Month: June 2005

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
June 9, 2005 Thursday
Armenia seeks individual partnership with NATO
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Armenia will present to NATO headquarters a document to a plan of
individual partnership with the Western alliance.
Armenian Defence Minister and National Security Council Secretary
Serzh Sarkisian arrives in Brussels on Thursday.
He will hand in the document, on behalf of the Armenian president, to
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
Sarkisian will attend a meeting of the Council of Ministers of
Euro-Atlantic Partnership member states.
Armenian authorities say that joining NATO is not on the country’s
foreign policy agenda, but Armenia develops the relations with the
Western alliance within the framework of a partnership programme and
now of the individual partnership plan.
Contacts with NATO will be developed if they do not come to
contradict Armenia’s relations with the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation, Sarkisian said in a statement last year.
“Armenia realistically assesses the state of security in the regions,
and does not make premature statements, developing cooperation with
the North Atlantic alliance step by step. In this context, the
relations with NATO play a serious role in the system of the
republic’s security,” he said.

“Armenian Tragedy” or Genocide

WASHINGTON (Associated Press) – The union of career diplomats has
withdrawn an award it had granted to the U.S. ambassador to Armenia,
John Evans, who classified as “genocide” the deaths of large numbers
of Armenians at Turkish hands in 1915.
Evans’ comments to an Armenian group in California did not reflect
official U.S. policy. In recognition of his independent stand, the
American Foreign Service Association decided to present Evans with its
“constructive dissent award.”
The Washington Post reported Thursday that the association decided to
withdraw the award because Evans did not meet the selection criteria.
It said that after complaints from Turkey, Evans amended his remarks
to say the events of 1915 represented an “Armenian tragedy” but not
a genocide.
The Post reported that Evans said he had used the term “genocide” in
his “personal capacity” during “informal meetings,” and “this was
inappropriate.”
The newspaper said the association decided to withdraw the award
shortly before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with
President George W. Bush on Wednesday in Washington.
Separately, Armenia’s foreign minister also was scheduled to hold
talks this week with senior officials.
06/09/05

ZAMANONLINE
ERHAN BASYURT
06.09.2005 Thursday – ISTANBUL 05:20
Kocharian Conceals Occupation with So-Called Genocide
I don’t know why, opening the Armenian border gate has become a “blind love”
in Turkey. Lastly, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has fell
in this “blind love”. While no conditions have been changed on the Armenian
side, Ankara has carried on building diplomatic relations and opening the
border gate to the issue.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian; however, showed once again that they do
not seek dialogue or a solution at the Summit of the Council of Europe in
Warsaw.
Kocharian repeated to the top-level representatives of 46 European countries
that “recognition of 1915 events as genocide is our main policy.” While it
was highly expected that Prime Minister Erdogan and Kocharian would come
together at that summit, Kocharian’s statements had a cold effect on the
Turkish side.
Kocharian has become Armenian President thanks to the effective “Karabagh
Clan” when he was one of the Armenian rebel leaders carrying out an armed
conflict in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabagh region. Kocharian’s biggest
supporter is the Dashnak Party, which has destroyed the democratic structure
in the country. What brought Kocharian up to power is not the Armenian
people’s support but financial and political support provided by the
Armenian Diaspora, who seek the dream of “Greater Armenia”. If Kocharian
gives up his so-called genocide allegations, he will lose the Armenian
Diaspora’s support that has been constructed on “Turcophobic Animosity”.
Under these circumstances, it would be naive to expect Kocharian to give up
his so-called genocide allegations and to withdraw from 20 percent of
Azerbaijani territory.
Certainly, this is not the only reason for Kocharian’s insistence on a
so-called genocide. If it is noticed, campaigns of so-called genocide have
accelerated after 1990. The end of the Cold War has facilitated the
international pressure over Turkey and this has played a crucial role in it.
The main reason; however, is that the so-called genocide barking conceals
Armenian’s occupation and massacre in Azerbaijan. Adapting the role of the
oppressed and the aggrieved, Armenians, who constantly carry the so-called
genocide allegations on the agenda at European and US parliaments, conceal
the Karabagh massacres and the occupation of Azerbaijan in this way. They
describe the immigration of 413,000 Armenians from the Ottoman territories
as “genocide”; however, show their exile of 800,000 Azerbaijanis from their
homelands and committing ethnic cleansing, primarily in Hocali, as just.
Kocharian’s speech at the Council of Europe is very thought provoking from
this point of view as well. The Council of Europe’s Assembly of
Parliamentarians has accepted Armenia as a country occupying Azerbaijani
territory on January 25th 2005, that is to say four months ago. It also
accepted a comprehensive report envisioning a peaceful withdrawal from it.
Kocharian, who is the architect of the occupation that blocked four
different resolutions by the United Nations (UN) and solutions projects by
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE), now plays
the role of the “oppressed” by carrying the so-called genocide allegations
on agenda at the Council of Europe. He, therefore, keeps the international
community and the Council of Europe from undertaking an active role in the
solution of the problem.
Turkey should speak with Kocharian in the language that he understands at
this stage. That is to say, it should push Armenia into corner at
international platforms and take initiatives to allow it to end the
occupation and to establish peaceful relations with its neighbors. The
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) might easily carry the Karabagh
problem to the agenda. Turkey should use all its opportunities in the
Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UN and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO). It is naturally not possible that these policies can be
successful only with Turkey’s efforts. Turkey and Azerbaijan should set up a
very close dialogue and co-operation mechanism at this stage. They should
direct their lobby opportunities to the same point. Armenia should be put
under international pressure by gaining the support of friendly countries as
well.
If these are achieved, not only the so-called genocide allegations will
occupy the agenda as such, but also Armenia will seek ways to approach
Turkey as a solution to get rid of international pressure. Turkey-Armenia
relations will mostly benefit Armenia, so the “blind love” of opening the
border gates and establishing bridges should be theirs.

Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, Ca 91504
Tel: 818-558-7474
Fax: 818-558-6333
Web:
His Holiness Karekin ii
catholicos of all armenians
In the western DIOCESE

his holiness visits
savey tufenkian school
Wednesday, June 8, 2005

At 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians, paid a Pontifical visit to the Savey
Tufenkian School where he was greeted by the administration, students
and faculty of the school.
His Holiness was accompanied by high ranking clergy, including His
Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese;
His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Bozabalyan of the Mother See; His
Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, as well as several clergy
of the Diocese.
A program took place by the students of the school in honor of His
Holiness, during which principal Arsine Yegazarian and His Eminence
Archbishop Mardirossian conveyed their remarks.
His Holiness blessed the children and conveyed to them the blessings
of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

his holiness meets with
Government and ecumenical guests
during vip Luncheon
Wednesday, June 8, 2005

His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, met with
government and ecumenical guests on June 8, 2005 during a VIP
Luncheon hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Walter and Laurel Karabian. The
Luncheon was held in the Kalaydjian Hall of the Arshag and Eleanor
Dickranian Complex of the Western Diocese in Burbank.
His Holiness was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan
Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese; His Eminence Archbishop
Nerses Bozabalyan of the Mother See; His Eminence Archbishop Vatche
Hovsepian, as well as several Diocesan clergy.
Mr. Richard Mushegain, Esq., former Chair of the Diocesan Council,
served as Master of Ceremonies. Mr. Walter Karabian, Esq. delivered
the opening remarks in which he welcomed His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians, to the Western Diocese. Mr. Karabian
introduced his daughter, Madeline Karabian, who in both Armenian and
English beautifully welcomed His Holiness on behalf of her family,
and gave a perspective on the family’s personal history and
involvement within the Western Diocese.
Over 200 guests including government and religious leaders were
present during the reception. Mr. Karabian acknowledged the federal
and state government and official leaders, as well as judges in
attendance. Local government leaders were introduced by Paul
Krekorian, President of the Burbank Unified School District.
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western
Diocese, introduced the Ecumenical leaders who were present, Rev. Fr.
John Bakas, Dean of the St. Sophia Cathedral; Rev. Fr. Alexei Smith,
Director of the Ecumenical & Interreligious Office; His Eminence Mor
C. Eugene Kaplan, Archbishop of the Western Archdiocese of the Syriac
Orthodox Church; His Grace Bishop Serapion, Primate of the Coptic
Orthodox Church; Rev. Dr. Paul Lance; Dr. Michael Mata, Claremont
School of Theology; Rev. Dr. Fr. Efstathios Mylonas, Coptic Orthodox
Church; Bishop Dean Nelson, Evangelical Lutheran Church; Rev. Fr.
Justin Rose, Greek Orthodox Church; Rev. Dr. Lloyd Saatjian, United
Methodist Church; Rev. Gregory Bishay, Coptic Orthodox Church; Albert
Cohen, Southern California Ecumenical Council, Rabbi Mark Diamond,
Board of Rabbis, Rev. Fr. Gwynne Guibord, Episcopal Diocese of LA;
Rev. Mark Jauffman, Chaplain of Glendale Memorial Hospital; Dr. Jay
Johnson, Southern California United Church of Christ; Very Rev.
Josiah Trenham, Antiochan Orthodox Church; Rev. Sally Welch, Southern
California Ecumenical Council.
His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians addressed the
attendees, thanking them for their continued support of the Western
Diocese and her missions. He blessed them and conveyed to them his
love from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Government and civic leaders included Supervisor Michael Antonovich,
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor-Elect of Los
Angeles, Mary Boger, President, BUSD; Lisa Kalustian, Chief Deputy
Director, Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; Joyce Streator,
Council Member, Pasadena; Bob Yousefian, Glendale City Council; Greg
Krikorian, GUSD; Katherine Barger Leibrick, Chief Deputy to Sup.
Antonovich; Rafi Manoukian, Mayor of Glendale; Judge Ronald Sohigian;
Prof. Jonathan Kemp, Director, Davenport Institute; Peter Abajian,
