Month: November 2006

SONS DON’T APOLOGIZE FOR THEIR FATHERS’ MISTAKES
By Ali Ihsan Aydin
Zaman Online, Turkey
Nov 15 2006
Though first in line when it comes to demanding that Turkey face up to
its dark history, namely claims of a 1915 Armenian genocide, it seems
that Paris is content to take a ‘let’s leave history to the historians’
approach when faced with its own colonial era trauma in Algeria.
French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has been on an official visit
to France’s former colony Algeria. On Monday Sarkozy placed a wreath
at a monument for Algerians killed in their war for independence and
on Tuesday he visited a monastery in Tibhirine where seven French
monks where killed in 1996.
In only eight years, 1.5 million Algerians died during their country’s
fight for independence between 1954 and 1962. Torture was widespread.
The Algerian government has urged France to apologize for the killings
and suffering during 130 years of colonial rule.
While the Algerian government has called on the French to recognize
“the number of victims and the looting of riches” and “the deletion of
national identity,” Sarkozy preferred to talk about the “dark moments”
of the colonial era and suffering on both sides.
Sarkozy, a leading candidate for the French center-right political
world to run for president next year, has strongly supported France’s
recent notorious bill criminalizing the denial of an Armenian genocide
at the hands of the Turks during World War I.
During his trip Sarkozy preferred to focus on an initiative to lift
visa restrictions for Algerians traveling to Europe. Both the French
interior minister and the Algerian leadership avoided talking too
much on the two topics cooling relations between the two countries:
Algeria’s call for an apology and the postponement of a 2005 bilateral
friendship treaty.
The treaty was pushed aside after France passed a law last year
requiring textbooks to talk about the “positive side” of French
colonialism. An embarrassed Chirac quashed the law but relations
have suffered.
Instead, both sides preferred to talk about Sarkozy’s trip in terms
of a “necessary” friendship between the two countries “condemned”
to a mutual future, said Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

