Month: June 2005

NKR PRESIDENT: TODAY IT’S SENSELESS TO SPEAK ABOUT RETURN OF ANY
TERRITORIES
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Today it’s
senseless to speak about return of any territories as Azerbaijan’s
position in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh’s status isn’t clear yet.
When we see a constructive position on the part of Azerbaijan, we will
be ready for being constructive, too,” NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian
declared. According to the Liberty radio station, NKR President also
mentioned that all issues need to be solved, including issues
connected with status, security, refugees and territories. Nagorno
Karabakh is ready to discuss the above-mentioned issues. Answering the
radio station’s question, NKR President said that there have always
been contradictions with Armenian authorities but these contradictions
“aren’t strategic.” “There are points, around which we argue, try to
persuade them of the rightness of our opinion and I consider that this
is a normal process,” A.Ghukasian mentioned. As regards possible
return of liberated territories, Grisha Hayrapetian, representative of
the ARFD Artsakh Central Committee, declared to the radio station: “We
consider that Karabakh should have its Constitution that should also
mention these territories, and any of our Presidents should take an
oath on this document. Otherwise, it’s impossible to live in Karabakh
without these territories.”

General-Anzeiger (Bonn)
23. Juni 2005
Mut zu politisch brisanten Themen:
LITERATUR: Der tuerkische Schriftsteller Orhan Pamuk erhaelt den
Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels. In seiner Heimat wird er
angefeindet, weil er an die Ermordung zahlloser Armenier im
Osmanischen Reich erinnert
Mut zu politisch brisanten Themen LITERATUR Der tuerkische
Schriftsteller Orhan Pamuk erhaelt den Friedenspreis des Deutschen
Buchhandels. In seiner Heimat wird er angefeindet, weil er an die
Ermordung zahlloser Armenier im Osmanischen Reich erinnert Der…
Der diesjaehrige Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels geht an den
tuerkischen Schriftsteller Orhan Pamuk (53). Das teilte der
Boersenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels gestern in Frankfurt mit.
Pamuk sei einem Begriff von Kultur verpflichtet, “der ganz auf Wissen
und Respekt vor dem anderen gruendet”, hiess es zur Begruendung. Er
habe ein Werk geschaffen, “in dem Europa und die muslimische Tuerkei
zusammenfinden”. Die mit 25 000 Euro dotierte Auszeichnung, eine der
renommiertesten in Deutschland, wird Pamuk am 23. Oktober zum
Abschluss der Frankfurter Buchmesse in der Paulskirche verliehen.
“Mit Orhan Pamuk wird ein Schriftsteller geehrt, der wie kein anderer
Dichter unserer Zeit den historischen Spuren des Westens im Osten und
des Ostens im Westen nachgeht”, begruendete der Stiftungsrat seine
Wahl. Zugleich trete Pamuk immer wieder fuer Menschen- und
Minderheitenrechte ein und beziehe Stellung zu den politischen
Problemen seines Landes. In seiner Heimat sieht sich Pamuk dagegen
Anfeindungen nationalistisch gesinnter Tuerken ausgesetzt, weil er
Anfang dieses Jahres an die Ermordung von rund einer Million
Armeniern im Osmanischen Reich 1915/16 erinnerte. Unter anderem
forderte ein Politiker, Pamuks Buecher sollten verbrannt werden.
Der in Istanbul lebende Pamuk, der Architektur und Journalismus
studierte, kommt aus einer grossbuergerlichen Familie. Er wurde mit
Romanen wie “Die weisse Festung”, “Rot ist mein Name” und zuletzt
“Schnee” bekannt. Seine vielfach ausgezeichneten Buecher, die in 34
Sprachen uebersetzt wurden, werden in der Tuerkei vor allem von der
juengeren Generation gelesen. Von der “New York Times” wurde
“Schnee”, ein Buch ueber die Konfrontation von westlicher und
islamischer Kultur, als das beste auslaendische Buch 2004 gefeiert.
Der Direktor des Essener Zentrums fuer Tuerkeistudien, Faruk Sen,
wertete die Auszeichnung fuer Pamuk als “hervorragende Entscheidung”.
“Das kann Wellen schlagen”, sagte Sen. Es sei wichtig, dass es
kritische Schriftsteller in der Tuerkei gebe. Auch fuer das Land sei
der Preis eine Anerkennung. Auch der Koelner Autor und Publizist
Ralph Giordano sprach von einer ausgezeichneten Wahl. Pamuk habe
oeffentlich ein Bekenntnis gegen die “tuerkische Lebensluege”
abgegeben, sagte Giordano, der einst eine Dokumentation zum
Voelkermord an der armenischen Bevoelkerung produzierte.
“Voller Freude, aber auch mit etwas gemischten Gefuehlen” reagierte
Pamuks Lektorin beim Muenchner Hanser Verlag, Anna Leube, auf die
Nachricht vom Friedenspreis. Nach den Anfeindungen gegen Pamuk in der
Tuerkei “bange ich ein bisschen, weil Pamuk durch den Preis noch mehr
in den Blickpunkt der OEffentlichkeit geraten wird.” Der
Programmgeschaeftsfuehrer des Fischer Taschenbuch Verlags, Peter
Lohmann, sagte, Pamuk sei “nicht nur einer der bedeutendsten
Prosa-Autoren der heutigen Tuerkei, er ist auch ein mutiger Autor,
der unbequeme Themen seines Landes aufgreift, die zu heftigen
Reaktionen in der Tuerkei wie auch im Ausland fuehren”.

