The following is a letter I sent off to the members and committees of Parliament that had e-mail addresses:

Dear Members of Parliament,

I am writing to you to encourage you to vote AGAINST the deployment of Armenian troops to Iraq.

My name is Ara Khachig Manoogian. I am an American-born Armenian, who permanently resides in Artsakh, Martuni. I am the grandson of Vahan “Ivan” Manoogian, born in Dilijan, Armenia. My grandfather left his home in 1915 as part of the Tsar’s army, and later joined a group of fedais who went on to defend the Armenians of Erzerum and Van. As a result of my grandfathers’ service to the Armenian people, upon his return to Bolshevik Armenia, like many of his fellow fedais, he would have been executed for his desertion of the Russian army and was forced to seek refuge elsewhere.

Like many others, my grandfather and grandmother (who was a refugee from Van), were welcomed by the people of Iraq, who opened their country to thousands of Armenians in their greatest time of need and allowed them to live a free and prosperous life.

Though my immediate family has left Iraq, quite a few relatives remain in the country. From them I’ve received reports that their lives after the US occupation have changed for the worse, but they have not been treated any different than their fellow Iraqi’s until recent news of the possible Armenian deployment of troops.

The Armenians of Iraq have stood by Armenia’s side following independence. They have a strong understanding that Armenians must support each other, especially those who are vulnerable. Today, our most vulnerable compatriots are the 25,000 Iraqi Armenians. Like members of other ethnic groups that are represented In the Coalition that is occupying Iraq, Armenians could face the dangers of kidnapping and death as a direct result of the deployment of Armenian troops.

Armenia will receive nothing in the way of benefits for this ill-advised deployment. If anything, the deployment will increase the distance between Armenia and a Europe that is overwhelmingly opposed to the U.S. occupation. Will Armenia send troops to Iraq now, when the resistance is escalating, and European coalition members are trying desperately to get out of Iraq?

Armenian history has recorded many instances where choices have been made which have caused suffering to our people. The deployment of Armenian troops to Iraq, if it should happen, will be one of those unwise choices. The people of Armenia overwhelmingly reject this deployment. Please do not add your names to the list of those responsible for the further suffering of Armenians in Iraq. I again urge you to vote AGAINST the Armenian troop deployment.

Sincerely,

Ara Khachig Manoogian
Artsakh, Martuni

POPULAR PRESSURE ON ARMENIA’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY--
THE LAST HOPE TO STOP THE IRAQ DEPLOYMENT

By Markar Melkonian


On December 8, Armenia’s Constitutional Court ruled that President Kocharyan’s plan to deploy troops to Iraq does not conflict with the basic law of the Republic. The Court’s ruling is misguided, but the damage has been done. The Court has given its green light, and now the danger of an Armenian deployment is imminent.

Green Lighting a Debacle:

From the perspective of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, the Court’s ruling is indefensible. Chapter One, Article 9 of the Constitution reads: “The foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia shall be conducted in accordance with the norms of international law, with the aim of establishing good neighborly and mutually beneficial relations with all states.” Leaders of many of the member states of the United Nations, including Canada and Mexico, have concluded that participation in the occupation of Iraq is not compatible with the norms of international law. Moreover, the deployment of Armenian troops to Iraq is incompatible with the aim of establishing good neighborly relations with any Arab state except Kuwait and the quisling regime in Baghdad.

The President of Armenia has portrayed the deployment as a way to improve Armenia’s ties with Europe. But this claim, too, is indefensible. Most of the more prosperous and democratic countries of Europe, led by France and Germany, oppose the Bush Administration’s war and refuse to join the Coalition. At the same time, erstwhile Coalition members are looking for a way out. The Netherlands announced on November 12 that 1350 Dutch troops would leave Iraq in March 2005, despite U.S. and British pressure for them to remain longer. Hungary, a member of the Coalition contingent under Polish Command, has announced that it will withdraw its 300 troops from Iraq in early 2005, and Bulgaria has announced that it too will reduce its troop presence in Iraq. Indeed, even Poland--the leader of the multi-national command under which Armenian troops would serve--has announced its intention of reducing its troop presence soon, and withdrawing from Iraq entirely before the end of the coming year. (A CNN report of October 4, 2004 begins with the line: “Poland may reduce its commitment of forces to the war in Iraq by 40 percent by January 2005 and have all its troops out by the end of that year, Polish officials said Monday.”)

Armenia’s Constitutional Court, then, has provided legal cover to send troops into a war that members of “the Coalition of the Willing” are trying desperately to leave. Joining the Coalition might boost Armenia’s relations with Rwanda, El Salvador, Palau, and other vulnerable vassals of Washington, but it will further distance Armenia from the heart of Europe.

