Author: Badalian Vardan

RUSSIA SHARES OSCE MINSK GROUP POSITION OVER STEPANAKERT AIRPORT ISSUE

20:18, 7 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS: Russia shares common position with
OSCE Minsk Group over the issue of Stepanakert airport. As reports
Armenpress, this was declared by official representative of Foreign
Ministry of Russian Aleksandr Lukashevich.

He underlined that OSCE Minsk Group had numerously declared its
position over the airport issue. “We have once again received the
reaffirmation of sides that they will refrain from using force or force
threat against civil airplanes and that they are willing to resolve the
issue by diplomatic way,” Lukashevich citied statements of Co-Chairs.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated on February 6
that neither Nagorno-Karabakh Republic nor Armenian Republic had
ever politicized and were not politicizing the opening of Stepanakert
airport.” This airport is only for humanitarian and civil purpose,”
Minister said.

PRESS RELEASE
Ararat-Eskijian Museum
15105 Mission Hills Rd
Mission Hills CA, 91345
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-838-4862

ILLUSTRATED LECTURE ON FORTIFICATIONS
OF ARMENIAN CILICIA AT ARARAT-ESKIJIAN MUSEUM

Mr. Rouben Berberian will present an illustrated lecture on `The
Fortifications of Cilicia,’ on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at
4:00 p.m. at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, Hasmik Mgrdichian Gallery,
15105 Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills, CA. The lecture is sponsored
by the Ararat-Eskijian Museum and the National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research (NAASR). A reception will follow the lecture.

In the course of the presentation, Berberian will display pictures of
some thirty-eight different fortifications in Cilicia. He will discuss
(a) the characteristic features of Armenian fortifications; (b) the
dates of Armenian control by various Princes, Kings and Queens; and (c)
the impact on the Armenians of the Byzantines, Abbasids, Seljuks,
Mamluks, Mongols, and the Crusaders, including the Hospitaller, Templar,
and Teutonic Knight military orders, as well as the crusader states of
the Principality of Antioch, the County of Edessa, and Cyprus.

Roupen Berberian is the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and
Treasurer of Health Net Life Insurance Company (since 2000).
Previously, he was the Vice President and Controller of Aurora National
Life Assurance Company, the Assistant Controller of Executive Life
Insurance Company, and Senior Audit Manager with Price Waterhouse. He
is a Certified Public Accountant (California) and a Chartered Accountant
(Quebec). He received a Masters of Business Administration degree from
the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill
University.

He is a past president of the Armenian Professional Society (Los
Angeles). He travelled to Historical Armenia and Cilicia with the NAASR
Armenian Heritage Tours lead by Professor Richard Hovannisian and Armen
Aroyan in 2009, 2011, and 2012.For more information contact the
Ararat-Eskijian Museum at 818-838-4862 or
[email protected] or NAASR at 617-489-1610 or
[email protected].

# # # # #

NUMEROUS LETTERS OF AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT TO NKR AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED LONG AGO

18:31, 7 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS: Correspondence of authorities of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic with Azerbaijani leadership as well as
documents of the war period on the recognition of NKR have been
published long ago and are available even from the work of former
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Vladimir Kazimirov titled “Peace in
Karabakh”. Azerbaijani “discovery” made on February 7 and “shock”
of the society on it cause at least confusion.

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was recognized by Azerbaijan back in 1993,
and the evidence is the correspondence, phone calls and faxes between
officials of Azerbaijan and NKR. Heidar Aliyev authorized his son Ilham
Aliyev to negotiate with defence Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Ilham Aliyev is blacking out these facts in order to strengthen power
of Aliyevs in the country and mislead its own nation.

This comes to prove that Azerbaijani society hasn’t been brought
up in the peace culture. “Azerbaijan had no option but recognizing
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. It was done consciously, and contingency
had nothing to do with it. So another hysteria of that country is a
natural phenomenon and is an evidence that Azerbaijani society hasn’t
been brought up in the peace culture,” Armenpress quoted specialist
on Turkish studies Araks Kasyan, adding that Azerbaijan was preparing
its nation to adventurism and unconscious actions.

