Author: Andres-Papazian

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Armenia
Sept 19 2010

Iran, Armenia determined to upgrade economic cooperation

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Wednesday that the Islamic
Republic of Iran and Armenia are determined to enhance level of
political, economic and cultural cooperation.

Mottaki made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Armenian
counterpart Eduard Nalbandian in Tehran.

He said that Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission has been held for
several times and Tehran is scheduled to host its ninth round.

Mottaki said that the Iranian and Armenian high ranking officials
regularly consult on mutual, regional and international developments.

‘Iran has implemented several infrastructural projects in transport
and energy sectors in Armenia.’

He said that the two sides have identical stand on global developments
and that Tehran and Yerevan always back each other at international
organizations.

The Armenian foreign minister, for his part, expressed satisfaction
over his visit to Iran and said the two countries have similar stand
on regional and international issues and seek to further deepen
bilateral ties.

Iran and Armenia are currently involved in implementing various
development projects in energy and transport sectors, he said.

The Armenian foreign minister said that he is scheduled to meet with
the Iranian president and will deliver him a message from Armenian
president.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iranian nuclear program
is under full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency
and no part is hidden from the UN nuclear agency.

Mottaki made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Armenian
counterpart Eduard Nalbandian in Tehran.

He said that Iranian nuclear program is transparent and it is the most
transparent file at the IAEA.

Much to our regret, such a transparent dossier has been geared in
political games by some very specific countries who always lodge
repeated allegations against Iran, he said.

IAEA in all its reports has underlined non-diversion of Iran’s nuclear
program from civilian path, he said.

On the IAEA proposal on fuel swap with the western suppliers to
provide 20 percent fuel for Tehran medical research reactor, Mottaki
said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to deliver 3.5 percent
enriched uranium in return for 20 percent fuel.

From: A. Papazian

Reuters Canada
Sept 19 2010

Cross controversy mars historic service in Turkey
Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:43am EDT

AKDAMAR ISLAND, Turkey (Reuters) – The first Armenian Orthodox
ceremony in nearly a century at a church in eastern Turkey was
overshadowed on Sunday by a partial Armenian boycott because of the
Turkish authorities’ refusal to place a cross on the roof of the
building.

Nearly a thousand Armenian Orthodox worshippers out of the expected
5,000 people attended the service at the Church of the Holy Cross,
which the government has hailed as a sign of growing religious
tolerance in the predominantly Muslim country, which is a European
Union candidate.

The church, which has been closed for services since the 1915 mass
killings of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman troops, has become a
symbol of Turkey’s troubled past with its Armenian minority and a
painful process of reconciliation.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with
Muslim ally Azerbaijan over its war with Armenia, but in recent years
the two nations have sought to normalize relations.

Last October there were a series of accords, but the process fell
through after both sides accused the other of trying to rewrite the
agreements and setting additional conditions.

Turkish authorities said a 200-kilogram cross made for the 1,000-year
old church was too heavy for the roof, sparking outrage among some
Armenians.

Earlier this year Turkey agreed to open the site, which sits on the
island of Akdamar in Van Lake, for services once a year.

“I am so happy to be here. I want to thank the government for letting
us be here at this historic moment,” one elderly woman, who identified
herself as part of the Armenian community in Turkey told Turkish
television.

The church was opened officially as a museum in 2007 following a $1.5
million restoration by the government.
Many people canceled plans to make the 20-hour bus trip from Armenia,
through Georgia, after news that the cross would be placed at the door
of the church.

Armenia, backed by many historians and world parliaments, says some
1.5 million Armenians died during the upheavals that accompanied World
War I and labels the events as genocide.

Ankara rejects the term genocide and says large numbers of both
Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks were killed.

In Armenia, hundreds attended an alternative religious service held at
the Armenian Genocide Memorial on a hill overlooking the capital,
Yerevan. They denounced the service on Lake Van as a publicity stunt.

The Armenian Church in Yerevan had planned to send two bishops to the
Lake Van service but reversed the decision in protest at the failure
to mount a cross on the church.

(Writing by Thomas Grove, additional reporting by Hasmik Lazarian;
Editing by Matthew Jones)

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Sept 19 2010

Surb Khach liturgy not game, Turkish journalist says

September 19, 2010 | 17:22

The liturgy in Surb Khach church is not a game. If it were a game
typical of Turkey’s foreign policy, the public would have prevented
it, Yavuz Baydar, a Sabah correspondent, told the Yerkir Media
Armenian TV channel.

«I have come here as a journalist and as a man wishing the improvement
of Armenian-Turkish relations and making every effort for this. I will
do my best for Armenian-Turkish relations to improve and follow a
normal course», Baydar said.

He regards as wrong the decision not to install the cross on Surb
Khach church. He hopes Turkey will realize its mistake and have the
cross installed.

Yanuz Baydar has published articles on Armenian-Turkish relations for
many years. He has repeatedly visited Armenia and participated in
journalist exchange programs.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 19 2010

`Museum is closing: Turkish police banned tourists to visit the museum

Holy Cross Church of Turkish city of Van hosts today after a century
of break a holy liturgy at 11.00 (Turkish time and 13.00 Yerevan
time). The liturgy will be served by proxy of Polis Patriarchate
Archbishop Aram Ateshyan. Panorama.am reporter tells from Van the
local authorities are well prepared to today’s ceremony; small
illustrated booklets are spread among the new arrivers in the airport;
the booklets cover the city and its symbols – the cat of Van and the
herring. But the information about the city, its origins and
historical facts are absolutely distorted.
The surroundings of the church were full of tourists; most of them
were Armenians from Diaspora – Istanbul, Los Angeles, Paris and other
European cities. Just at the entrance you’ll see a message saying
entrance to the museum costs 3 Turkish lira ($2).

The cross over which disputes were recorded is put near the church
door. The Armenians from Diaspora came near to the cross yesterday and
kissed it.
Then the police officers declared everybody should leave the church.

It’s worth reminding the Turkish authorities promised to fix the cross
on top of the church but in fact they didn’t keep their promise. The
mayor of Van declared the cross will be fixed after a month.

From: A. Papazian

WAM – Emirates News Agency, UAE
Sept 19 2010

President, VP cogratulate President of Armenia

Sep 19, 2010 – 11:48 –

WAM Abu Dhabi, Sept. 19th, 2010 (WAM) — President HH Sheikh Khalifa
bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a congratulatory cable to the President
of Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on his country’s independence
day.

The Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has also sent similar cable to the
Armenian President.

WAM/ES/MN

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
sept 19 2010

Surb Khach liturgy to help Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, German diplomat says

September 19, 2010 | 11:53

German Ambassador to Turkey Eckart Kuntz, who arrived in Van to take
part in the liturgy in Surb Khach church on Akhtamar Island, met with
the Van Governor.

A NEWS.am correspondent reports from Van that at his meeting with
journalists the German Ambassador recalled his presence at the opening
ceremony of the church in 2007. The liturgy in Surb Khach church will
contribute to Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, Ambassador Kuntz said
with hope.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 19 2010

`Christening and wedding ceremonies are supposed to be held in Holy Cross’

Sargis Serobyan, the responsible of Armenian pages of `Agos’ paper
told Panorama.am reporter in Akhtamar Island that he’s deeply alarmed:
`His Holiness has lost great not arriving in Akhtamar. It would be
better if he arrived. We didn’t have the cross on the top but we’ve
come and one day the cross will be there surely.’

Our Diaspora compatriot is sure it’s an achievement the church is
reconstructed. If the church is handed to the Patriarchate, they can’t
support and take care of it, since there aren’t any local Armenians to
visit it.

`This is a place of pilgrimage, we’re allowed to come here and to
serve a liturgy once a year. We’re waiting for permission to hold
christenings and weddings here. They fight over the cross. I’m sorry
for the cross not standing there, but we shouldn’t boycott all over
the world and ignore this ceremony,’ Sargis Serobyan said.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 19 2010

Rally against Van events kicked off in Tsitsernakaberd

`Turkey own your obligation’, `Don’t borrow our church to us’ and
similar signboards taken to the Monument to Armenian Genocide Victims
protest Turkish unfaithful policy over Holy Cross current ceremonies.

Turkish authorities allowed serving a liturgy in the Armenian Church
but they didn’t allow to put its cross on top.

Panorama.am reporter tells from Tsitsernakaberd that a liturgy is
being served there. The protestors are deeply alarmed that because of
the Turkish `gambling’ Armenians a re divided into two parts and serve
liturgies in two different places.

`This is traditional policy of Turkish diplomacy,’ protestors claim.

From: A. Papazian

Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 19 2010

Iran has supported and will support Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict – Iran’s Vice President
19.09.2010 13:08
Iran, Tehran, September 19 /Trend, E.Huseynov /

Iran initially supported, supports today and will continue to support
Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Iranian Vice President for
Parliamentary Affairs Seyyed Mohammad-Reza Mir-Tajeddini said Sunday
in Tehran.

“We have always supported Azerbaijan and denounced the occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia,” said Mir-Tajeddini on Iran-Azerbaijan
conference “Azerbaijan: past experiences and the upcoming prospects.”

Mir-Tajeddini said the Caucasus region, in particular, Azerbaijan is
very important both for Iran and the world. According to him, the
region has important geopolitical location, is rich in energy
resources with access to the sea, there are equally living
representatives of all religions.

Referring to the Iranian-Azerbaijani relations, the vice president
said that Iran has such religious similarities with no other Muslim
country – 95 percent of Azerbaijan’s population are Muslims, most of
them Shiites.

Mir-Tajeddini called energy, cargo transportation, food industry, new
technologies important areas for cooperation between the two
countries. In his view, important areas are also the joint fight
against terrorism and drug trafficking, protecting the environment.
Vice-President noted there are also a number of problems in relations
between the two neighbouring countries, including determining the
status of the Caspian Sea, some issues in energy policy and military
agreements signed by the two countries.

Mir-Tajeddini considers important the further integration of Muslim
countries by lifting the visa regime between them. Iran has already
abolished visa regime with Azerbaijan, which is the first such step in
bilateral relations, he said.

One-day conference is being held at Tehran University, organized by
the Caucasus Studies Institute (Iran) and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in
Iran.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 19 2010
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Liturgy in Tsitsernakaberd and Mount Aragats to support Holy Cross of Van

Armenian medieval architectural masterpiece Holly Cross of Van, having
no cross on top of it will host a ceremony of serving a liturgy today.
Withstanding Armenian traditions, Turkish authorities made the weight
of the cross a reason not to put it in its right place, currently the
cross is put somewhere near the church. This stipulated a wave of
protests and many Armenians longing to attend the holy liturgy
canceled their trips to Van.

Not ignoring that wave of protest, Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute
will serve a liturgy in Tsitsernakaberd and a rally will take place
against Turkish Government’s propaganda.
When the liturgy will be served in Holy Cross, the participants of
`Armenian Knight’ televised show will light candles on top of Mount
Aragats targeting the support of Holy Cross.

Holy Cross Church of Van was built in 95-921 by architect Manvel
during the reign of Armenian Gagik Artsruni. The church is the
greatest achievement of Armenian art. In 2007 under the pressure of
the international society Turkish Government took the initiative to
reconstruct the church. Turkish Government allocated $1,5 million.

From: A. Papazian