Author: Andres-Papazian

Anadolu Agency (AA), Turkey
January 14, 2013 Monday

Nagorno Karabakh conflict

Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet in Paris on Jan.
28 BAKU Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia will meet in the
French capital of Paris on January 28 to hold talks on the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on
Monday announced that he would meet his Armenian counterpart Eduard
Nalbandian in Paris on January 28. “The meeting will take place as
part of the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group. However, the agenda
items of the meeting have not been set up as the co-chairs of the
Minsk Group have not yet made proposals,” Mammadyarov also said.
Nagorno Karabakh is an Azeri territory currently under Armenian
occupation.

From: A. Papazian

Cihan News Agency (CNA) – Turkey
January 13, 2013 Sunday

Hrant’s Friends panel speakers highlight how minorities feel threatened

ISTANBUL (CIHAN)- A number of panelists who spoke as part of a two-day
symposium organized by Hrant’s Friends to recall events that led to
the 2007 murder of Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian
weekly Agos, said on Sunday that minorities, including Armenian
citizens, feel threatened in Turkey because of a series of minor and
major attacks on them.

Hayko Bagdat, a member of the Armenian community and host of a
television show, said at the panel “Minorities Targeted: Cage Plot”
that before Dink’s murder there had been systematic threats and
attacks against minority communities and now similar attacks continue
though on a minor scale.

Bagdat gave some recent examples causing fear among the Armenian
community: an elderly Armenian woman who was killed in Samatya and the
slaughter of a teacher who was not an Armenian but worked at an
Armenian school.

“Are these isolated events?” Bagdat asked. “Maybe they are in this big
city where murders happen every day, but if we have doubts, that means
that they are serious.”

Among other disturbing examples, Bagdat also mentioned the murder of
Sevag Balikçi, a young man of Armenian descent who was killed while
serving in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) as a conscripted private.
His death was initially believed to be an accident but was likely a
hate crime committed because of the victim’s ethnic background,
according to new testimony from another private. Balikçi was shot dead
on April 24, 2011 — the date the Armenian Diaspora has chosen to
commemorate the incidents of 1915 when hundreds of Armenians were
killed in the Ottoman Empire.

He also highlighted the Cage Operation Action Plan, allegedly prepared
by the Naval Forces Command, which sought to intimidate and
assassinate Turkey’s prominent non-Muslim figures to put domestic and
international pressure on the government. The plan calls the killings
of Dink, Catholic priest Father Andrea Santoro and three Christians in
Malatya an “operation.” An anti-democratic group within the Naval
Forces Command allegedly aimed at fomenting chaos in society with
those killings, but evidence showed that the plan failed when large
groups protested the killings in mass demonstrations in Turkey.

In 2010, an indictment regarding the Cage Operation Action Plan was
added to the case file on the 2007 Malatya murders, in which three
missionaries were brutally killed at a Christian publishing house.

Orhan Kemal Cengiz, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs in the
Malatya murder case, said at the same panel that there are pieces of
information that the public has about all those events, but it is hard
to put them together and see the whole picture.

Speaking about his own experience, he said that even he was being
targeted by a suspect in the murder case before he was put in prison.
“I was afraid because there was news circulating that I had a role in
the murders. All that had a chilling effect on the other lawyers in
the case,” he said.

Cengiz also reminded that a suspect standing trial in the Malatya
massacre case told the court that the National Strategies and
Operations Department of Turkey (TUSHAD), the armed wing of the
Ergenekon crime network, is still active and continues to plot attacks
against non-Muslims.
In addition, he pointed out the revelation of a letter sent by an
anonymous writer to the National Intelligence Organization (MIT)
claiming that the Tactical Mobilization Group (STK) of the General
Staff was behind a number of assassinations, including an armed attack
on the Council of State in 2006, the murder of Dink and the Malatya
killings.

“The letter also claimed that the STK has three main branches: one in
the northern province of Trabzon, one in southern Hatay and the other
in the eastern province of Malatya,” he added.

Journalist Ismail Saymaz, writer of the book, “Nefret/Malatya: Bir
Milli Mutabakat Cinayeti” (Hate/Malatya: A Murder of National
Consensus), said at the same panel that people should not blame the
“deep state” behind every act because the ruling Justice and
Development party (AK Party), which does not show enough political
will behind those serious murder investigations and even promotes
major suspects who hold official positions, is also a responsible
party in the big picture. He also said that anybody that is not a
male, Sunni Turk in Turkey does not feel as if they have full
citizenship rights.

From: A. Papazian

National News Agency Lebanon (NNA)
January 10, 2013 Thursday

Christofias visits Orthodox Armenian Catholicosate

NNA – The Cypriot President, Dimitris Christofias, paid an official
visit on Thursday afternoon to Orthodox Armenian Catholicosate of
Cilicia in Antelias, where he held a bilateral meeting with Catholicos
Aram I.

Christofias met with Armenian ministers and deputies, members of the
Central Committee of the Catholicosate, bishops as well as heads of
Armenian parties, in the presence of National Defense Minister Fayez
Ghosn and Foreign and Expatriates Minister Adnan Mansour, and Cypriot
officials.

Catholicos Aram I hailed the historic brotherly relations between the
Armenian Church and people and the Cypriot Church and people.

Catholicos Aram denounced the Turkish State’s denial of massacres
against the Armenians, saying “No justice exists without acknowledging
these massacres and consecrating rights.”

From: A. Papazian

Al-Ahram Weekly, Egypt
January 9, 2013

Celebrating Armenian Christmas

Nora Koloyan-Keuhnelian joined Egypt’s Armenian community in
celebrating Christmas on 6 January

Armenian Orthodox churches all over the world celebrated Christmas on
6 January, as did the small Armenian community in Egypt that has long
played an active role in a country that opened its arms to Armenians
fleeing the genocide carried out by the Ottoman Turks towards the
beginning of the last century. An Armenian community is believed to
have been present in Egypt since the sixth or seventh centuries CE.

The Armenian Orthodox Church on Ramses Street in Cairo had been
secured by the police on the morning of 6 January and the outer gate
was decorated with Egyptian and Armenian flags, as it is on every
religious celebration that takes place within the church.

Inside, the church was filled with around 300 Egyptian-Armenians of
all ages. A Christmas tree and crib had been placed in the gardens of
the church, and families were having their photographs taken in front
of them.

The Christmas mass, conducted by Father Gabriel Sarkissian and Father
Hagop Hagopian, accompanied by a number of other clergymen, started at
10am and lasted for three hours. A message from Bishop Ashod
Mnatsaganian, primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Egypt, was
conveyed to the public in Arabic.

In his message, read by community member George Simonian, Bishop
Mnatsaganian stated that “we have come today to offer praise to God.
Through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the earth has once again been
filled with the love of our Lord the Saviour. Although we have faced
troubles during the past year, we are optimistic that this year we
will continue on our path with the aid of the divine blessings and the
efforts of members of our community.”

Bishop Mnatsaganian’s message urged the public to pray for the Lord’s
blessing of Egypt and its people and to strengthen them in realising
successful achievements in the love of Jesus Christ.

Representatives of President Mohamed Morsi, the ministers of interior,
education and national security, and Pope Tawadros II, leader of the
Coptic Church, attended the mass. Also present were Cairo Governor
Osama Kamal, the Ambassador of Armenia in Egypt Armen Melkonian, the
head of the Al-Waili district, and representatives of several Egyptian
churches and Coptic organisations. The mass was broadcast live on
Egyptian FM radio.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world’s oldest national church,
and it observes Eastern Orthodoxy, the faith of the Eastern Christian
churches. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its
official religion in 301 CE.

The Church is the main religious authority for the Armenian orthodox
population in the Republic of Armenia, as well as for Armenian
orthodox communities worldwide. It is headed by a catholicos, though
at present two catholicoi head the Church, Karekin II, supreme
patriarch and catholicos of all Armenians, who represents the
authority of the Armenian Church and is head of its legislative body,
and Aram I, catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. The Church also
has an extensive ecclesiastical hierarchy.

The precise year of Jesus’s birth, placed by some historians between
seven and two CE, is unknown. By the early-to-mid fourth century, the
western Church had placed Christmas on December 25, a date later
adopted in the east.

The original date of the celebration in eastern Christianity was 6
January, however, when epiphany is celebrated, and this date is
celebrated by the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia itself.

In 2013, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian
Calendar and the older Julian Calendar. Those who continue to use the
Julian Calendar or equivalents thus celebrate Christmas on 25 December
and 6 January, translating into 7 and 19 January in the Gregorian
Calendar.

Ethiopia, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Serbia, Macedonia and Moldova
celebrate Christmas on 7 January. Eastern Orthodox churches in
Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Albania, Finland and the Orthodox Church in
America celebrate Christmas on 25 December of the revised Julian
Calendar.

The day following the birth of Jesus is a memorial day in the Armenian
Apostolic Church calendar, when people visit the graves of deceased
parents and relatives and pray for their salvation.

While the Armenian community in Egypt has been struggling to cope with
the uncertainties of the political situation in the country, the
majority of its members refuses to leave the country and is greatly
attached to the motherland.