The deployment proposal, furthermore, is incompatible with the aim of establishing mutually beneficial relations with Armenia’s two most important neighbors, Russia and Iran. The Russians have repeatedly disparaged Kocharyan’s deployment plan. Responding to Russian objections, the Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly was quoted on the day of the Court ruling as stating that “their [the Russians’] conduct in the international arena does not encourage free and independent decision-making on the part of Armenia.” When it comes to Moscow, it seems, Armenia suddenly wants “a free and independent foreign policy.” The situation would be laughable if it weren’t so potentially tragic: If the last century of Armenian history has taught us anything, it has taught us that a choice between Russia and the United States is no choice at all. If the Bush Administration insists on pressing the point, then it is clear which way Armenia must go.

The Bush Administration is threatening “regime change” in Iran. Any country that helps Bush to “stabilize” Iraq is effectively strengthening Washington’s hand against the Islamic Republic and encouraging further aggression against Armenia’s most helpful neighbor. By participating in the Coalition from the beginning, Georgia and Azerbaijan have set themselves against Russia and Iran-two of the most influential countries in the southern Caucasus. Armenia has an opportunity to distinguish itself as a reliable ally of Russia and Iran. If leaders in Yerevan fail to seize this opportunity, they risk setting the stage for costly diplomatic defeats down the line, including further isolation on the issue of self-determination in Nagorno-Karabagh.

Loopy Rationales for Deployment:

In addition, the deployment would endanger Iraq’s 25,000 Armenians. Even members of the Constitutional Court have acknowledged this as a likely consequence of the deployment. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on December 8 that one of the Constitutional Court judges, Kim Balayan, “wondered if the planned deployment could put the lives of Iraqi Armenians at greater risk.”

In late October, Armenia’s Deputy Defense Minister dismissed this objection by posing what he presumably thought was a rhetorical question, and then answering it: “Do you think that there are no Georgian or Azerbaijani communities in Iraq? Of course there are. But both Azerbaijan and Georgia think of increasing their presence in Iraq.” Surely Armenia’s Deputy Defense Minister should know that Iraq has no Georgian or Azerbaijani communities. Georgia and Azerbaijan have far less to lose by participating in the occupation of Iraq than does Armenia.

In response to these concerns, Armenia’s Defense Minister has said that Iraqi Armenians “will be insecure regardless of Armenian military presence in Iraq.” This is a revealing remark. Ninety years ago, Iraqis opened their doors to Armenian genocide survivors, and since then, Iraqi Armenians have lived in friendship and security with their fellow Iraqis, Muslims and Christians, Arabs and Kurds. No one was attacking the Armenian community in Iraq until the second President Bush launched America’s second war against the country. In view of the record, then, the Defense Minister’s statement amounts to an admission by the most vocal proponent of the deployment that George W. Bush’s war and occupation have placed 25,000 Iraqi Armenians in peril. For Armenia to participate in the deployment would amount to Yerevan rewarding Bush for endangering the lives and the future of the Armenian community in Iraq.

Bush’s apologists in Yerevan continue to portray the deployment as a “humanitarian” mission aimed at “stabilizing” Iraq. But the occupation of Iraq has destabilized the country, fomenting murderous sectarian strife that did not exist before 2003. Coalition forces have set Kurds against Arabs and Sunnis against Shiites. The occupiers continue to kill civilians, desecrate mosques, destroy and invade homes, and torture and humiliate detainees in the most disgusting manner. Meanwhile, robberies, kidnappings, and extortion proliferate, and a small number of insurgents have bombed churches and Shiite mosques. Supporters of the resistance repeatedly denounce these attacks, but lawlessness prevails in Iraq to such an extent that no one is able to stop them.

The occupation is fomenting terrible violence. The sooner it is brought to an end, the sooner stability will return to Iraq. Armenia can help stabilize Iraq by refusing to participate in the Coalition, thereby refusing to help prolong the occupation.

In an interview published on December 8, Armenia’s Minister of Defense stated that he “simply see[s] no connection” between the announced deployment of Armenian troops in Iraq and the increased danger and insecurity of the Armenians there. Iraqi Armenians, however, most assuredly do see a connection. Their representatives, their benevolent and cultural organizations, and their spiritual leaders have repeatedly implored Armenia’s President and its National Assembly, through letters, petitions, and emissaries, not to deploy. A Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty report of November 11, 2004, summarized the obvious: “Iraqi Armenians Link Explosion Near Armenian Church in Baghdad to Armenia's Intention to Send troops to Iraq.” Another international press report quoted an Iraqi Armenian community leader who warned that “if Armenian troops arrive in Iraq, the attacks on Iraqi Armenians will intensify.”

At the Edge of a Steep, Slippery Slope:

An Armenian deployment in Iraq might have even more disastrous long-term repercussions. One of Armenia’s closest regional allies, the Syrian Arab Republic, is in the crosshairs of influential neoconservatives in Washington. Syria, it will be recalled, was a member of the Operation Desert Storm coalition. We now see how the Bush family expresses its gratitude towards its “coalition partners.” There is a lesson here for Armenia.

The Syrian Arab Republic has been a place of refuge for thousands of Christians fleeing Iraq. Will Armenia help set the stage for these refugees to be uprooted yet again? Are leaders in Yerevan prepared to take the next step, to help “stabilize” Syria if the neoconservatives in Washington get their way yet again? It is as true of George W. Bush as it was of Adolph Hitler: To appease an aggressor is to invite further aggression.

Day by day, the Iraqi resistance is growing. This raises another question for the politicians in Yerevan: Are they prepared to help occupation forces kill, imprison, and torture Iraqi Armenians who take up arms to defend their country and their homes against the occupiers?


Armenia’s Constitutional Court has failed in its duty to ensure that “the orders and decrees of the President of the Republic and the resolutions of Government are in conformity with the Constitution.” It would have been nice if the Constitutional Court had at least shown as much concern for the security of Armenia as they have demonstrated obedience to George W. Bush. But it seems that even this is asking for too much these days.

Leaders in Yerevan stand at the edge of a slippery and very steep slope. Thanks to the Constitutional Court’s ill-advised ruling, the decision is now in the hands of the National Assembly. That is, if in fact there is any decision at all to be made in Yerevan that has not already been made in Crawford, Texas.

* * *

Popular pressure is the only hope of derailing this deployment. Please take a moment to urge the National Assembly to be brave in the face of intimidation, and to stay focused on the interests of Armenia and the Armenian people. Please send a message to:

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
http://www.parliament.am/feedback.php?lang=eng

On the “TO:” dropdown menu, click on “Foreign Relations.”

You might also send a message to:

The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Washington DC:
amembusadm@msn.com

Explain that you oppose the proposed deployment of Armenian troops to Iraq. Remind them that such a deployment will adversely affect Armenia’s relations with its neighbors, especially Russia and Iran, and that it will isolate Armenia from its long-standing friends in the Arab countries. Remind them, too, that the deployment could precipitate bloodshed and a mass exodus of Armenians from their country, Iraq.

BBC News

Monday, 13 December, 2004, 17:45 GMT

Turkey 'must admit WWI genocide'

France has said it will ask Turkey to acknowledge the mass killing of Armenians from 1915 as genocide when it begins EU accession talks.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Turkey had "a duty to remember".

Armenians say 1.5 million of their people died or were deported from their homelands under Turkish Ottoman rule.

France is among a group of nations that class the killings as genocide. Turkey denies any organised genocide, claiming they were quelling a civil uprising.

Mr Barnier said France did not consider Turkish acknowledgement a condition of EU entry, but insisted his country would raise the issue once talks opened.


Where Turkey's bid stands

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss plans to invite Turkey for accession talks, Mr Barnier said Turkey "must carry out this task as a memorial".

In addition, France believes that accession talks should not begin before the second half of 2005, Mr Barnier said. Turkey has pushed for immediate negotiations.

"I believe that when the time comes, Turkey should come to terms with its past, be reconciled with its own history and recognise this tragedy," Mr Barnier said.


'So-called genocide'

His comments drew no immediate official response from Turkey, which has consistently denied orchestrating genocide and the Armenian figures.

A foreign ministry spokesman in the Turkish capital, Ankara, told Reuters that Turkey has never and will never recognise "any so-called genocide".

Armenia alleges that the Young Turks, in 1915 the dominant party in the Ottoman Empire, systematically arranged the deportation and killing of 1.5 million Armenians.

Turkish relations with independent Armenia, which borders Turkey to the north, have long been coloured by the issue.

Around 300,000 Armenians live in France, more than in any other European country, and community leaders have pledged to pressure French President Jacques Chirac on the genocide issue during Turkish accession negotiations.

France passed a law officially recognising the Armenian genocide in 2001, cooling relations with Turkey and scuppering a major arms deal.

Another 14 nations, including Switzerland, Russia and Argentina, also classify the killings as genocide.

If your looking for a snapshot of Armenia’s real situation today, visit: http://www.oneworld.net/guides/armenia/development

When I spoke to my fiancé his morning, I told her about my Magnum experience in Stepanagert yesterday.

She was not impressed and felt that Magnum would be ready to lie to me, now that he knows why I want to meet with him.

She said that I did this whole thing wrong and what I was suppose to do was meet with him and at that time “teach him some manors” so he would understand that what he did was not right. She said that’s how a Karabagh man deals with such issues.

I told her that it’s not my style to beat up people and break their teeth and hospitalize them so they understand that what they did was wrong, though Lavrent was ready to rip the guy in half if I gave him the order.

I said that it’s my style to push the guy to break his own teeth and hang himself if need be, which is a much greater punishment. I said that when I find Magnum, he will go public as to who he is and apologize to everyone, or else I will post his information and picture in the chat room and those that have a bone to pick with him and settle their scores individually.

My fiancé said that there is no way that Magnum will publicly apologize, as that is not something a dugha mart (boy-man) from Karabagh would ever do and there is no way I would get Magnum to agree to such a thing and this is not America.

I reminded her of an incident that took place 6 years ago when I had to defend her and her sisters honor when they felt violated by a broadcast the Artsakh television station had.

It was back in 1998 and I had discussed with their mother of the possibility of producing a CD of her husband’s songs that he recorded for the Artsakh movement (he was a well known singer in Azerbaijan).

I said that for the CD, I would like to include a song that was written about her husband after his death and have it sung by his daughters.

In search of a recording studio, I was told to call the television station. I called and spoke to a producer who told me that they could do the recording for 30,000 dram ($60), plus we would have to provide them with a couple of BetaCam tapes.

We had our recording session which was quite difficult, as the producer kept stopping the filming because of lighting problems and so on. The girls got quite frustrated at one point and wanted to go home. I was telling the producer that I don’t care about lighting, but am interested in sound.

We finished the recording and the producer told me that they were having a singing competition going and she would like to include our video in it. I asked the kids what they thought and they said no, this is a very personal thing for us and we did not do this to compete for prizes. I made it very clear to the producer that under no circumstances are they allowed to use the video in their competition.

A month passed and as I was getting ready to leave for Yerevan, my fiancés older sister came to me quite angry and said that it is my fault that they were publicly embarrassed as their video was on television and people are already talking about how they are trying to profit from the death of their father. She said it in a way as if I had betrayed her trust and it was my fault this had happened. I was furious and called the station, but at that time, the phones were so bad that I could not contact them.

I got an early start the next day to leave for Yerevan, with intentions of stopping to resolve this issue and defend the honor of these children who I was the big brother figure in their lives, the one that is responsible to make sure their rights are not violated.

I arrived to the station to find the producer in the studio working on recording something. I called her out. She had a big smile of her face and asked me if I liked the broadcast? I told her in a very nasty tone that I didn’t see the broadcast, but who gave her permission to broadcast it. Had she forgotten that we didn’t want it broadcasted?

She became defensive and from my loud stern tone, we were joined by her director, who took the stance that they were right by broadcasting it and that there was nothing I could do about it now, it is done and over with.

I told them that it’s obvious that they have no common sense and that they are playing with the emotions of children who have already lost their father to the defense of the country and now they are in the process of loosing their good name to the gossip of them trying to profit off of their father’s memory.

I demanded to talk to the head of the station, to which they told me they were the head of the station and there is nothing I can do.

At this point, I was really pissed off and told the producer that she will soon be nothing more than a cleaning lady and to the director I said that he will see how much I can do.

I drove up to the Prime Minister’s office and in those days, I had a very good relationship with the PM to where I could drop in without an appointment.

I told the PM what happened and who the children that were involved were.

He got on the phone with the director of the station, told him that he is sending me to down there now and to straighten out this mess immediately.

I returned to the television station to meet with the director, who were not the people I had been arguing with. After telling him all the details, he called the producer to his office. In walked the producer with her eyes looking to the floor.

She admitted that we had told her not to broadcast our video and that what she did was wrong. She agreed to my demand that a public apology be broadcasted at the beginning of the next few programs they have and I must approve the text.

Anyway, that was the second time I had to defend my fiancés honor and thought that I got satisfactory results (the first when I got into a fist-fight with a guy who made inappropriate comments and then grabbed her on June 10, 1997, that in the end landed him in jail, which I logged about last year).

As for Magnum, I know I’m going to get some very interesting results. If I have analyzed my information correctly, there is a very good chance that this is not going to be an contest of who is physically more endowed (though my driver and Lavrent will balance that out if need be), but who is more convincing of what is right and that Magnum does the right thing.

I went to the bank yesterday to receive a transfer from the US and when I walked in, I was shocked to read the exchange rate as being 464 drams to $1.

All I could think of was that the $2,000 a month that once covered my living and business/project expenses was no longer worth $2,000, but now only worth $1,600. And with the price of food, gasoline and services on the rise, the $1,600 is worth probably half that.

I went to the bank and told Elada, the bank manager that if someone ever wants to have a heart attack, all they have to do is enter the bank and look at the exchange rate.

She agreed that it was very bad and herself didn’t understand why it was so low?

She said that what is really bad is that there are many people who for the last year have kept $100 for their New Years celebration so they could have a nice meal and now what they were expecting to be 56,000 drams, will now only be 46,000 drams. That is a huge amount of money for anyone these days, even me.

Anyway, the following is an article that maybe can explain why there was a sudden rise in the value of the dram?

If you ask me, it sounds to me like it’s just some people at the top with the controls in their hands who found another way of squeezing a few more drops of blood out of the common people who live here that are just barley getting by. If I am right, these people responsible need to be found and terminated, as this not just an act of theft, but again is another act of white genocide, the thing that we must not tolerate for any reason.


ON DEC 1-9 NOMINAL EXCHANGE RATE OF ARMENIAN DRAM STRENGTHENED IN RESPECT TO ALL FOREIGN CURRENCIES

YEREVAN, December 9. /ARKA/. On Dec 1-9 nominal exchange rate of Armenian dram strengthened in respect to all foreign currencies, quotes on which are set by CBA. According to analysis of ARKA News Agency, Canadian dollar lost its positions compared to Armenian dram, its rate decreased by 6.27% in Dec 1-9 (395.53 AMD). Australian dollar goes next - by 5.82%, to 366.1 AMD, Argentinean peso – by 5.21% to 161.08 AMD.

Currencies, most important to participants of financial market of Armenia, i.e. USD and Euro, weakened their positions during such a short period of time. Thus, exchange nominal rate of AMD to USD made 478 per $1, i.e. by 22.05 AMD or 4.41% more than on Dec 1, 2004. Note a year earlier, on Dec 9, 2003 $1 was equal to 566.53 AMD. Exchange rate of AMD to Euro since the beginning of the month strengthened by 4.37% or by 29.08 AMD and today it costs 635.74 AMD. A year ago 1 Euro cost 692.19 AMD.

The fact of strengthening of Armenian dram to Russian ruble is also interesting. Since the beginning of December ruble in Armenia weakened by 3.77%, to 17.09 AMD per ruble, while as of Dec 9, 2004, 1 ruble cost 19.17 AMD.

Analysis of foreign exchange market sale-purchase rates by the banks gives more surprising picture: pretty serious margin between purchase rate and sale rate of foreign exchange. Today it achieves 25 AMD during trade of USD and sometimes even more in trade with Euros. Such a serious margin usually took place in the country in more serious variation of rates in conditions of not created foreign exchange markets in the beginning of transition period. In `normal' conditions, namely in the beginning of 2004, margin in trade with USD ranged between 2-7 AMD. On request of ARKA to explain the reason to such a big difference between sale and purchase rates, the dealers of some commercial banks said that they go for this because average rate really makes 460 AMD per $1, at the exchange rate of CBA in 478 AMD. That is why the banks had to increase the margin to minimize currency risks and receive income from foreign exchange operations in account of rate difference. Otherwise the banks would have losses.

Thus, most of the dealers, though do not exclude future strengthening of AMD in the beginning of the next year, do not give the forecasts in short-term perspective. No one of them gives any comments, explaining it that existing situation `does not have any logics, and it is outside of all economic laws'. Everything depends on what will take place at international financial markets, what moods and trends will be created there, what inflation and what macroindicators will be created in USA and European countries. It is also noted that not the last role in rate trends was played by not so much by exporters, but large investments in Armenia. Nevertheless, part of the dealers expressed opinion that fast decrease of USD rate in last days and in the future more than likely won't take place. At this, dealers note serious volumes of sale-purchase deals at foreign exchange market of Armenia. Along with that on the threshold of holidays Armenia continues receive large private transfers and mostly in USD. At this, received assets immediately turn to drams for making purchases.

Note that in the beginning of Aug 2004, when ARKA News Agency conducted poll among commercial banks, the banks forecasted that by the end of 2004 the rate of national currency in the country will stabilize around 530-550 AMD per USD. Besides, Armenian banks did not exclude that in result of the year, inflation can make 8%. At the moment, in 11 months of 2004 deflation in Armenia made 0.3%.

According to ARKA News Agency data, 26.94% of profit accrued by commercial banks of Armenia in Jan-Sep 2004 was provided in account of net income from foreign exchange operations (1995.3 million AMD on 19 banks). With consideration of Armsvyazbank, net income from currency operations of banking system made 2448.1 million AMD. Compared to the same period of 2003, income on foreign exchange operations of 19 banks grew by 816.1 million AMD, or by 69.2%. ($1 - 478 AMD).

L.D.

UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO INTERVIEW LEVON TER-PETROSIAN

Azg/arm
11 Dec 04


All Armenian Movement Gets Separated Again

First RA president Levon Ter-Petrosian joined the 14th Congress of the All-Armenian Movement five minutes late. His entrance to the sittings’ hall of the government aroused the obvious excitement of the participants. It seemed tome that Ter-Petrosian's delay was artificially staged. On the other hand, it seemed that AAM exists for the only hope of Ter-Petrosian's return. Doubtlessly, the participants of the sitting are the very group of people that are ready to urge for the first RA president's return.

Before taking his seat in the first row Ter-Petrosian greeted the members of his party, shook the hand of progressive-liberal Hovhannes Hovhannisian, then sat down next to Samvel Gevorgian. The political figures sitting behind him were likely to enjoy his presence. Indeed, there can be historic moments in the life of each political figure.

The journalists failed to interview Levon Ter-Petrosian. He was smoking and talking to his acquaintances during the breaks. At the congress he listened to the speeches on the unprecedented massacres of the Western Armenians in 1895-96, the Armenians Genocide of 1915 and the final loss of the Western Armenia, as well as on the loss of the Eastern Armenia's great part in 1918-1921. In its adopted formula the 14th Congress of AAM condemned the Armenian ideology based on national-socialistic ideas in all these tragedies, instead of condemning the Ottoman Empire in that.

"The freedom of speech is banned, journalists and the mass media become targets of terrorism, left-wing TV channels are being closed," this is another extract from the formula of AAM Congress. Ararat Zourabian, chairman of the party, emphasized the closing of A1+ channel in his speech. But was it right to talk of the freedom of speech in the presence of the first RA president? On December 28, 1994, all the mass media reflecting the ideas of Armenian Revolutionary Party Dashnaktsutyun were closed and robbed during one night.

The leaders of some parties separated from AAM were not present at the congress. Babken Ararktsian, Alexander Arzoumanian, Ara Sahakian were not at the sitting hall. Henry Cuni, French ambassador to Armenia, accepted the invitation to be present at the congress. Aram Sargsian represented Hanrapetutiun Party, while Stepan Demirchian, leader of the People's Party of Armenia was absent.

Ararat Zourabian stated in his speech at the congress that the regime that seized the power continues its activities that destroy the base of the Armenian state. According to Zourabian, in the Nagorno Karabakh issue, NKR doesn’t participate in the negotiation process, and the conflict became a territorial quarrel between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

Zourabian emphasized that Armenia is excluded from the regional security, energetic and transportation systems, there is no progress fixed in the Armenian- Turkish relations, while the relations between Russia and Armenia were characterized as those between the master and the slave. As for "Property against Debt" project, it endangers the independence of Armenia, he said.

The leaders of the party keep saying that the All Armenian Movement can be a part of the nation-wide movement against the current regime in Armenia.

BY Tatoul Hakobian

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
10 December 2004

U.S. Citizen Wins Court Case Against Armenian Prosecutors

By Emil Danielyan

A U.S. citizen of Armenian descent has won a court case against Armenian prosecutors whom he accuses of covering up an alleged wholesale embezzlement of his business assets in Yerevan, his lawyer said on Friday.

George Najarian, who has engaged in extensive charitable work in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh for the last 15years, sued the Office of Prosecutor-General for its refusal to press fraud charges against his former local business representative. The man, Grigor Igitian, is the legal owner of a photo shop and two buildings currently constructed in downtown Yerevan.

Najarian insists that in reality the lucrative property belongs to him and that he registered it in Igitian’s name in 1996 because Armenian law at the time did not allow foreigners to own land in the country. He claims to have been defrauded by Igitian, a charge denied by the latter.

The state prosecutors have twice investigated the fraud allegations but stopped short of bringing charges against Igitian, citing a lack of evidence. The Armenian-American, who suspects them of being bribed by his ex-partner, challenged the decisions in a Yerevan court of first instance.

According to Najarian’s attorney, Ashot Poghosian, the court recognized his client as a “victim” and ordered the Prosecutor-General’s Office to resume the fraud inquiry. “We are satisfied with the verdict,” Poghosian told RFE/RL. “We regret that things have gotten thus far and hope that the prosecutor’s office will not appeal.”

In a recent newspaper article, Najarian and his wife Carolann slammed Armenia’s law-enforcement authorities, describing them as “a system wrought with deceit and corruption.”

Defending ones honor

The internet can be a very dangerous place for the naïve, especially chat rooms.

My fiancé is one of those people who uses a chat room to keep in contact with her schoolmates and family that live abroad. I have always warned her that she may encounter weirdoes who will hide behind a fake identity (like Jennifer Smith) and to be careful not to engage in conversations with people who she does not personally know. Growing up in small town Martuni, you are not exposed to such thing.

A couple of weeks ago while chatting to her sister in an Armenian chat room, she got an unsolicited proposition from a someone. All I know is that I happened to be looking at her from across the room and could see her jaw drop and she looked like she was going to choke on her tong. I rushed over to her and asked her what was wrong and did her sister give her bad news?

It took a little bit for her to compose herself and with an almost frightened look on her face she asked me if I knew what someone had just said to her? She went on to say that she didn’t fully understand everything that was said, but said that she was just propositioned by someone with the nick “Magnum” and he wanted to do something with her “boots” (which in Armenian is a somewhat dirty way of referring to the female sexual organ). Before I could see who Magnum was, he had left the chat room.

My fiancé was really upset for the rest of the night and told me that I have to find Magnum and take with me my driver, the former Samuel Babyan special forces guy who once almost ended up in jail for striking a guy in the head with his fist, who fortunately didn’t die and came out of the comma he was in to testify that he was the one that provoked my driver. She wanted me to defend her honor and teach this guy some manors.

A few nights ago, I went into the Armenian chat room to tell my fiancé to turn off the internet so I could call her and entered with her sisters name (this chat room you have to register for before you can use it and since I don’t know Russian, I’ve never really felt the need for my own name).

Before we came out to talk on the phone, I noticed Magnum’s nick and asked my fiancé in a private message if this was the guy?

She told it was him and after looking at his profile, which was in Russian and only said that he is in Stepanagert, I engaged him in a conversation with the help of a free on-line translation service (English-Russian).

The conversation went something like this:

H: Privet (I didn’t need the translation help for this)
M: Privet
H: Don’t I know you?
H: What’s wrong, don’t you want to talk to me?
H: Are you in Stepanagert? Let’s talk on the phone.
M: Yes
M: Where do I know you from?
H: I want to meet you, why don’t you give me your phone number and I’ll call you?
H: What’s the matter, you scared to talk to me? You think I will laugh at you when I hear your voice? Don’t worry I won’t laugh. If you want you can call me. My number is #######.

Not a minute passed, my cell phone rings. I answered the phone which displayed a cell phone number ####### and used a soft and as feminine voice that could pull off.

Ara: Hello?
Magnum: Hi.
Ara: Is that you Magnum?
Magnum: Yes.
Ara: What’s your real name?
Magnum: Arthur. What’s your name?
Ara: That’s a nice name Arthur, thank you Arthur, goodnight.

I hung up the phone.

Arthur called back again and this time I answered the phone with a deep voice of what I would describe as the guy you see in the movies that just got out of jail and is pissed off at the world and more so because you just woke him up at 1:30 in the morning.

Ara: Hello!!! Who is this!!!
Arthur: Who is this?!! Where is the girl I was talking to?! Let me talk to her!!!
Ara: Excuse me, but do you know what time it is?!!! What business do you have calling me?!!!

I hung up the phone again.

Magnum called again.

Ara: What do you want?!!!
Magnum: Who are you?!!!
Ara: Do you know what time it is?!!! It’s 1:30 in the morning!!! It’s rude to call at this hour!!! Go sleep!!!

I hung up the phone and turned it off.

I got what I was looking for, which was a phone number that could belong to Magnum or someone Magnum knows.

A couple of days later I went to Karabagh Telecom to pay my phone bills and told the woman that I also want to pay my friend’s phone bill, giving the phone number that Magnum had called me on.

The woman said Haik Casparyan? He owes 7,840 dram. I looked to the woman and said that yes, let me pay Haik’s bill now. They took the money and printed me out a full statement, which had name and a Stepanagert address.

Today I went to Stepanagert for some work and while I was busy with my work, I sent my driver off to locate the house, but not to approach it and once he found it, to call me. With all the street name changes, it took my drive a while to find the place, which was near the university, half of the building being dormitories and the other half housed refugees from Baku.

Once I finished all my work, my driver and I headed for Haik’s house, calling my truck driver Lavrent (6 foot tall, 240 lbs., built like the guy that was in the Indiana Jones movie who Jones could not defeat and only killed when the guy was stuck by an airplane propeller), who joined us in the parking lot of the building.

We went up the third floor #62. A newer white steel door and it was clear from the other doors in the building that the people who live in there are well to do.

