asbarez.com news room 08-21-2000

[Guest]

1. ANC, Assembly Host Armenian Caucus Chairman Pallone

 

LOS ANGELES--Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone (D-NJ) met with some 100 Armenian

Americans at a reception jointly sponsored by the Armenian National Committee-Western Region and the Armenian Assembly of

America-Western Region on Wednesday, at the Downtown Los Angeles Wyndham Checkers Hotel Rooftop.

 

Congressman Pallone, in Los Angeles as part of the Democratic National Convention, was joined by several other Congressional

colleagues, as well as prominent members of the Armenian-American community, and political figures including, Congressman Xavier

Becerra (D-Calif.) Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ), Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Congresswoman Grace Nepolitano

(D-Calif.), Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), State Senator Adam Schiff, State Democratic Party Chairman of South Carolina

Dick Harpootlian, Massachusetts State House Delegate Rachel Kaprielian, Los Angeles City Councilmember Nick Pacheco, Glendale

City Councilmember Rafi Manoukian and former California State Assembly Majority Leader Walter Karabian.

 

The guests were treated to several brief talks by the visiting elected officials, each touching on several issues of interest to the Armenian

American community. Representatives of the hosting organizations spoke on behalf of each entity and their activities, both commending

Congressman Pallone for his leadership in the US House of Representatives on Armenian issues.

 

The reception, which was held in conjunction to several other Democratic Convention official events, attracted a cross-section of the

Armenian American community of Southern California.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Hamazkayin Vahe Oshagan Literary Fund Established

 

PHILADELPHIA--The Central Committee of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society and the Oshagan family have

established the Hamazkayin Vahe Oshagan Literary Fund for the purpose of publishing Vahe Oshagan's unpublished works.

 

Vahe Oshagan (1921-2000) is regarded as the single most significant Armenian poet of the past quarter century whose verse signals the

start of a truly modern Armenian poetry. His literary oeuvre, which also includes prose and dramatic works, constitutes the most

accomplished and imaginative understanding and expression of the Armenian Diaspora as it has grown, struggled and survived over the

last 50 years. Dr. Marc Nichanian, professor of Armenian studies at Columbia University, calls Vahe Oshagan `the most important poet

of this generation.'

 

Vahe Oshagan's life was shaped by dispersion and infused with immense creativity. He was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in 1921, the son of

the 20th century's pre-eminent Armenian novelist and critic Hagop Oshagan and Araxie Astardjian Oshagan. He was raised in Cyprus

and Jerusalem and studied in France, where he received a doctorate in comparative literature from the Sorbonne. In 1952, settled in

Beirut where he taught Armenian, French and English literature at various universities and colleges and wrote his early works of poetry.

Among these, The City (1963), described by Nichanian as `the most radical book of Armenian poetry in the 20th century," stands in

stark contrast to traditional poetic constraints and whose spirit of innovation and regeneration pervades all of Vahe Oshagan's writings.

 

At the start of the Lebanese civil war in 1975, he moved to Philadelphia, where he taught at the University of Pennsylvania and continued

writing and publishing poetry and prose. In the 1980s and 1990s he lived in San Francisco and Sydney, Australia, before returning to

Philadelphia in 1998. Eight books of poetry, three books of prose, two plays, one monograph and one collection of works bear his name

as well as countless scholarly publications, newspaper articles, essays and public speeches.

 

In its themes and methods, Vahe Oshagan's body of work is a bridge connecting the generation of exile and the generation of the

Diaspora. As such, it is an imaginative, uncompromisingly modern and deeply humanistic panorama of the Armenian nation in the modern

world. The Fund's mission is to make this body of work available to the Armenian reading public by publishing Vahe Oshagan's numerous

unpublished manuscripts, including the following:

 

* A textual/photographic memoir of Artsax - a collaborative effort with his son Ara Oshagan, which is currently being translated into

English by his son Hayg Oshagan.

 

* Two books of poetry

 

* Two complete plays

 

* A full-length novel

 

* A book of short prose

 

* A 600-page dissertation on the Armenian novel from 1850 to 1930 that remains a definitive work in Armenian studies.

