Abstract This paper provides a step-by-step event analysis of the attack on Armenia's parliament. It looks at the various report of the event and how these differed from each other. It also discusses the ramification of this attack on the political situation in Armenia and how this affected the country's stability.
From the Paper "Among those killed were Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisyan and the parliamentary speaker, Karen S. Demirchyan, both of whom were leaders of the Unity political bloc, which won the Armenian elections in June. While it might be assumed that they had not been in power long enough to make many enemies, this was apparently not so. One of the gunmen was identified by eyewitnesses as Nairi Umanyan, a former journalist and extreme nationalist, and also identified were two of the other terrorists, reportedly related to Umanyan. Witness said Umanyan accused officials of "drinking our blood" (Dixon A1)."
Abstract One of the oldest countries in the world is Armenia and it has a recorded history of about 3500 years. This paper examines the history of the country and the ethnic group which originated in the Caucasus and eastern Asia. The paper then discusses the history of the Armenian population in the United States and how it has contributed to American society.
From the Paper "The largest Armenian community, other than that in Armenia, exists in America. This Armenian American community is the erudite and affluent community. The triumph of Armenians in America has been credited to their expertise in business and crafts, their very high degree of literacy, an extensive history of minority status, and solid efforts. Due to the immense value their parents put on education, second and third generations bent towards the professions and teaching. Armenians have accomplished national and international reputation in the arts."
Tags: Hayasa-Azzi, George, Deukmejian, nationalism, church
Abstract This paper discusses the history of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, which is called the Transcaucasian region. The author points out that understanding this history can help formulate policy in a post September 11 world and global terrorism. The paper notes the importance of region due to its oil reserves.
From the Paper "The Transcaucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are ancient nations that have historically struggled ..."
A look at the Bay Area Armenian Church in the United States and how their focus on Armenian history and the 'old country' may be inconsistent with life in the United States.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 5 sources, 2006, $ 89.95
Abstract The Bay Area Armenian Church community is a close-knit one. It would seem that this community could hardly be otherwise, given the history that the people of Armenia have experienced. The Armenian genocide, the oppression of communism and the Soviet Union, and the fall of the Shah of Iran all had great impact on the Armenian Christian community in the United States. These interactions are frequently seen through social, religious, and political events that often revolve around the focal point of the "old country." Armenian history is a frequent topic at these events, as is the future of Armenia. Given this background information, this paper considers how such a focus on historical Armenia can be consistent with life in the United States. Related to the first question, the paper also considers how this history affects the modern Armenian faithful in the United States.
From the Paper "In the reign of Augustus, we are told in the Gospel According to Mark, "there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." The author of the Gospel was presumably aware that the Principate did not literally cover the world. Augustus, his successors, their advisors and associates, and the Roman people of the time were certainly aware of it. Yet the famous Gospel expression aptly conveyed a sense that, nearly without exception, the Roman system included within its orbit all of the world that really mattered. Once Cleopatra clasped the asp to her bosom, the last of the powers that had previously contested the Mediterranean basin was subjected to Roman rule; all that remained were client states under Roman domination. On its various frontiers, the empire might trail off into the lands of forest tribes, or mountain tribes, or desert..."
Abstract Koriun was one of a few "historians" who have documented the time and early history of Armenia. This paper discusses this Armenian scholar of the 5th Century who was among those who first translated the Bible into Armenian. It examines his most valid contribution to Armenian literature - "The Life of Mashtots", a book based on the life of his mentor, St. Mashtots Vardapet.
From the Paper "Christian literature in the 5th Century was limited within Armenia. Elsewhere, church historians contributed their recordings regarding influential changes in Christian literature and relevant translations of doctrines. Writers like the 5th-century church historian Gennadius of Marseilles documented the life the life of Nicetas of Remesiana and his sacred musical influences to converted Serbians.
Such historians are of value to the period as by the end of the 5th Century, the Roman Empire was split in two, with Milan as one capital and Constantinople as another. During invasions in the east, vandals and Goth invaders destroyed many manuscripts and doctrines."
Abstract This paper examines the atrocities that befall the Armenian people in the early 1920s and how the Turks responded and were responsible for these acts. It also looks at the historical and nationalistic background to the conflict and how the western world reacted.
