenistan's president, Saparmurad Niyazov, resulted in the signing of over 10 bilateral agreements, the most important of which was the restructuring of Armenia's US $34 million debt to Turkmenistan for natural gas purchases as a five-year credit. Niyazov visited the 15th century

mausoleum

Turkmen Emir Pir-

Hussein in the Argavand village, near Yerevan.

Midland Armenia, the first multinational corporation to set up in Yerevan, formally opened its doors for business this month. Midland Armenia (see AIM, December 1995) is a subsidiary of Midland Bank, part of

the Hong Kong Shanghai Holding Company, and is partially owned by financier-philanthropist Vatche Manoogian, who is the bank's president. In recognition of his involvement in Armenia and Armenian communities worldwide, Manoogian received the St. Gregory the Illuminator Medal from Catholicos Karekin I-the highest honor that the church can bestow. AIM M.cncH

1996

.:{ ;l

rrr

#:ai J $ U:r{

{-q | fi ;c,r,'i

llN n February. an Armenian woman ll ana her six children. recent immifl grants from Iran. burned to death

fi i, their Glendale, Calilbrnia, U

upur,rn"n,. The suspected arson is the victims' husband and father Jorjik Avanesian.

March,

hanged himself

3S-year-old emigre

at a Van Nuys,

Califomia, jail. A transient without a home or social support, Haik Dadoian frequently loitered around the St. Peter

Armenian Church. Police had arrested him for trespassing. If the Los Angeles Times had, not written extensively about these two events, the 500,000-strong Armenian community of Southern California would never have heard of them. Parik Nazarian, a case worker for

the Armenian Relief Society Social Services, says domestic abuse, child abuse, gangs, AIDS, homelessness, are all part of the social ills which afflict the community. But, she says, Arrnenians hold on to their belief that problems should not be discussed.

=\', away, the father has been attempting to prove he can support them; until then, the children have been fortunate to remain together.

may have been the work of a "madman" as many who know him claim, but domestic violence and spousal

Although short-term care

homes. New to a society where emergency services are available to victims of domestic crime, many wives are surprised to find that by calling police to save them in emergency situations when they are being beaten, they are faced with a court case where they must

available at a shelter, a l7-year-old girl who was repeatedly abused by her Syrian-born father and brother could

find

not Armenian foster care. The teen. who had a history of running away and other problems, returned to her dysfunctional family. Her l6-year-old sister remains at a foster home. A beautiful 25-year-old unmarried young mother from Beirut, unable to shake her drug addiction, resorted to burglary and finally received a long jail term, leaving her seven-year-old son to her mother's care. Drug addiction is more widespread than one would like to think. A mother who locks her doors so her 2l-year-old

homes due to the inability of parents to

care

for them. After the mother

ran

testify against

many

jailed spouse, and

face

financial insecurity. Even teenage pregnancy is a recur-

ring problem. One high school senior from Saudi Arabia kept her pregnancy secret from her parents all the way through the delivery. "l just wore baggy clothes," she said. After a normal delivery, she decided to give the child up for

adoption and went through several

send him back to Armenia where his older brother may be able to help. Problems know no age limitations.

helped more than one young Armenian woman through this difficult process.

uation. The agency said they have

70-year-old Yerevan woman's son

live with him. Just one year later,

Three children. ranging in age from three to seven, are a few of the dozens who have been placed in foster

is a lrequent charge in

son won't be able to enter and steal possessions has finally resorted to efforts to

sent her a tourist visa and invited her to

The problems that are neither seen nor heard cover the gamut of 20th century social ills. There is the homeless young woman in her thirties, born in the US. When she first visited the Armenian Relief Society, it was at the encouragement of non-Armenian friends. She frequently reappears and case workers notice her appearance has deteriorated-unwashed and often hungry.

abuse

counseling sessions at a local Glendale family services agency. Throughout, her parents were never aware of her sit-

A See No Evi!

was

abandoned her. The apartment manager evicted her after she was unable to pay

the rent. Now. she lives the life of a gypsy, caring for other seniors so that she can survive herself.

AIDS is no stranger to

the

Armenian community, either. AIDS Project Los Angeles even has a Hotline in Armenian, for AIDS education and prevention. One physician with many Armenian clients says he has more than one male patient who has been tested HIV positive but refuses to tell his wife.

The taboo subject of

Speak No Evi!

sexual

molestation must be handled in court and counseling centers by staff and a community who are unfamiliar with the vocabulary, even. The 12-year-old girl from Iran who has been molested by her mother's boyfriend is just one case in the files of the Los Angeles County

Children's Services. The Avanesian family's tragedy

"Whatever problems the rest of the population has, you're going to find the Armenian community having the same problems," says Alice Petrossian, director of special projects for Glendale Unified School District. "Just because the problems aren't seen, doesn't mean they don't exist. It's like a disease; hiding it will make it

worse. And

we don't have to

ashamed or afraid that others will hear. We need to talk about them to find ways

solving them together,"

stresses

Nazarian. Chahe Keuroghelian, a spokesman for the Glendale Police Department,

calls the general taboo of not talking about issues, the ostrich mentality. "If we don't see it, it doesn't exist," he says. And because most community organizations are not set up to deal with these problems, most don't know that the problems exist in large numbers-and

AIM

MARCH 1996

rlriliiililrlffi

not just in isolated cases.

The problem is severe enough notes one attorney, that courts, jails, police stations each handle dozens of Armenian cases each day throughout Southern Califomia.

Yet, if one looks through the Armenian telephone directories of

Southern Califomia, there are only two institutions set up to deal with tens of

thousands of individuals with these acute needs. Besides the Armenian Relief Society's four offices and the Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center in Hollywood, neither churches nor schools are equipped to handle the problems caused by immigration.

acculturation and feelings of uprooted-

lfi

{]l$ili&

says, "and when you're the last resort, what can you do? It's too late. I'm trying to educate the society as much as I

Petrossian says.

can, but how many watermelons can I hold in my hand?" More and more Demirjian is being approached by parents seeking help and

lems and experiencing different symptoms of adjustment disorder, explains Levon Jernazian, a clinical psychologist. As a result, domestic violence is just one of the symptomatic forms of

guidance for their children-whether it's about a drug problem, trouble in school, or other unacceptable behavior such as gangs.

Admitting the Problem Keuroghelian estimates around seven percent of Armenian teenagers have been arrested at least one time, and have gone through the legal system.

NESS.

There are some

exceptions.

frequently seek assistance from Father Demirjian. But, too often, they do so after their problem has escalated to a legal issue, and it's too late for a priest. "I'm the last resort," Demirjian

/AIM MrncH

1996

Nicholson often sees the shame associ-

ated with family violence within the Armenian community. "It's very hard for an Armenian woman to come forward for help, or an Armenian man

need help,' because

the

issue also haunts par-

ents who feel their children shun the old-fashioned values of the old country in an attempt to become one with the new country. In doing so the teenagers adopt the new values and freedoms which is often interpreted by parents as a lack of respect. As teenagers become more and

more comfortable with their new lifestyle, they take these adopted values

back home where they may not

accepted by the family, holding onto the Armenian values. And because of this "conflict within the family, the blame

things. One time, he broke an iron gate, another time he entered the church at night, tumed on the gas and tried to set fire to the kitchen.

tragically. Sometimes, even when they want to change, it's too late. Women having problems with an abusive husband, or a husband in prison, or those looking for a shelter

males,

acultural issue."

"Then Dadoian began disrupting

the person is not willing to change, then we can't help him out. That's when the members of the church decided to call the police," concludes the priest about an incident that ended

for

underlying uncon-

inability to meet the expectations of the new environment, he says. A program coordinator of the domestic violence project of the Glendale YWCA, Lissa

-it'sThis respect

kind-hearted parishioners.

of their

scious, powerl essness about their

and

like it and he quit," Demirjian explains. "For a time, he lived in one of the classrooms until it was discovered he took drugs with money he received from

told us

because

Armenian community you don't air your family problems in public, and that's the challenge for this community

community. The man who hung himself in jail was arrested at Demirjian's church. "For the last four years, Dadoian had received help from the church. Members found him a job, but he didn't

says. "Finally, the rehabilitation center

expression, especially

tocome forward and say, 'I'm a batterer

Although neither the Diocese nor the Prelacy of the Armenian Church were available to talk with AIM about these problems, Father Shnork Demirjian of St. Peter Church acknowledges the complicated needs of his parish and the

"We tried everything," Demirjian

Immigrants coming into this coun-

try are having serious adjustment prob-

falls on this society and the freedom "Just as we have class presidents, we have children in gangs," Petrossian says, explaining that gangs form a way

self-protection and an expression of superiority.

Keuroghelian notes, "maybe we don't know what to do to remedy these

ills," he says, adding, "It's necessary to address the psychological and social problems immigrants face in this country, not knowing the majority culture, not knowing how to get along with people, not feeling a part of this society, and not finding their place in this society, especially the Armenian youth who

splinter off from their cultural heritage." Because of culture shock "the morale of the whole family is low,"

this society allows," Keuroghelian says. Sometimes the conflict leads to extreme disciplinary measures which can lead to legal problems for the parents. "They need to realize it's okay for them to get help. It's a problem that crosses all cultural, ethnic, and socio-

economic boundaries, and there shouldn't be shame around it. Anyone might need help, anyone might be experiencing this, and there is help available," Nicholson says. "The problems need to be visible

and talked about, not because we are worse than other groups, but because, we, too, are vulnerable," explains Nazarian who, together with her collleagues, sees those who are at risk, and

.WMWSri

;s::{::i:i,i.,: ':

seek help-but not always voluntarily. The few who end up at the community's social service centers are sent there by courts who require that they seek help. The majority either do not know where to seek help, or need the kind of serious long-term help that the Armenian Relief

j.1.{l

nizations.

l*trtitf

iitii:lr$til*slffiWlw

"If we have this triangle, we

can assure ourselves that we have set

foot on a positive but long road to recovery," he says. Nazarian stressed that there is no other way to resolve these problems, because the social service agencies are limited not just in resources, but also in responsibility and authority.

Scoiety and the Evangelical Social Services cannot provide. Or worse, after they are already in trouble, and help is too late.

Small Steps Forward Before !ts Too Late

One area in which there appears to

be some improvement in community Through education in conjunction with the sacraments, Demirjian uses every opportunity to help his parish-

attitudes in in dealing with the mentally retarded.