Lena Kaimian and Nicole Shahian, Armenian Assembly; Randy Adams,
Glendale Chief of Police; Dennis Zine, Los Angeles City Council; Dr.
Michael Mata, Claremont School of Theology; James Bozajian, Mayor of
Calabasas; Haig Kartounian, District Representative, Cong. Adam
Schiff; Frank Quintero and Ara Najarian, Glendale City Council;
Michael Mahdessian, LA Planning Commission; Andrew Adelman, General
Manager, City of LA Dept. of Building and Safety; Sarkis Aghazarian,
Senior Building Inspector, City of LA Dept. of Building and Safety;
John Boyajian, LA Transportation Commission; Berj Boyajian and Sarkis
Kitsinian, Board Member, Mayor’s office of International Trade; G.
Steve Simonian, Chief, Bureau of Investigations; Dr. Dean Nielsen,
President, Woodbury University; Congresswoman Lois Capps; Cindy
Montanez, California State Assembly; Laura Chick, LA City Controller;
Maria Mehranian, Planning Commission, La Canada; Linda Shahinian,
Planning Commission, Culver City; Armond Agakhani, Parks and
Recreations Commission, Glendale.

reception for his holiness and
recipients of medals of honor
and letters of pontifical blessings
Wednesday, June 8, 2005

A reception was held on June 8, 2005 in the Kalaydjian Hall of the
Diocese for His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and
the recipients of Medals of Honor and Letters of Pontifical
Blessings. The reception was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Nora
Hampar.
His Holiness was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan
Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese and His Eminence Archbishop
Vatche Hovsepian. The clergy of the Diocese were also in attendance.
His Holiness entered the Hall in a procession consisting of the
Diocesan clergy, singing the hymn, `Hrashapar’. The evening began
with the Invocation by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians. Master of Ceremonies Mr. Parsegh Kartalian invited to the
podium the host of the evening Mr. Armen Hampar, who welcomed His
Holiness and conveyed his joy in having the opportunity to host the
reception for His Holiness.
Entertainment during the reception was provided by Capri Mugrdichian
Compton who presented several musical selections accompanied by Gloria
Michaelian.
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian welcomed His Holiness
Karekin II and extended to the guests of honor his appreciation for
the dedication with which they have served the Western Diocese.
His Eminence made two noteworthy announcements. He announced a list
of individuals who have made significant donations to the Mother See
of Holy Etchmiadzin, which the Catholicos announced will be allocated
towards the renovation of Holy Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The second announcement made by the Primate was that Dn. Dr.
Varoujan Altebarmakian, benefactor of the Diocese and current Chair
of the Diocesan Council, was appointed to the Supreme Spiritual
Council, comprised of Archbishops and laymen who under the presidency
of the Catholicos meet regularly in Holy Etchmiadzin.
Following the address of the Primate a Pontifical Encyclical read
issued by His Holiness Karekin II, bestowing the St. Gregory the
Illuminator Medal of Honor upon Mr. Albert Boyajian, who through his
generous donations through the past several years has supported
numerous activities of the Diocese.
In appreciation of their selfless service to the Mother See, the
Western Diocese, their parishes, and their faithful, the clergy of
the Diocese were each given a cross by His Holiness, to be worn
around heir necks.
In his closing remarks His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, congratulated the recipients of the Medals of Honor. He
commended their unrelenting dedication and devotion to the Armenian
Apostolic Church, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Western
Diocese and the Armenian people both in Armenia and the Diaspora.
Seeing the vast crowd of medal recipients gathered in the hall, he
said, `My, what a great army we have before us.’ He urged them to
continue their service to the Church in the name of God and for the
prosperity of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
His Holiness also extended his appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Armen
Hampar, the hosts of the evening and presented to them a silver
cross. The Catholicos also recognized the 75th Birthday of His
eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, former primate, and commended
his accomplishments during his tenure.