EAST OF THE JORDAN: THE FORGOTTEN ‘HOLY LAND’
By By JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Florida Baptist Witness, FL
Nov 15 2006
Photo by James A. Smith Sr.
The Serpentine Cross stands at the promontory of Mount Nebo where Moses
looked into the Promise Land God forbade him from entering. The Dead
Sea and Jordan River Valley separate Israel on the west from Jordan
on the east. The Cross represents the brazen serpent God directed
Moses to use in the wilderness to stop a plague among the rebellious
children of Israel.
AMMAN, JORDAN (FBW)-I’m not much for international travel, but one
of the places I have always wanted to visit is the “Holy Land” to
personally observe where my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ministered,
as well as the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles who
built the New Testament church.
In my mind, the modern-day borders of Israel were the extent of my less
careful thinking about the Holy Land. That changed on a 10-day tour
of Jordan with nine other Baptist newspaper editors in late September.
Sponsored by the Jordan Tourism Board and the Royal Institute
of Inter-Faith Studies, our hosts sought to expand the horizons
of Christian pilgrims as they think of travel to the Holy Land to
include sites east of the Jordan River, the demarcation today for
Israel and the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority from
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
In fact, many events of biblical history actually occurred in what
is modern day Jordan-the land of Old Testament times known as Edom,
Moab and Ammon, and during New Testament times known as Nabatea,
Perea and the Decapolis.
Modern day Jordan is the land where critical biblical figures,
including Abraham, Ruth, Job, Elijah spent pivotal time and where
important biblical history took place, including the destruction of
the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the place where Jacob
wrestled with the Angel of God and his name was changed to Israel.
No discussion of travel to Jordan can exclude the breathtaking site of
Petra, known as the “red-rose capital” of the Nabateans. Most famous
for its part in the Hollywood blockbuster, “Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade,” Petra’s elaborately chiseled edifices carved out of mountains
were actually tombs for important leaders of the Nabatean kingdom,
most prominently, the so-called “Treasury” featured in “Indiana Jones.”
There appear to be several biblical references to Petra (or
Sela/Joktheel: Judg. 1:36; Is. 16:1; 42:11) and tradition holds that
Moses’ striking of the rock that brought forth water (Num. 20;10-11)
during the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel took place
near Petra. Some scholars believe Petra could be the location where
Israel will flee during the end times’ tribulation (Matt. 24:15-16;
Rev. 12:6).
During our travels in Jordan, three sites of biblical significance
were of particular interest to me-Gadara, the disputed location of
Jesus’ healing of the Gaderene demoniac; Mount Nebo, the place where
God allowed Moses to view the Promise Land he would not be permitted
to enter; and, most significantly, Bethany beyond the Jordan, the
possible location of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist.
Gadara
Umm Qays-biblical Gadara-is one of the cities of the Decapolis with
Graeco/Roman ruins is located in extreme northern Jordan from which
one can view the Sea of Galilee to the northwest and the area today
known as the Golan Heights, contested territory between Israel and
Syria. There is scholarly debate about whether this city is the
location of the healing of the demoniac (Matt. 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-17;
Luke 8:26-37) or whether Gergesa, a city directly on the eastern
shore of the Sea of Galilee, is the proper location.
Photo by James A. Smith Sr.
Looking northwest from Umm Qays – biblical Gadara – the Sea of
Galilee around which much of Jesus’ ministry took place can be seen
about six miles away. Although there is scholarly debate about the
precise location, Jesus’ healing of the Gadarene demoniac may have
taken place in this extreme northern region of modern day Jordan.
New Testament scholars are divided on which location is the most likely
place of the miracle since the names used by the Gospel writers were
not the same, owning to the differences in how the original audiences
of the Gospels would have understood regional names.
The argument for Umm Qays/Gadara is built in part on the name itself,
but also on the fact that a 4th century Byzantine basilica’s location
suggests that faithful believers of that era believed this city to
be the location of the miracle. The distance of the Sea of Galilee
from the site-some six miles-causes me to wonder whether the location
directly on the Sea of Galilee seems more likely since the swine into
which the demons were cast by Jesus ran off a cliff into the Sea of
Galilee. Our tour guide answered that it’s impossible to know how
much larger the Sea may have been in Jesus’ day.
Like many sites in the Holy Land, certainty is probably not within
reach, until further evidence can settle the matter. Of course,
the exact location of the miracle does not call into question the
historical reality of Jesus’ healing of the demoniac.
Mount Nebo
Although it’s impossible to know precisely where Moses stood to
look into the Promise Land he was not permitted to enter, there’s no
disputing that the area identified today as Mount Nebo is very close
to the vantage point Moses viewed the Dead Sea and Jordan River Valley.
Located on the Northeast end of the Dead Sea, Deut. 34:1 records,
“Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top
of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all
the land … .” The Bible reports that God Himself buried Moses in
the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor “but no man knows
his burial place to this day” (34:6).
Photo by James A. Smith Sr.
A sign at Mount Nebo shows the distance and direction of important
sites in Israel, including Jerusalem/Mount of Olives, Jericho and
Bethlehe.
The hazy day we stood on Mount Nebo did not permit us to see very
much-although I understand that on a clear day it’s possible to see
far into Israel. One can imagine what Moses would have thought as he
viewed the Promised Land that the children of Israel would soon enter,
fulfilling the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
West of the Dead Sea lies the ancient cities of Jericho (16 miles),
Bethlehem (31 miles), and, of course, Jerusalem (28 miles). The site
has long been recognized by Christian pilgrims and includes a church
which was originally built in the 4th century with later additions
in the following two centuries.
Bethany beyond the Jordan
The site I was most interested in seeing was saved for last-Bethany
beyond the Jordan, what some scholars believe Jesus was baptized by
John the Baptist. As with Gadara, there is some dispute among scholars.
John 1:28 reports, “These things took place in Bethany beyond the
Jordan, where John was baptizing,” and John 10:40 records, “And
[Jesus] went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John
was first baptizing.”
Our tour of the baptism site was personally guided by Rustom Mkhjian,
the assistant director of the Baptism Site Commission of the Ministry
of Tourism and Antiquities. This was a special treat because Mkhjian
has played an integral role in the recent excavation of the site. As a
self-professed Armenian Christian, Mkhjian clearly had the passion of
not just a professional scholar, but of a personal follower of Christ.
Although some scholars believe Jesus was baptized much further north,
the Baptism Commission has excavated the site opposite Jericho on the
east side of the Jordan since 1996, making a number of archeological
finds which seems to strongly point to its validity as the place where
John the Baptist baptized Jesus, with close links to the ministry of
the prophet Elijah.
Mkhjian told our group that he used four factors to validate the
findings: what the Gospel accounts record, what later Christian
pilgrims recognized, archeological work, and the 6th century mosaic
map of the Holy Land in Madaba (located only 10 minutes by car from
Mount Nebo).
What was most striking to me about the site was how modest the Jordan
River is-at the observation deck it was probably less than ten yards
across to the Israeli side. Unlike some pilgrims, I did not take
the occasion of being baptized in the Jordan, since I do not believe
there is any thing spiritually significant about the water and since
I believe baptism is a one-time event of one’s public profession
of faith.
Photo by James A. Smith Sr.
The Jordan River at Bethany beyond the Jordan is the approximate
location of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. The river at this
point is barely ten yards wide and separates Israel, to the left,
and Jordan, to the right.
Still, it was inspiring to know that I was at the river where Jesus
was baptized-no matter what precise location was. Thankfully, one does
not have to go to the “Holy Land” to find God; but also, thankfully,
the fact that the biblical sites exist provide encouragement to
faithful followers of Christ today.
One day, I hope that I will be able to visit the rest of the Holy
Land-west of the Jordan, but my tour of Jordan was an invigorating
encouragement of the historical reality of what the Bible teaches us
about God’s plan of redemption. In the person of Jesus Christ His Son,
God invaded time and space in the place we call the Holy Land so that
human beings could be reconciled to Him.
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth”
(John 1:18). Hallelujah, what a Savior!
For more information on sites of biblical interest in Jordan, see
and
Photos:

