Shaking the Foundation - September/October 1996 by Armenian International Magazine

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EDITOR'S NOTE

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BYTES ON FILE NOTEBOOK FOCUS

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12 13 18

ARMENIAN SURVEY FOREGROUND COVER STORY The Road from Armenia to Karabakh Starts in the

20 22 32

Diaspora The Peace Corps

Armenia

INTERNATIONAL FOREGROUND Bob Dole and the Armenians

40 42

Investing in Armenian Govemment Securities Reebok and Adidas in Armenia

Armenian TV in Los Angeles

Hachig Kazarian on Clarinet

44 46 47

3 u

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F E

ARTS . Sculptor Ani Kupelian

COVER STORY

Armenia's presidential elections-and the events which followed-shook the nation. Democracy and legitimacy were endangered along the way.

ECONOMY FOREGROUND

48 49 50

RELIGION Catholicos Visits South America Blessing of the Muron Consecrating the Church of Gogaran

54 54 55

A7 tt

SURVEY 35 ARMENIAN Four Peace Corps volunteers speak

ECONOMY Reebok and Adidas compete across the street from each

candidly about living in Armenia.

other in Yerevan.

BOOKS Paris's Hrand Samuel Bookstore Cataloging the Past

56 59

z s

O =

J c

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Victor Hambartsumian, the Giant

Armenia's Telecommunications Savior

SPORTS Olympian Dreams of Gold

ESSAY OTHER PEOPLE'S MAIL UNDEREXPOSED GLOBAL AGENDA

66 67 68 70

AA BOOKS -- Paris's Hrand Samuel book-

SPORTS 64 One gold, one silver, lots of hope for Sydney in 2000.

store is a cultural landmark CoveR Destctt

BY RAFFI TlRprrurnru

AllV (ISSN 1050-3471). SEPTEITBER-OCTOBEF 1996, Vol. 7, No.

is published monlhly. $45 per year, by The Fourth Millennrum Society,207 South

BrandBoulevard,Suite203,Glendale,CA9l204iPhone:(818)246-7979,Fax:(818)246-0088

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tional mailing ottices. Canada Post Pubhcations Mail Product Ssles Agreement No 0516457 O Copynght 1996 by The Foudh Millennium S@iety. All rights reserued. AIM may not be reproduced rn any manne( eilher in whole or in pad, without writeh permissron ,rom the publisher. The edilors are not responsible lor unsoliciled manuscripts or art unless a stamped, slf-addressed envelope rs enclosed. Oprnions expressed rn signed arlicles do not nsessarily represent the views ot The Foudh Mrllennrum S@€ty. For advertigng quenes call 1 .81 8-246-7979 Subscnplron rates lor one year, USr $45, Canada S55. France: 350 Ff- ($55); Europe, Far Easl. S. America, Alri€, Commonweallh ol lndependenl Slales $55; Ividdle Easl, Australia, Armeniai $50 Postmasters: Send address changes to: AlM, PO. Box 3296, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, U.S.A

il01T0fi'$ ffl0TtEvuree $ltalten to llts Uul'y Fuundatinns As AIM's fust anniversary issue went to press in September 1991, the attempted putsch had just ended in Moscow, and Vartan Oskanian's editorial note read "The tanks almost spoiled the party." The issue which was to have celebrated Armenia's declaration

of independence was almost derailed, since a successful coup in Moscow would doubtless have impactedYerevan's independence. Instead, the putsch failed, the independence

story was published and independence truly took off for the next five years.

FOURTH MITTENNIUM SOCIETY A Not-torProfit, Public Benefit Corporation

DIRECTOBS

MICHAE,L NAHABET As AIM's sixth year anniversary issue was to go to press this September, 1996, tanks did indeed spoil the party. Violence erupted as the opposition demonstrated against the results of Armenia's presidentialelection, and, in the process, everybody lost. The greatest loss was Armenia's claim to being a stable and legitimate state.

It was no accident that President Levon Ter Petrossian's campaign posters had proclaimed: peace, progress and, most prominently, stability. These were not just his administration's proud accomplishments ofthe past five years but also clear goals for the next five. The legitimacy derived from that stability was lost within the first few hours after the crowds stormed the parliament building which housed the offrces of the Central Electoral

VAR'IAN OSKANIAN RAI.-F-I

ZINZAI,IAN

ASSOCIATE TRUSTEES

KHAOIJIG BABAYAN FLORA & GI'ORGE DUNAIANS C]At,tI'ORNIA

RAZMIG HAKIMIAN OANAT)A

LOUISE MANOOGIAN SIMONE NI.]W YORK

JACK MAXIAN HON(; KONC

Commission. The other bit of capital which was uniquely Armenia's, especially in that neighbhor-

hood, was its non-isolation. The Diaspora to which we so frequently refer is, still, Armenia's biggest (potential) card. The squandering of the opportunity to truly practice democracy and nation-building has resulted in a real, but still incalculable, loss of Diaspora allegiance. Due largely to the unavailability of information about what is happening and why, the easiest response by many observers has been "a pox on both your houses."

FOUIIDING TRUS?EES

GAREN AVEDIKIAN CALTFORNIA

VAROUJAN ISKENDERIAN AUSTRALIA

MARDO KAPRTELIAN CALIFORNIA

HAGOP KOUSHAKJIAN FLORIDA

ZAROUHI MARDIKIAN This absence of uninterpreted, unmanipulated facts, combined with an overabundance of propaganda and misinformation, from both inside and outside Armenia, has been

PENNSYLVANIA

EDWARD MISSERLIAN CALIFORNIA

ttre great constant of the last month. From inconsistent reports by Armenian and nonArmenian agencies to unreliable. and often sinister, interpretation by those with a great

BOB MOVEL

stake in the outcome of the sordid events, it has been proven once again ttrat information

VAROUJAN NAHABET

is power. And Armenia and Armenians are powerless.

CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA

NORAIR OSKANIAN With all this in mind, we delayed this anniversary issue and changed the cover story. With reports fromYerevan, we attempt here to look at the events which shook the republic to its foundations and ask how and why. One thing is clear: As a direct result of all that

CALIFORNIA

EMMY PAPAZIAN CALIFORNIA

ZAREH SARKISSIAN

tanspired, the Armenian govemment's negotiating position has been weakened in all

CALIFORNIA

areas. And that may have been the real intent of this entire fiasco. So, we also ask the

RAT'PI ZINZALIAN

unavoidable: Who stood to really gain by such a fundamental jolt?

CALIFORNIA

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you for a great publication---â&#x201A;Źspecially

Editor - Publisher

In the story "Meeting the First Year's Challenges" (Cover Story, MayJune) two similar statements were made that seem to be a common misunderstanding of Armenian church history. The first is: "Spidtually, the l7fi)-yearold Armenian Church is the oldest church in Christendom." The next quote alludes to either Ejmiatsin or the Motlrcr

SALPI HARounNrAn GxaznnnN

Assistant Editor Svrve Deressrex

Art Director Rnm

TnnprNu.N

Design and Production DARIN BECKER

Yerevan Bureau Coordinator GoHAR SAHAXTAN

Production and Photo Manager PARIK NAZARIAN

Editorial Assistant ZARouc KABAKTAN

Thanslators

Church

ARSINE ARAKELIANS, HARRY DICKRANIAN ARAM OHANIAN, ARIS SEVAG

Intem ANNIti KERoPTAN

Advertising Mrr-rNs OuNrrAN

JOB WELI DONE, ALMOST

Contributing Editors MARK GRrcoRrAN, ToNy HALprN, SARKTS SHMAVoMAN, RoNALD GRrcoR SLINY JrvAN TABTBTAN, TALD{E vosKERrtcHlAN

Contributors ARAM ABRAHAMTAN, ARMEN BAcDAse.nr,c.N, AnrAsHrs Et"{sr, ARAtr( CALsrrAN, HRArR ZoRrAN, YEREVAN;

Hnetcn TcxrlncnrAN, SUSAN Prrrre, LoNooN; Jeler Selruplrel, HRAo VARJABEDTAN, Los ANGELES;

Mlnx

Mer-xnstnN, RHoDE IsLANDi GEoRcE BouRNounAN, LoLA KoUNDAKJTAN, NEw YoRK; MooRAD MooRADTAN, WAsHlNcroN, DC

Photogruphers MKHITAR KHACHATRIAN, ZAVEN KHACHIKIAN, RoUBEN MANcAsAnleN, Yprcver.r; ALINE MANoUKIAN, ARMNEH JoH^NNES, PARIS;

Los

LoNDoN; KARINE ARMEN, ANGELES; GARo LACHTNTAN

Menyr-eNo; Anoen ASLANTAT'i, NEw JERSEI HARRY KoUNDAXJIAN, NEw YoRK; BERGE ARA ZoBIAN, RHoDE ISLAND

Editor Emcritus

CHmsNeRhN Editorial Consultant MNAS KoJAIAN

FoUNDD rN 1990 FOUNDNG EDrcR rcWDNG PUBLISHf,R VAMAN OSKANIAN MICHAI NAHABtr

PwLtsHED As A PUBLIC sERvtcE aY ffiEFoum MUENNTUM SGIfl A NON.MOM CORrcWON

AND ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

971 2 775

l9l

UNITED

KINGDOM: Misak Ohanim, lO5A Mill Hill Road, Acton, London W38JF, Phone O8l 992 4621

FRANCE; Jean-Patrick Mouradian,3 Rue Jules Guesde, g4l4o-Alfortville, Phone 33 48 93 l0 33 IIALY: Piere Balmim, Via Morlacca,6l A4l5, Rome. Phone 995 1235 HONG KONC: Jack Muim, RM. A2, I l/F, Block A, 26 Kai Cheung Rd., Kowloon Bay. Kowlmn, Phone E52 795 988E AUSTRALIA: Alfred

Mukuian, PO. Box 370, Hmis Prk NSW2I50 Sydney, Phone 02 897 1846;

Anin Gc, 29 Mayfair

Ave., Femtrce Gully, Victoria 3156. Phone 03-7523873

I want to congratulate you for the $eat job you did with your May/June cover story. It isn't an easy topic to handle. Your presentation was excellent,

usual.

have one comment. Because

the existing "church culture" that we have, normally when we talk about the

church, we end up talking about ONE MAN, the Catholicos. We all know that, generally speaking, Armenian institu-

as "the

oldest

03-752-3638

WRITETOAIM! We welcome all communication. Ahhough we read all leners and submissions, we are unable to acknowledge evegnhing we reeive due to limited staffing and resources. Write to us! We can be reached at AIMAGAZINE@AOL.COM or the raditional way at AIM PO. Box 10793 Glendale, Califomia 9 l2O9 -3793, or by fu, 818.246.0088, or phone, 818.246.7979. I*tere to the Editor may be edited for publication.

embrace the Christian faith as its state religion. However, the nascence of the first church in Christendom took place on the day ofPentecost, when apostles, disciples and believers gathered in the Upper Room. The first church buildings were homes converted into houses of worship. Later on, catacombs were used as undergound worship centers. Most Christians stopped congregating on the Sabbath and

continued meeting

institution could be "reformed" or "renewed" by the whim, will or charisma of one person. If we expect Karekin I to "reform" the church or do all the things that are expected of the institution alone,

secret until

Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire in 311 A.D., 10 years after Armenia became a Christian nation.

tions are "one man shows," but the question hangs over us as to whether an entire

NaNcv TEnzaN Fox Nassvr-lp, TENNrssm

The Armenian church is not "the oldest church in Christendom"! It cannot be 1700 yean old and be the oldest. The

church, the Armenian Apostolic

church of Jesus Christ is 2000 years old. The "oldest" must refer to the adoption of Christianity by a state. Please, we have repeated this mistake often enough that Armenians now seem to accept it as fact. Those who-

Church enjoys the full support ofthe new

know better smile and go on knowing

Armenian republic. Constitutionally,

otherwise.

we'll be in for

big surprise.

I would have also added two more issues: Church-state relations and religious tolerance in Armenia. As a nation-

CANADA: Razmig Hakimim, 6695 Heui Bourmsa West, Montreal, PQ, H4R 2El, Phone 514 339 2517 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Sebouh Amenagim, P.O. Box 3000, Sharjah, UAE, Phone 971 6 331 36ll Gulizu Jonim, PO. Box 44564, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Phone 971 2'175 721,

general

Armenia was the first nation to

DANA OHANIAN

DJANSEZTAN.

Christian church in the world ..."

Director of Operations Serl Kxoomlu Administrative Director

EDMOND TERAKoPIAN,

joumalistic style, content and creative

church and state are separated, but the lines of demarcation are not yet clear. These considerations

position

will also affect

the

other religious groups in Armenia. Also, as in other parts of the former Soviet Union, the appeiuance of foreign missionaries and new religious movements has become the subject of constant debate and concem. These are the other important long-

term challenges facing the

new

Catholicos. HRArcH TCHIINGIRIAN

[rNDoN, Eucr-mu

First of all,

want to congratulate

Vmrxes KAssouM, PAsroR GenosN Grovs, Cru-rnomne

MARCHING TO BETTER SOUNDS I just read the article "Marching to a

Different Beat" (Music, March) and I was relieved to finally hear about an Armenian businessman who produces CDs with thought, care and taste. I won-

der how many realize the damage the hodgepodge of CDs produced by other well-known companies is causing to our artists and culture. It is a shame to see sleeves made for CDs that carry no infor-

AIM September-October 1996 I 5

LtTTEn$

rffiBers

ffiffi##d

mation about the artist or the material recorded. Why should there be no mention of the composers beneath the title of each composition? What about liner notes? Haven't these people seen how European and American CDs and cassettes are packaged?

What about the digital transfers? It is obvious most of them are done from sub-master tapes-second or even third generation recordings. This is most embarrassing. What's the point of these transfers when the old Soviet Melodiya records sound better? In Armenian CDs produced by for-

eign

companies (French, Dutch,

American, etc.) we see how much time, effort and money is spent on licensing, research, improvement of the sound qual-

(remastering, denoising, etc.) But when it comes to CDs produced by Armenians, the picture is quite different and the quality is inferior in every aspect.

ity

whv? I've already

seen a number of Gami CDs and many, if not all, have attractive and informative sleeves. The quality of the recordings is good to excellent. I hope Partamian will keep up the good work, serye as an example for others in the same

business, and raise the standard ofCDs on

the market.

u", *,HHl#J[tx SPARE US THE DETAILS What a waste of valuable space devoted to the "Dro Details" (Armenian Survey, May-June). It is just a legal case and should remain so. Please spare us the biographies of those accused. Any other subject would have been more appropriate to fill six AIM pages.

';l"iJiff:xil MEANINGFUL THANKS

Thank you

for "Proud Past,

^:'{q".

},flBE#sffiffi#ffiffi$W&}-{ssW$s#ffit1sa, '$'titm.",**+i-j?1sffiffiffi

I have seen such "teachers" not only wasting their students' time, but by their incompetence, killing the Armenian language and culture in the eyes of their students. I wonder who is to blame for the enornous damage done to Melkonian and its students for allowing worthless people to get teaching positions just because they belong to the right political party. Despite this decline, however, I shall add that and teaching years,

most other subjects are properly taught as by the high success rate Melkonian students register at the University of London GCE examinations.

evidenced

Additionally. the Melkonian experience succeeds in implanting the Armenian spirit in most of its students. Having seen all the ineffrciencies at Melkonian from within, I fully support the "perestroika" the AGBU, under the charismatic leadership of Mrs. Louise Manoogian Simone, is carrying out there. However I resent the blame and threats coming our way from the AGBU. We should not forget the fact that Melkonian is and has been under the administration of the AGBU, and its decline is wholly or in part due to the decline of the AGBU during those years. During the last l0

years some major changes have been implemented at Melkonian with the knowledge, blessing and guidance of the AGBU. The most important of these was

the decision to sell part of the land and build a modem facility. The idea was excellent. The sale would have generated enough funds lo cover construction expenses of new facilities, and would have relieved the school of some of its financial problems. What actually happened, however, was not so excellent. The land could have been sold at a higher

price and the new facilities could have been ofbetter quality. Thus the financial problems still continue. This not only shows the inefficiencies of the local board. but those of the then AGBU Central Board. By choosing to tolerate

Uncertain Future," your article on the Melkonian Educational Institute in Cyprus (Fducation, May/June). As a former student and a teacher there, the subject was very close to my heart. There is no question that the level of education in Armenian studies has dropped dramati-

mediocrity and inefficiencies inside Melkonian, the AGBU Central Board shares in the blame for Melkonian's decline. Thanks to Mrs. Simone, the

cally from years past. Some blame this on the quality of the new generation of students, but I see it purely as the result of unqualified teacherc. During my student

Regarding Mrs. Simone's comment that "Melkonian has not produced any

6 /AIM

September-October 1996

whole of AGBU is being revitalized, and it is my hope that Melkonian will be an integral part of that revitalization.

community leaders" in the last 20 years, I would like to know the number of "com-

munity leaders" some of the otherAGBU schools have produced during that same period. What about all the other Armenian schools in the Diaspora? To be

frank, the meaning

"community

leader" is very vague to me. By just looking at the first few pages of your magazine, I see that two of the three direclors of the Fourth Millennium Society (the

organization that publishes AIM) are Melkoniantsis as well as four of the

Trustees. Actually the Founding Publisher of your magazine is a Melkoniantzi. Are these l'community leaders"? In the old days the simple fact that someone knew how to read and write made that person a leader. Times have changed, the world has become more complex, and the power of money has

replaced

reading.

doubt

Alex

Manoogian would have become a community leader had he not created a sizable wealth for himself. In today's intricate world, deciding the future of Melkonian on how many graduates decide to go into teaching is very simplistic and naive.

I hope the restructuring will succeed and under the leadership of its new director, Melkonian can grow and continue to produce those unique creatures called Melkoniantsis.

'^.-*tiil::ffi::nl I think the article by Tony Halpin quite successfully expressed the "Melkonian story." Since

it is such an

emotional subject for some people, I was concemed that an article might not fully cover all the issues under study. Thank you for your fair coverage. I-orrse MeNoocnN SIuoNr NEwYoRK, NEwYoRK

JOB WEIL DONE May I congratulate the staff on the wonderful work you are doing on our one and only intemational Armenian magazine.. I'm really pleased that you're back and hope you stay. Your work is very encouraging and interesting. We need people like your staff to stay focused and committed. Of course, you need all the support you can get from us, the readers, sponsors, donors. I read your magazine every month. My family in Australia, Cyprus and Germany readAIM. Ane BsnxreN

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AIM September-October

1996

I ll

to Of 28 ministers in Armenia's govemment, the number of those under 40 years of age

V grooorooo Number

persons displaced in the former Soviet Union since its collapse

l,5oo,ooo Number of those displaced persons currently living in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan

V 35 Number of countries where Armenia has diplomatic representations

55 Number of foreign diplomats who have presented their credentials to Armenia's president

to Number of foreign countries with permanent representation in Armenia

V 7,3OO,OOO,OOO Total US dollars allocated for foreign aid in 1995

4 Ranking of US among countries providing foreign aid (behind Japan, France, Germany)

l4O,OOO,OOO Total US dollars spent forArmenia in fiscal year 1995

2 Armenia's ranking among all countries in per capita receipt of US aid ( behind Israel)

Los Angeles Times, Manchester Guardian, Armenia

& Karabagh Handbook,Transition

il0Tt800H

Iust any blood of a matching type is not good enough for a patient suffering from leukemia. The bone martransplant that can be the difference between life and death can only come from a donor whose blood the patient's as perfectly as possible in every aspe{t. The closer the donor is to the patient's family or ethnic group, the more likely the match. Lola Kounda$ian's articles (AIM, July '91 and November '93) described the urgency of Armenian contributions to a blood center and hne marrow registry. In .-rffii#Glendale, Califomia, Sarkis Shahverdian, 38, is a living example of the critical need. The American Red 'Cross has pleaded forArmenians to volunteer to necolie blood and bone marrow donors. For thaf reason they transferred Shahverdian from Boston to ksAngeles, thinking that in a large Armenian community the chances of a donor match would be much higher. In May 1996, easily accessible sites were set up in heavilyArmenian-popuiateO areas of Hollywood and Glendale with especially prepared bilingual flyers asking for blood sample donations specifically to help save Shahverdian's life. The turnout was devastating. Of the 60-70 people who came, the ovenvhelming majority were not Armeniern. No wonder there was no match. For now' a new method of therapy has helped to somewhat stabilize Shahverdian's cordition temporarily. As time races by, Shahverdian lives at the City of Hope Vllage in Pasadena with his wife, waiting for news of a match. To make that day come sooner, a local pharmacy Pharmacy*has agreed to sponsor a television program explaining the nature of a bone marrow trans-Hyeof a matching donor, in hopes of encouraging more people to respond. "Armenians are very reluctant to plant and the importance . donate even a sample amount of blood. They seem to have an unfounded fear," observed Shahverdian's wife. Petros Daglyan, owner of Hye Pharmary, hopes this effort will help change some attitu&s. So does Shahverdian.