Carole Jouroyan, executive director of the Glendale Association for the Retarded, which has several Armenian board members, says that in the old country, parents with mentally retarded

ioners put the brakes on domestic violence. One step is spiritual and practical intensive premarital counseling before the wedding. He encourages them to call a priest if a problem arises, before the situation spirals out of control.

children were forced to keep them home. There was also a social stigma attached to the mentally disabled. People thought they were "sick in the head," and this reflected on the family. "But when the families come to this country, suddenly they find many services available for the retarded, and for the first time pare nts are freed from the burden and responsibility. For the mentally retarded, a whole new world opens for them that didn't exist before. Those who are educable, become inde-

Before performing a baptism, he tells parents there should be peace and love in a home, reminding them that a home is like a church, where the children should be loved compassionately.

And through the love of their parents the children will grow through the grace of God.

believe these measures will eventually eliminate some of the abusive cases," he says. "Anybody who is sacramentally tied to the church, we are trying to help them out, give them counseling. I would like to say, on behalf of my parish, we aware of these issues and are trying to have a group of committee

pendent, assertive, and excited with

members who are targeting these

Jouroyan often runs into Armenian

issues." If so, they are the rare occurrence.

businessmen who resist hiring the mentally disabled because they feel something is wrong with them. So even as great strides are made, obstacles still exist. And, in each trouble area, there are steps which can be taken to offer help

Most services for the troubled are offered by agencies outside the Armenian community. To help teens avoid heading down the wrong path, the Glendale Police Department has staff members reaching

life," Jouroyan points out. However, when she is trying to find jobs for her clients 25 percent of

whom are

ghettoized society, Petrossian says. But the need for more help is still great, and Petrossian is look ing for community members blessed in life to help those less blessed. "We're talking about a whole gen-

out to the

eration

tance when it can. To raise literacy levels, UCLA stu-

community, and the Armenian Reliel Society gives assis-

of people with great need, a

dents conduct tutorial projects during

whole generation in culture shock." Realistically, for many teens it may be too late, she says, adding, early prevention is the key.

the weekends at Glendale High School. The rationale for tutoring is to get a student's self-esteem up so they don't have to resort to gangs. And as role models, the students show the teens there is an

too late for children. To deal with the gang problem, he suggests members of the community establish a triangle of support involving

option in life that they don't see in their

parents.teachers and community orga-

But Keuroghelian says it's

never

Armenian-speaking,

and alternatives to what appear to be helpless and tragic situations. "The community is like a very del-

icate statue being molded.

takes

long time to build its parts and still it's in the process of being formed, but def initely we need more hands, more help to make the statue, " Nazarian pleads. BY THERESA Monreu exn Snlpr Hr.nourrNreN GuazenreN

AIM

M*cn

1996

l19

Terln$ ol lllua Parity

Establishing hen,

1992, the Organization

for Security and Cooperation in

Europe (OSCE) became involved in the Mountainous

Karabakh issue, its ministers mandated that the status of Karabakh be determined during a future conference to be held in Minsk, Belarus. The general understanding among the participants was that the final outcome of the conference-the political status of Mountainous Karabakh---+ould be anything from simple autonomy to outright independence. Most important, the parties to the conflict and the OSCE member states would do nothing to predetermine the final outcome of the conference.

Azerbaijan, however, quickly gave its own interpretation to the decision, arguing that the goal of the conference would not be to determine the status of Mountainous Karabakh, but to decide the level and the scope of autonomy for Karabakh within Azerbaijan.

While Azerbaijan was, at first, alone in its revisionist interpretation, and the Minsk Group members were

usually silent, recently more

states have become vocal in their support and active advocacy of Azerbaijani views. In its arguments, Azerbaijan relies

in the

cowardly, albeit convenient, way to deal with the most pressing issue facing the new world order today. The intemational community's reluctance to acknowledge the legitimacy of self-determination claims, and its refusal to consider each case on its own merits and to recommend solutions

accordingly may only

exacerbate already explosive situations.

The international community must acknowledge that not self-determination

all

claims are alike and develop criteria for their evaluation based on factors such as, the

history of how a particular region came to be incorporated into a larger state; the ruling

government's treatment of the people opting for self-deter-

mainly on the fact that Mountainous Karabakh has been part of Azerbaijan

mination; and whether the people of the teni-

for the past 75 years, and any status that

tory support the claim

goes beyond autonomy cannot be legal-

of self-determination. As for Azerbaijan, it must understand that the path that the Karabakh

ly substantiated since the dual principles of territorial integrity of states and

the inviolability of their borders take precedence over any other principle that might even remotely contradict them. This view is supported by the international community mainly out of a concem that the survival of a self-determination movement could set a dangerous precedent and undermine the political unity of other countries. Dismissing all self-determination claims in favor of the status quo out of

this fear of the "domino effect" is 20 / AIM Mrncn 1996

Karabal

self-determination movement took has gamered it a great deal of legitimacy, making the movement worthy of treatment as equal to the "undisputed" principle of territorial integrity.

Tn".. is no rule of intemational law that forbids secession from an existing state; nor, on the other hand, is there any that forbids the mother state from crushing the secessionary move-

if it can. In either case, the outof the struggle will be legally

ment,

come

acceptable. But as long as the mother

state

is still struggling to crush the

secessionary movement, it cannot be said that the secessionary authorities are strong enough to maintain control over their territory with any certainty of permanence. From the day the people of Mountainous Karabakh expressed their desire (through referendum) to become independent, Azerbaijan has persistently attempted to suppress this movement by military means. Azerbaijan's accep-

tance

of an unconditional

cease-fire

EMB]|I Negotiations Here, two issues are pertinent. One is that the constitutional law

laration

of the former Soviet

Azerbaijan Soviet Republic as aggres-

Union and the supplementary April 3, 1991, legislation interpreting

sion, annexation and occupation. Azerbaijan consciously reestablished its l9 l8- 1920 independence, nullifying all the legal acts and norms of the Soviet era, including the very ones that give Azerbaijan its legal claim of authority

the legal

of the

mechanisms

constitution

required that those republics opting for independence which have autonomous units

The second issue is that in its decof independence, Azerbaijan

referred

to the formation of

the

over Mountainous Karabakh. During

the 1918-1920 republic, Mountainous Karabakh was not part of the

in them conduct referenda for each unit sep-

arately. According to this law, the peoples of those units reserve the right to determine

whether to remain in

the union or

secede

with the republic from the union. On August 30, I 991

the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a declaration on the restitution of indepen-

dence of

the

Azerbaijani republic. Azerbaijan's independence was declared not

according

after the December 1993

large-scale

Azerbaijani military offensive and six months of intense fighting, is a clear

indication

of Azerbaijan's failure

crush the secessionary movement. Thus, Azerbaijan once and for all has lost its

right to legally challenge Karabakh's claim for secession. Karabakh's incremental accession to independence was in full compliance with the constitutional law of the thenextant Soviet Union, which became the basis for the independence of the former

republics and their formal recognition by the international community.

referen-

dum as required by union legislation, but by the decision of the supreme organ of the republic, with no representatives of Mountainous Karabakh or other Armenian-populated regions of Azerbaijan present. Only later did Azerbaijan conduct a referendum to formalize its parliament's decision on independence, but it did not hold a sep-

arate referendum in Karabakh as required by law. In response to this move and in full compliance with the spirit and letter of the union laws, Karabakh conducted its own referendum and accordingly declared its independence.

Azerbaijani republic.

Finally, there are many UN and other intemational instruments which provide sufficient legal ground for selfdetermination claims. Although most early cases concerned decolonization, in 1966, the adoption of two human rights covenants-one on economic, social and cultural rights, the other on

civil and political rights-raised

the

possibility that intemational law could provide some support for other forms of

self-determination. Both covenants clearly state that all people have the right of self-determination. By virtue of this right, a people can freely determine

AIMMmor

1996 121

its political status and freely pursue economic, social and cultural development.

In 1970, the United Nations General' Assembly unanimously approved Resolution 2625, known as the

Declaration on Principles of

Intemational Law Concerning Friendly

Relations and Cooperation Among States. The declaration further expanded the scope of the right to self-deter-

mination, arguing that it can be implemented through the establishment of a sovereign and independent state, the free association with an independent state or the emergence into any other political status freely determined by a people.

Like all the other critical texts on self-determination that preceded it, the Declaration on Friendly Relations emphasizes the preservation of territorial integrity, stating that the affirmation of the right of selfdetermination should not be consfiued as authorizing or encouraging any

action which would "dismember or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign and independent states." But the Declaration contains a qualification that distinguishes it from previous resolutions on selfdetermination: It specifies that the protection of "tenitorial integrity applies to states possessed of a govemment representing the

whole people belonging to the territory without distinction as to race, creed or color."

This is an unambiguous affirmation of the applicability of the right of selfdetermination of peoples inside the political boundaries of existing sovereigl and

independent states in situations where the govemment does not represent the govemed.

Then why has Mountainous Karabakh not been recognized by anyone? It is usually agreed that a state must satisfy three conditions-territory, a population and a government capable

tional relations. Of course, there is the argument that Karabakh is too small to become a

viable state. The generally accepted definition of statehood does not include

relations.

relate to the capacity to engage in formal relations with other states. Should the size of an entity's territory be a factor? The size of its population? Its gross national product? Its ability to survive without foreign aid? From the standpoint of internation-

Some argue that recognition is the fourth condition which has to be satis-

fied before a state exists for the purposes of intemational law. But the better view is that recognition is usually no

more than evidence that the three requirements listed above are satisfied. Indeed, the existence of a state or govemment is a question of pure fact, and recognition is merely an acknowledgment of the fact. Recognition is a mix-

quantitative factors, except as they

al law such factors are not

relevant. Statehood is a question of fact; it might even be called a question of power. If an

ture of politics and law. The legal and

aggregation of people claims that they are independent and can get away with it, international law recognizes that fact. This is not to advocate indepen-

political

dence

gled.

