Tough Choices Ahead - November/December 1996 by Armenian International Magazine

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vol.

7, NO.9

NovsNaseR-DscBrr,rsBn I 996

EDITOR'S NOTE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NOTEBOOK

BYTES ON FILE

FOCUS

ARMENIAN SURVEY 14 16

FOREGROUND

COVER STORY

There are only tough choices ahead for Armenia's

covER sToRY l8 Armenia's presidential elections-and the events which followed-shook the nation.

president and people.

ANALYSIS

Democracy and legitimacy were endangered along the way.

The OSCE stepped up pressure on neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Karabakh

conflict, at the OSCE Summit in Lisbon.

!NTERNATIONAL FOREGROUND

ECONOMY 28 30

FOREGROUND

THE WORLD BANK

SPORTS

ARTS

ECONOMY What does the World Bank fund and why? A talk by the head of Armenia's Resident Mission, Vahram Nercissiantz.

GIFT GIVING 42 Dozens of new, atffactive and wellmade products make giving as easy as

receiving.

Filmmaker Sergei Paradjanov loved hats. In his memory, Yerevan State University students held

hat exhibition.

GIFTS

UNDEREXPOSED

OTHER PEOPLE'S ESSAY

MAIL

40 46

,I I I

ANALYSIS Fifty-fou, countries met in Lisbon and Karabakh was the problem without a solution.

Coven Desror By

RAFFI Tenprrurnru, CoveR

SPORTS 34 Team Armenia is fighting hard to score in the World Cup Qualifying Games.

PHoro By ZAVEN KnlcHrxrnru

The

WORLD has 1' u,r t

gotten Jnt(tlltr...

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It's notjust the President ofthe Republic who is facing tough choices in the years that will take us to the next millennium. It's also the rest of us----especially those of us in the Diaspora.

The generation ofrefugees and victims has given way to generations ofprofessionals and leaders. Our organizations, too,

will

One way to avoid this is to adopt policies of accountability and transparency that

will

DIRECTORS

MICHAEL NAHABET VARTAN OSKANIAN RAFFI ZINZALIAN

encourage, rather than thwart, participation and initiative. Towards this end, in December, 1995, the Fourth Millennium Society began to

offer AIM's pages free of charge to those organizations wishing to publish their annual

financial statements. The fir$ to take up the offer has been the Armenia Fund of

Migirdic Migirdicyan writes that the Canada branch of this

world-wide organization has undertaken the financing of the Drinking Water Pipeline Project in Karabakh's capital, Stepanakert. You can examine their July 1995-June 1996

ASSOCIATE TBUSTEES

KHACHIG BABAYAN FLORA & GEORGE DUNAIANS CALIFORNIA

RAZMIG HAKIMIAN CANADA

LOUISE MANOOGIAN SIMONE NEW YORK

JACK MAXIAN

Fiscal Year Financial Income Statement in this issue.

AIM's pages continue to be available to those organizations who believe the public has a right to information about its money. Our intemational readers then

will

have an

HONC KONC FOUNDING TRUSTEES

GARENAVEDIKIAN

easier time of choosing organizations deserving of their support.

Most of the tough choices facing us in the years ahead will probably arise from the political and economic issues sunounding the Karabakh conflict. In a recent two-day visit to Los Angeles, Deputy Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian was featured at an AIM Publisher's Forum where he spoke about the harsh realities facing Armenia and Karabakh around the negotiating table, on the battlefield and at the market. In this issue, Contributing Editor Jivan Tabibian, who introduced Oskanian at the Forum, has written an articulate, thoughtful analysis of this complex and complicated political situation.

AIM still

A Not-lotrProfit, Public Benelit Corporation

have to change accordingly, and become

more professional themselves. The altemative is to become inelevant, as some have.

Canada, whose chairman

FOURTH MILLENNIUM SOCIETY

faces tough choices. This month we resolved our financial and staffing

problems by combining months again, working towards a more regular schedule by

CALIFORNIA

VAROUJAN ISKENDERIAN AUSTRALIA

MARDO KAPRIELIAN CALIFORNIA

HAGOP KOUSHAKJIAN FLORIDA

ZAROUHI MARDIKIAN PENNSYLVANIA

EDWARD MISSERLIAN CALIFORNIA

BOB MOVEL CALIFORNIA

VAROUJAN NAHABET

spring.

CALIFORNIA

/",/.fu*/A--

NORAIR OSKANIAN CALIFORNIA

EMMY PAPAZIAN CALIFORNIA

ZAREH SARKISSIAN CALIFORNIA

RAFFI ZINZALIAN P.S.

We're happy to see that some tough choices are being made easier by our posr

script section in the new Notebook pages (AIM, September-October 1996). Someone

from Los Angeles called

the other day to say they were ready to donate a

blood sample

for potential bone-manow donor matching for leukemia patients, while a reader from France asked how to purchase govemment securities

from Midland Armenia Bank.

CALIFORNIA

207 SOUTH BRAND BLVD.

SUITE 205

GLENDALE, CA 91204, USA Telephone: 818 - 246 - 7979

Fa* 818 - 246 - 0088 6 / AIM NovEMeen-DEcErueer 1996

LTTTTBS

I\INI

207 SOUTH BRAND BLVD. SUITE 203 GLENDALE, CA 9T204, USA

practically abided by the teachings of

Telephone: 818 - 246 - 7979

Jesus. She,

I?l:.119_,af 99ll Editor - Publisher S,qlu HenourrNrAN GHeznnrex

Art Director Production and Photo Manager PARIK NAZARIAN

Design and Production DARIN BECKER

Editorial Assistanis ZARoUG KABAKIAN, NoRA NALBANDIAN

Tlanslators

Intern

K:*o:i^"

Administrative Dirrctor DANIA OHANIAN

Subscriptions Manager

Tashnag. I think your editorial policy is fine, and do enjoy reading AIM. I especially find helpful articles about music and Armenian books. Your

SETA KHoDANIAN

Advertising MEI-INE OUNJIIN, ZARREH MARTIN

Contributing Editors SvLve Dexrssr,cN, ToNy HALprN, SARKTs SHMAVoNTAN, RoNALD GRrcoR SuNy JIVAN TABIBIAN, TALNE VoSKERITCHIAN

article on Armenian

WHAT PROFESSION?

ZorulN, Yenevm; HRATCH TcHrLrNGrpJAN, SUSAN

SeuwlrAN, Hnec

Los ANGELES; MARK MALKASIAN, RHoDE ISLAND; GEoRGE BouRNor,,ilAN, [,oLA KoLNDAXJTA]Y, New Yonx; MooRAD MooRADTAN, WASHNGToN, DC

V,c,RJABEDIAN,

PhotographeE MKHMAR KHACHATRIAN, ZAVEN KHACHIKIAN, RouseN MANceseruAN, YEREVAN; ALINE MANoUKIAN, ARMINEH JoHANNES, PARIS; EDMOND TERAKoPIAN, LoNDoN; KARII.TE ARMEN,

KEvoRK DJANSEZAN, RAFFr EKMEKJI, Los AlrcFr Fs: JERSEY; HARRY KOLJNDAKJIAN,

BERGE ARA ZoBrAN,

NEw

NEw YoRK:

Rnooe

Islelo

Editor Emeritus CHARLES N&RrAN Edltorisl CoNultrnt

monasteries

(AIM, December 1995) was great!

Contributors ARAM ABRAHAMIAN, AR}fiN BAGDASARIAN, ARTASHES EMIN, ARAIK GAISTIAN, MARK GRIC0RIAN, HRAIR

GARO LACHINIAN, MARYLAND; ARDEM ASLANIAN,

her

and especially to my grandmothers. By the way, I do not subscribe to AIM because I cannot afford it. My father in law receives it but does not like to read it because you are not pro

ARSINE ARAKELIANS, HARRY DICKRANIAN ARAM OHANIAN, ARIS SEVAG

PATnE, LoNDoN; JANET

little of

conditions you are born into or live in, there are always the pious and faithful who will pray for you, your country and your people. Why they do what they do, I guess only God knows. I am just thankful to them,

RAFFI TARPINIAN

1::T-

spoke

My point is that whatever social

Yerevan Burtau Coordinator GoHen Sls,qrtaN

too,

faith.

Enclosed is a check to renew my subscription, but please do not interpret my renewal as an indication of satisfaction with the quality of your fiagazine or as a sign of being fooled by your claim that you are pro-balance and not the mouthpiece of the Armenian government. I subscribe to

AIM

because my professional responsibilities require that I keep abreast of

Genesro SenrpsstlN ERDENHEIM, PENNsyr-vaNte

KUDOS, MORE KUDOS We are very somy that you find it necessary to offer bonuses, discounts,

etc. to increase your readership. We, the readers, should be offering you bonuses for doing such a great job.

information and opinions from a wide range of sources. I have also renewed my subscription to The Turkish Times.

Knrxon Frcrcr Tnoy, MrcsrclN

MtNAs KoJAIAN FoUNDED lN 1990 FOUNDINGEDITOR FOUNDINGPUALISHER VAMAN

OSKANIAN MICHAEL

PUBLISHED

THE

NAHABET

As A PUBLIC sERvIcE BY

FourH A

LpvoN MenesuLrAN,

PRoFEssoR

GlrNolLg CourtauNrry CoLLecs Gr-rNox-e,

cALTFoRNTA

Excellent articles and coverage of interest. Thank you.

MTLLENNTUM StrtETy NON-PROFIT CORrcRATION

ANNA PAYELIAN PIETZ

KEEPING THE FAITH

WHrrnER, C,ct-rponNln

AI\D ADYERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

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WRITETOAIM! We welcome all communication. Although we read all letters and submissions, we are unable to acknowledge eve5thing we receive due to limited staffing and resources. Write to usl We can be reached at AIMAGAZINE@AOL.COM or the traditional way at AIM PO. Box 10793 Glendale, Calitbrnia 9 1209 -3793, or by fu, 818.246.0088, or phone,818.246.7979. l*ners to the Editor may be edited for publication.

The photographic essay under "Religion" (AIM, July 1996) reads, "Whatever the reasons behind this thirst for spiritual life, it is at the very least a new way of preserving old social tradition. There is no sharp distinction between social and religious ceremonies." This might be true but it is difficult to determine someone's motivation for the things they do or the way in which they do them. My grand-

mother prayed every morning and every evening throughout her life. However, she never spoke of her faith. My other grandmother not only lived a pious and holy life, but

I truly enjoy your articles and their broader view of Armenian issues; they are a welcome relief from

the myopic-partisan "reporting" of our media. These sources seem to forget that only an informed opinion is forceful, and to be truly informed, we need to know the entire truth. To this end, you might consider adding a feature informing us of what our adversaries think and do.

In the meantime, congrats for

successful comeback and best wishes. Knvonr AoounreN

Hoprwru JuNcrroN. NEw YoRK

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mental to a democratic society in

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PTERRE AND

The Fourth Millennium Society is grateful to the following for contributing $10-$999 during the last month to help secure AIM's financial future. Misak H. Abdulian, CA; Arto Alajian, CA; Paul Babikian, PA; Ara Baltazar, CA; Z.P. Berberian, CA; Diran Depanian, CA; Grisha Der Hacobian, CA; Paul and Rose Hachigian, CA; Shahen Haroutunian, CA; Hagop lshkanian, CA; Alber Karamanoukian, CA; Alexan Koundakjian, CA; Haig Manjikian, CA; Harout Markarian, CA; Aida Mnatsakanian, CA; Levon Sexton, CA; Varaz Shahmirian, CA; Stepan Simonian, CA

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AIM

NovEMBER-Dscnr4snn

1996

lloTtB00l(

them. But, to fteat 325 patients, each with four or five

problem teeth, within one week

villages in

Armenia's beautiflrl mountainous south. that was a new experience. Yet" just this last month. tlrey did it. Before the winter snows, a team of four dentists from Califomia and Germany, went 0o Kapan, as part of the Denul Society's tenth trip to provide care and training. First they treated the children of deceased soldiers, tten, the rest of the villagers. From Califomia dentists Marine Martirosian of Glendale. ADSC veteran Nishan Ko,zaziwr Oeft) of North Hollywood, as

well as Vctor Karapetian of Darmstaadt, Germany

When the Armenian Dental Society of California (AIM, January 1996) started sending teams of professionals and supplies !o Armenia three years ago, they had picnred

rotting teettr, poor health care, inexperienced new graduates, professionals without access to continuing education. They knew they h&d to fase those problems and overcome

wor*,ed in the great outdoors, utilizingADSC's mobile clinic quipn, ent (dgtn). Atong with them were dental assistants lda Markaryan, t"ora Benzaryan and Sossi Kevorkian all from Califomia. Meanwhile, ADSC's Gary Kevortciary an orhodoiltist ftom Glendale, was wittr tre Howard Karageuzian Foundation's Dental Cl-inic staff prrviding training and lectures in ortho dontics. As with their other trips to Gumri, Goris, and Ejmiatsin (at the Catlrolicos's invitation;. the supplies were donated byAmerican companies. and the dentists underwrote their own expsn$os, And all because,

In the six years since he's left the office of govemor of the largest state, and the world's eighth largest economy, former California Governor George Deukmejian has been practicing law with the Los Angeles firm of Sidley and Austin. At the same time, he has stayed the course of siatesman, if not within, certainly around the Armenian community. He hosted Levon Ter Petrossian during the president's US visit in 1994 and used his clout to bring together some of the state's top businessmen. Prior to that, he had met with Parliament Speaker Babken Ararktsian, Ambassador Alexander Arzoumanian and others during visits to the huge Southem Califomia Armenian communlty.