-G

She was trom in Rangoon, India on October 17, 1859 and died in Yokohama, Japan, on July 8, 1937, after living

Japan for 48 years. and serving as the Republic of Armenia's consul to Yokohama during the days of the first Republic of Armenia--+he hrst Armenian woman on such apost and the first woman to hold such a position in Japan. ln the eulogy given at her funeral, Diana Apcar was hailed as "the most respected resident, one of the keenest minds in Yokohama ...who experienced the sufferings and ftustrated hopes ofher race....has fallen upon sleep to enjoy a well- errrcd

rest." "Her wisdom, knowledge

and personality mtde her a leader in a for-

eign community,'said her

wa$

Mikhail

Gorbachev's golden

boy. Responsible for everything from reconstructing an ailing Soviet economic system to establishing

intemational [rade relations for each of the soviet republics, Abel Aganbegyan, 64, was one of the

then-president's chief economic advisers, Even though Gorbachev's exit was in no small part due to his economic restructuring plans, Aganbegyan did not

lose popularity. k$tead, he retumed to the Academy of Sciences, of which he had been a corresponding member

nearly 30 years. He is currently head of the Academy of National Economy of the Govemment of the Russian Federation, a policy-makinC

bdy.

ol league s. For years she

persistently z

!'t

z rtt

wrote leBers to the leaders of

the

world,

pleading for attention to the

Armenian issue.

Even

before the establishment of the independent republic, she had wrinen severeil books and booklets on the pamphlets on the plight of the Armenians of the Ouoman Empire, including an unfinished book, From the Life of a Nation. Other writings, such as ThcTruth abou the Atmenian Massacres ond Betrayed Armenia, both published in 1910, as well as [umerous newspaper articles and other writings are housed at the Stanford University library in Califomia. Two yean ago, the Annenian-Japan Society ofTokyo made a pilgrimage to Yokohama to clean her tombstone, Japanese-style.

It used to exist in dreams. Now, it exists on line. Artsakhon-Line. The World Wide Web site offen information on everything t6*4^&Q*A^1 44 tt '' ar fromKarabakh's army to its

history and

geography.

Colorful red, blue, orange guides move the searcher (somewhat slowly) through

hard+o-find photos and

information

bits.

fect, certainly

understand-

The English is although not perable, and the most interesting thing about this unique information source is that it is not subject to any blockades or arbitrary borders. Check it out at www.nic.nk.am.

AIM September-October

1996

I 13

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AIM September-October

1996

ffi Ths tltd ol an tl'a Alex Manoogian, genocide survivor, businessman, philanthrophist, died in Detroit, Michigan, on July 10, 1996, a little more than 95 years after he was born near Smyma, in Turkey.

As in life, so in death, he was in a class all his own. His funeral was presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians and a message of condolence from the Catholicos of Cilicia was

also read. The head of Armenia's Constitutional Court spoke and brought the message of the Republic's president. Among the nearly 1,500 in attendance were senior clergy from around the world, the govemor and former govemor of the state of Michigan, congressmen and city officials, as well as the representatives of the various Armenian and non-Armenian hospitals, museums, libraries and schools which Manoogian supported. Every major Diaspora organization was represented. And of all this, there are few available photos.

And none are needed. Manoogian, after all,

is easy to remember through the dozens of schools and community centers around the world which bear his name. He put his personal good fortune and hard work (as the founder and president of Masco Corporationsee AIM, October 1994\ at the service of two

of Armenians. The scope and of his contributions were such that

generations

reach

Manoogian, in fact, shaped much of the character of a community and an era. His donations often spelled the difference between what

could and couldn't be accomplished. His death, indeed, marks the end of an era.

Manoogian led the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) as President (since

1953),

Life

President (since 1970) and

Honorary Life President (since 1989.) And although it is the rare community organization today that enjoys the total dedication of both generations of a family, Richard Manoogian's passive and Louise Manoogian Simone's active continuing involvement signal the durability of the father's commitment. Yet the very different agendas and priorities ofthe younger generation of Manoogians indicate that this is doubtless a new era, with new objectives and new methods for reaching them.

SALpr HenourrruIeN

Pgoro

Gnnzaruell

ToNy SlvrNo

smffiilffiil#ffi $il,ffiwrf

r::-:ti{tt

::fi:#-r Ag.il:n

ii'?

A short film by Armenian journalist and filmmaker Tigran Xmalian has far a festival screening in Tirrkey. The 30-minute production will be the first Armenian motion picture to be shown in Turkey, if Armenfilm can manage to find the financial wherewithal to print a copy and get it to Ti.rrkey in been selected

time.

Joint Russian and Armenian tac-

tical exercises involving troops, warplanes and armored vehicles took place near the Turkish border, just prior to the Armenian presidential elections. The last time such exercises took place

was

March

of this year. The

September exercises were the largest in the CIS since the breakup of the Soviet

made strong statements regarding possible resolution of the Karabakh conflict. Both the Karabakh Foreign

Union. Over 4,000 troops, and hunof artillery units, four military

Ministry and Armenia's

dreds

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian

planes and several helicopters took part

objected to what they considered proAzerbaijani statements. Lambach is reported to have said on Baku Radio that he was confident that none of the members of the Minsk Group would

in the operations, under the watchful eyes of Armenian offrcials, the head of the Russian armed forces, the defense

minister of Kazakhstan, and other high

: -

Germany continues to jockey for position prior to the naming of a new Minsk Group co-chairman. As part of its "campaign" to assume the presidency, Germany's OSCE Minsk Group representative Frank Lambach had

level dignitaries. Absent was the of Azerbaijan, who

defense minister

had also received an invitation.

Deputy

recognize Karabakh's independence, and that the resolution of the conflict would respect Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. The German Embassy in Yerevan concluded by condemning what it described as the misinterpretation of statements by Lambach.

The defense ministers of Armenia and Bulgaria, Vazgen Sargsian (left) and Dimiter Pavlov, signed an agreement on bilateral mili-

tary cooperation in early

September.

The agreement covers delivery of military equipment, joint programs in mili-

tary industry, research and officers' training. Although Sargsian pointedly noted that Armenian-Bulgarian cooperation is not against "any third country," Pavlov noted the Armenian and

Bulgarian peoples' "common historic

20 /efU

September-Ocrober 1996

fate," a reference to Ottoman domination. This agreement follows a similar Armenian-Greek agreement signed just a few months earlier.

Armenian Airlines inaugurated a

new European route. The

Yerevan-

Frankfurt line began operating in early August and is expected to facilitate not just passenger travel, but also freight transport.

Giorgio Giacomelli, head of the

UN's Drug Task Force,

The embassy and ambassfldor Republic of Armenia in Germany were the focus of an article by Focus. a German news-

of the

magazine, which alleged embezzlement on the part of the authorities. in dealings with illegal Armenian immigrants to Germany. Ambassador Felix Mamigonian Oelow) rejected all such accusations, a Foreign Ministry commission found that the allegations were unfounded, and the embassy has said sue the magazine.

it will

Nevertheless, Armenian citizens

visited

residing in Germany continue to insist

Armenia in early September and after

that they have given the embassy

explaining that drug use and narcotics sales naturally increases in time of war, he expressed his appreciation of the efforts of the Armenian authorities to fight against drugs in Armenia. At the

funds for unspecified services.

same time, Giacomelli did not comment

on Azerbaijan's assertion that narcotics was big business in Karabakh nor did he indicate whether experts would be sent to the region.

Ukraine is now

tht llth

coun.

try to have permanent diplomatic representation in Arrnonia. Its ambassador, Alexander Bozhgo (above, right) presented his credenPresident Levon Ter

tials to

Petrossian

in early September.

Bozhgo, who has rtudied in Armenia, speaks fluent Armenian, and it is assumed that his presence can only help expand ArmenianUkrainian trade, which is currently at a level much below everyone's expectations.

RussianAmbassadorYladimir Kazimirov, who has served for several years as the Russian representative to the OSCE Minsk Group, has been assigned ambassador to Costa Rica. Kazimirov (below, left) is being replaced by Yuri Yugalov (betoq right), who comes from his post as Russian ambassador to Zimbabwe. Yugalov will also serve as co-chairman of the group, together with a European representative. Upon Kazimirov's departure, President Levon Ter Petrossian (below, center) had expressed gratification at his effotu in the negotiating process, while the Azerbaijanis had expressed their dissatisfaction with the outgoing co-chairman of the nine-member Minsk Group. i${,61

{r.$in

AIM September-October

1996

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Delnocracy and Leullilnacy AT RISI f t *ut the worst possible outcome. An I election which should have crowned I Armenia', transition lrom totalitarian I communism to free market democracy

divided country whose reputation as

model of stability has been shattered. The tiny margin fueled Manukian's accusation that massive fraud had enabled

the regime to "steal the election" and

descended instead into a dangerous fight which could easily have ended in bloody disaster. With the winner mired in accusations of ballorrigging and the loser on the run, tanks and troops patrolled the streets of Yerevan for the lrst time since the struggle for independence. This time, instead of Russian soldiers, Armenian faced Armenian in a tense standoff as a watching Diaspora held its breath and prayed that civil war would be avoided. It was, thanks in no small part to the decision of President Levon Ter Petrossian

deprive him of victory. It would require only a dozen fake ballot paperc cast at

street

each of the republic's 1,742 polling stations to produce such a result.

Manukian's National Democratic Union (NDU) Party insisted it had certified copies of election protocols showing he had won the election by 55 to 37 percent. They claimed regional electoral

to summon the military in a display of force probably intended to intimidate his opponents out of fuither violent protestand to rouse a growing mob. He succeeded, but at the cost of exposing the complete collapse of Armenians' pretentions to democracy. The chairman of parliament. Babken

Ararktsian, and his deputy, had to be res-

cued from a lynch mob which stormed

into their offices and beat them

up.

Deputies traded blows in parliament. By the end of the day, watchful foreign eyes from Baku to Washington were gloating over internal Armenian instability.

The drama played out in full view of an invited audience of countries taking part in the world chess olympics-an event intended to launch Armenia as an attractive tourist destination.

Only hours after the

Sunday,

September 22 presidential elections, Ter Petrossian described his win as a "brilliant victory". Within two days, that tumed into the slimmest of margins needed to avoid a run-off against Vazgen Manukian. As the counting went on and allegations of foul play multiplied, confidence in the final

result drained away. What remains is a president stained by the suspicion of illegitimacy, leading an authoritarian government in a deeply

z sd k U

v & E

Soldiers in front of the National Assembly building, left, and at key intersections throughout the city, above. AIM September-October

1996

I 23

"Given that...Ter Petrossian only tkeshold by 21,941 votes, the inaccuracies in the verification process can only contribute to a lack of confidence in the overall electoral process and could even question the resuls of the first round of balloting," the OSCE report passed the 50 percent

concluded.

Ter Petrossian's office vigorously z

rejected the criticism, accusing the head

the OSCE delegation

"arithmetical

inaccuracies." Khachatur Bezirjian, the chairman of Armenia's Central Electoral Commission, which had been rived by disputes during the counting of the election results, claimed the report was "mis-

v &

leading." Checking out election posters before the election (above) and protes conunissions later changed the tallies.

At the same time, voters

were being committed by Ter Petrossian's

people."

and

Several observers noted that they did not see any violations, and the elections were "free, democratic and fair."

observers talked about money and promis-

es of money being proferred by Manukian's campaigners to assure their candidate's strong showing at the polls. Foreign observers certainly logged considerable evidence of fraud on both sides, including soldiers ordered by their commanders to back Ter Petrossian, then being spotted voting again at another station later on, the theft of one ballot box, attempts to switch or steal others, and complaints that large numbers of unregistered voters were taking part, raising the

Nevertheless, the OSCE was particularly unhappy about a difference of 22,013 between the number of people who voted and the number of voter coupons registered in the official results.

of multiple voting. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which spectre

coordinated its 89 observers, said soldiers

and potice had been present in many polling stations, conffary to the law. The OSCE's preleminary report on the poll was careful to stress that "numerous checks and balances have been put in place to safeguard the security ofthe ballot." The report went on to say that the presidential election law "although not perfect. is a considerable improvement in electoral legislation," and that "observers saw many examples of electoral commissions working professionally." The report limited itself to examples and criticism of "very serious irregularities" in voting procedures but, crucially, concluded that these had probably not been sufficient to invalidate the election. However, its more detailed declara-

tion, on October 3, went much further, alleging "very serious breaches" of election law which did indeed cast doubt on the accuracy

ofthe

result.

i * E

"What most of us saw was definitely Y

classifiable as systematic fraud on a mas- E sive scale," noted one observer. Another g

AIM September-October 1996

IF ONLY... But even on the kindest reading, Ter Petrossian's side had been guilty of gross complacency in its campaigning and had tolerated, if not actually sanctioned, crass attempts to sway the result on election day.

The president was either misinformed or uninformed about the electorate's sentiments and need for assurances about the future. Coasting to victory only a few weeks

before election day, faced by a divided and

Ilactious opposition, Ter Petrossian's side apparently saw little need to go out and win popular support for a second term. But the decision of most opposition candidates to pull out and unite behind Manukian just 10 days before the poll suddenly changed the ball game. Manukian himself proved an energetic and astute campaigner, focusing on an issue capable of galvanizing the public into action-that of pervasive corruption in govemment and business life.

ARF member Rouben Hakobian are inside negotiating with CEC chairman; 1991 Fint Armenian presidential elections;

kvon

Ter Petrossian wins

per-

cent of the vote.

l99l-1992 Vazgen Manukian,

Prime

Minister.

1992 Shortlived alliance of opposition groups, including Manukian's NDU.

1993 Yazgen Manukian,

Defense

Although his campaign promises were unashamedly populist and very likely unworkable, they struck a chord. So too did his pledge to recognize Karabakh as a sovereign state, despite the very real dangers this would have posed to the ceasefire which has held there for more than two

Minister.

years.

Lprtl22 Aram Sargsian of Democratic Party suggests all opposition political forces join to draw up a cotrunon pro-

Ter Petrossian, whose low-key campaign had offered stability and a "step-bystep" recovery in living strndards, realized very late that ttre support he had taken for granted was ebbing away. For Ter Petrossian's supporters, it was all a cruel lesson in not taking anything for granted-not the voters, not the

Dec. 1.8, 1994 ARF activities banned. July 5, 1995 Parliamentary elections result in victory of Republic bloc, led by

ANM.

1996

September

Manukian "assumes

leadership over political processes, will take decisions together with the people." Sep@mber 26 Karabakh authorities call the "situation in Armenia a threat to the security of the republic and uâ&#x201A;Źason of national interests". September 26 Hairikian resigns from alliance, saying he did not approveoffhe

unrest; Yeltsin congratulates Ter on re-election, condemns

PeEossian

opposition actions. September 26 National Assembly emergency meeting and discussion on election and its aftermath results in fisffights among deputies and hfting of tfc

immmi-

ty of opposition deputies; Seven members

gram.

August

Speaker of the Parliament Speaker and his deputy are beaten and hospitalized.

23 Official

start

of presidential

campaign with seven candidates.

August Z7 Per poll by Minisnry of Information. 73 percent of voters will participatâ&#x201A;Ź; 44.9 for Ter Perossian; 13.5 for Manukian; 10.8 for Hairiki an; 4.2 for

Badaliau 2.3 for Sargsian; 1.9 for Manucharian; 0.3 for Aghalovian. September Manukian declares that &e nomination of a single opposition candidate is not possible.

SeptemberT Hairikian declares

will

back Manukian.

September

Remaining opposition

candidates, except Communists, back Manukian.

Sep0ember22 Elections are held.

23 Ter Petrossian and Manukian each claims victory; September

Manukian leads 50,00Gr demonstrators protesting election fraud.

September 24 Preliminary election results from Central Electoral, Commission report Ter Petrossian with 56.9 percent of the vote, Manukian 35.6, Badalian 6.9, Manucharian 0.5.

September U 25,W+ demon$tate in favor of Manukian; Commando toops surround key buildings; OSCE observers report "there were irregularities...not such as to affect outcome..."

September 25 A pro-Manukian crowd estimated between 40,000 and 120,000 marches to National Assembly, storms

of opposition (including four from

the

ARF) are arrested. September26 CEC rechecks some electoral disEicts, based on requests frrom both Republic bloc and opposition. Septcmber 26 Aze$aijani Presidential

Advisor Vafa Gulizade

announces

"Armenia will necessarily come to peace since its own stability is damaged". September 26 Armored soldiers and tanks are placed on Yerevan streets.

September 27 Manukian is in hiding, his wife issues a public statement declaring president's power illegal; Vladimir Zhirinovsky addresses message to Manukian "Only through joint efforts of all nationalist fores will we in Russia ard you inAnrrniabe able to achieve genuirn democtacy."

September 27 Ter Petrossian

ly halts public meetings, demonstrations. September 29 Georgian president

in Armenia". September 30 An estimated 80 (per govemment) and 250 (per opposition) expresses concem over "recent events

members of opposition detained.

September 30 Final election results announced.

Total numhr

of eligible voters:

2,2lO,l8g Ter Petrossian 646,888 (51.75 percent)

Manuloan 516,129 (41.29 percent) Badalian 79,347 (6.34 perceng Manucharian 7,529 (0.6 percent)

AIM September-October 1996 125

This is our homeland...however every-

campaign, not the loyalists.

was also on-the-job training of sorts in dealing with media and images.

thing should be done in an organized man-

Although by all accounts, the state-owned media still afforded Ter Petrossian much more time than his opponents, still, the desired message often didn't get through. One observer saw the irony even in campaign venues. "One large Ter Peffossian rally was taking place in what used to be called trnin Square, even while the communists had gathered in Opera Square. It was the exact reverse of 1988, when Ter Petrossian, as leader of the Karabakh Committee stood in front of the Opera,

Then, as the day wore on and the crowd (variously estimated at between

ner."

40,000 and 70,000) grew, Manukian and other opposition leaders marched through the city to the National Assembly building. There, as he prepared to enter to meet with the Central Electoral Commission and demand a recount of the votes, he uttered the fateful sentence, 'ff I am not out in 30 minutes, come after me." In the fevered atrnosphere created by

while the communists were with [rnin." Even with lrnin gone, placing the podium under that statue was a tac-

tical error that backfired on the presi-

J,i^

\ )'ffi3 ("

dent's campaign, giving pundits plenty

of material for historical comparison. For Manukian's supporters, ttre campaign was a tough lesson in civics. With no credible hope for victory just three weeks before elections, suddenly a somewhat united opposition was seen as a real altemative. This speedy

-^+ lr:51 .\t*t

change in people's perceptions led to

pre-election claims

Manukian

of victory

and his

campaign.

Therefore, a vote count that did not bear out that prediction, was quickly attributed to "fraud". Comments made by Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsian only added to the impression of a regime which paid little attention to the finer points

of democracy. "After these events, even ifhe got 100 percent of the vote, neither the army nor the interior minisny nor the security organs would accept him," went Sargsian's somewhat illogical, yet strongly disturbing declaration. To Ter Petrossian's opponents, the events of the week following the September 22 poll were the logical conclusion of a joumey towards dictatorship which began with the banning of the

Armenian Revolutionary Federation

months earlier and continued with parliamentary elections last year. These elections left the ANM in complete control, but werejudged unfair (although free) by the OSCE. So, after two days of demonstrations, on the moming of Wednesday, September 25, before a crowd gathered in Republic Square, Manukian announced, "Today...I want to take the entire process into my

own

hands...Me

and the

nation."

Manukian continued, "The Nation is assembled and wants to seize the building, and I am not calling against the seizure.

26 I AIM September-October 1996

ffiWnilALLYmrffr successive days of demonstrations by huge crowds ofpeople convinced that an illegitimate regime was being foisted on the country, his words amounted to an

invitation

create trouble. And so it

proved. The crowd rushed the gates of parliament. The gates fell-fortunately, toward the scant 100 soldiers inside the gates. With constitutional order threatened, and parliament invaded by a mob in murderous mood, the police were required to act. To their credit, the police responded with discipline and used minimum force to restore ordel wi*r shots fired over the

of demonsffators-not at them. Had it been left there. with the military employed briefly to deter further trou-

heads

ble, Manukian's auilrority undermined by his reckless words, and those involved in the hooliganism at the parliament arrested and prosecuted for riotious behavior, it would have been hard to quarrel with the

govemment's actions. lnstead, events quickly took a more disturbing tum as Interior Minister Vano Siradeghian went on television later that evening to tell the nation, "All of this must be characterized as an attempt at a state

coup, the responsibility for which lies completely with the organizers." The president went on TV next moming, too. "We won't allow the very existence of Armenia and Karabakh to be put at rish" he told the viewers, as he denounced those involved as "mentaly ill," temporarhalted demonstrations and

ily

ordered troops onto steets of the capital.

NO GOING BACK Never mind that a week later, all life had resumed normalcy in Yerevan. The

tanks were gone, and

damage was done.

