Author: Babajanian Karo

BRITISH DIPLOMATS DISCUSSED OPPOSITION DEMANDS WITH HHSH LEADER

epress.am
11.18.2011

Pan-Armenian National Movement (HHSh) party leader Aram Manukyan
(pictured) on Nov. 17 welcomed head of the British Foreign &
Commonwealth Office’s South Caucasus section Josephine Gauld and
UK Deputy Head of Mission in Armenia Gareth Wynn-Owen into the HHSh
headquarters.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the country’s socioeconomic
and political situation, and the Armenian National Congress’ (HAK)
demands and political and legal grounds for holding early elections
and making amendments to the Electoral Code. Note, HHSh is a member
of the Armenian National Congress.

The parties also discussed regional issues, particularly the matter
of opening the Armenia-Turkey border, according to a statement issued
by the opposition bloc.

TURKISH, FRENCH FMS DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN ANKARA

Tert.am
18.11.11

French Foreign Minister Allen Juppe who is now in Ankara on a visit,
has had a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu.

According to the Turkish media, the two officials discussed regional
and international issues, including Turkey’s EU efforts and the
Armenian Genocide.

But a central topic of the discussion was the developments in Syria.

At a joint news conference after the meeting, the French top diplomat
said it is now late to launch reforms in the country.

“We do not think the Bashar-al-Assad regime is seeking to implement
any reforms in the country. Besides, it is now too late to implement,”
Juppe said, adding that only a UN Security Council decision could
allow any mediation efforts in the country.

REVUE DE PRESSE N°2 – 17/11/11 – COLLECTIF VAN

Publié le : 17-11-2011

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance
Arménienne contre le Négationnisme] vous propose une revue de presse
des informations parues dans la presse francophone, sur les thèmes
concernant la Turquie, le génocide arménien, la Shoah, le génocide
des Tutsi, le Darfour, le négationnisme, l’Union européenne, Chypre,
etc… Nous vous suggérons également de prendre le temps de lire ou
de relire les informations et traductions mises en ligne dans notre
rubrique

Par ailleurs, certains articles en anglais, allemand, turc, etc,
ne sont disponibles que dans la newsletter Word que nous générons
chaque jour. Pour la recevoir, abonnez-vous a la Veille-Média :
c’est gratuit ! Vous recevrez le document du lundi au vendredi dans
votre boîte email. Bonne lecture.

Collectif VAN : l’éphéméride du 17 novembre 2011 Info Collectif VAN
– – La rubrique “Ephéméride” du Collectif VAN a
été lancée le 6 décembre 2010. Elle recense la liste d’événements
survenus a une date donnée, a différentes époques de l’Histoire, sur
les thématiques que l’association suit au quotidien. L’éphéméride
du Collectif VAN repose sur des informations en ligne sur de nombreux
sites (les sources sont spécifiées sous chaque entrée). “17
novembre 1943 — Le dirigeant roumain, le Général Antonescu,
s’oppose a livrer des Juifs aux allemands. Ion Victor Antonescu,
né a PiteÈ~Yti en 1882, était un militaire roumain devenu homme
politique d’extrême droite. Il fut le chef du gouvernement et chef
de l’Ã~Itat Roumain (dictateur – (ro) conducÄ~Ctor – du Royaume
de Roumanie) de 1940 a 1944. Il engagea son pays, aux côtés de
l’Allemagne nazie, dans la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Il fut condamné a
mort pour crimes de guerre et exécuté en 1946. Ion Antonescu était
un pur militaire de carrière (surnommé ” Le Chien Rouge ”), issu
de l’armée de terre. Il avait fait l’Ã~Icole de guerre. Il fit la
deuxième guerre des Balkans et la Première Guerre mondiale (où
la Roumanie combattait aux côtés de la France et du Royaume-Uni)
en tant qu’officier. Il s’y distingua par son courage au combat et
par un sens de la logistique ” rare chez les Roumains, experts en
désorganisation ” (Henri Berthelot, 1916).”