 

* Essays, criticism and commentary published in the Armenian press worldwide, including the 15-year-long Literary Chronicles or

Kragan Kronik published weekly in Asbarez, which constitute an invaluable portrait of Armenian literature and intellectual life.

 

* The first two volumes of a five-volume unfinished epic novel

 

The Fund also intends to translate Vahe Oshagan's work into other languages, to republish important volumes long out of print, and to

edit and publish his large collection of letters that spans 50 years and includes exchanges with almost every notable contemporary

Armenian writer and intellectual. Once these projects are completed, the Fund will turn to publishing Hagop Oshagan's remaining

unpublished works--a project to which Vahe Oshagan dedicated himself in the last years of his life.

 

The Fund will be administered by a board made up of two representatives from Hamazkayin (regional and international) and three

members of the Oshagan family: Vahe Oshagan's wife, Arsine and his two sons, Hayg and Ara.

 

Donations to the Fund are tax-deductible in the USA. Hamazkayin Vahe Oshagan Literary Fund can be contacted at: 424 Meadowcroft

Road, Radnor, PA 19087, USA. For more information about the Fund, please call (818)558-8895 or (610)525-8578 or email to

araoshagan@yahoo.com or voshagan@msn.com.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Renowned Painter Karzou Dies

 

PARIS--One of the greatest Armenian painters of the 20th century and a member of the French Academy of Arts, Karzou, nee Karnig

Zouloumian, died last Saturday in a hospital in Perrijeau, France. He was 93. Burial was held Wednesday

 

For the past two years, Karzou was ill and had stopped working. He was living in solitary in the aforementioned French city. The French

media reported the great artist's death the day of his funeral.

 

Karzou was born on January 1, 1907 in Aleppo, Syria to parents who had left Dikranagert.

 

He received his primary education at the Kaloustian School in Cairo, and after receiving a scholarship at the age of 17, he moved to

Paris, where he studied architecture.

 

His artistic career began as a cartoonist and he worked in the French press as a unique cartoonist. However, it would become evident

that his calling was painting.

 

In 1939, Karzou exhibited his first works and since then he has been a fixture in the international art world.

 

In December, 1977, Karzou was awarded a membership in the prestigious French Academy of Arts. He was welcomed at the Academy

on April 4, 1979 where he made a speech, the gist of which created controversy in France at the time.

 

With Karzou's death, the international and Armenian communities lose a great talent, about whom the art world will have much to say for

years to come.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Istanbul Patriarch Presents Community Issues to Government

 

ISTANBUL (Marmara)--The Patriarch of Istanbul, Archbishop Mesrob Mutafyan met with the governor of Istanbul Friday, and

presented a series of issues affecting the Turkish-Armenian community.

 

The Patriarch met Wednesday with deputy prime minister Mesut Yilmaz, at the latter's suggestion to address community related issues.

 

Yilmaz is the key coordinator of matters related to Turkey's membership in the European Union. He urged the Patriarch also to address

these issues with the governor.

 

The first of the list of the Patriarch's concerns was the matter of a constitution for the Patriarchate, which was approved by the Turkish

government in 1961 and has not been put into effect. The second matter was the concern about educating new clerics, for whom a

special status for university admission was being sought, as well as the creation of an advisory council for the Patriarchate, which ceased

to exist ten years ago.

 

Other matters included the discussion community assets. The Patriarch urged that all deeds and documents for assets and structures

dating after 1936 must be secured, without the intervention of the courts. Furthermore, the religious leader also called for the return of all

seized assets and property and the restoration of rights to own those properties.

 

The repeal of a condition about local elections, whereby voters and candidates must be residents of a specific neighborhood or district.

 

The final matter put forth by the Patriarch was the issue of government-enforced placement of Turkish vice-principals at Armenian

schools. In his meetings, the Patriarch urged Turkish authorities to treat Armenian school administrators as Turkish citizens and grant all

rights to them.

 

 

 

 

 

5. United Armenian Bloc Meets With Aram I

 

ANTELIAS (Aztag)--United Armenian Bloc candidates for three electoral districts for the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections

met with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia Thursday at the Bikfaya Monestary near the Catholicosate.

 

The pontiff highly praised efforts to institute unity, expressing hope that participants in the election will stay away from advancing personal

aspirations and will coordinate the interests of the Armenian community.

 

Aram I also voiced his complaint about the subjective coverage of the elections by some Lebanese media outlets, expressing hope that

the Armenian media will stay within accepted norms.

 

The United Armenian Bloc candidates assured the Catholicos that, if elected, they will represent the interests of the entire

Lebanese-Armenian community and defend its aspirations.

 

 

 

 

 

6. Glendale ANC To Host Pre-Election 'Mixer'

 

GLENDALE—The Armenian National Committee-Glendale Chapter will kick off Election Season 2000 with 'A Mid-Summer Night

Mixer' on Saturday, August 26, 2000 at 7 p.m. at the La Crescenta Armenian Center. The evening will include an appearance by

California 27th Congressional District candidate State Senator Adam Schiff, who recently garnered the ANC-Political Action Committee

endorsement.

 

The evening will provide an opportunity for community members to mingle with peers and friends and to meet with Senator Schiff.

Interested individuals will also have a chance to explore the various ways they can become involved with the ANC-Glendale Chapter and

take part in the political process as the fall election season gets underway.

 

"We hope that 'A Mid-Summer Night Mixer' will be a meeting point of a cross-section of our community, where with the ANC-Glendale

Chapter's facilitation, we can all prepare effectively for the upcoming November elections," explained Artin Manoukian, Chairman of the

ANC-Glendale Chapter. " In addition, we hope the mixer will be a good opportunity for young professionals and community members to

meet and have a good time," he said.

 

Entertainment will be provided by Peter Hosharian at the event, which will take place at the Armenian Center in La Crescenta, located at

2633 Honolulu Avenue. Ticket donations are $25.

 

For more information, directions or to purchase tickets for the event, please contact the ANC-Glendale Chapter at 818.243.3444.

 

 

 

 

 

7. President Kocharian May Be Interrogated As Witness In October 27 Case

 

YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Lawyers Tigran Janoyan and Marina Janoyan who defend the interests of former prime minister Aram

Sarkisian, met with representatives of a public organization Armenian House. The representatives have announced about setting up a

special commission to supervise the process of the trial of defendants in October 27 case "to provide its transparence."

 

When asked the question whether president Kocharian may be called to court to give evidence as a witness in October 27 case "because

he had a talk with Nairi Hunanian," the leader of the gang that rushed in the parliament killing eight key officials, Tigran Janoyan, said that

"all people who had any connection to the case must give evidence, but I do not know whether president Kocharian has been asked to

do so."

 

Meantime, the local Haykakan Zhamanak quotes presidential spokesman Vahe Gabrielian as saying that "to the best of my knowledge

president Kocharian was not asked to give evidence. The president regularly met with chief military prosecutor who leads the

investigation into the case but has never been interrogated."

 

 

 

 

 

8. Parliament Speakers Of The World To Meet At UN Headquarters

 

YEREVAN (Armenpress)--On the eve of the last session of the United Nations General Assembly in the second millennium, the

Inter-Parliamentary Union will organize a meeting of the parliament chairmen of the world at the United Nations Headquarters, in which

Armenia's parliament speaker Armen Khachatrian will participate.

 

According to the parliament public relations department, the forum aims to underline the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in the

international policy and in the inter-governmental co-operation, as well as to ensure participation of parliamentarians in the important

international negotiations.

 

The organizers of the meeting think that the expansion of the co-operation between the United Nations and Inter-Parliamentary Union in

the realization of the agreement, signed between them in 1996, can be a very serious event.

 

The meeting will open with the speeches of the United Nations secretary general Koffy Anan and the head of World Trade Organization

Mike Moor. Armenia's parliament speaker Armen Khachatrian will also deliver a speech.

 

 

 

 

 

9. A Seminar On Energy And Environment Held

 

YEREVAN (Armenpress)--A seminar on energy and environment was held at Tekeyan Cultural Center on August 17 within the

framework of the ABA-CEELI program, and at the initiative of the Armenian Environment Protection Legal Center.

 

The issue of the alternative sources of energy in Armenia and its influence on the environment was discussed at the seminar. The guest

speakers mainly referred to the legal aspect of the issue, since "there is no law worked out for alternative energy sources." The

discussions have also a perspective aim: to avoid losses of energy while moving on to alternative energy.

 

One of the problems was related to the possible shut down of the Armenian Nuclear Power Station. In response to the reporter's

question of how the energy sector will do after the Armenian Nuclear Power Station is closed, the head of the Armenian Environment

Protection Legal Center said that the nuclear energy is profitable, if it develops according to the standards of MAGATE.

 

When Armenia is forced to refuse nuclear energy and pass to more expensive alternative sources, these sources must be guaranteed.

 

 

 

 

 

10. Ukrainian Medals Awarded To Armenian Veterans Of Great Patriotic War

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--On August 18, Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bozhko awarded medals of "Defender of the

Fatherland" to 73 veterans of the Great Patriotic War who participated in the liberation of Ukraine. "Much has been said and written

about the Great Patriotic War, but it is only veterans who know the price of the victory," Bozhko said. The Ukrainian ambassador

pointed out that despite the fact that we are residing in different states now, relations with veterans are maintained.

 

In the battles for Ukraine, the 409th Armenian infantry division distinguished itself.

 

Outlining the history of the division, the Chairman of the Council of the veterans of the 409th division Alexander Isahakian said that it was

formed in Armenia at the beginning of December 1942. 90 percent of the 16,000 soldiers were Armenians. The division's first battle was

near Mozdok. After the liberation of the North Caucasus, the division moved to Ukraine and liberated a number of populated areas in the

Voroshilovgrad region. The division distinguished itself in the battles for a strategic section of the Kharkov-lozovaya branch, blocking the

way to the enemy's echelons with ammunition. Later, the division distinguished itself in the battles on the right shore of the Dnieper. For

the liberation of Kirovograd the division was named Kirovogradskaya by the order of the Commander-in-Chief. For the liberation of the

strategic populated area Novoukrainka and the junction station Pomoshchnaya the division was awarded the Order of Bagdan

Khmelnitski. The division continued its glorious way in Moldavia, Hungary, Romania, Austria and Czechoslovakia. For the liberation of

Bratislava the division was also named Bratislavskaya. The division finished its way near Prague on May 16, after the capitulation of the

fascist Germany.

 

The veterans thanked the Ukrainian Embassy, pointing out that they always felt the support of the fraternal Ukrainian people.

 

 

 

 

 

11. Yerevan Mayor Says Current Government System Unsatisfactory

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--At his August 18 news conference, Yerevan Mayor Albert Bazeyan summarized the results of last year's

work. He refuted the information that he intends to resign. Moreover, he pronounced against frequent changes of the government and

municipal administrations. Pointing out that four mayors have changed in Yerevan for the last four years, Bazeyan said that frequent

changes have a distinctly negative impact on the common cause.

 

Bazeyan said that the October 27 events, and the resultant uncertain situation prevented the implementation of programs elaborated a

year ago. He said that numerous problems caused the budget expenditure on the Yerevan Municipality, including on the capital

construction, was seriously cut. Despite the problems, a number of programs were elaborated and implemented. Serious studies in the

transport sphere were conducted, and considering the need for the transport relief of the central streets, new routes have been planned

which will soon be authorized. A number of measures have been taken to put an end to illegal transportation.

 

According to the mayor, the most complicated sphere is the housing and communal facilities, in particular, water supply problems. The

water supply shortage resulted in the drinking water supplied intended for Yerevan being used for irrigation purposes. Consumers' debts

totaling 14 billion drams are also a serious problem.

 

The mayor mentioned a number of programs, including the reinforcement of the capital's subway passages, observation of sanitary norms,

construction of Northern Avenue, partial paneling of the bed of the river Getar. Serious attention is paid to the cultural sphere.

 

Albert Bazeyan expressed dissatisfaction with the current government system under which Yerevan, with its status of region, has no

central government and budget, which prevents the prosperity of the city and implementation of a number of programs. He also said that

the Yerevan Municipality is reforming this system within the Constitution.