The very next day,

Vafa

Gulizade, Azerbaijani Presidential Advisor. announced on Baku Radio that "Armenia is sure to come to peace since the stability is being broken inside it." Gulizade's declaration made it very clear for those who couldn't already see the writing on the wall: the principal beneficiaries of such civil unrest were clearly the foreign powers. If Azerbaijan, and Turkey, as well as the US, Russia and the Europeans, heretofore had had to deal with a strong, unbending Armenian government---one that was strong in its legitimate position as a rule of law state based on democratic principles-that changed on

all

Wednesday evening, September 25. Suddenly, both the people's and the authorities'lack of munral trust, as well as

the opposition's desperate desire for power at all cost, denied Armenians their only strong playing cards. The consequences could not be done away wittr, even as the momentary lapse gave way to normalcy, and the mood changed from one week to the next.

Although parliament voted overwhelmingly to lift the immunity from prosecution of eight opposition deputies, including Manukian and Hairikian, no charges were brought against them.

The numbers differed as to how many had been detained. Some said as

crimes-including treason-about which authorities, including the president, had spoken earlier. Two independent radio stations were unexplainably taken temporarily off the air. Troops sealed off the NDU headquarters and securiry forces entered the headquarters of Hairikian's NSDU and beat up, then arrested those inside.

Parliamentary deputy Aramazd Zakaryat, a former NSDU member, later said from a hospital where he was being treated for a fractured skull and a broken

rib, that he had been among

those attacked. Thken in its entirety, such unexplain-

d & l

zg.l Ter Petrossian, above, and

Manukian, right.

few as several dozen, others stated that as many as 250 members of the opposition were reportedly questioned or alrested. But none were charged with the severe

able and clearly unacceptable behavior easily led to charges of a determined effort by the govemment to crush dissent so as to avoid opposition demands for a recount. As a result, the govemment lost the moral high ground necessary to distance

itself from the opposition's irresponsible

hSnHttffimm The only thing that was clear was that the opposition's demonstration of dissatisfaction with the Central Electoral Commission's vote count had deteriorated to some violence. Sitting in London or Los Angeles, it was very difficult to get straight information. Not that there were no stories out there.

E-mail was a mixed blessing. Yerevan's Arminco Telecommunications Company proved itself in a time of crisis, and between the political events and the Chess Olympiad, handled 20 times more volume than its usual load. Probably its heaviest users were Yerevan's independent news agency Noyan Tapan, and the government's Armenpress, each posting at least one and sometimes over six stories a day. Noyan Tapan's many reporters demonstrated great enthusiasm. So did Armenpress which began to issue stories that were not simply reports of press conferences and official visits. Some of the stories filed were as short as two para-

graphs reporting Russian parliamentarian Vladimir Zhirinovsky's message to Vazgen Manukian, declaring that "neither we in Russia nor you in Armenia have democracy." Others, usually statements by one or another opposition leader, were longer texts. Having access to the information sources at least diminished the sense of isolation and uncertainty, and pointed to the great potential ofthese services. All the services, including Aragil News, a daily digest of Armenia's press, provided their listings free to all subscribers of the Groong Armenian News List, cognizant of the great need.

The Associated Press and Reuters stories were posted on

Groong, too. As a result, the anxious and the curious around the world were able to receive new developments several times a day.

The resulting abundance of articles did not mean, however, that the facts were clear. Something as critical as whether the soldiers fired on the people was dismally reported by all. As eventually became evident, soldiers had, in fact,

fired into the air. The Associated Press's local writer said "on the people" and Reuters initia[y reported the same-without anyone stopping to question the absence of dozens of dead. After all, soldiers and civilians were within feet of each other' The Noyan Tapan Agency, in its zeal to post first and often, did not verify such facts as whether the US and UN truly had offered Manukian asylum-in spite of his wife's assertions. In fact, they had not. And, as a UN representative in Armenia was forced to explain, the UN cannot offer asylum, since it is not a place. If the Armenian agencies were a mixed blessing, the ARF press in the Diaspora was-well, not a blessing. But it was certainly effective. It proved once again that information is power, and that freedom of the press belongs to those who

own one. Clever spins on simple facts led to sometimes absurd, sometimes intentionally misleading interpretations. Topping the absurd category was the September 29 list of opposition leaders detained and sought. Among those sought, the first was "Vazgen Manukian, President, Republic of [6g1in"-11ever mind that under the "best" of circumstances he would have been president-elect and assumably would have ceased then to be the "opposition." The ARF press omitted as much news as it featured. Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia's congratulatory telegram to President lrvon Ter Petrossian on his re-election never made it into the parry's North American papers. Nor did the similar messages of presidents Chirac of France, Rafsanjani of Iran and Yeltsin of Russia.

ARF reports of numbers and degree of violencewhether on the part of opposition or government----exceeded others'. The September 26 demonstrators' numbers reached 150,000 in Asbarez reports, not 40,000 as reponed by Reuters, or 20,000 as described by some eyewitnesses. Condemnations and other criticism were ascribed to what was really a rather tight-lipped Yerevan diplomatic corps. There was certainly a lot to read that last week in think about.

September. And a lot to

sY SALpr HenotmxreN Gsezeru.m

AIM September-October 1996 127

and short-sighted recoune to violence. At the same time, and more importantly, the real issue ofArmenia's lost legitimacy was

Helping the process along was the Armenian National Committee, the lobbying arm of the Armenian Revolutionary

side-stepped.

Federation-Dashnaktsutiun (ARF). Compounding various stories by

Manukian remained at large and in hiding for ttre fint week, all the while accusing Ter Petrossian of establishing an

observers in Armenia, as well as many in the Diaspora, that low and mid-level party

illegal regime.

functionaries brought cash, campaign

A claim by his wife that the United States had offered him political asylum

know-how and strategy to the opposition's campaign, there was the party's round-theclock publicity campaign to pressure foreiga governments, the US in particular, to distance iself from the Ter Petossian adminisration. In carefully edited video tapes and news briefs, the ARF completely side-stepped the magninrde ofthe opposition's responsibility in the civil disturbances and focused solely on the regime's

was later denied by the American

embassy. It would have proved hugely embarrassing to the authorities-and to

Manukian-had it been hue.

NOT OVER YET Still, the stage seems set for continued political crisis in the republic, and outside. Deputy Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian explained the precarious position in which Armenia's diplomats now

reaction.

letter of congratulations to President Ter Petossian on his re-election, or whether it

Throughout, the ARF's message was that having seen the chance to wriggle off the hook of electoral comrption charges, the regime used the dishrrbances to decapitate the groundswell of opposition to TerPetrosian.' And that suspicion remains. Taken all togettrer, then, the crisis has delivered a devastating blow to Armenia's attempts to build a democracy, Had the opposition, which never believed it stood a realistic chance of victory even a month before the poll, settled for its remarkable success in gaining a 4l percent share of the vote, people would have been celebrating the fact that Manukian's new authority, eamed from a genuinely hard-fought contest, could have been translated into political capital and a tough insistence that comrption be rooted

was Gulizade's bold, public claim of

out.

find themselves.

"It quickly

became apparent that recent events had and will continue to have their influence on Armenia's foreign

relations-especially regarding

the

Mountainous Karabakh conflict, and in other matters in which Armenia is actively involved. This means thatArmenia will face more serious problems in the near future." What Oskanian and others wouldn't say is that there were aheady signs of a campaign to pressureArmenia to soften its stance on Karabakh. Whether it was the

US govemment's undiplomatically

late

Armenia's impending capitulation, the pressure was on.

His electoral

success would have

reinforced the message he articulated before the campaign, ttrat it is possible to

build a solid alternative to the regime by democratic political struggle and that the

TAPA

onofuicol orticles oboul politics, economics ond business from Armenio ond the region brought to you vio Inlernel in three longuoges - Armenion, 28 Isahakian St., Yerevan, ARMENIA.375tr)9 TEL & FAX (3742) 52-42-79, (3742) 56-t9-05

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i n c o - c o nd - nt

28 lAlM September-October

I /nt

1996

populace could effect change through the ballot box. Public confidence in the electoral process has been severely knocked back and there is the real prospect of Ter

Petrossian becoming

throughout his second term in ofhce. Regardless of how he behaves-and he

w A

lame duck

remains in many eyes the best qualified to president-a substantial minority of his

fellow citizens will consider him a usurp-

er, even a tyrant.

WAY OUT

Is there a way out? In the short term, probably not. The election can't be re-run

n v,

without conceding that Manukian was right to claim the result was perverted. The president could seek a fresh start

by firing several ministers and appointing new figures with a declaration that he had taken note ofpublic discontent and intends

to clean up the

government. But his authority may now be too weakened to carry this off convincingly. Armenia's image for potential investors as a stable democracy, in conand Azerbaijan, has been undermined. So too has its moral advantage overAzerbaijan in international negotiations on Karabakh. But the single most damaging factor for the future of ttre republic is that citizens did not leam that most important civics lesson-the almighty power of the ballot. ln the Diaspora, relief that major

trast to neigboring Georgia

the

bloodshed was avoided mixes with an overwhelming sense of disappoinfinent. A counffy in which so many golden hopes have been invested tums out to be made base metal after all.

Yet, the sense

attachment to

Armenia's people will undoubtedly remain as sfong as it ever was. But the

illusions about those who would lead them and about the nature of the country they are building have gone for good. ev ToNv H,Ar-prN

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Ter Petrossian's margin exceeding the 50 percent threshold to prevent a second round of balloting was only 21,941 votes, and thus the inaccuracies of this margin 'tould question tlrc results of the fint round of vot-

llho's

ing."

to JudUe? The International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) is a private nonprofit organization ttrat supports electoral and other democratic institutions in emerging, evolving, and experienced democracies. The IFES/Armenia project, funded by International US Agency Development (USAID) originally worked in Armenia during ttre 1995 Elections. ln February 1996, IFES opened an offrce in Yerevan and offered specialized election administration expertise and naining to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC). IFES performed an invaluable service by providing guidance and expeftise on achieving a democratic electoral stucture in Armenia and it is precisely for ttris reason that theirpost-election comments arc so important. IFES concluded that serious procedural flaws raised questions about the

for

the

integrity of the election. Using IFES comments alone and not considering any other data, one could surmise that procedural vio-

lations were such that the Armenian people,

as expressed

will of

the in the ballot

box, was denied. Upon closer examination, one can just as easily conclude ttrat even if all the violations cited were accurately observed and noted, the Armenian people

indeed chose President

lrvon

Ter

Petrossian, albeit by a very niurow margin. Lost in all of the post-election doings, are the numerous IFES statements that vast improvements had taken place over the National Assembly elections of 1995. The IFES stated that "the difference between the CEC in charge of the presidential election and the CEC in charge of the parliamentary election was night and day." In its comments on the "Failure of the Ballot Accounting Process," IFES decided that ttre process "seemed to work in all but the Yerevan region." Yet, the CEC data shows that Vazgen Manukian took Yerevan by a sizable margm. So, if the IFES is correct, and there was inaccurate accounting in the Yerevan region, the inaccuracies bene-

fitted Manukian.

Some IFES employees served

monitors for ttre Organization for Security and ooperation in Europe (OSCE) and it is not unexpected that IFES and OSCE conclusions are similiar. The OSCE stated that

Khachatur Bezirjian, Chairman of the CEC, whom IFES complimented as being the cause for the "day and night" improvement over the July voting, sought to clari$ what he perceived as a grievous enor in the OSCE computations. He showed that even if all of the missing ballots on which the OSCE based theirconclusion were given to Manukian, Ter Petrossian would still have won in the first round-with 50.86 to Manukian's 42.30 percent. However, the IFES discounted the Bezirjian clarification with an inexplicable conclusion. '"The problem with the missing ballot coupons is not a matter of whether they make a difference in the outcome, but rather that it represents a gross violation of the law." Violations of law are inexcusable

(whe*rer by happenstance or by design). Nevertheless, the difference in the outcome

indeed, *re critical point.

In tlrc final

mgs based on

This wasn't always the case in Yerevan. Monitors from various westem

countries complained about "hairy Armenian men" standing around tlre voting areas "intimidating" women voters. This culturally and politically naive staterneat displayed a considerable degree of igno. rance. It was insulting and had no apparent basis in fact. However, such comments established the tone of the open, public OSCE briefing on fie elections. One monitor complained that ttrc number of those tallied as having already voted when the monitor arived at the voting station seemed unreasonable and much too efficient, implying that the degree of efficiency required to process &e number of voters stated by ttre local election official was beyond what Armenians could muster. Other monitors stated that they heard that the army band played at various voting stations and allegedly voted at each one. This may very well have happened, but reporting anything as important as possible voter fraud should be based upon hard evidence and not rurnors.

analysis, the outcome is what voting laws

Many monitors did report exactly

are all about. The outcome is what will determine whether a sitting adminisfration is legitimate or not. The IFES approach, which discounts the very real matter of election resuls, only to focus on the theories of democratic culture, is a disservice to today's Armenian voter. Indeed, the IFES statement persuaded many disgruntled Armenian voters and obsewers that the chicanery that did take place on all sides necessarily made a difference in the outcome. This is unfortunate. Intemational organizations have an obligation to refrain from prosletyzing on the one hand, or mincing words on the other, and losing tack of what counts most in a fog of political vagueness. Either the will of the Armenian people was carried out, or it was not. To raise the mat-

what they saw and nothing else. There were numerous positive reports, too, such as the one by a member of the US Ernbassy staff that the vote count that he wiuressed was so precise and by the book that it took much too long and became boring. lf imprecision in the application of the leuer of the law is sufficient for ttre IFES to doubt ttre official

ter of missing ballots and then to discard the

issue as immaterial in favor of theories of democratic procedure is not beneficial. There's more. Just as the IFES and the OSCE noted the imprecision of the CEC in canying out the electoral laws in every dis-

trict, they, too, must be held to the same standards. The OSCE must evaluate its own procedures and develop a formula so ttrat it can make unequivocal statements. Ambiguity can lead to inaccurate conclusions. [ntemational organizations should make herculean efforls to ensure that monitors are ttrere for one purpose-to make impartial judgements of election proceed-

of analysis should apply to the many monitor reports on which IFES based its conclusions. Finally, there is no doubt that the actual voting process must be such that no matter what the degree of subjectivity, the fairness of the vote carmot be doubted. The Republic of Armenia has much work to do in this regard. The govemment should take count, the same standards

the necessary steps to punish those responsible for transgressions, and must enact and implement laws that rcquire future elections to meet standards expected of a nation that professes democracy. By the same token, intemational monitoring organizations and their conclusions are so signihcant, that their nrles and techniques must be equatly stingent.

Every organizalion that took part in the presidential election has cause for much

soul searching.

svM. JoNYAN Is THE PEN NAME

oFA

US ACADEMEIAN

AIM September-October 1996 129

T[e lhserlgs

and it can only push the leaders to compete, to be better leaders for Armenia."

Uole

Albert Grigorian, According to the Central Electoral Commission, the estimated number o[ potential absentee voters worldwide was 80,000 of which 8,190 registered and only 2175 cast their votes. From Vienna to Budapest, from Moscow to Boston, Armenia's emigrants, too, had the chance to participate in the presidential elections.

40,

had left

Armenia seven years ago. He and his wife came to vote, brought their nine-

year-old son and went through the

F z

whole process together. "I want my son to be part of this historic event and I want him to learn, to par-ticipate in matters concerning our homeland." Many were unable to cast their vote because either their passports had expired or they had not pre-regis-

tered.

z E

ev PenIr Nezrnrnru

0l Missed

WUffiB$ M

UrilnU

fllinmm

The curtain had barely come down

Armenia's presidential election when the usual charges and countercharges of irregularities and foul play were exchanged by the authorities and the opposition.

tl.l.t;llSllt'

Anectodal evidence mixed witil reliable proof were paraded before the wuld in an attempt to

Artak Udumian, left, and First Secretary of the Armenian Embassy

influence public opinion and foreign goverrments,

in Venna Armen

Kharazian, center look on as law student Lucine Hovhannisian votes in Budapest ( above ) ; C e ll is t Ale xand e r C hau shian in lnndon (top); voters outside a voting center in Califomia (bottont). Southern California, with the highofemigres, recorded 655

est percentage

votes, with the overwhelming majority

going to the incumbent. Vaginak

Harutunian, 53, a resident of Glendale, stood in front of the Iranian-Armenian Society of Los Angeles building hold-

ing No. 286 while the officials inside were calling one l40-something. He and his wife waited-patiently, proudly-for more than two hours to cast their votes. "We have waited for 700 years for this day and I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said. "No matter who wins and who loses, we, the people of

Armenia. are the winners. democratic process that

It is

the

important

in one or another direction.

Even while the winning side was being congratulated, the opposition took to the sfteets of the capital demonstrating peacefully its dissatisNSDU, leaving the Parliament faction with the election process and questioning the outcome. So far it seemed it was politics as usual in good old CIS fashion. While all of this may have been characterized as a celebration of Armenia's newly discovered democratic traditions, what followed was an aberration and should be repudiated lest it lead Armenia into the unknown. The opposition missed a monumental opportunity to influence evens in Armenia after the election and occupy its righffirl place in the polirical spectrum. It discredited itself by totally disregarding the rule of law and inciting the mob to violence. Fornmately, the authorities'response was measured and Armenia was spared largeParuir Hairikian, head of the

scale bloodshed.

It remains to be seen whether the authorities shall act on *re sentiments of the population as expressed by the vote and whether the opposition and its allies overseas shall be able to resist the temptation to follow the bidding of those whose interests do not coincide with Armenia's. This, Armenia and Karabakh can ill afford. It is telling, given its vulnerable situation, that the Karabakh authorities issued a statement branding the opposition's post-election tactics treasonous. Almost at the same time, an anay of individuals and organizations in the West actively participated in a public campaign to diminishArmenia's stature intemationally. Some groups in the West who are allied with the opposition inArmenia, joined ttre fray on the side of this unholy alliance whose mdn purpose seems to be to force Armenia into political concessions in either is sffategic alliances or in Karabakh. These are two areas where small, landlocked and resource-poorArmenia has held a strong, unwavering position. Weakening Armenia's position regarding either Karabakh or its foreign policy principles would be a coup not only for Azerbaijan or Turkey, but also for the larger states who have a great stake in the flow of oil and other economic and political realities in the region. All sides must reevaluate their positions. Under no circumstances should an internal dispute play into the hands of forces bent on the destruction and subjugation of Armenia and Karabakh. sy RAFr OUFTALIAN OURFAUAN, AN A'IToRI.rEy,

30 / AIM Ssrrevssn-OcroBER 1996

pREstDENT oF.Ir.tE

Ap.mI\[A FUND oF Ttfi WESTERN US.

sion and mistrust. Everyone

flmidental 0hseruers The International Symposium

Pain Mechanisms and Pain Management was to take place in Stepanakert. Karabakh, and Yerevan, September 2l28, 1996-thus coinciding with the Armenian presidential elections. In the days immediately before the conl'erence, as we checked final details befbre receiving the 32 scientists fiom I0 states and l2 countries, everywhere we went, the conversation invariably tumed to the upcoming elections. The pros and cons of the Ter Petrossian govemment

to proceed completely normally through-

Karabakh repeatedly said that Ter

out Yerevan.

Petrossian won the war and established peace. and that they need him to guarantee that peace for another five years. When we returned to Yerevan Wednesday aftemoon. the opposition had already held three days of demonstrations. We arrived in time to observe the evening's chaos. Some members of our group were close enough to hear the speeches of the opposition leaders. At one point, an Israeli scientist and a US

The conclusion of this group of politically naive and largely ignorant

scientist saw Manukian come out and

were heatedly debated by everyone-

declare that the electoral committee had agreed to his demands lor recounting randomly selected ballot boxes. They

colleagues included.

then listened

to Hairikian who

was

clearly playing with the emotions of the crowd by declaring the need for blood donors for the wounded, although it was obvious that he was unable to produce anyone with a serious enough injury to need blood infusion.

British and a US scientist

observers was that the events were evi-

dence of burgeoning democracy in Armenia. Unfortunately, the crowd's assault on the parliament building creates

opportunity for the Ter Petrossian govemment to clamp down on the opposition. A better altemative would be for the current leadership to realize its shortcomings and decrease the gap between them and the people by incorporating some of the demands. and members. of the opposition. an easy

The opposition also was hasty and impatient. The early tally on Sunday gave Ter Petrossian 57 percent of the vote. By the end of the week this number dwindled to less than 5l percent. Given the reported inegularities, the opposition could have easily negotiated for a second

round of elections between

Ter Petrossian and Manukian. That chance was squandered at the doors of the Parliament.

watched soldiers shooting into

the air to disperse the crowd.