OFFICE OF THE WESTERN DIOCESE
June 8, 2005
Burbank, California

ExibArt, Italy
Dal 10 giugno al 6 novembre 2005
51 Biennale. Padiglione armeno
Venezia
PALAZZO ZENOBIO
Dorsoduro 2596 (30123)
0415228770 (info)
Sona Abgarian, Vahram Aghasyan, Diana Hakobian, Tigran Khachatrian
biglietti: ingresso libero
vernissage: 10 giugno 2005.
curatori: David Kareyan
autori: Sona Abgarian, Vahram Aghasyan, Diana Hakobian, Tigran
Khachatrian
genere: arte contemporanea, collettiva
web:

REPUBBLICA DI ARMENIA
RESISTANCE THROUGH ART
Sona Abgarian, Vahram Aghasyan, Diana Hakobian, Tigran Khachatrian
Commissario: Edward Balassanian. Commissario Onorario: Jean
Boghossian. Curatore: David Kareyan.
Sede: Collegio Armeno Murad Rafaelian, Palazzo Zenobio, Dorsoduro

RESISTANCE THROUGH ART
>From mid-nineties in almost all sectors of the society the enthusiasm
of revolution turned into overall state of crisis. It was pregnant
with apathy, subjective attitude towards social life, and mounting
nostalgia for the double-summit world, a world where poverty and
deprivation were compensated by illusive pride of citizenship of a
nuclear superpower. This inclination which had emerged in Armenia and
other post-soviet countries is the basic obstacle of creation of a
democratic society.
Today processes of globalization more than ever attach importance to
the civic attitude of every person, particularly that of the
individual artist. But this is not an automatic simple choice. This
is not a choice between the past and the future, between the east and
the west, the war and peace, or between `mine’ and `yours’.
The choice which is made by the artist today, is rather an act of
resistance. As stated by Adorno `Affirmativeness resists the worst,
the development of barbarism; it not only suppresses nature, but also
preserves it because of this suppression. … Life asserts itself by
means of culture, including the hope for better, dignified, true and
worthy human life. … Affirmativeness doesn’t wind the halo of
innocence around the existing; it vigorously resists death, the telos
of all power, all hegemony, while sympathizing everything that
exists’.
Participating artists of `Resistance Through Art’ have had very
active role in all of the activities which have taken place in
Armenia in the nineties, outside the sphere of institutions inherited
from the Soviet era.
The Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art (`NPAK’ in
Armenian acronym) became the venue where artists gathered and freely
exhibited the hidden, unconformable, and oppressed layers of
socio-cultural and psychological conflicts. In particular exhibitions
entitled `Crisis’, `Collapse of Illusions’, `Civic Commotion’,
`Anoush’, and their culmination: `Politics Under 180 Degree’ should
be noted, where the hysteric and crazed outbursts of `revolutionary
reconstruction’ of farmer-breeder culture, and industrial
modernization were acutely displayed. These are conflicts which we
witness when the ideology tending towards the singular center
collides with reality.
Artists of this wave of resistance, using psychological and aesthetic
contradictions, display the `clash of the material and the spiritual’
as the reverberation of already non-existent world, whose acoustic
reverberations may endanger the existence of all of us. Is it
possible to live without violence? Which is the natural environment
of man? Why is it that culture, which is supposed to be the mechanism
of sublimation, is unable to manifest the boundaries within which we
would feel in our natural environment? Why is man trying to escape
from the world of his own creation? Why does he think that his
natural environment is the sea and the jungle?
Diana Hagopian in her `Logic of Power’ triptych video, by displaying
the roles assigned to women together with statistics of opinion polls
is directly asking the question of whether it is possible to
reconcile with the violence prevalent in the world? Is it possible to
create a society, where self-admiration and authority do not appear
as `desirable play’?
The images which follow one another in a fast `Rock and Roll’ pace
create a dynamic chain, which by its imagery reminds the positive
input of emancipating processes of the sixties and seventies towards
liberalization of social behavior. No matter how weak or
insignificant was the impact of early soviet liberalizations in
Soviet Armenia; it is not anymore possible to subordinate the idea of
gender equality to some other important goal. Liberation of sexual
orientation/life, gave many people the feeling of mastering their own
destiny. It has become possible to change residence, profession,
gender, color of skin, etc.
Diana Hagopian tries to awaken the viewer’s memory by including him