Ex-Yougoslavie: Le TPIY demande un rapport sur l’état de santé de
Ratko Mladic Le Tribunal pénal international pour l’ex-Yougoslavie
(TPIY) a ordonné ce mercredi a Ratko Mladic de se soumettre a un
examen médical complet qui permettra de déterminer s’il est en
état d’être jugé.

L’info vue par la TRT (6) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article
publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les articles
de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent contenir
des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou d’autres
informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Le président de la
commission de sécurité nationale et de la politique étrangères
iranien Alaeddin Boroujerdi est en Turquie”.

La Turquie soutient les sanctions de la Ligue arabe contre la Syrie
La Turquie soutient la suspension annoncée de Damas â~@¨de la Ligue
arabe, a indiqué hier a Rabat le ministre â~@¨turc des Affaires
étrangères, Ahmet Davutoglu, â~@¨a la veille d’une réunion
ministérielle de la Ligue. â~@¨Â”â~@¯Nous estimons que c’est une
décision justeâ~@¯Â”, a-t-il dit.

Turquie : l’arrestation d’un éditeur pour terrorisme scandalise Père
et fils, Deniz et Ragip Zarakolu, arrêtés en Turquie, et accusé
de terrorisme, cela a de quoi faire hurler. Tous deux éditeurs,
faut-il considérer que les autorités du pays n’ont pas vraiment
envie de les laisser faire leur travail ?

Syrie: ”Bachar al-Assad ne lâchera rien” Fabrice Balanche est
maître de conférences a l’Université Lyon 2, directeur du Groupe
de Recherches et d’Ã~Itudes sur la Méditerranée et le Moyen-Orient
(Gremo) et spécialiste de la Syrie. Malgré les derniers événements
dans le pays, il ne croit pas a une chute prochaine de Bachar
al-Assad…

L’info vue par la TRT (5) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet
article publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les
articles de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent
contenir des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou
d’autres informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Au 3ème Forum
énergétique et économique de la mer Noire, M. Erdogan a évoqué
la question syrienne lors de son intervention”.

De la mémoire a l’histoire Annette Wieviorka ne tient pas a passer
pour une historienne de la Shoah. Elle a consacré une grande partie
de sa vie et de ses recherches a la mémoire du génocide. Ce n’est
pas la même chose.

Mémoire et histoire ont toujours eu des rapports étranges… dans
l’histoire.

Le Secrétaire général de l’OSCE voit un rôle pour la Turquie dans
le conflit du Karabakh Le Secrétaire général de l’OSCE nouvellement
élu Lamberto Zannier a déclaré mardi 1er novembre 2011 que la
Turquie pourrait jouer un rôle dans le processus de résolution du
conflit du Nagorno-Karabakh.

Le chef de la diplomatie turc se félicite des réformes politiques
engagées au Maroc La Turquie salue les réformes politiques engagées
au Maroc et couronnées par l’adoption de la nouvelle Constitution et
qui font de ce pays un exemple a suivre dans la région arabe. C’est
ce qu’a déclaré le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères, Ahmed
Davutoglu, a l’issue d’un entretien avec son homologue marocain,
Taieb Fassi Fihri.

L’info vue par la TRT (4) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article
publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les articles
de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent contenir
des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou d’autres
informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Le chef d’Etat colombien
Juan Manuel Santos arrive jeudi en Turquie, a l’invitation de son
homologue Abdullah Gul”.

Une délégation du Parlement Européen en visite a Tsitsernakaberd
Le 1er novembre les membres de la délégation du Parlement européen
mené par Milan Cabrnoch, chef de la Délégation. Le co-président
du comité de coopération parlementaire UE- Arménie a visité
Tsitsernakaberd et a déposé des fleurs au Mémorial dédié aux
victimes du génocide arménien de 1915.

La Ligue arabe donne trois jours a la Syrie pour accepter de mettre
fin a la répression A compter de ce mercredi 16 novembre 2011, la
Ligue arabe donne trois jours a la Syrie pour accepter de mettre fin
a la répression de la contestation, libérer l’ensemble des détenus
politiques et autoriser l’envoi d’observateurs sur son territoire.