From the Paper "During World War I, the Ottoman Empire began a mass deportation of Armenians from war zone areas to the desert. The Armenians had been split for centuries, with some in Russia and some in the Ottoman Empire. When the Ottomans joined in the war on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary, they had to fight against the Russians. When war was declared in the beginning, Russia, like so many other countries, enlisted men through the draft. Many of those drafted were Armenians. The Armenians on the other side of the border begged the Ottomans to remain neutral, but agreed that they would do their civic duty to their country if the Empire joined the war. This meant that Armenians were fighting against Armenians, with some on Russia's side and some on the side of the Ottomans and Turks."
Tags:armenia, cleansing, commission, crimes, ethnic, massacre, nationalism, ottoman, war, wwi
Abstract This paper explains that, of the more than 500,000 Armenians in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, 400,000 Armenian-Americans live in Los Angeles, the largest contingent outside of Armenia itself. The author relates that, although they are considered a Middle Eastern people, Armenians are overwhelmingly Christian, both in their home country and in America, with its church related to the Oriental Orthodox Church, but separate. The paper relates that the Armenian-Americans were well positioned to survive the 1992 Los Angeles race riots because, although these merchants' original Armenian clientele had moved out to the suburbs, the merchants had treated their multi-racial new customers justly; those customers helped in patrolling to keep the Armenian shops from harm.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Long History of Ill Treatment Causes Migration
Current Characterization of Armenian Ethnicity in the United States
Conclusion
From the Paper "While most immigrants from the Middle Eastern nations had not been classified as "white," Armenians were. "This was accomplished despite the fact that other West and South Asian groups, such as Cypriots, Iranians, Syrians, and Indians were at various times legally excluded from the category 'white' even when they, like Armenians, could claim to be 'Caucasian' or appeared white." This has allowed Armenians to choose their attitudes concerning the indigenous racial problems they find in the United States. Armenians would 'readily amalgamate with the European and white races'; in other words, they could be counted upon to blend in, to melt into the pot."
Abstract This article serves as a discussion of Russia's attempts to try to keep vestiges of the Soviet sphere of influence in the Caucasus region. The writer looks at Russian economic policy toward the Transcaucasian states. The complications of each state and the Russian response are also discussed in this paper.
From the Paper "Since the demise of the Soviet Union, Russia has pursued a policy of attempting to keep former Soviet republics within Moscow's sphere of influence. Perennially concerned about invasion, Russia had created a buffer zone between itself and potential adversaries through the Soviet period. In the west Ukraine Belarus and the Baltic states of the Soviet Union as well as the Warsaw Pact nations of Eastern Europe insulated Russia proper ... "
Abstract This paper looks at the various threats to the stability that the Transcaucasia states are facing and examines possible solutions to the problems. The paper addresses problems in those regions such as ethnic conflict, the struggle for identity, the struggle for land and the challenges to state building.
From the Paper "The Caucasus is a region that has experienced seemingly endless conflicts between various ethnic and national groups. According to Raffi Khatchadourian the lesson of the region is that ethnic warfare is as much a contest over history as it is a fight over the present and as much a struggle for identity as a land grab. In nations such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, only recently freed from Soviet domination and still struggling to articulate economic policies that will bring about sustainable..."
Tags: Transcasian region, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, state building
Abstract Arguably Islam was the most influential of the cultural donors to medieval art and architecture, via Armenia as well as the cultures hugging the Mediterranean, but Islam itself had already influenced other cultures (Byzantine) and been influenced by even earlier ones (pre-Islamic Persia and more). This paper shows, therefore, that any tracing of Islamic influence in medieval European art and architecture must include the incorporated remnants of all the earlier inter-cultural donations. It shows that the two most influential contacts though which the cultural iconographies were spread are, arguably, the Crusades and the Moorish subjugation of Spain.
From the Paper "Of particular importance to medieval life was the abbey and the priory. Particularly important were the Benedictine abbeys. While Benedict was a mid-sixth century cleric, and Islam itself, of course, could not have been influential until at least the start of the seventh century, Benedictine abbeys continued to be built for centuries, reflecting in great degree an Eastern influence. While "the typical plan of Benedictine abbeys and priories evolved out of the Roman country villa of late antiquity"......about 820, a plan for an idea monastery was created (Schuetz-Miller, 2000). It was considered to be the first pattern that took into account the relationship of all the parts to each other and to the whole, assuring geometric harmony; harmony had been a hallmark of Eastern life."
Abstract This paper identifies the various circumstances that led to the mass genocide of Armenians. The author points out that this act of violence and bloodshed created significant challenges for those that sought to create freedom for many cultures. The paper stresses that those people who suffered from this act at the hands of the Turks will not be forgotten.
From the Paper "In the early 20th Century, many crimes were committed against human beings that created tragic circumstances for these individuals in many different ways. In 1915, over one million Christians were killed as a result of the Ottoman Empire's desire to rid Turkey of Christianity altogether (End Genocide 1). This act of genocide was historically significant, because it signaled the end of Armenian existence as it was known at the time, which was a substantial shift in the population within that region (End Genocide 1). In many ways, the Armenian Genocide serves as a startling reminder of the power of human beings to ultimately destroy each other through acts of murder and violence, all for the sake of religious beliefs. During the early 1900s, there was a wave of violence that spread across many parts of the world, particularly in conjunction with the World Wars."
This paper is an extensive literature review of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) of the European Union, especially with regard to the inclusion of Georgia.
Abstract This paper explains that European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) was developed to combat some of the European security issues that exist in Europe. Authorities believe that the ENP would enhance the European Union's ability to secure the region against terrorism and would help promote the economy and overall quality of life of the region. The author points out that originally the ENP applied to its direct neighbors: Algeria, Belarus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine. Later, however, it was extended to include the countries of the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) with whom the present candidate countries, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, share either a maritime or land border. The paper concludes that by eradicating terrorists or criminal activities and by strengthening the political and justice systems in the country, the ENP will be helpful to Georgia. The paper includes many quotations.
Table of Contents:
Introduction to Study
Introduction
Background/ History
Theoretical Framework
European Integration Theory
Social Theory and International Negotiation Theory
Literature Review
Purpose of the EU
EU Pursues Two Main Types of Policies towards the Rest of the World
Economic Policies
Foreign and Security Policies through the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Defense Policy Cooperation
Enlargement
Development of ENP
ENP Framework: Objectives, Principles and Instrument
European Security Strategy as a Foundation of ENP
The European Neighborhood Policy
Trade and Competitiveness
Development
Strategic Relations, Political Dialogue and CFSP
EU-Georgia Relations
From Partnership to Neighborhood and beyond Neighborhood Policy
EU-Georgia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
Analysis
Looking at the Neighborhood from Georgian Perspective
Why is ENP Important for EU and for Georgia?
The Military Sector
The Economic Sector
The Education Sector
The Environmental Sector
The Society Sector
The Political Sector
How Sectors are Synthesized
EU Interests towards Black Sea Region: Why Georgia Matters?
Conclusion
From the Paper "According to the commission's report these agreements permit the expansion of cooperation and economic amalgamation across a variety of domains. The effects of these agreements have not been realized at the current time. In any case, the ENP provides a foundation for improved cooperation in many distinct domains so that the EU and its partners can realize the full benefit of the structures that are in place (European Neighborhood Policy). To this end, the Action Plans will establish key priorities to be tackled in the years to come."
Abstract This paper identifies eight requirements for a democratic state and examines the reasons why Azerbaijan does not fulfill these conditions. The paper explains that these reasons include widespread corruption, the lack of an assured territorial integrity and an authoritarian structure of government. The paper concludes that, although some progress has been made, it may be some time before the obstacles hindering the democratization of Azerbaijan are removed.
From the Paper "Azerbaijan is a country with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population. The country was independent for a short period of time, from 1918 to 1920, and it regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Azerbaijan has been embroiled in an ongoing conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (with what is primarily an Armenian population). As part of this conflict, Azerbaijan has lost about 16% of its territory and now supports some 600,000 internally displaced persons. The country faces widespread corruption, and while there has been a promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources, this promise remains largely unfulfilled ("Azerbaijan" para. 1)."
Abstract The study provides an analysis of the causes and motives of Armenian genocide, an analysis of regional events such as World War I that may have influenced it, and an analysis of the international events that might have had an effect on it. The paper points out that the causes and motives of the genocide will likely differ depending on who is asking and who is asked, but historians agree that the Armenian people have experienced a fundamental clash of civilizations that has left them ravaged, demoralized and dispersed to countries around the world. The paper includes a map of Armenia and a huge amount of source material as appendices to the paper.
Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "The Armenian people were not the only ones to experience the ravages of the 19th and 20th centuries, of course, but it would seem that they have endured more than their fair share of violence throughout their lengthy history. In fact, U.S. government analysts concede that, "Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths" (Armenia 2)."