In the case of Karabakh it is pure-

ly politics, for Mountainous Karabakh has met and surpassed all

the for

requirements statehood. During the past five years, the popularly elected govemment

of Mountainous Karabakh has proved that it is M,qncu 1996

ulation of 150,000, effectively controlling its 4,000 square kilometer territory, and professionally conducting interna-

of maintaining effective control over its territory and conducting international

elements cannot be disentan-

22 lAlM

capable of efficiently goveming its pop-

or any other status for

Mountainous Karabakh, for it will violate the very principle set by the OSCE. Rather, it attempts to define the terms which must be understood and accepted in order to reach a fair and equitable solution in this seven-year-old conflict. This is also an effort at establishing parity in the claims of all sides for an open and unprejudiced conference. After all, it is the OSCE and the parties to the conflict which stand to benefit. BY VARTAN

OsxeNnN

OSKANIAN Is DEpury FoREIGN Mtr[srER oF THE REPUBI,IC OF ARMEMA

PHoros BY KEvoRK DJANSEZIAN

liYnf,;:ilY:YIt $llillXfi-

Oxp SouL GoEs Ix

Two Sout-s CoME Our Karabakh's Maternity Hospital and Its Chief he rest of the hospital has

been

evacuated but oil lamps light an operating table. A pregnant patient has been anesthetized-the lack of progress in her labor indicates a Cesarean birth. Just as Dr. Brina Marutian is about to make the incision, a missile attack starts. The two doctors and nurse hit the ground and huddle under the operating room table. Marutian times the interval between missiles: 16 minutes. She has just enough time to get the baby out. One small light is kept buming despite the fact that it puts them in danger by identifying their location. Working as quickly as she can, using her trained fingers to guide her, Marutian performs the C-section and delivers the

she was sent to Armenia and then on to Moscow to rest in her grown daughter's home. Her daughter pleaded with her to stay "forever," but she retumed to her war-ravaged Karabakh as soon as she

could.

feel very fortunate to

heroic than those two hanowing nights.

Born in Martakert, in northern Karabakh in 1932, the youngest of four sisters, Marutian chose to go to Yerevan for her medical training, rather than Baku as so many othen did. From the start, she knew that surgery and obstetrics would be her life work. She is a short wornan--br.rt her fivefoot frame seems to stretch to six as she moves about giving orders. When Marutian walks into a room, her col-

have

retumed to my homeland to continue my work," Marutian says simply.

Marutian has been the chief of

Obstetrics

and Gynecology

at 25 years. Her entire tenure has been no less

for

Karabakh's Matemity Hospital

xtti tt

1il

baby.

While she is putting

in the last

stitch, another missile hits very close by. With the baby wrapped on top of the mother, the doctors, the nurse and the husband carry the half-anesthetized patient out of the operating room. Maneuvering carefully down the dark corridors and stairs, they reach the first floor just as another missile hits. All of them are thrown by the blast onto the floor. The young man spreads his body over his wife and child. Minutes pass as they recoup their senses and check for injuries. All are O.K. They suddenly are aware that the third floor was hit: the operating room is gone, destroyed, burned out! Pulling themselves together, they make their way down to the basement where they spend the rest of the night, caring for mother and newborn.

Marutian remembers this,

three

years later, sitting in her office in Stepanakert's Maternity Hospital, and

\ \\

,ii\

t' *L -

\\\ \\\

rI*

says this wasn't the last time she narrow-

escaped death. A few months later, their makeshift operating room in the

basement was shattered by a nearby missile hit. This time, she was unconscious for several days and spent two weeks in an intensive care unit. Slow to recover,

AIM Mencs 1996 123

make do just as we always have. We are clever and, as long as there is peace. we will go forward." Even after 25 years of practice, she is ever eager to expand her knowledge. In 1995, she attended the Sixth World

Congress of Armenian Physicians in Boston. "Visiting hospitals in Boston, I obtained many ideas which we can use. But I also realized that considering our conditions, we are not doing so badly. "When I retumed from America, everyone asked me, 'Brina, what did you bring back?'The truth was that I brought nothing except a 'suitcase of steel.' My suitcase was filled with surgical instruments which we badly needed for our operating room." Two doctors whom Marutian had

of fear,

The frantic knocks on her door

but out of deep respect. Twenty-four

continue unabated. She and her husband live in Stepanakert; her second daughter's family is close by. Despite her grueling schedule, she bakes bread on the stove several times a week and serves up stews and soups made with vegetables from her garden. Her grandchildren

leagues always stand up, not out

years ago she undertook the building of the present Matemity Hospital, and she is the one most responsible for keeping it

going all these years. "The Matemity Hospital is the heart of Karabakh," she says. "Where else does one soul go in and two souls come out?" Since operating and delivery rooms

were on the top floor, she installed Karabakh's only elevator so that pregnant women would not have to walk up the stairs. Other firsts included an overhead paging system and call buttons by the patients'beds. Ignoring the medical practice of her day, which required mother and newborn to be separated for seven

to nine days, I I

years ago

Marutian started the practice of putting mother and child together immediately after birth.

From village to village, word of

Marutian's surgical skills

spread.

Families requested her presence even when other doctors were available. In the days before the breakup of the Soviet

Union and the war with Azerbaijan, Marutian would frequently be taken to Azeri homes and hospitals in other cities,

like Agdam, to take care of difficult middle of the night. Looking back now, she is amazed that she went without any fear. "When the blockade was still new and in full force, we were left without flour even to make bread. An Azeri woman who said I had saved her

cases in the

life brought us l0 kilos of flour," remembers.

/AIM

MARCH 1996

she

come daily to eat their hot meal. She works rapidly, the same way as in the hospital. Her hand movements are very strong and rapid, just like her speech and walk. By early evening, the calls from the hospital begin. Prior to the war, the hospital was

well equipped. All has been destroyed. The delivery tables are rusted. There are no cardiac monitors, electrocardiogram or ultrasound machines. They have no way to measure oxygen. They have only one small sterilizer. Some hematology blood studies can be done, but not chemistries like sodium or potassium. There are shortages of antibiotics and

all kinds of other drugs. Despite these conditions, I 000 babies were born there last year. In addition, four to five surgeries are perlormed each week. Many of the patients have complicated medical problems. Pregnancies are complicated by toxemia, pre-eclampsia and fullblown eclampsia. About two-thirds of the patients are anemic. The hospital employs 286 workers, including 29 medical doctors and 138 nurses. "There ilre many things that the hospital needs," Marutian says. "If we get them it will be great. If we don't, we

will be grateful for what we have and

met in Boston later travelled to Karabakh to teach new techniques in surgery and anesthesia. Their suggestions have been

implemented to improve the quality of patient care. "They have promised to come again," Dr. Marutian says. "It is very important that we have the link to Armenians in the Diaspora. It gives us great strength and hope to know that we are not alone. We invite doctors to work with us." Even as she enlists the Diaspora's assistance, the resourceful chief doctor

has already drafted the military. First, they fixed the backed-up sewage system that was threatening to close the hospital.

Then they built special heaters to keep the patients'rooms warn. Since the military has performed these tasks so well, she has presented the local commander with a list of other critical needs, saying, "This is your hospital, these are your women, these are your babies. You must

help!" And, they are doing just that. Togetheq the military and the physicians are ensuring Karabakh's future. 'After the Sumgait massacres [in 1988, of Armenians, by Azerisl we worried that our newbom babies would be stolen. We put iron bars on the windows of the hospital and put up all iron black doors. Now, you can see, we have painted them white."

sv CenoL.{NN

NAJARTAN eNo

Loutse A. Suns

Ne.:enlaN Is A pHySICIAN AND HEAD oF THE

AnueNret

HEALTH ALLIANCE.

;{ I M:\I rt XrX il s:\, I

Switrcrlard, Here We Come he struggle between Iran and the US presents Armenia's tbreign policy a difficult diplomatic challenge. Conducting an astute, political balancing act between the two

contentious nations (U.S. and Iran) is a significant dilemma facing Armenia. Armenia endeavors to remain

expertise, they are not understanding

enough

to look the other way if

Armenia's loss is lran's gain. Tehran's leaders and its scholars are aware of Armenia's tragic expe-

riences at the hands of Turkey. As reported by former Armenian residents of lran, Iran's libraries, universities and

on very friendly terms with

both nations-not an

Armenia has a long historical asso-

ciation with both Iran and the US-the former hails from antiquity, while the latter is of recent duration; it really began at the turn of the century with the "Red" Sultan's massacres of Armenians

in Turkey in the 1890s. What

ing that Armenian intemational policy is adept enough to place a foot in both camps without jolt-

easy

task since Iran and the US

are paranoid about

may

appear as a dilemma for Armenia could be a blessing in disguise, assum-

one

another's intentions.

ing either Tehran or Washington.

The US does not fear the projection of Iran's con-

Armenia's challenge is to mas-

terfully project itself as the Switzerland of the region by steering clear of entanglements

ventional military power against its Persian Gulf neighbors-the US fears Iran's penchant to acquire a nuclear capability and all that it entails. As a conse-

On numerous

occasions,

Armenian President Levon Ter

Petrossian

quence, the State Department looks askance at any nalion

.tw* --ffi&'

issues that are inimical to

either Iran or the US.

has stated

that

Armenia and her neighbors are

lii-l-' "'

trading or sending its skilled citizens to

book stores contain many texts

work in Iran. A US delegation to Armenia in November 1995 reported that Armenia

Armenian history and the fact

ranks behind only Russia and

the

Ukraine among the Commonwealth of Independent States

(CIS) in scientific

expertise. US government agencies are aware of the brain-drain from Armenia, particularly among the educated scientists

who contributed to the development of

Soviet nuclear might and rocketry. Regardless, while numerous American

officials are sympathetic with Armenia's possible loss of scientific

on the

Genocide is openly discussed. As one of the Caucasus' regional powers, Iran is content with the status quo and condones no changes in the balance of power, unless it is in its favor. A substantial American presence in Armenia is gives rise to Iran's fears that the US will develop another bastion

of Western strength on its border. In

fact, the Iranian newspaper Abrar recently suggested that Iran must remain friendly with Russia to counterbalance American incursions into the region.

not and cannot be enemies, and at the same time, the Armenian government has gone on notice espousing a capital-

istic and lree

enterprise

system.

Switzerland-type neutrality requires that Armenia's borders remain open to

nations engaged in legitimate trade-exclusive of the armaments industry. Armenia wisely has welcomed capital investments from all

all

nations desirous of developing industry in Armenia. Also, engaging other nations in competition for the Armenian market, where consumer goods are in

huge demand, opens up tremendous opportunities for trade. Armenia, in AIM MARCH 1996 125

:}is!ffii#$Blll*$.ri*:l!i|;iw',is*d&#!e*&ffi

Mit&

prospects of Realpolitik losing its philo-

sophical attraction in international circles is not likely to occur on a large scale in the near future.

What has changed is Armenia's sovereignty-the republic is independent and has the inalienable right to pursue its own peaceful potential with the only limitations being the genius of its own citizens. Armenia does not need

to be, and indeed, cannot afford to

tied exclusively to one nation. A Westem orientation for Armenia does not necessarily exclude Eastem friends. Armenia needs the cooperation and the willingness of other nations to be the

of tranquility,

fulcrum

balance and

prosperity. The task for Armenia is to garner the courage, wisdom and talent to insist upon a steady course that will eam for itself the role of Switzerland in a region that can become as interdepen-

dent as Europe and affirm the truth of the metaphor.

return, will be presented with opportunities to stress the availability of its consumer goods and the talents of its educated class in such areas as ecology, education, medicine, seismology and in other scientific pursuits. Armenia is advantageously positioned at the crossroads to and from the Middle East for all nations with peaceful intent. Its borders are conducive to north-south traffrc. Once normal trade

established with Iran and Middle

Eastern states, business can flow through Iran from the Persian Gulf, Iran itself, across Armenia to Georgia, Russia and beyond. In the same way, trade will be generated from the north southward.

The east-west avenue is just as important and, in many respects, more

so.

When normalized relations

are Turkey, the entire east-

established with ward thrust of business from the West can traverse Turkey, across Zangezur or

Gumri to Baku, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian republics. Open borders to legitimate and non-lethal traffic from the west and the east. the north and the south, provides equal opportunities for

all outside parties to compete in the markets of the entire region and beyond. The Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia, Pamiz Pizaev, recently acknowl-

26 I

AIM MrncH

1996

of the "early oil" from Azerbaijan to the west will not

edged that transport

BY MooRAD MooRADTAN

cross Armenia. However, the ambassador did concede that the possibility of the second pipeline crossing Armenia is

still very viable. Should this option develop into a reality, it will be pleasing and profitable for US oil interests and at the same time will stimulate Armenia's economy for faster growth and more jobs for the Armenian people. Access to and across Armenian territory implies certain responsibilities for the user nations and places upon Armenia an enoffnous demand to maintain its vigilance to insure that its legitimate defensive needs are met without imposing a threat to any of its neighbors. For Armenia to achieve success as the Switzerland of the region, all nations must be sensitized to Armenia's goal of maintaining its neutrality and its "no enemies" doctrine. Concomitantly, Armenian practice must be transparent enough to bolster the confidence of the

DAILY NEWS FROM ARMENIA Get information about Armenia on a regular daily basis. ARAGIL is a daily digest of the Armenian press in English. Based on newspapers and additional sources, ARAGIL wiII provide you with up{o-date information about

the events taking place in Armenia

and Karabakh. You can have ARAGIL delivered by electronic mail every day. Send your payment

today with your e-mail address or contact us via e-mail at: request@ aragil.arminco.com Pe rso nal

ubs

criptioi :

l -3 months $7 per month

international community and demon-

4-6 months $6.50 per month

strate that Armenia has a balanced international perspective and is in pursuit of

7- I

its own legitimate needs. Armenia's strategic value has not diminished for over a thousand years. International intrigue in the region is as insidious as at any time in history. The

months

$6 per month

Pavment in $US checks or mone! orders shouW he senl to: PR Research

Attn: Mr. Manucharian P.O. Box 021785

Brooklyn,

I 1202

{ffiIr}mpi? lines, bread ration coupons which imposed

strict controls over the amount of bread consumed by people.

Many of the former soviet republics chose to transform themselves into market

economies. On that path, the bread ration coupons seemed more and more anachronistic. Meanwhile the Armenian Independent Republic could no longer sell the bread at the price which was only the l0th part of its real cost. The cards were eliminated and, almost immediately, the price of bread went up. Some consumers, those who had gotten used to cheap bread began to fondly recall "the wonderful old soviet days". For nearly a year now, bread prices have been completely liberalized by the govemment. A great many people fearfully expected a huge rise in prices and predicted a great panic.

But the government's forecasts to the contrary tumed out to be the most accurate.

Along with an improvement in the quality ofbread and and an increase in the salaries of bakery employees, officials foresaw only a slight change in prices. The plot of the Bread Story, then, progressed quite well, notwithstanding some problems.

Price increases weren't always obvious: the bread, which used to weigh a kilo, now weighed only 600-650 grams. For 200

Dram, we buy only 600-650 grams of bread. instead of a kilo. In fact the govemment lost its control over the situation. Evaluating the sum of money spent on bread each month and comparing it with an average official salary is absurd. Three

Tn"."

were huge piles of bread in Yerevan trash baskets about 15 years

ago, and my 9O-year-old grandfather used to say, "There is trouble or war on the horizon." We used to laugh at him, because we didn't know the real price of bread.

The whole Soviet Union was unaware.

The grain obtained abroad was exchanged for oil and sold to the soviet people for next-to-nothing.

A kilo

bread cost about 17 to 45 kopecs, at a time when 100 kopecs (or one Russian Ruble) was worth 20 cents on the black market. For the totalitarian system, the cheap bread was the basis of an entire social policy and tumed out to also be a guarantor of political stability. But my grandfather never took these guarantees seriously. His rich life experience helped him to predict many of the things that we have been living through these last 10 years----empty shops, long bread-

hundred grams (orjust under one pound) of bread per person a day costs 100 Dram. In 30 days, that adds up to 3000 Dram-200 more than the pension of a retired person living on a minimal salary. If we multiply it by 30 we get 3000 Dram. The pension of a retired person on

the minimal salary is about 2800 drams. This, in a society, where bread is more than the staple of life. It is life.

The only consolation for us is that there is no bread to be seen in the wastebaskets, any more. This is the story of bread.

Pnoro eNn Tsxr ev ZevEN KscnxreN

AIMMenqr

1996

127

Burffi ,

dtr't.rrq

* *3

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ob Kevorkian is nothing if not busy. Managing director of

people having to go to work in modem offices or factories through roads which

race around. In Asia, governments, through instability or financial con-

Philipp Holzmann Thai, the Asian branch of one of Germany's (and the world's) biggest general con-

were designed 30 years ago."

straints, have not developed the infra-

struction companies, he oversees

more than a dozen major projects in Bangkok alone, in addition to other growing Asian cities. Kevorkian is also managing direc-

tor of Metro 2000. a private consortium of companies campaigning for a subway system for this crowded city of l0-million people. You haven't seen a traffic jam until you've been to Bangkok. Late-model European and Asian luxury cars compete with econ-

omy vehicles, bicycles and omnipresent

the

tuk-tuk-a motorcycle

with a bench for a back seat. They're cheaper and faster than the city's taxis. "Look." he says during an inter-

view in his 2lst floor office overlooking Lake Rajada. "Look at the chaos of

28 / AIM MARCH I996

It is not just

the need for better

transportation that makes Kevorkian so passionate. It is what the transportation

facilities mean for people's lives and values.

"Infrastructure is essential to make

society work. When you regularly arrive two hours late to a party or a meeting, you become frustrated. If you have two meetings a day and you spend that much time on the road, it is bound to change you in some way. That's what I see happening to the people here.

"In America and

Europe,"

structure. This is true in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Only Singapore and Hong Kong are very well organized. So, there is a great demand for hi-tech know-how in the construction industry especially, to create the infrastructure in Asia." And for a businessperson,

Thailand's the place. "We talk about America and Europe being capitalist.

But

think they are socialist-driven

societies and Asia is the only real capi-

talist society-of course,

ignoring

China.

Kevorkian continues, "the govemment puts in the infrastructure: roads, railroads, sewers, telephones. After the heavy capital costs have been carried out, business is invited in to put up factories, schools, offices, hotels, and the

freedom here, freedom of operation. For someone like me, that's wonderful. I'm driven by wanting to do things. Asia is the home of half the world's population.

rest of what is needed to turn the human

That is my responsibility at Philipp

"Thailand is the freest country that

I know of. There is business

@;"*s'@r+ rit=-.*;efb'a'

Holzmann. Asia as a market has not yet been fully explored. The Japanese have thanked the Europeans and Americans for ignoring it for so long."

-ffi

i{,sr"

,{#

id.ff'ffiffi_\Wffi,.

share responsibility. They take part of their salary and give it to their parents."

Family and national connections

ffi$,$"ffi.}

Looking at the greatest immediate challenge, Kevorkian notes, "Without access roads, without communication, whatever we make, we can't send out. Whatever we need to make things, we

Kevorkian isn't ignoring any part of it. He has been in the Far East-first

are important for Kevorkian, who was born in Cairo and forced to leave it in 1956 when his father was expelled for

Singapore, then Thailand-since 1986.

being

a British national. As one of Bangkok's two- or three-dozen

peace with our neighbors."

Armenians, he is involved in maintaining cultural ties. Archbishop Aghan Baliozian of Sydney, Australia, comes once or twice a year to hold Mass. Last year, he brought along the local Hamazkayin Dance Group. Kevorkian picked up the tab. Together with Jack

clear. 'Armenia has to look to Asia as a market. There have been no high-level

He travels from China to Korea

and

Vietnam and is away as often as he is home. Besides his business ventures, Kevorkian is often invited to give talks on mass transit systems and private sec-

tor involvement. He

sees these

opportunities to air frustrations while at the same time to perhaps influence

developing policy.

'After all,"

"In Europe we grew up in 200300 years. In Asia, we're trying to

Maxian

Hong Kong and

Suren

laughs,

Yeriazarian and Helen Papazian of

change a whole society within a single

Bangkok, he organized a banquet and invited 300 people, including over 20 members of the local diplomatic corps.

generation. We're trying to put in mass transit systems in four or five years, while it has taken us 100 years for our systems in the West."

Kevorkian's career began as

engineer on construction sites. But, his

job today is quite different. "I have to

They all came. "There is a new breed of diplomat. Twenty years ago, an ambassador was quite unapproachable. Today, their new role is to protect their country, their image, and to help their country do business. In fact, they are salesmen for

can't bring in. So, we have to make For Kevorkian, the big picture

visits by Armenian officials. "We have to travel around and outsiders have to be made to feel they are wanted to do something." Kevorkian is quick to point out that Armenia should adopt Singapore-style openness. "We need a free economy,"

he stresses. "Bring what you want in. Take what you want out. Just do business in our country. You flourish, great; we encourage you to flourish. If you fail, there is no Western style bailout.

You fail, you fail, but you made the decision to do it. The more liberal the laws, the higher the quality of work, the better for the country."

have the strength of character to hire the

best and not be threatened. I'm proud I'm surrounded by excellent and hardworking people in this companyGermans, Austrians, English, Thais." With his staff, it is more than buildings that Kevorkian is building in Thailand.

sv SrI-pr Hnnournnu Gsezennr.t

that

It is public

policy. He is aware and

proud of his role.

ith his broad-based experience in Europe and the Middle East, and a penchant for hard work, Kevorkian, who has an antique car collection and a clock collection at home, and a Tinker Toy col-

lection at the offrce, could live anywhere in the world. He has chosen to live in Bangkok and he's not complaining. His wife, Linda, is active in various charities. He has four grown children, each one in a different profession. "The propaganda of the West is

trying to influence the culture of the East. But the Westemers in the East don't want it to change. That's why we're here-because we believe in the values. My secretaries lived in the US for eight years and studied there, got their master's degrees. When they came back, they continued to live in the same way. Parents are respected. Children

their country," Kevorkian

concludes,

and stresses the importance of this for Armenia. Yet, he's never been to Armenia. "I tell them I'll come when Armenian Airlines puts in first-class seats big enough to carry me," he jokes in reference to his august size. But he's quick to see the parallels. "There is an impatience to modernize and do everything ovemight. So, Armenia has to open its doors to

Armenians outside. That's where the technology lies. Armenia must bring us in. But it must not allow us to come in and pollute the culture. Just as we are a German company with the latest hi-tech equipment and know-how working the Thai way in Thailand. It should be the same way in Armenia."

Some back issues of AIM are in very short supply. Can you send us yours? We want to provide them to libraries as part of complete collections.

JULY rS80 a

[PRtt I88t O

DESEIfrBER T8O8 a

lueEST 1088

Thanks for the help.

AIM P.O. BOX 10793 GtEilDAtE, CA 91209

AIM M,cncH

1996

/29

*-1'rfrfrn:&;Yl.W,fu'sdd{]:;]],:.}.{l$.,..l,,i,,.11rl,.i:..lil].j,..ffiq$;s#ffiffiffiffiffiffi

A Warln Relatiolt$[ip France Forum and Armenia's Schools hat do kerosene and milk have in common? The assembly of 60 French Armenian organiza-

tions called Forum has

been

successgully providing both to Yerevan and Gumri schools for three

years

for the purpose of

improving

leaming conditions.

"Our first program began in November 1993 in Gumri and in in Yerevan, providing some schools with stoves and liquid fuel," says coordinator of Forum's Armenian programs Daniel Tagvorian. 'Although the first program was on a January 1994

small-scale, it was significant because a

tiny organization demonstrated that it is capable of implementing the heating of schools without waiting for the assistance of other nations. Based on our program, the European Union later pro-

posed

large-scale program

for

all

schools in Yerevan and Gumri."

Since December 1992, all schools

in the large cities had been doomed to a forced standstill for four months in the winter. The Education Department of Yerevan City Council submitted a pro-

gram to the govemment, according to which in the spring of 1993, the schools

might be reopened with two

stoves, depending on the number of students in schools.

"We developed a program on

larger scale and in the 1993-1994 school year, each school received 12 stoves and kerosene. The following year. we worked out individual programs for the larger schools to provide for 50Vo of

their classes and ensure continuous operation in two-shifts," said the head of the Yerevan Education Department, 30 /AIM Mrncr

1996

resentatives with

Yerevan. Even in "better" days the school had a two-shift working day.

full jugs of milk

This year, the school has only

well. Forum rep-

walked

from

classroom

class-room, and

Ofelia Petrosian is satisfied with

each pupil came with his own cup from home.

Forum's work, and is thankful for

The milk project

\1&"

was cancelled due to lack of funding in the first term of 1995-1996, how-

ever,

in the

ond term

been

sechas

resumed,

and they expect

ln 1994-1995, Forum began implementation of a new program: Project "One Roll and One Cup of Milk," provided distribution of

class-rooms this winter.

"Generally speaking, I do not approve of the notion of "aid" so that we avoid the formation of a mentality of weak, ruminating people who are not self-reliant," says Rubik Hovannesian, principal of school No. 153. "However, when children and schools are at stake, I do not want to display false self-confidence and pride." According to

schoolchildren daily.

pupils

"Distributing cups

the kids who became more lively during

source of support.

Although funding by the European Union has been discontinued, Mission Armenia will continue its work with Forum and private donor funding, and help from the UN. sv GoHnn SnHerr.tr PHCnos BY

Mxsrmn Knacs.qrnraN

have

been heated, consuming

of hot milk to chil-

the day." The milk was prepared in school cafeterias on gas-stoves provided by Forum, as

to provide assistance to 1,300 needy elders. The director of

funding

this year all 30 class-rooms of the school with 600

225,000 cups of

school principals were opposed. We organized seminars to persuade them. At first they responded with suspicion, but then, to our great pleasure, they informed us that the program had a very positive effect on

organization called "Mission Armenia" to seek European Union

Hovannesian,

milk to

dren was a great accomplishment for us," says Tagvorian, "since at f,rrst the

alone,

at 202 secondary schools and 33,000 employees of the educational system retumed to their 170,000 students

225,000 rolls and

five million

afford a daily cup of milk for their child." Forum also helped a charitable

Kirakosian, says they have been able to expand their work to include more needly seniors who have no other

In Yerevan

1996, 1,000 tons heated 6,000 classrooms.

School No. 153 teacher, Jemma Eghiazarian, says "It is no secret that in many families parents can not

Mission Armenia, Hripsime

of rolls.

wearing her overcoat, the heating over the last two years has been quite satisfactory." It should be, when one considers the quantity of kerosene involved: 2,000 tons in 1994-1995. In the first term of 1995-

with the school personnel.

400

der and 295 tons

The father of a fifth-grader from school No. 172, Pargev Hakobian, said while during the first year, his daughter still complained of cold and "sat in class

their timely and always tactful dialog

tons of milk pow-

to distribute

Onik Vatian.

32 stoves for 44 classrooms and continues the two-shift schedule. Principal

daily 1.7 liters

kerosene

per classroom. Every Tuesday the employees of Forum ship a one-week supply of kerosene to the school. Every day a Forum repre-

sentative comes

see whether the

stoves are buming and the amount of fuel is sufficient. The 1200-strong Nikol Aghbalian School (No. 19) is considered one of the most overcrowded schools in

AIM MARcH

1996

I 3l

rffXltr-ryj\rlq fix,lr

Ox CIMPUS IN KNRABAKH t's like any other university. There is an

administration building, some classrooms, offices, faculty

and

students.

also has some things other universities don't have. A memorial wall, for exam-

ple, of neatly arranged rows of

framed photographs. Just like everywhere else in Karabakh, the memorials to the dead are in

military studies, milk production, wine production, natural resource utilization, food preservation and economics, among others. This far-reaching academic program is

jointly administered by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Education of Mountainous Karabakh. Together, 44 departments, within seven faculties, are staffed by a faculty of

plain view, and the State University of Mountainous Karabakh is no exception.

200-mostly Karabakh natives. A majority

ic, public, political and social

Walking into the university building, one is

of the professors were trained in Armenia,

struck by the pictures of more than 100 onceenrolled students who will never graduate. Every day, thousands who hope to complete their studies, walk though the doors of

some in

Karabakh. Yepiskoposian acknowledges that this will happen only with better financing, and perhaps as early as next year, some students will have to begin to pay tuition, even

rather large institutional building in Stepanakert. During this last year, for the first time since its establishment in October, 1992, the course of study at the State

here," one explained. At a time when it appeared Karabakh has many other things to do than to worry about a university, the government thought otherwise. When he appointed Yepiskoposian as rector last fall, Karabakh President Robert Kocharian affirmed his hope that the university would become a center for valuable human resources, by educating and training the skilled cadre of professionals who would serve the scientif-

University

Mountainous Karabakh

(SUMK) was not interrupted by war. The l8month old ceasefire is holding and the students are coming back. A student body that was nearly entirely female for several years has now gone co-ed.

The SUMK is not a new institution in Karabakh. It used to be the Pedagogical

Institute of the Mountainous Karabakh Autonomous Region, with Armenian, Azeri and Russian divisions. With the start of the Karabakh Movement in 1988, it became a

division

of the Kirovakan

Institute in

Armenia; in 1989, SUMK became a part of the Yerevan Agricultural Institute. After Karabakh's declaration of independence, together with the reconstruction and renovation of public buildings, the strengthening of state infrastructure and the rehabilitation of various institutions, the government of the war-weary enclave spurred on the establishof an independent university which would incorporate the existing institute pro-

ment

gram and develop new academic departments, as well.

And it has.

Current rector Levon Yepiskoposian, 44, a biologist from Armenia, and former rector Arpat Avanesian, together instigated

the establishment of departments of civil engineering, airport construction, telecommunications, electropower and technology, 32

AIM

Mrncr

1996

Moscow-all

have chosen to return

after years of professional experience outside their homeland.

"The Azeris would not let us serve

needs of

as the government attempts to provide for part of the university's budget.

Indeed, as the prospects for peace appear more plausible and unlike their martyred classmates, this second generation of the "Karabakh movement" has a chance of

contributing to the advancement of Karabakh society-not with guns, but with education.

PHoros AND

Tsxr sv

HRATCH TcH-tr-INGIRIAN

CaLIFoRNIA-ARMENIA ITvESTMENT AND TnADE OppoRTUNITIES Wny ro luvEsr rN AND Tnaoe wrrH ARuerurA, How To Do Tr SucgEssFULLY

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FAX: (31O)

657-7419

tUlakinU

RelerBrGE The Work of Bibliographer Hamo Vassilian

n one of his most disrurbing

stories,

N *riter tome Shirinian explores one I ^p.., of the psychological impact of I theArmenian Genocide. The main char-

u.,", in "The Collector, the Photograph. Hamo and the Door.' is a recluse obsessed with documenting the existence of

-I

all the Armenians he can locate. He reads through the telephone book, line by line, looking for Armenian names, and makes a list in order to prove that this nation-and he himself----exist. The urge to collect books validating the existence of their people is observable in Armenians everywhere. Hamo

Vassilian,

Glendale, Califomia, fulfills

this urge by practicing the science of Enumerative Bibliography. Enumerative Bibliography is the collecting of detailed infbrmation about publications and arranging this information in a systematic way. This is commonly done, for example, by listing books in alphabetical order by author, under appropriate subject headings, and with cross-references. Such bibliographies perform a valuable service by pointing out new and unsuspected sources to researchen, as well as indicating fields as yet unexplored, thereby stimulating new ideas. Armenian Studies is a particularly dif-

ficult subject for the bibliographeq as it encompasses many fields of scholarly endeavor and has a large body of publications in numerous languages, and often, issued via many small and obscure presses around the world. When Hamo Vassilian emigrated from Tehran, Iran, he brought with him a degree in

Library Science and a love of

reference

books.

The United States provided the opportunity to tum this love into a viable business, and the Armenian Reference Books

Company was bom

l983.To

date,

Vassilian has published 19 reference books related to Armenians and three works by

34 /AIM

MancH

1996

well-known writer Ara Baliozian. ln addition to his publishing activities,

highlight diflerent pieces of information, a

Vassilian imports and distributes Armenian, Persian and Middle Eastem cookbooks in English, books about Armenians and han, and Amenian study guides and dictionaries. Perhaps the most successful, and bestknown, of his publications isThe ArmenianAmerican Almanac. now in its third edition. It is a directory of Armenian organizations, newspapers, television and radio progams, Armenian professionals, booksellers, publishers, and more. Before preparing each new edition, "It is crucial to mail out questionnaires for the almanac for more accurate and fresh information. Of course it is expensive, but there is no choice," says Vassilian. That is why The Armenian Genocide: A Comprehensive Bibliography and Library

Armenian Genocide.