in the emancipation process. A process of a long journey continuously
colliding with variety of expressions of neo-patriarchism justifying
`logic of power’, its senseless exploitation and consumption.
Sona Abgarian’s `Tomorrow at the Same Time’ video-installation is
another example of inhibition of woman’s identity and her ability of
free expression in society. It seems like the woman, by manipulating
a monster’s mask is studying her past face, which she was wearing
during some unknown festivity. Lonely and abandoned by guests she
tries to show her today’s face to her yesterday’s mask. Moreover, she
tries to reanimate both, away from any socially imperative activity
and usefulness. The entire theatricality of movements and gestures
prove total bankruptcy of the stereotypes of the mass culture, where
the artificial hides its artificiality. The same act is repeated on
the second monitor with time-lapse; as if it wants to emphasize that
the signs of lust and `untamed pleasure’ give birth only to fears and
emptiness. On the photographs mounted on the backdrop of the monitors
there are again the same images, scratched and frayed, as a desperate
attempt to flee from the trap of ever-multiplying models of the mass
culture.
By this persistent repetition Sona Abgarian presents the crisis of
individuality as, if anything, the absence of specific form of
communication for uniting with others and the world.
Tigran Khachatrian’s video of `Todis’ as the artist puts it belongs
to his `Corner of the Room Productions’ or `Garage Films’ series.
Beginning from 2000 Tigran Khachatrian has produced a series of
video-films: `Color of Eggplant’, `Stalker’, `Romeo’, `J-L Godard’,
etc. Under the name of `Corner of the Room Productions’ the artist
adopts a unique method of re-mixes, whereby internationally famed,
basically `left’ cinematographers’ famous films are re-valued. As the
artist insists this reenactment returns the original humanity and
simplicity to the idolized films.
In `Todis’ appear the shaving Santa Clause, the `MGM’ lion with
hammer-and-cycle-printed underwear worn over and erotic scenes of
Pasolini’s `The flower of One Thousand And One Night’. Here Paul
Elluard’s `Freedom’ poem is recited concurrent with image of a nude
personage of the `hippy’ era with a guitar. All of this is nothing
but an attempt to liberate cinema from a production process which is
alien to the viewer, and has turned the movie theater into `Platonic
Cave’.
Tigran Khachatrian is convinced that periodic retrospection of art
has positive effect on self-recognition of society: This is a unique
traditionalism.
Vahram Aghassian in his `Factories in the Sky’ double screen
video-installation presents a dilapidated factory from the era of
`the glorious industrial achievement’ of the one-time Soviet Armenia.
He tries to break free from the prejudiced stare of the viewer who in
post-soviet artists’ works searches for documentary description of
financial cataclysms. In the passage between very closely placed
projection screens the artist spreads artificial `stage smoke’ which
is the only tangible reality. More precisely it is the only reality
encompassing us. If the history was first written and later tried to
make what was written to happen, then the world has been turned into
smoke.
These four representatives of Art of Resistance are convinced that
art has influence on our life, hence on how the world should be.
Beginning with the `Crisis’ exhibition (1999) until today, the basic
characteristic of exhibitions organized at NPAK is in the fact that
artists reflect upon their real human and social experiences.
David Kareyan
Curator
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PEST CONTROL
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
07 June 05
The months of May and June are the season of intensive environmental
interventions to reduce the level of pests. In this period arable crops
are affected by insect pests, such as the locust and the grasshopper.
Recently the farmers of the region of Hadrut have alarmed about the
excessive level of grasshoppers in wheat fields. The specialists of
Plant Protection and Agricultural Chemistry CJSC sprayed adonis solution
on 150 hectares of land under crop. However, this operation was not
efficacious. If delayed, the crops would be completely destroyed,
therefore, the NKR Ministry of Agriculture asked the Ministry of
Agriculture of Armenia for assistance. The director of the Republic
Station for Plant Protection of Armenia M. Danielian and the leading
expert of the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia J. Ispirian arrived in
Artsakh, investigated the contaminated areas and sprayed another type of
chemical. The director of NKR Plant Protection and Agricultural