Heidar Aliyev never denied the letters addressed to Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, political expert Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan noted.

According to specialist on Azerbaijani studies Sargis Asatryan,
Azerbaijan has recognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic yet during war
period. “I, personally, have seen letter of Azerbaijani Defence
Minister addressed to the Defence Minister of Karabakh on 25 July,
1993. According to him nowadays Azerbaijan is doing everything possible
to black out the facts.

Letter of Azerbaijani Defence Minister issued to Nagorno-Karabakh
Defence Minister on 25 July, 1993 was published on Thursday in
the internet by Aynur Imranova, vice president on public relations
of “Umid” party. According to the letter Safar Abiyev recognized
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in 1993. Existence of correspondence has
shocked Azerbaijani society.

PRESS RELEASE
Glendale Public Library
222 East Harvard Street
Glendale CA 91205
Tel: 818-548-2030
Web:

FB:

Central Library to Host Writer/Activist Nancy Kricorian

GLENDALE, CA on Wednesday March 20, 2013, writer/activist Nancy
Kricorian will present her newly published book, All the Light there
Was, followed by a discussion. The program will began at 7pm at the
Glendale Central Library Auditorium, 222 East Harvard Street in
Glendale. The presentation is in English. Admission is free; seating is
limited. Library visitors receive 3 hours FREE parking across the street
at The Market Place parking structure with validation at the Loan Desk.

All the Light there Was, was Inspired by the life of resistance leader
and Armenian Genocide survivor Missak Manouchian. Kricorian delved into
the Armenian experience in Paris during World War II, interviewing
survivors, including the last living member of Manouchian’s team.
Kricorian weaves her exhaustive historical research, her own Armenian
heritage and her lifelong commitment to human rights causes into this
beautiful and haunting tale. The story explores the Armenian immigrant
experience through the eyes of a precocious young heroine,
fourteen-year-old Maral lives with her family in Paris, like many others
who survived the Armenian genocide in their homeland at the start of the
Nazi occupation,

Nancy Kricorian, author of the novels Zabelle and Dreams of Bread and
Fire, is a widely published essayist and activist. After graduating from
Dartmouth, Nancy studied and worked in Paris before earning an MFA in
writing at Columbia University. As an activist, she is involved with
CODEPINK: Women for Peace and the Occupy Wall Street Global Justice
Working Group. She lives in New York City.

“In order to create the characters in my novels, I collect stories. It’s
like being a collage artist, or maybe more like a bird building a nest
with twigs, grasses, old feathers, bits of twine and other scraps. I
find these stories in history books, memoirs, letters and documentary
films. For all three of my novels so far, I have had the good fortune of
talking with people who lived through the events that I am dramatizing
in my fiction.”

The program is sponsored by the Library, Arts & Culture Department,
Abril Books and the Friends of the Glendale Library.

###

CONTACT: Elizabeth Grigorian, Glendale Library, Arts & Culture (818)
548-3288

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 1-7, 2013

HIGHLIGHTS:

INFORMATION DISPUTES COUNCIL OPINION ON SUIT OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK
KHACHATRIAN VERSUS “ZHOGHOVURD” DAILY

THE VOICE OF RUSSIA UNILATERALLY ENDS COOPERATION WITH RADIO “HAY”

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR IMPEDING PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF A JOURNALIST

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DEFAMATION LAWSUITS NO LONGER APPEAR TO BE A SERIOUS
PROBLEM IN ARMENIA, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH BELIEVES

COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCY IN PTRC COUNCIL ANNOUNCED

INFORMATION DISPUTES COUNCIL OPINION ON SUIT OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK
KHACHATRIAN VERSUS “ZHOGHOVURD” DAILY

On February 5, the Information Disputes Council released an opinion on the
suit of businessman Khachik Khachatrian and his company “Yerevan Poultry”
versus the founder of “Zhoghovurd” newspaper, “Editorial Office of
‘Zhoghovurd’ Daily” LLC, and the daily’s correspondent Sona Grigorian. As it
has been reported, the reason for the suit was the article, “Famous Oligarch
Fined for Selling Expired Eggs”, published by “Zhoghovurd” on December 11,
2012. On January 10, 2013, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and
Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan submitted the suit. The
plaintiffs demanded from the respondents a refutation and compensation of
damage, caused by libel and insult, in the amount of 3 mln AMD (about $
7,300). Moreover, the Court partially secured the motion of the plaintiffs
and put the property of “Zhoghovurd” founder and Sona Grigorian under arrest
as a measure to secure the claim (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter,
January 25-31, 2013).