On Friday, we visited the director of

Other scientists observed the crowd rampaging through the city after the zumy dispersed them. A taxi driver tried to control a

were to be housed. This routine visit

demonstrator holding a rock in his hand with the intention of tossing it through

stretched into a four-hour ordeal wherein the administrator would repeatedly proclaim, "How can I promise you anything when I do not know who my president will be after Sunday." Over the next two days it became obvious that for the first time in this cen-

The demonstrator produced a knif'e fiom his pocket and challenged the taxi driver, then he tossed the rock to the ground and walked away. Many in our group were clearly impressed by the restraint with which the government was dealing

tury the people truly had no idea who

with the events, as well as with

would lead them after Sunday. The mood was one of both elation and panic.

seemingly well-organized and well-

fifth anniversary of

By midnight, it was all over. The

the independence of Armenia, we attended a rally in support ofTer Petrossian in Republic Square. Young students, dressed to the hilt. more interested in impressing each other than in the politi-

army had taken over the city and the

a sanatorium where the foreign scientists

Saturday, on the

the window of the Chinese Embassy.

the

thought-out stance of the opposition.

demonstrators had left. For the

next three days. we conducted our sympo-

sium

at the

A. NEURoscTENCE RESEARoT

Lesoxrxxres

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cal implications of the event, milled

the Parliament building. The area was

l-3 months $7 per month

about. Surprisingly, everyone we questioned said they would not vote fbr Ter

completely surrounded by tanks and soldiers. However, people were allowed to come and go freely. On Thursday, the delegation visited Geghard and on Friday, we enjoyed a splendid performance of Othello by the Armenian State

4-6 months $6.50 per month Palment in $US checks or mone! orders should be sent to:

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Petrossian, citing socio-economic conditions as their main grudge. On Monday, when news of Ter Petrossian's victory reached Stepanakert, we were there. People congratulated each other and toasted him. Mentioning

the opposition only gave rise to confu-

At no time did any of us f'eel our

SUNY

HEALTH ScTENCE CEi-TER. SyRAcusE. Nr:w YoRK.

National Academy of

Sciences, directly across the street from

VANIA APKARIAN

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1996

smMfrmilsffi $ilsffiwffif

Tiln Lnllil nllil U$llldlllil tnild From fhe Ppople, fo the People, for thr Poopile The 5-kilometer segment smack in the middle of the road linking Goris to Stepanakert is called the

Lachin corridor, because the town of Lachin lies right at the center. The only road connecting the

two lands-Armenia and Karabakh-snakes through a canyon and up rocky mountains.

t I t I

t is badly consl.ructed. too long and unnecessarily dangerous. After all, it

roads from Stepanakert to Goris was obvious," says Manushak Petrossian,

was in Azerbaijani tenitory and the Azeris were not really interested in

Executive Director of the Yerevan-based Armenia Fund-a pan-Armenian organization founded with the purpose of providing support to build Armenia's and Karabakh's infrastructure. The Armenia Fund fundraises and allocates funds for specific projects-such as this road. "The road through the Lachin corri-

good connections between Armenia and Karabakh. When the war raged in Karabakh,

furious battles in and over the corridor resulted in a total Armenian victory. But the road, badly damaged during military operations and by heavy equipment, was almost unusable.

"The necessity

32 I lluseprember-october

reconstructing 1996

dor is the shortest, busiest and most conof Lachin, the govemments Armenia and

venient. After the liberation

Karabakh carne to the Armenia Fund with a proposal for a road reconstruction project. Right away, we started the work." Indeed, this road is the only link

between Karabakh and not only Armenia, but the whole world. It is the only way of delivering humanitarian and other help to an economy badly damaged after years ofblockade and war. First off, the road was divided into five segments. Two segments from the Armenian side to the town of Lachin, the

Literally carving a road out of the mountainside, workers

work 10-12 hour days, trying to beat the seasons, as communities around the world raise construction funds. third from Lachin to the border of

7:00 a.m. and take them back at 7:00

Karabakh, the fourth to Shushi, and the last, from Shushi to Stepanakert. Then. Armenia's State Institute of

p.m." Grigorian continues.

Road Design started planning the reconstruction, section by section. And then, an unusual step-a request for building proposals was issued. "For us, this was a completely new way of working," explains the director of Zangenx Transportation Construction, Vachagan Khurshudian. "In the old days, we held the monopoly for the Goris region and we built all roads. Now we are a joint-stock company, where 80 percent of the shares belong to the govemment and 20 percent to the employees. We studied the project thoroughly, we considered our abilities, and we calculated that we could do the work for US $l l0 per meter. So, we won the tender." Harutiun Avakian, Head of the

Armenia Fund's

Construction

Department explains that their own projected cost estimate per meter (or yard) of the road's first segment was US $250.

Standing

on the building site,

Grigorian notes, "The old road was no wider than four meters (13 ft.) The new one will be seven meters wide and will have another three meters of ditches and additional shoulder space. To achieve the designed paftrmeters we have to level steep mountainsides." Alik Khoilunts, 46. supervisor for one of the road's five segments, adds that they have to dig and transport approximately 115,000 cubic meters (4,060,000 cu.ft.) of soil to prepare 350 meters (less than 400 yards) of road.

"It took

almost 2.5 months to complete the work," says Artashes Babaian,

starting his Komatsu 60 meters up the rocky hillside. The excavators follow the

tractors. Ashot Sinanian, 49,

and Gennady Stepanian, 35, clean away the rock. "I work at terrifying heights, and to be honest, sometimes it's scary," admits Stepanian.

Khurshudian says that while calcu-

"But since Zangezur had 2,000 tons of

lating the cost of construction,

bitumen in stock, their cost estimate was significantly lower. Yet, these stocks are

were a major concem. "We tried to find the golden mean. Our monthly salaries

not endless. I am sure that sooner or later we shall approach sums close to the ini tial estimated cost." Khurshudian, 43, is a graduate of

Yerevan Polytechnic lnstitute. He has

worked at Zar,gezur since 1975. He knows the company's capabilities well. "We have several tractors, including five big Komatsus, seven big excavators, four cranes and other machines. But the road is in such bad condition and the tenain is so rugged that we lose one Komatsu every few miles." T,angentr also has three asphalt producing factories. "We moved one of them to Lachin, to be closer to the road," explains Hayrapet Grigorian, 38, engineer. "Unfortunately, there are no construction specialists living in Lachin, so we have to bring the workers from Goris.

Zangentr's chief

"Two buses pick up the workers at

wages

here are from 20,000 to 80,000 dramsabout US $50 to $200." Aresh Arushanian, a heavy truck driver, receives 30,0fi) drams per month-

"I support a family of six---+ny grandmother, wife, three kids

jirst under $75).

and myself. The money is not enough, but

fortunately, I have relatives in the villages

who help by giving us some of their produce." Almost everyone is in the same situation. They receive much more than average wages, yet it's still hard to make ends meet.

'At

the same time, we have to take

into consideration the demands of the market. By setting salaries that are too high, we could loose the tender. fiien, there would be neither salaries, nor work, nor, maybe, evenZargenx itself," comments Khurshudian. On the other hand, he continues,

there is the emotional fulfillment. "We know we are doing very honorable and signifi cant work," Khurshudian observes. "We work for our people, it is their road that we are constructing. The money comes from real people." And the Armenia Fund is a tough client. "We have never worked with such a customer," Khurshudian notes. "They exercise strong control over our activities.

They're here almost every week." Harutiun Avakian says that together with such inspection visits, the Fund also has two site supervisors in place. Slavik Abrahamian is based in Goris and Ararat Magumian, in Lachin. Once, Avakian remembers having to redo about 10-12 meters of asphalt, because it wasn't done conectly the first time. But the results are worth it. One frequent traveler said, "l have traveled all along Armenia and parts of Georgia. I am sure, there isn't another road of such quality." But it's not done yet. The early rains in the autumn of 1995 stopped most work until the spring of 1996. Another time, work had to be stopped, but for pleasant reasons. The road had to be redesinged

when workers discovered that some houses which had been vacant and wefe AIM September-October 1996 I 33

,}.li1l@.?q#$S{d#qff+q&&*Sdd-/--E-!dr.dinn#*di

''"''",@e"''j'4rylw4qffi{111ffi"4$li!ffi5#'t..s\'1ffi..E$*de#+f,

to have been

disassembled, were now

inhabited.

It is interesting to

notice the deep

attachment of both workers and residents to this politicai no man's land. Officially Azeri territory, fully occupied and con-

trolled by Karabakh forces, the Lachin corridor is inhabited and thriving. Khurshudian says,

"It

is impossible.

The truck drivers v'ho use the road regularly are obviously pleased. No

This land will never be given back to Azerbaijan. It will mean giving up all our

less satisfied are the heavy mac'hin-

hope, beliefs, everything."

"During all negotiations on the Karabakh conflict," explains Armenia Fund's Manushak Petrossian, "one of our conditions is always that Lachin has to be humanitarian corridor. cannot become retumable to Azerbaijan. It can be under intemational control, but this link, this artery must always remain open."

av Menx GzuooRnN PHo.ros BY MrHtr,cn KHecuernteN

ery operators thentselves..

f;.:*ide Full,of

if...}Ir,,*ll*=*xc fi pllls.

The bus comes to the curve trd stops. Very.slowly and carefully. it starls to turn, rnaking sure that no more than one wheel at a time hangs over the precipice.- Whentle turn is complete. dre bus drives on *t, *i*ul clip, only to stop again The road which stretches from Karabakh's capital Stepanakert to Goris, the f,rrst city on Annenia's side

and.tumt:: in

the bor-

segmen| frorn SFF*r* *r{ to l"aehiE ,ftll of+ists flp more than three of those hours. In between Step*nake* in Karabakh, end Heris erri**f,achin. =iaetllrr Conids,-t l$ utiful places in the world. It's a deep ciuryon with two small mountain rivers. Ghochazsu and Akera, flowing along the bot-

'',liE

or,re most

tom. The road weaves along almost vertical, forest-covered slopes. At egch curve, the landscape changes. The horizon moves-sometimes miles away, sometimes up close, within several meders.

Suddenly. a viltage comes into view. The houses appear empty. On closer inspecrion" it is obvious that these are not aetual houses-Thgy arc only walls.N-o doors, windo*s; fs or floois are left, Y-et, qne sees oai*riffid::signs of humar-t presence. Several families now live here. They may not be nghting, but the war isn't over, either. On fte completed road segment, a passenger can even write while the bus is moving so smooth ii ihe asphalt. Anton Chekhov once said aboui lgth century Russia that it suffers from comrption and bad roads. Armenia Fund seems to have saved this part of our land from the second misfortune.

EY MARX GerceE*ali

34 I Alill

September-October 1996

&*W

ilmwilffiil#ffi $ilswwffiv

Me M$l$ ftmeptcnnxn ffmpm

A Conversation with Peace Corps Volunteers in Armenia Throughout the Middle East

in the 60s and 70s, rare was the

Armenian home which didn't have

a picture of

American

Why are you in the Peace Corps?

Matt:

re-entered expressly to

live in a former soviet republic. The

In an odd historical twist, John F.

interesting thing about Armenia is that so many trends which are happening all over the world are happening here all at

Kennedy's biggest legacy to Armenians may be the Peace Corps,

once: from nationalism issues in Karabakh, to changing the economic

President John F. Kennedy.

which he

estab-

lished in 1961 as a

way of offering American youth

the opportunity to volunteer in foreign countries

and to

become

"soldiers of peace"

rather than "ugly American" ambassadors who lacked compassion. Today, the Peace Corps sends 6,529 volunteers, at a cost of $219

million, to

94 countries-among them, the Republic of Armenia.

Since

1992, teams of 20 to 30 volunteers have arrived each year to stay

two years--either to teach English throughout the republic's schools, or to offer business consulting to new and budding capi-

talists. This conversation with four volunteers-Denise Talotta,

Matt Jensen, Don Flumerfelt and Teresa Kornegay, took place in a cafe in Yerevan's Republic Square, directly under Lenin's gaze,

were he still standing on his pedestal.

system, to being overwhelmed by a

lot

of westem images on television. My students-{eenagers-are in ttre middle of deciding whether they're in Europe or Asia, what

means

to be

independent. Terrcsa: Compared to Matt's very global explanation, mine sounds very selfish. I had long known I wanted to join ttre Peace Corps, but I wanted to come with a skill, so fust, I leamed to teach. Then, I came to find out who I am and what I can do. It's a lifetime process.

Denise: It took me a long time to I had no support from family or friends. I did choose this area of the world, because as a teenager, I remember being scared of a huge war with "America's big enemy." Years later, I wanted to see this "enemy" for myself. decide to do this and

What did you expect to find in Armenia? Don: Russia and the Soviet Union were kind of synonymous to me. I was involved in youth hockey and thought I could keep my skating going by coming here. I knew that Russians were great skaters but I came to Armenia to find out that nobody skates. It's interesting the effect Armenia had on me. I had two pairs of roller blades. One of them is a top brand and in the US I wouldn't let anyone even look at them. Here, I loan them out for weeks on end. I don't even know who has them right now. I don't know if that's a spinoffof the Armenian culture, or the socialism aspect

of sharing everything.

Matl

I expected Armenian people

AIM September-October 1996 135

"Oh, we would never say that in Yerevan." I was just living 15 kilometers (10 miles) away, yet I was getting a different experience from the ciry

What did you learn during the cross-cul.

tural training you received? Denise: Appearance is very important here. They want things to look good and normal. So, when local people would talk to us about schools or about the business

environment, they would embellish their descriptions and make things sound nicer than in actualiry they are. We would ask, are there discipline problems, do you hit the children? We were told no, yet of course these things do exist.

How do Armenians react to your being here?

to be somewhat similar to

Armenian-

Americans-very educated, very enterprising. I guess I didn't expect it to be as "soviet" as it is. My frustrations here are largely explained by my Armenian friends as the legacy of decades of soviet domination. I think I expected a European country and that's not what I found at all. I found a country that was just Armenia-a place and a people very unwilling to classify themselves.

Teresa: All the information we received before coming began with there will not be.Tltere will not be gas. There will not be heat. There will not be water. Bring a sleeping bag, bring candles. You will not find food products, you will just eat potatoes. So, when I got here, I was pleasantly surprised at the availability of goods and the fi:iendliness of the family with whom I lived. That pleasantness changed, however, when I was sent to my site. I lived in refugee housing for two years, outside of Yerevan, in Masis-in a dormitory, where the first three floors housed refugees from Baku, lrninakan and Iran. All those there will not be's came to pass. I did not have running water for two years. I had electricity, but minimal. Food just wasn't available.

I realized the difference between liv-

ing inYerevan and outside the city. I would

come into Yerevan repeating the slang expressions 36

/AIU

I had leamed only to be told,

September-October 1996

Don: Some people think we're crazy. Others think we're spies. Some think that we're orphans, or just couldn't get jobs in the US and that's why we're volunteering. A significant part of the population, therefore, doesn't respect us. I was living in a house with Europeans where there was a maid who was making more money than my Peace Corps stipend and, therefore, I was freated horribly.

How do they know how much you make?

Don: It's such a common question, I'm tired of fighting it. They ask so often, I don't mind telling people any more. At home, my parents don't know my salary. Here, everybody knows.

Denise: It's simple. They say, "Hi, How much do you make?" Don: Yeah, eenchkan ashkhadavarts. If we don't tell them, they think we make huge.American salaries. Denise: For ihem, it's not rude to ask about salaries. For us, it is. They even ask me how much I made in the US, too.

you tell them how much you made in the US and then you tell them how much you make here, doesn't that change their perception ofyou? Denise: Yes, then they think wele stupid. "Why did you do that? Did you lose your job? Did you get fired from your job?" The idea of volunteerism here is still very new. And the word volunteer means

what-forced volunteer? Because in soviet times, a "volunteer" cleaned [all 999] Cascade steps. Are we that same kind of volunteer?

Don: When we tell them we get $4.60

a day, they say they can't understand how we live on that. But then, they tell us their salary is $5 a month, which raises the big question: where does the rest of their income come from?

How comfortable do they feel with

you-

the adults and the kids?

Matt: I seem

to have a far better relationship with those of my colleagues who

were educated in Russian schoolsbecause they have more of a westem atti tude, perhaps. Part of the problem I think is age. I have a problem convincing people

that I'm 33. They all think that we're all very young-in our early 20s. And the fact ttrat

I'm

33 and not married is even more

puzzle. I've had people tell me that administrators have told teachers---+specially young women-{o keep a distance from me. Post-menopausal teachers, I get along with fine. But I think it's somewhat scandalous for a married, 24-25 yeu old teacher to have even a professional relationship with me. Denise: Both men and women find it hard to have a friendly relationship with someone of the other sex. There are always

overtones. Those who have become my friends tell me they are just not socialized to sit around and talk as friends like we do in the west. Teresa: Many of the volunteers end

up staying with other volunteers over the

There is another way ttris culnrc has

In the moming, as a volunteer Ieaves with a sleeping bag, the little man who sits outside my building yells,

weekends.

affected me and I couldn't believe

"Goodbye Teresa's lover". I say, "No, it's not Teresa's lover, it's Teresa's friend." But they're not ready to see that. During my first year, they assumed that I had six, seven different men coming to stay with me all the time. Matt: Two women volunteers stayed with me in Vanadsor and my class was well aware of it right away because they know everything that goes on in town. I thought I had explained to them that it's OK for women friends to stay in my apartment and that there is no implication there. They responded, "Yes, that's fine, we know that in America you can have sex with many

people. You're just different from us." Their assumption was that of course I was having sex with bottr of them, and that it was OK and nanral to flaunt it. Denise: As a female volunteer, living alone in Yerevan, I can't say I've had the same "generous" reaction from my neighbors.

A single woman living alone

also has

a meaning onto itseH. As an American, they assume that you are free and loose and [a character out ofl Santa Barbara [a pop

ular American soap opera dubbed in Russian and serialized daily in Yerevanl.

Do girls and women feel comfortable talking to you, even ifthey think you are "loose"? Teresa: Everyone feels comfortable talking to me. Questions about marriage, about sex, about everything. Then, I don't know, do I answer? Is answering going to give them the wrong idea about me, about

what I know or should know? But they also see me as a friend. These are 14-18 year olds. I'm 31. Many of the women in my building who are 31 have three or five kids and they live in one room. Matt: I think much of what happens with us is not typic4l Armenian behavior. With us, they get to step out of their culture. So, we get a distorted view of the Armenian character.

Denise: The students in my classroom respect me, but the students who see me from the outside ard aren't aware of what I do, don't. They always speak to me as du, neYer with the formal duk. T\ey make fun of me, often. That's because of the different teaching methods we usecooperative methods, interactive activities. We re freer with them. For one thing, we smile a lot more than their regular teachers

ever do. But my older students at the State Engineering University enjoy the fact that they feel free to express opinions, participate in critical thinking, analysis, problem solving or simply speaking.

Don: This gender issue

appears

everywhere. We worked wittr a doctors' association that wanted and did receive funding for a sex education program. After it was funded, I heard that they were having trouble getting into some

schools because the principals didn't think this subject should be taught. As a result of this kind of attitude, someone who had received a condom told me that a month after he got it, it was still working fine.

In your experiences here, are you gtving or receiving? Don: Undoubtedly, we'll leam more from the people here than we'll everteach them. We're on their turf. For example, culturally, it's impolite here to say No when someone asks you something. The answer's never no. At home, we're taught that no means no. Here, yes could mean no, and yes could mean yes, and they both sound like yes. Quite often, when you want to get something done, you hear, "Yes, we'll take care of it tomorrow" and it never happens. When you grow up here, you just leam to rely on past experiences, leam to read people and situations.

I was

home for a month a little while ago, and wondering what I would do next. I caught myself thinking, whatever career move I make, how is that going to affect the reputation of my family. I never used to think that way. I can only think of one place that came from. Armenia. Mat* I like the word "ambivalence." Deepseated in the Armenian psyche is a sense of both superiority and inferiority, at the same time. There's a need to feel good about who they are, but as a result ofwhat ttris counny has gone through in just one generation, they're fighting that sense ofno control. The earthquake did it to the young people I work with. The lack of control over their lives has affected every generation of Armenians and resulted in bottr a need for superiority, and a sense of inferiority. Teresa: It was difEcult forme to walk into my classroom and say, hey I'm here to teach you English, to people who already speak three languages. Here I am, coming in knowing only one language-English, and just a smattering of Armenian. At times, I feel very inferior to my neighbors. They speak to me in Russian, then switch to Georgian and then to Armenian. But as my Armenian gets better, I guess I'll be OK, Don: One of ttre things that can be most frustrating is that even after we get a lay of the land, and we can see some business opportunities to recommend, we are

told we don't know what it's like

here.

Granted, we'll never know what it really means to be an Armenian. We knew the minute we got offthe plane that we would go home in two years. If we really, really wanted to, we could go home next week, and that fact just totally separates us. But we still know many things which may be useful. One of the businesses we worked with-previously state-owned, now privatized-was operating at five percent capacity. The owners thought this was because the raw materials were no good. TheArmenian consultants said the packaging wasn't as good as the gompeting kanian product. I could see tlrcy were not basing their conclusions on data. So we went the market and conducted

shukayakan hetazotutiun

[market

researchl. We talked to the sellers, showed them the product, and even though the

packaging was inferior, they said they could sell it. We came back and told ttre directom.

AIM September-October 1996 I 37

going from one economic system to another, theblockade, enemies on the east and on the west. The amount of elecricity that we can expect now, compared to the one or two hours a day two years ago, is amazing.

Our information was immediately rejected and the directors said, "You don't understand these people, they will say yes to you because you are foreigners and they don't

want to tum you down."

All

this, even

The amount of goods available

tlrough ttrc people at the shula were prcpared to place orders that sarne day. Tercsa: That attitude about my being an outsider changed after I lived through a winter, in the same conditions in which the people lived. Then, their understanding of me vastly improved. They said many people had come to help the school but they didn't live here. Their drivers brought them and took them back. But I walked to the school, then came back to a home with no

was never developed.

Matt:

travel toYerevan and see the improvements

here. ln Vanadsor, the street lights now work and there are public baths with hot water. But it's still dfficult to have a conversation with anyone wittrout every other sentence starting with "since the earttr quake." Living in those little metal domes has become "normal". Post-earthquake life

Denise: We proved ourselves. a

rcsult, ttrey began to

think that what we and the Peace Corps wanted to do was actually viable for the community. Denise: They see me walking with them, taking the meEo, lugging my water up from the fint floor. There are still peo. ple who see me on the streets every few weeks and express their surprise to find that I'm still here. "Wow, you must really love the country," they tell me.Yeah, sometimes I love the county, sometimes I don't.

When don't you love the country?

That is why, outside Yerevan,

the frustration is higher because people

water, and sat there and looked at the cows. Tercsa: Yes. As

has

changed drastically. You can buy orange juice anywhere in Yerevan now. Outdoor cafes were rare. The pace of improvements is very different from that of a country that

in Vanadsor is "normal". Those in their 20s have, in ttre last eight years, seen an earthquake, the dissolution of the Soviet Union,

Don: This culture is so fascinating. The fust time my neighbon saw me doing my own laundry, they decided I had to get married right away. They couldnl believe I

ttreir friends killed in Karabaki and their Azeri friends forced out. I think ttrey have to deal with the past before they can start dealing with the future. There's a lot of confusion, family loss. I think their brains are on overdrive. So, even though theirdayto-day lives are a little better, they still wonder, even if I get this degree, will I be paid

The history of this country makes it difficult to understand why things are the way they are. The whys of this culture evade me still. I think that is the thing I hate most about Armenia. You just can't get answers. Denise:

love the country when I'm

with my Armenian friends, when I'm in their homes, when I become an insider. But

I am close to maybe nvo families. Not the teachen who I see every day at the Institute, not my neighbors. To become close you need to spend time together, talking, drinking cotree. But, sometimes I don't like the coun[y because I am always seen as a foreigner first. They immediately see a stereotype in you. The female volunteers are often harassed. That's when I downright hate the culture. When I ask my students in class, what would you be if you could be anything, and two of my very brightest students (women) say they would be men, altogether,

that's when

dislike the culture. On the

other hand, in the classroom, when we're having a real dialogue, and I can tell they are enjoying my message and my teaching, that's when I really like being here.

38 leru

September-October 1996

could boil water and put macaroni in it. Matt: I thought since Armenia is such a small country, things would be easier to figure out. Someone at the embassy said, I've been in Armenia longer ttran two weeks, so I'm no longer an expert. The history of this country makes it difficult to understand why things are the way they are. What's related to the earthquake, what's related to Armenian history what's related to the Soviet Union? The whys of this culture evade me still. I think that is the thing I hate most about Armenia. You just can't get answers. But, when my neighbor, Vera, who doesn't speak any English, lets me babysit her eight-year-old, so that she can go to ttre market by herself, that's when I like this country.

How has this society changed in the time you've been here?

Don: lt's an interesting situation:

as a teacher in five years or not, or am I going to live as my parents live? Ilon: I think if I grew up here and had ttre same history it would be hard for me to be any more hopeful. Every one alive in this country today somehow depended on the securiry ofa soviet factory or institution for their future. Today they have nothing to depend on. Plus, the people who they'd been taught were their enemy are here for short stints, and ale saying, "we'll show you the way." It would be inhuman of us to expect them to give us instant frust. We'll just have to be content that the results of our work will be apparent after we've gone home.

How do you get information about the outside world and aboutfumenia? Teresa: Outside information becomes very unimportant. At first, I craved mail.

TMay, we were watching the Olympic

@#;W,i,rflliil-<, on TV at the

wrap-up

Embassy, and

[American]

I realized I get really antsy

now watching TV, because nothing there really affects me.

Matt: My English-speaking students listen to the BBC and the Voice of America. The information is out there for it. I'm much more inter-

those who want

ested

in my neighbor's

business. My

world's become much smaller. We're just a plane ride away from Chechnya, and that concems my mother, yet I feel farther from it than I did at home.

Don: I brought

in25

a shortwave radio and

months here, I haven't tumed it on

What are the issues facing kids? Denise: They say, "We're leaming, but why are we leaming?" The hope factor is missing. There is apathy all around. They say, "I see what's happening to my parents.

see we're poor. I see I can't afford my own apartment to have my own family." At

the same time, I see them absorbing surprising aspects of westem culture. I never

expected Snickers

and Coke and

Cosmopolitan Magazine. Sometimes it worries me that they want to talk about

Jean-Claude Van Damme and Amold

are the ones which have the most impact;

Schwarzenneger and I'm worried that these are the influences that America has brought to the world. That scares me. They think of

hogram in difflerent schools. We can't

America and freedom and they think of America's immorality, and our drug problems. They love our music, our movies. But I worry about whether they are going to get the right parts of American culture. Teresa: I don't wan[ to bring the problems of American culture here. Teenage

pregnancy

is basically unheard of

and

drive-by shootings don't exist here. How do we weed out the negative and still bring the positive? While we're striving to gain Armenian awareness, they're striving to gain American awareness. Matt: One of the good things about being here is that a lot of us have communicated that the US isn't this heaven-like place to follow blindly. They've seen thar we are somewhat discontented with our own nation, and I think that's good. They have told me that Armenians must suffer, yet Armenians have hope. They really believe that's all they have. Don: There is no doubt that of all the programs with which the Peace Corps is involved,, those which work with children

for example, the Junior

Achievement

miss. These children in the classroom know

there is nothing they could give us, nothing we could be t ying to get from them. They

know we're not related to them, we don't have Armenian blood. Even at a young age,

they know that their language is not useful

to us

outside the borders

of their small

country, but they see us stumbling through it anyway.

And, it's definitely ffue that this is the

first generation to whom we can say the future of Armenia is in their hands. What type of economic system? That's up to them. Each has advantages and disadvantages. They have to look at which kind of system they want, get behind the people

who are going to create that system, or invent one of their own. And then, like John

F. Kennedy said, "Harts mi dvek eench garogh e enel tser yerkeere tsez hamar, harts dvek eench garogh ek enel tuk tser yerkree hamar. Dcr,s this need translation?

Don't ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

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NI,EASWI=W#ffim** AIM September-October

1996

/ 39

il#TfiMHATIBilAT

US missile strikes, combined with continuing UN sanctions, against lraq will damage Russia's economic interests, said Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Viktor Posuvalyuk, since Iraq owes Russia US $7 billion, and won't be able to repay until the sanctions are lifted and the situation is normalized. The missile attacks against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's toops have resulted in Tlrkey's decision to establish a security zone in northera lraq, to prevent its own Kurdish population from being affected by the uprisings of Iraq's Kurds. Meanwhile, in an effort to benefit from Kurdish infighting, Saddam Hussein appears to have supported Massoud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Pafiy (KDP) faction, and helped it in its struggle for power against the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Turkeyl as well as US officials, concerned with Barzanils apparent alliance with Hussein, met with Barzani (above with Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller) to discuss the Kurdish problem.

Azerbaijani Parliament Chair-

man Rasul Guliev resigned from office in early September following

disagreements with Azerbaijani presi-

dent Haidar Aliev over Azerbaijan's economic direction. Guliev may be

named ambassador

Norway. A

Norwegian company is part of the international consortium developing Azeri oil fields. Georgia repeated its insistence on receiving a part of the Black Sea

The presidents of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia conferred on developing cooperation among the Transcaucasian and Central Asian states.

Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev (left), Haidar Aliev and Eduard Shevardnadze affirmed that their countries' "strategic, economic and political interests coincide.'l Thus, they talked about oil export

mechanismr and a transit corridor for exports to the international markets, in both cases without dependence on Russia.

40 /AIM

September-October 1996

ffiffilj*rB about the deterioration of the situation

Chechnya," said Natik Aliyev of

the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR). Aliyev added that Azerbaijan "is in favor of settling the [Chechen] conflict as soon as possible." He said, however, that he saw "no special problem in the fact that oil transportation will begin later than envisaged." However, if the situation in Chechnya continues to develop in "such a fash-

ion," Azerbaijan will be forced to accelerate construction of the BakuSupsa "western" oil pipeline to the

Georgian coast ofthe Black Sea. Such a move would likely increase tensions

Unlike the US which announced

its opposition to

has the re-

election of UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Russia has announced its support of BoutrosGhali who is from Egypt.

between Baku and Moscow, which would like to see as much oil as possible from Azerbaijan's offshore fields flow through Russia. Although the recent escalation of

hostilities in Chechnya concerns both Azerbaijan and Russia for obvious reasons, there is the added worry over

illegal petroleum refiners in Grozny siphoning oil into underground facili-

ties that process low-grade gasoline

Fleet

which Ukraine and Moscow

had divided between

themselves. Georgia has the naval ports and infrastructures of Poti and Ochamchire, and requires additional vessels to patrol its naval borders. Ukraine indicated such agreement should be possible.

The president of Abkhazia has scheduled a parliamentary election

for November 23.

1996. The existing Abkhaz parliament split during the

1992-93 civil war, with the Georgian deputies fleeing to Tbilisi.

A Russian agreement

currency revenues, have an interest in making sure no more oil is transferred out of the pipeline illegally.

Ukraine will begin exporting crude oil to Greece in early 1997 as production from a promising development in the Crimea increases nearly tenfold from current levels, one of the developers said. Oil would be sold to the Greeks through a long-term contract rather than on a spot basis.

of the Azerbaijani-Iranian border. Nevertheless, it's not all sector

smooth going. Azerbaijan arrested of its own clerics accused of working with Iranian intelligence and Iran disallowed the opening of an Azerbaijani consulate in Tabriz-the some

main city in a large area of northern Iran, right across the border from the Republic of Azerbaijan and inhabited

by an estimated six million

ethnic

Azeris. Islamic clerics have organized

demonstrations in Tabriz against Azerbaijan's policies as a secular state. Tens of thousands of Azeris in Iran have signed petitions calling on their deputies to "demand the return" to Iran of various Caucasus cities,

including Baku, the capital of

Azerbaijan. The petition calls on the leadership of Azerbaijan to "recognize historical facts" and accede to the demands. Baku has always been careful not to leave the impression that it has territorial aspirations in Iran.

Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov's first visit to the

West was to meet with German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel in

Bonn, where the two

discussed

Russia's role within NATO, and the work that each side will carry out to

strengthen

the Organization

for

Security and Cooperation in Europe at that organization's summit in Lisbon, in early December.

with

Azerbaijan providing for the transport of part of the early oil from the Azerbaijani offshore fields of Azeri, Shirag and Guneshli to

for sale in the Chechen capital. Both Baku and Moscow, which depend heavity on oil to bring in hard-

Azerbaijan and Iran are working to improve relations and expand the free trade zone in the eastern

terminal on the Russian coast of the Black Sea via the existing BakuNovorossiisk pipeline may be affected by the continuing unrest in Chechnya. The pipeline which passes through the conflict-ridden area was expected to begin oil delivery in early 1997. a

The agreement provides for transporting 35 million rons of Azerbaijani oil during the next five

Although Ttrrkey reoently medr * US $23 billion nafural gas defll witlr

Iran.

Turkish . President Suleyman Demirel sffessed his country's continuing energy needs. "Turkey needs natur-al gas as much as it needs air or bread. Teday, Tirkey buys five bi[ion ouhio rneters

of gas from thc [fq]rnerl Soviet

Union. This must be raised to 20 billion cubic meters immediately," he commented in August.

years. "The government of Azerbaijan therefore has reason to be concerned AIM September-October

1996

/ 4l

tilT#ffiffiATilE#f,il,

ffi ffi*em!tr **rffeeff An Interview with Presidential Candidate Bob Do.le

ttre

kaqi Kurds from Saddam Hussein's

brutal and oppressive policies. With regard to Karabakh, my position has been equally clear. There is a need to uphold respect for fundamental human rights and norms, and ensure the continuation of the peace process. I support the legitimate aspiration of the people of Nagomo Karabakh.

US foreign aid is in fact a very small portion of the federal budget .Yet general perception is such that the public seems to want reduction in that aid. Where do you stand on for. eign aid, especially to the newly inde-

pendent states.-+nd to Armenia in

particular?

support carefully targeted US foreign assistance designed to sfengthen the private sector of developing Dole (right) with wife Elizabeth (center) visiting children in Armenia afier the 1988 earthquake

economies and bolster democratic institutions. As a long-term supporter

The Clinton Administration's four years stand as their own statement on candidate Clinton's views and his approach to issues of relevance to the Armenian-American community. Senator Bob Dole, an advocate of Armenian causes throughout his senate career, answers AIM's questions on the significance of his presidency for Armenian-Americans and for the Republic of Armenia. What do you understand to be US intenests in the Caucasus?

I believe that the US should support the freedom and independence of the Caucasus nations, and oppose any moves

from Russia or elsewhere to undermine their independence. We should support the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law in the Caucasus, and assist in fostering free market economies which can bring economic prosperity to the region. I will make clear that economic blackmail

or meddling by Russia in its

former

empire will have a negative effect on relations with the US. We must avoid any signals that the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 is reversible or that the hard fought freedom of formerly captive nations is not our concern.

How will the Republic of Armenia benefit more from a Dole Administration than it has from the Clinton Administration? A DoleAdministration will fully support an independent and democratic Armenia. It will l) promote economic

will emphasize the private sector and the promotion of free market

assistance that

lAl]N{ September-October 1996

forces, rather than govemment policies, and 2) promote economic reforms and growth inArmenia. It will also implement the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act, and insist that humanitarian assistance to Armenia should remain unim@ed. In addition, a Dole Administration can be counted on to support NAIO enlargement and will strive to bring Armenia closer to

of US aid to Armenia, assistjance to Armenia would continue to be a high priority for me and my administration. This means an emphasis on the private sector, rather than the govemment. ln fact, I sponsored legislation which led

to the creation of the Transcaucasus Enterprise Fund, which seeks to strengthen the private sector.

would

NATO and the Westem community of

also encourage the development of

nations so that Armenia can achieve its objective of political and economic inte-

because, ultimately, the economic poli-

gation with the West.

cies and conditions

sound domestic economic policies within anationwrll

determine the fate of that nation's econ-

How do you reconcile the extreme-

ly different-if not contradictory-

American interpretations of the concept of territorial integrity in Iraq and in Azerbaijan? I have always taken a consistent and principled approach when dealing with matters bearing upon the territorial integrity of another state. At the same time, I have always been committed to the protection of basic human rights worldwide and to holding foreign govemments accountable for their actions in this area. As far as Iraq is concerned, I have strongly backed those actions designed to protect

omy.

What are your expectations of the Armenian-American communi-

ty? What can the community expect of your administration?

Why do you think the Armenian National Committee is lukewarm in its support of your candidacy?

long-standing relationship

and admiration for the ArmenianAmerican community is well known. I am very proud of that relationship. You can count on me to continue mY efforts to acknowledge the Genocide

Tltu [|lsn Behind tfie ftlan The late orthopedic surgeon and literary critic Harnpar Ketikian is not the only Arnenian name heard around the Dole campaign. Kelikian's daughteq

Professor

Italian History Alice

Kahwajian represents Hill Intemational, a construction giant irvolved in rebuilding the llrazdan hydroelectric power plant in Armenia. Those who have worked with them

that both Khachigian

Kelikian, is well-known as a Dole insid-

observe

er. In Califomia, a state whose votes

Kahwajian "are generous about providing

are

and opportunities to

koy to tlre ourcome of the US presidential eloctions, those running tlre Dole-Kemp

acce$s

carnpaign are Executive Director Greg Kahwajian and Campaigr Manager Ken Khachigian. Khachigian's name first surfaced as a Nixon White House aide and speechwrirr to Ronald Reagan. Since then, he lms beefl an advisor, media consultant ard strategist various Republican

involved

for

candidates.

The 5l-year-old native of Visalia, Califomia, is a practicing attomey. He was considered the key to former Govemor George Deukmejian's upset gubematorial victory in 1982 and his

and

other

Armenian-Americans looking to become in American politics." The

Califomia campaign includes Jeff Ahronian as Deputy Communications Director. On the East Coast, Robert Semonian serves on Dole's East Coast campaigrr. For a communiry whose politi-

cal involvement is insignificant on the national scene, Dole's candidrcy has touched a lot ofchords.

Rlgar Hagopian, a Dole suppafier fiom Michigan, who has spent his owrl funds to place Dole ads in Armenian publications observes, 'Bob Dole talks about building a b,ridge to the past. It's not because he's an old man, but because he wants to bring back to our eoeiety att of the good things from the pas such as dignity, ethics and integriry. Itir notorrly

Bill Clinton's anti-Armenian position which move me to support Bob Dole." av Snul Flnnournvrer,r Gs.lzlnnn

Dole (right) with his Califurnia campaign Manager Ken Khachigian (cenrer) and Executive Director Greg Kahwajian during a campaign stop in Los Angeles.

landslide reelection. Kahwajian, 38, a graduate of Holy

Martyrs Ferrahian Armenian High School, is a govemmental and pubiic affairs consultant in private practice. Kahwajian went from student body politics at California State Univenity ar I-os Angeles to becoming a member of Deukmejian's campaign staff. Upon

Deukmejian's election, Kahwajian served as Special Assistant to the governor tluoughout both terms.

Kahwajian, known for his low-key, behind-the-scerrcs management style, is

X ttr

frequently associated with Armenia-

F X

related projects, such as President I-evon

Ter Petossian2s visit to Califomia in

1994" the establishment of the Armenian Consulate General in I,os Angeles and ttre mganization and ptannin! of rhe

Armenia Fund Telethon.

addition,

1915-1923 as an historical fact. I

look forward to working Armenian-Americans

with issues of

concern to both the US and Armenia.

would not care to speculate on why some groups or individuals do not sup-

port my candidacy, but I will say that the Armenian-American community can expect me to be a president who understands this community and its

concerns better than

the

Clinton

Administration, and in fact, better than

any other American President.

Dr. Hampar Kelikian's influence in your life is a subject that you often recall. Why do you think he had such a profound effect on you? Did he see

himself as a representative of

most of what I have, and his generosity in performing numerous surgeries without accepting a penny. Because of Dr. K, I have long felt a special connection with Armenia-a connection that only increased when I toured that country

Armenians, or have you come to

following the devastating earthquake of

see

him that way? "Dr. K" had an impact on my life second only to my family. I will never forget his advice that I should stop looking for miracle cures and make the

1988 and saw the tremendous courage and spirit of the Armenian people. He taught me the history of the Armenian Genocide and inspired my efforts to set right the record of the past.

AIM September-Ocrober

1996

I 43

ffflffiflM

Russia has allocated an

$87 million loan

for the activation of

Metsamor, Armenia's Atornic Power Ptant. The second reactor reopened in November of 1995, due largely to the finaacial *nd technical assistance of the Russian govemmâ&#x201A;Źnt" This han made p*ssible the prcduction of additional electricity to meet the neEdn of indusfrial conrplores and reduce to a minimum the usage of Lake Sevan for hydroeleetrie, caergy, As'a result, the economic crisis has also been lessened. Government and industry afficials are planning ways to adapt to new methods of electdcity and gas distribution and utilization.

In September, during a visit to Armenia, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Vaezi and senior officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Thade and Tourism discussed plans to expand bilateral eco'

nomic cooperation. The

discussions

included plans to construct

Iran-Armenia

gas

pipeline and a high-voltage

electricity transmission line, as well as lranian investment in upgrading Armenia's rail and road network. There was also

In late August, Armenia and Greece signed the Taos Agreement. According to the deal, the Greek side, consisting of OTE and Hellascom will finance the creation of a fiber optics network from Yerevan to the southem city of Meghri. This will facilitate the establishment of communications links between the two cities, as well as international connections to Asia and Europe. The Armenian side consists of the Armenian Telephone

Network, a governmental agency, and the USArmenian joint venture

discussion about a trilateragreement among Turkmenistan, Iran and

Armenia

Turkmen gas

Armenia's Trade Minister,

IAIM September-October

1996

Armentel. The accord

transport

to Armenia via Iran. Vahan

was completed during a visit to Greece

Armenia's Minister

Communication, Grigor Poghpatian.

Melkonian, co-chairman of the bilateral Economic Cooperation Commission,

He and Armenia's Ambassador to

declared the Iran-Armenia relationship a

Greece, Arman Kirakosian, conferred

"top economic priority for Armenia."

with Greece's Minister

Due to various military and political conflicts in the region, Iran has stepped in as Armenia's major trade and economic partner, and its route to the outside world.

Transportation and Communication, Haris Kostanidis, on potential areas of development and cooperation in the communications industry.

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two-hour introductory session. For another US $70, a customer may purchase the whole Mary Kay line. All products bear a seven to ten month expi-

ration date. "Even though lately

the

introductory session has been offered free ofcharge," says Rukhian, "the public's response to this marketing approach has not been as expected."

Anahit 'Annd' Yorgantz YouR Murrrr-TNGUAL Gulor

ro Rrnl

The average age of Armenia's bank directors today is 41. Nearly half of Armenia's 36 banks are run by men between 30 and 40 years of age. The rest are slightly older. Most are economists and the majority have been on the job since 1994.

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

PnoprssroNallsM \rITH

A The Chess Olympiad cost Armenia some US$ 3.5 million, without counting the costs of hotel reconstruction and renovation and

other construction activity. The amount was given to the Olympic Organizing Committee from Armenia's national budget. These costs are not compensated for by the organizing committee. The host coun-

try stands to gain other benefits, including exposure and public relations. The chairman of Armenia's Chess Federation noted that of the 126 participating countries, many knew nothing about Armenia, asking such questions as whether to bring veils or not, and whether Armenia had television or physicians. Armenia's renovated Ani Hotel (above) as well as other hotels and restaurants, and taxi services and car rentals did a brisk business in September.

9LMARy KAy Mary Kay Cosmetics has completed its first year of operation in Armenia. Introducing Armenia's customers to this 200-year-old company and its sales approach has been diffi-

cult. Company president

Sona

Rukhkian explains that natural cosmetics have a shorter shelflife and should be purchased only afier personal consultation with a cosmetics advisor, and not at public markets or second-hand. For 2000 Dram, a customer receives a

EsrerE,

PERSONAL TOUCH

According to new legislation on the Central Bank, its Executive Body dissolved itself, and paved the way for the Central Bank Council to step in as the highest governing body of the

Bank. The Central Bank was lished

estab-

January, 1994, immediately

after the introduction of the Dram. Since

then, the Central Bank's Executive Body has held 62 sessions. It has licensed 74 banks and declared 39 oth-

ers non-operational. According to the new legislation, the bank's president and his deputy continue in their positions until the end of their term in the year 2001.

Although Armenia registered Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rates of five percent in 1994 and seven percent in 1995, preliminary data for

Voice Pager (702) 389-0925

Phone/Fax (7 02) 242-3554 (Blocked calls: Dial -82 & the number)

January-May 1996 show growth of about three percent over the same period

the year before. The

International Monetary Fund holds that projected five percent GDP growth is still possible for 1996. In any case, it will take a long time before recovery from the 63 percent GDP decline over 1991-93. Additionally, the budget deficit is declining as a share of GDP. The exchange rate for the Dram has weakened slighly over last

year-a

2.4

percent decline, which analysts say is consist with inflation. Although the IMF continues to be pleased with Armenia's consistency in reforms, and liberal policies on foreign trade and investment, nevertheless the foreign trade deficit is growing. It stood at $256 million in the first half of 1996. REPoRTED gy

F/A/e,rysrvrn

yov Btuctn

pHoros sy Mrurmn

WEEKLY,

NfrALTY

n\ecartvDs

*r^""#tJlX AIM September-October 1996 / 45

ESSXOMT

lnrnsassd fonlidnncn, Mnru Snuunilirs In September, the Central Bank Educational Institute, created by the Bank, USAID, and the Association of Armenian Banks, began operating, as economists and financial experts from the US conducted classes in Loan Analysis, Risk Management, and u#ou, urp""tJof turt ing. The week-long classis are to be followed by week-long on-the-job training sessions in commercial banks.

I , *u. time for a coffee break in the I Rrr.t and Liability Management I.orrr. I was teaching to Arinenian f b-k .. at the Central tiunt in Yerevan.

lion Dram (420 Dram per one US Dollar)

purchase and hold securities on behalf

clients, as they are obliged to have two

I wandered down

ttre hallway and found a small crowd gathering in front of a room. One of my students was in the crowd and

ed basis in units of 50,000 Dram Per security. After tabulating the bids, the results were announced to the audience. Demand was only for 168 million Dram

accounts: one where they hold the securities purchased for their own account, the other for clienrheld securities. There is a small secondary market for these securities.

said, "Perhaps you would like to stay and witness one of our semiweekly auctions of

at an average interest rate (to the purchaser) of 65 percent with a high (stop) rate of

govenunent securities." Not even knowing that such securities existed, I accepted. After the break up of the Soviet Union, most of the former republics,

66 percent and a low of 62. [n other words, for a 182-day security at 65 percent, the investor paid 37,761 Dram to the Armenian govemment and will get back

including Armenia were left with the responsibility to pay for govemment ser-

50,000

vices----education,

military,

welfare.

However, most did not have the necessary infrastructure to finance these expenditures, zrs their tax collecting systems were non-existent. With help from the

International Monetary Fund (IMF), Armenia, along with a number of other republics, set up its govemment securities markets to provide them with the necessary financial tools to fund their expenses. By issuing short-term securities (bills), the Armenian govemment effectively bonows from the purchaser of the security and offers a fixed interest rate in retum. At maturity, the purchaser receives the fixed interest in addition to the principal. The initial focus of this market is on

the Armenian banks which collect from individuals, and can pur-

deposis

bills with these funds. However. as the market

chase the Armenian govemment

broadens, the government hopes to attract

individuals, corporations and foreign investors.

Inside the small room were the four

of the Armenian Govemment Securities Committee: one officer from ttre Central Bank, trryo from representatives

the Ministry

Finance, and

one

Armenian-American loaned to the government securities project by the US Treasury Department. This committee, armed with an IBM-compatible laptop computer, was accepting bids in sealed envelopes from the representatives of some 15 banks participating in the auction.

Due to be auctioned were 250 mil46 t

llu

September-October 1996

182-day discount govemment securities. The securities are sold on a discount-

Dram in 182 days.

My host unfortunately just being

missed successfully allocated securities

with a bid of 66.8 percent. The govemment is using the auction method to create a real market for government securities, where demand and supply set the market price of the security. Armenia became an independent country at the time of dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and introduced its own curency in November, 1993, changing from the Russian Ruble to the

Armenian Dram. As part of the MF's terms for budgetary support, the govemment securities market began operating in November, 1995, to finance the country's budget deficit which is roughly 5.5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product

(GDP). Initially only 28-day securities were auctioned, as banks did not have complete confidence that they would be repaid at maturity. With time, confidence in the government has grown and demand for both 91 and 182-day bills has emerged. Initially, interest rates on 28-day bills fluctuating between 20 and 50 percent. Current rates on the securities are 32 percent for 28-day bills,47 percent for 91-day, and 65 percent for 182-day. The auction amounts range from 200 million Dram to as high as 1.5 billion Dram with a total amount in

circulation of approximately 6.5 billion DRAM (orUS$ 15 million). TheAuction Committee is planning to auction 365day bills in the near future. They are registered as book entries with a confirmation sent from the Central Bank to the purchasing bank. Banks can

What does all this mean for foreign investors? Despite the reduced liquidity due to low volume. govemment securities would have been highly profitable for for-

eign investors over the past one year. Since the Dram has stayed roughly stable,

28-day securities have averaged well above 30 percent, providing dollar-based investors with a solid return. As countries like Armenia cannot afford either to allow inflation to accelerate. nor to let the currency depreciate dramatically, these securities should offer foreign investors lucra-

tive retums for at least the next

year.

There is currently one foreign-based bank,

Midland Bank, operating in Armenia which is gearing up for this activity, as well as several local banks. BY BARRY HOFFNER

HoFFI.{ER rs A coNsuLrANT oN EMERGING FINANCIAL MARKETS.

Puoro nv Mxnnen Kuecsxrmm

ff0#gMY

$hoe

[ily

he allure of brand names is, if anything, stronger in the newly independent states

of the former

Soviet Union and

Eastern

Europe, than in the West. Even without endless commercials or billboards, the name is everything. It is no wonder then that Reebok and Adidas are doing a booming business on Yerevan's Sayat Nova Avenue. Almost directly across the street from each other, they have both experienced a steady growth.

Reebok's manager, Hrachik Kananian, is pleased with his store's performance since it opened in the summer of 1994. "During the past two years," he says, "the understanding of fashion has changed. If at first it was lower priced items which sold more,

now the majority of customers are more interested in what is trendy and fashionable."

Across the street,

Araik Hairapetian agrees. His Adidas store

the resulting transportation problems, we are dependent on air cargo and that's expensive."

faced by the population, Hairabedian observes that only l0 percent of their merchandise is purchased by tourists. He is satisfied with the store's potential. And although the Adidas name is more familiar in Armenia, than Reebok, Kananian believes his shoes are not far behind.

"The majority of our customers are from Yerevan. Yet there is a 20 to 25 percent who come from other districts, and that is why we are planning to open branches throughout the country," explains Hairapetian. A branch in Gumri is already up and running. Despite the economic hardships

sy Annlr GllsrrlN PHoros By Mxxrren

Kglcuernrex

opened a year later, in the summer of

Coltllulsr 0iltno$, fonls anil tdutalional Proflrfltn$ in flrmenian Ireu

hpereehinaes

1995. Each season, as

his

stock changes, his customers come back to pick up whatever is "hot"-swimsuits and tank tops in the summer, shoes in the fall. 'As soon as the merchandise arrives, during the first week, 60 to 70 percent of my stock is sold." His stock arrives from Moscow, so he can easily adhere to his policy of ordering small quantities and ensuring that they sell before committing to more.

Both Reebok and Adidas

are comfortable with their market share. "People's tastes are changing, and they want new merchandise," notes Kananian, "but with the blockade and

ofAmnria

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finfirtl$t illlil l|er fiIEIilI re gateways for passing or trespassing? Are you walking into welcome territory, or committing an act of transgression?

ing, welding, polishing and painting what is now a gateway on wheels. Trespass is made of steel, some wood and granite tiles. Yet, the visi-

Sculptor Ani Kupelian's 2500 lb., 15 foot by 8 foot by 2.5 foot

ble hardware is mainly unchanging stainless

metal structure, which was exhibited in Southern California's prestigious

Kupelian's work used to consist of metal assemblages prone to rust, giving them an earthy feeling. With her new style, she adopts two prominent

Brand Library during the summer does not begin to answer this question. It simply reiterates the question about as forcefully as one can.

With Trespass, Kupelian

takes

the centuries-old idea of arches and gates as triumphal monuments- the Arc de Triomphe of Paris or Berlin's transplants Brandenburg Gate -and The gateway in it into modern times.

this case is not fixed, but mobile. It

comes

on iron cast wheels with

brakes, as if to remind us that not only are people uprooted and on the move in modern times, but so are monuments. Like people, the monu-

ment gateway has turned into

migrant.

There is another key difference between the classical gateway as monument and Kupelian's conceptualization. Whereas the entryway of a classical gate is flush with the floor, Kupelian's gateway has an obstruction, an elevated plank at the pathway, making it an enclosed gateway. To cross through despite this hindrance means coming face-to-face

with the act of trespassing, an unwar-

ranted infringement upon another's realm. On the inside, a red strip which runs along the post and lintel

of the gateway, and stops at the bottom, is not only a warning sign, but the exact point where the transgression takes place. It becomes the boundary that separates the realms of the accepted and the violated, the outside and the inside. Using an image which was modeled and rendered on computer by

Azad Kupelian and

Michael

Addabbo, the Lebanon-born sculptor, 48, spent three years cutting, measuring, hammering, assembling, torch-

48 / AIM September-October

1996

solid, steel.

characteristics: simplicity of

shapes-a reduction of content, and a

kinship with architecture creating

structures that are meant to be walked through. Trespass takes on an industrial look, devoid of the artist's emotions, but with an awesome reminder

of daily passings, or

trespassings

through many gates-political, diplomatic, personal. sv Hnlc

VARJABEDIAN

Itlew TeultnoloUies, 0ld Tltinltinu California now has little to watch, on any given day, the cable channels of the small cities of La Crescenta, Glendale and Burbank can feature up to a dozen different programs. Yes, a dozen. In fact, the programs which

pop up "like

uqr,hL q.FUSnhtr

mush-

rooms", according to

hen all three of Southem California's most popular Armenian television programs (and

arguably, the best produced) left commercial television last month and went to cable, the fundamental inabil-

ity, and

perhaps unwillingness, of

Armenian television to compete

the

modern world, became clear.

The ARF's Horizon

program,

Armenia Ibday, the half-hour evening news show, and the Armenian News Network's weekly public affairs program all found themselves unable to maintain their daily or weekly commercial slots and went cable.

So, it's no wonder that Armenian News Network's Vatche Mangasarian is mad and he's not going to take it anymore.

The professional actor and producer has seen Armenian television in Southem Califomia evolve over the last 20 years. But he hasn't seen any improvement. "It used to be there was one program

and everyone knew about

it.

Sarkrs

Mouradian's Armenian Teletime has pre-

sented commercial entertainment and some public affairs programming for decades. He's a nice guy. This is his business and he says he is catering to people's

interests," explains Mangasarian. Indeed Mouradian's Armenian Teletime, broadcast around the US, has become the standardMangasarian used to have a regular spot on Mouradian's show until he broke

off nearly two years ago to produce

weekly one-hour progam of local and intemational news and interviews. He lasted nearly two years. During that time, he

was able to accrue sufficient revenue through commercials to pay for airtime. "But now, I see that it is cheaper and easier to broadcast on local cable channels," explains a nearly-cynical Mangasarian. Although the rest Southem

one viewer, also disappear as quickly, or they come and go, or they go into unscheduled, unannounced reruns. One regular viewer explains, "It used to be we knew which progam was on which cable channel and

we'd go to a relative's home to watch. Now' there are so many, all you have to do

is hold up the remote control and you're sure to find something Amenian." That something may be anything from interviews with "celebrities" who pay for airtime, to programs reminiscent of Yerevan television. There is Sasun Baskevichian's Hayastan and Spyurk pro-

grams of local interviews and footage from Armenia. There is Ashot Durian's Hye-Air, a regular offering of interviews,

cultural programming and the very popu-

lar man-on-the-street interviews from Armenia.

But no one does anything similar in [,os Angeles. Mangasarian is the only one who remembers there is a local community with a my,riad social issues to air. But there aren't enough others with the awareness, and the resources, to make such effective local programming possible. He is also one of the few who understands television and the technology that can be used to build bridges. His longtime

co-hosts were two women: one from Lebanon, the other from Armenia. He himself is from Iran, which he left over 30 years ago.

"l don't understand how we can live in this television city and not use its technological potential for our own information needs. Rather than providing more and better programs, broadcasting to a larger, national audience, all programs, mine included, are limiting themselves to the local cable markets. The rest of the world is using television to go global, while we become more provincial

and

local." sv Sat-pr HanourrNr,qN GHeznnre.l

AIM September-October

1996

I 49

#ffi-il$

Uns llpnknll PlBd Pl Hach T fi I t

ig Kazarien Sets Pioneering Standard

o tne dancers and musicians who fotto* him from city to city, from dances to weddings, Hachig

Kazarian is a national treasure, an institution. No library is complete without his recordings, from the (now-onCD) 1965 Monitor Presents Hachig... to the four dynamic Kef Time LPs of the 1970s, on which he performs with his brother-in-music Richard Hagopian, and others. These quintessential exponents

enough wind to play the instrument, he'd sing the songs for me. I'd get

he played folk music in a midtown Manhattan club with oud stylist Chick

home by 9:30 p.m. and then practice what I'd leamed in order to memorize it. I learned 75 songs that way-nothing was written down."

Ganimian, and even recorded twice

3, the youngster crossed paths

with the famous troubadour, Oudi Hrant, who was impressed enough to invite him to play in the Catskills-the popular mountain resorts in New York state. "I have a great love for

Kazarian, left and inset, playing with Richard Hagopian

with jazz musician Herbie Mann. After graduation, Kazarian retumed to Detroit, married and became a father. With no full+ime jobs available in the classical music field-where the norm is three clarinets per orchestrahe obtained certification as a music teacher.

lt proved to

be a blessing. "Had my

work been orchestral,

Kazarian explains, that "for

could never have done other things," he says, referring to his 12 years as choir director at Dearborn's St. Sarkis Church, attaining the religious rank of archdeacon, spending months in Las Vegas doing the

Armenian-Americans, there were records but never a club scene; we'd go hear

Cleopatra Revue with percussionist Buddy Sarkissian in 1969. "Folk music as we

Arabs or Greeks." In his early teens, he and older

in Anatolia was preserved only in this country, not in France, Brazll or elsewhere. So all the Armenians coming here from other countries do the folk

the way Oudi Hrant played. He was master of his instru-

ment [the lute-like

oud

which became his nicknamel and I wanted to emulate that."

brother Khazar often visited Greektown clubs in Detroit and Chicago. During junior high school, he played at wed-

MusicArmenia, the first world conference on Armenian music, organized by Loris'Ijeknavorian in 1976. Ot his own andjust for the love of it, he pursued a

Through Krikorian

he met

anniversary nearly a year ago in

Hartford, Connecticut.

Harry

second master's degree

Begian, who had written his Ph.D.

Ethnomusicology. He studied handwrit-

dissertation

showed that Armenian modal systems were free of Turkish influence and he transcribed them into westem notation.

Komitas. Kazarian

Kazarian, 55, was influenced in his choice of music as

from

Vaspurakan." He attended the highly successful

dances

Band.

of folk dance rhythm, and icons of Armenian American culture, celebrated their 25th Kef Time

dances we remember

Van-ites

dings and

with the

know it from Armenian villages

studied with Begian,

ten hymnals from Istanbul, which

"But

His 1983 paper Modal Systems of Armenian Sacred Music is on file at Eastern Michigan University Library,

always, like a magnet, Armenian music pulled me back." Kazarian trained in classical and

and he often lectures on the topic. When one of his daughters recently lamented that Armenian church wed-

province

symphonic music

in 1912, Krikorian took up the clarinet. Retiring later to Detroit, Krikorian became 11year-old Hachig's first teacher. Kazarian recalls, "For a year and a half I went to

School of Music in New York, earning degrees in performance. Even so, during an Armenian funeral service, he remembers, "The music grabbed my heart, and that was it." He began studying Armenian religious music, poring over seminary notebooks. Many nights

ding music is too somber, he made a special recording, his l6th-Sacred Music of the Armenian Church. He

vocation

his grandfather who

played the dhol (drum) and was famous "in all Vaspurakan" for his folk dance variations.

Kazarian's grandfather's friend Haig Krikorian, also from the Armenian of Vaspurakan in Turkey, played zurna, but when he arrived in

Chelsea, Massachusetts

his house each week. If he 50 /AIM September-October 1996

lacked

and three times

in his high school

years, he won the opportunity to play

with the Detroit Symphony.

at the Juilliard

replaced traditional vocal idioms with four synthesizer sound modules, performed on wind instruments, with digitally created festive bells and a contemplative, triumphant organ. The result is

W#&1,.$

:i,j!r::ritia:::1a:1.::1:iri ;a

a pristine, joyous genr.

Finally, Hachig Kazarian has been a music educator-ar all levels, public and private. fbr 29 years. He is rnusic department chairman and instruntental music teacher in a suburban Detroit high school district. Besides his conceft band, he started an eighth-grade. l4-piece jazz band. To help rhe studcnts learn rhythrn, he adds ntainstream elec-

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tronics. No wondcr he wls lwice named "Employee ol the Year" and "Teacher of the Year 95-96" by Wayne County administrators and teachers. Now as fans are younger and world music is played everywhere. he is even more conscious of his work. "You have to give something back without cornrnercializing the music. Yet. if you don't

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AIM September-October

1996

#ilililffiil0ffi

ln lho fllhnr Amnrinn Catholicos Karekin I Visits Brazil, Uruguay, Argeretina munity's youth and with schoolchild-

ogether with the Armenian communities of Australia, those of South America are probably the

ren.

Catholicos Karekin I's two-day stay in Montevideo, Uruguay, included visits to City Hall, the Armenian Relief

least heard from Armenians throughout Armenia and the Diaspora.

I blessing the Holy Chrism Illuminator. Karekin

(in

its using th

President of Uruguay lulio Maria Sanguinetti, receiving the medal of St. Gregory the Illuminator. In Brazil, Karekin I was the rare foreig,ner to receive the Order of Cruzeiro do Sul. Below, the Catholicos is performing the traditional blessing of the salt and bread upon entry in the St. Gregory the llluminator Church in Buenos Aires.

Gonlinuott$ Blo$$iltU$

Society (ARS) Senior Citizens Home and Armenian schools, as well as the placing of a wreath at Independence

blessed the Holy Chrism, the

The Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin I, set out to ameliorate that situation by visiting Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina in mid-August. A trip to the Far East is planned for early next year. In Brazil from July 3l to August 4, the pontiff visited with the Armenian community of Sao Paolo

and met with government dignitaries, including the

Square and an audience with the president of Uruguay.