RAMIL SAFAROV TO BE SENTENCED NOVEMBER 17
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2006
On November 17 Pest court headed by judge Tot Tyondyosh will hold
court hearings on prison officers’ claim against Ramil Safarov,
Azerbaijani army officer, who was sentenced to life in prison for
murdering Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Markarian in Hungary, Azerbaijani
Embassy told the APA.
The officers of the Embassy will participate in the court. He will
be sentenced after the witnesses’ testimony. Hungarian lawyer Clara
Fisher will defend his rights on the case.
It should be noted that, while being kept in Hungarian prison in
2004, jailers wanted telephone card from Ramil. But Ramil could
not understand Hungarian which led an incident between them. Eight
police officers tied his hands and used force. Though lawyers for
the Azerbaijani lieutenant appealed to court related to this matter,
the court dismissed the appeal saying there was no evidence. Then
the opposite side claimed that Ramil resisted officials.

IGDIR’S GOVERNOR: ARMENIA SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN FOR THE COMMITTED CRIMES
Author: M. Taghiyev
TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2006
Arrangements devoted to the 86th anniversary of the liberation of
the province from Armenian occupation have been held in the Turkish
Province of Igdir bordering with Azerbaijan. Hassan Zeynalov,
Azerbaijan Consulate General to Kars, and musical collective of the
Nakhchivan State University of Azerbaijan took part in the event,
Trend report
During the event, Saif Saffet Karakhisarli, Governor of Igdir
awarded the Azerbaijani diplomat with a diploma for his services in
developing Turkish-Azerbaijani trade ties. “Those who have survived
all the burden of struggle against occupation, value the cost for
independence better. First of all it concerns Azerbaijanis struggling
for the liberation of their territories from the Armenian occupation”,
the Governor said.
Mr. Karakhisarli called upon Armenia to establish good-neighbour
relations with Ankara and to do all possible to deserve Turkey trust.
“Yerevan should apologize to Turkey and Azerbaijan for crimes committed
in the past”, said the Turkish Governor.

BAKU REPORTS PROGRESS IN KARABAKH TALKS
Interfax, Russia
Nov 15 2006
BAKU. Nov 15 (Interfax) – Azerbaijan has welcomed Azeri-Armenian talks
on the Karabakh settlement held in Brussels on Tuesday, Azerbaijan’s
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tair Tagizade told the press.
“Although the talks were difficult, they were very constructive. The
main issue for us is to make at least one step forward in the
negotiating process. The parties made that step this time,” Tagizade
said.
“The main achievement is that the talks are continuing and that
the ministers managed to discuss all aspects of the package being
negotiated,” the diplomat said, but did not elaborate.
“Azerbaijan’s position is that the settlement cannot be partial. It
must cover all issues or it has no sense at all. The parties have
not been able to come to terms on all aspects of the settlement,”
Tagizade said.