;;;;;;--;;-

=.----

NAME Armenian Diaspora Archives

During the Armenia Fund Telethon in May 1996. to benefit the Goris-Stepanakert Highway linking Armenia to Karabakh, Deukmejian's donation of $1000 amounted to a public endorsement ofthe vital project.

WHERE YOU'LL FIND fT http://w ww.erols.com/guerig/

WHAT IS IT ? Online bilingual (English and French)journal covering mainly Armenian issues. List of contents includes: Editorial, News from Armenia and Karabakh, Diaspora hofiles, News and Views, Women Priests and Other Controversies, Book Reviews, and Cultural Announcements.

Even those u&o don't read poeby know the name Eghi$he Chments. From Anush Hayartani poem turned message "Oh, Armenians, your ody salvation is in your collective strenglh." Charents symbolized

lris

Yes lrn

to song, to his encoded

the intellectr.rnl generation which

I.IPSIDE Dscussion of wider issues, for example, "Your Health and Yow Lifu".

ttre

Stalin regime punished for its nationalism.

He died in

DOWhISIDE

Y.erevan's prisons, in November. 1937. His daughters were

The news and information is not updated fiequently.

poet Gevorg Emin and his family. or

alternately cared for by itiends such as the shunned by a society running scared.

TYPICALQUOTE "Geographically divided, elecronically united". BY

II. TcHrLrNfierAN

l0 / AIM NovEMBER-DECEMSSn I 996

Today. he MKilrrAR KEACHATRTA!{

is memorializul by

strcel a town and a school named for him, a* well as a snratrXish Han*-Illuseuar in Yerevan, funded by the governmenl

ffiffils Number of languages, including Armenian, into which the Jehovah's Witnesses' Watchtower magazine is translated monthly:

Age of Armenian State Television, in years:

4(l

Age of its studios' lighting equipment, in years: "especially

those distant villages, the

people are so happy that someone cares." What services did the patients receive? Everything except crowns, explains Sossi Kevorkian, who organized the team's very productive two weeks.

Number of attorneys listed in the Southern California Armenian Telephone

Directory:

psychologists listed:

Number of social workers listed:

Number

trade agreements signed by Armenia since 1992

(with Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan):

Number of trade agreements under negotiation (with Belarus, Kazakstan, Uzbekistan, Latvia, Lithuania):

Total number of issues of the first Armenian periodical, the Azdarar

monthly (published in India): While his oldest daughter Anahit has been living in the Netherlands with her own daughter's family for f,rve years, his other daughter,

Year in which it ceased publication:

1796

Apenik,

is a researcher at the Charents HomeMuseum. Two years ago, she published The House Cat, depicting her own childhood memories, her parents'imprisonment, and her

Total Drarn of annual national revenue of Karabakh government through

August 1,1996 (or US$ 2,250,000):

892,OOO,OOO

life in an orphanage. She notes that even these days

with cultural events seemingly becoming

less important, interest in her father's legacy, at

home and abroad, has not dwindled. "He has always been admired in our country," she says. 'The press, the government, the president, they all acknowledge and respect his contributions." Perhaps that's why 1997 is being called theYear of Charents, on the lfilth anniversary of his binh in March.

Total Dram of annual revenue of Karabakh government during the same period in 1995 (or US$ 1,865,000): 746.,o,(D(l,(D(D() lnternctional Monetarl- Fund, Haycrstnni Hanrapelutiun, Haratch, Watchtower

AIM

NovEMBER-DECEMBER 1996

lll

Brothel'sinChrisl is

Holiness Karekin

Supreme Patriarch and l3lst

Catholicos of All Armenians and His Holiness, John Paul ll,264th Pope of Rome, met in a historic meeting during a five-day official visit to the Vatican in early December. The Catholicos arrived from Yerevan, accompanied by three primates and his staff-bearer. He was met there by I I more of the church's

highesrranking clergymen, including

the Patriarchs of

Constantinople and Jerusalem, and the prelates

of North

and

South America and Europe.

The Roman Catholic receiving delegation, which consisted Christian Unity, was headed by Edward Cardinal Cassidy, who was present at the Catholicos's ordination in Ejmiatsin in April, 1995. As the delegation entered St. Peter's Basilica, the Catholicos led the delegation in singing a hymn, praying for the apostles

of officers of the Pontifical Council for Promoting

Peter (founder

of the Catholic

Church) and Thadeus and

Bartholomew (fbunders of the Armenian Apostolic Church). The first of the Catholicos's several meetings with the Pope was a private one between the two Pontiffs on December 10. This was followed by the Pope's Weekly General Audience the next day, at which the Catholicos presided together with the Pope, before a live audience of some 4000 pilgrims, and a television and radio audience, as well.

The Pope introduced the Catholicos and explained that I had spent time in the Vatican during the days of the Second Vatican Council, and again in 1983, as Catholicos of the Karekin

Holy See of Cilicia. After the Pope delivered a homily in Italian, the Catholicos addressed the Pope and the audience in French, and on behalf of the people of Armenia, of Nagomo-Karabakh and all Armenians throughout the world, prayed for the Pope's good health and led the Armenian clergy in singing the Lord's Prayer in Armenian. Following the meetings, a Common Declaration was issued, where the two patriarchs expressed their sorrow at "the bitterness, mutual recriminations and even hatred which have sometimes manifested themselves in the past" and gave their blessing to

existing contacts between the churches and to a "dialogue of charity between their respective pastors and faithful..." Interestingly, the declaration took care to specifically state that such dialogue "requires closer collaboration, mutual confidence and ... requires an attitude of service which is not self'-seeking and which is characterized by a mutual respect for the fidelity of the faithful to their own churches and Christian traditions." Beyond matters of church, the declaration concluded with a special reference to the political dilemmas facing Armenians. "John Paul II and Karekin I express a particular pastoral concern for the Armenian people, both those living in their historical motherland where freedom and independence were once more recovered and reestablished...and those living in NagornoKarabakh in need of permanent peace...and those who live in a

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ARMENIAN SUBVEY

Fritjof Nansen, Norwegian explorer, missionary and historian, was remembered on the 135th anniversary of his birth at an exhibition in Oslo's National Museum. Karekin I, Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by Archbishop Mesrob Krikorian, was invited to participate in the official ceremonies. The Catholicos did so, in the name of all Armenians, and thanked "the great humanitarian who was a beacon of hope for all Armenian refugees of the 1915 genocide." The Catholicos brought an original oil painting of Nansen and a copy of a 1925 issue of the Khorhrdayin Hayastan newspaper, featuring a story about Nansen's visit to the new soviet republic.

A hunger strike by Vahan Hovannisian, chief defendant in the case againt 3l men, arrested last July and of

Karabakh appeared intent on demonstrat-

ing their commitment to self-determination and self-ruIe.

various actions to destablize

Nearly a month before the elections,

the Armenian government, ended soon the strike to protest the continuing delays in the case. Relatives and supporters also

the US ambassador in Baku said "the US is deeply concerned that Kzrabakh intends to hold so-called'presidential' elections. The US believes this election comes at an

joined in.

unwelcome moment." The statement went

accused

afier it began. Other defendants joined in

Their yellow hats were not enough to ensure their unhampered visit of the con-

zone in and around Karabakh. Members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

flict

(OSCE) were in the Agdam area (captured by Karabakh forces three years ago) as part of a routine monitoring visit, when the Azeri side opened machine gun fire on the group. No one was injured. The same

kind of action. which the Karabakh military calls "provocation" by the Azeris, took place in April during another OSCE visit.

Karabakh held presidential

elec-

tions on Sunday, November Z. With 80 percenr (70.000) of eligible voters casting their vote, President Robert Kocharian (right, with Karabakh Prime Minister

Leonard Petrossian. center

and

Archbishop Barkev Martirosian, far right) was reelected by 88.9 percent of votes cast. With the very high voter tumout and the overwhelming show of support for the

govemment which has led the people through war and cease-fire, the people of

l4 / AIM Nover'asen-DEcErraeen

1996

z f, a

2 o

on to say that "the US supports the sover-

eignty and teritorial integrity of all OSCE member states, including the Republic of Azerbaijan. The US also supports strong minority rights in accordance with internationally accepted noffns." Azerbaijan said the elections were an attempt to escalate tensions in the region and complicate the negotiations on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. The

government

in Baku

blamed

the

Armenian govemment "for these illegal elections in the occupied Mountainous

Karabakh region" and said they are "severe violations of Azerbaijan's sovereignty, its constitution and other laws," as well as "violations of the charler and laws

of the UN."

Senior Presidential Advisor Jirair Libaridian expressed his surprise at such statements by Minsk Group member states. "They possibly need to be reminded of the Minsk Group mandate which, in 1992, clearly stated that the 'elected representatives' of Mountainous Kerabakh

will be invited to

pafticipate

! a =

= a.

the

Group's negotiations. How are there to be elected representatives without elections?" Libaridian asked. Kocharian himself, in a statement issued days befbre the elections. noted that "Karabakh has had a president fbr two years, and it is precisely that president with whom international mediators and govemmenl representatives have been negotiating."

delegation

the Council of

Europe announced that Armenia's local

elections, held on November 10, were free and fair. Joseph Presel, the US representative to the ongoing Karabakh negotia-

tions spoke publicly and bluntly in Michigan, at a public forum sponsored by the Armenian National Committee. The bottom line in the ambassador's statethe ment was that the solution

Karabakh conflict will require that 'Azeris face up to the fact that they've effectively lost control of Karabakh." and that Armenians accept the "fact that Karabakh is not going to be an indepen-

dent country." Presel's colleague. James early November as well. reiterating his country's commitment to Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Collins also met with opposition leaders and encouraged them to use the courls and other avenues to contribute to the national dialogue.

Collins, visited Armenia

o J

iz =

The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS), a prof'essional society composed of scholars intersted in Armenian Studies, held its 22nd Annual Meeting as part of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Conference in Rhode Island in

late November. Academicians (among them, Historian Richard Hovannisian of UCLA. leti. Iranian history specialist Ervand Abrahamian of the City University of New York, center, and Simon Payaslian, a graduate of UCLAs Modern Armenian History Department) fiom throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East participated with panel discussions on such topics as the Contemporary Armenian Diaspora in the Middle East. AIM NovrrMBER-DECEN{BER 19961 l5

0BY

*ffi#**#ir*s8ff{ie{strg}wffi:*;i.*H,siliis;}rl#iiiississi+ffieffi$&*si$ffi#ill

ilil fholrr$ tions and forums. Still, the yet-unresolved Karabakh conflict hangs over Armenia's and Ter Petrossian's head and promises to become more complicated as the inter-

national community digs in its heels and prepares to do combat with a stub-

bom Armenia with few real choices. Armenia cannot advocate a status for

Karabakh that

z z

less than what

Karabakh itself demands. Nor can it continue to buck its neighbors in the region and colleagues at the UN indefinitely. Here, the choices are not only

E Z

tough-they are non-existent. As to its relations with its neighbors, there are many difficult issues g t seemed as il-the campaigning began

I in earnest only alter the elections I ended. All of the tough topics which I naa not been addressed before September

22 landed in front of

President Levon Ter Petrossian's feet immediately after the elections. During the campaign, it seemed as if neither president nor opposition were willing to deal with the real matters at hand. A reticent president spoke vaguely, if honestly, about the slow, difficult road ahead. The opposition repeated

cliches about ending comrption

and

regaining hope. Neither talked about an economy that appeared to be stagnant, the absence of a developing middle class or a civil society, and the seeming impasse over Karabakh. But after an election whose results

will be the price Turkey demands for "normal relations"? How

by the people themselves, or they will lose all opportunity to participate in

ahead. What

nation-building.

can Armenia afford not to go along? What can Armenia do to help Iran stay the neutral course vis-a-vis the messy Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey triangle? What is left for Armenia to give Russia to still maintain its conciliatory, yet independent, stance? If Abkhazia and Karabakh place Georgia and Armenia on opposite sides of the self-determination debate, how can Armenia enhance those areas in which it is on the same side as its neighbor?

FOREIGN POTICY Even his opponents agree that the

Ter

Petrossian administration

has

m4neuvered capably in the international arena, and maintained a consistent,

open, principled course. His foreign

policy objectives were clearly

stated

from the beginning: peaceful, friendly relations with all neighbors, and active participation in intemational organiza-

A picture is worth...

were too close for comfort, and postelection violence led by forces willing to exploit emotions and frustrations running very high, a usually silent president spoke publicly at length and candidly about the difficult realities and the tough choices ahead. Many of those choices are his and his administration's alone. Some he has already made. Others he must make if he is to regain his popularity, and convince a confused and uncertain population to stay the course. Still other choices-from how large and professional an army to have to the role of government in supporting the arts-must be made

l6 / AIM NovEuntn-DpceMsrn

1996

First appeared in AIM in August-September 1991 as paft of a story on the president's first

year challenges. Appearently, the photo had an impact, because five years later, Khachikian was asked for the rights to use the photo on the presidentb campaign posters. ff duing the campaign the image symbolized a continuum-the same man watking down the same road of challenges-now, at the beginning of 1997, it is invested with additional significance. The campaign and the election of which that photo was a pari resulted in still tougher challenges tor the country and its presidenlon the cover of AIM this month.

