Author: Badalian Vardan

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Thanksgiving Prayers to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the Election of
His Holiness Aram I as Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia

Antelias – On Sunday 26 June, the liturgy was devoted to the celebration
of the 19th anniversary celebration of the election of Chis Holiness Aram I
as Catholicos. During the thanksgiving prayers priests read Biblical
passages and special prayers wishing health to the Catholicos and
long-lasting presence of the Catholicosate among the Armenian people.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, the clergy, members of the governing
bodies of the Catholicosate and the faithful met at the Main Hall of the
Catholicosate where Rev. Torkom Donoyan addressed His Holiness on behalf of
the community.

His Holiness thanked the people and said, “Thanksgiving prayers do not
address the Catholicos but the Catholicosate. The role of the Catholicos is
to express this role through the quality of his life and his service to the
people. This is how my predecessors understood their vocation as shepherds
and this is the path I have chosen. If I have erred in my mission, I ask for
forgiveness from God.” He then recommitted himself to strengthening the
Catholicosate of Cilicia and to make it unique in its mission in order to
continue serving the Armenian people and the homeland.

His Holiness Aram I receives Ignatius Aphrem II, the new Syrian Orthodox
Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, and his delegation

Antelias – On Saturday 26 June, H.B Ignatius Aphrem II made an official
visit to the Catholicosate of Cilicia and met with H.H. Catholicos Aram I.

After canonical prayers at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, His
Holiness the Patriarch and the accompanying delegation moved to the Main
Hall of the Catholicosate, where Catholicos Aram I welcomed them. In his
welcoming speech, the Catholicos spoke of the history and the circumstances
that have bound the two churches together. He then said that the unity in
faith between their churches should presently find concrete expression in
the lives of their people. His Holiness also referred to ecumenism and
emphasized the importance of bilateral theological dialogues between the
Oriental Orthodox family of churches and other churches. He then concluded
by calling for closer cooperation between the two churches in dealing with
the difficult issues impacting the lives of Christians in the region.

In his response, the Patriarch thanked His Holiness for his welcoming
words and recalled their ecumenical cooperation when His Holiness was the
Moderator and he a member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of
Churches. He then promised to continue the legacy of their predecessors and
continue the strong relationship between their two churches and the Oriental
Orthodox family in the Middle East.

After the formal meeting, the Patriarch and his delegation were the guests
of His Holiness for lunch. Bishop Shahé Panossian, the Prelate of Lebanon,
Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, the Director of Ecumenical Relations, and Dr.
Bedros Karajerjian, Chairperson of the Executive Council of the
Catholicosate, were also present.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia participates in an Interfaith Meeting of
Religions in Europe

Antelias – The European Contemplative Alliance and the Hearth.Net
organization in Prague, Czech Republic, held a “circle of discussion” on
June 20th and 21st on the theme, “An Emerging Vision for the Global
Community Moving from a Paradigm of Separation to One of Interdependence.”
Around fifty religious leaders, politicians, scientists, philosophers and
social scientists from Europe and the USA were invited to attend the circle.
Ms. Teny Pirri-Simonian, Vice-President of the Ecumenical Relations
Department of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, was invited to offer a Christian
meditation during the opening session and later to present a paper on the
theme, “Diversity, Integration and the Movement toward Human Unity.”
# #

MILITARY POSITIONS MUST BE IMPROVED LIKE IN NAKHIDJEVAN

Lragir.am
Country – Tuesday, 01 July 2014, 11:03

On June 28 Armen Brutyan, 12 was wounded by the enemy’s gunshot. The
boy was working in the vineyard. He has undergone surgery and is
getting better.

The Armenian Time reported that people in Tavush think it is necessary
to improve our military positions. The example of Nakhidjevan is
brought where after the incident in early June, according to different
information, taking control of about 100 square meters of territories.

Tavush is under constant fire which kills both soldiers and peaceful
citizens, including children. Farmers cannot work their land which
affects the people’s social and psychological situation. Besides,
the rate of migration from border villages is too high.