Taking into account that the court hearing is still at a preparatory phase
(the first preliminary session is assigned on March 22, 2013, Ed. Note), the
IDC abstained from expressing opinion about the merits of the case and only
touched upon the abovementioned motion. According to the IDC, in the way
that the Court has secured the motion, it is not deemed as interference to
the freedom of the media outlet. Consequently, the newspaper’s right to
receive and impart information was not violated, even though under some
circumstances the ban on the media’s property may restrict its right to
freedom of expression.

As far as the plaintiff’s request of monetary compensation is concerned, the
IDC assessed it as excessively disproportionate. In general, the IDC finds
that when submitting claims versus media and journalists the political
figures should abstain from demanding pecuniary compensation: “The highest
compensation award amounts demanded from journalists and media between
2010-2012 were as a rule requested by political figures, which is a
fallacious practice.” Whereas, the political figures, who serve the public
interest, just like the journalists, should apply other methods of legal
protection – as defined by law. Meanwhile, the above-mentioned statistics
prompt that very often the demands for monetary compensation awards pursues
the goal of punishing the media rather than restoring a violated right, the
IDC stressed.

The full opinion of the Information Disputes Council is available in
Armenian and English at

THE VOICE OF RUSSIA UNILATERALLY ENDS COOPERATION WITH RADIO “HAY”

Since February 1, Radio “Hay” stopped the rebroadcast of the Voice of
Russia, Russian state-owned radio broadcasting company. The press release,
disseminated by Radio “Hay” on January 31 notes that the Voice of Russia has
unilaterally broken the agreement on cooperation. According to the press
release, the reason for this decision is the hunger strike of the Head of
Radio “Hay”, Andrias Ghukasian, currently running in RA presidential
elections. It should be noted that the presidency candidate Andrias
Ghukasian started his strike from January 21, on the first day of
pre-election promotion, to protest against the participation in the
elections of the incumbent RA President Serzh Sargsian.

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR IMPEDING PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF A JOURNALIST

In the evening of January 30, at the auto pound of Yerevan Traffic Police an
incident occurred with photojournalist Gagik Shamshian. In the journalist’s
account, he arrived at the pound to shoot the cars, delivered by the police
officers from the site of the accident. According to Shamshian, he was
insulted and threatened by the owner of one of the cars, a certain R.S.,
when he was noticed taking photos. The police officers present at the site
detained R.S. Thus, criminal proceedings were instituted on charges of
Articles 164 (“Impeding the Legitimate Professional Activities of a
Journalist”) and 258 (“Public Disorder”) of RA Criminal Code. Gagik
Shamshian also reported that he is recognized victim in the case, and that a
preventive measure of arrest for two months was applied towards R.S., taking
into account his other actions.

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DEFAMATION LAWSUITS NO LONGER APPEAR TO BE A SERIOUS
PROBLEM IN ARMENIA, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH BELIEVES

On January 31, the international “Human Rights Watch” organization released
its report on human rights practices in over 90 countries of the world in
2012 ().

In the section on Armenia, the report also presents the situation on the
freedom of expression. “Politically motivated defamation lawsuits no longer
appear to be a serious problem,” the report of “Human Rights Watch”
emphasizes, in particular. At the same time, the authors of the report
reminded about the June 2012 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
report on media freedom in Europe, which found that Armenian journalists’
capacity to report was “hampered by pressures of self-censorship” and
expressed concern about Armenian TV companies’ use of political
advertisements in news coverage. The “Human Rights Watch” also indicates
some cases of journalists’ rights violation: on May 6, 2012, on the day of
elections to RA National Assembly, incidents occurred with Elina
Chillingarian, correspondent of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Armenian
Service, in Yerevan, and with Karen Alekian, correspondent of “Maks-Info”
news agency, in Gyumri.