Despite the large number of Armenian churches, schools, benevolent
organisations, sporting and cultural clubs and newspapers in Cairo and
Alexandria, the number of Armenians in Egypt _ which once stood at
120,000 _ has been decreasing since Nasser’s nationalisation in the
late 1950s, due to migration to countries like Canada, the US and
Australia.

More Armenians may leave Egypt over the years to come, and today there
are an estimated 3,000 Armenians living in Egypt.

Bishop Mnatsaganian was appointed primate of the Armenian Orthodox
Church in Egypt in 2006. The Armenian Apostolic Church in Cairo on
Ramses Street was started in 1924 and the first mass was held there on
12 February 1928.

The church was renovated in 2007 by the Armenian-Egyptian architect
Nairy Hampikian.

From: A. Papazian

Palestine News Network (PNN)
January 7, 2013 Monday

PA Rethink Mollifies Armenians, Heralds Return to Status Quo

by Arthur Hagopian

On Sunday 6th January, the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Bethlehem has
had a rethink regarding its stance vis-a-vis the protocols in practice
at the city’s Nativity Church, rescinding a recent decision that had
threatened to pit one Christian church against another. The PA move,
which comes after intense pressure, heralds the onset of a palpable
peace between two brother churches, the Armenians and the Greek
Orthodox. The two have been embroiled in a territorial dispute in the
church for years, arising out of what the Armenians claim is an
attempt by the Greeks to encroach upon their traditional standing and
position within the church. The issue involves disagreement over the
annual cleaning procedures, culminating in ugly brawls, that last year
necessitated police intervention, and a PA edict Armenians saw as
biased against them.

The Armenians accused the Greeks of breaching the tenets of the Status
Quo of the Holy Places, a “fait accompli” which has ruled relations
between churches and governments since the Ottoman era, and which
spells out in minute detail the rights and privileges of the Christian
churches in the Holy Land, as well as the manner and timing of
celebrations of certain rites and ceremonies.

The three Guardians of the Holy Places (the Latin Custodia, the Greek
Orthodox and the Armenian Orthodox churches), as well as the dozen
other Christian denominations of the Holy Land, are bound by the
tenets of the set of agreements thrashed out by the Ottoman Sultans
with the aim of safeguarding Christian rights and avoiding internecine
clashes. Though rare, deviations from the Status Quo are viewed with
concern and alarm. The Armenians claim that in December 2007 the
Greeks created facts on the ground by moving a ladder used to clean
the walls of the church from its assigned place. (To an impartial
observer, the sweeping of a neighbor’s tile, or the movement of a
ladder from one part of a wall to another, may seem trivial and no
cause for resentment, but to the owner of the tile or wall, in the
troubled Holy Land, the action is viewed as an unwarranted intrusion
on its territorial rights).

In the event, in the spirit of brotherly feeling, they were ready to
consider this a one-off, a temporary realignment with no provision for
an encore. But the Greeks thought otherwise and, according to the
Armenians, wanted to enshroud the variation in the cleaning routine in
a new status quo. When the Armenians complained to the PA, the answer
they received was simple and blunt: this is a matter between you and
the Greeks to resolve. Hanna Amireh, head of the PA’s Presidential
Committee for the Christian churches, declared that the “same
arrangements which were reached last year are the most suitable
arrangement for this year too.”

He warned that the decision of the Palestinian Authority “shall remain
unchanged and the Armenians must submit to the Authority’s decision,”
warning it will “take all measures against those who dare to cause any
kind of clash,” this correspondent was told. Unfazed, the Armenians
applied more pressure on the PA to reconsider, until the PA finally
relented. In a written pledge delivered to the Armenians earlier this
week, the PA conceded 2012 would be the last time the Greeks would
clean the church the new way, and that come December 2013, things
would go back to what they were before and in accordance with the
Status Quo.

To ensure nothing untoward occurred this year, the PA allowed the
cleaning on January 2 to proceed under strict supervision, with a
special police unit on standby outside the church, just in case. “Both
sides (Greeks and Armenians) were on their best behavior,” a source
close to the Armenian church said. “When all is said and done, both
churches share a common history and destiny. For instance, before the
invention of the Armenian alphabet in 405 CE, Armenians wrote in
Greek.” However, he confided that the Armenians still have pending
issues “pertaining to our rights in the Nativity church.” Six months
ago, one of the lamps that belong to the Armenians, located under the
altar and on the Star of Bethlehem, dropped down along with the nail
from which it hung, promptly spawning a new dispute with the Greeks.
Who had the right to put the lamp back up? Once again, it would be up
to the Palestinian Authority to find a way out of this potential
minefield.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia-made microchips will be designed for mobile phones – expert

January 19, 2013 | 01:13

YEREVAN. – At the initial phase, the microchip plant – which will be
built in Armenia by Corporacion America Company that belongs to
Argentinean Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian – will manufacture
mobile chips, Enterprise Incubator Foundation Executive Director
Bagrat Yengibaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

`They just recently opened a similar plant in Argentina; they have a
huge market in Latin America. Subsequently, they will manufacture more
complex microchips,’ he added.

The aforesaid plant will employ about 150 people and it will have a
research department, as well. The plant could even be set up at the
free economic zone in Armenia.

`Many people wonder how Armenia will [be able to] compete with Taiwan
or China in the microchip [manufacturing] sector. But having the Latin
American market, this is quite realistic,’ Bagrat Yengibaryan stated.

To note, there is no microchip manufacturing plant in Armenia’s
immediate vicinity.

From: A. Papazian

Iran ready to mediate in Karabakh dispute: Envoy

The territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, largely populated by Armenians but
located in Azerbaijan, is claimed by Both Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:28PM GMT

Iran’s Ambassador to Baku Mohsen Pak-Ayeen has stressed Tehran’s
readiness to mediate between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Karabakh
dispute.

Pak-Ayeen said on Saturday that transregional powers do not seek the
resolution of the Karabakh dispute, stressing that continuation of the
conflict will harm regional countries.

He added that foreign powers use the dispute as a tool to pursue their
objectives in South Caucasus.

If requested by the parties to the dispute, Iran is ready to mediate
in and present its plan for the settlement of the conflict, the envoy
said.

Both Azerbaijan and Armenia claim the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh,
which is largely populated by Armenians but located in Azerbaijan.

Ethnic Armenian forces took control over the enclave which accounts
for 16 percent of Azerbaijan in the early 1990s during a six-year war
with the country that took place from February 1988 to May 1994.

The conflict left an estimated 30,000 people dead and one million
displaced before the two sides agreed to a cease-fire in 1994.
However, a peace accord has never been signed and the dispute still
remains unsettled.

Iran has on several occasions offered to intervene in the dispute.

“We believe that the Karabakh issue will be resolved through dialogue
and the commitment of both sides to justice, and Tehran is ready to
negotiate with them within this framework,” Iran’s President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said in a joint press conference with his Azeri
counterpart Ilham Aliyev in November, 2010.

From: A. Papazian

Aronian beats Leko in Tata Steel 2013 round 6

January 19, 2013 – 15:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian beat Hungary’s
Peter Leko to score his second win at Tata Steel 2013 tournament,
ongoing in Dutch town of Wijk aan Zee.
Meanwhile, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen scored 4.5 points to lead the
tournament, with Russia’s Sergey Karjakin and India’s Viswanathan
Anand gaining 4 points each. Levon Aronian, Pentala Harikrishna and
Hikaru Nakamura currently share 4-6 places with 3,5 points.

From: A. Papazian

City of Bari is in the list of 70 Italian cities recognizing Armenian genocide

18:22, 19 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS: Official opening and blessing
ceremony of Armenian cross stone (khachkar) took place in famous
southern Italian port Bari. The cross stone was made 11 years ago by
Doctor-Professor of Architecture Ashot Grigoryan. Opening of the
khachkar has been numerously postponed till now, when thanks to the
efforts of the municipality of Bari and efforts of Armenians living
there the cross stone has been installed in one of the main squares of
Bari.

As Armenpress was informed from the secretariat of Armenian pastoral
of Italy, it is interesting that the cross stone has been installed at
the same shore through which Armenians penetrated to Italy.

Everybody were surprised when representative of Armenian Embassy in
Italy was handed the document of the recognition of Armenian Genocide
by Bari Mayor, according to which Bari city is among those 70 Italian
cities recognizing Armenian Genocide.

From: A. Papazian

International Chess Academy to be built in Yerevan

17:24, 19 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS: International Chess Academy will be
built in Yerevan. As reports Armenpress this was noted by FIDE
President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov during January 19 interview with
journalists. In his words, groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for
spring. In this regard, number of businessman arrived in Armenia are
negotiating with Mayor Taron Margaryan. The amount of investments will
reach U.S. 100 million.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov stressed that the chess achievements of Armenia
were not accidental. They have become a pattern. `Team led by Serzh
Sargsyan reaches tremendous results,’ FIDE President said.

President of Armenian Republic, President of Armenian Chess Federation
Serzh Sargsyan on January 19 participated in the Presidential Board
Meeting of World Chess Federation (FIDE) scheduled for January 18-21,
in Tsakhkadzor. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, 23 FIDE members and
representatives of chess federation of more than 20 countries
participated in the meeting.

From: A. Papazian