L’info vue par la TRT (3) Le Collectif VAN vous propose cet article
publié sur la TRT (Télévision & Radio de Turquie). Les articles
de ce site ne sont pas commentés de notre part. Ils peuvent contenir
des propos négationnistes envers le génocide arménien ou d’autres
informations a prendre sous toute réserve. “Le ministre de l’Union
européenne Egemen BagıÅ~_ a clarifié une fois de plus la feuille
de route qui sera suivie par la Turquie durant la présidence en
exercice de la partie chypriote grecque”.

Le ministre francais des AE se rendra en Turquie Le ministre francais
des Affaires étrangères Alain Juppé se rendra jeudi et vendredi
dans les villes turques d’Istanbul et d’Ankara pour renforcer les
relations bilatérales et “faire un tour d’horizon des questions
régionales et internationales”, a annoncé mercredi le ministère
francais des Affaires étrangères.

Erevan exclut tout rôle de l’ONU dans le conflit du Karabakh Les
Nations unies ne joueront aucun rôle dans les efforts internationaux
en vue de mettre fin au conflit du Nagorno-Karabakh même après
que l’Azerbaïdjan soit devenu membre de son Conseil de sécurité
a annoncé le Ministre des Affaires Etrangères Edouard Nalbandian.

Syrie: les pays arabes et la Turquie hostiles a toute intervention
étrangère Lors du Forum de coopération turco-arabe qui s’est
déroulé mercredi a Rabat, la Ligue arabe et la Turquie se sont
déclarées hostiles a toute intervention étrangère en Syrie.

Retour a la rubrique

SYRIE : MANIFESTATION PRO-TURQUE APRES DES ATTAQUES CONTRE LES MISSIONS
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 18 novembre 2011

Plusieurs centaines de Syriens brandissant le drapeau turc ont
manifeste lundi soir en faveur de la Turquie a Alep (nord) au
lendemain d’attaques ayant vise des missions diplomatiques turques
dont le consulat situe dans cette ville, a rapporte la chaîne privee
turque NTV.

Les manifestants ont scande “Merci au gouvernement turc et aux
dirigeants arabes”, selon cette chaîne d’information qui a diffuse
des images du rassemblement.

Samedi, des representations diplomatiques turques situees notamment
a Damas et Alep ont ete la cible de violentes manifestations des
partisans du regime syrien après la decision de la Ligue arabe de
suspendre le Syrie.

Ces attaques ont pousse la Turquie a rapatrier les familles des
diplomates et son personnel non-essentiel de la Syrie, son ancien
allie regional.

Le chef de la diplomatique turque Ahmet Davutoglu a declare lundi que
la Turquie “adoptera la position la plus ferme” contre les attaques
visant ses representations sur le sol syrien.

“Ceux qui ne sont pas en paix au Moyen-Orient avec leurs peuples et
ne peuvent les satisfaire, partiront”, a ajoute le ministre, faisant
allusion a la Syrie, pays voisin a l’egard duquel Ankara adopte une
ligne ferme.

Malgre des excuses exprimees par le ministre syrien des Affaires
etrangères Walid Mouallem, la Turquie a affirme attendre des excuses
officielles.

Alliee economique et politique de la Syrie avant les troubles dans ce
pays, la Turquie a vivement condamne la repression contre les opposants
au president Bachar al-Assad, et le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip
Erdogan a annonce qu’il avait coupe les ponts avec le regime de Damas.

ARMENIA JAILS US BUSINESSMAN FOR PAEDOPHILIA

Emirates 24/7

Nov 18 2011
UAE

A US businessman of Armenian origin has been jailed for 15 years for
paedophilia, the state prosecutor’s office said on Friday, in a case
that shocked the socially conservative Christian country.

The businessman, 70-year-old mining company owner Serop Der-Boghossian,
was convicted on Thursday of sexually assaulting teenage boys in the
northern Armenian industrial town of Akhtala, where his firm is the
main employer.

“The court found that Der-Boghossian, against the minors’ wishes
and by exploiting their powerlessness, social vulnerability and
psychological state, was involved in homosexual activity and acts of
a sexual nature (with the boys),” a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s
office, Sona Truzian, told AFP.