Community roads of the region are also under fire and are therefore
often closed. The government of Armenia has decided to build
alternative roads but obviously it is not a solution.

In fact, we are dealing with violations of international law and a
lot of conventions. This gives the Armenian side the right to take
measures to ensure the security of the peaceful population. Such
precedents are many in different countries and an accepted practice.

This is the duty of the government.

Tavush Union of Compatriots has made a statement addressing
international organizations. “We will found the volunteer border guard
brigade of Tavush uniting the efforts of the people of Tavush. The
members of the brigade will be determined to unite with Tavush
the formerly Armenian territory of Ghazakh, finally resolving the
territorial issue with Azerbaijan regarding Tavush,” the statement
holds.

To achieve change, it is necessary to use all the opportunities. In
this case, not only the issue of security of the peaceful population
will be resolved but also people’s morale will be boosted.

Unfortunately, the other methods known in the world are not effective
enough.

– See more at:

MANIFESTATION ANTI-ARMENIENNE A BAKOU

ARMENIE

La 23ème session de l’Assemblee parlementaire de l’OSCE a Bakou a
debute samedi dans la matinee. Une delegation armenienne participe
egalement a la session. Selon le journal azerbaïdjanais “Yeni Musavat”,
une action de protestation anti-armenienne s’est tenue a Bakou.

Les protestants ont exprime leur mecontentement contre la participation
armenienne a la session parlementaire de l’OSCE a Bakou.

Ils avaient des affiches avec des slogans tels que >.

Le journal ecrit que la police a arrete certains protestataires
violents. Une partie des protestants a continue son action devant le
bâtiment du Majlis (parlement azeri).

mardi 1er juillet 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

CONTROVERSE SUR LES RETRAITES : LES AMENDEMENTS SUSCITENT PLUS DE DEBATS

ARMENIE

Les discussions sur les amendements a la loi controversee sur les
retraites par capitalisation au parlement ont eu lieu dans des
conditions >. L’opposition a choisi la tactique
du sabordage de la procedure en essayant de > le quorum, et
elle a reussi a le faire a plusieurs reprises. Pourtant, la majorite du
parlement a soutenu les amendements adoptes via les bulletins de vote.

C’est via ces amendements que le gouvernement tente de resoudre divers
problèmes souleves suite a la fois par la Cour constitutionnelle et
par le public. Desormais, au lieu d’une caisse de retraite, il y aura
un paiement sociale qui est un paiement obligatoire fait au budget
de l’Etat.

Le Ministre des Affaires Sociales Artem Asatryan a declare que le
taux de paiement social est suggere a hauteur de cinq pour cent. Il
sera obligatoire pour les salaries du secteur public et le secteur
prive aura la possibilite de participer volontairement dans le système
jusqu’en 2017 (la norme obligatoire sera introduite pour eux le 1er
Juillet 2017). Il a donne l’assurance que les employes du secteur de
l’Etat ne vont pas souffrir financièrement en raison d’une hausse en
Juillet de cette annee de leurs salaires.

À partir du 1er Juillet, le gouvernement augmente les salaires moyens
de 200 000 employes de l’Etat : dans le secteur des soins de sante
de 21 pour cent, dans le domaine de l’education de 13,9 pour cent,
dans le domaine de la culture de 29,6 pour cent, dans le domaine
de la protection sociale de 21,6 pour cent , dans le domaine de
l’administration de l’Etat de 47 pour cent, dans le domaine de la
fonction publique de 68 pour cent.

> a declare Asatryan.

Le chef de la faction parlementaire du Congrès National Armenien (ANC)
Levon Zurabyan a dit que le projet de loi est anti-constitutionnel car
il fait une discrimination entre ceux qui sont nes avant et après 1974.

> a-t-il dit.

Les membres de Dem.am ont exhorte le public, en particulier ceux
du secteur public, a se lever et a demander au Parlement de ne pas
approuver le projet de loi.

Par Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow

mardi 1er juillet 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS JUSTIFY LIFE-TERMERS’ HUNGER STRIKE

11:21 * 01.07.14

The hunger-strike declared by 29 life-termers as a sign of protest
for not being released on parole is considered a justified measure
by human rights activists in Armenia.

Speaking to Tert.am, Artur Sakunts, the chairman of the Helsinki
Citizens’ Assembly’s Vanadzor Office, described the state policies in
the justice sector as punitive rather than integration-oriented. “And
that necessitates a clarification of standards and approaches with
regard premature release. On the other hand, they are not willing to
make them clear in an effort to prevent people from appealing [cases].

And besides, it creates a breeding ground for corruption,” he
explained.

Expressing his support to the protesting inmates, Sakunts added, “A
convict must not, of course, violate the penitentiary institution’s
rules of discipline, but our studies reveal that the internal appeal
mechanisms do not work, as people avoid filing a complaint. I can
even say with certainty that the disciplinary measures have suspicious
justifications.”

Commenting on the problem, Chairman of the Armenian Helsinki Committee
Avetik Iskhanyanremembered that no cases of life-termers were revised
in Armenia after the country abolished the death penalty in 2003.

Iskhkanyan said he knows that life-termers, whose number tops a
hundred in Armenia, remain ignored by the authorities. “Their demands
are old demands, and the complaints are justified,” he noted.

Asked why the mechanism does not work after all, the activist replied,
“On the one hand, a convict in our reality is considered a criminal
both by the authorities and the society, so the human attitude to
premature release is not [properly] understood by the society. The
attitude to life-termers is even crueler, as they [the society]
immediately begin thinking of a monster upon hearing the word, without
delving deeper into the case,” he said, citing political motives as
the third reason.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
June 28, 2014 Saturday

Ilham Aliyev’s speech at the opening session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Baku/28.06.14/Turan: On June 28 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
made a speech at the opening ceremony of the 23rd session of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly in Baku. He said that Azerbaijan is a
democratic country, which respects freedom of assembly, speech, media,
the Internet, which have access to 70 percent of the population.
However, he told about the continuation of political reforms,
modernization of the country, and therefore Azerbaijan is ready to
cooperate with the OSCE. Stability of the political situation,
according to Aliyev, allows to plan the future and implement the goals
to modernize the country.

Concerning foreign policy, Aliyev called for the development of
mechanisms that would allow approval of rules of international law on
a global basis. He said that in today’s world there is often selective
approach in the implementation of international law. Some UNSC
resolutions are fulfilled within a few hours working on, and some are
not implemented for more than 20 years, as in the case of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan suffers from such a situation, for more than 20 years,
twenty percent of internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan
under Armenian occupation. Armenia ignores the UN Security Council
resolutions, decisions of the Lisbon Summit of the OSCE, PACE and the
European Parliament is not willing to release something that is not
her own, he said. Aliyev pointed to repeated statements of presidents
of the OSCE Minsk Group – the U.S., France and Russia on non
admissibility of the status quo. As for the principle of
self-determination, it must not act against the territorial integrity.

Concerning the creation of trust mechanisms between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Aliyev said that they should start with withdrawal of
Armenian troops from the occupied territories. He also drew attention
to the economic success of the country, its contribution to global
energy security.

The OSCE PA President, Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro, Ranko
Krivokapic, focused on the situation in Ukraine. “We sympathize with
and feel sympathy for Ukraine. There rights are violated mentally and
physically. Our organization must ensure the full cooperation of all
countries. If we do that, we can stop the tragedy in Ukraine and
elsewhere. We believe that the Russian State Duma and the Verkhovna
Rada of Ukraine should find common ground,” said Krivokapic.

Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Oktay Asadov said that Azerbaijan
has always been a supporter of the implementation of the Helsinki
principles. He called on the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to condemn
Armenia for the violation of these principles and the occupation of
Azerbaijani territories.

The OSCE Chairman-President of Switzerland Didier Burghalter also
focused on the situation in Ukraine. He welcomed the decision of the
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to extend the truce. Acting
chairman at the same time expressed concern about the fact that four
of the OSCE observers taken hostage separatists have not yet been
released.

“It hinders international efforts to resolve the situation, he said.
Concerning the problems facing the OSCE, he noted the need to further
improve the mechanisms within the organization during the “Helsinki +
40” and bring them into line with the needs and challenges of the 21st
century. However, he pointed to the importance of strengthening the
security architecture of the OSCE to cooperate with other regional
organizations. -06-

Daily Sabah, Turkey
June 29 2014

MARKING THE WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL IN TURKEY, WHERE DENIAL SLOWLY
GIVES WAY TO DIALOG

DoÄ?an EÅ?kinat 30 June 2014, Monday

June 28, 2014 marked the 100-year anniversary of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand’s assassination in Sarajevo. To commemorate the event, the
Washington Post put together a short list of things we inherited from
the World War I years: Daylight saving time, Meatless Monday, plastic
surgery and Iraq ` the country that emerged out of the time period
that marks the beginning of the 20th century. A look back to the years
from 1914 to 1918 would also reveal that most, if not all, pressing
issues in contemporary Turkey are related to the Great War. With the
marking of the first global war’s centennial in Istanbul, the Ottoman
Empire’s then-capital, one realizes that what the nation strives to
accomplish today is to close a century-long chapter of denial, forced
assimilation and inequality.

The Great War, which continued until November 1918, paved the way for
the downfall of the Ottoman dynasty along with several of its
contemporaries. As the empire slowly disintegrated, the authorities
adopted extraordinary measures to initiate a process of, to borrow
from Joseph Schumpeter, creative destruction to establish a new
nation. In 1915, the wartime government forcibly relocated hundreds of
thousands of Ottoman Armenians, once known as the loyal nation or
millet-i sadıka, to pave the way for a great tragedy. Although the
Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), which orchestrated one of the
most shameful acts in Turkish history, could not survive World War I,
the organization’s legacy formed the ideological basis of the Turkish
nationalist movement that proceeded to establish the Republic of
Turkey in the early 1920s. The CUP’s commitment to the principle of
centralized government, in particular, had an immense influence on the
new elites who, once in power, turned away from various ethnic groups
including the Kurds with whom they had previously joined forces to
oppose Western colonialism. They subsequently embarked on a violent
campaign to impose Turkish identity upon them. The indoctrination was
so effective that the question of whether or not the Kurds were a
genuine ethnic group or merely “mountain Turks” remained a
hotly-debated question up until the 2000s.

It was around the same time that Turkish society began to reflect on
the legacy of the Ottoman Empire’s final decade and engage in an open
conversation about the grievances that building the modern Republic
required over the years. First and foremost, the dialogue on Turkey’s
darkest taboos owed to the nation’s ever-stronger interaction with the
outside world in the post-Cold War years. With trade liberalization
and comprehensive improvements in communication technologies, the
Turkish street became exposed to competing narratives about many
issues including that of the Ottoman Armenians, which radically
differed from the Republic’s official history. From the late 1990s
onward, the rise of anti-establishment political parties with Islamist
or Kurdish nationalist agendas both reflected and bolstered the
ongoing conversation about the Republican legacy. Over the past
decade, the two movements have transformed mainstream politics to lead
the charge against the old ways from within the political system. The
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government’s attempts to
address the suffering of Ottoman Armenians as well as the Kurdish
population of Dersim, where Republicans killed thousands in order to
crack down on local rebels in 1937-1938, reflected this commitment.
Similarly, the authorities have implemented reforms to acknowledge the
long-denied cultural rights of millions of Kurds, among other groups,
to undermine the Turkish state’s historical denial.

A century after Franz Ferdinand’s death, Turkey seeks to come to terms
with a dark chapter of its modern history and negotiate a new set of
ground rules to facilitate and celebrate diversity. Meanwhile, the
efforts of anti-establishment parties to challenge the old ways
understandably triggers objections from social groups whose sense of
national identity heavily depends on the Republican ethos that all
citizens constitute a homogeneous whole. The already intense public
debate around the Republican legacy, to some extent, informs
discussions about the upcoming presidential election and will become
even more relevant next year with the Armenian diaspora organizing
year-round commemorative events to mark the centennial of “Red Sunday”
– April 24, 1915, when the Ottoman authorities arrested 250 Armenian
intellectuals and forced them to relocate.

Daily Sabah, Turkey
June 29 2014

ARMENIANS LOOK FOR RECONCILIATION PROCESS TALKS SUCCESS

DIYARBAKIR ` Archbishop Aram AteÅ?yan, the patriarch of the Armenian
Patriarchate based in Istanbul, has said the Kurdish-Turkish
reconciliation process is a matter for all Turks and minorities living
in Turkey and it is important for the “solution process” to have a
successful end.

“The reconciliation process is not only a matter for Turkish and
Kurdish people,” said Atesyan during rituals in the St. Giragos
Armenian Church in Turkey’s southeastern city of Diyarbakır on Sunday.

“One’s peace means peace for all of us and one’s pain makes all us
suffer,” he said.

Turkey’s “reconciliation process” began early last year with a
ceasefire between the Turkish government and PKK.

The government pledged democratic reforms to empower minorities,
particularly the Kurdish minority, which is by far the largest,
forming 18 percent of Turkey’s population.

The St. Giragos Armenian Church is one of the biggest and the most
important Armenian churches in Armenia and was largely restored a
couple of years ago.

The Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality and the Turkish community are
to support the works by offering one million Turkish lira ($472,000).

MetroNews Canada
June 29 2014

Citizenship ceremonies on Canada Day highlights our nation’s proud
history of immigration

When John and Maria Cherneski arrived in Canada in 1903, little did
they know the legacy they were eventually to create. As they travelled
across the ocean in the bowels of the SS Armenia, they certainly had
high hopes for their new country — and the family they knew would soon
follow.

Their story is likely very familiar to the many first, second and
third generations of Canadians. But for this third-generation
Ukrainian, the story of my great-grandparents is as vivid and
memorable as a bestseller.

The history and background of the Cherneski family is similar to the
history of many of the early immigrants from Ukraine at the turn of
the century. At that time, Western Canada was neither settled nor
developed. In fact, the provinces were not even designated.

REVUE DE PRESSE
Robert Guédiguian : Il faut allier le rêve au combat

France/Monde – Cinéma Robert Guédiguian : `Il faut allier le rêve au
combat` 19/06/2014 05:35 réagir(0) « Au fil d’Ariane », un film plein
d’émotion. – (Photo Jérôme Cabanel) Pour son 18 e film, Robert
Guédiguian a fait un cadeau à sa muse et épouse Ariane Ascaride? :
filmer sa fantaisie. Rencontre avec un homme de convictions.

Si vous choisissez les mêmes interprètes et les mêmes techniciens,
c’est pour vous rassurer ou gagner du temps? ?

« Si ces deux critères entrent en compte, ça fait avant tout partie
intégrante de ma manière de faire, pour ne pas dire de mon art sans
vouloir être pompeux. Je n’arrive pas à faire autrement. Si j’ai une
originalité, c’est celle-lÃ. »

Mais que se passerait-il si vous choisissiez une autre actrice
principale que votre épouse Ariane Ascaride? ?

« S’il s’agit d’un personnage entre 50 ou 60 ans, c’est impensable. Il
faudrait que ce soit une Chinoise ou qu’elle ait 30 ans ».

« Au fil d’Ariane » est à la fois doux, humain et plein de fantaisie.
Laquelle de ces caractéristiques fait le plus cruellement défaut Ã
notre époque? ?

« C’est la fantaisie. D’ailleurs, le film est un cadeau fait à Ariane.
Ça révèle sa propre fantaisie, que je n’ai pas souvent montrée? : elle
est vraiment très drôle. Et c’est ce qui manque le plus à notre époque
: la capacité Ã s’imaginer autrement, Ã rêver, passer de l’autre côté
du miroir, parler à un animal ou à un objet, croire au merveilleux. Ce
qui nous mine c’est d’être sans cesse rappelés au conflit, Ã l’avenir
bouché de nos enfants, Ã cette atmosphère sinistre. »

Rêvez-vous encore et à quoi? ?

« J’ai toujours pensé qu’il faut allier le rêve au combat. »

Et vous pensez retrouver des lendemains qui chantent de votre vivant? ?

« J’ai peur que cette possibilité s’éloigne. Mais il nous faut tous
des moments qui chantent, pas forcément durables. Il faut tout faire
pour connaître et réunir des amis, se retrouver pour un tournage ou un
moment en famille. Tenez, Ã Marseille, depuis que Fralib est devenue
une coopérative, je suis sûr qu’il y a une centaine de personnes qui
partent travailler plein d’enthousiasme. Je leur souhaite que ça dure
très longtemps, mais même si c’est pour six mois, ce sera six mois de
joies. »

Sur votre profil Facebook vous dites que « la crise actuelle va
provoquer une révolution intellectuelle… » Vous pensez à un nouveau
mai 1968? ?

« Oui, je souhaite même une nouvelle révolution de 1848 en France,
qu’il y ait une sorte de manifeste du Parti communiste de Marx? : une
proposition alternative est possible. Si on ne refait pas le monde
faisons en sorte qu’il ne se défasse pas comme disait Camus. »

Comment jugez-vous l’action du gouvernement? ?

« Terrifiante, je suis atterré. Je suis même à terre. Le parti
socialiste usurpe son nom aujourd’hui. Ce n’est pas un hasard si ça
secoue beaucoup à l’intérieur de la formation. D’ailleurs, je compte
énormément sur les frondeurs du PS pour faire bouger les choses. »

Avril prochain marquera le centenaire du massacre arménien. Où en est
votre projet de film sur ce sujet? ?

« Je tourne à partir du 7 juillet, ça s’appelle Une histoire de fou.
Nous avons déjà filmé l’épilogue, en Arménie, pendant la manifestation
du 24 avril avec Ariane et Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet. Le reste du
tournage se fera à Paris, Marseille, Berlin et Beyrouth, avec Simon
Abkarian. Le film sortira, évidemment, fin avril, Ã moins qu’il ne
soit sélectionné pour Cannes. »

Quelle est votre idée du bonheur? ?

« La possibilité de lutter. Qu’on soit toujours dans cette
possibilité, c’est ce qui nous tient debout. Comme disait Marc Aurel
: `L’art de vivre tient plus de la lutte que de la danse.` »

en savoir plus

C’est le jour de son anniversaire? : Ariane cuisine un sublime gteau.
Il y a des fleurs, des messages sur le répondeur, mais enfants, mari
et amis sont aux abonnés absents. Ariane essuie ses yeux, prend sa
voiture et part sans savoir vraiment où. Raphaël l’accoste (Adrien
Jolivet) et se propose de lui faire découvrir un petit resto de plage.

Nappes colorées, chansons de Jean Ferrat? : c’est convivial et elle ne
tarde pas à rencontrer de drôles de zèbres. Le patron (Gérard Meylan)
qui n’est pas insensible à sa détresse, un Américain à l’accent de
Marseille qui fait des phrases à la Pasolini (Jacques Boudet),
l’ancien gardien du musée d’histoire naturelle (Youssouf Djaoro) qui
rêve de donner une sépulture décente aux spécimens gardés dans les
bocaux de formol. Sans parler d’un chauffeur de taxi pittoresque
(Jean-Pierre Darroussin) et d’une tortue qui a la voix inimitable de
Judith Magre…

Ce qui fait d’abord du bien, en découvrant « Au fil d’Ariane », c’est
de constater qu’il existe encore des cinéastes capables de faire des
films en totale liberté, « une fantaisie » comme il le dit lui-même.
Entre chansons, fous rires et émotions, ce film rempli d’humanité vous
fait l’effet d’une chaude caresse du soleil.

dimanche 29 juin 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com