ARMENIA – EUROPEAN UNION ACTION PLAN SIGNED
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 15 2006
November 14 Armenia – European Union Cooperation Council 7th Plenary
Sitting was held in Brussels. Armenia – EU Action Plan within the
European Neighborhood Policy frames was adopted and entered into
force in the course of the sitting.
According to the information DE FACTO got at the RA MFA Press
Service, the RA delegation had been headed by the RA FM Vardan
Oskanian. Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paula
Lehtomaki, Germany’s Minister of State Gunter Gloser, the EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby and the European
Commission’s high-ranking officials represented Europe at the sitting.
On the completion of the sitting a solemn ceremony of the official
adoption of Armenia – EU Action Plan within the European Neighborhood
policy frames was held. The document was signed by the RA FM Vardan
Oskanian and Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development
Paula Lehtomaki.
The process of the Action plan’s realization implies the possibility
of a higher level of Armenia’s Euro integration, including getting
access to the European home market and participation in the European
Union’s policy and programs. According to the document, Armenia is
offered to set up intensive ties with the European Union in the sphere
of policy, economy, culture and security.
The document’s adoption allows implementation of a package of reforms
in Armenia. As a result of the Action plan’s realization Armenia’s
social, political and economic systems will get still closer to the
European level.
Special attention was paid to the economic cooperation between Armenia
and the EU, deepening trade and economic ties, which will contribute
to the investments’ influx and economic growth as a whole.

JAVIER SOLANA: ACTION PLAN SIGNED WITHIN THE EUROPEAN NEW NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY FAVORABLE FOR SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES
Azeri Press Agency
Nov 15 2006
“Action Plan signed within the European New Neighborhood Policy will
be favorable for South Caucasian countries,” EU Secretary General
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said in his
interview to the Azadliq radio, APA reports.
He said that the aim of the programme is to bring Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Georgia closer to EU.
“This will be realized by European New Neighborhood Policy. Analogous
technology was applied in the EU member states,” he said. The Secretary
General noted that the programme is not only political, but covers
different spheres of economy. He said that the Action Plan was agreed
with EU and South Caucasian countries.
“The governments not the EU should rule the countries. The people will
receive EU aid if the governments honor the programme. Otherwise the
partnership with the governments will be limited. As it is a bilateral
agreement the benefit should be mutual. Democracy and the supremacy
of the law are very important for the EU. Good management includes not
only good economic governing, but also democracy and the protection of
rights. This is a part of the programme,” Mr. Solana said. He noted
that though a programme was prepared for South Caucasian countries,
the documents envisage stimulating of regional partnership.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA TO DEPLOY MORE SOLDIERS TO KOSOVO
Serbianna.com, Michigan
Nov 15 2006
YEREVAN, Armenia-Armenia held farewell ceremonies Tuesday for 34
peacekeepers deploying to Kosovo as part the U.N. mission there.
The troops depart Wednesday as part of the sixth rotation of Armenian
peacekeepers to the Balkan region, where they have served since 2004
alongside a Greek battalion.
Lt. Gen. Artur Agabekian said Armenia planned to have a fully
functioning peacekeeping brigade by 2010, and would begin forming a
second battalion early next year.
Some 17,000 NATO-led peacekeepers are deployed to Kosovo, which has
been administered by the U.N. and NATO since 1999, when a U.S.-led
air war put an end to attacks by Serb forces against the province’s
ethnic Albanian majority.
Armenia also has deployed nearly 50 troops to Iraq to serve as part
of the U.S.-led coalition.
61.shtml

STATE OKS VIMPELCOM’S ARMENTEL PURCHASE
TeleGeography, DC
Nov 15 2006
According to reports from the Russian Prime Tass news service,
the government of Armenia has rubber-stamped Vimpelcom’s proposed
acquisition of a 90% stake in its national fixed line PTO ArmenTel.
Earlier this month Vimpelcom announced it had it agreed terms with
Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) of Greece to buy the
latter’s stake in the operator for around EUR341.9 million (USD436.3
million), plus EUR40 million in debt. In a press release the Russian
firm said the deal is expected to be formalised before the end of 2006.

NEXT MEETING OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS WILL TAKE PLACE IN MINSK WITHIN CIS SUMMIT
Author: S.Agayeva
TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2006
The next meeting of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev and
Armenia President, Robert Kocharyan, will take place on 28 November
in Minsk within the Summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS). The agreement on this issue was reached at the time of the
meeting of the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov,
and Armenia Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskanyan in Brussels, which was
also attended by the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the Head of
the Press & Information Policy Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry, Tahir Tagizade briefed the media, Trend reports.
According to Tagizade, the negotiations of the both Foreign Ministers
took place with some apprehension, but in a constructive manner. The
Ministers discussed earlier unco-ordinated occasions on the regulation
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Tagizade positively assessed the
time of negotiations in which the Ministers discussed all components
and elements of the negotiation process.
The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have planned to visit the region
on 21-23 November, Tagizade added.