The case against the businessman, who was also an adviser to Armenia’s
prime minister until the paedophilia allegations were publicised by
local media, caused a nationwide scandal.

It led to accusations that the authorities were failing to properly
combat paedophilia because of light sentences handed down in many
abuse cases, with one prosecutor raising fears that Armenia risked
becoming a hub for international child sex tourism unless punishments
were toughened.

The prosecutor’s office said that the 10 teenagers that Der-Boghossian
was convicted of abusing came from poor families and the businessman
gained influence over them by giving them money.

In court, Der-Boghossian admitted having sex with the boys but said
that they had consented, the prosecutor’s office said.

Child protection experts in Armenia believe that many cases of
paedophilia go unprosecuted because parents are often reluctant to
report sex crimes against children.

CONTROVERSIES OVER GAS ISSUE IN ARMENIA

The Messenger
Nov 18 2011
Georgia

Ministry of Energy of Armenia thinks that providing gas to the
regions of the country where the population is poor and scarce is
not beneficial. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen
Movsisian gave a statement about the matter on November 16. At the
same time the minister announced that Armenia has one of the most
intensive gas infrastructures in the post Soviet space. According to
the minister, providing gas is a business which should be economically
and ecologically justified. The minister stated that today Russian
gas in Armenia is cheaper than market price but it would not be like
that forever.

GOHAR GASPARYAN AND AVET BARSEGHYAN HOST JESC 2011

Belgovision.com

Nov 17 2011

Gohar Gasparyan and Avet Barseghyan will host the Junior Eurovision
Song Contest 2011 in Yerevan on 3rd December, Armenian broadcaster
AMPTV announced. Junior Eurovision winner Vladimir Arzumanyan and
former Armenian Eurovision representative Sirusho will be the guest
performers in the show.

Avet Barseghyan hosted the Armenian national selections for the
Eurovision Song Contest, Armenian Idol, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire
and other popular tv shows in Armenia. He also is a lyricist. Gohar
Gasparyan is the Armenian Head of Delegation at the Eurovision and
the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. She also was a spokesperson and
commentator for Armenia and hosted the national selections.

Sirusho and Vladimir Arzumanyan are the two stars who will appear in
this year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Sirusho represented Armenia
in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 and finished 4th with the song
Qele, Qele. Vladimir Arzumanyan is last year’s Junior Eurovision Song
Contest winner.

WHY BOTHER WITH THE WEAKEST OF NATIONS?
By Victor Davis Hanson

Philadelphia Inquirer

Nov 17 2011

An open microphone recently caught French President Nicolas Sarkozy
and President Obama jointly trashing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. Sarkozy scoffed, “I cannot stand him. He’s a liar.” Obama
trumped that with, “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with
him every day.”

In one of the most bizarre op-eds published by the New York Times
in recent memory, Paul Kane suggested that the United States could
literally sell out its support for democratic Taiwan for about $1
trillion. He argued that the Chinese might be so thankful to us for
letting them get their hands on the island as to forgive much of what
we owe them.

So why does the United States take risks to guarantee the security
of countries such as Israel and Taiwan? Surely the smart money –
and most of the world – bets on their richer enemies. The Arab Middle
East has oil, hundreds of millions of people, and lots of dangerous
radical Islamic terrorists. China is more than one billion strong,
with the fastest-growing economy in the world.

But Obama should remember that America does not think solely in terms
of national advantage. In fact, only the United States seems to have
an affinity for protecting tiny, vulnerable countries. In two wars
and more than 12 years of no-fly zones in Iraq, America saved the
Kurds from a genocidal Saddam Hussein.

Greece’s northern European creditors are furious with its profligacy
and duplicity. Nearby, an ascendant Turkey is flexing its muscles
over occupied Cyprus and new finds of gas and oil in the Aegean and
eastern Mediterranean. In short, a bankrupt Greece of only 11 million
people, residing in one of history’s most dangerous neighborhoods,
has few strong friends other than the United States. The same is true
of Christian Armenia, which likewise is relatively small and near to
historical enemies in Turkey and Russia.

All of these people – Israelis, anticommunist Chinese, Kurds, Greeks,
and Armenians – have a few things in common. They have relatively
small and often shrinking populations, aggressive neighbors, few
strong allies, many expatriates and refugees in the United States,
and a tragic history of persecution and genocide.

Half the world’s Jews were lost to the Holocaust. Had Mao Tse-tung –
the most prolific mass murderer in history – gotten his way, the entire
anticommunist Chinese population that fled in terror to Taiwan would
have been wiped out. In the early 1920s, nearly a million Greeks
perished in Asia Minor, ethnically cleansed by a Turkey that had
once conquered and occupied Greece for more than 350 years. A million
Armenians perished in the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World
War I. The stateless Kurds have been persecuted by Arabs, Iranians,
and Turks.

We should remember that Greece and Taiwan would have disappeared
as free, independent countries in the late 1940s without American
military support and guarantees. Armenia did not exist as a free
nation until America helped force the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Kurdistan emerged as an autonomous province only when America deposed
Saddam. Israel might have vanished during the 1973 Yom Kippur War
without massive American military aid.

Of course, these persecuted peoples can at times be testy allies
and even sound anti-American. Their national characters, reflecting
centuries of oppression, can seem prone to collective paranoia and
conspiracy theories. Yet Israel, Taiwan, Kurdistan, Greece, and Armenia
are democratic, with rich histories, having survived against all odds.

In the next few years, our small friends will be tested. Iran has
promised to wipe out Israel and may soon get the bomb to do it. We
are withdrawing all troops at the end of the year from Iraq, and
Kurdistan will be entirely on its own. Russia often talks about
reconstituting its former Soviet client states into some sort of new
imperial federation. China thinks it is only a matter of time before
Taiwan is absorbed. The new Turkey is beginning to look a lot like
the old imperial Ottoman sultanate.

Yet if protecting these small states is risky, our concern also
reflects positively on the singular values of the United States. The
United Nations has neither the will nor the capability to ensure the
security of these countries. The eroding European Union talks grandly
of international values but rarely risks its blood or treasure to
defend them.

Only America is moral and strong enough to protect the world’s
historically vulnerable but culturally unique peoples. It would be a
shame if we forgot that – either out of desire for profit or because
we became fed up with the bother.

AHMADINEJAD CALLS FOR MAXIMIZED TIES WITH ARMENIA

Fars News Agency
Nov 17 2011
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked for the
maximum expansion of relations between Iran and Armenia.

Speaking in a phone conversation with his Armenian counterpart, the
Iranian president reiterated the abundant grounds existing for the
further development of ties and cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes maximum expansion of relations
between the two countries, in various cultural , economic and
political grounds and welcomes any move which helps attainment of
this objective,” he added.

He also noted the two nations’ age-old historical and cultural
relations, and said the Iranian and Armenian people have heartfelt
feelings for each other “and this has provided an appropriate capacity
and potential for the growing consolidation and reinvigoration of
the relations between the two countries”.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian, for his part, stressed the
importance of the increasing development of the relations between
Tehran and Yerevan in all the various grounds.

“Armenia is seeking to further bolster the relations between the two
countries in the different fields, specially in economy, and believes
that close ties with Tehran would serve the interests of both nations
as well as the other nations in the region,” he added.

The Iranian president plans to visit Yerevan by the end of this year.

Earlier this month, the Director-General of the Iranian Presidential
Office for International Affairs had told FNA that President
Ahmadinejad would pay a visit to Armenia in the near future.

Mohammad Reza Forqani also mentioned that Ahmadinejad was due to
visit Armenia at the invitation of President Serzh Sargsian on June 4,
but the trip was called off.

The Iranian president was last in Armenia in October 2007. During
his two day visit to the Central Asian state, Ahmadinejad met with
university students and professors and Iranian expatriates in Armenia,
and signed four agreements and a joint statement.

Also during the same visit, the University of Yerevan granted an
honorary PhD degree to the Iranian president.

