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06/28/2004
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1- Armenian Patriarch Meets US President
2- Oskanian, Gul Meet in Istanbul
3- Congress Best Bet for US Recognition of Genocide
4- Chirac Slams Bush for Interfering in Turkey’s EU Bid
5- Armenia Marks Tenth Anniversary of Military Academy
1- Armenian Patriarch Meets US President
ISTANBUL (Haybad/Zaman)–While the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Summit may be headlining US President George W. Bush’s trip to Istanbul,
Turkey, he took time out on Sunday to meet with various religious leaders.
Bush met with President of Religious Affairs Ali Bardakoglu, Istanbul Mufti
Mustafa Cagrici, Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos, Armenian Patriarch Mesrob
Mutafyan, Chief Rabbi Ishak Haleva and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yusuf
Cetin.
In his opening remarks, Bush welcomed the religious leaders, and referred to
Turkey “with its mosaic of faiths and cultures,” as a good model of secular
democracy–in spite of its predominantly Muslim population.
When a journalist asked at the end of the meeting if the participants had any
particular message, Bush said that he came together with important
personalities from different religions and faiths and had “an excellent
meeting.” Bush added that the religious leaders represented the best side of
Turkey.
Patriarch Mutafyan had an opportunity to speak to Bush about the situation of
Turkey’s non-Muslim population, and stressed that for minorities to exist in
Turkey–or for any ethnic or national minority to exist anywhere–three
institutions must be guaranteed: First, places of worship to preserve
religious
heritage and to nourish the spiritual life of the community; second,
schools to
teach language and culture; and third, foundations to fund religious and
educational activities and the necessary personnel to keep them active. The
minorities in Turkey, he stressed, are attempting to maintain those
institutions for the future and well-being of their communities.
The Patriarch also stressed that though religious leaders attempt to stick to
spiritual edification, and stay out of politics, certain instances call
for, if
not political involvement, at least a moral response.
Mutafyan told the press that the religious leaders conveyed their concerns to
Bush about the violent incidents they witness every time the turn on the
television. Bush reportedly responded, “Believe me, these do not reflect our
real face. Justice will deal with some of the incidents you see on television,
particularly those in the prison in Baghdad.”
Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos indicated that they discussed the role of
religion and Turkey’s religious mosaic. “President Bush said that the
religious
mosaic was very important for Turkey and that it is an asset to the
country. In
order to maintain this, all the religions need to raise their own religious
leaders. Otherwise, the mosaic will disappear,” recalled Bartholomeos.
White House National Security Adviser Condolezza Rice, Secretary of State
Colin Powell and the US Ankara Ambassador Eric Edelman also attended Bush’s
meeting with religious leaders.
Before leaving, Patriarch Mutafyan presented the following letter to
President
Bush:
“Dear Mr. President,
It is with great pleasure that we welcome your visit to our country on the
occasion of the NATO summit here in Istanbul.
The Armenians of Turkey, constituting by far the largest Christian community
in this country, have long cherished, with affection and amity, the United
States of America, which, besides having a historic friendship and alliance
with Turkey, also has welcomed to its shores many of our kinsmen since the
second half of the 19th century.
It is because of these warm sentiments, that I feel able to express the
uneasiness we feel at the escalating level of violence which has been
spreading
across the globe and which is especially pressing in the Middle East region,
where we also live.
I personally believe that you, Mr. Bush, as the president of a great country
that leads the world, have the authority to affect the course of events, and
this is why I would like to voice my anxiety.
War, terror, torture, embargo, marginalization, defamation or
condescension…Whatever form violence takes, it always leads to consequences
which are not in accord with human dignity. Instead it leaves indelible scars
in memories and generates lasting enmities between peoples. Throughout
history,
there has never been an act of violence or retaliation which has not harmed
the
innocent. Sadly, the consequence is usually that violence begets more
violence.
This is why, even when seeking to serve legitimate, higher ideals such as
establishing peace, upholding democracy or preventing terror, the resort to
violence, merely culminates in more pain and suffering to the innocent,
especially children.
Throughout history, when governments have resorted to force when
challenged by
violence or even civil unrest, it often effectively became collective
punishments of whole nations or peoples. What has happened recently in
Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sudan are clear examples. This cannot be a
portrayal of sublime sentiments and indeed, to many it is viewed as revenge, a
sentiment which cannot coexist with civilization.
I believe that the United States of America and her President, have the
ability to preserve the values they struggle for without resorting to violence
in all its terrible diversity. It is sufficient to maintain their trust in
God,
in their sense of vocation and ultimate potential for good. Whenever we
embrace
violence we are already diminished and the high moral and religious ideals to
which we aspire are betrayed.
Mr. President, I can imagine to a certain extent the pressures that you must
be undergoing at present and therefore please be assured of my prayerful
support. May God be in all visions for world peace and may He protect us all
from losing our faith.
With my sincere good wishes,
MESROB II
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey
2- Oskanian, Gul Meet in Istanbul
ISTANBUL (AFP/Armenpress/RFE/RL)–Under pressure by North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU), Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey
pledged on Monday to seek to resolve their tangled disputes through trilateral
meetings.
The foreign ministers of the three troubled neighbors, Vartan Oskanian of
Armenia, Elmar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, and Abdullah Gul of Turkey met on the
sidelines of the NATO summit in Istanbul.
“The dialogue was quite good,” Oskanian told reporters after the meeting. “I
have nothing concrete to state at this point, but the meeting was quite
positive. . . This was a meeting between the three equal sides which have
interests and benefits in the region”
Referring to the enlargement of the EU and NATO, Oskanian said, “We need to
shape a new strategic vision for the Caucasus so that we can keep pace with
the
developments around us.”
Emphasizing that both NATO and the EU were anxious to stabilize the
conflict-torn Caucasian region, Gul told reporters after the meeting that they
had discussed “ways and means of cooperating to achieve stability through
constructive means.”
He said he and his counterparts had agreed to hold further trilateral
meetings
later in the year.
Mamedyarov added: “We will try to do our best to bring peace and stability to
the region.”
Armenia and Azerbaijan are divided by a long-standing dispute Mountainous
Karabagh.
A close ally of Azerbaijan, Turkey has declined to establish diplomatic ties
with Armenia and remains bitter at Yerevan’s efforts to secure international
recognition of the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey.
Ankara is under pressure by the EU (which it seeks to join) to re-open its
border with Armenia, which it closed in 1993 in a show of solidarity with
Baku.
Oskanian told reporters he had discussed the issue with Gul in a bilateral
meeting earlier in the day, but it would be premature to expect an immediate
re-opening of the border.
Oskanian used his participation in the NATO summit, marred by violent clashes
between Turkish police and left-wing protesters, to meet with Patriarch Mesrob
Mutafian, the spiritual leader of Turkey’s small Armenian community. He also
delivered a speech to a group of Istanbul Armenians.
3- Congress Best Bet for US Recognition of Genocide
YEREVAN (YERKIR)As Turkey remains a key ally of the United States and is a
member of NATO, the US administration’s position on the Genocide issue is not
likely to change, Armenia’s ambassador to the US
Arman Kirakossian, told Armenpress, responding to whether the US would change
its policy [on Armenian genocide recognition] if Democratic presidential
candidate John Kerry were to win the November election. Ambassador
Kirakossian noted that both former president Bill Clinton and the incumbent
George W. Bush promised to recognize the Armenian genocide but did not
stick to
their promises. “A shift in this policy can be expected only by working
with US
Congress,” Kirakossian noted.
4- Chirac Slams Bush for Interfering in Turkey’s EU Bid
(AFP)–French President Jacques Chirac bluntly criticized George W. Bush on
Monday for supporting Turkey’s bid to join the European Union, saying the US
President had “gone too far”.
On Sunday, Bush publicly endorsed Turkey’s bid, telling Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara: “I will remind the people of this good country that
you ought to be given a date by the EU for your eventual acceptance into the
EU.”
Chirac told a news conference on the sidelines on the NATO summit here: “Not
only did he go too far, he ventured into territory which is not his concern.”
The French president, who is among the EU leaders most firmly opposed to
Turkish membership of the EU, added: “It would be like me telling the United
States how to run its affairs with Mexico.”
5- Armenia Marks Tenth Anniversary of Military Academy
YEREVAN (NoyanTapan)–During a June 27 ceremony marking the 10th
anniversary of
Armenia’s Vazgen Sargisian Military Institute, 270 graduates received their
diplomas and military shoulder-straps in the presence of President Robert
Kocharian, Prime Minister Antranig Margarian, Defense Minister Serge
Sargisian,
parliamentarians, government officials and high-ranking military personnel.
The prime minister said that the institute, established during arduous times
for the newly independent Armenia, has succeeded in preparing experienced and
skilled military personnel.
“If Azerbaijan had the slightest doubt about the Armenian Army’s military
power, they would have surely restarted the war by now,” said the Defense
Ministry’s Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Colonel General Mikhael
Harutyunian.
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