However, we would like to stress that the suit of businessman Khachik
Khachatrian against “Zhoghovurd” daily, filed in the beginning of the year
(see above, as well as the “Property of “Zhoghovurd” Daily Put under Arrest”
of YPC Weekly Newsletter at ),
signifies that the Armenian court practice on defamation cases against media
is still not immune from decisions that restrict the freedom of expression,
and this issue should be in the spotlight of journalistic and human rights
organizations.

COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCY IN PTRC COUNCIL ANNOUNCED

On February 7, the RA President Serzh Sargsian signed a decree on holding a
competition to fill in a vacancy in the Council of Public TV and Radio
Company. The competition was announced due to the term expiration of the
PTRC Council Chairman Alexan Harutiunian.

The competition jury included: the Chairman – Avetis Berberian, Assistant to
RA President; Secretary – Meri Harutiunian, Head of Information and Public
Relations Department of RA President’s Administration; jury members – Henrik
Hovhannisian, Head of Theatre Department of the Institute of Arts of RA
National Academy of Science; Tigran Farmanian, Chief Editor of “Hayastani
Hanrapetutiun” daily; Flora Nakhshkarian, Chief Editor of “Golos Armenii”
newspaper.

Armenian citizens that are reputed and competent professionals in
journalism, law, TV and radio management, science, culture and arts, having
higher education and fluent in Armenian language, may take part in the
competition. The following individuals are ineligible for the position of
PTRC Council member: members of governing bodies of political parties;
foreign citizens and people with no citizenships; heads of public and
private TV and radio companies; individuals having contractual relations
with TV and radio companies.

The deadline for application submission is February 17, 2013.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

ARMENIAN EXPERTS SLAM IRAN PRESIDENTIAL RUNNER’S REMARK

TERT.AM
16:05 ~U 07.02.13

Iran will undermine its role on the international arena in case having
territorial claims on the neighboring states, Armenian experts have
said, commenting on a remark by an Iranian presidential candidate.

Rudik Yaralyan, who is specialized in Iranian studies, said at a
news conference on Thursday that such a statement is addressed to
the domestic nationalists whose number is not very big.

It comes after the candidate, Seyyed Mohammad Bagher Kharazi, said
in a recent remark that he will unite Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran
to the country without bloodsheds in case of elected a president.

Mher Baghdasaryan, another Iranian studies expert attending the news
conference, said the country’s foreign policy is determined by the
religious leader, with the president having no authority to make any
changes independently.

“Even if we imagine that, Iran will weaken all its international
achievements,” he said, considering the statement nonsensical.

The expert attributed the remark to a morbid fantasy for returning
territories which the country lost in the Russian-Persian war.

Yaralyan recalled President Ahmadinejad’s statement that Iran has never
had any claims on the neighboring states. He said the newly-emerged
candidate, who hasn’t even registered yet, is not even a well-known
figure though he comes from a family of politicians.

The Iranian presidential election is slated for June 14. Among the
possible candidates are a former and the incumbent chairmen of the
Iranian parliament, Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel and Ali Larijani,, an
advisor on International Affairs to the Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar
Velayati, and the mayor of Tehran, Mahammad-Bagher Ghalibaf.

MAN CHARGED OVER BALLOON EXPLOSION CASE RELEASED ON PROBATION

TERT.AM
17:42 ~U 07.02.13

The man convicted last year over the explosion of balloons in Yerevan’s
central square has been released from jail.

The Cassation Court ruled Thursday to replace Serob Bozoyan’s
imprisonment with a conditional sentence, his lawyer told Tert.am.

Bozoyan was earlier found guilty of selling balloons which caused the
explosion at the ruling Republican Party’s final pre-election rally in
May, injuring scores of people. He was sentenced to one year in jail.

But the lower court had issued the ruling after a rapid trial,
without examining the facts.

Speaking to Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s
Office, Sona Truzyan, said she isn’t aware of any plans for appealing
against the decision. “It’s a short time the ruling has been made
public so I am not familiar with the prosecutor’s position,” she said.

In comments to the local news website A1plus, Bozoyan said he is
happy about the new ruling that will finally get him out of jail.

ARMENIA HAS MADE TANGIBLE PROGRESS IN ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

17:26 07.02.2013

Progressive policies in inclusive education have made positive changes
in the lives of children with disabilities in Central and Eastern
Europe and Central Asia, according to UNICEF.

More schools are welcoming first grade children with disabilities
in Serbia as a result of years of policy advocacy. Huge nationwide
awareness raising campaigns in Montenegro and strong engagement of
civil society in promoting inclusion in Armenia have led to increased
public demands for inclusive schools, UNICEF said.

At a briefingfocusing on the issue of children with disabilities
this week during a meeting of UNICEF’s Executive Board in New York,
other governments and donor communities were urged to support policies
that realized all children’s right to quality education as one way
to reduce inequities created by social exclusion.

The Permanent Representative of Armenia, Karen Nazaryan, speaking
on behalf of the government focused on the importance of making a
strategic shift from grassroots school-level work to a comprehensive
policy effort, including the transformation of special schools.

In particular, Mr. Nazaryan mentioned that Armenia has made tangible
progress in ensuring the rights of children with disabilities,
especially in the area of education. Today 1700 children with
disabilities are studying in close to 100 inclusive schools and
this number will increase with the adoption of amendments to the
Law on Education currently being discussed by the National Assembly
of Armenia.

Among challenges Mr. Nazaryan emphasized high poverty rates among
children with disabilities, lack of comprehensive services as well
as stereotypes and discrimination towards persons with disabilities,
including children, and their ability to become full-fledged members
of the community.

SEDA AZNAVOUR DENOUNCED NEWS ON HER SISTER’S CONVERSION TO ISLAM

13:37, 7 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. Charles Aznavour’s daughter Seda
Aznavour denounced the news about her sister’s conversion to other
religion. As reports “Armenpress” Seda Aznavour posted in facebook
social network the following: “I would like to inform my all facebook
friends that we – the Aznavours are ethnic Armenians and we are
Christians, adhering particularly to the Gregorian Orthodoxy. Do not
forget that Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity and our
ancestors were martyred for their faith. We are proud to be a part of
a nation, which remains loyal top its roots. Therefore, do not always
believe what you read in newspapers. We – the Aznavours will never be
converted to another religion. Suffice to say that it was my father,
who wrote ‘Ave Maria’.”

Previously the Azerbaijani media stated that Katya Aznavour married
to an Algerian and converted to Muslim faith.

ISSUE OF RETURNING CHURCH PROPERTIES IN TURKEY

07.02.2013

Vahram Hovyan

Senior Expert at the Center for Armenian Studies, “Noravank” Foundation
Confiscation of the properties belonging to the Christian communities
in Turkey was one of the components of persecution and suppression
policy carried out on the state level in regard to the national and
religious minorities. Since 1936 the state has initiated confiscation
of the religious minorities’ properties by law. The efforts taken for
reclaiming the confiscated property have not taken an effect till
recently thus being doomed.

Hence, over the last period positive tendencies can be observed in the
issue of the protection of the rights of the religious minorities in
Turkey, including the returning of the church properties. This issue
is in direct connection with the international pressure. It is known
that one of the preconditions for Turkey’s entry in the EU was
improvement of the situation connected with the religious minorities,
which includes recovery of the confiscated ecclesiastic property. The
U.S. also, on the political ground, i.e. exerting pressure on Turkey
on certain issues, from time to time raises the problem of the
protection of the rights of the Christians, including returning of the
confiscated church properties. In this aspect the Resolution 306
passed on June 15, 2011 by the House of Representatives of the U.S.

Congress is remarkable; it urged Turkey “to return to their rightful
owners all Christian churches and other places of worship,
monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments, relics, holy sites, and
other religious properties, including movable properties, such as
artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, and other artifacts”1.

Yielding to international pressure in August 2011 Turkish authorities
passed the law on returning confiscated church properties which found
a broad response in press. It has been a long time since that law was
passed but there has been no considerable progress in the issue of
returning confiscated properties of the religious minorities in
Turkey. This period is enough to analyze the problems connected with
returning of the confiscated properties as well as further actions.

Obstacles connected with returning of the confiscated properties

Despite passing the law, there are some obstacles on practice, which
essentially complicate returning of the confiscated church properties.

These obstacles can be divided into two groups – legal and political.

In the legal aspect there are following main obstacles to returning of
the church properties:

1. Time constraints. The law warrants returning of the church property
confiscated only after 1936; meanwhile confiscations of the church
property did not take place only after 1936. Moreover, confiscation of
the property mostly took place in the prior period – in the years of
pogroms and Genocide. Over that period Armenians (Apostolic, Catholic
and Protestant), Pontic Greeks, Assyrians, etc. lost most of their
church properties. After 1936 the state confiscated only the property
they obtained after that date. It means that even in case if the law
is fully enforced the religious minorities will have a possibility to
return only a small part of the properties they lost.

2. The issue of legal status of the churches. Today only the Armenian
Apostolic, Greek Orthodox Churches and Jews have legal status in
Turkey. And de-facto existing Christian communities, such as Roman
Catholic Church, Armenian Catholic Church, Protestant churches,
including Armenian Evangelical Church, Christian Arabs, Assyrians, are
not officially recognized by the state. Though the latter accepts the
fact of their existence, it refuses to give them legal status. Even
Roman Catholic Church, despite the efforts of Vatican (the diplomatic
relations between Vatican and Turkey were established more than half a
century ago)2, could not acquire legal status in Turkey.

The absence of legal registration considerably restricts capabilities
of the unrecognized communities in this case particularly in the
aspect of returning their confiscated properties.

In the respect of the Armenian community it means that among the
Armenian Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical churches only the first
one can put forward such a claim to the state.

3. Time limitation. The law fixes one-year time limit for the
religious minorities to put forward a claim for returning the
properties they owned3.Taking into consideration the fact that
drafting of the claim is rather complicated and long process, which is
connected with the acquisition and clarifying of different documents,
it is clear that the time limitation is not enough for the appropriate
drafting of the claims and returning of the church properties.

4. The fact that the properties were sold. The Turkish government sold
a part of the confiscated properties to the individuals. In respect of
the sold properties the law warrants compensation to the religious
minorities4. However, it is yet difficult to say how adequate the
compensation will be and whether it will allow causing the loss.

Among the political obstacles two stand out:

1. Bureaucratic acrimony. Often the religious minorities face serious
bureaucratic problems5 while reclaiming their property, and this
essentially constraints the application of the law,

2. Political speculations. The Turkish party conditions fulfillment of
its liabilities before the Christian minorities by the solution of the
problems of the Muslim minorities in appropriate countries and this
additionally complicates this rather difficult process. For example,
the Minister for EU Affairs of Turkey E. Bagis connected reopening of
the Greek theological school at the Heybeli Island near Istanbul with
the efforts of the Greek government directed to the improvement of the
conditions of the Muslim minorities in Greece6.

The aforementioned legal and political obstacles reveal the formal
essence of the law passed by the Turkish authorities. The latter
rather carries out the policy of creating an image of democratic
country for international community than reclaiming usurped rights of
the religious minorities.

This is the reason why the religious minorities in Turkey managed to
acquire insignificant progress in reclaiming the church properties.

The Turkish government returned only some property to the Armenian and
Greek Patriarchates in Istanbul7. However this is not a solution of
the problem because “There are thousand of confiscated churches and
estates belonging to the community all over the territory of Turkey
which must be returned to their rightful owners”8.