Sargsian was in Tehran in March to attend the Iranian New Year
festivities.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

HEADS OF FOUR ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES MEET IN CAIRO

As announced earlier, His Holiness Aram I left for Cairo on 13 November
2011, accompanied by Archbishops Sebouh Sarkissian and Nareg Alemezian.
Consultations began Monday morning when His Holiness Aram I met with Pope
Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church and Patriarch Zakka I Iwas of the
Syrian Orthodox Church. The three Spiritual Heads discussed challenges to
Christian presence in the Middle East, and the forthcoming General Assembly
of the Middle East Council of Churches. At the end, Abuna Paulos, Patriarch
of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church joined the meeting.

The meeting of the four Heads of Oriental Orthodox Churches continued with
an enlarged meeting including the accompanying delegations. On the same
evening, the Spiritual Heads attended a thanksgiving celebration marking the
40th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III as
the Head of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, at the Cathedral
in Cairo The former Prime Minister of Egypt, Muslim Religious Leaders and a
large number of Copts were also present.

On Tuesday members of the Standing Committee of the Heads of Oriental
Orthodox Churches met to discuss the forthcoming Assembly of the Middle East
Council of Churches and the current situation in the Middle East and the
challenges it presents to Christians in the region.

The visit of His Holiness Aram I ended with an extensive television
interview where the Catholicos spoke of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the
Armenian Orthodox Church, Christian presence in the Middle East and the
human rights of survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

At the end of their meeting, the four heads of the churches, issued a common
Declaration emphasizing the importance of giving a concrete manifestation to
the unity of the Oriental Orthodox churches. Hereunder the text of the
common Declaration.

THE MEETING OF THE HEADS
OF THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES

Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
Cairo, Egypt
14 November 2011

COMMON DECLARATION

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St.
Mark, H.H. Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of Antioch and all the
East, H.H. Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the
Armenian Orthodox Church and H.H. Abuna Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian
Orthodox Church, give thanks to God for bringing us together here in Cairo,
Egypt, on Monday, 14 November 2011, to pray together and to reflect together
on matters and concerns pertaining to our Churches and the Oriental Orthodox
Family in general. We were accompanied by metropolitans, archbishops and
bishops of our Churches.

In fact, the Churches of the Oriental Orthodox Family are united in faith,
theology, doctrine, tradition and spirituality. This strong bond of unity
has sustained this Family and became a source of spiritual strength,
missionary outreach and social action in spite of tremendous challenges and
crisis which surrounded these Churches in the course of their long history.
The unity of faith of our Family is grounded on Apostolic Tradition and the
teachings of the first three Ecumenical Councils of Nicea (325),
Constantinople (381) and Ephesus (431). We developed our theological
teachings and shaped our doctrinal positions on the basis of the teachings
of these Ecumenical Councils, and adopted a common position in respect to
heresies and heretics.

It is vitally important that we re-affirm and re-strengthen our unity, and
re-invigorate our Christian witness. In a world which is constantly
threatened by secularistic and materialistic ideologies and different sort
of heresies which may jeopardize the integrity, identity and unity of our
faith, therefore, re-organizing and re-revitalizing our intra-family
collaboration is of decisive importance. The Oriental Orthodox Family has a
long and rich history. Its relevance needs to be re-affirmed and its common
witness to be re-activated in those regions and countries where the faithful
of our Churches have organized their church and community life.

For H.H. Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I, H.H. Catholicos Aram I and H.H.
Abuna Paulos, participating in the 40th anniversary celebration of the
enthronement of H.H. Pope Shenouda III was indeed a source of spiritual joy
and a unique opportunity to express our brotherly love and unity. The
pontificate of His Holiness has been one of dedicated service to the sister
Coptic Orthodox Church; a committed service marked by so many achievements
in different spheres of the life and mission of the Church. We pray the
Almighty God to strengthen H.H. Pope Shenouda III to carry on his pontifical
ministry with renewed commitment and vision.

We appeal to our faithful to remain firm in their Christian faith and
participate fully in the witness of our Churches. May God lead our Churches
in faithfulness to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory be to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

14 November 2011
Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
Cairo, Egypt

Pope Shenouda III
Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I

Catholicos Aram I
Patriarch Paulos

##
Photos: