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  • ASBAREZ ONLINE [06-03-2004]

    ASBAREZ ONLINE
    TOP STORIES
    06/03/2004
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    1) ARF's Margarian Meets with France's Socialist Party Representative
    2) ARF Western Europe Convention Convenes in France
    3) Ghukasian Says Karabagh Constitution First Step to Statehood
    4) US Karabagh Envoy Again in Yerevan
    5) Conference to Tackle New Challenges in the Changing Armenian American Youth
    Identity in Armenian Schools

    1) ARF's Margarian Meets with France's Socialist Party Representative

    PARIS (ARF Press Office)--Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau
    representative Hrant Margarian congratulated France's Socialist Party first
    secretary François Hollande for his party's firm stance on Turkey's entry into
    the European Union, suggesting the party exert efforts to convince other
    European socialist parties to follow suit. Hollande confirmed that he has
    pursued the matter with newly elected President of the European Socialist
    Party
    Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, and will work more actively in the coming weeks to push
    the issue. The two met at the Paris headquarters of the Socialist Party on
    June
    3.
    Hollande explained that though it was not possible to get an ARF
    representative to an electable position in the upcoming European Parliament
    elections, he assured that the matter would be resolved in time for other
    European and French elections.
    Noting ARF's integral participation in Socialist International, Margarian
    said
    the ARF of Armenia, as a coalition government partner, is able to advance
    socialist ideology through its activities, and works toward Armenia's European
    integration. The Bureau representative invited Hollande to visit Armenia as a
    guest of the ARF, on the occasion of General Assembly of CIS Socialist
    parties;
    Hollande accepted.
    Margarian revealed that the ARF plans to establish the Hrair Maroukhian
    Foundation to follow the example of France's Jean Juares Foundation, which
    seeks to foster democracy and social justice by assisting Socialist
    International party members in the "new democracies" that emerged following
    the
    collapse of dictatorships in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hollande
    promised to collaborate with the ARF on the venture.
    Also participating during the meeting between Holland and Margarian were
    France's Socialist Party international secretary Philip Cordery and ARF
    Western
    Europe Central Committee members Mourad Papazian and Charles Papazian.
    During a joint press conference that followed, Hollande announced that in a
    recent letter he appealed to the president of Turkey to address the issue and
    recognize the Armenian Genocide.
    The sides also announced that a joint ARF, Socialist Party of France
    announcement had been signed that calls for Turkey's recognition of the
    Armenian Genocide and calls on [European] citizens to cast their votes in
    favor
    of Socialist party candidates.


    2) ARF Western Europe Convention Convenes in France

    YEREVAN (Yerkir)--A reception marking the opening of Armenian Revolutionary
    Federation (ARF) Western Europe's 68th regional convention took place at the
    French Parliament building on June 2, with a guest list that included ARF
    Bureau representative Hrant Margarian, Armenia's Ambassador to France Eduard
    Nalbandian, Mountainous Karabagh Republic's representative to France Hovhannes
    Gevorgian, as well French Parliament members and representatives of Armenian
    organizations.
    ARF Western Europe Central Committee representative Murad Papazian explained
    the ARF decided to hold its regional convention at the French parliament in
    order to pay tribute to France which recognized the Armenian Genocide in the
    very building.
    "As a result, and through the Armenian National Committee's active
    involvement, the ARF has registered several victories in countries that have
    recognized the Armenian Genocide," explained Papazian. "And the party
    continues
    to work in two directions in Europe: to pass a law in France punishing those
    that deny the Armenian genocide; and prevent Turkey from joining the European
    Union unless it admits the genocide."
    Papazian said the regional convention will review a draft program on
    Mountainous Karabagh, strengthen Armenia-France cooperation in 2005, and
    discuss the fate of Javakhk, as well as issues on advancing the Armenian
    issues
    in Europe's cultural and political arenas.
    ARF Bureau representative Margarian welcomed the gathering, stressing the
    importance of the party's European organization. He also spoke of the ARF's
    activities in Armenia that promote a comprehensive fight against corruption,
    the implementation of a drastic poverty reduction program, and Constitutional
    reforms to strengthen democratic mechanisms.
    Representatives of various political parties expressed support for many
    issues
    the ARF advances, while Ambassador Nalbandian said it is difficult to imagine
    the Diaspora without the ARF, whose history is amalgamated with that of the
    Armenian nation.


    3) Ghukasian Says Karabagh Constitution First Step to Statehood

    STEPANAKERT (Armenpress)--At the first session of the Constitutional
    Commission
    of Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR), President Arkady Ghukasian said that
    Karabagh must have a Constitution. "The adoption of standard law will
    become an
    important step on the way to gaining statehood," said the president, who
    chaired the session of the new commission that met on Thursday.
    "Mountainous Karabagh Republic cannot wait forever, hoping Azerbaijan will
    agree to engage in direct dialogue with Karabagh on a final resolution to the
    conflict. Karabagh must develop into a democratic country with the rule of
    law," he stated.
    A work group has formed to elaborate on formulating a Constitution.


    4) US Karabagh Envoy Again in Yerevan

    YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--US chief negotiator on Mountainous Karabagh paid a low-key
    visit to Yerevan on Thursday to focus on international efforts to resolve the
    conflict.
    Steven Mann was recently appointed the US co-chair of the Organization for
    Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group tasked with finding a
    resolution to the Karabagh conflict.
    Mann held separate meetings with President Robert Kocharian and Foreign
    Minister Vartan Oskanian for the second time in six weeks. No details of the
    talks were made public, with the Mann declining to comment on the purpose of
    his trip and the current status of the peace process. "I am just having talks
    with the Armenian government," he said, without elaborating.
    A brief statement by Kocharian's office said Mann discussed the Karabagh
    conflict and informed the president about his talks with Azeri leaders in Baku
    on Wednesday.
    Mann's previous trip to Yerevan was followed by a meeting in Poland between
    Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Foreign Minister Vartan
    Oskanian and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov met in Strasbourg two
    weeks
    later, emerging from it with cautiously optimistic statements. The Armenian
    Foreign Ministry said the two ministers will meet again in Prague on June 21,
    adding that Oskanian and the US mediator spoke about details of that meeting.
    Speaking at Yerevan State University earlier on Thursday, Oskanian said that
    the negotiation process is "not on a bad track" at the moment and is
    "following
    in the footsteps of previous talks." "I think that in the next two months we
    will have more clarity as to whether we can build on the base that has been
    created during all these years…or Azerbaijan wants to divert that process to
    another direction," he said, reiterating Yerevan's hopes of reviving peace
    accords reached by the parties three years ago.
    Oskanian repeated the Armenian side's insistence on a single "package" accord
    that would resolve all contentious issues. He added that it will agree to a
    phased settlement only if the majority of Armenians want so. "If there is
    really a public consensus that we should go for a phased solution, then we
    will
    have no problem," he said. "But to be honest, I don't see popular demand for a
    phased solution."


    5) Conference to Tackle New Challenges in the Changing Armenian American Youth
    Identity in Armenian Schools

    BURBANK--In an effort to address and reassess the cultural identity
    development
    process of the Armenian-American youth, the Board of Regents of Prelacy
    Armenian Schools has organized a conference, "Armenian Education In North
    America: Reassessment In The Context Of The Changing Armenian American
    Identity," June 4-5, at Woodbury University.
    A variety of questions will be tackled, including the sociological and
    psychological view on cultural identity development, pedagogical challenges in
    Armenian education and instruction, and the need for reassessing the existing
    Armenian curriculum.
    Over the past 30 years, the concept of cultural identity development has been
    the focus of a wide body of research. During this period, as society has
    become
    structurally more complex, the findings of research related to cultural
    identity have confirmed that members of culturally diverse groups undergo a
    developmentally-based process through which they form a cultural identity that
    defines their bi- or multicultural status in society. Thus, regardless of the
    specific characteristics of a cultural group, an individual's minority status
    in a dominating culture (i.e., White) triggers the process of cultural
    identity
    development as a result of the larger majority-minority dynamics in society.
    As such, the cultural identity development of the Armenian American
    student is
    a critical factor that must be taken into account in the context of the
    curricula of Armenian schools in America. The conference will attempt to
    systematically explore the relevance of cultural identity development to
    Armenian American students, and to find practical ways of giving students the
    opportunity to successfully integrate the various components of their cultural
    identity into a constructive whole.
    After opening remarks by Yeznig Kazandjian of the Board of Regents and a
    program introduction by Dr. Rubina Peroomian of UCLA, the Friday session will
    commence.
    Session I, from 10:00 AM12:00 Noon, will address the Development of the
    Armenian American Cultural Identity: A Sociological Perspective. Panelists
    include LAUSD School Psychologist Garine Minasian, LAUSD School
    Psychologist/Bilingual Armenian Assessment Jeannine Topalian, and Mesrobian
    Armenian School Principal Hilda Saliba, among other distinguished experts in
    the field. Session II, from 1:30 PM3:30 PM, will focus on the psychological
    perspective of the development of the Armenian American cultural identity,
    with
    a presentation by Rose & Alex Pilibos School Principal Dr. Viken Yacoubian,
    and
    panelists including Pasadena High School Assistant Principal Curriculum and
    Instruction Marisa Sarian, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nora Sahakian, and
    Krouzian Zakarian Vasbouragan Armenian School Principal Olia Yenikomshian,
    among others.
    With the instruction of Armenian subject matters a primary component in
    Armenian schools, Saturday's session will be devoted to how the Armenian
    language, history, national-religious studies, and cultural heritage are
    taught
    through traditional curricula, using content-appropriate textbooks, as well as
    the challenges and necessary steps to be taken.
    Session I, from 10:00 AM12:00 Noon will delve into the pedagogical challenges
    in Armenian education and instruction. Presenters on the topic include UCLA
    Research Associate Dr. Rubina Peroomian, and Educational Consultant/trainee
    David Ghougassian.
    The reassessment of the Armenian curriculum is the focus of Session II, from
    1:30 PM3:30 PM, with presentations by AGBU Manoogian-Demirjian School
    Principal
    Hagop Hagopian, and Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School Principal John Kossakian.
    The Armenian daily schools in North America have a history that dates back
    more than forty years. The 21st century places new challenges in terms of
    reassessing Armenian education and identity, and the praiseworthy input of all
    the participants will surely mark it as a productive and successful
    conference.

    Location: Woodbury University
    Cabrini Hall (New Woody's)
    7500 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91510


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