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#8,$Silr#$l?;Pdsffi4i;1trtfl,!'futriii};lll:1i;il:i:iili:i1i:tlj1*t4i::'.r::.:ili:;,:.'r1:,,r1

DOMESTIC POLICY The same open, consistent

nor his press spokesman have managed

to gain the kind of credibility he has

and

had with the public from the beginning. The surprisingly close election results must have made clear that he is neither speaking to nor hearing the people often enough, however. Will he make such communication and transparency a priority both fbr himself and his

transparent method that worked in foreign policy must be applied in domestic policy in Ter Petrossian's second term. Although he guided the country's

foreign relations directly,

Ter

Petrossian seemed to delegate much of the internal operations to cabinet and

staff-not always with the desired results.

ttr

ry-aa!{II

ffirfix

i l'

t I

administration? This will be no easy task, especially when so many around him and throughout the country are still entrenched in soviet methodology and thinking. Will commitment to accountability and service become credentials as important as loyalty and seniority in those who are appointed to serve? Ter Petrossian's choice of new ministers seems to indicate this may be the case. From his selection of Armen Sarkisian as Prime Minister. to Alexander Arzoumanian as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Garnik Nanagulian as Minister of Trade and Tourism. Ter Petrossian made clear that he is anxious

No one doubts the need for q strong army. Indeed Armenian forces have been called the best in the region. What rem.ains is that the draft process, as well as nilitary life become egulitarian and fair

to introduce western ways in the workings of government. Sarkisian was Ambassador to Great Britain and a host

of other European Arzoumanian served

countries.

first

Ambassador to the US, then as head

In his first term. Ter Petrossian didn't communicate often enough according to many critics within and outside Armenia. His friends and supporters say that is a shame, since he is his own best advocate, and when he begins to speak, he doesn't need a public relations team. Neither his ministers uF f

......._--""--,.-"",--*iilf tl!^[ r.uon{ t1, ,E.l3u1 rF ' '@rors6n}nobhdE.

,!d

Armenia's Mission Nanagulian, worked

to the UN. for years in

Washington DC in the Soviet embassy,

then as Charge d'Affaires in the Armenian Embassy before being named Armenia's Ambassador to Canada. Their appointments are a sure

sign

of Ter Petrossian's intention to

open up the workings of government, while at the same time making it more efficient. Yet, their new appointments leave their old posts vacant-and the problem of cadres all the more apparent. Who is there to ably represent Armenia abroad? And who will these new ministers have to work with at home? Where are the trained civil servants ready to perform? It is not simply savvy businessmen that the former soviet republics lack, but also a tradition of public service that

goes beyond controlling information sources and benefiting lrom opportuni-

ty. And, when these "new men" are found, how will they be paid so that they do not have to find other irregular, unorthodox, even unacceptable ways of making a living.

There

is also the issue of

Diaspora and how

to deal with

the that

enigma. Is it to be treated like a foreign country, or an extension of the motherland, or something in between? There has never been a clearly articulated Diaspora policy, and maybe it's time there was one. Almost as soon as he was appointed, Prime Minister Sarkisian began to speak about the need to integrate the Diaspora's resources. At the same time, all Diaspora newspapers, including the consistently negative ARF press, seemed to go out of its way to warmly greet the new prime minister. Perhaps this means everyone is willing

to begin to ask the tough

questions

about Diaspora-Armenia relations, well.

Mr4h

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@ tutsuquhu!06 de d.rftpF{cob. tdu,Lr u'uutl. FL qur uiu.nr ru. rF- rf &rqq r r.ea@{u, FrirM ab{nuXa.l 6lds{!! n{

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tunr*ni 0n'0s.

,iffi,'Hx[i:-ti'"iJ,il:f;

au tnu\ rfsm bq t, r !6,&FrnJ'&. lhh 0duF & ,i Snlu[u@qn,Uru h-ng!'nrJ rarJoL,r. cltu{{nr I ,e urarnqr{q tU tOO utrOnC ff- idE ryd elhoFoh4u,:uFuq h sn{h .'{d Fuquhuts Lwtr ryuoq @&quh. nbqb- haqE -u_.T Uuu ,ut ul{ro&h hurluunD,ir4hq 'rL&E,iln @ld tuuur qb:J I fX; anru ertury{bl r e' ?m ilf. 6t4di dtr+ hdtuilqn{ i w tuqilr * g:""-t*1'P-l!:ri'Lhkn *i:':IlTF^!iEorLd&'c For months after the elections, the opposition continued to attempt to undermine the legitimacy of lzvon Ter Petrossian's Eiovemment. Nevertheless, the press always found room for humor. This headline in the daily Lraber of mid-November read: WILL THEY BE CONSIDERED NULL AND YOID? referring to the US elections afier reports over fraudulent campaign contributions to the winning Democrats.

kvon Zurabian,

the president's press secretary (inset) can do much to improve the media's access to the president and to necessary information.

AIM Novelaeen-DscsMsen 19961 17

x i

Called back to Yerevan to serve in higher capacities are these former arnbassadors. (From left to right).Armen Sa*isian left Londan to become Prime Minister His challenges ore great---4verything from developing an improved public relations machine for the Armenian government to stimulating the economy. Alexander Arzoumanian lcenter) left the IJN mission in New York to take on the Ministry o! Foreign Affairs in what will probabty be its toughest year yet. Garnik Nanagulian (right) is head of the Ministry of Trade and Tbuism where his smooth westem ways and people skills will come in handy.

Internally, sometimes conflicting demands of security and civil rights came head on immediately after the elections. Stories about the military's involvement in rigging the vote here and there circulated al the same time as they were praised for their general cool-

headedness during the ensuing vio-

lence, and in the following days and nights. Not just the opposition, but even some insiders called on the presi dent to divest some of the power ministers of their powers. Others said there was no way to change the heads of all

the security forces, and still maintain safe borders. In the final analysis, Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsian remained in his post. Sargsian is going to work hard to make up for his unacceptable post-violence comments. His

"after all this, even if they had received 100 percent of the vote, the military would not have accepted them," has not been forgotten, even if one understands his anger at the "after all this" part. When the Ministries of Interior and National Security were combined under Serge Sargsian, controversial Interior Minister Vano Siradeghian would have been out of a job except that he was appointed Mayor of Yerevan. Better some said, at least he would put his seemingly good managerial skills to

x o

rights are still hard to understand and defend, thejoining ofsuch forces could spell trouble, even if it appears to be administratively justifi ed.

Finally, the abolition

the

Ministry of Information was probably a good thing since no one appeared to know what such a ministry should do. However, this simply means all government branches still have to decide for themselves how much information to share and when. In the absence ofclear

policy and example, the answer may be

developing an urban infrastructure, and not the militia. Others were appalled at the merger of essentially two police forces-a public service force from the

too little, too rarely. Here,

interior ministry and the more secret national security forces-under one head. In an environment where civil

ECONOMY

perhaps

more than anywhere else, the example will have to come from the top.

Sarkisian's appointment seems

also

to signal a repeated focus on the

Tbgerher with loyalists who are merely political appointments, there are those who command. power and territory. There is Karabakh Committee colleague Babken Ararktsian (left), victim of the post-election violence, still a*iv4.ly,heading the National Assembly, Vigen

Khachatrian (center), member of the Liberat Democratic Party, now Vce-Mayor of Yerevan, and Shahen Karonnnukian

fight),

the

President's Chief of Staff.

t X

l8 /AIM

NoveNteEn-DEcEvsEn 1996

Si- , . ',!i.!i",:,:i:!!* ':i. r-

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need to attract foreign investment. This is easier said than done, however. After all,

:#3+1ff"!

most department heads and even ministers'deputies still seem to think the government is doing the investor a favor by allowing them to enter into a business arrangement. Although most foreign observers agree that Armenia's legislative environment is very pro-business, most of those with experience on the ground com-

plain about the absence of a "friendly business environment." From the lack of

Serge Sargsian

is head of

the

newly-combined Ministies

Interior ond National Securitl.

necessary regulations to the very real existence of more than necessary red tape, the government will not have too many more years to establish itself as investmentfriendly. Already, there are enough horror stories out there, that the success stories are being forgotten, and there are many missed opportunities to recapture. Some of the president's new appointments already appear to be strictly for the purpose of gaining lost ground. With the ouster of Civil Aviation chief Shahen

Petrossian and

Yerevant.

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his replacement with

Vagharshak Mnatsakanian, for example, many are hopeful that airport and airline improvements will proceed at a pace necessary to undo years of public relations nightmares. The same kinds of changes will need to be made in all spheres from communication to privatization. The elevation of the departments of privatization and foreign investment to the level of a ministry may mean they, too, will receive the attention they, and the country, deserve. The investor who bought up privatized factories cheaply only to sell its tools and equipment at a greater profit do

Fortner Interior Minister Vano Siradeghian is the new Mayor of

d"1S

little to instill confidence in an unemployed populace. At the same time, keeping factories in state hands neither makes long-term sense, nor satisfies the reformminded international agencies. The presi-

dent and new ministers must outline a course of action that does not hamper changes, but clearly draws the line at the unacceptable costs of reform.

If all this focus on the economy

seems overblown,

it isn't. In a troubled

fhonks for helping us riie from the osher ot

Spitok to the glorg ot

Porolgmpics in

Otlonto '96

political neighborhood with an unstable economy, one of the hardest tasks facing the Armenian government is finding ways

to become integrated (and integrate the similarly vulnerable Georgia and Azerbaijan) into the region's economy in such a way as to decrease their collective dependence on the big powers and to

s &

U & Y

D@xse Minister Yazgen Sargsiant still hods his position.

llour in training for Sidnag f,000

increase a forced interdependence on each other. A harmonious economy may force

upon everyone within and

outside Armenia a peaceful political future. av SlLpr HnnourrNnN GHlzlnrlN AIM NovEMBER-DsceNaseR 19961 19

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On December 17, 1996, an AIM Publisher's Forum was held in Glendale, California. Conceived for the purpose of "bringing the story to the reader", AIM readers were invited to hear Depury Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian speak about the Lisbon Summit meering of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Oskanian had participated directly in the preparatory negotiations and was involved in the process of shaping the var-Iidiior ious documents concerning Armenia and Karabakh. AIM Contributing Jivan Thbibian was invited to summarize the presentation and comment on its implications. f

he penultimate version

of the Lisbon

I Summir Declaration signed on f, De.embe, 4, 1996. contained a paraI graph 20. which addressed the Karabakh conflict in language unacceptable to Armenia-particularly the refer-

ence to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Consequently, the Armenian delegation "bracketed" the paragraph in question. (An OSCE declaration requires unanimous consent on the part of all 54 participating states; brackets are used to indicate a member state's refusal to endorse any part of a document unacceptable to it.) As attempts to persuade the Republic of Armenia to remove the brackets from paragraph 20 failed, Azerbaijan in retaliation bracketed the entire declara-

tion to be endorsed in its hnal language heads of State or Government assembled for the Summit, for the express purpose of issuing the Lisbon Declaration. Azerbaijan's gambit was to threaten the entire declaration in order to

by the

force the other states to bring pressure on the Republic of Armenia to withdraw its brackets from the paragraph objection-

able to Armenia, but very much in the interests of Azerbaijan.

The formulation of paragraph 20 was recommended by the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group specifically charged to

for a political solution to

the

Karabakh conflict. The member states of the Minsk Group (Turkey is a membeq

but Armenia, Azerbaijan

and

Mountainous Karabakh, as protagonists, are not) were behind this formulation which referred specifically to three principles:

. Territorial integrity ofthe republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan; . The legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh defined in an agreement based on selfdetermination which confers on NagornoKarabakh the highest degree of self-ruIe within Azerbaijan;

Guaranteed security

for

Nagorno-

Karabakh and its whole population, including mutual obligations to ensure complaince by all the parties with the provisions of the settlement. Confronted with a tight deadline, and the prospect of a failed summit, behind AIM Novnnnen-Dpcsvsen

19961

willing to articulate Armenia's

closed doors, and in the face of Armenian

nor Russia

intransigence, a compromise was worked

legitimate interests.

out to induce Azerbaijan to remove its

removal of paragraph 20 from the final declaration. The three principles contained therein, however, were made part of a Statement by the OSCE Chairman-

No one could force Armenia to endorse Summit principles it finds contrary to its national interest. Outside the Summit, reality is more dynamic. The pressure on Armenia will mount, and the consensus of the major powers will be used with great leverage. Alternative sce-

in-Office. In that Statement, the chair-

narios may be even worse. While the pre-

man-in-office "regrets that Armenia could not accept [these principles]" and he adds "These principles have the support of all

sent ceasefire (with Karabakh's military security, the Lachin Corridor and a buffer zone of Azerbaijani territory) is acceptable in the short run, and has afforded the Republic of Armenia and Mountainous Karabakh breathing space, the continuation of the status quo is unlikely in the long run. Azerbaijan will most probably attempt to exploit the Lisbon formula and press for either Armenian compliance or end the ceasefire. If unwilling or unable to modify their positions for domestic

brackets from the

full Declaration while

Armenia's objections resulted

the

other participating states." This arrangement having satisfied Azerbaijan enough for it to remove its brackets from the full Declaration. The Summit declaration is allowed to proceed. A Statement is less binding than the Declaration, and officially engages only the chairman-in-office. Armenia agrees not to object. At the Summit. President Levon Ter Petrossian explains his intransigence by stating that to accept the principles of the now-removed paragraph 20 would have

been tantamount to risking a second genocide, something he was clearly

political as well as diplomatic reasons, the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh will have to contemplate resumption of hostilities and the renewal of clashes with Azerbaijan.

unwilling and unable to do.

While this summary describes the highlights of

Worse, Armenia's continued support

outline Deputy

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian's presentation, it misses the complexity, the intricacies and the nuances of his perspective as a participant in the proceedings. Nevertheless. Diaspora Armenians musl examine this situation from their own vantage point, and identify the implications of this momentous Lisbon Summit.

Certain conclusions emerge inevitably. First and foremost is Armenia's diplomatic isolation.

One

against all. The chairman-in-office of the OSCE leaves no doubt that all others have agreed to these principles. Clearly, Armenia has been maneuvered into a

of Karabakh within 'Azerbaijani territo-

ry" (per OSCE's formulation) may well end up portraying the Republic of

decolonized-witness

the mess

Armenia's situation, though far from certain, is not wholly unthinkable. In fact, a wider and closer reading of the Lisbon

Vojvodina, etc.

Documents-the Summit Declaration,

Declaration are given to the Bosnian and

the Chairman's Statement, the Declaration on a Common and

endorsement of the Dayton Agreement as

Comprehensive Security Model for Europe for the 21st Century, as well as

the two Annexes-should

make

profoundly conservative and pro-status quo

their doctrinal enunciation. From the Congress of Vienna on, Western and European states in particular have had to deal with the dual, and often

contradictory principles of territorial integrity and the self-determination of

Azerbaijani interests, and neither the US

"territorial integrity" as a guarantor of

22 I AIM NoveNrsen-DecEr,lspn 1996

fully

New Europe-the rump Yugoslav state with the issues of Kosovo, Montenegro,

This kind of deterioration of

forum-with Turkey able to press for

apparent the asymmetrical nature of that

nationhood-and independence and statehood-for people who happen to live within someone else's territory. The Lisbon Documents wish away the fact

Security Council.

peoples. At various times, one principle has prevailed over the other. Established, dominant, colonial or imperial states have always put a premium on the principle of

emerge from the Minsk Group makes

Documents are predicated on a wishful determination that the Intemational State System, or at least its European sub-variant, have entered a post-decolonization phase, where stability is desirable at any cost, and achievable through the inalienability of territorial boundaries and state borders. The supremacy of the State is and the relationship of State .paramount, to Nation is dismissed by omission. Selfrule is the equivocal extent of admissible self-determination. Gone are the ideals of

Chechnya. Nor are some other parts of the

These documents mark a watershed in spelling out the structures and principles of a "New European Order." They are

gent, unreasonable and uncooperative in meant Armenia was also rejecting the recommendations of the Minsk Group-within which the existing ceasetlre is arranged and where a long-term political solution is being sought. That such a recommendation could

after World War Two. The Lisbon

perhaps ultimately through the UN

principles and compromise Artsakh's position or veto the formulation and

the OSCE framework. This

Dominant powers still think of World

War I as the consequence of frustrated national self-determination. Hence. US President Woodrow Wilson's desire to shape the post-World War One international system around self-determination. A second assault on territorial integrity came with the process of decolonization

that the Russian Federation is not yet

Armenians everywhere wearily vigilant.

become isolated while appearing intransi-

ments.

Armenia as a pariah state, subject to international disapproval. and even sanctions.

the

lose/lose situation: either agree

stability, while peoples and nations denied

their independence have tried to insist on self-determination as a fundamental right and a valid principle in shaping political changes and making geopolitical adjusr

Actually, fully seven of the 22 substantive paragraphs of the Summit

Yugoslav problems, with the implied a model for resolving the contradictions between self-determination and territorial integrity. The references to the Ceorgian

and Moldovan conflicts as well as the Karabakh issue as irnally spelled out in the Chairman's Statement reinforce this impression: witness the repeated litany of 'isovereignty and territorial integrity." The Lisbon Declaration's model of security for Europe in the 2lst century unequivocally elevates the sovereignty of states to a pre-

eminent position. "Ethnic tension and aggressive nationalism" are seen as threats to stability. The "indivisibility" of security imposes common standards, because larger interests must prevail against destabilizing local and regional unfulfilled aspirations. For the sake of sta-

bility, "the rule of law [and] market econ-

omy" must balance the more open-ended ideals of democracy and respect for

human rights. Emboldened

the

Bosnian precedent and sanctions against Serbia, there are not-so-veiled threats of "instruments of joint cooperative action within the OSCE framework in the event of non-compliance with the OSCE commitments by a participating state." Given this larger context, it is obvi-

ous that the major signatories of the Summit cannot leave Armenia's recalci-

trance unnoticed. President

Ter-

did much to weaken Armenia's negotialing position.

Petrossian's relusal challenges the new orthodoxy; but can it effectively under-

September 1996

mine its application and reverse the dam-

Azerbaijan and its sponsors were quick to view Armenia as internally unstable and to question Ter-Petrossian's authority and the legitimacy of Armenia's claims. Having squandered an international capital of good will, respect and sympathy based on Armenia's reputation of a homogeneous. democratic. stable open society. Armenians must be careful not to provide further pretexts to those who are poised to

age?

Saying "No" to a unanimous chorus of OSCE Heads of State or Government has its own romantic appeal. Such defiant but principled stands, after al[, are part of every nation's mythic self'-projection. If de Gaulle can say "No" and prevail why can't we? However, while we applaud the President's stand, it is apparent that defi-

ance and prideful intransigence alone

cannot move either Armenia's or Karabakh's interest forward. Given the

dismiss Armenia and Karabakh as the malignant leftovers of overzealous and

precariousness of the ceasefire. Azerbaijan's resources-oil. money, fiiends, size-and Russia's murky

authoritarian nationalisms. Equally dangerous is a retreat into any kind of delusional righteousness that as victims of one Genocide and subjects

motives, neither a renewal of war. nor an

efTective and tighter blockade of Armenia

moral superiority of Armenian claims for

(no matter under what guise) are particularly attractive to Armenians.

It is

especially important for

Armenians in the Diaspora, as well as for those within Armenia and Artsakh. not to render the diplomatic maneuvers more fiagile than they need to be. The postelection political turmoil in Yerevan in

tiequent persecutions, the intrinsic

the fieedom, dignity and safety of the people of Artsakh will be vindicated by the international community. The Lisbon Documenls give no reason to pin any hope on the conscience of the concert of states.

A cooler assessment of the situation hints at certain opportunities that those in

ARMENIAI\I RUG BOOK ARMENIAil RUGS from the

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AlI]enua, llrc ,05 lvlain Strael, r/Jaterht'",n, 1,,1A il215,i l.l Ditst !,car] rila:iy o! lhe|T ha'r;a ilaei') gxhil)ltgc ai ldiiiei){"rrs anal i,intv*rsi:res aaross tire:oLtnlry Atlltur T Sreqorian's leutr"rres anc e):iirbrls iiilve i)el;jed i-)iir1g li)e le'll "A:rlr:nran Hl.cl" lr'ri,:l it,:)rnrl]{]n a(]{]efilanCs alisf ytals if iilrut:ile lo: re...o!nilir r wili in llr? Oref lal fluU ionunJ'r,l!. Orjel ioLr ccpy lcr.ja7

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NovErr,reen-DECEMBER

1996

123

the Diaspora must seize. First, Armenians must be informed about these issues in all their ramifications, then, open a great

national debate on collective desires, Iimitations and priorities. There must be realism about the world and Armenians' place in it. Myth-making must be recognized for what it is and politics and diplomacy accepted for the essentially inelegant and accomodationist activities that they are. All the while, with dogged intellectual

rigor and lucidity, the world must

scanned for opportunities.

The ultimate opportunity may lie in the defects of the Lisbon Documents. It seems that the OSCE believes that it can banish instability by proclaiming the invi-

olability

[llIL[RE}I'S BIBLES

sovereignty and territorial integrity, and by wishing away the struc-

tural and dynamic causes for

from the Kashmiris to the Karen in Myanmar, from Palestinians to Kurds, from Hutus to Tutsis, from Baltic Russians to Hungarians in Rumania, and Albanians in Kosovo, the reconciliation of

the tensions between ethnic and national

self-determination and sovereignty and territoral integrity is not in sight. Russians themselves are on one side of the debate in Chechnya, and the other in Crimea. These conflicts and tensions may linger on, and some may be resolved. The

resolutions

will

come

FIR$I.ORRIE STUIE]ITS

tension.

History has not come to an end. The very forces the Lisbon Declaration would try to suppress, marginalize, delegitimize or control are likely to fester, linger, agitate and eventually explode uncontrollably. The jury is not yet in on Bosnia and the Dayton model. The centrifugal forces in Europe (let alone the rest of the world) are not decelerating. From Tibet to East Timor, from the Kanaks to the Corsicans,

!1{ RRl'lEl{Ifl,

maneuvers. But the dialectic between these two antithetical principles will, by necessity, move towards a synthesis in

the AMAA is more than happy to help by providing Bibles for them. Won't you join in partnership with the AMAA and help support this

worthy project. Please complete the coupon below, and mail your taxded ucti b I e co ntr i b uti o n to :

ARMEI\IAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIAIION OF AMERICA, INC

the debate and explore the ways in which

140 Forest Avenue Paramus, NJ 07652

a new synthesis can permit the unlocking

impasse in Nagorno-Karabakh. Imaginative, historically informed and

realistic reasoning are

not signs of

defeatist accomodation. We cannot afford not to mobilize the intellectual and political resources necessary the shape the discourse on the principles that will affect Europe-and Armenia-in the decades to

sv JrvaN TesrsraN 24

Yes,

I would like to panicipate in the Children's Bible Project for Armenia. Enclosed is my

gift of

$-.

Name Address

Make

come.

AIM NovsMsen-Decer.,rsen 1996

flil[ GEORGIR

The AMAA has always been active in support of education and higher learning. lt has also emphasized the importance of Christian Education, and its introduction into the educational system in Armenia. The AMAA supports the efforts of the Armenian Government and the Church to instill Christian values in the lives of Armenia's children, so that these children may become model citizens. Our children in Armenia long to know the Word of God, and

which sovereignty itself will have to be redefined. It is time for Armenians to join

of the

l{flRflBfll{ll

Upon the request of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), in cooperation with the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, distributed 66,000 Armenian Bibles and New Testaments to all children entering the first grade in public schools throughout Armenia, Georgia, and Karabagh (Fall 1996).

diplomacy,

armed conflict or even legal and legalistic

FOR

lour tar-deddlble dotarld pd!^ble

,o "AilAA Chtdref,'s Btblc

PtuJe"

HAYASTAN FOUNDATION CANADA INC. Cl>ordimling lhz rtnancial mntrihttions of Armmian communitits thrut gltottl tlu u)orU himitizing and undcrt&ing humanilnrian Wjnts

ill

(4U3UUSUtu> 4UIIU{.U3r{Ur{}tu 4hUtuUrhnUl}- Onnm/b0 qnlwgwt Gh\rwllwi )wnVwgnddhpE bt qnpfiwrlpbl unu2hufrhnp \wpbmpntpfrQ n$hgn4 tunquuhttuhui tnwqlndhn

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PARTICIPAITITS

& SUPPORTERS o! th.

'HAYASTAN" ALL-ARMENIAN FUND - Toronto, Canada

FOUIIDAIION

INCOME STATEMENT

(July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1996)

AD.ntu EwrE licrl Chvfth Holt Tttdt /fr.n|$ Chtrch sL Or.go? it nlm, Ad. Caholic Ctuftl,

=o 3 o

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Mcry

Aacaian Chuclr

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General - Total

Put

Sd.lD.ffit H."ch&PartY

Am|ian G.iltu| Ba4frl.nl Union

o E o E o 6

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31,236.20

16,338.1 3

413.48

144,029.61

143,434.92

4,800.00

3,080,00 80.00 1,362.35

550.52 7,723.79

3,471.00 6,420 00

Goods & Servrces Tax - recovered "ServiCes Received" - Total

1,518.30 20,731.65

Total Revenue

164,761.26

5.367.35

18A4Lffi 161,876.58

A. Administrative 1,000.00 2,677.85 1,1 60.59

Accounting 2,316.74 707.56 5.40

Postage

S.@ Ciltural As*iorl@ Clttual)$dfi6 Uad olMn6h Zotfa lditu oICMdz

c 6 o

123,783.31 2,900 00

EXPENSES

Nor

111,'162.06 500 00 1,097 00

Functions Travel Printing

AtuaiM Mldon BolubY Culeal At*ladon &nadtuAdntu BdD.$ Cowit

KnirhB

995

(c$)

Office rent Off ice - tax/maintenance/rnsurance Office general

M.dicol

lld$l@tn CubutuI AMioth

B. Oonations - "Services Received"

996

(c$)

___34

lnterests

$ N

REVENUE A. General "National Givings" Organization memberships "Kantzanag" collections (pig9y bank) Functions

Telephone & fax Visa - imprinter Oflice - tax/maintenance/insurance Wages Bank returned items

3,323.63 15,410.00 197.00 154.32

2,480.00 138 26 5,647.96

23,923.39

Office rent Otfice - tarmaintenance/insurance Office general Functions Travel

4,800.00

Printing

6,210.00

s,367.35

1,558.64 26,983.77

zt,ioz.so

143,055 00

111,080.00

Bank S/C

=(d

Administrative - Total

E f

B. "Services Received"

o o

= .q El

ol (d

C. Transfers to ARMENIA

Total Expenseg

P o 'o o

rNcoME / (LOSS)

"Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund, Toronto

10.1

550.52 10,684.63

7,524.29 3,480.73

Goods & Services Tax "Services Received" - Total

.= l

3,300.00

75,686.73

__fllf4lzt

56,405.89

___-9lz9i9-

a .fE c

* E f

Ara Boyajian Treasurer

o o

Notes:

1. All funds are in Canadian Dollars 2, Opening balance/cash at bank - July 1, Closing balance/cash at bank - June 30,

1995 '14,780.00 1996 3,854.62 J0,e25.lzl

6 G

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Tel: (416) 223-3318 Fa,(: (416) 22U85t2

o E

El (L

AIM Nol,snanen-DecrNrser

19961

INTEBN

AT I 0 N A L

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Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov (above left) is received by his Lebanese counterpart Faris Bweiz (right) after arriving in Beirut in late October on the second leg of a Middle East tour aimed at reviving the stalled Arab-Israeli peace talks. Primakov, who arrived from Damascus, held talks with Bweiz on Mideast peace efforts and bilateral relations. Just two weeks later, Primakov was in Tokyo to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (below right) to discuss common issues, including disputed territory.

u -

In response to a combined Democratic and Republican opposition to the sale of attack helicopters administration had expressed concern

that the helicopters might be used in Turkey's ongoing war with its Kurdish

hold local elections in January 1997. Meanwhile, in neighboring Ingushetia,

population.

a Russian

Even as Russian President Boris Yeltsin tacitly accepted the Chechen

victory and granted the rebels the free26 I

AIM

NoVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996

deny, Russian nationalists cried foul and demanded that the rights of ethnic Russians in the region be protected. Until then Russian troops continue to withdraw, and the Chechens plan to

to T[rkey, Ankara canceled its order for l0 Cobra helicopters. The Clinton

dom he had for two years attempted to

off-shore zone, tax breaks for Russian residents have proved popular among Russia's wealthy. As a result, the Ingush, who are ethnically, historically

and religiously kin

to their Chechen

neighbors (AIM. October 94) have not

When T[rkish Prime Minister

joined their cousins in a bloody revolt

Necmettin Erbakan visited Libya, he did not expect to be publicly reprimandecl fbr his country's "pro-western" leanings. Libya's Muammar Qadafy criticized not only Turkey's relations with the US, but also its sup-

against Russian sovereignty. They don't need to. They run their own economic

and therefore political-show and are de facto enjoying self-governance.

The second

International

pression of Kurdish separatists.

Business Forum for Muslim Industrialists and Politicians ended in Istanbul in late November. and tried to mix religious doctrine with economic

poilcy in an effbrt to create an Islamic common market. Necmettin Erbakan.

Turkey's prirne ntinister.

increased imnrediately.

sur-

explain why he went to visit the "rogue" Atiican leader, but also why

stressed

throughout the cont'erence which he had spearheaded that economic cooperation

among Muslirn countries should

prised Erbakan countered, in the presence ofjournalists. including nearly 50 fiom his own country, that "Turkey does not have a Kurdish problem, Turkey has a tenorism problem." Upon his return. Erbakan had not only to

he tolerated such public criticism.

Erbakan

appears to be favoring this fbrum over the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

founded by Turkey. Pakistan and lran more than 30 years ago.

Great Britain, too, floated the idea of a regional organization for the Middle East, which would borrow fl'om the experience of cold war Europe

to overcome distrust between filrmer enemies. Britain's Foreign Secretary said that such a body could help resolve conflicts and build confidence beyond

the scope of the Arab-lsraeli

Bob Dole didn't win the

presidential elections in November.

Nol is he any longer in the

US Senate. That's a loss for Armenians

everywhere, including ArmenianAmerican lobbyists in Washington, DC. and many in Armenia. like the members

of Pyunic.

sports orga-

nization for the disabled, who met Dole at the Paralyrr.rpics in Atlanta last July.

peace

process. Such a policy statement was no

doubt intended to give Britain a higher profile in the region. where the US and sometimes France appear to be the main international players.

At the same time that Mountainous Karabakh held presidential elections, two other self.proclaimed republics in the former sovi-

et union also plan

referenda.

Northern Iraq's Bagdad-sup-

Abkhazia. in Georgia. held parliamen-

tary elections on November 2ll,

and

Transdnistria, Moldova's break-away teffitory planned a presidential vote for Decernber 22.

rule hy the forrner communists. handed power back to the "hero"

Trans World Radio has established a broadcast site in Armenia to

spread the Gospel throughout

Central Asia and the Middle East. According to the TWR. "within listening range are more than 60 ol the

world's least evangelized

groups.

Traditional missionary work among Muslims in this area is believed by many to be impossible."

In late October. Lithuanian voters, disillusioned after four years of

who led them out of the soviet union in 1991. Vytautas Landsbergis. The party of Landsbergis. a lbrmer music teacher and the country's first post-

independence president,

won

majority of seats in parliament, thus

paving the way

who had

fbr

Landsbergis.

the losing Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party accused

ol misnranrgement and corruption.

ported Kurdish faction, the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), threatened to invite Saddam Hussein's troops back in unless Western countries persuade Iran to stop backing the rival militia. To counter-balance Tehran's

support

of the Patriotic Union of the KDP's Massoud

Kurdistan,

Barzani said his people have a right

to Iraqi support. Western diplomats accused both sides of playing a propaganda game to maximize foreign involvement and attention. Above, a KDP fighter tears down a PUK flag at the lranian-Iraqi border.

AIM NovEr\lBER-DecpNlspn

1996

ECINIMYtr{$IH

}.}Nmfr,ffi,ri.it*ffi*E:s,,i{r#ffir

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A joint Chinese-Armenian venture will result in the production of up to l0 tons of llour each day. The mill, near the base of the Hrazdan river, begins with untreated wheat, which is washed, dried and milled to produce four types of flour' Although some of the wheat is locally produced, a good deal is imported. The US govemment has just agfeed to a $ 15 million credit for Armenia to purchase of 70,000 tons of the grain which is the main rtaple in the Amreaian diet. It is anticipated that the credit will be provided for 25 years, at an annual interest rate of I to 2 percent.

will be able to

Bilateral relations between

receive low-interest loans from the European Union for spring and fall operations. The loans, averaging $500 each, will be given based on demonstrated need for specific projects. The loans will be made through the ArmAgro Bank.

Armenia and its neighbors continue

Armenian villagers

In continuing attempts to attract foreign investment, Armenia will form a hydroelectric consortium. Armenia's continuing dependence on hydroelectric power requires that that industry

quickly and optimally enhanced. Per the guidelines of the European Small Hydro Association, small power plants will be

brought together into groups with a combined capacity of l0-15 megawatts to jointly receive credit in the neighborhood of $20 million. Although the willingness exists to make such organizational changes, nevertheless, bringing

into operation plants some of which

have been non-operational for decades is not going to be easy. One such plant in Goris was reactivated to supply 200 kwihr, specifically for such institutions as hospitals and bread-baking plants. Eight other plants are being offered for sale by the govemment. The prices for these over-50 year old plants have been

at between $20,000 and $300,000. According to the privatization

earlY

travel from Yerevan to the seacoast city of Trabizon each Monday. The return costs $50.

At the same time, a UN Food Program sponsored bridge recon. struction project was completed, and Armenian and Georgian railways were reconnected. The bridge, which had, had washed out during the spring floods, and had resulted in a sharp drop in cargo transportation between the two countries. The UN Food Program, through contributions by donor-countries Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Great Britain and the US, supplied

large part of the over $700,000 needed to rebuild the bridge over the Banusha River. Armenia and Georgia each provided another $150,000.

determined

decision, the plants must continue to operate after they are privatized. 28 /AIM NovrNrurn-DsceMsen 1996

to take on new form. In

November, the first non-Armenian commercial flight started operating between Yerevan and Tehran, run by Caspian Airlines. Several top Iranian officials arrived in Armenia on that inaugural flight, which was welcomed by both sides as a sign of growing cooperation. Also, a new bus route now connects Armenia to Turkey. For 16,800 Dram (or $42 dollars) one can

Russian may still be the most com-

mon second language spoken by Armenians. But if just a fraction of

those wanting to leam English actually

do so, that may not long be the

case.

Indeed, teaching English has become

small, but active industry in Yerevan. Thus, a first conference on the meth-

ods, problems and successes of English language instruction was

Armenia, and the Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages.

useful step in coordinating and standardizing the teaching (and translat-

ing) processes. The conference was organized by the English Department of Yerevan State University, the

English speaking Association of

The European Bank in the

(orjust brush up)

for

Reconstruction and Development sent a working group to Armenia in early November to consider prospects for

assisting

Ifyou want to learn WesternArmenian

development of

Armenia's financial and banking sectors, reorganizing trade banks, and devising ways of providing aditional credit to Armenia's Central Bank. Specifics will be developed during a December visit.

Audio-Forum, now

is in its 25th ycar, offcrs Western Amcnian among its sclcction of sclf-instructional language courscs. This audio-cassette program teachcsthc languagc spoken by approximaEly 2 million people in Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Egypt. You s€t your own leaming pacc with this uique pmgrunmdic method. Your csssctE pleycr becomes a "tirclcss trto/' repeating thc words urd phracs you want to hcar until you undcntand them.

Western Armenian:

cassettes (7hr.) and 3l9.page

World Bank experts and members of the Armenian government are developing a project proposal to build water purification systems around $evan-in Gavar, Martuni and Vardenis, and to improve the lake's sanitation. The proposal, once completed, will be presented by the Bank to donorlcountries for funding. Meanwhile, the demands on the lake continue unabated. Although less Sevan water was used for iniga-

tion this year. still, the water level dropped, since precipitation levels were also lower than in past years. To protect the lake's fish and the fishermen who depend on its stock. a total ban on fishing has been implemented during this year's spawning seasonfrom late November to late December.

F $

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STATAEMEM OF OMERSHIP, MANAGEMENT. AND CIRCU. LATION (Requircd by 39 U.S.C. 3685) l. Publicatiotr Tirle: AIM (Amenie Intemaiional Maeuine) 2. Publication No. 10503471 3. Filing Date: Octob€r 30. 1996 4. lssue Frequency: Monthly 5. No. of issues published mnually: l0 issues 6. Annual sub$nption pricc: S,45 US & Cmada. $55 Eurcp€, Ausinlia Middl€ E{sr & other $30 Amenia $35 CIS 7. Complere Mailing Addrcss of Known Office of Publicarion: 207 S. Brmd Blvd. #203, Glendal€. CA 9t204 8. Conplctc Mailing Address of Headquanere of Ceneral Busin€ss Officc of Publisher: 207 S.

Bmd Blvd.

#203, Glcndalc, CA 91204 9.

Full Nams md Compler€ MdlingAddrcsses ofPubtisher, Ediroi and Mdaging Edilor: PublisheFHilor: Salpi Haroutinian Chearian, 207 S. Brand Blvd. *203, Giendale. CA 91204 lO. Owner: Foudh

Millennium S@iety, Non Profit Organization 11. Known Bondholder. Mongages, or orher sfruriries: None 12. For compterion orgeiations auihorized to mail al special ntes: N/A 13. Publication Nme: AIM 14. Issue Dare for Circulation Date Below: ,uly 15. Exlent & Ndure of Circularion a. Tolal No. Copies (Net Press Run): Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Monrhs: I0.000 b. Paid d/or Requesred Mail Subscriptions: (l) Sales Thrcugh Dealen and Carie6. Srreer V€ndore, and Counter Sales: Avemge No. Copies Each issue During Pueding 12 Months: None Aclual No. Copies ofSinsle lssue Publish€d Ncarest to Filing DaG: Nore (2) Paid or Reque$ed Mail Subscdprions: Av€rage No. Copies Each Issu€ During Preceding l2 Months:7.000Actual No. CopiesofSingte Issue Published Ne6resr to Filing Date:6,500c. Total Paid and,/or R€quested Circulalion (Some of Isb(l) and l5b(2)): Avenge No. Copies E{ch Issue DurinS Prec€ding l2 Months: 7,000Actual No. Copies ofSingle Issue Published Nearc$ to Filing Dare: 6,5m d. Free Disrriburion by Mail (Smples, Complimenhry and Other Free)r Average No. Copies Each lssue During kceding 12 Monlhs: 2.000 Actual No. Copies of Single Issu€ Published Ncar€sr ro FilinS Date: I,m e. Fre! Disribulion Oursid€ tk Mail (CameE or olher M€ans): AveBge No. Copi€s Each Issue Dunng Prcccding 12 Months: 5m Adual No. Copies of Single Issue Publishcd Ncaresr to Filing Dalc: 500 f. Totat Free Disribution (some of I 5d & I 5e): AveEge No. Copies tuh Issue Dudng Preceding l2 Monrhsr 2.500Acrual No. Copics ofSin8l€ Issue Published N€arest ro FilinS Darc: ,,500 g. Tolal Dislibulion (sme of lsc & 150 AveBge No. Copies Each Issue Durin8 PEedinS 12 Months:9,5mAoual No. Copies of Single lssue Publish€d Nemsl ro by non-prcfi1

Yerevan's Nairit Plant, long considered a potential cornerstone in Armenia's ssonomic growth (AIM, July 1996), will undergo structural changes, and will receive production and technical upgrades as a result of an agreement signed with the Japanese Sumitomo Corporation. which calls for an investment of up to $100 million. The agreement, signed by Aram Vardanian, of the Industrialists and Eusinessmen's Union of Armenia, was hailed by prime ministerArmen Sarkissian as a fif$t $tep in attracting foreign investment to Armenia. It calls for coopefation among Japan, Armenia and Iran within the chemical industry. The representative of Sumitomo also signed a memorandum on the creation of a Japanese trade center in Armenia, and joint Armenian-Japanese reconstruction of the Yerevan Hotel, in the heart of the capital.

Filing Dare: 8.000 h. Copi4 Nor Disrribuled: (l) Office Use. Irftoven, Spoils: Av€agc No. Copies kch Issu€ Dunng P@din8 l2 Monlhs: 5m Aclual No. Copies of Single lssue Publhhed Nearcs ro Filing Date: 2,m (2) Relum From News A8enlsr N/A i.Tool (some of I5g. l5h {l) & l5h(2)): Avemge No. Copies Each Issu€ During Pre{cding 12 Monrhs: 10,fin Aclual No. Copics of Single lssue Published Nemst To Filing Dare: 10.000 Pereenr Paid and/or Requ€sted Circularim (15VI59x100)r Avemge No. Copies Each lssue During Preceding l2 Months: 73% Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nee$ To Filing Date: 8l% 16. This Slalement of

will be hinted in the November 1996 Issuc of This Publicarion. I Ceniry Thal All Infomadon Fumished on This Fom is True & Complere. I Undented That Anyone who Fumishes False or Misldina Infomarion on This Fom or who Omirs Material or Infomarion Requested on the Fom May be Subject lo Criminat Sarclions (lncluding Fires & Imprisonment) and/or Civil Sanctions (Ircluding Muhiple Damages & Civil Pendljes). Salpi Haroutinian GhMrim Publishei Owrcnhip

AIM Novsunrn-Drcruntn 1996/ 29

ECONOMY

T]|I[tl|ONLD BAlllI And its role in the economic development of Armenia \Morld Vahram Nercissiantz, Chief of Armenia's Resident Mission of the \X/orld Bank, spoke about the Bank and its role in the economic development of Armenia at the American University of Armenia Lecture Series Program on December 5. Nercissiantz, who has been in Yerevan since 1 99 1 , is considered a key player in the economic assisrance decision-making for the Republic of Armenia. This is an abbreviated version

of his talk on the \World Bank, its programs and strategies.

ers in the Bank.

Armenia but we hope to soon-guarantees. When we try to attract fbreign capital to a country like Armenia where privatization is underway, the investors would like some kind of guarantee-not commercial guarantees, but political ones. which would assure them that there will not be political revolution, nationalization. or other actions which would

gone such reforms and although some of these countries were not within a centralized economic system, neverlheless, they still had many of the characteristics of CIS countries-protectionism policies, major distortions flowing from that protectionism, etc. Thus, there is quite a bit of experience that can be shared. We therefore packaged an institution-

The ways in which the World Bank helps countries-the so-called instruments of World Bank assistance-have

negatively impact investments. We pro-

building loan which provided teaching

vide such a guarantee only when we are confident about a counfiy's future and its

and training for those in decision-making positions to acquire key analytical skills in the areas oftrade, liberalization, pivatization, social sector development. During these two years we have developed a wellprepared staff which often compares very favorably to others in neighboring countries. That competent economic team par-

rmenia's membership in the World Bank began in Septembel 1992. Informal contacts between Armenia and the World Bank had started in the summer of 1990, long before other CIS countries. Today the membership of the World Bank is 180 countries. In other words, Armenia is one of 180 sharehold-

evolved during the Bank's 50 years. Initially, only hnancial assistance was

stability, where there is a good policy dia-

given and only for specific projects. With time, we have developed other techniques, such as helping member countries to

well.

develop the analytical foundation by which governments make decisionssuch as defining the sectors in a country

where

investments can successfully be of analytical work helps the member countries, particularly those in the CIS, leam from the intemational experience rather than depending made. Often, this kind

solely on what they may have read or leamt in universities during the Soviet era. Of course. specific investment projects are funded through a competitive process where we prioritize the projects by least cost and most effect. Supervisory missions arrive regularly to oversee project implementation and every project has to be audited independently. This is how our funds are allocated. Over the years, rather than funding specific projects, we have developed

log and where reforms are progressing In addition, there are also grants for institutional development. For example, we provided such a grant to protect the Lake Sevan environment. We plan to give a grant to the telecommunications sector which will address the privatization process of that sector. We are trying to see if we can provide such a grant to enhance the institutional framework for cultural organizations. It is obvious that those organizations are dependent on the govemment, yet the government often has problems subsidizing them.

One of our early interventions in Armenia was an effort to decrease the government's burden, as it attempted to cover all the needs which used to be fulfilled from the center, together with the

a whole

of the earthquake of the flrst loans that the World Bank provided was for the earthquake zone: US $28 million. This was done so that the govemment would

investment program in a particular sector. Funding is provided to a whole array of projects which enter into that investment

be able to concentrate on economic restructuring, designing policy reforms, and carrying on with the daily manage-

program and satisfy the investment selection criteria agreed upon with the govem-

ment of the county's economy. And, just as important, to allow the Armenian authorities to concentrate on research and analysis. After all, Eastem Europe and Latin America have under-

another instrument-funding

ment.

There is another instrument of assistance that we have not yet provided to 30 / AIM NovEvsen-DEcsMBER I 996

tially explains whyArmenia has been able to achieve many reforms. Since 1992, from the time when Armenia's association with the World Bank became more efficient, Armenia's leaders have been wellrespected throughout the world.

Early on, it was obvious that the World Bank must focus on a strategy for saving Armenia's infrastructure. No repair or maintenance had taken place for some time and the structures holding up society had begun to collapse. It had come to a point where any fuilher erosion would have required much greater future investment. This is particularly true of the power

added responsibiliry

sector. Just remember the conditions in

disaster zone. One

1992-93 when the electricity supply was inegular, the lines were overloaded, the fansformers were not working. The entire system was in danger of collapse. If that had happened, its reconstruction would have required many years. So, we had a

loan for power sector improvement, specifically for system growth. The next key area of infrastructure was irrigation. This, too, was crumbling because of a lack of maintenance. And this, at a time when agrarian reforms were

z a F O

v /. E !Z

Vartan Oskanian, Deputy'

Foreign

Minister of Armenia (lefr) with Vahranr Nercissiants, Cheif of Armenia's Resident Mission of the World Bank at the AUA lecture series.

underway and land was privatized. Farmers even began to expect an "irrigation war," because the water supply had

declined due to the erosion of the entire system.We intervened with a US $42 mil-

lion loan. The roads were another big problem.

Armenia is a landlocked country, under blockade, and it needs to export goods. Further, its intemal market is too small to be able to affect the economy. Roads are a basic infrastructure and the World bank provided assistance in that sector. Another way of intervention is the

Social Investment Fund which was utilized, successfully, in Latin America and Eastem Europe. The idea is to fund a microproject, being implemented within and directly by the immediate community. By providing funding for such specific, defined projects, you also increase employment. This then becomes part of the solution to some social concerns. Cunently, the World Bank is consid-

ering a project which

will help fund

investrnents in the health sector. because it is obvious that that sector, especially the

area which impacts the basic family health care system, cannot sustain itself, and must be part of a reform program. ln education, again, the situation is not satisfactory and a way must be found to come out of this predicament. There is need for a support provision for textbooks, for teachers, for training-for an improved education delivery system. In the near future there will be invesr ments in the agriculture sector. Generally, land reform in Armenia was implemented the right way. However, this does not

mean everything went smoothly. Our intervention in this sector will address problem areas-loans for developing agricultural support services, for example. One of the most essential goals is the privatization of the agro-processing enterprises, in order to optimally benefit the agriculture industry.

As the World Bank continues to aid Armenia's economic development, it does not consider giving loans to state-owned enterprises. Why would we provide loans to enterprises which have already proven that they cannot prduce competitively? They have to be privatized and that process is currently underway. Towards that end, the first loan for enterprise development will be US $16.75 million. The World Bank bring wholesale resources and distribute them through banks, to already privatized or emerging

will

uqnhL g,r,usnhL

enterprises. There are those who say that because a considerable sum of money has been given toArmenia, Armenia may become a

puppet of the World Bank. However, we must consider that funds are given for 35 years with hardly any interest. So, in comparison to both the size of what the economy will be when the loans come due, and even.just in terms of the dollar's inflation, today's loans will be very insignificant. Another area of concem is the problem of Karabakh and whether that affects the World Bank's policy toward Armenia. I should explain that the conflict there has something to do with the apprehension of private investors, who hear only about

Karabakh, Chechnya, Abkhazia and decide this is a bad address at which to invest. However, the World Bank is not a political organization and we do not follow a political agenda. We have our own criteria and we have basically said that the conflict does not affect the republic's resources, or therefore, our projects. Thus, it does not make sense for us to withdraw assistance from a country which is very progressive in policy reforms. I would like to once again emphasize that the World Bank appreciates the economic performance of the Republic of Armenia. There has been registered growth for about three years. It has been about two years that the dram is stable which, factually, makes it the most stable curency in the region. Ofcourse, during the ffansition period there are a lot of things still to be done. Results of the

reforms are not obvious immediately. Fruits of the reforms do not come immediately as the decisions are made. In countries where the World Bank has tried, the production response has been expressed in improved living standards and quality of life in a short time. Those of the young generation who are involved in today's processes will see the fruits of the reforms. My sincere hope is that these speedy reforms will bring significant improvement in living standards. AIM Novennsn-DECEMBER 1996 I

RExr A cAR rN Ypnrvex from Hotel Armenia

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A mini-bus for 10, is 12,000 Dram (or $30)

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in a one or two semester

internship. I{EWW is commUnications netwok .lhdt links over'1,5& women's advocates i*Aole than 30 courrtries in the former Sov{*l Union and Eastem and Central Europe. NEW$rs goal b to Bupport the

Soucnr

Young, active environmentalists from

USIS Libraries in Yerevan and

central and eastern Europe (including Armenia) are sought for a one-month

Tbilisi will house academic

all-expense paid training program on

NGOorganizational

development issues and to establish contacts with

theses and dissertations on

independent women's

movemenb and to increase the capabil-

environmentalists from other countries.

Armenian and Georgian

ity of women and women's organizations

Between 20 and 30 years of age, with

formation

to ints,rry$ne efiectively on polGy regardirg women's lives. lntem$r rosponsibilities will include . research ard writing . general administrafron * outreach t cornmunication and media

'translations - project

coordinatbn To apply, write to Victoria Vrana, NEWW 1601 Connecticrrt Ave. NW Suite 701 Washington DC 20009 tel: 202.265.3585 Fax: 265.3508 E-mail: newwdc@igc.apc.org

The Embassy of the Republic

'Armenia

themes.

experience in working in environmental

organizations, a citizen of the participating country, and able to read and

To submit,

write good English.

write to Levon Avdoyan, Armenian and Georgian Area

Six different sessions are available through 1 997.

Specialist, Library of Congress Washington DC 10540-4823

Regional Environmental Center Junior Fellowship Program Ady Endre ut 9-11 1 000 Szentendre, Hungary Fax: 36-26-311-294 E-mail: adriana@fs2.bp.rec.hu

Phone: 202.707.5680

Fax:202.707.1724 Email: Lavd@loc.gov

is looking lor college seniors or

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Tur rorrons or

o**=NrA FUND, rNC.

minimum of eight hours per week. Contact: Teni Melidonian nternship C,oordinator HmbassX'Hepublic of Armenia 2225R Sr. NW Washingiton DC 20008

Srnrtoru AND ScHUSTER

Boors

is seeking qualified candidates for

FoR YoUNG RrRoens

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

invite poets and artists to submit

The Consulate General ol the ftepublh

samples of their works for possible

Job Description: To direct operations ol the Fund throughout the Western United States. Oversee administration, staff and volunteer activities. Coordinate

of Armenia is tooking for college or grad-

inclusion in an upcoming anthology

activities with All Armenia Fund

uate school students willing to cwrmit two days a week. lntems will receive an

of poems and illustrations from the

Yerevan and other affiliated organiza-

introduction to the role of Armenian missions and representations abroad, will work on specifc projee*s of a cornmercial, cultural and educational nature, will ff$$i$t in research d0jests, in develop ment of information and presentation

packages and s.onsulate

in representing

in certain cultural,

the

social,

Near and Middle East.

in Turkey, lran or the Middle East may submit poetry

tions in various countries. Plan and implement fundraising and promotional

activities. Working knowledge of com-

Armenians born

puters, word and data processing software essential. Armenian and English

or art (not children's illustrations, but

skills a must. Salary commensurate with experience.

line art accessible to children) for consideration.

plitical ard ecunomic spheres. Contact: Anahit Stepanian Consulate General Hepublic of Armenia 50 N: La Cienega Blvd, Suite 210 Beverly Hills, CA, 90211

Send submissions to ME/NA Anthology Simon & Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020

Fax:212.698.2796

Mail or fax resume to ARMENIA FUND, INC. Executive Director Search Committee 50 North La Cienega Blvd. Suite 203 Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Fax: 31 0.657.1 1 84 No telephone inquiries please.

,/ AIM NoveN.rspn-Deceunpn

19961

* .;;_ . ,*

SPIRTS "eft,*r** w ,;.*

+qry,.

),11..:-\?r!rkrlffi*\ririi;liiiKr{zs(l

ffimr'ffi Team Armenia is in Fourth Place

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f-':

rmenia has been having a hard tuna surprisingly good,1 time of it Ouring the World Cup qualifying gu*"r-u first lor the new repub-

al players. Armenia, a FIFA member

lic's new national team. In its group, Armenia has to take on the likes of Germany, Northem Ireland, Albania,

In August, Armenia's 0-0 tie with Team Portugal, played before 30,000

ffi

ffi rr

Portugal and Ukraine. Germany, a member of FIFA since

1904, has 29,250 soccer clubs and 6 million players. Northern Ireland, a FIFA member since 1911 has merely 1000 clubs and 230 profession-

nearly

AIM Novnrrasen-Decer.aeen 1996

since 1992, has 60 clubs and some 1700

players, and

is still holding its own,

even as the new kid on the block.

spectators in Yerevan gave Armenia's national players the self-assurance necessary to go into following games with confidence. What they lacked for in

cohesion

and experience playing

together, they made up for with speed and passion.

In Belfast, in early October, it was essential that Northern Ireland beat Armenia, to make up for its l-0 home defeat to Ukraine. But. f,rve minutes into the game, to the huge delight of their small but noisy band of supporters, Armenia shot ahead.

Forwards Karapet Mikayelian and

Eric Assadourian outpaced the Irish. Assadourian, a 30-year-old striker with more than a decade of experience in the French League, and Mikayelian, from the Russian Sokol Team. left behind an

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(ftiir-mlffii-1i-3;ir.<:3,x,1.\1 li!L}i}?E@r.,+snq&i4

spectators at Hrazdan staup until the game ended with

dium, and never let

5- I victory-not for Armenia. Germany

scored

the first

goals through

three classic

plays, leaving the observers to wonder whether Armenia's

Anahit "Annd'Yorganu

coaches can create some

To REAL ES-laifE

Youn MurrrlrNGUAL Guror,

simple "home remedies"

Irish team that was brisk, extremely

but unproductive, until

aggressive,

nearly the half, when the Irish took advantage of a hesitant Armenian defense

to shoot home. No

tangible

in the second half. The final whistle was greeted by boos from all but the delighted Armenians, who had seen their team gain only their fourth goal away from successes

home. Coach Khoren Hovhannisian expressed his pleasure at his team's 1-l tie. Just a few days later, the Germans arrived in Yerevan, with the very same team which took the European championship last year. Armenia's unexpectedly good showings against Portugal and Northem Ireland, put Germany on guard. They came out before 45,000

against such standard plays. The last two goals were made by offensive players who had just substituted in, thus testing

Armenia's flexibility in setting up a new defense to meet changing chal-

Commercial . Investment. Land Residential (New and Resale) Relocation Services

PnopEssroNausM

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PERSONAL TOUCH

lenges.

Armenia's last minute goal ruined what would have been a glorious shutout, nevertheless leaving the Germans undefeated thus far. Finally, on November 9, in a game against Albania, Armenia again tied the game l-1, thus denying Albania a rare

victory. Albania has only won four times since it first competed in world cup qualifiers in 1964. It now stands last in the group standings. Armenia stands in at fourth place, after Portugal, Ukraine and Germany. Armenia faces Ukaine next, away from home.

sv Anarr

Ga.t-srra.n

Voice Pager (702) 389-0925 Phone/Fax (7 02) 242-3584 (Blocked calls: Dial .82 & the number)

LeJt: Northern lrelond loses pr.rs.session to Armenia, during the Belfast game in October. Above,Armenian and Portuguese playersfightfor the ball during the August game in Yerevan; Below, German player Fredi Bobic beats Armenian goalie Roman Beresowski in Yerevan, in a game Arntenia lost 5 to l.

NEALTY

n\ncartvas rlRE,WqSqSS$tri{lt 1

:iil

)inI1:;:lrq"iiit

;e':l AIM NovEMBER-DECEMBER

19961 35

ABT$,u*r*nl,,,t-lit;l::ir:.,*-'tr**iffi

I/ the After

AT years, filmmaker

Sergei

can be felt in every nook and

Paradjanov's

in official and not so official into the old man, who died six

cranny in places. You

ly at the Paradjanov Museum but on

years ago,

and homes and public buildings.

street

meet has something to say about him,

Everyone somethi

lation from his elevated position at the end

of Mashtots Boulevard, then Paradjanov's lurks mischievously in the collective

presence

memory. Paradjanov is Armenia's great counter-culture antihero whose vernacular resilience is matched only by the timelessness of his visual art. So, it was no big surprise when Levon Abrahamian, a social anthropologist who teaches at Yerevan State University and a personal friend of the film-maker, said "There's a Paradjanov hat exhibit at the university."

It made

sense. "Paradjanov loved hats,"

Abrahamian added.

His hand-made dolls (now in the

Paradjanov

Museum) display elaborate head gear. So do the characters in his films where the human body bebomes a terrain of decorative possibilities. Tkoughout the grueling hot months of June and July, over 1,000 viewers visited the exhibition and cast votes for their favorite hat. In early July, during a live fashion show, a professional jury awarded the grand prize to one hat. The Paradjanov Hat Exhibition was the brainchild ofYevgenia Ohanian, the founder of the Vosketserik [Colden Hands] Youth Club at YSU. The instructions were simple: Design and make a hat in the spirit of

Paradjanov. "Paradjanov used

to take a

hat,"'explains Abrahamian, "and make

'bad something

extraordinary." So, too, with this exhibition where found objects take on a new, at times wicked, meaning: cigarettes, pine cones, pistachio nuts, rolls of film, dried branches, old fabric. The Hat Exhibition is the first project of the group. "We are interested in utilitarian art," she says in a vivacious voice. "We plan to begin a modeling and fashion program which uses materials and designs indigenous to Armenian traditional costumes." Made up of students in their 20s, Vosketserik can become an important force in the cultivation of taste.

sv Ter-Ns PHCnos

VOSKERTTCHIAN

sv ZevEN Kulcruruar

36 / AIM NovBlasrn-DEcu{epn 1996

ffi l$ffi #$i$ffi ffilMffiS

AIM NoVEMBER-DEcEMBER

19961

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thc local Hollywood color. toda1,.

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199(l

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festival in Armenia? No, in TexasAustin, Texas, population 492,000, where the community of a few hundred participates in the Austin International Children's Festival each year in the fall. The one-daya-week Armenian School of the Armenian Church ofAustin, currently has l5 students enrolled.

Datevik Hovannesian, center, and Armen Donelian, on keyboard, with bassist David Finck performed throughout October at an Upper West Side Club in Manhattan. The former USSR's "First Lady of lazz" and pianist-composer Donelian mixed jazz standards with Armenian folk songs. They went furtherperformed Sayat Nova and Komitas classics in jazz style. East met West and everyone was the better for it.

These Rose and Alex Pilibos

Armenian School

students

are smiling, because came in fifth among

they par-

ticipating schools in the Academic Decathlon for Southern Caliiornia Private Schools. Pretty good, said principal Viken Yacoubian,

Wrjter Hakob Karapents died two

years

ago. in Watertown, Massachusetts. This year, on the anniversary of his death, friends and family dedicated the Hakob Karapents Special Collection Library at the Armenian Cultural Foundation in nearby

whose students participated for the first time competing in such subjects as math, eco-

nomics, history, geography and the arts.

Arlington, a place he loved and visited

often. Over 1000 books

reflecting

Karapents' interest in Armenian and international literature are now housed in the private library and museum founded by collector Vahan Topaliau, decorated by oriental rugs and tiffany lamps. overlooking Mystic lake. John Mirak, Foundation pres-

ident and chief benefactor for several decades, welcomed the multifaceted writer, journalist and teacher's legacy.

AIM NoveNrsen-DEcEMsrn

1996

I 39

THESE ARE REAL LETTERS TO REAL PEOPLE. SEND US YOURS and half of the Nama peoples between 1904 and 1908. One ofthe authors ofthis "ultimate solution" was none other than

Dear Sir, Senator Bob Dole has been a strong

leader, supporter and friend

the

Armenian community for over 35 yean. President Clinton has been in the office of the president for four years and during that time has established a mixed record

regarding issues

interest

the

Armenian National Committee of America and theArmenian people. It is unbelievable that ANCA has endorsed President Clinton over Senator Dole.

Why should any Congressman or Senator respond favorably to requests from ANCA, if ANCA doesn't support the best friendArmenians have had in the US Congress for 35 years, Senator Bob Dole?

I hereby request that you remove my name from your donor, mailing and fax lists immediately. Sincerely, George Deukmejian

DearA,

I recently had the wonderful experience of traveling from Namibia, where I serve as a foreign service ofEcer, to visit an American friend working in Armenia. It was an eye-opening and most informative visit. However, one "facf'which kept

cropping up was that "the Armenian genocide was the first of the 20th centu-

ry." I would like to inform your students about the Namibian genocide, carried out from 1904-1908, with assistance and pressure from the same German/Prussian might and mentality that helped the Turks perpehate the larger and more catastrophic events shortly thereafter in Armenia.

As the colonial overlords of what was then known as Southwest Africa, the German rulers carried out the systematic slaughter of three-quarters of the Herero

40 / AIM NovrrasBn-DBcBrrrsrn 1996

Goering, father of the later to be infamous Hermann Goering. There is still a street named after him in Windhoek, the Namibian capital. The German Chief of

well.

All of my

classes are philosophy

classes.

That night, when N and K and you and I walked along Lake Sevan, you were

a little quiet. Later, when you said you

Staff, General Von Trotha, issued an extermination order in 1904 and the butchery was subsequently carried out with systematic barbarity. Over 80,000 Herero and Nama were killed. The reason for the genocide was to depopulate the productive central plateau and, after this "highland clearance," grab the land for the German settlers. This central plateau, the most productive land in this

otherwise desert environment, still remains in the hands of white farmers (both of German and Afrikaner descent)

"had forgotten everything that

Armenian," I understood your silence.

today.

Namibia is a small land that

were concemed that the young people who had come to this summer's progam

has

remained in the shadow of history but the cruel past is not forgotten by its people. The present-day German govemment is aware of its responsibility to make reparations for the past and is the major development donor to post-independence Namibia. There are still no museums which adequately chronicle the extent of the genocide, and Windhoek has large statues of German military officers, but none of the Herero or Nama heroes and "patriots." I do not intend hereby to minimize the Armenian genocide in any way, but merely to add a note to historical docu-

mentation of information little known outside of Southem Africa. Sincerely,

ffi

But, S, here in Canada, there are a lot of young people like me "who have forgotten everything that is Armenian." That hurts me deeply, and that is my only complaint about this country. That people forget their culture. Many times, I think I have a good life, I have freedom. I can study the subject of my choice in school (even ifit is philosophy), I can take dancing or piano lessons if I wish, there is

always light, cold and hot running water-anything you want is here, but the culture.

I'm glad that you

saw Canada and

that you like it; but please don't be fooled. It's difficult to understand that my parents

love me when they are paralyzed by money. It is difficult for them to express their love for their children, because their lives are controlled by money. And something that's even worse: know that unfortunately my own future will be the same. Please don't misunderstand, this

country isn't hell, but

isn't

heaven

Dear S,

either.

Are Mayrig and Hayrig well? Please say hello to them, and K.

received your letter today, with much happiness. I didn't know that my letters took so long to reach you. Tirday was my fust day at school and it went

I-ove,

lrucD 6rc thoy who

lrC

n what has become an AIM tradition, we lay

beque- shot, whiskey and wine glasses proclaiming LaChaim

A cooking apron says the obvious hye khohanotz [Armenian cuisine] in a not so

(oops, Genats).

with the handmade look. Elaborately in rich colors, this set is

detailed

obvious way. Teachers (and homework-laden students) will enjoy and use a handsome black book

inspired by ancient manuscript motifs. Peacocks, the alphabet and elaborate borders decorate a chef's apron, pot holder, napkins, placemats and tablecloths, available in a variety of sizes. Hye Kee4 see address above; or

bag decorated with the alphabet in

Sardarabad Bookstore, 1111

three colors-guess which ones. Hip teens might prefer a baseball

Glendale Ave., Suite #106, Glendale,

duced, easily accessible-

cap emblazoned with the tricolor, or a t-shirt that lists the most happening cities of the world-Paris, London, New York, Beverly Hills

Vaco's will have all the young children on your list bouncing and singing along in no time. What makes

with a cultural twist. The

too early to include

and (of course) Yerevan. It's never

Vaco unique are his original lyrics and

Mesrob

recipient gets an easy dose

Mashtots in your children's lives.

music. Yerb yes metsnam [When I grow upl his latest collection, features gems like Captain Zorro, the story of a

out before you some of

the new and not-so-new gift ideas for the holiday season and beyond. The

criteria are

simple:

Interesting gifts, well-pro-

of tradition and heritage, the giver doesn't have to tackle the holiday crowds

at the local malls,

and

Armenian producers and vendors see that there real-

Even the littlest ones can get familiar with those beautiful letters-on a bib (see page 44). All these

by an enterprising

sweatshirts, with the appropriate

greetings-in Armenian.

Seeroon Yeretsian, Roslin Gallery, 111 W. Calfornia Ave. Glendale, CA 91203. 818.241.061 I

Hye

Keer 7625 White

Everybody wins.

Reseda. Covered

What other nation puts its

on the wall, as

art?

Seeroon Yeretsian's now famous alphabet in illuminated manuscript

motif is still a best-seller. But beyond that, there is also the alphabet on practical items. Actually, on

just

about everything you might imagine. From covered glass con-

tainers labeled soorj,

tey

and shakar, to a set of towels that greets its users with pari yegaft. For those

who tend the bar and the bar42 I AIM Noveuaen-Decerusen 1996

are

even red and green holiday themed

ly is a market out there.

alphabet

young

(nationalist) printer. There

.CA

Oak,

91335.

bnminr, ,rt,

$25. Set of three towels, $25. Glasses, $5-

$8. Apron, $12.

Bag,

Cap, T-shirt, $12. Bib, $6.00. Christmas sweatshirt, $18. Prices do not include ship-

ping. 888.816.6624.

205. I I 8.500.0790.

set to Caribbean rhythms. An added treat on goodhearted fisherman,

this tape is the solo performance by

Armen, Vaco's seven-year-old

son.

Armen brings his own authentic vocal innocence to the only English song on the tape,"Song for an Angel," which also features accordion and acoustic guitar.

you're looking for something new, in

Armenian, to excite the kids, Vaco is a sure bet.

Along with his lat-

est audio recording, Vaco has also just released his second videotape, The Adventures of Dodi and

Vaco,l23,featuring

his puppet friend Dodi-and his dog, Bochig, too. This educa-

For a particularly classy gift (for the holidays, or weddings) consider the ornate

tablecloth

ensemble

tional video

utilizes

songs and conversation to teach children how to count from one to tenand, while they're at it,

about recycling, too. Footage also includes Dodi's third birthday party. Fun music with a message.

Video $15; Cassette $10.3A Productions, 5073 Fountain Ave. Hollywood, CA 90029. 2 I 3.953.7000.

Cilicia to Armenian Cooking are the perfect gifts for the parent set. (They still receive gifts, don't they?) Even the AFF's earliest productions on the

Armenian Genocide and Historic

and

Armenia include footage that is still so rare and moving, you'll be suprised at the compliments you will receive on your good taste and solid thinking. In the same category-worthy of a reminder-is Project Save's annual calendar, this year memorializing the

concise Armenian

work of Armenian photographers. A

almanac. You can read about Saints of

pleasant. daily dose of history. The Armenian Film Foundation,

If by next Christmas, someone comes up with Trivial Pursuit, Armenian style, you'll be ready to play if you own a copy of Armenian Info

Text-an alphabetical directory book

of lists-a

the Armenian Apostolic

Church, Armenian Olympic Champions, or Prominent Armenians in the Former Soviet Union. Just flip through or give it a thorough reading. Bookshelf Publishers, 15594 Susan, Southgate, Mr 48t95.

2219 E. Thousand Oaks

Blvd.

Thousand Oaks, California 91362. 805.195.07 17. Project Save, 46 Elton

Ave. Watertown, MA. P

hone/Fax:

02172.

I 7.92 3.1 5 63.

For duduk aficionados,

For a striking,

Djivan Gasparian

unique and totally

back with a new twist. The Art of the Duduk ts part of the Collage

contemporary visual treat, give art

lovers a copy of Stream of Fire, a

series

for a

reason.

Traditional melodies

132-page illustrat-

are orchestrated, with a

ed catalogue with

rhythmical

88 color reproduc-

tions highlighting

on two digitally remastered compact disc collections which preserve the

beautiful gift of this Iegendary nightingale. The spare musical

accompaniment highlights Zakarian's exceptional vocal presence on both Komitas which includes 'iKrung" and

"Gakavi Yerke" and on

Sr.

Etchmiadzin, a collection of ancient hymns including her incomparable

renditions

of 'Aravod Louso," and

"Der Voghormia." There is something

intricate beauty of

about

the

traditional

Armenian instrumental music that never gets old. Davigh, Armenian melodies impeccably performed by the 44-member Traditional Instrumental Orchestra of the Yerevan Komitas Conservatory, lays out the rich tapestry of Khachatur Avetissian's

compositions. A pleasurable and enriching listen to old and new favorites.

With the advent of groups like Maratuk and Agunk from Armenia, or Gorani and Garni in North America, exposed to music as old as the familiar folksongs, less known, and in many ways more touching and immediate.

temporary artists Armenia.

What makes this

Unfortunately, not many recordings exist of these ethnographic songs. The

edition exceptional beyond the artwork

itself, are the beautiful black

earthy yet polished voice of Anahit Goudsouzian featured on Kantche Kroonk, which includes traditional folk songs and original compositions by the professionally-trained artist herself. The occasional accompani-

and

white photos of the artists and the intimate artist profiles written by award-

winning British author

ten to the immortal Lusine Zakaian

our eyes (and ears) have become

the work of l2 con-

from

CDs are available to satisfy every type of listener. For something truly heavenly, lis-

Philip

Marsden.

If your budget allows it, consider two art books. This year's coffee table

book is, without d,olbt, Minas, with 150 color reproductions of art

painter Minas Avetisian's works, published in Canada. Pharos Publishers, 24 Demosthenis Severis Ave., P.O. Box

1425, CY-|508 Nicosia, Cyprus. US

$60 includes shipping.

AAA

Publishing House, 6695 Henri Bourassa W. Montreal, QC, Canada H4R 1Et. 888-556-BOOK. They're not new, but they're worthy of a reminder. The Armenian Film

Foundation's over one dozen video tapes on everything from Historic

approach than usually associated with the Duduk. Audio Acoustical Collage, 10-43

48th Ave. LIC, NY. 11101. 800. 332.332 t.

If you're looking for inspiration (divine or otherwise) check out the latest CDs. With offerings as diverse as this year's new productions, you are bound to find something forjust about everyone on your list. Gifts of music

make ideal gifts that last

for

years

(and show your good taste). Fortunately, a wide variety of new

ment by duduk, shvi, dhol or oud maintains the feeling of the village and allows Anahit's fluid voice to wrap us in its haunting beauty. The infectious beat of these same ethnographic songs is the basis for the

success of Circle Dance. Beautiful interplays between male and female

vocals are accompanied by bgou and a

pop ensemble, lead by

vocalist Mourad Mshetsi. No one can say this is adulterated, or influenced by any neighbors. Spurk, on the other hand, is influenced very much by contemporary rock music. And the youngish crowd on your list will appreciate the smooth AIM NovrNaspn-DECEMBER

19961

and

intermingling of ancient ideas and modern rhythms of this

Santa Claus, in various shapes,

group. Spurk's

latest

,t)

Chain,

snow, carolers

record-

ing,

and trees

Magic

aplenty. Card sales will benefit the

famous

poets such as Paruir

New

.%..-_

cA 9t2A.

I 8 .244

.2 4

The Ararat chapter of

the

Homenetmen Athletic Union has prepared a delightful selection of Christmas cards for com-

mitted card-senders, featuring artwork by children. The drawings, reproduced via color xerox and mounted onto green or red cards, have the handmade look,

Homenetmen,

544 W.

Broadway,

Glendale, CA

91204. 818.246.3165. "Images Of Armenia" is a boxed ten-card set featuring five stunning photographic images to make any card-giving occasion a pleasure. Just right for those people who believe stationery is better than candy. Award-

photographer Garo wrnnrng Lachinian, winner of the 1994 World Press Photo Foundation award

Unique boxed set of i-O note cards featuring 5 spectaculal photographs of Armenia by

Garo Lachinian, exquisitely printed in full-color on haghquality card stock.

iiti"ffi@&&ffi

State:-

City:

([AD11 r(5 l9l5 Brisbane

Sales tax (MD residents add

Silver Spring, MD

20902

USA

Tel./Fax:

44 I AItrl NovEMBER-DECElaeen 1996

Name:

Address: Telephone:

St.

(301) 681-0376

Quantity:-Box(es)

(AIM,

January-February 1995) has produced stunning photos of Armenia. Five

lmages uwr*enia

Mall thls form wlth chock ot money ordet to:

Center

Fund.

Sevak Hovannes Shiraz and Vahan Terian to original rock and pop compositions. No one loses by the mix, either. Garni,207 S. Orange, Glen-dale,

and

stars

sets the

verse

feature

familiar holiday themes-

@ $U.99

each

5%) Shipping (See charges, right)*. *U.S. Priority Mail ronl

$ $ $

Zip:-

striking images have been beautifully reproduced on quality card stock and

bittersweet sets of gifts can help bring the ideas of love, life, time and memory home to the youngest r(and the oldest) children.

classroom. I

For older children, there are two books of illustrated poetry by a child who died much

feature traditional Armenian scenes captured in very untraditional ways. Tri-Color Graphics, l9l 5 Brisbane St., Silver Spring, MD 20902. $1 1.99

1994 plane crash

too early (age 15) due to

which took the lives of

complications of leukemia.

each set plus $3.50 slh. 301 .681 .5461

mother and daughter Ani

Areen Armenian's Three

and Narod Ardhaldjian resulted in the establish-

Seasons

Lest we forget the message of Christmas in all the gift-giving, two

Dzirani

ment of the Narod Armenian Children's Cultural Institute by Raffi Ardhaldjian, then-griev-

.st-

lrlrSill anr,n0 &lHI{j mn[mu utattuiu

ing father and

husband,

now dedicated to improving the quality of educational and creative materials for children everywhere in his daughter's name. The beautiful postersize (30 x 23.5 inches) 1997 calendar is just one example. Twelve vertical columns list the days of each monthbut just the weekdays. The rest are

blocked out by child-like full-color drawings of traditional icons-from David of Sasun to the Karabakh statue.

;

C i

(in English)

Kodi

and

fRainbow]

(in Armenian) would constitute a lovely gift, even if they did not come accompanied with the very real lesson about life and loss, tiving and remembering. In both cases, the community is fortunate that the grief of

the families has been transformed into gifts for all of us. Ani and Narod Memorial Fund, 250 E. 54th St, APPISB, NY, NY 10022. $6. includes shipping. Areen

Armenian Scholarship Fund, 308 Kimrick Pl. Timonium, MD, 21093. $15 per book.

A visual treat in any bedroom or

ny Sylvn DexgssnN

Limited Edition Compact Disc

AnnltgrulaN LTURGY SMTE CXOIN OF ARMENIA In Commemoration of the 1700th Anniversary of Christianity in Armenia PERFORMED BY THE

Music by M. Yekmalian Ohannes Tchekidjian, Conductor

To receive your copy, please call: California (213) 469-8313 and (818) 547-5731 Boston (617) 924-1939 Montreal (514) 279-3066 Germany 49-40-89-3736 and 49-40-480-2150 AIM Novrrrasrn-DEcEMBER

19961

fSSAY

HapH enfi Eplfihl Flctrupe$ Tlrirry-fbur internarional judges chose'Iiigran Xmaliais l)kck andWhite lott of 430 entries) fbr the Golden Orange Award at the Second lntemarional Festival of Short Films in'Iirrkey this fall.Yerevan-born filmmaker and journalist Xmalian,

33, first

studied philologl,, before fihn. ln 1L)92-93, he was a television correspondent in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and a correspondent for AIM. He made his first Firn, The Lesson (blacUrvhite, 35rnrn, 10 min) in 1992. Black and lYhite (bl:ack/whirc, 35mm, 28 min) is a srory about seven womerr living in a remore nrountain village during the war, rvaiting for their husbands. Their chilclren dont survive the hunger and cold. Their husbands perish on *re battlefields. Now, the war is over and only one man comes back to this village of widorvs, but life and love are untrearable, poisoned by death and solituc{e.

who

Along with the suffering and shortages caused by the earthquake, the war and the

consis-

blockade, our country gained a new gen-

tently attempt

eration with the unique experience of

become God.

Those most

) .w,t

\;",;.":,;;t

"if

',"',,".;

(q':,Jtr{

are

resistance and inner freedom, with a new

directors.

esthetic sense. Similarly, post-war

No other job

European culture developed "new wave"

to do so film

grants

many opportunities to live and shape so

I.*. ,.,)"

France and "neorealism"

Italy,

which became the cinema of the 2fth century. All we need now is state support

and

public

awareness.

Unfortunately, we lack both. While our screens are raided by North and South American thrillers and soap operas, my old and young colleagues wait for years to start or complete their lowest budget filrns.

*',"

Y,\

I've managed to complete my filrn

only

avoid another pothole on the ravaged roads of Yerevan. While bargaining about the size of the bribe I'd have to pay to retain my driver's license, he asked me if I have job.

"I'm a filmmaker," I

said.

He was surprised. "Filmmaker? Do we still make films in this country?" he asked.

Well, I do. At least, the single movie made in Armenia last year was mine. On December 28, 1995, in a cold cutting room at ArmFilrn Studio we finished this half-hour long film called Black and

White. At six o'clock, the champagne was poured to celebrate, and someone

actors and crew who otherwise would have had to wait for months to get their tiny salaries. But even now, when the work is done and the

many lives during one's own. Perhaps this is a way of allaying our passion for immortality, of hiding our fear of death and of falling into oblivion. Armenians have participated in cin-

ema, this dreamy art of immigrants. From Rouben Mamulian and Henri Vemeuil to Sergei Paradjanov and Ardavazt Peleshian, great Armenian filmmakers have glorified the US and France, Georgia and Russia-the coun-

tries

in which they have lived

and

recalled that exactly 100 years ago, on December 28, 1895, the brothers Lumier in Paris presented their Arrival of the Train---+he very fust film in history. We drark to cinema, proud of this coincidence which made us a part of the global

worked. A national school of Armenian cinematography, however, doesn't exist. Where can we place the blame? On Soviet censorship, Armenian individualism, bad management, reciprocal jealousy, comrption, orthe lack of teamwork

celebration.

so vital for this art?

Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote that being human means attempting to

Independence brought about both new challenges and new opportunities.

46 I AIM

NovEMBER-DECEMBER

1996

I've

spent about because $1,000 of my own money to pay the

ne winter day last year, a paunchy policeman stopped my car when I crossed the median line trying to

time has come to present it-the only Armenian hlm of 1995-the studio has no funds

to print a few copies.

Meanwhile, several international festivals have invited my film to participate in their competitions. One invitation

in particular, from the Turkish city of Antalya, underlined the importance of being ready at the right time-to present the first Armenian film in Turkey. For a

while,

thought I would have

say

thanks, but no thanks. The studio doesn't have the funds to print a copy for submission.

A motion picture is the strongest and fastest vehicle to send a message from one country to the whole world. Do we have a message that should be seen

and heard? Or

moviemaking just

another unncessary luxury for Armenia? By Tigran Xmalian

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