My driver knocked on the door and I heard someone inside ask as to who it was? I asked the woman if we could ask her something? The woman opened the door to find three people, two of which were on the large intimidating size/look.

I asked if Haik Casparyan was home? She asked who is Haik? I said I don’t now, but he has a cell phone and claims this to be the address he lives.

She said no, there is no Haik here. I presented her with the statement and showed her the name and address and asked her if this was #62? She said yes.

She then said that Haik is her bother’s son, but he lives in Yerevan. She said that he has not been in Artsakh for over a year and must have sold the phone to someone.

I asked her she would know of an Arthur and if he could have purchased the phone?

She said she didn’t know but would get in touch with Haik and have him contact us with that information.

She asked why we were looking for the owner of the phone and was it because he owes money on the telephone? No, Lavrent said, walking into her house, the owner goes on the internet and says inappropriate things to girls in chat rooms, one of them being Ara’s fiancé.

My driver asked if she could call Haik now so we can find out?

She said no, she didn’t have his phone number and would have to call her relative in Abovian to find out.

Lavrent said that my phone has Armenia access and we could call now, to which she claimed to not have the phone number handy.

She invited us into her living room after telling us that they are a dignified family and her son Garen we may know who is the head of the tax office in Stepanagert, to which I told her that Garen is a friend of mine. Her other son is the Deputy Minister of Social Services.

She looked for the phone number and as we were waiting, I noticed a computer with a phone line going into it. I asked her if they have internet to which she said yes.

She could not find the number, so we left our phone numbers and names so she could have someone call us with the information of who owns the phone now.

We left and sitting in the car, I looked over the statement for numbers that started with 022, which is the code for Abovian. There were 2 numbers. I called the first number, identified myself (Ara Manoogian from America) and asked for Haik Casparian. The man said that there was no Haik there to which I apologized for calling, to which the man said that if I’m looking for Haik, I would have to call him in Yerevan, the man identifying himself as Haik's uncle. He said to call back in 5 minutes and he would find the number.

I called back and this what I’m guessing the man’s wife answers. She asked me how I got there number to which I said that we had just finished visiting with Garen’s mother, but not saying that she gave it or not. The woman gave us the number, but warned us that he is not yet home, as they already tried to call.

On the way back to Stepanagert, I called the head of the tax office in Martuni and got Garen’s cell phone number, which I tried to call, but it was out of range or turned off.

Once in Martuni, I called Haik’s Yerevan number and a young girl answered (probably his daughter). I asked for Haik and was told that he was not yet home. She asked who I should tell him called to which I identified myself and that I was a friend of Garen’s.

A half hour later, I got a call on my cell phone. It was Garen’s number. Keep in mind, the last time I saw Garen was maybe 3 years ago. I answered the phone “Hello Garen, how are you”?

Garen asked who I was and after telling him, a friendly conversation began.

I told Garen all the details to which he understood why we visited his home and continued the same story his mother started as to him not knowing who the phone belonged to, but he would find out and call me back and have the owner contact me. He made it very clear that the person who had the phone was not related to him.

Garen called me back and said that he found the owner (we had been calling all day to the number and it was turned off), a guy that is an administrator at an internet café named Artyom, not Arthur. He said that he probably gave the phone to a customer who called me that night. He said that Artyom will call me soon.

Later on I got a call from someone who asked me if I was looking for the owner of ######. I said yes. He said that he understood that I wanted to talk to him and let’s meet. I told him I was already in Martuni and that I am not due back in Stepanagert until probably Monday. I said that I would call him and asked if his name was Artyom? He was about to say no and then as if I gave the wrong name said yes.

What transpired was a little bit fishy in terms of how it is that Garen and his mother don’t know who has the phone, but the Abovian number belongs to Haik’s uncle and was last called 10 days ago?

Anyway, when I go to Stepanagert on Monday, I’ll see what “Artyom” has to say and to who he gave his phone to at 1:30 in the morning and then decide who is telling the truth.

So much energy I am spending to defend my fiance’s honor. Is it worth it? Well she is going to be the mother of my children and no I'm not going to allow someone to play with her emotions and get away with it so she feel further violated.

I visited Armenia’s Central Bank website to check what the exchange rates have been over the last 2 years so I could run numbers to see how much extra I paid my accountant/general manager?

According to my calculation, I paid an extra $142.09. If added up in Dram comes out to 75,375, which as of today has a value of $159.29. I also just for the heck of it ran some numbers of 5% interest compounded monthly and came up with 23,945 dram ($50.60).

Now I need to decide if I should call her on this error? My fiancé tells me to let it go and just be happy that we have rid ourselves of her, but I feel that just for the sake of principal, I need to let her know what happened and tell her that she can keep the money.