REQUIEM SOLEMNY PRESIDED BY CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS AT SOGHOMON
TEHLERIAN’S GRAVE
FRESNO, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. As it was already
stated, on June 15, in Sacramento, within the framework of a pastoral
visit to the US Western Deocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians met with Arnold Schwarzenegger,
the Governor of California, the city authorities, law-makers and
senators of the state, including Senator Chuck Puchigian, of Armenian
origin. Before leaving for Sacramento, on June 14, the Catholicos of
All Armenians visited the California State University of Fresno where
there is an Armenian Studies Department as well. John Welty, the
President of the CSU Fresno Campus mentioned that there are students
of the Armenians origin at the University and it has numerous ties
with Armenia. Welty decorated His Holiness with the highest order of
the University. Then addressing his blessing to professors’ staff and
students of the University, the Catholicos of All Armenians presented
in details the mission of the Armenian Church and the present
achivements, particularly in the sphere of education. His Holiness
Karekin II appriciated services of the University in the issue of
bringing up and education of the youth, expressing his satisfaction
with the continual respect and love towards the Armenian people and
the Armenian Church. On the same day, Archbishops Nerses Pozapalian
and Vache Hovsepian, members of the retinue of the Catholicos of All
Armenians and ones of the elderly churchmen of the Mother See, and
clergymen of the deocese visited the old-aged pensioner’s home of
California. As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Information Center of
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicos of All Armenians
had a meeting with Roger Monteroy, the Fresno Mayor at the Mayor’s
Office on June 13. His Holiness mentioned that Armenians settled down
in Fresno after the 1898 Hamidian massacres and the 1915 Armenian
Genocide. The Catholicos of All Armenians also expressed his gratitude
to the state authorities of California and expressed a hope that once
the United States will recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide.
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians visited the Armenian community
school of Fresno where about 100 pupils study. On the same day, in
Fresno, a requiem was presided solemny by the Catholicos of All
Armenians at the grave of Soghomon Tehlerian. At the end of the
requiem, His Holiness preached about justice and Armenians’ invincible
soul, gifting his blessing to united pious Armenians.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS KAREKIN II WITH JIMMY CARTER TO
PARTICIPATE IN HOUSE BUILDING WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
PROGRAM IN DETROIT
DETROIT, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians, with his procession, left for the US
Eastern Deocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Detroit, on June 19
where a “Hrashapar” ceremony was to take place at Surb Hovhannes
Armenian church on June 21, at the end of which His Holiness was to
meet with members of the Armenian community and the Parish Council. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information Center of the Mother See,
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians will meet with Jimmy Carter,
the US former President, and they will together participate in house
building within the framework of the “Habitat for Humanity” program.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
June 23, 2005 Thursday 9:28 AM Eastern Time
Armenia president believes current CSTO lineup optimal
By Viktoria Sokolova, Veronika Romanenkova
MOSCOW, June 23
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan noted that the current CSTO
lineup is optimal. “I am satisfied with talks in the close format.
This is a lineup with which we do not argue much, and have a striving
to solve tasks,” he told a news conference after the CSTO summit.
Kocharyan is confident that the CSTO is an organisation that is
developing dynamically. Meanwhile, he believes that the CSTO should
be more involved in the work of other international structures. “More
international involvement is needed. We stated about ourselves, but
we can work in a broader format, and this issue was discussed in the
close format,” he pointed out.
Kocharyan noted that the military aspect “remains the major component
of our cooperation.” The Armenian president noted that “effective
instruments should be created” to counteract new threats.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
June 23, 2005 Thursday
Russia, Armenia law enforcement departments to hold meeting
By Svetlana Alikina
KRASNODAR, June 23
Issues of combating transnational organized crime will be in the
focus of attention of the Joint Collegium of the Russian Interior
Ministry and the Armenian police, which will be held in Krasnodar on
Thursday.
According to Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev, who heads
the Russian delegation, “this is the key direction in cooperation of
the two countries’ law enforcement departments.”
“Under the conditions of new challenges and threats, the closest
consolidation of adopting adequate and rapid reaction measures is
necessary to stop criminal groups’ activities,” Nurgaliyev believs,”
the Russian minister stressed.
Besides, according to him, participants in the collegium will pay
special attention to cooperation to reveal and detain those persons
who are on the wanted list. Several bilateral documents will be
signed on the results of the meeting.
According to the information of Department for Fight with Organized
crime and Terrorism of the Russian Interior Ministry, in 2004, the
activity of 91 criminal groups in which Russian and Armenian citizens
participated was stopped on the territory of the Russian Federation.
108 criminal cases were opened against their participants, including
45 cases in the economic sphere and 29 cases of illegal drug
trafficking. Criminal proceedings were instituted against 210
participants in criminal groups, including their 36 leaders.
Besides, as Itar-Tass learnt the press centre of the Russian Interior
Ministry, one of important directions of cooperation with the
Armenian polices is the joint activity to detain those persons who
are the wanted list. In 2004 alone, 19 persons accused of committing
different crimes were detained in Russia on the Armenian side’s
request. The same number of persons was arrested in Armenia on the
Russian Interior Ministry’s request.