The Catholicos spent the next week in Argentina, meeting with indi-

viduals and visiting Armenian Evangelical,

= of Brazil. 'offi& hemando Cardoso. and var- .$lq

Catholic and Apostolic institutions. As during

president

ious high-level officials.

Portuguese is one European

r'";,ff;'ffi'.1,

religious

fu,

the

# L*-; -ffid

F,1'l.1 with Governor of the Federal District of

Brasilia Cristovao Buarque,

the

Catholicos was handed the official govemment document allocating 22,500 sq. meters (over five acres) of land in

Brasilia for the construction

of an

Armenian embassy.

As he did during his

North

American tour, the Catholicos also had special public meetings with the com54 /AIM September-October 1996

visits

abroad, the head of the Armenian Church also

met with ecumenical

language the multilingual pontiff doesn't speak. But that was no problem. The

president and

most of his

leaders

including the head of Argentina's Catholic

Church,

Cardinal

Quarracchino.

ffi fi

atholicos Karekin

I prepared

and

ly Muron, just as it has been done, tI uninterruptedly. since St. Gregory the llluminator, nearly 1700 years ago. Each new batch of chrism contains not just 40 different kinds of flowers and fragrant roots, but also a few drops of Muron from the former batch, as a symbol of continuity. This is important in Armenia and the Diaspora, these days, as changes in the Church are both promised, anticipated and feared. Some things will go on in the same way as always, howev-

er. There

will still be baptisms of

infants, ordinations of priests, consecrations of bishops and catholicoses, churches and holy church vessels. For all of these, Muron is a must. That is why it is prepared, with great pomp

to seven years. Pure olive oil, wine, and 40 differ'

Buenos Aires and Cordoba, too, the

and ceremony every five

homes and Armenian schools to hear the pontiff's prayers and messages.

ent spices, flowers and fragrant roots

community gathered at AGBU schools, ARF centers, ARS nursing

are simmered together in a large caul-

ffi z

:.w$

lli&r

Armenia's Ambassador to Argentina,

dron. Catholicos Karekin I used the lance by which a Roman legionary pierced the side of Jesus, and the right arm of St. Gregory, to stir the mixture

V za

Vahan Ter Ghevondian.

for 40 days, prior to the day of blessing.

Meetings with

Argentina's

President Carlos Menem were attended by Argentinian officials as well as

()

lNli'

[llew C[ul'c[, llleul llorc fl

n the day the St. Astvatsatsin Church

f; of Gogaran was consecrared by fi f; Carholicos Karekin I. President

ing tlrough the ruins, I noticed something sffange. The villagers had started to erect a monument in memory of ttre children who

officials, and the 800 plus population of Gogaran were all present. So were hun-

school. 'Can you help us with cement to hnish the work,' the villagers asked me.

dreds of Diasporans. Many volunteers and

Instead,

tevon Ter Petrossian. govemment

directors

the Land and Culture

Organization (LCO), whose architects and volunteers undertook the reconstruction of the church had come to this small northern Armenian village to celebrate the comple-

tion of their first project which consisted oftotal rebuilding.

ZevgN KHecurxlaN

right arm of the church's founde4 St Gregon the

This is not the first time Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian of the Armenian Prelacy of the Eastem US has participated in the consecration of a church. But the August blessing was a double pleasure for the Archbishop, a member of the LCO Board

During the consecration ceremony

of Directors. Through this project, the Archbishop noted, "hundreds of young Diasporans became attached to their

Ejmiatsin on Sunday, September 8, the pontiff said,

land." Gogaran, a village near Spitak, was

at the Cathedral of

"We ask our Divine Father that this blessed Muron should become the life-giving force of happiness for all children of our nation, medicine and consolation for our pains, cleansing balm for our sins, protection of life for our people." The Catholicos of Cilicia, Aram I, performed the same ceremony in Antilias last summer. The next time the ceremony takes place in Ejmiatisn

will be in the year 2001, coinciding with the l700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of Armenia.

almost completely destroyed

the

December 1988 earthquake. The LCO (AIM, April-May 1993) which had until then focused its efforts on the reconstruc-

tion of Armenian churches and monuments in Iran and Kessab, Syria, began to

died under the collapsed walls of

there

the

asked them a question. Was church in the village? One said yes,

another said no, another said, 'Yes, long

ago."' The villagers weren't confused. The fate of Gogaran's church was typical for the soviet era. Closed in the twenties, it was tumed into a granary in the thirties. After the earthquake, it was only a heap of stones. Haghnazarian continues, "I asked the villagers, why do you want cement for a monument which will only be a symbol of death and calamity. Instead, let's restore the church. Then, we'll perform not just requiems, but also baptisms and weddings." Excavation began and continued for two years. Volunteers, like Ani Manjikian, came from all over the world for seven surrrmers to work on the church that had apparently been first erected in the fourth

century and then rebuilt

in the 17ilr.

Manjikian, from Pasadena, Califomia, says, "I came for one to two months each year for four years, depending on how long I could afford to take off ftom my

send groups of young volunteers to Gogaran every summer to rebuild the

job."

town, and especially its kinderganen and

Califomia, a jeweler and community

church.

Armen Haghnazaian. an architect from Germany, and member of both the Armenian fuchitecture boards, remembers Gogaran in those early days. "While we were walk-

LCO and Research on

Edward Misserlian of San Francisco, activist is a long-time LCO supporter. He went to Armenia specifically for the consecration and said, 'This is the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the village and the villagers

*o*

"';"

MARK GRrcoRrAN

z J B]

a 2

2 o o IJ.]

AIM September-Ocrober

1996

/ 55

D&gx6

fi $mcll Eul'ngr u[ firffiEIIIm

In the Heart of the Latin Quarter resident Levon

but with the rise of communism he was forced to stay in Paris," she continues.

Ter

Petrosian, Catholicos Karekin I and many

Hrand Samuelian was one of the first contributors to the Armenian language daily Haratch founded in 1925 by

other notables have paid

visit. Henri Verneuil shot a scene for his movie 588 it

Rue

Paradis here. And every day, people from

Missakian.

Chavarch

Following the founder's death in 1957, he edited Haratch for 20 years. In addition to his career as an editor and bookseller, he led a life in politics.

around the world make a spe-

cial trip to Monsieur Le Prince street to find this rare

gem-and enjoy the welcome of its owners and the

He was a member of the central

charm of its interior.

It's late morning,

committee

and

of the Armenian

Revolutionary

groups of students. the curious and the idle crowd Paris's Boulevard Saint Michel. Some rush to the

years, he

This intellectual, who spoke eight languages, was so remarkable that he became

tiques. Masses on the sidewalks, traffic on the streetsit's just another day in the

known among Orientalists. The

bookstore developed quite a reputation, and still attracts

Latin Quarter. But a few steps away, there's an unexpected quiet on Monsieur Le Prince street. 5l Monsieur

clients from all continents. Diplomats, researchers, students and tourists all make a

Le Prince is where you'Il

5l Monsieur Le to buy books, new or

find the Librairie Orientale,

special stop at

the Samuelian Bookstore.

Prince

with

quaint facade, it warms the heart in this

district where bookstores are sometimes

without spirit. With the ringing of

small bell, the door opens and breaks the almost religious quiet. Exposed beams, immense wood tables scratched with time, walls covered with works in all languages-the large room evokes the

where all that is Armenian has blossomed since 1930, the year their father,

Hrand Samuelian (better known as Hrand Samuel) founded this mystical place. He started with Armenian works and slowly expanded the collection to include titles on the Middle East.

sense of libraries in old castles. It's a serene place infused with the magic of

At the time, Armenian books were in demand because genocide survivors

its owners, Alice Aslanian and her brother, Serge Samuelian. "We listen to our clients," explains Alice. "We spend a tremendous amount of time helping them find information and guiding their research. In fact, we feel responsible to our readers and to Armenians." This bookstore is also a symbol of Armenia and a means by which its culture can survive. It is an environment

read. "My father even had a book loan service permitting everyone to access Armenian culture at a minimum cost. This also created ties among people," says Aslanian. "He came to France at the end of 1919 to complete a doctorate of law, after graduating from the Faculty of Law in Constantinople. He hoped to return to Armenia afterwards

56 / AIM September-october 1996

represented

Armenians at the International Socialist Congress.

Sorbonne; others linger in front of the designer bou-

Discrete and

Federation

(Dashnaktsutiun). For many

and other emigres had a strong need to

used.

"Today, we have publications on the Pacific Rim, Madagascar, and even Egyptology. But the shelves that are dearest to our heafts are the ones devoted to Armenia-they represent a solid third of our collection," says Aslanian. "Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people read Armenian," confides Samuelian, with a tone of regret. On the other hand, since the country's independence, he and his sister have noted an increased interest in Armenia among sign, maybe, of a many Europeans -a new era, and not just for Armenian

booksellers.

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ious knives and instruments made of metal. The Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) in Watertown, Massachusetts, is the only institution of its kind in North America. It collects and displays manuscripts, ethnographic and historic artifacts, rugs,

Armenian ethnic objects which have successively appeared throughout different periods in our history and culture."

Der Manuelian, who was one of

ALMA's founders, notes

that

"Armenian businessmen spend money on many different things, but they overlook such importanl areas as promotion

of the national culture." This edition is only the first step in what is expected to be long-term collaboration between the two museums. ALMA has already embarked on the preparation 5,000

labels for the State History Museum's exhibits.

THE STA|L HISICRY MUSEUM

In the foreword to the

tion of ancient

Muserms oJ Arnenia

manuscripts;

the the

joint project may serve as an example and other publications will hopefully

jewelry and books (about 27,000 titles).

follow to inform a curious public of the

The collaboration between ALMA and the State History Museum of

collections

agreed to issue a color album-catalog

the State History Museum's holdings. Today, with funding from Haig and Adele Der Manuelian, the project is a

reality.

Printed

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21 25 26 27

in the rest of

$12.00

Modern Art; the Saryan Museum; the Sardarabad Museum; the Parajanov Museum; the Ejmiatsin Museum; and many others." The only one with its

The ALMA-State History Museum

1992 when they

t24.@

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National Art Gallery adjacent to State History Museum: the pioneering Children's Museuml the Museum of

own catalog is the National Art Gallery.

Armenia started

HEXYA1NER (66oob) CAROS EOOK (Ccsefle) (Cossetre) t 6 . REYNT PTCruRE DICT. l 7 . AR \,t. HAI.IDWRInNG (5 6ook)

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President Levon Ter Petrossian wrote, "Armenia is a land of many museums: the Matenadaran. with its vast collec-

OF ARMENIA

I . ENG. ARM. / ARM. ENG. 2 . Altil. / ARM. DICT. 3 . ARM. NA'ES DICT. 4 . FRENCH / ARM. DICI. 5 - Anrir. / TRENCH DICT. 6 . AtAErC / ARI(. DlcT. 7 . ENG. A$,{. / An\,t. ENG. (lmoirtd) 8 . ENG. / Afllvt. DICT. 9 - Alryt. / ENG. DICT.

Armenia's

(l /.15 mirub t9o +

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52 . HAVADOV KHOSDOVAAIIM

Shahnazarian, and Iveta Mkrtchian, assistant director for scientific develop-

53 - GIBRIAIOS

ment.

Cob$

and some 120 color reproductions depicting significant stages of

Armenian history. Of a total of 5,000 copies in print, 1,500 were sent to the US, while the remaining 3,500 will be

distributed by the State History Museum to libraries, scientific institutions and specialists. Shahnazarian says,

"This unique an attempt to present

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EngLlish

0trq,'lrurnu)

5,1 - ASOVADSASHOUNTCH - AX

The catalog includes two articles

edition

for..A .dditiouL Ulb6 -Ewbtq,drqr,)

boo&

31.75

SHIRAK. BOOKSTORE 4960 HOLLYWOOD BL\ID.

LOS ANGELES, CA 90027 U Tel.: (213) 667-1128 Fa,v (213) 667-1126

AIM September-October 1996 /59

e died on August 13, 1996. and was buried in the

the town of Byurakan. not far from

Byurakan Observatory which he founded and served as president for nearly half a century.

Bom in Tbilisi in 1908, educated in trningrad, Victor Hambartsumian, didn't come to Armenia until 1943. But oncc he did, his contributions did not stop. In the same year in which he established Byurakan, he also participated in the creation of Armenia's Academy of Sciences.

Hambartsumian

taught at

Leningrad

University andYerevan State University, and established astrophysics chairs in both places Active in Soviet and international scientific circles.

Ambartsumian founded the of theoretical astro-

school

physics in the USSR. For that accomplishment, he received three Orders of Lenin as well as

that stellar clusters decay gradually through the loss of individual stars, and estimated their ages on that basis. He discovered and investigated dynamically unstable, decaying stellar systems of a new type, which he termed stellar associations. Since 1964,be had also played a major role in the scientific discus-

sion

of the

possibility

communicating with

extratenestrial life, Hambartsumian was respected not just for his scien-

tific

accomplishments,

courage.

but also for his political

1990, when the pressure was on to con-

vince Karabakh and Armenia to retreat from their demards for self-determination in Karabakh, Hambartsumian, together with Zori Balayan and Sos

Sargsian, resorted

of the statistical mechanics of

hunger strike, to call attention to their demands. He was a popular choice for the National Hero Award bestowed upon him by the president of the Republic, just two years ago. He will

stellar systems, demonstrated

be remembered as a hero.

other honors.

As a scientist working in the physics of stars and nebulae,

he developed the fundamentals

Hambartsumian in 1948; Wife wife Vera Feodorovna, in 1988, in Novosibirsk. She died in 1995. Group photo taken at the Zvartnots Airport in 1995, after Hambartsumian's return from Moscow and the hunger strike. He is surrounded by friends, family and colleagues. Hambartsumian, in the center, is carrying his great-grandson, Victor. 60 / AnI September-October 1996

Ihe Hocky Hoad to Cyhsr$[rcg Arminco [,inks Armenia to the Internet

f velwhing ahout Annirro is unusrtrl. l" *d srrrprising. Plcusimtly srrrprising. I ,qr.ani.'t first lntcmct seryict-'s L provider was foundr'd in 1992. during

Edl gis [o g@kMks qpiffis

t"l:::lQl &l 'li;l l+l

!;rertory WirJow Edp

--------=)

the wont winter, at the pak of the Karabakh conllict when ttrerc was the leirst amount of

electricity.

This privately owned telecommunications fum is a joint Armeniiur-Russian venture---one of the few functioning. successfi.rl such piutnenhips. The Russian panner is SovAm Teleport, among Russia's top l0 telecommunications firms. Arminco has 30 emplovees. Their average age is an'und 23. Only the company's president Andranik Alexanian. -37. and its chief technical guru, Grigor Saghian. 40.

'l lr, :t:'-: 'J_a=r :. iftlns :ilr r:: al:: r r''ilIi1 1e llassltrrsljr:allrrrrdhr'l;il:-_a,,: .1lil'rirr!{.1tlr1:{J.rtl .rl,d;,rdr!nrLldi

('onrplete Teleconrmunications Sr.rlutions in Armenia ARMINCo SttE DESIGN ITIPRo\Es!:I ,qt .x;nnn,;.,.g,;,q',J1:itrErrl ru.ugl.si,..rrEBJâ&#x201A;Źtrr'rJiretr4,r,,rEal

raise the mean age. The compuny that began

with l0 customers in 1992, has over 6fl ) rcgular acrount holders tulay, inclurling the president of Armenia iurd the Holy See of

Ejmiasin. On a normal day, over 6.fi)0 usen log on to Arminco's sites. This more than quadrupled during the Chess Olympiad rurd

the presidential elections. iurd Arminco will shoot up dra-

ARMENIA: Country

expects that regular use matically.

Comrtrâ&#x201A;Źrcial Gui-de

Therein lies the prcblem. Increa-sed volume will bring increiLsed a-ugravation. The roacl to cybenpace, after all, mns tluough the telephone. The Intemet is a

worldwide network of computers that can be searched from any computer linked to a telephone. And as anyone who has used a telephone in Armenia knows. the lines are. at best, unreliable. Saghieur explains.'Tcxlay. in Armenia we use the telephone lines left over from ttre soviet days. They are'alreacly quite old and ofien in disrepar. And, re,cently. the

Armenian-American

joint

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l,rra&i.ryr

NEWS

Around Amenla Amenian Inte!national

Rick's Notes trroD ArDenia

E-mar1 Dirsctory

r#riH '**xn&

ffioo

not miss y0Uf chance

Arrrrenia

to begin your buSineSs

rorn A rrrre<'crnc:rnl-:alrk

vcnture.

ArmenTel promised to overhaul Amrenia's phone system. Until then, bad phone lines can cleal death blow to a telecommunications system.

That's what happened to the

Physics Institute nenvork (YerPHI) which wa-s set up with funding from the Armenia Fund. ttre

www.armircrt.utnL. tlu Intenrct user cilt (otlne(l to trtLuty t4 ..lnnitu'tt'.t (Lultl Arnttniu'.s) inlitnrur tion sites, incLuding thc US Emhaslt's Countn'Conuru:n'ial Guide. ,qarryxtpltic on(l hi.\toriL n()tes, in|emational e^moil dirct ton. rtev's front,{nnuict.

;\l

Yerevan Physics Institute and Crermany's

DESY Electonic Accelerator Company. The $50,000 start-up fee, togettrer with tlre efforts of ttre Academy to link up to the Physics kntitute's antenna created a system that forwards messages to Germany via

Moscow. From Germany, the intemational connections would kick in. But the Physics Insdnrte is in a sector of Yerevan where phone lines are traditionally notoriously

"We've

tlrc bad. appeiled to the Minisqv of

Communications countless times for improved phone lines. But to no avail. They

told us in 1!)94 that by the end of 1995 the phone network would be upgraded emd the telephone prcblem solved. We're still waitAIM Septemher-October 1996

l6l

T[e Yoult$ Pioltggr'$ Most members of Arminco's staff are selected from universities, where they are asked to compete for existing positions. Thcre are somc exceptions. however, like Vahan Erkanian, 18, head of design and multimedia services. This third-year applied mathe-

matics student

Yerevan

State

University explains. "I had been work-

ing for two years at the Arminco President Andranik Alexanian (top) and members of the staff (belorv).

ing," laments YeTPHI president

Ruben

Mkrtchian. Even while they rvait, YeTPHI provides electronic links within Yerevan's academic community, serving 35 institutes of ttre Armenian Academy of Sciences, and over 200 scientists, with a daily volume of over 100 mega (or million) byes. (Just for reference, this whole article is only I 8.,1 kilobytes--or I 8,4O0 characters of information.)

Arminco's daily volume is over 300 mb. Taken together. this means a lot of usage for a small core of information-hungry people. Vladimir Sahakian. head the Academy's Information and Publications DepartrnenL points ouL ''fhe oppomrniry to benefit llom the lntemet introduced a great change in the lives of Armenia's scientiss. The opportunity to participate in intemational scientific events. th,rough ttre Intemet,

brought new energy to Armenia's rather staid academic life." Unl-ike Arminco, YeTPHI is not ofticially set up to sell iLs services to individual customers. So. that leaves Armenia rvith onJy one other telecommunications compiury.

Infocom, established

1994 by nvo depart-

ments of the Ministry of Conununication, leases lines fiom Sprint Intemational and

lntelsat.

the

Cooperative

Intemational Satellite (of which the Ministry of

Communication is also a member). Satellite tansmissions reach Canada and link up to the Intemet therc.

Whether Infocom is a private company, or a govemment agency isn't quite clear. On the one hand, it sponsored and frnanced

the acquisition and placement of Sprint's technology. On the other hand. it is set up to sell is services just like a private service provider. Infocom, indeed, has sold high quality telephone lines to be used as dedicated or leased lines. Infocom hnndles a daily volume of some 20 mb and has a staff of over 100. Emil Grigoritur, head of Inl'ocom's lntemet Services, says that its total customer 62 I AIM September-October 1996

State

Manuscript Library (Matenadaran). I had access to a computer and a modem, and while playing around, I managed to break Arminco's password, and enter its accounts. When Mr. Saghian discovered my "unauthorized entry," he otl'ered me a job." Samvel Stepanian, 24, is

Arminco's information service manager. "I heard about Arminco in 1993, when the first conference of Armenia's

Internet users was held at the American University of Armenia. I

was immediately attracted by the professionalism here. Now, I can honestly say wc are all directly interested in seeing it grow. The more we are able to introduce new techncllogies, the more customers we have. the more we will be paid. That's a great incentive."

Ruben Kafadarian,21,

cus-

tomer support manager. He is in his

last year at the university's applied mathematics department. "The staff and the atmosphere here are wonderful. No one forces you to do anything. Everyone is encouraged to do what they like best."

So, what do all these young,

enthusiastic minds do?

They provide the customer with to the Internet. They provide

access

basic electronic mail

services.

Arminco's staff can, and has, produced over 15 "home pages"-individual sites on the World Wide Web for various companies and government agencies. Similar to a booth at an on-going conference, a home page can be visited once or frequently, for information and leads to other related sites. Arminco has also developed the

Armenian Intemational Directory-a list of electronically connected individuals and organizations. Nearly 1500 are listed at present and the num-

ber grows daily.

Those outside the republic who

use Arminco's services are quite impressed

by its

capabilities. Vahe

Aghabegiants, president

Burbank, California-based

the US

MicroComp Enterprises, is a frequent

visitor to Armenia. "I discovered Arminco in January, 1996, while browsing the World Wide Web. I asked them if they were interested in providing a link on their pages to MicroComp's site and what the fee would be. The response was swift and

professional. Extremely up-to-date programming technique and form, fine graphic taste and use of the most advanced Internet tools and tricks." Aghabegiants sounds like a commer-

cial, as he continues, "The WWW work they do can easily be considered superb according to US and international standards. To me, Arminco is a great idea, a great team, doing great work where it is most needed."

count is just over 200, and includes the Council of Ministers. almost all Yerevan bzutks. the Yerevan Strck Exchange, and

So far, there are no problems. And Arminco continues to make im varied breed ofcustomeni happy. The US Embassy's USIS library has

others.

been an Arminco customer

American University

Armenia, the

lnt'ocom has applied fbr and rcceived

"Their westem standards

David Rostomian. Thus. Infocom

Hakobian agees. "We have been using Arminco's e-mail service lbr over u year.

The Eurasia Foundation's Sergei

and ArmenTel are today's channel providers. A c()mpany such as Arminco-a service

Just recently, they helped us establish a web

provider, must rcceive

site."

Inf'crcorn, a competitor in the same field.

This potentially problematic duality can only be resolved by strict legislation, which doesn't yet exist. According to Arminco's Alexanian. that is Arminco's chief problem tulay. "We don't have financial problems." he says proudly. "We are able to pay all our bills. Our problerns have to do with drc absence of clear rules and regulations."

Until such rules

become clear.

Arminco indeed leases its lines from Inf'ocom. "We don't expect zmy favon fiom

the govemment," explains Arminco's Saghian,'Just equal oppornrnity."

ld YH

Eo B{*nikt 0tsin

,-l lal al gl

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I have no communication

Not all ol Arminco's clients can pay. Aware that some need infbmration and have no budget. Aleximian established a barter system. To this day, radio iurd television stations exchange advertising time fbr access.

operation

appeal to us," commenLs a USIS staffer.

fiom

ensure that problems."

fbr t'wo yean.

exclusive rights as chief operator of dara transfbr lines, according to is president

a license

by, to show me how to use their services and

A-lexanian

is aware of his

clients'

expectations. He is also awife usage will increase dramaticiilly both fbr Inf'ocom and Arminco, and any others who chrxlse to get into this business. As his customer base grows and the volume of data nansferred increases. he will need to securc additional lines. Then. the need for clearer rules and responsibilities and rights will become more compelling. But Alexiurian hopes, not problematic. After all. a-s Amren Abrafreunian, head of Armenpress's accounting department

Tigran Hamhrnian, president of the five-year-old Noyan Thpan News Agency. acknowledges that he can no longerenvision life wittrout the Intemet. 'TMay, if Arminco werc to cease operation for even nvo days, we would no longer be a fi.rnctioning news agency for our 250 cliens in 25 counfies." comfilents Harutunian. There are some who prefer to maintain accounLs with both providers. Serob Ter Boghosian of Califomia who has rccently set up residence in Yerevan arld operates his Intemational Business Development Center, is one of those. "l am very plea.sed with Arminco. The guys came

notes, "lf it weren't tbr Arminco. there would not be so rnuch new and rclevant inlbrmation entering or leaving Amenia."

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Two of the sites created by Arminco include one for each of the presidential candidates (Levon Ter Petrossian's on the left) and one for the Armenian E,mbassy in Iran (right).

AIM Septcrnber-October 1996 I 63

SPOHTS

Preparing for More Gold in Sydney tlanta'sArmenians number 250. Still, they

were also sometimes disappointed to see that

completion of his event.

ofcom-

The athletes competed in atotal of seven

munity. Good thing, too, because when

categories. Veteran weightlifter Israyel Militosian, 28, finished fifth in the 70 kg. category. Norair Sargsian, 22, was the only Armenian in the various gymnartics cate-

have a parish council and a feeling

Ti=am Armenia's 32 athletes end 44 delegates arrived in Atlanta in July, it was the Atlanta community that welcomed them. Their do-ahead preparations and on-the-spot trou-

bleshooting can serve as Armenians

a model to

the

gories. The oldest competitor,

Nshan

Munchian, 33, participated in boxing. The

Sydney, Auso:alia

who will receive the Armenian athletes in the year 2000.

62 kg.

category, Harutik

Rubenian represented Creoce.

The behind-the-scenes work had begun months earlier. The

Armen

Bagdasarov of Uzbekistan pillicipilted in

organizing committee consisted of Aris andAshot Merijanian, Gmrge Dunaians of Califomia and Garbis Kazandjian of New York. Ttrough sales

several of their topranking athletes were competing irs memben of tbreign teams. Weightlilrer Yurik Srugsirur placed eighth as part Team Australia. Mnatsakan Iskenderian was part of Russia's GrecoRoman wrestling team and trnk the gold medal. ln the same sport's 52 kg category Alfud Ter Mkrtchian took ttre bronze fbr Germany, and in fte

men's middleweight judo. Sargis Siugsiiur, a rising young tennis star. played fbr the US and wirs eliminated early on.

of pins and bumper stickers,

the Team Armenia organization

raised more than $60,0m ($45,0m

sailon on Armenian yachting

fiom the west coast of the US) to cover some of the costs of transportation and regis0:ation, The govemment of Armenia had paid for

tearn which participated in the Paralympic Gares irnrnediately tbllowing the Olympics who stole heafis and media attention.

airfare and hotel expenses. aStill, ttrere were some glitches. First off, therc was ttre much

Thline and Jeffiey Hohn of

publicized flasco about five athletes who paid for and did not receive the servicqs of a prostitute. The public outcry and involvement of the police received excessive media exposure.

"lt

was the

fint

such event of

the Olympics, and everyone blew it out of pro portion," commented Merijimirm. As a result, theArmenian embassy in Washington sent each athlete back to Yerevan. immediatelv after the

64 I AIM September-October 1996

was

the

young disabled

Atlanta. Taline's tather Aram Keyt'er, rurd othen in the comnrunity cheered the krys in their

youngest, and the only woman, Arus Gyulbadaghian, 17, finished 20th in the

yachting competition. Even the yachthg

springboard diving qualifuing round.

'Those boys have incredible talent, and I

Those who watched the Olympics in North America were disappointed by television coverage which focused on evenls in which the Americans dominated. Those who watched in Armenia, on Russian television,

enjoy watching them beat the pants

competition manager wirs

ruling fbr of

them. these

other guys," he said. They're waiting for Sydney. Until then, the Atlanta Armenians have been working on buying a sailboat to allow them to practice on l-ike Seveut.

Far left top: The Armenian flies above the American

flag and

Ukraine flags as Armen Nazarian (left) wins the gold in 52-kg. GrecoRoman wrestling (far lower left). Lower left Armenians were represented in the Paralympics as well. Gagik Gasparinn, 39, participated in

powerlifting. Four young sailors came close to victory to the amazement of the media and the veteran sailon against whom they competed

in yachting. The fint-place British team took their own gold medals and placed them on the Armenians saying, "Sydney is youm." Top right Arus Gyulbadaghian, the only female on TeamArmenia, competed in the three-meter springboard diving. She finished 20th in the qualifuing round. Center righfi Armenians were represented on the teams of Ausnalia, Greece, Russia and Uzbekistan.

Here, Alfred Ter Mkrtchian of Germany is resting between wrestling events. Lower right: Armen Mkrtchian (left) took the Silver in fuees[,le wrestling, coming in second to Kim Il of the People's Republic ol' Korea (center). Alexis Mla of Cuba. right, won the bronzr.

Pltotos sv G.rno L,lcHrNreN. wlro

WAS THE

ONIJ ACCREDITED JOURNALIST

REPRESENTING

AnvENre er tuE Arr-aNta Olyrvrplcs.

AIM September-October 1996 165

]|olng ilt

he ricolor flag first entered my childhood consciousness in Kessab. Syria-inevocably associated with weddings and wedding chants, where even the dancers and singers wore red and blue-wittr .m orange

ra r

sash.

Ticolor banners wave in Armenia and Diaspora: On August-september 24, 1989, at the Tsitsernakaberd Martyrs Monument in Yerevan (above), or during a US-Armenia exhibition soccer match in ltts Angeles (below, left) in 1994.

As a teenager, in the courtyard of the St. Nshan Church in Beirur I remember how the black Augusrseptember 24 drapes on the arched ennyways of the church were replaced on May 28 with bright tricolor banners. The main wall of the Community Center in the city

rooms to pray and to pledge allegiance to the American stan and sffipes, and then recite the

Armenian oath which begins,

sported a high and diagonally hung tricolor on one side flanked by the l.ebanese flag on the

Armenian. My homeland is calledArmenia. I promise to uphold the Armenian language

other and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Da^shnaktsutiun coat of arms in the

and culnre ..." But where were ttre flags which were to receive these youthful

center.

pledges? Too many new classrooms, and not

After 1965,

as an

Armenian language and

history teacher at Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School in Encino, Califomi4 flag, Ararat and alphabet served to awaken a national con-

television screens at the conclusion of the Armenia FundTelethon, this pastMay 27.Ttrc lGmeterJong flag bore the names of those

and one

tricolor flag at Camp Kessab, located some 90 miles outside txls Angeles. This is a "neutral" camp, they said, and their kids

flying

ald the

youngest grasped the meaning behind each vibrant color. They understood so well that,

sooner or

later,

everything-from

Christrnas trees, from up in Valentine hearts to Easter eggs -showed shades of red, blue, orange. A sixth grader's

Thanksgiving nrkeys

Halloween scene even featured a witch dressed in black holding abroonr, in front of herbrown cabin in a deep green forest. And on the cabin door-a tricolor.. "What business does this sacred flag have on top of a witch's house," I asked him. His rcsponse was quick. "fuen't there Armenian witches, too?" The civil unrest of the 1970s, which tore apart ttre centen of Armenian population in dte

Middle East, resulted

in an increase

Fenahian's student population. Every moming, studenls were required to stand in their class-

would not be allowed to set foot there if it insisted on the conEoversial flag. No one dared fly it. The next surnmer, a teenage camper used fhe arts and crafts session to weave a very large web-sha@ wallhang-

ing-wittr

red, blue and orange

yarn-which

was immediately hung above ttre fireplace in the main lodge. No one dared remove it.

of an Armenian Relief Society Convention in St. Louis, 1982, at the start

Missouri, we crossed the Mississippi river to Crranite

That same banner was hung across our

who fought, and perhaps have since died, on

the battlefronts of Karabakh. As videoclips showed soldiers signing and kissing the flag before each critical battle ofthe last four years, former Justice Commando Antranig Boghossian (who in 1983, during an atrack on the Turkish Ambassador to Belgrade, was shot

Years later, sensitive parents objected to

sciousness in my students. The oldest

of kids had happily sung about fuedom fighten and holidays in a language

ors, dozens

order house for additional American and

in our hearts?

(3ffi-plu$ community were forfimate to

each could barely understand.

Armenias- one in the Soviet Union

small

have found ways to use ttre fficolor as a rallying point for their youth. Holding small nicol-

flags. Quickly, before school began ttrat year, orders were placed with a mail-

mer and sickle, and five stars. How was the flag company to know that there were two

it not for other realities.

The survivors fromArabkir and Kghi who had sought refuge in Granite City and formed the

enough

Armenian flags. When the boxes arrived we found they contained not only the familiar stars and stripes, but also tricolors feanrring wide red ouside bands, with a thin blue band in the centeremblazoned with a yellow ham-

**Y

was overdone were

Clty's St. Gregory the Illuminator

Church to receive the priest's blessing. The American flag stood to tire right of ttre altar. The Armenian tricolor virtually shone on the

opposite side, as the sun's rays flowed through it and drowned the whole church in shades of bloo{ slry and wheat. We left the church and entered the basement hall for lunch, where small candles and flowers formed the hand-made centerpieces on each table. The colors ofttre centerpieces as well as those on the corsages and pens we were given

in the back and left paralyzed) recounted how and why he came up with the idea for the flag and the irreplaceable signatures. Boghosian

wanted to bind the three segments of tlre Armenian world-Armenia Karabakh and

Daspora-$y circulatingthe flag amongst the fightem in Karabakh, the people of Armenia and the supporters in the Daspora.

Finally, at the Summer Olympic Games

in Atlanta this July, the ricolor joined 197 other flags as a proud and equal paftEr. Seeing it wave, I remembered a story about a

trip taken by the fint Armenian republic's last prime minister, Simon Vratsian, to Cordoba, Argentina. After the Armenian tricolor was hoisted alongside the Argentinian blue and white, George Mardikian, famous restaurateur and community activist, is reported to have told his hosts, "One day, perhaps, we'll have the honor of seeing your flag, in our capital, too." Half a century later, Armenia flies right alongside Argentina in the LIN's court of 187 flags. In Yerevan, ttre ricolor, in exile for near-

ly 70 years, now waves over Armenia's official buildings. Home at last. sY

ANAID MEYNIARIAN

were the same---red, blue, olange.

One might think

the

red-blueorange

MnvNaenteN ls AN EDUCAToRAND ACTIvE MENAER OF THE ANNANNTAN RELIEF SOOSTY.

66 / AIM September-October 1996

THESE ARtr REAL LETTERS TO REAL PEOPLE. SEND US YOURS Armenia to locate the materials for self-

EEEEEffiffi*s,.

renewal.

DearA.

Others still go with agendas for sav-

was happy to see you in Yerevan and renew the association which we had started some time ago, before independence. The seven years may have deepened the lines of your [ace, may have made my hair grayer, but they have not changed the shaded dynamics of our relationship. Most of all, they have not

changed our differences.

Still,

was happy to see, somewhere in the distance, beyond the bread and wine we shared,

the possibilities of giving lbrm and consequence to our friendship. Given the present conflicts and anx-

ieties between Armenians in Armenia and those in the Diaspora, this is not an easy task. Not only are we different in history and dialect but also in our longings. Nowhere is this last difference more salient than in our crossings: You, to the Diaspora, and we, to the home-

land. Our crossings-yours and oursare propelled by hope, but that is where the similarity ends. I don't need to recount to you the wild dreams of your compatriots as they board the plane from Yerevan to destinations as far as Los Angeles and Buenos Aires. We have talked about the impuls-

es-noble as well as opportunisticwhich have pushed you and others beyond the borders of Armenia. I write not to tell you what you know. We in the Diaspora, most of us at least, go to Armenia in response to deep and often unspeakable needs-perconal, professional, and national. We go to find some sense of completion, to populate the empty spaces of ourheart: A medical administrator sets up a network of soup kitchens for the most vulnerable population sectors. Others among us go to Armenia to forge a new identity: A27year old graduate student who is Armenian on her mother's side, disceming the need for a more inclusive and

anchored sense

self, travels to

ing the locals from themselves. For these people, you are also their impoverished

cousins. The cclmpulsion

to save is

always laced with contempt. But we go, all of us-and unlike the Soviet days. we are not tourists anymore, overwhelmed and starry-eyed, or disgusted and angry. But we are

not natives either, though are passing moments

be pilgrims, praying at the holy shrine. As rny friend S is fond of saying, the last evening (when one has to leave

Yerevan at 4:(fr am and so one cannot really sleep, yet one isn't really awake, either) is lhe strangest evening of all. By accident, our meeting happened on that

evening. For every emotion which seemed

to bring us closer to each other,

there ours

-asfcel in that evening-when we every fiber of our being that we are all natives, that the earth of Armenia has spawnecl us all from her troubled entrails. But these are moments; they come and go. What remains constant is

our knowledge that we are in Armenia as something other than what we were before independence. That

is why when we

leave, as most of us must kcause we are there temporarily, we are seized by a million and one con-

tradictory emotions. That is why our business is never finished; that is why our departures always contain plans of future returns. And after we leave, when we retum to our home countries

in the Diaspora, we often carry back with us the burdens with and communities

which we went in the first place. This must be so, because Armenia is no cure for the things which afflict us here in the Diaspora, because you and your compa-

triots are in the grip of processes and problems which are specifically yours: a nation on the road to statehood, Our burdens come from a whole other set of cir-

cumstances.

Often, wâ&#x201A;Ź,

there was one distancing us. Given the rifts between Armenia and the Diaspora, we did well, did we not? The association which we had begun many yeils ago and to which we retumed that evening had become a conversation, and conversations always begin from our acknowledgment of distance and shading, from our collective hope to speak across the continents that separate us.

Stay well. May your fiery

Diaspora

Armenians, are not willing to admit this fundarnental difference which jumps at us on every sffeet we walk, in every home we visit in Yerevan and beyond. We want to abolish it. We want to disregard the distances between us. Now that we cannot be tourists auymore. perhaps we want to

September descend gracefully upon you and yours. May your winter be gentle. As for spring- we, Armenians, have songs

for spring. Ever,

T AIM September-October

1996

I 67

Ut{DtBEXPOStD NEED S0ME CASH?

Sevcn months ago, Midland Armenia

Bank

FBOM ARMENIA TO EUROPE, Sixteen-year-old Karine Khachatrian

opened

the first of Yerevan's autonrated teller nrachines. Right around the corner from Hotel Armenia, and just a sh()rt walk litxn the city's largcst indoor rnarkel arrd thc

became Miss Armenia 1996 in April, and since then, has been preparing to take on

weekend arts fair,

the

her new role. ln September, she went to Albzuria to participate in the Miss Europe

ATM

machines provide

competition. Next? Given

ready cash to any-

bank card. It's located outside

various Miss World and Miss Universe conrpetitions as well.

the bank doors for

round-the-clock access

Dollars

or Dram. depend-

ing on the customer's preference, and just inside the building's entrance

maln

for secu-

rity and weather considerations.

ril*N1rl

!iii,1i*:;

rir:I4

.,f.&. IL IE

u$ "1.* .n$

',t

$$:

:,'

ii,iilir; if.1!ii {,'

xlL

.,ll

\i :tr,

/AIM

Septernber-October 1996

adequate

finances and publicity, Amrenia's national gymnastics champion will appear in the

one with the valid

iifilfLlftt

D0UBIE TRAGEDY. Corporal Mihran Avedissian (below, right) was killed when his helicopter crashed during aerial maneuvers

lrlii: lii'

June. The 29-year-old resident of

Mctoria, Australia. was a member of the select Special Air Services of the Australian Army, and in Septernber would have been promoted to unir commander. In July, the stillunexplained crash of TWA Flight 800 soon atler take-off from Kennedy Airport in New York, took the life of Ralph Kevorkian (below. left) togerher with over 200 passengers and crew. 1'he 58-year-old commercial pilot had one more

flight befbre retiremenr.

1""*. 1.${i'ffi

A MlilAS RENAISSAIIICE. et a receprion celebrating rhe publication

Minas, an album of Minas Avetisian's paintings (see

AIM, Mayflune 1996), Royal Canadian Academy (RCA) President Emest Annau (below, lef$ p,resenred publisher Razmig Hakimian (below, right) of Montreal with an honorary medal "for his oustanding efforts to preseflt Minas to the Canadian public" and reiferated RCA's intersst in launching multifold Canada-Armenia artistic liaisons. Hakimian's AAA Publishing House issued the work of ttrc Armenian mflster a$ a fust step in a forthcoming series of art plblications. The book's presentation in Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts in June, brought together the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, the Canadian Armenian communiry and Canadian art enthusiasB. Armenia's ambassador. Gamik Nanagulian and the president of the City of Montreal Executive Committee, Noushig Eloyan, also partic-

ipated (right). CanadianArmenian artist Armand

Thtossian presented the museum with a series of paintings created in homage to Avetisian. The

book's editor,

Shahen

Khachatrian, hailed the publication as the begnning of a "Minas Renaissance."

ONE PLUS 0l{E EOUALS SlX. Whcn the Arakelian quadruplets werc bom in January 1994. altof Armenia got involved. Father Yura was a ref'ugec from Azerbaijan, mothcr Lena had lived through the earthquake. After such rrauma, and a long engagement while working together in a hospital in Tashir, rn norlhem Armenia, the arrival of three sons and one daughter was a cause for joy- concem. Six do nol live as cheaply as two. So, the local goveming council kicked in extra salary. The Fund for Armenian Relief of the Armenian Docese of North America helped, too. Local businessmen sponsored the children's christening. The parents say they manage somehow. and the grandfather, Arakel Arakelian, an attomey by training, is the ot'ticial babysitter. The couplc is still waiting for an apartment in lhe new residences being built in Tashir with World Bank funds. Until then, "We don't sleep much," says Yura, "but there'e nothing like this."

AIM Septembcr-Ocrober

1996

I 69

ffimE

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS AROUND TTIE WORLD

Armenia and Caspian Oil Politics: Beneficiary or Bystander. A Zoryan Institute

Literary Corner.

Open University Seminar led by

Glendale Public Library, Glendale,

Professor Henry Huttenbach. Co-

California, through November 23.