Chemistry CJSC Benik Beglarian said, `Most probably, the date of the
chemical we used had been expired, and we do not have equipment for
laboratory tests.’ We asked M. Danielian to what degree the sprayed
chemical will be effective, he said there was a similar emergency case
in one of the regions of Armenia, and the use of the same chemical
proved effective. B. Beglarian said the Ministry of Agriculture needs
laboratory equipment to test the effect of the chemicals. He added that
they consider the question of operating a toxicological laboratory
within the service. All the costs of pest control are foreseen in the
state budget.
AA.
07-06-2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ID=3D13142
Papiere zum Massenmord
Das Lepsius-Archiv an der Uni Halle soll nach Potsdam kommen – es
beherbergt politischen Sprengstoff in Buchform (7.6.05)
Von Henri Kramer Bücher, Bücher, unüberschaubar viele
Bücher. Hermann Goltz kommt kurz ins Stocken beim Nachdenken
darüber, wie viele Bücher sich genau im Johannes Lepsius-Archiv an
der Martin-Luther-Universität in Halle befinden. So muss der
Professor an der theologischen Fakultät schätzen: `Um die 20000
Bände…` Mindestens zwei Lieferwagen werden nötig sein, wenn das
Lepsius-Archiv im Frühjahr 2006 zusammen mit seinem Leiter Hermann
Goltz ins Lepsius-Geburtshaus in die GroÃe WeinmeisterstraÃe
ziehen soll. Goltz sagt: `Es soll ein Ort des Gedenkens, der
Begegnung und der Forschung werden, um den Völkermord an den
Armeniern im Osmanisch-Türkischen Reich historisch weiter
aufzuarbeiten.`
Die Bücher und Schriften aus Halle sollen dabei den Kern der
Gedenkstätte bilden. So findet sich in dem Archiv die seltene
Originalausgabe des `Berichts über die Lage des armenischen
Volkes in der Türkei`, in dem Lepsius zum ersten Mal Details über
den Genozid in Deutschland öffentlich bekannt machte, bei dem
zwischen 1915 und 1917 über eine Million Menschen umgebracht
wurden. 20000 Exemplare des Buchs konnte Lepsius versenden, bevor
seine Schrift von der deutschen Militärzensur verboten
wurde. `Da Deutschland und das Osmanische Reich im 1. Weltkrieg
zusammen kämpften, sollte der Völkermord nicht thematisiert werden`
, erklärt Goltz.
Ebenso ist im Lepsius-Archiv das 1919 erschienene Buch `Der
Todesgang des armenischen Volkes` enthalten, das wegen politischer
Bedenken erst nicht gedruckt werden konnte. SchlieÃlich trauten
sich die Druckereien der jüdischen Firma Imberg & Lefson in
Babelsberg und der christlichen Zeitung `Der Reichsbote` in
Berlin das Buch herzustellen. `Den groÃen Verlagen der Zeit
war das Thema zu heiÃ, niemand wollte Lepsius drucken`, sagt Goltz.
Neben diesen beiden auch heute wissenschaftlich unentbehrlichen
Veröffentlichungen stehen im Lepsius-Archiv 13 Zeitschriften-Serien
aus der Feder des Orientalisten, aber auch Folgeliteratur wie die
Romane von Franz Werfel, indenen die Lepsius-Dokumentationen als
historische Quellen verwendet sind: Alle Werke in verschiedenen
Ausgaben verschiedener Länder in verschiedenen Sprachen. `Es
kommt immer noch neues Material dazu, weil das Thema vor dem
Hintergrund eines möglichen EU-Beitritts der Türkei aktuell bleibt`,
sagt Goltz. Für den Archivleiter selbst ist der Umzug nach Potsdam
die Rückkehr an die alte Wirkungsstätte, hier begann seine Passion
für die Arbeit von Lepsius. `1976 lernte ich die damals
71-jährige Lepsius-Tochter Veronika kennen.` An der Geschichte des
Vorderen Orients und Osteuropas war Goltz schon damals interessiert,
der Völkermord an den Armeniern wurde bald sein wichtigstes
Forschungsfeld, obwohl das Thema sowohl in der DDR als auch in der BRD
zu den Tabus der Geschichtsschreibung gehörte, wie er sich
erinnert. `Die Türkei war im Kalten Krieg für Sowjetunion wie
für das westliche Bündnis ein wichtiger Partner, den niemand
verärgern wollte`, so Goltz.
In Potsdam soll die Analyse des groÃen Verbrechens weitergehen,
auch gegen den Druck der Türkei. So bezeichnete der türkische
Botschafter das geplante Lepsius-Zentrum schon 2000 als eine
angebliche `armenische Propaganda- und Terrorzentrale.` Hermann
Goltz will weiter sammeln, hofft, dass sich auch die Potsdamer
Universität an der Forschung beteiligt. `In nicht allzu langer
Zeit wird sich die Türkei zu ihrer historischen Verantwortung
bekennen müssen.` Die Studien, um den Genozid mit weiteren Fakten zu
belegen, werden jedoch auch in Potsdam nicht mit den Originalen
geschehen können: Jede Seite steht im Lepsius-Archiv nur als Kopie
zur Verfügung, wie bei wertvollen Schriften üblich. Goltz spricht
aber auch von Sicherheitsinteressen: `Die Originale werden wie
hier in Halle an einem sicheren Ort verwahrt, denn natürlich gibt es
Menschen,die nicht traurig wären, wenn diese Dokumente brennen
würden.`

Azerbaijan News Service
June 9 2005
QARABAQ AND AZERBAIJAN’S OBLIGATIONS BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO
BE FOCUSED AT JUNE SESSION
2005-06-09 18:00
Sub-committee on Daqliq Qarabaq issue of the Parliamentary Assembly
of Council of Europe will hold session on June 22nd during the summer
session. Head of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov informs
that the sub-committee has undertaken to carry out monitoring of
Qarabaq related issues. Lord Rassel Johnson will deliver speech at
June session. We proposed that representatives of opposition to be
represented here as well. According to Samad Seyidov Azerbaijan’s
honoring obligations before the CE will also be discussed during the
session including right on free assembly and activity of Public TV.
Besides exchange of opinions will be held regarding the list of
so-called political prisoners presented by non-governmental
organizations. However Mr. Seyidov considers that official Baku has
fulfilled obligation regarding the so-called political prisoners and
the issue is closed. Discussions still held concerning the case of
three inmates Elchin Amiraslanov, Safa Poladov and Arif Kazimov.
`Mainly three prisoners are mentioned. Discussions are on hand and I
offer to find a common point with NGOs’.

Kurdish parliament agrees on Barzani as president
SULAIMANIYA, Iraq, June 9 (Reuters) – The Kurdish parliament in
northern Iraq has approved in principle a draft law naming veteran
Kurdish politician Masoud Barzani as president of the region, Kurdish
politicians said on Thursday.
The draft law, due to be approved formally by the parliament on
Saturday, stipulates that Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic
Party (KDP), will serve for four years.
Kurds came in second in Iraq’s Jan. 30 national elections behind the
Shi’ites. Both groups, which were oppressed by toppled Iraqi dictator
Saddam Hussein, have been propelled to power.
But political rivalries have strained ties between the Kurds and
slowed efforts to build a regional government in the north.
Barzani’s rival Jalal Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK), is Iraq’s current president. The PUK and KDP fought a
civil war in the north in the mid 1990s.
The Kurds, who secured autonomy from Saddam’s rule in 1991 with U.S.
military help, have been pushing for a federal Iraq with the oil
centre of Kirkuk as the Kurdish capital. That demand has angered other
Arabs and Turkmen vying for influence in the city that lies south of
the present Kurdish region.
Barzani is the son of Kurdish nationalist leader Mustafa Barzani.
06/09/05 17:46 ET

YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY RECTOR AWARDED NKR ST MESROP MASHTOTS ORDER
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. For his great contribution to formation
of Artsakh State University Yerevan State University Rector Radik
Martirosian was awarded the St Mesrop Mashtots order by the decree of
Nagorno Karabakh President Arkadi Ghukasian. The award was given to
R.Martirosian on the days of the international conference dedicated to
the 1600th anniversary of invention of Armenian alphabet and
foundation of Amaras school held on June 2-5 in Artsakh.
According to the rector, this award is very dear to him as it was
given by the government of already independent and free NKR. “Yerevan
State University closely cooperates with Artsakh State University,
assists to all educational reforms carried out at the higher
school. Henceforward this cooperation will be activized for even
more,” R.Martirosian said.