Czech News Agency
June 22, 2005
ASYLUM SEEKERS HOLD MUSIC CONTEST
PRAGUE, June 22 (CTK) – Czech, Arabic, Armenian and other types of
music could be heard in Prague’s Archa theatre this evening where a
music contest for asylum seekers was held by the Asylum Facility
Administration together with Brno’s Masaryk University.
Some 24 contestants from asylum facilities around the Czech Republic
took part. The youngest was only four years old, while the oldest was
66.
Head of the Asylum Facility Administration Miluse Dohnalova told
reporters that the idea behind the project was to show that asylum
seekers are creative people that have something to offer Czech
society.

FOREIGN MINISTER OSKANIAN MAKES SPEECH AT CONFERENCE ON IRAQ
BRUSSELS, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 22,
Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian participated in
an international conference on Iraq, at the invitation of the US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Secretary General of the
European Union Javier Solana. More than 80 foreign ministers attended
the conference and discussed support for Iraq’s political transition
process, encouraging its economic recovery and reconstruction, and
helping establish the rule of law and public order in the country.
Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN, together with Jean Asselborn,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg which holds the EU
Presidency, as well as Secretary Rice spoke about building a renewed
international partnership to help Iraq. Representatives of the Iraqi
Transitional Government presented their vision and strategy at the
conference held in Brussels. At the conference, Minister Oskanian
said, “We commend and appreciate the simple act of convening this
conference. It was important for everyone. It was significant for
those in Iraq who need to know that the world continues to remain
engaged, and it is reinforcing for those involved in the effort to
re-build Iraq.” “The people of Iraq need and deserve the persistent
political and economic involvement of all of us around the world. Even
countries like Armenia, with modest resources, can continue to
maintain a small, symbolic presence there,” he said, referring to the
40 non-combat medical personnel who have been engaged there since the
beginning of the year. “Armenians know well the value of moral support
and the driving force of concerned onlookers. Further, as the foreign
minister of a country and a people still living through the difficult
and trying period of transition, I can tell you that it is only
through sustained economic support, through the long-term investment
of serious economic resources, that a society will begin to believe in
the prospect of peace, in the promise of democracy.” The Minister also
noted the presence of Armenians in Iraq. “Iraq is blessed with natural
resources. Those include not just those in the ground, but also the
wealth that is derived from its ethnic diversity. A sizable and old
Armenian community is part of that mix, and we know that together with
the other citizens of Iraq they look forward to contributing to Iraq’s
prosperous, peaceful future.” Minister Oskanian concluded by saying,
“Armenia, in turn, looks forward to developing and strengthening
bilateral relations with a peaceful, unified and democratic Iraq. It
is only 200 miles, as the crow flies, between our two capitals, and
the ability to easily communicate and cooperate is an exciting one for
all of us.”

A1plus
| 22:05:22 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
VENICE COMMISSION WORKING GROUP SITTING TO CONTINUE TOMORROW
Today the sitting of the working group of the Venice Commission with the
participation of the working group on constitutional reforms in Armenia,
members of coalition Tigran Torosyan, Mher Shahgeldyan, Vostanik Marukhyan,
Justice Minister David Harutyunyan, RA President’s representative Armen
Harutyunyan and constitutional right specialist Vardan Poghosyan has started
today. The sitting will be continued tomorrow.
Gianni Buquicchio, Aivars Endzins and Simona Granata-Menghini expressed
their opinion on the issue. The purpose of the sitting is to discussion of
the draft constitutional amendments. The discussion also focused on clauses
referring to Human Rights Defender, independence and pluralism of mass
media, formation of government. Then a final memorandum will be signed.

A1plus
| 20:28:56 | 23-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION |
WESTERN ARMENIA – ON TURKEY’S TERRITORY
The majority of the 15 delegates, who registered for delivering speeches at
the debate on constitutional reform in Armenia, were Azeris and Turks.
Member of Turkish delegation Murat Mercan turned the discussion of the
constitutional reform into the debate on the Armenian-Turkish relations and
the fate of Western Armenia. `Western Armenia has nothing to do with
Armenia, it is on Turkey’s territory. This fact should be fixed in the
Armenian constitution and the Armenian state borders should be drawn
according to international agreements.’
In response head of the Armenian delegation Tigran Torosyan said that the
fact that western Armenia is on the territory of Turkey presently proves
that the Armenian Genocide was perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire, that is on
the territory of today’s Turkey.
Reminding that the Genocide issue has nothing in common with the
constitutional amendments Tigran Torosyan said, `I hope that in 2006 we will
congratulate each other with the successful completion of constitutional
reform corresponding to all democratic standards.’