Resource Guide; Armenians and lran: A

Comprehensive Bibliography

the

Armenian, Persian, Russian, and English Inng,uages; urdThe Armenians: A Colossal Bibliographic Guide to Boolcs Published in the English Longuage Nevahtable resources for librarians, book collectors and scholars. Libraries are his biggest customers, especially for the bibliographies, but his sec-

ond largest market is Armenian organizations, which buy the Almanac and his ArmenianYellow Pages.

Vassilian uses

a Macintosh and an

industry standard program called ProCite, to both maintain thousands of pieces of bibliographical data and to pnrduce camera-ready copy for the printing prcrcess. Some people have felt that the layout of his publications is designed for serious researchers. "You're always looking for ways to improve," says Vassilian, who is considering ways to make the layout more user-friendly. For example, he is considering dividing future books into separate chapters for different subjects. Another possibiliry is to make more use of typographic features to

technique he

felt worked well in

The

This year, Armenian Reference Books established its own site on the World Wide Web. Now, anyone with access to the lntemet can view the current catalogue, read

about the Armenian Reference Books Company, make inquiries, place an order or update Vassilian wittr some new bibliognphical data. In addition, this Web page has links to many other Armenian-oriented Intemet sites. There will be over 80 links by the time Vassilian has finished setting up the links to existing sites, and he predicts there will be 200-300 in a year. The majoriry of these sites are run by Armenian students' associations, who are only too glad to make connections and share information. "Because there's no pressure of money, everyone helps each other," says Vassilian. "It's very nice and friendly." While his use of computers and the

lntemet puts Vassilian at the forefront of technology, his vision of what the future

holds for him is rooted in practicality. "Continue to publish more reference books and other related topics. Many Armenian subject bibliographies are yet to come." When asked what the future holds for Armenian book publishing, Vassilian states, "The future will look much better if people read more books."

Amen. BY GEoRGE SruntmeN SHTRTN1AN Is

A MANAGER

Rmlrc Lmnmv

wru tur Crrv or Yonx

IN ToRoN'ro, CeNeoe, arllo

SPECIALIST IN COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

LIBRARIES. VASSILIAN CAN BE REACHED AT

rrrrp://www.eanrmNx.NE-r/-HAMoARe.

From

AAIP

<u3 sb,IL-qucltsLbnnt tIr'ntr,)bul <ul.Itu JoURN^r. oF THE

AssocufloN

oF AR.VENiAN

INFoR[r t toN PnoraqsroNlr-s

Founded in 1993, the Fourth

Millennium Society is an independently funded and administered

public charity committed to the dissemination of

information for the purpose

Tn"

Association

Armenian Information Professionals (AAIP) has a

semi-annual publication-not very slick and with a circulation of only about 200. Yet. that little joumal is busy connecting not only the Republic of Armenia but also libraries and Armenian studies departments in the Armenian Diaspora to the information superhighway.

Edited, produced and mailed from the New York home of its editor, R. Lola Koundakjian, the Joumal's first four issues have covered a broad range of subjects dealing with technology and cyberspace. Many of the publication's articles concem the problem of standardization.

While there are word-processing programs in Armenian, keyboards from a Macintosh platform are not interchangeable with a DOS or Windows format.

The long and the short of it is that a great deal of work has to be done before

an informed public.

She lacks natural resources, has a well-

Underpinning all our work is the

educated populace and boasts intellectual and scholarly traditions. Therefore, economic growth and prosperity are best achieved via investments in industries in the area of information products and ser-

firm conviction that the vitality of

vices."

Koundakjian has solicited articles from such diverse sources as the Armenian Librarian at the Library of Congress, the directors of the Zohrab Center for Armenian Studies and the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America. For those who don't want to read "UNICODE, ISO and Armenian Information

Processing"

or a

review

"Gamma UniType," there are such fancifully titled

articles as "Etchmiadzin in Cyberspace" and "Free Intemet Access for Armenian Schools." Each of the joumal's four issues have consistently dealt with reports of the activ-

Besides the nitty-gritty of reviewing

ities of AAIP. as well as those of other organizations dealing with information

One rather fanciful column by AAIP President Shahe N. Sanetz talked about how Armenia is "ideally positioned" to benefit from computers and the new

technology because "infobahns iue sure to gird the globe" soon. 'After all," he continues,

'Armenians have created and cherished information since antiquity. They have

developing

invented their own alphabet." Then he goes on to argue that 'Armenia is landlocked.

Armenia joins the new information age..

new programs and discussing information policy and dissemination needs, the joumal tries to look at the larger picture.

an independent press is funda-

mentalto a democratic society

Armenia and democratic institu-

tions in the Diaspora. The Fourth Millennium Society supports Armenian lnternational Magazine

in its effort to contribute to the national dialogue.

Please remember the Fourth

Millennium Society with your gifts. Think of the Fourth Millennium Society as you prepare your will. We can help you with planned

giving and estate planning.

resources. archiving and computerization.

The joumal's focus is Armenia, no less than the Diaspora. Koundakjian notes that computer technology in Armenia has definitely been hampered, by the high cost of hardware, as well as the the lack of a reliable power supply. Nevertheless, the development of cd-roms, new fonts and the consistent growth of Arminco, an intemet provider and world wide web server, are

Fourth Millennium Society P.0. Box 10793 Glendale, CA 91209 Phone (818) 2467979 Fax (818) 246 0088

encouraging.

AIM Mnncu 1996 I 35

l:Y?ti?S

THp Polrrrcs oF SovrET Posrncs Srnups AND TNANSCAUCASIA

Georgians,

Armenians and Azeris to

be recognized on stamps.

Although the oldest nation, Armenians nevertheless possessed the smallest territory

and lowest population figures of the three republics. Georgia, which resented Armenian cultural dominance within

I n its 70 years of existence, the I Souiet Union produced the largest I number of postage stamps of any I nation--close to 7000 different I stamps. Soviet stamps often reflected the political climate and ethnic rivalries within the country. Prior to the uni-

fication of the various Soviet republics into the USSR (1923), the Federated Transcaucasian

Soviet

Republic-comprised of

Georgia, Armenia

and

Azerbaijan-had issued

its own stamps,

These stamps (31

produced

in all,

1923) bore

the letters ZSFSR (Transcaucasian Soviet

Federated Socialist Republic). The word "post" appeared in Georgian, Armenian, and Arabic. As a sign of unity (and geographical fantasy)

some

these stamps depicted Mt.

Ararat side by side with Mt. Elbruz and the Caspian oil wells. From 1923 on, the words Pochta

of the Union of the t':': Soviet Socialist Repubiicrr *... i I inscribed in Cyrillic on ali Soviet I I

CCCP (Post

l',i,T,ii;,i1, ''"7' ,nJ' Revolution,

;liJIli

set of seven stamps was issued, some

which

contained the word

"post" written

in Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Armenian and Arabic-all of the scripts used in the USSR at the time. Lenin's policy of granting greater cultural 36 /AIMMnncs

1996

autonomy to the non-Russian peoples of the USSR was coming to an end, however. By 1929, Stalin took total control of the state and for the next 31 years, with the exception of stamps that featured each republic's coat of arms, with

the slogan "Workers of the World Unite" in their respective languages, only Russian was allowed to appear on Soviet stamps.

National Bivalries Throughout the Soviet era, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union could not ignore the fact that the state officially represented a multinational federation. The leaders in Moscow made sure the state honored all the peoples of the USSR by not only including each ethnic group in official functions, but by celebrating ethnic artists and intellectuals who did not offend the Communist ideology. Postage stamps were no exception. Indeed, they were considered an ideal medium to demonstrate the friendship and equality of all the peoples of the Soviet Union. The dilemma was that while some national groups had a long national history and numerous poets, palnters, composers,

particularly the Muslims-had relatively short histories, little national identity and few wellknown intellectuals. The Slavic groups (Russia, Ukraine and Byelorussia) obviously received greater attention, with the Russians dominating most commemorative issues. Because of their historical achievements, their independent status during the years 1918-1921, their unabashed national pride and strategic location, the Transcaucasian peoples merited special

attention, and there emerged

for the next 35 years, a rivalry of sorts among

Transcaucasia, relied on its important role in the history of socialism and rev-

olutionary activities

in the Caucasus.

Azerbaijan presented itself as the leader and the most progressive of the Soviet Muslim republics. The existence of the oil industry, as well as a significant non-

Muslim population in Baku left the impression that the Azerbaijani state was both multinational and proletariat. The Azeris sought to include the Iranian historical presence in the region as part of their own cultural heritage.

The Stalin Era

1933, at the conclusion

the

first five-year plan-the forced collectivization of farms and the establishment of a planned economy-a set of 21 stamps on the peoples of the USSR was issued. One of them depicted the peo-

ples

Transcaucasia.

However,

the

Georgians were also

featured in a separate stamp in this

set-the

only

national group to have this privilege. Stalin's Georgian background was obviously the force behind this decision. In the last years of Stalin's life, certain Armenians and Georgians were

remembered, not as national but as Russian artists, as Communists or as progressive secular heroes. Thus, one set of stamps honored the great RussianArmenian painter Aivazovsky; another

depicted the Communist leader and friend of Stalin, Sergo Ordzhnikidze; and two stamps were devoted to the l00th anniversary of the death of Khachatur Abovian. The inclusion of this patriotic Armenian writer had to do with the fact that Stalin had demanded the retum of Kars and Artahan, as well

-.ffi as

Mt. Ararat, from Turkey and had per-

mitted a large-scale repatriation of Armenians from the Near East to Soviet

Armenia. The 3Oth anniversary of

In 1960, non-Cyrillic lettering was once again permitted on stamps. For the next 30 years, Armenian, Georgian, and Azeri scripts appeared on stamps deal-

Soviet Azerbaijan, Soviet Armenia and

ing specifically with their

Soviet Georgia were celebrated in 1950-

achievements.

1951 . Although Azerbaijan and Armenia were given three stamps each, Georgia, again favored, was commemorated with

The Brezhnev Period

four stamps.

national

National groups fared even better

during the Brezhnev regime. Armenians espe-

The Khrushchev Years From 1955 to 1964, rhe Transcaucasian peoples received more attention than during the Stalin era. Not only did Georgia lose its favored position, but the new leadership rehabilitated a number of Armenian intellectuals and facilitated the repatriation of Armenians from the Middle East. Anastas Mikoyan's sup-

port

Khrushchev as well as the general positive attitude of the

Armenian lead-

ership t0 the anti-Stalinist rhetoric of MoscowGeorgians were not too enthusiastic to see one of their own vilified and the

Azeris were indifferent-resulted in more stamps with famous Armenians as subjects. Armenians were honored with seven stamps (including Charents and Mashtots), Georgians with five stamps and Azerbaijan with two .

In addition to prominent individuals, this period also celebrated commonalities to all republics, such as the 40th

anniversary of sovietization and national costumes. The Transcaucasian republics were also honored separately.

Armenian wrestling, the oldest living

Azeri

cially from

The

academician

benefited

national identity and history were allowed to flourish. This was reflected in stamps as well. Armenian themes appeared on 22 stamps (including philologist Manuk Abeghian, Komitas, Composer

Spendarian, medieval philosopher David Anhaght, the 2750th anniversary of Yerevan, Armenian architecture and the 50th anniversary of Yerevan State University. Georgian and Azeri subjects appeared on a combined total of only 18 stamps.

The three Transcaucasian republics were honored at the 60th anniversary of becoming Communist states, with one stamp each. Prominent Armenians who

Communist leaders were also honored: Shahumian (twice), Aivazovsky (seven different stamps and a souvenir sheet), the Vaghtangov Theater in Moscow

(three stamps) and Admiral Isaakov.

individual

in Yerevan

and

the World Chess Championship in Moscow in which Tigran Petrosian won his world title.

postage stamps than any other ethnic group, save the Russians? Was because the

Armenians had a large and influential

diaspora? Was it because Armenians lived in all 15 Soviet republics and held important social and scientific positions in each region? The Armenians had a much longer history and a far richer lit-

erary and artistic output than the Kazakhs, Tajiks, Turkmen, Uzbeks,

Kirgiz, Latvians,

Lithuanians, Azeris, Byelorussians and even the Georgians or Ukrainians.

Estonians, Moldavians,

Finally,

held in Armenia or involved

of Gorbachev, ethnic nationalities began demand more autonomy. Thus, stamps depicting the capitals of each republic, legends and folklore, national

the

Armenian contributions

Russia

stamps celebrated events which were

holidays, historical architecture, and Chess Champio-nship

Why did the Soviet Union honor

the Armenians with more

Union, especially during the leadership

were depicted

three

themes.

gory were few. Finally, two sets of

The Final Decade In the last years of the Soviet anniversary of Tbilisi

Relief Fund received a block of four stamps. In contrast, the Azeris did not get a single stamp and the Georgians were allocated only two stamps, both of which had Russian or Communist

Georgian and Azeri figures in this cate-

and the World Chess Championship in which Tigran Petrosian retained his title.

1500th

Aram

Furthermore, the Armenian Earthquake

Armenian: The Philatelic Exhibition

and the

Orbeli and

Khachaturian were commemorated.

Moscow's benevolent neglect and Armenian

were identified as Russian

Marshall Bagramian, Admiral Makarov,

writer Marietta Shaginian, William Saroyan (issued jointly with the US)

and its friend-

ship

and cooperation with the Russians surpassed most, if not all, ethnic groups living in the USSR.

Although one or all of the above reasons probably helped the Armenians

gain a special place in the history of Soviet postage stamps, a key factor seems to have been the presence of a Baltic Armenian named Manoukian,

who for several decades was the director

of production of Soviet postage

stamps

in Moscow.

musical instruments were issued in the last five years of the USSR. Armenian demands for Karabakh, political pres-

Geoncr BounNouueN, rs

sure from the Armenian diaspora for greater freedoms and the devastating

ARMENTAN HrsroRy

PRoFEssoR oF

RussreN/E,qsr EunopeeN Hrsrony AT IoNA

Colt-gce eNo

VrsrrrNc Pnonrsson or' er Nrw Yom UNwrnsrrv,

Turrs Untvrnslty eNo Rurcens UNwpnsny.

AIM MARcH

1996

{Yj}-rB

MaRCHING TO

A Dm'FERENT

Bpar Stepan Partamian and His New World

Traditional Music n f you walk into Gami, a small music L uoi. in Glendale. Califomia, you may I U. ,*.t by its homey feeling, or peill traps you will notice the music playing llU on the boom box. But you won't miss the friendly and humorous proprietor. Stepan Partamian, who doesn't hesitate to give you his opinions on anything, be it ttrc world of music or community politics. This storefront, with its posters of performers on one wall and Armenian woodwind instruments on the other, holds the actual products

Partamian's labor, the CDs and tapes

themselves.

Partamian's story however, goes far beyond the realm of this shop. Gami began six years ago as a hobby for the 34-year-old Partamian and slowly developed into a fulltime business. A 24-page informative CD catalogue of Armenian music that he put together later expanded into a mail-order ser-

vice. Next came the retail outlet

and Partamian's role as a producer. Partamian began producing music to fill a gap in the market. Not that there is a lull in theArmenian recording industry. On the contrary, production is in full swing, with 10-15 recordings of Armenian music being made

are hottest on the Armenian market: Even an unknown singer recording this genre can sell

larity of Djivan Kasparian's duduk playing and

more than 2000 copies.

Gabriel's Passion, the sound track to Martin

Eschewing

profit and

popularity,

Partamian has something altogether different in mind when he decides to produce a project. Preserving authentic Armenian music in

basic forms was what motivated him to work on a single-instrument series. The first

release was Dlrol, Armenian Draz, which he says has "nothing but the academic sryle of rhythm. It's not the talent of the artist that is being highlighted. It's not what he's capable

of doing. Instead it's the Tinmzara rhythm, it's the 6/8 rhythm, the 414 rhythm:' Responses to Partamian's idea were far from positive. "Everyone thought I was crazy, and they still do," he says. But Partamian considers this series his most important work, since he feels he helped create something that will last. He has made the CD available to all producers and musicians as a sampler source. Dlol was followed by S/rvl, Armenian Flute, and a selection focusing solely on the kamancha is next on the list. ButArmenian music is not bound to the

notes

tradition. Partamian strongly

believes that in order for a culture to remain

each month. "We probably have more Armenian singers than Armenians," jokes

vibrant and alive, it must produce new work. Thus, he seeks out new talent and provides

Partamian. But it is precisely what is being recorded by most Armenian companies, and what being omitted that motivates Partamian to produce altemative selections.

opportunities for songwriters and musicians creating contemporary music. Partamian

For example, there is the practice of Turkish music being recorded and sold as Armenian. 'There is nothing wrong with enjoying Turkish music. And if I'm going to listen to Turkish music, I'll listen to the real thing. What is destnrctive is labeling it as

and melodies but is written and performed with a more 90s style called world fusion," he explains. He has also just completed a CD

Armenian," states Partamian. The copying of popular Turkish songs is so blatant that some artists don't even try to hide it. Often it is the melody alone that is appropriated; other times the lyrics have also been translated into

Armenian. What is especially upsetting is that these imitations are the very things that

38 /AIM

MenGr 1996

produced Sevada's Palpitation ofSoul, which

"utilizes traditional Armenian instrumenls

by the band Spurk, called Gaghartakan Shghta, which is very danceable music that takes its lyrics from the poems of Vahan Derian. With such producs, Partamian hopes

interest the younger generation in Armenian music. Another item on Partamian's agenda is to make Armenian music readily available to the world. There already appears to be a growing interest, as evidenced by the popu-

Vatche Hovsepian's duduk as featured on Peter Scorsese's The LastTemptation of Christ. Partamian's game plan to accomplish this is simple: he believes in marketing a product to get results. It worked for Oratorio, Khatchatour Avetissian's melodic composition that was re-

the released on the 80th anniversary Armenian Genocide. During an April 24 public gathering, had sold just three copies. Howeveq placing a small albeit costly ad in a music industry staple. Fanfare magazine, pro. vided exposure as well as a review--$oth of which attracted attention to the now popular

recording.

Meanwhile, Partamian has been couting mainstream music stores to encourage them to carry Armenian recordings. Partamian distrib-

utes his CDs to the Virgin Megastore and Tower Records; he is also in negotiations with other major national retailers. To further expose

Armenian music

to the general public,

Partamian sends CDs to public radio stations to gamer air time and arouse new listeners'interest.

In Partamian's opinion, "once a product is recognized or appreciated by the outsiders, by the mainstream, then we ourselves staft appreciating it." Thus, pushing Armenian music into the larger market fulfills a dual purpose: If a CD gains widespread attention, then it will probably become a hit within the community as well. Partamian is currently working on several new releases, including a second Winds of Passion CD that will feature Armenian dance music performed by a woodwind ensemble; a new-age CD entitledArt Ashes; and a compilation of traditional Armenian wedding music. Also on this busy producer's to-do list is a CD dedicated to the Armenian Genocide with original contemporary songs of survival.

sv SyLva D.lpssreN aNo Lrrter BEorossnN

T'I:

Tennis Star Sargis Sargsian

llaving a Ball our yeius ago, 22-year-old

Sargis Sargsian despaired of ever becoming a professional tennis player. He was

practicing regularly in Yerevan but he had played in no tournaments in almost a year. "I was thinking I would never make it," Sargsian says. "I thought maybe I should quit."

would have been the end of a decade of dreaming, and of the serious commitment he had made around the age of 10. He had risen through the soviet ranks to become a two-time junior champion, regularly competing against players such as Andrei Medvedev and Yevgeny

Kafelnikov, but in 1992 it sometimes seemed as if all of the practice in the world

game. "He has great movement on the court," Belkin says, "and he's extremely

self through situations which are not necessarj

ily comfortable."

That determina-

tained a 3.0 out

possible 4.0 grade-point average, despite having

had no previous formal

"College was very good for me," Sargsian says.

Providence anived in the form of an Armenian national team trip to the US to play Ivy League competition in January of

ple, and all of the good practice really improved my game." College provided him with the organized practices, coaching and equipment

and expensive but, once here, Sargsian of college and the toumaments

available to him if only he could stay. During the drive to Kennedy Airport to retum home, one of the tourist organizers convinced the Armenian coach not to

send the players, three men and three women, back to the harsh Armenian winter. Sargsian and Tsolak Kevorkian moved in with the Mansourian family of Orange, Connecticut. Says Vazrick Mansourian, "Sargis was obviously a fine player but it

wasn't until the Volvo Intemational the next year that you really saw his potential." The younger Kevorkian enrolled in high school and in the fall of 1993, Sargsian entered Arizona State University, the one school to offer him a full scholarship. Coach Lou Belkin calls him "the best athlete I've ever coached." In his two-year collegiate career, Sargsian set an NCAA record by winning four Grand Slam singles titles. He capped his success with the men's national singles championship in

May

1995.