Prospects of cooperation between the churches

Despite some difficulties connected with the enforcement of the law,
it, nevertheless, opens good prospects for the Armenian Apostolic,
Catholic and Evangelical Churches in the aspect of returning their
confiscated properties. The Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia has already started exerting efforts to return their
confiscated properties.

In order to obtain some success in this issue there must be
cooperation between the churches which can proceed on two levels –
“intra-national” and “international”.

â~@¢ Intra-national cooperation supposes inter-confessional cooperation
between Armenian Apostolic. Catholic and Evangelical Churches and this
necessity seems to be acknowledged by them. Due to the fact that this
problem also has legal and political implication it seems reasonable
to involve in this process traditional Armenian parties working in the
Diaspora. In this context the statement of the Catholicosis of the
Great House of Cilicia Aram I9 is remarkable: “The Catholicosate of
the Great House of Cilicia in cooperation with the Armenian Catholic
and Protestant churches and our parties will draft a working programme
in the near future”10.

â~@¢ International cooperation implies cooperation with other Christian
churches in Turkey – Greek Orthodox Church, Christian Arabs,
Assyrians, Roman Catholic Church, Protestant Churches.

Intra-national and international cooperation between the churches
directed to the returning of the church properties can manifest itself
in the following issues:

â~@¢ Struggle for prolonging a time limitation- Christian churches can
jointly struggle for the extension of twelve-month deadline provided
by the law.

â~@¢ Drafting and submitting of the claims – Even if it is impossible to
draft and submit claims jointly, the Christian communities can at
least exert joint efforts by helping each other to draft claims of
each community.

â~@¢ Legal and information assistance – Without having a complete idea
about the complicated legal system of Turkey, separate communities
cannot adequately protect their rights. Besides, the issue of the
church property is connected with large amount of information which
probably may not be possessed by separate communities too, even in
connection with the issues referring particularly to them.

Correspondingly legal and information mutual help (legal
consultations, information sharing, etc.) also plays an important role
for protecting their rights more efficiently.

â~@¢ Calculations – The issue of returning of the church properties is
also connected with numerous and various (sometimes even difficult)
calculations. In this issue some churches can also provide mutual aid.

We believe that for exerting joint efforts directed to the reclaiming
church property as well as making those efforts more efficient, it is
necessary to establish joint church working group dealing with the
aforementioned issues.

1 H. Res. Resolution 306 Urging the Republic of Turkey to Safeguard
its Christian Heritage and to Return Confiscated Church Properties,
June 15, 2011.

2 The diplomatic relations between Turkey and Vatican were established
in 1960 Õ~NÕ”Õ¬Õ°Õ¥Õ¬Õ´ Ô²Õ¡Õ¸O~BÕ´, Ô¹Õ¸O~BO~@O~DÕ”Õ¡Õ¶ O~G Õ¶O~@Õ¡ O~DO~@Õ”Õ½Õ¿Õ¸Õ¶ÕµÕ¡ O~CÕ¸O~DO~@Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ½Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶Õ¶Õ¥O~@Õ¨,
Yerevan, Publishing House of the Yerevan State University, 2010., p.

163)

3 Ð’ ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~Fии Ñ~@еаДизаÑ~Fии закона о возвÑ~@аÑ~Iении немÑ~CÑ~AÑ~CДÑ~LманÑ~Aким Ñ~@еДигиознÑ~Kм
обÑ~Iинам конÑ~DиÑ~Aкованного имÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~Bва меÑ~HаÑ~NÑ~B бÑ~NÑ~@окÑ~@аÑ~BиÑ~GеÑ~Aкие пÑ~@епонÑ~K,

4 IbidO~I ВоДгаÑ~@Ñ~Aкой Ñ~FеÑ~@ковной обÑ~Iине в СÑ~BамбÑ~CДе бÑ~CдÑ~CÑ~B возвÑ~@аÑ~IенÑ~K Ñ~@анее
конÑ~DиÑ~AкованнÑ~Kе обÑ~JекÑ~BÑ~K недвижимого имÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~Bва,
; ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~FиÑ~O веÑ~@неÑ~B Ñ…Ñ~@иