MosJan

AN AGREEMENT ON ESTABLISHING JOINT ENTERPRISE OF RUBBER TO BE SIGNED The government of Armenia decided at September 20 session to invest the main assets of Nairit-1 and Nairit-2 synthetic rubber producing companies in the constituent capital of a joint Armenian-Chinese rubber plant to be built in China. It should be mentioned that according to the preliminary arrangements, the Armenian share in the enterprise, to be established jointly with China's joint stock company of synthetic rubber of Shansi, will make 40%. According to the deputy minister of trade and industry Ashot Shahnazarian, at present the Armenian side works at forming the corresponding agreement. As Mr. Shahnazarian said, the agreement is supposed to be signed till the middle of October in China. © Copyright AZG

US CONGRESS WILL CONSIDER REPEAL OF SECTION 907 26.09.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act is currently under attack by Azerbaijan that is seeking to exploit the September 11th terrorist attacks against America to put pressure upon the U.S. government." The press office of the Armenian National Committee of America informs about this. Leaders of this influential lobbyist organization possess information that Azerbaijani diplomats condition Baku's assistance to the U.S. anti-terrorist operation against Afghanistan upon abolition of Section 907, which prohibits the U.S. Administration rendering aid to Azerbaijan until it raises the blockade of Armenia and Nagorno Artsax. Senator Sam Brownback, a long-time vocal opponent of Section 907, has come out with an initiative to consider its repeal. A vote on this subject will already be held today. Armenian National Committee of America has appealed to the constituencies to address their Senators a request to support preservation of the sanctions against Azerbaijan. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

THE POPE LAID A WREATH TO THE MEMORIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS 26.09.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head of the Roman Catholic Church John Paul II met with Armenian President Robert Kocharian in his residence this morning. After that he set out for Tsitsernakaberd Park, where he laid a wreath on the memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915. In the second half of the day the Pope together with Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II will hold an ecumenical ceremony in Saint Grigor Enlightener temple opened Sunday. The pontiff will pass the relics of founder of the Armenian Apostolic Church Griror Enlightener, which had been kept in Vatican before, for storage in the temple. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

PACE ARMENIAN DELEGATION CAME OUT WITH AN INITIATIVE TO DISCUSS AGGRESSIVE CALLS BY AZERBAIJAN AND BLOCKADE IMPOSED BY TURKEY 26.09.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head of the Armenian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Hovhannes Hovhannisian addressed a letter to the CE Committee of Ministers proposing to discuss the recent calls in Azerbaijan to set about military resolution of the Artsax conflict. Speaking at the Assembly session Hovhannisian stated, "in the course of the last months Azerbajani authorities, including President Heydar Aliev, have come out with calls to resumption of war aiming at creation of favourable situation for power resolution of the Artsax problem." The head of PACE Armenian delegation reminded in the letter that when joining CE on 25 of January 2001 Armenia and Azerbaijan committed themselves to settle the Artsax problem solely via peaceful means. Hovhannisian suggested the CE Committee of Ministers to address an appeal to Azerbaijan "to refrain from statements, which call to military resolution of the conflict and jeopardize the peace settlement process." Hovhannisian also proposed to discuss the matter of the blockade against Armenia imposed by Turkey. He noted Armenian economy suffered losses due to the Turkish policy. "Blockade policy held by a CE member state in relation to the other, obviously conflicts with CE regulations," – head of PACE delegation writes in his letter. On this occasion Hovhannisian called on CE to intervene and demand that Turkish authorities raise the blockade. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net

CHARLES AZNAVOUR PRESENTED WITH A BOTTLE OF 77-YEAR-OLD BRANDY DURING HIS VISIT TO YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY 26.09.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Charles Aznavour made a tour of the Yerevan Brandy Company today. Head of the enterprise Pierre Larech said a decision was made to name the main path in aging workshop after the honorary guest in order to immortalize his visit. He also presented Charles Aznavour with a bottle of Armenian brandy produced 77 years ago – the year of the prominent singer's birth. In the course of the excursion in the factory Aznavour was accompanied by his impresario Levon Sayan, manager of "Aznavour to Armenia" fund Gerard Markosian, Ambassador of Armenia to France and Vatican Eduard Nalbandian. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

ROBERT KOCHARIAN HELD A CONFERENCE IN CONNECTION WITH INCIDENT IN "POPLAVOK" CAFE 26.09.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The corpse of 43-year-old citizen of Georgia Poghos Poghosian was found in the lavatory of Yerevan popular jazz cafe "Poplavok" on the night of September 25. Representatives of Armenian cultural and political elite had spent time in the cafe the previous night. President Robert Kocharian, Minister of Justice David Harutyunian, singer Charles Aznavour, musician Jivan Gasparian, composer Armen Smbatian were there. As reported by some Yerevan newspapers, referring to witness descriptions, Poghosian was beaten by one of the President's bodyguards because he addressed a remark to Robert Kocharian. Poghosian tried to approach Charles Aznavour sitting at the same table with the President. Conflict arose after he was not let take an autograph from the singer. Today Robert Kocharian held a conference in connection with the tragic incident, which took place in the cafe. The Public Prosecutor and Minister of Internal Affairs gave accounts on the process of investigation. President ordered to speed up the preliminary investigation and ensure its absolute objectivity and transparency. Robert Kocharian also ordered to suspend those officers of the presidential guard, who were in "Poplavok" cafe that evening. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net

CHARLES AZNAVOUR PAID A VISIT TO YEREVAN BRANDY PLANT YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS The world famous singer Charles Aznavour visited today the Yerevan Brandy Company as part of his visit to Armenia on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of Armenia's adoption of Christianity. Aznavour, who descends from Armenian parents, was interested in all the aspects of the activities of the company, owned by French Pernod Riccard, hailed its commercial success, which is likely to be followed by the development of grape-growing in Armenia, as well as creation of many new jobs. "Armenia needs an example of success in the business sector and the Yerevan Brandy Plant can be that example," he said. The head of the plant Pierre Laretch described Aznavour's first visit as historical and expressed gratitude for his encouraging words, which are strong incentives for the development of the plant. An aisle in the plant was named after Charles Aznavour and a bottle of Armenian brandy, as old as Aznavour himself, was given to him as a present. Armenia's ambassador to France and Vatican Edward Nalbandian, France's ambassador to Armenia Michel Legras and other dignitaries were with Aznavour. In 2001 the plant will expand the purchase of grapes from 13,000 up to 14,000. The procurement of additional grape will result in signing of new agreements with new vine-growers. In 2002 the plant intends to sign three-year long contracts with grape-growers, as well as expand the volumes of purchased grapes

SWISS HOLSIM TAKES OVER ARARAT CEMENT PLANT YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian state property ministry, the chief state agency, tasked by the government to carry out privatization of still state-owned enterprises, announced today the winner of an international tender for privatization of Ararat cement plant. A Swiss Holsim company, the second largest cement producing world company, was named as winner of the tender. Holsim has plants in some 80 countries, including several former Soviet republics. The tender commission announced today its final verdict after a week of a thorough examination of the company's business plan. The Swiss company has offered $6 million for the plant, in addition to another $4 million for the surrounding land. It has also pledged $12 million worth investments in the next three years with a commitment to preserve the current 600 work places. To top it all, the company has also promised $6 million to cover the workers' social needs in addition to another committment to pay some 1.2 billion worth Armenian Drams (AMD), inherited by the company as debts.

http://www.armenpress.am/top_pict/papakoch3.jpg POPE OF ROME PAID A COURTESY VISIT TO ROBERT KOCHARIAN YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS The Pope John Paul II paid today a courtesy visit to Armenian president Robert Kocharian. Kocharian's press office said the two men had a private conversation and later Catholicos of all Armenian Karekin II joined them. After the conversation members of the Armenian president's family were introduced to the Pope of Rome. The president Kocharian gave the Pope a bronze sculpture depicting Christ and his disciples at the Last Supper by Edward Shakhikian as a present, and the Head of the Catholic Church gave a mosaic picture of Jesus Christ to Robert Kocharian.

POPE LAMENTS DEATHS OF ARMENIANS IN 1915 GENOCIDE http://www.armenpress.am/top_pict/papacicer.jpg YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS The Pope John Paul II, who arrived in Armenia on Tuesday to attend festivities, marking the 17 centuries of Armenia's conversion to Christianity, visited today morning the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to pay homage to 1.5 million of Armenians killed in the last years of the Ottoman empire by the government of Young Turks. "We are appalled by the terrible violence done to the Armenian people and dismayed that the world still knows such inhumanity," the Pope said in a prayer at the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex. He spoke while sitting at the memorial's eternal flame, flanked by the Armenian Apostolic Church's leader, Catholicos Karekin II, and a phalanx of priests in black robes and cowls. "Listen, O Lord, to the lament that rises from this place, to the call of the dead from the depths of the Metz Yeghern (Great Genocide)," he said, using the Armenian-language phrase for the deaths. In the afternoon, the Pontiff visited the newly built St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in downtown Yerevan.

George M. Mardikian 1976 Omar Khayyam's Restaurant Food Consultant and Owner San Francisco, CA George Mardikian was born in Papert, Armenia. His father was killed by Turks seeking to exterminate the Armenians and at age 15, he ran away from home to join an Armenian guerrilla force. When Armenia’s independence was recognized, he returned to his mother in Constantinople only to be captured by the Turks when war broke out again. He escaped from a prison camp and his brother and sister who had immigrated to America, sent money for his passage there. He arrived in New York City in 1922 and traveled by train to San Francisco. He worked washing dishes in a restaurant and at Compton’s Cafeteria. In 1928, he signed on as a steward on a round-the-world cruise ship. During his travels, he would take any type of job he could get under famous chefs to learn their techniques and recipes. Back in Fresno, California, he opened his first restaurant, Omar Khayyam’s in 1932. He then opened two more restaurants and a chain of sandwich shops. From 1942 to 1954, he served as an expert food consultant to the U.S. Army. He received commendations from Presidents Hoover, Truman, and Eisenhower for the conservation and improvement of army food. Mardikian was involved with the Boy Scouts for more than 61 years and founded the American National Committee to Aid Homeless Armenians.

Sarokhan, political cartoonist Sarokhan, vienna 1923. Born in 1898 in Armenia, Alexander Sarokhan fled to Egypt in 1924. He met Muhammad Al-Tab’ai who gave him the chance of a lifetime. Sarokhan worked as a cartoonist in "Rose Al-Youssef" magazine. He created the character of Al-Masri Effendi which was his passport to success. When Al-Tab’ai left "Rose Al-Youssef" to "Akhbar Al-Youm" newspaper, Sarokhan followed. His cartoons were also published in several magazines such as "Al-Mustaqbal" (The Future), "Automobile", "The Sphinx", "Al-Kashkul" (The Album), "Sada Al-Sharq" (Echo of the East), "Al-Sarkha" (The Clamor) and "Al-Watania" (Patriotism). The 1952 Revolution was a turning point in his artistic career. Before the revolution, Sarokhan’s cartoons highlighted party maneuvers, corruption, and parties’ conflict with the British occupation over power. After it, Sarokhan’s main cartoon character became an optimistic belle symbolizing Egypt. http://www.sis.gov.eg/online/images/saro01.jpg Sarokhan with President Muhammad Naguib, 1952 Saroukhan, Pioneer of Political Cartooning in Egypt (1898-1977) Egypt has been always a safe refuge for many artists, writers, who fled injustice and persecution at home to the warm hospitality and tolerance in Egypt. Alexander Saroukhan was a talented cartoonist who emigrated from his homeland; Armenia, and later settled in Egypt, where he ended up as a pioneer of political cartooning. Birth and Career Born in Battom, Armenia in 1898, Alexander Saroukhan received his elementary education at Russian schools, then immigrated with his family to Turkey then to Athens and Vienna, where he graduated from the School of Fine Arts. In 1924 he settled in Egypt, where he founded together with Abdel Qader Al-Shinnawi "The Pictorial Newspaper", which published only two issues. A year later, he worked as a drawing teacher at the Armenian School at Bullaq, Cairo. He became famous within the Armenian community as a cartoonist. "Al-Masri Effendi", Sarokhan's Creation Saroukhan was only a new-comer to Egypt, with little or no knowledge about Egyptian political life or figures, when he met prominent journalist Mohammed Al-Tabi'ye at Rose El-Youssef magazine. Together they created the cartoon-figure of Al Masri-Effendi; a kind-hearted, intelligent, generous and serious fellow symbolising the traits of Egyptian character. This figure was widely used to express his opinion on various political events. Saroukhan's unique cartooning style has widely influenced most cartoonists in Egypt. His creations were an inspiration for many other stereotypical characters, such as "Ibn El-Balad, Al-Fallah"; etc … He had an exceptional talent for expressing spiritual feelings through light and shadow, as well as intangible features such as intelligence, foolishness, power, weakness, cunning etc..... Saroukhan was influenced by British Lowe and Cummings, American, Morris and Russian Yulmov. He mastered seven languages: English, French, Russian, German, Arabic and Turkish, besides his mother tongue; Armenian. Saroukhan worked for almost all Egyptian newspapers, including Rose El-Youssef, Al-Akhbar, Akher Sa'ah, Al-Gomhouria and Le Progress Egyptien. Recognition He was granted Egyptian nationality on October 20, 1954. On October 27, 1966, he won the American Middle East Broadcasting Corporation Silver Medal in its contest entitled "Cartoons in the Service of Peace". In 1968, he held an exhibition for his cartoons over 25 years of his life in Egypt. In 1975, Egyptian cartoonists celebrated the 50th anniversary of his life in Egypt. In 1985, his family published an album of his cartoons. http://www.sis.gov.eg/online/images/saro05.jpg http://www.sis.gov.eg/online/images/saro10.jpg web page

http://www.andreagassi.co.uk/logoart.jpg "Every parent has a dream for his child. The child is going to be the president, or the best doctor or lawyer. I thought my four kids were going to be world tennis champions. You know it's never going to happen, but it's a dream. It makes it easy to go on court and work with a kid." Mike Agassi, 1986. The story of Andre's life begins with the dream his father had, a dream that would one day be fulfilled, and more, by his youngest son, Andre Agassi. Emanuel Agassian was born in Armenia (what was then Persia) in 1932. Six months later he moved to Iran when he spent his formative years. 'Manny' became an accomplished boxer but it was his fascination with tennis that was to shape his life. One day, while walking down a back street in his hometown, Manny watched his first game of tennis being played in an American Mission church yard. He was befriended by the American GI's playing and taught the rudiments of the game by them in exchange for his acting as ball-boy and tending to the dirt courts. Little did he know how all-consuming his passion for the sport was to become. http://www.andreagassi.co.uk/IMAGES/AAPIC02.JPG Mike was destined to become an accomplished boxer and visited England for the first time as a seventeen year old, representing his country in the Olympic games being held that year in London. While he was there, it's said that he made his first visit to the All England Club. As today, Iran was then a tough place to grow up in and religious persecution was making life unbearable for his family who were wealthy timber exporters. In 1952, Manny emigrated to the US, arriving penniless but full of dreams and determination. He changed his name to Mike Agassi and settled in the industrial city of Chicago where he pursued his boxing career for a while, winning the Golden Gloves of Chicago three times between 1953 and 1956. But, it was to be fate that was to shape his future - in a bizarre way! Andre described it thus; "For his professional debut at Madison Square Garden, New York, my dad was matched against a guy with three or four fights. But, that guy got sick and they brought in an old pro who had 40 fights. My dad's manager told him it was the chance for instant recognition. Dad said 'Okay, I've just got to go to the bathroom.' He climbed out of the window, took the train home and bought a tennis racket." For all that, Mike would never lose his fighting spirit. He decided his future was to be in tennis, so he devoted himself to finding out all there was to learn about the sport with a single-0mindedness that was almost terrifying. By working for various companies, he learnt how to lay tennis courts. He visited and worked in factories to learn about how equipment was made. He read books and watched videos about every aspect of the game. All this time, he earned money any way he could, working as a waiter for the most part. It was at a Davis Cup Presentation dinner at the hotel he was working at that he was inspired by the tennis greats of the day assembled there, talking about their game and how talent should be nurtured from an early age. He vowed then that he would have a child who would some day make the name 'Agassi' famous wherever tennis was played. Things began to look up for Mike. He fell in love and married Elizabeth (Betty) and between 1960 and '69 they were to have three children; first a girl, Rita. Then a boy, Phillip, followed by another girl, Tamra or Tamee as she was known. From an early age, all were taught the game of tennis by their father. They were all good players. Rita, the eldest child, would show the most promise of the three, climbing into the world's top 100 before leaving - some would say escaping - to get married to the legendary tennis player, Pancho Gonzales. Phillip, the next oldest, played well and occasionally partnered David Pate in doubles. But, his heart was never in it, perhaps discouraged by his inability to please his father. (Later, this experience would help him get his young brother through some difficult times with his family) Tamee, the youngest of the three, developed a talent for the game and played collegiate tennis before leaving the circuit to follow another career. The climate of southern California drew Mike, it's sun and heat better for playing tennis than the cold and wet of Chicago. After unsuccessfully trying for a job in Los Angeles, he succeeded in obtaining a position of teaching pro at the Tropicana Casino in Las Vegas. He took on a waiters job as well to eke out the low wages. He then went to Caesar's Palace - another casino - as a hotel waiter. He later moved to the MGM Grand - later to be re-named Ballys. Betty found the family a house in Las Vegas, a pleasant single story house with a large back yard in a good area of the city, a children's park nearby. Betty concentrated on making it a home for her husband and family while Mike concentrated on building a tennis court with his own hands in the back yard! Mike was always a hard worker but his Armenian upbringing had invested in him strong family values and these two things were to lead him into years of struggle whilst he pursued his dream. He was quickly promoted to Showroom Captain at Ballys where he stayed until quite recently. He became well known among the top entertainers there, the boxers and tennis players. He gave coaching lessons and had his own re-stringing business. In the next instalment, Mike's youngest child, Andre is born. When Andre was born in 1970, Mike was amazed at the size of the baby's eyes, and how attentive they were. It was this that first alerted Mike to the possibility that here at last, could be his champion. He noted that baby Andre had the ability to follow a ball with his eyes without turning his head and so, just a few days old, Andre's coaching began. The stories are endless about how Mike strung tennis balls above his son's crib, of balloons being fixed to his high chair. As Andre grew and developed, so too did his ability. Andre, still just a toddler, was soon hitting salt shakers so hard that he would break the windows in the house - the glazier was soon to become a frequent visitor to the Agassi household! Andre's most prized toy was his racket and he would take this to bed with him, cuddling it in his sleep. Incredibly, by the time Andre was two, he was able to serve overhead on the full size court in his yard. His father coached him in a unique way and his methods were looked on by some as severe. But Andre thrived in the loving atmosphere of his home, wanting so much to please his father. Andre's famed double-fisted backhand developed out of need - he was too small to hold the racket in one hand! He learnt to work hard in a family of hard workers. Betty at this time was working for the State of Nevada Department of Employment, where she worked for 27 years and retired a couple of years ago. Mike is now considered a kind of 'Doc Emmett' (Back to the Future) figure in tennis, described by some as a genius for his teaching methods, he was also an independent thinker, dismissing the tennis pro's usual methods. "It's easy to tell people to bend their knees and get the racket back, there are 12-15 (tips) that all the pros know. But there's nobody to teach you how to hit a ball 125 mph or with no pace." But that's exactly what Mike Agassi set out to do with Andre. And what he achieved. Mike purchased ball making machines, tinkered with them to make them hold more balls, to deliver different shots and to fire them faster and harder than anyone had seen before. Andre would spend hour upon hour, alone in his yard, pitting himself against the machines until he was exhausted. The local kids would come and watch him as he took on more machines, faster and faster. The skill and timing necessary to beat the machines was developing his magnificent return of service game and unsurpassed hand/eye co-ordination. But Mike wasn't just giving lessons to Andre, he gave free lessons to the local children as well, including Mary Rowan that I met in Las Vegas a few Christmases ago. She told me Mike always demanded nothing more than their total attention. He was instrumental in changing her game to a winning one, concentrating on one aspect of it until she got it right. Mary vividly remembers returning off the serving machine, "You wouldn't even stand in the return position (facing the net), you'd stand sideways with the racket back - because that puppy was humming!" She told me that Mike would love the kids round and would devote hours of his time to them. They all helped collect up the huge amounts of balls left on the courts after a session with the machines, using scoops and Mike's special 'blowers'. Mike's thoughts on developing a champion were way before his time. His ideas were that you needed to start training at a young age, that the child and coach needed to love the game and the coaching needed to cover all aspects of the game including techniques. He explained how important it was to hit the ball on the rise, to be inside the baseline, hit early, hit the ball as hard as you can, fearlessly - to hit out and through the ball. Generate power by timing and 'breaking' or 'snapping' the wrist, using torque generated by the whole body to get maximum speed out of the ball. And, a strong credo of his - hit many, many balls until you get it right! Mike estimated once that Andre hit more than a million balls a year between the ages of 5 and 13. Because of Mike's contacts as a Showroom Captain and his son's precocious talent, Andre was becoming something of a local phenomenon. When Connors came to town, Mike strung his rackets and asked the then world No. 1 to hit balls with his boy. Andre's memories of that time are clear, "I remember looking at him on the other side of the net and saying, 'some day, that's what I want to be.' It was that feeling of being able to affect people." The following year, Mike introduced Andre to Borg, when he came to town. Andre, now aged eight was just as driven as his father and would often have to be persuaded to leave the court, begging to have just fifty more balls. His racket would be his constant companion. That and the five year old girl who lived next door - Wendy Stewart. The girl next door would go on to idolise Andre for years and from the first, they would spend hours together, Wendy throwing him balls to hit or the pair would sit watching TV, holding hands. They would ask to run the net together as ball boy and girl at tournaments. Manny began entering his young 'Champion' in local junior tournaments. Even at this age, Andre was soon being described at these events as 'unbeatable' and was soon playing children one, two and three years older than himself - and beating them! Andre quickly grew out of these events and Mike looked further afield for tournaments Andre could play - most of them in California - hundreds of miles away. The strain on the family to travel to these functions each week must have been dreadful. Most weekends, Betty would pack up the family and drive to the tournament site and get things organised, Mike following later once his shift was over. Their homely appearance at these usually classy 'Country Clubs', together with Mike's 'in-your-face attitude and his single-minded desire for Andre to win must have irked the members of the places they played. Mike became notorious for his outbursts when his frayed temper erupted at courtside. Mike was fiercely protective of Andre and his family and this attitude was often taken as threatening. It's said though, that although the family were close, the children were high-spirited and strong-minded, taking after dad with their tempers. Andre's first significant success came in 1982, when he won the 14-and-under Indoor Doubles trophy with Roddy Parks. The next year, he would again win this event, this time his partner was Ty Tucker. Ty would later on be instrumental in encouraging Andre in what would become his trademark 'mane' hairstyle. The young Andre attended the First Good Shepherd Junior School - and he hated it for most of the time. He preferred instead to spend his time swimming or skateboarding, enjoying the outdoors much more than the classroom. As he grew older, his curious lifestyle distanced him from his peers. By the age of twelve, Andre must have felt like a robot as he faced the ball machines, day after day - and he began to rebel. At first it was about school, then the monotony, then against his father's strict regime. He began to hang around with a group of boys much older than himself, venting his inner anger and frustration, drinking and making trouble. The gang would cruise the 'Strip' in flashy cars, eyeing the girls and drinking beer. "There's only two ways to go in Las Vegas when you're a teenager," explained Agassi years later. "Good or bad. There's no middle road." For a while, Andre was bad. Although at first Andre enjoyed the challenges of the tournaments, they must have been a terrible strain on him. Mike would accept nothing less than a win - nothing else was acceptable. To begin with, that's what Andre did - perhaps benefiting from his older opponents, people he was not expected to beat. But soon, the wins stopped and Andre grew frustrated and bored. Mike watched as his son turned from dedicated boy to delinquent before his eyes and seemed powerless to stop it, his dreams of a future tennis champion evaporating in the desert heat. He was desperate to find a solution that would enable his son to become the champion he dreamed of - and tame the rebel son he had become. About this time, Andre was to meet someone who would become a life-long friend, Perry Rogers. However, they did not get off to a good start! Leaving the court in a fury after losing a match he should have won, Perry offered some words of consolation to Andre. Andre snarled a response, 'what did he know!'. However, Andre would later regret the snub and seek out Perry to apologise. The friendship blossomed from then on. They became inseparable, going to the movies or out for a meal or exploring the desert around Las Vegas. Perry too, played tennis and the two would talk for hours about the dreams they had, about their future. It was just as well that the loner Agassi had found a true friend, for his life was about to be turned upside-down. First came a change of school, from the gentle intimacy of the church school to the rough anonymity of Cashman High. All too soon, Andre began rebelling in the confines of the school regimen. About this time, Mike Agassi was to find a solution to his son's growing rebellion. Watching a TV programme one day, he watched a programme about a revolutionary type of tennis camp, run by Nick Bollettieri over in Florida. A camp full of young tennis hopefuls that would provide his son with the challenges he needed and, perhaps even more importantly, it was a camp run with strict rules. Andre would later tell how his dad knew it was the right place for his son when he found out it was run like a boot camp and saw how the kids cried because of the tough regimen. Andre can laugh about it now but at the time it must have felt like a crushing blow to his free spirit. Of course, by this time, Andre could see that Mike could no longer give him what he needed - he needed tough practice partners and discipline. And - it would be something different. Andre was torn. Although he dreaded the thought of leaving the security of his home and a loving family, yet he knew if he was ever to realise his father's dream of becoming a tennis champion, he would have to go. Andre spent the last night of freedom with his friend, Perry. In one last expression of independence, he was given $100 spending money and provided with a limousine in which he could cruise his beloved Las Vegas and the Strip for the last time. The pair visited all their favourite haunts, sampling their favourite foods; chicken fingers in Tramps and drinking milk floats. They talked for hours. And then it was time to go - a journey of 2000 miles, on his own, in what he was soon to think of as a hostile environment. © 2000 baseline@andreagassi.co.uk web page

http://www.townonline.com/specials/candle/art/davidiancover.jpg Father Dajad Davidian's decision to become a priest, though against his father's wish, was in perfect keeping with his family heritage. His mother's father was a village priest in eastern Turkey who was mercilessly butchered in the town square during the 1915 Armenian genocide. Father Davidian's parents were both orphaned by this first ethnic cleansing of the 20th century that claimed at least 1.5 million lives. Yet, says Davidian, by the time his parents met, married and had a family in Worcester, Mass., they taught love, not hate. And so, as if with the mantle of his grandfather and his parents' message of hope over bitter experience, Father Davidian set out, in his words, to serve God and to serve his people. Father Davidian's commitment to that mission was never stronger than in this, his last year as pastor at St. James Armenian Apostolic Church. "The church is the only Armenian institution that hasn't come and gone for 1700 years. Wherever Armenians go, the first thing they build is a church, the last thing they tear down is a church," says Father Davidian. While their Christian faith has helped Armenians endure, the Armenian Church has helped them maintain their identity. "You're born, you're married, you have children, you die. The church is there. It unites us. With the same rituals we share the same memories." Father Davidian's Sunday services are steeped in tradition. Air thick with incense and lit in part by candle, the liturgy is beautifully sung and chanted in Armenian. The prayers, the music, the smells, even the sight of the priest's elaborate crown and robe is familiar to the increasingly diverse group that attend. A 90-year-old genocide survivor sits beside a 30-something American couple and their two children, who are behind an extended family from Turkey, Azerbaijan or Armenia. Father Davidian's sermons, given also in English, are a brilliant blend of scripture, scholarship and humor. He often, whether discussing the Resurrection, Columbine High or the Turkish earthquake, makes the same point: that all in the pews before him are Christian, Armenian and, above all, human beings. The greatest evil, in his view, is tribalism, the highest good to put aside differences in love and respect of one another. Nurturing the church community is central to the life of any local priest. For Father Davidian it is a passion not without its burdens. In addition to his role as counselor, friend and spiritual leader, Father Davidian's job requires endless hours of paper work, phone calls and meetings. The intricacies of running the largest Armenian parish in the eastern half of the United States involves budgets, hiring and managing staff, running a grounds and facility, and the most daunting task - trying to keep everyone as happy as possible. Like any executive, Father Davidian's time can be taken as much by people's petty complaints as by their crucial needs. Church politics has absorbed much of Father Davidian's time. Locally he has helped heal rifts between different Armenian congregations, and he meets regularly with pastors from local churches of all denominations. As a player on the national and world stage, Father Davidian has advocated liberal changes, such as admitting women to the ministry. He is often, by his own admission, a gadfly when he enters the halls of power. "Since I am a people-oriented individual," Father Davidian once said of himself, "I tend to take on more than I can handle. I only wish that I could occasionally say no." On any given day he may minister to the depressed, the recently divorced or bereaved. He will make time for a newly arrived immigrant looking for work and home, make a late-night stop at Mount Auburn hospital to bless newborn twins or the stricken aunt of a parishioner. He has helped a couple through the intricacies of adopting an Armenian baby, and escorted the parents of a troubled teen to court. He loves introducing well matched single men and women and has helped many network in their careers, whether they're in business, politics or the arts. He coordinates fund raising for broken schools and churches in Armenia as well as for the sick and needy at home. He teaches Sunday school and marriage classes, oversees choir groups, youth athletic activities and bible study. He attends Men's Club meetings, helps the Ladies Auxiliary plan its Mother's Day program, meets weekly with Harvard Divinity School student Jason Demerjian, and much more. Father Davidian will admit that he has a particular affection for children. At an ice cream parlor, on a special field trips or at choir practice, he wants to be seen as a mentor, not an authority figure. By serving as a positive role model during their youth, he hopes even those who rebel against their church and culture will one day be more likely to come back. Though he claimed to be less energetic than he was when he started at St. James 30 years ago, that was not apparent to anyone who followed him day in and day out. His decision to retire was less about a loss of zeal than a need to do something else. Bittersweet was a word Father Davidian used often in the weeks prior to his last day at St. James on Sept. 21. It could also be used to describe the emergence of a new Republic of Armenia from the ashes of the Soviet Union in 1991. "I would like to spend an extended period of time in Armenia, the suffering homeland of our people," Father Davidian announced in his last pastor's annual report. "In Armenia today there is both opulent consumerism as well as despairing poverty. Our ancient tradition of faith is in danger in its own native land. "I would like to preach the Christian Gospel of hope that I learned from our Church; to teach the Christian ethic of compassion and fidelity that I was taught; to instruct parish priests on the ideals of a priesthood that desires to serve rather than be served. Will I change the world? No, I know I can not, but perhaps I can touch another person. "'Better to light a candle than curse the darkness.'" The mission of Father Dajad Davidian, born in the hearts of his ancestors, will come, no doubt, to illuminate the lives of those he touches in the new Armenia.... web page

http://www.razmikmouradian.com/images/indexis/photo.jpg Razmik Mouradian was born in 1938 in Yerevan, Armenia. At the age of 16 he moved to Moscow, Russia to study fine arts. Two years later he took part in his first art show. Since then his works have been on display at exhibitions throughout Russia, as well as Russian art exhibitions around the world. His works are part of the permanent collections of many museums in Russia, including the internationally known Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, and the Russian Museum in Saint-Petersburg. Four decades after his first exhibition, Razmik Mouradian is still working in Moscow, and his explorations are as vigorous as they were in the beginning of his artistic life. Photographs presented on this site will, hopefully, give you an idea of the rich, complex, exciting and ever-developing body of his work. http://www.razmikmouradian.com/images/busts/sorrow.jpg http://www.razmikmouradian.com/images/portraits/komitas.jpg KOMITAS http://www.razmikmouradian.com/images/monuments/gorky.jpg Maxsim Gorki http://www.razmikmouradian.com/images/monuments/pushkin.JPG Alexsander Pushkin web page

Gevorg Dabagian The Music of Armenia Volume 3: The Duduk Celestial Harmonies The music of the duduk of Armenia has become familiar to many through the many recordings of Djivan Gasparyan in the last decade. Here's a chance to hear another player of equal emotional range on an instrument made for individual expression. The duduk is a small double-reed instrument. It has a mix of warm tone and raspy over-tone that makes it instantly recognizable and unique. In Armenia, this instrument has the respect that the violin has in more western classical music, even though its repertoire comes from a more "folk" oriented base. While it can be heard in many different kinds of ensembles, from duduk chamber groups to folk music with many different instrument and vocalists, this set features it as a solo, accompanied only by a droning second duduk and occasionally a drum. It is in this setting, and with this performer, that one can truly appreciate the beauty and evocative quality of the instrument. It has an emotional quality normally associated with singers, and it seems to evoke in the listener the same feelings of joy, sorrow and loss that a good folk singer can. This is the third set in Celestial Harmonies' "Music of Armenia" series produced by David Parsons. It includes excellent liner notes on the history of the instrument and the composers by WNYC's John Schaefer. It also completely lacks the name of the performer anywhere on the cover, including his name only in the fine print credits and once at the end of Schaefer's notes, so look for it under "M" for music, or "V" for various artists, which is my guess as to where most stores and station libraries will file it.

Professor Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovski http://ecommerce.wipo.int/graphics/speakers/piotrovski.jpg Professor Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovski, born in Armenia, was appointed Director of the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, in 1992. Professor Piotrovski studied in the Hermitage Museum's Art History School and graduated from the Oriental Faculty of Leningrad State University, specializing in Arabic Studies in 1967. He entered the Leningrad branch of the Institute for Oriental Studies as a research assistant in 1967, working there until 1991, by which time he had attained a Ph.D.Dr.Sc (History) and was a Senior Researcher. Professor Piotrovski has taken part in archaeological excavations in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Yemen, and was head of a team in the Soviet Yemeni Expedition from 1981 to 1991. Professor Piotrovski is a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a member of the Russian Academy of Humanities, Professor of the St. Petersburg State University and is on the boards of the President's Committee for the Russian State Prize, President's Council for Art and Culture, Foundation for Research in Humanities, Russian Commission for UNESCO, and the Exhibitions Experts Committee of the Council of Europe. He was awarded the Netherlands Order of Orange Nassau (1996) and the Russian Order of Honour (1997).web page