Sargsian arrived on campus as a baseline player but, according to Belkin, he left with an excellent serve-and-volley

off the court as on. Sargsian, who majored in business, often main-

Fortunately, Sargsian did not let go of his racket or his dream. He is currently number 218 in the professional rankings.

leamed

lllriirl]

tion served him as well

English

difficult

motivated. He's confident but he pushes him-

would get him nowhere.

1993. The arrangements had been

training.

"I enjoyed meeting peo-

that had been lacking. Gone were the long winter days of sharing only two indoor courts and playing in gloves to stave off the cold. Gone, but not forgotten-according to his coach, Sargsian never took anything for granted.

The NCAA men's crown meant a wild-card berth in last year's US Open. The stage was set for a homecoming of sorts, as Sargsian would be playing in front of his childhood coach, Harout Khatchatrian, the Mansourian family and many supporters from nearby Orange who had adopted him as a "local boy."

The overflowing stands on Court 20 were not disappointed in the first round as Sargsian rallied to defeat American Michael Joyce. The post-victory scene was one of jubilation but waiting in the wings was old rival Medvedev, the l6th seed in the toumament. They had not met since Medvedev defeated Sargsian five years earlier.

Medvedev won the first two games and then broke Sargsian's service to begin

the third. Mansourian could not bear to watch. "I left the stands," he says. "But then I could hear all of Sargis's supporters clapping and I knew something was going

right." Focused and more on the attack, Sargsian stormed back to take the match. "The two US Open victories are the highlight of my career so far," Sargsian says. Sargsian, when pressed to list the

strengths of his game, acknowledges his speed, "which helps a lot," and his backhand. His goal for 1996 is to raise his ranking. Coach Belkin says, "I would be very surprised if he doesn't break into the Top 100." When he is not competing, Sargisian trains at the Palmer Academy in Florida with Coach Joe Anderson, who has said that Sargsian is his best student since Pete Sampras, the number-two-ranked tennis player in the world.

This May, Sargsian

will

lead the

Armenian Davis Cup team in competition in Turkey. The trip will include a stopover in Armenia to encourage others to continue playing. Last year the country joined the [ntemational Tennis Association.

"The facilities and coaches in Armenia are very good," Sargsian says. "There are lots of outdoor courts. The problem is money for equipment and travel." The Davis Cup play may help change all that. ev Loursr A. Svrnr

AIM MencH 1996 139

Stepa nakert-Yereuan-Los Ange I es

Tele-Marathon

National Dues Campaign Proceeds from the Telethon will fund reconstruction work in Karabakh especially the Stepanakert-Goris Highwaya vital humanitarian link for the beleaguered population of Karabakh.

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IAIM Menctr

1996

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AIM Mancn 1996 / 43

NelyPubficution Presenting the Complete Works of the Highly Acclaimed Armenian painter Avetis 7an

Minas

Compiled andVritten by

Shalren Khachaturian

With the sudden and tragrc death in 1975 of Minas Avetisian, the most gifted of the young genemtion of Armenian painters, Armenia lost not only one of its greatest talents, but also one of its most original minds. ,

In this collection of his works, the freedom and boldness that Minas came to represent in Soviet,Art, surfaces brilliantly on each gage, through both the

reproductions of his paintings life.The album is testimony to the moral strenglh that he pos' co@sthing very r?re among the artists w[ose careers coincided with the

sessed Soviet era.

In compiling this art book, the author, Shahen Khactraturian, the renown Armenian art historian, critic and director of the National Gallery ofArmenia, has drawn upon a widfi*$&qg$,of sourcâ&#x201A;Źs:A hardcoyer of 208 pages of 10" x L2", this beautifulty 150 high quality color reproductions, presenting Minas's oil pAntings, stage de$ig1t$ and frescoes. In addition, there are 3O reproductions of his graphic works, drawings, and over 25 arclivil photographs.The book also contaiqp.}#S4q's vievs, on a.rt, previous$ published in articles and interviews, a&d Laod his art by eminent people in the artistic world.

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"War'$ Ilgtlgtr a utlillllinU thinu.r. All

You just lose all the time and the one who loses last asks for terms. the end of it". I remember is a lot of losing and sadness and nothing g RRv BReosunv.

Dtt'toEttou WtNs.

lucky. When

and his

Tn"." was no pain.

He distinctly felt the blood hissing, tearing away from his artery.

mate

stepped on a land mine, he only suffered from shell shock and six shrapnel wounds. One of the splinters is still in his

He quickly

unlaced

his boot and tied the string securely around

his thigh to stop

the

blood.

somewhere

He was shouting, but

But, his mate, who

his voice ricocheted off the walls of the canyon and disap-

body

in his shoulder. was walking

in front of him, died.

happened in the evening, and

now, every night, his arm aches. Scarcely noticeable at first, the pain grows stronger and stronger. Then it becomes unbearable, inhumane, brutish. Then comes THAI. He is on the front line again. Azeris turn up on the left flank. Edik stands up straight and fires his machine grm. One long hust. Edik falls down. His body must be taken away, otherwise the enemy have

will

it...

Tn"

wounded l8-year-old

tosses violently and two strong men can hardly hold him down. He cannot see or hear anybody, though his eyes are half-open.

The hospital is short of anaesthetics. Finally, the syringe is filled. His body is strained like a cord.

"Edik's body," his words

are

barely audible, "don't leave it." The medication begins to work. The boy calms down. He will sleep

now

till

moming.

In the evening,

everything will be repeated.

Tn...

were big barrels of

cognac in the yard. On the way to the post one of them shot a barrel, then held his flask under the spurt. When the flask was filled, they closed the hole with a chip.

46 lAlM MencH 1996

In ni, first action, he did not shoot. He just could not make his finger

pull the trigger. Feelings of

shame,

powerlessness and helplessness made him cry. "Pull, mother f..er, pull, they're killing friends of yours, they'll kill you as well!" But his finger did not obey. It was somebody else's finger.

The Commander was an officer

with military experience

in Afghanistan. "Calm down," he said. "I couldn't shoot my first time, either. Lie down. Whatever happens, lie down. This battle is ours. We don't need your machine gun today."

peared in the dark, moonless sky. The guys could not locate him. "Shoot. They'll see the fire and find me." The thought swept his brain. He fumbled

with the machine gun in the

breech-block. The cartridge wedged. His hands worked independently, but his movements were not sharp. He had to disassemble the machine gun, take the wedged cartridge away from the chamber, assemble the gun again and fire into the air. It is easy in the daytime, when fingers are not broken by a splinter, when you are not bleeding...

He Tn"

Orr, time he killed, it was at point-blank range. Jeering. For two or three days he did not feel quite himself. Then it passed.

A ,*o-rroO house in the occupied village was taken for military barracks. In the evening, a tall elderly man opened the door. "I just want to see if there is anything here that I can take," he said, looking over the room. "It's the barracks, father, where the soldiers live. You've got the whole village to pick from," answered the soldier on duty. The man tumed to go. He lingered, marking time, and finally asked, "How soon will you take Fizuli?"

grass,

sticky with his blood. He checked the

dld it. He was found. His left

foot was amputated-gangrene. His right foot was broken in several places. Now, his hand is almost mended.

Gatne."a together, they shared stories about weapons, tank attacks. They talked about what they do to imprisoned soldiers-Armenians to

Azeris, Azeris to

Armenians. Enthusiastic boys, gasping girls, silent neighbors all listened. They will speak about it for years to come. And finally,

it will be hard to tell the real events from the imaginary, as it is when someone tells about his love conquests or fishing. sv Menr GrrconreN

CrrorAtA

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS AROUND TI{E WORLD

Composer Edward Mirzoyan's Symphony for Strings and Timpani will have its East Coast premiere. The Arlington

Diaspora Armenian Education Symposium will focus on training qualifications, technical and budgetary

needs, textbook upgrades, networking

Symphony Orchestria, under the

and a global perspective for Armenian

direction of Ruben Vartanyan. Bishop

education. Nice, France, June 7-9.

O'Connell High School, Arlington, Virginia, April28. Beast on the Moon,

The United Nations Habitat2 Conference on managing urbanization and improving the living envi-

a abittersweet

will feature a world assem-

historical drama about Genocide sur-

ronment

vivors in the US, written by Richard Kalinoski, will open in an off west-end

bly of cities, along with sessions on needs and opportunities for investment in infrastructure and services in developing countries. An exhibition of art works from 33 countries will

production.

London, the Battersea

Arts Center, May 15.

Energy and Environmental Issues in Armenifl, a workshop

include three from Armenia by Ashot

Armenian Bible Conference,

Hovhanessian, Marine Dilanian and

Martin Petrossian. Istanbul, Tirrkey

and Scientists of America, with ses-

cosponsored by the Zohrab Information Center, Columbia's

sions on environment and transporta-

Armenian Chair and the St. Nersess

organized by the Armenian Engineers

tion. The Parsons Corporation, Pasadena, California, May 5.

Maps of Armenia and the Middle East, dating from 1680, are on display at The Armenian Library and Museum of America through May 28.

The Armenian

Business

Forum, with the support of

will feature 20 presentations, among them: the translation Seminary,

of the Bible into Armenian, the influence

of the Bible on the Armenian

on Why and How

Invest in Armenia. Sessions include the busines and regulatory environment; various fields of investment,

Tteasures from Armenia's origins to the fourth century includes 300 exhibits

borrowed from the collections

the

language and culture, the artistic and

musical influences of the Bible and the development of printing in regards to the Bible. Diocese of the

Museum, the Erebuni Museum and the

Armenian Church, New York, New York, May 24-25.

World Bank and the United Nations

symposium

Ancient Armenian Cultural

Armenian State Museum, the Sarlarapat

the

Development Fund, has organized a

June 1996.

The Position of Armenian Women in the Church will be the theme of the Fifth Annual

Shirak Geological Museum. Musee Dobree, Nantes,

France, through

September 15.

International Exhibition, in

Philately conjunction with

rhe 32nd World

Chess Olympiad. Yerevan, Armenia, September 15 to October 2,1996.

Meeting of the

Armenian International Women's Association

Information is correct at press time,

including agroindustry, extractive and

(AIWA) at Bentley

but please reconfirm dates and times.

chemical industries, clothes manufac-

Massachusetts, May 4, 1996.

turing and precision engineering. Yerevan, Armenia, May 8-10.

College,

Readers are welcome to submit infor-

mation listing.

for possible inclusion in this