Born in: Yerevan, Armenia Born: 2 June 1970 Voice: Bass Studied at: Gnesin State Academy of Music, Moscow 1990-95 http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger99/images/armenia.jpg Tigran first studied physics before deciding to become an opera singer. He began singing professionally in 1993. His roles include Salieri Mozart and Salieri and Gremin Eugene Onegin for Moscow Municipal Theatre, and Ramphis Aida, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor and King of Clubs Love of Three Oranges for Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow. European tours include Shostakovich concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rostropovich and a performance of Philip in Don Carlo for Sophia Opera. His numerous prizes include a special prize and diploma at the tenth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1994 and second prizes in the Queen Sonja Competition in Oslo in 1995. His leisure interests include computers and cinema. Tigran Martirosian made a very strong impression. The Armenian bass tackled a broadly outgoing programme with vocal gusto and a range of expressive gesture which suggested a comfortable amount of stage experience: Mr Martirosian seemed perfectly at ease with his material, and with the audience. His was a well-chosen programme beginning with Zaccaria's prayer from Act 2 of Verdi's Nabucco and continuing with Mussorgsky's famous 'Song of the Flea'. An unusual item was a song by Sviridov (1915-1998) -- a vivid drinking song based on a translation into Russian of a poem by Robert Burns. His programme concluded with Basilio's showpiece patter-aria 'La Calunnia' from Rossini's The Barber of Seville: Mr Martirosian's confident acting made the audience forget that this was a concert performance. Graeme Kay Preliminary Verdi Nabucco Act 2 - Vieni, o Levita!-Tu sul labbro Mussorgsky - The Song of the Flea Sviridov - The day is gane and mirk's the night Rossini Il Barbiere di Siviglia Act 1 No 6 - La calunnia Opera d'Avignon: Sparafucile Rigoletto Minnesota Opera: Mephistopheles Faust London Symphony Orchestra, Salzburg Festival, Teatro Comunale di Firenze, Munich Opera: Les Troyens

Pavel Lisitsian (born 1911) http://russia-in-us.com/Music/GRV/Lisitsian/p_lisits.gif BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE The Armenian baritone Pavel Gerasimovich Lisitsian was born at Vladikavkaz in Armenia on the 6th of June 1911. Born in a laborer's family, he first worked in a diamond drilling group and later as a welder. He first sang in a church choir, then at age 19 went to Leningrad, to study the cello. He debuted there as an actor in 1932. By then, the quality of his voice was sufficiently evident to justify serious musical studies. Between 1932 and 1935 he attended the Leningrad conservatory and made his debut at the Maly theater. From 1935 to 1937 he appeared at Yerevan in the Spendiarov Company noted in the title-role of the opera Arshak II by Chukadjan. In 1940 he was engaged at the Moscow Bolshoi Opera house as leading baritone, where he remained until his retirement from the stage in 1966. He was awarded the title of "People's artist of the USSR". For his 60'th anniversary he appeared at Leningrad in a quartet with his three children. Pavel Lisitsian as Amonasro (Aida) 1951 Pavel Lisitsian was one of the few Soviet vocal artists, who became famous outside the Soviet Union. After WWII he performed in some 30 countries, including Italy, at Milan's La Scala, in Sweden, Japan and Austria. He appeared the San Francisco Opera and the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1960 as Amonasro in Aida. Lisitsian possessed an Italian bel-canto style which made him a remarkable performer of the Western repertoire, Di Luna (Trovatore), Escamillo, Rigoletto, Valentin (Faust), Germont as well as in the Russian roles including Venetian Guest (Sadko), War and Peace, Pique Dame, Eugene Onegin. He was well known as a recitalist and left many recordings of Russian and Western art songs. Throughout his career, Lisitsian popularized the art of his native Armenia. There are many who consider Pavel Lisitsian's one of the greatest baritone voices in the post-WWII era. web page

Ensemble Karot - Traditional Armenian Songs - Aleksan Harutyunyan: director, vocal, solo - Noune Atanasian: vocal, solo - Hasmik Harutyunyan: vocal, solo - Heriknaz Harutyunyan: vocal, solo - Anoosh Harutyunyan: vocal, solo - Lilit Harutyunyan: vocal, solo http://music.ch/face/Bilder/enskar.gif Noune Atanasian, Aleksan Harutyunyan, Hasmik Harutyunyan, Heriknaz Harutyunyan back: Anoosh Harutyunyan, Aram Harutyunyan, Lilit Harutyunyan The Ensemble Karot (means nostalgia) was founded in 1999 by Aleksan Harutyunyan. - Aleksan Harutyunyan was born in 1962 in Yerevan, Armenia. His ancestors are from the province of Mush in Historical Armenia. He graduated from Yerevan State University and the Komitas State Conservatory. For several years, he worked for the "Agoonk" Ensemble of the Armenian National Radio as a soloist, and later as the group's director. He is now the soloist and producer of the Hi Folk Ensemble. - Noune Atanasian, Aleksan's wife, was born in 1967 in Yerevan. Her ancestors are from the regions of Surmalu and Sasun in Historical Armenia. In 1990, she graduated from the Komitas State Conservatory in the Department of Musical Theory. She now works in the Folklore Department of the Conservatory. Noune sings in the Yerevan Chamber Choir and the Hi Folk Ensemble. - Hasmik Harutyunyan was born in 1960 in Yerevan. Her ancestors are from the province of Mush in Historical Armenia. She graduated from the Department of Vocal Music at the Arno Babajanyan School of Music and the Yerevan State Pedagogical Institute. For several years, she worked as a soloist for the "Agoonk" Ensemble of the Armenian National Radio. Hasmik is now the artistic director of the Hayrig Mouradian Children's Song and Dance Folklore Group. - Heriknaz Harutyunyan was born in 1958 in Yerevan. Her ancestors are from Mush, in Historical Armenia. She graduated from the Philology Department of Yerevan State University. Heriknaz has participated in several folk song and folk dance ensembles in Armenia. She now works for Internews Armenia. Nowadays, they all teach in Yerevan the traditional music of their ancestors, choir singing, playing the traditional instruments, folk dance and the basics of music. - Anoosh Harutunyan was born in 1987 in Yerevan. She is a niece of Aleksan, Hasmik, and Heriknaz Harutyunyan. She attends the Tigranyan Music School in the Department of Piano. Anoosh is a soloist in the Hayrig Mouradian Children's Song and Dance Folklore Group. - Lilit Harutyunyan was born in 1990 in Yerevan. She is Aleksan Harutyunyan's and Noune Atanasian's daughter. She attends the Tchaikovsky Special School of Music in the Department of Piano. Lilit is a soloist in the Hayrig Mouradian Children's Song and Dance Folklore Group. The repertoire of the Ensemble consists of songs that belong to the old tradition. The performance is based on the idea to preserve the songs of the different regions of Armenia, as well as to represent Armenia's "old roots" and the design of the original costumes in local traditions.

http://www.abarbeau.com/images/maina.jpg Film, Television and Broadway Star, Concert Stage and Recording Artist, Adrienne Barbeau's career spans 38 years and is still evolving. She began performing in 1963 with the San Jose Civic Light Opera, and by the time she was 18, she had already entertained our servicemen on army bases throughout South East Asia and was on her way to New York where she made her Broadway debut as Tevye's second daughter, Hodel, in Fiddler on the Roof. A Tony nomination for her creation of Rizzo in the original Broadway production of "Grease" led her back to California and the role of Bea Arthur's daughter, Carol, in the hit series, "Maude" (currently in reruns on Nick at Nite's TV Land.) Her numerous films for television include the Ace Award winning "Doublecrossed: The Barry Seal Story" opposite Dennis Hopper; Scott Turow's "Burden of Proof" with Hector Elizondo; and most recently NBC's Movie of the Week "A Champion's Fight". Weekly audiences can see her in a recurring role on "Drew Carey" as Oswald's mom. Other recent series appearances include "Deep Space Nine", "Diagnosis: Murder", "Sliders", and "Love Boat: The Next Wave". Film audiences know her best from "The Fog", "Escape from New York", "Cannonball Run", "Swamp Thing", "Creepshow", "Two Evil Eyes" and "Back to School". Adrienne just finished filming "No Place Like Home" for theatrical release later this year. The film also stars Judge Reinholdt, Joanna Pakula and Bruce Weitz. It was shot on location in Torrey, Utah. She also has these three new films: a comedy, "A Wake In Providence", an action film "Across the Line", and a horror film, "The Convent". Los Angeles audiences have known her as a television talk show host and a weekly book reviewer for KABC talk radio. Her nightclub performances include Harrah's, Reno; The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; the Gardenia and the Moonlight Tango Cafe in Los Angeles. Adrienne has starred in over 25 musicals and plays, among them "Pump Boys & Dinettes"; "Women Behind Bars"; Kander and Ebb's "And the World Goes Round"; "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"; "Love Letters"; the West coast premier's of "A Walk on the Wild Side" and "Drop Dead"; the Canadian premiere of Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers"; and the world premiere of "What the Rabbi Saw" by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore. Off camera, Adrienne is the voice of Catwoman in "Batman, The Animated Series"; the spokesperson for various television and radio commercials and the narrator of many books on tape, the Imax film "The Living Sea" and the A & E special "Unmentionables". She just released her first cd - not the expected musical showtunes but a great collection of the country, blues, folk and rock tunes she does in her concert appearances across the country. In March of 1997, Adrienne gave birth to identical twin boys making her "the only woman on the maternity ward who was a member of AARP". She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Billy Van Zandt, the twins, William and Walker, and her older son, Cody. 1979 - The Fog Directed by John Carpenter 1980 - Cannonball Run Directed by Hal Needham 1981 - Escape From New York Directed by John Carpenter 1982 - Creepshow Directed by George Romero 1982 - Swamp Thing Directed by Wes Craven 1984 - The Next One Directed by Nico Mastorakis 1986 - Back to School Directed by Alan Metter 1987 - Open House Directed by Jag Mundhra 1988 - Cannibal Women and The Avocado Jungle of Death Directed by Jonathon Lawton 1990 - Two Evil Eyes Directed by George Romero 1993 - Father Hood Directed by Darrell Roodt 1994 - Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats Directed by Dan Golden 1999 - A Wake In Providence Directed by Rosario Roveto 1999 - Across the Line Directed by Martin Spottle 1999 - The Convent Directed by Mike Mendez http://www.abarbeau.com/images/photo1.jpg

http://www.diamandagalas.com/images/gold_headshot.jpg Azat jan gone topik@ mi zgushatsorakan mi ban dneyir, te che batsum es u DEMQ@ sarsapeli e es vor terist es gtel sran ??? astvat schani hankarts es Zoqanch darna.... vayn yekel sra peseqin tarela... ba dra yerungner.. ba dra achqer@... apa mi gnam mi cd jarem tesnem inchpesa yergum , iys geretskuhin...

http://www.irvl.net/A-constitution/yeprem.jpg I NEED SOME INFO ON THIS MAN , CAN SOME ONE HELP ???

Arqayots Arqa Tigran II, rubinyan-ern el vat cheyin.

LEADER OF CLANDESTINE MUSLIM GROUP SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UZBEKISTAN A court in Khorezm on 24 September sentenced the leader of a clandestine Muslim group to death on charges of having planned to hijack an airplane to Afghanistan, AP reported. Nineteen of his followers received prison sentences ranging from four to 21 years. The group was arrested in June. LF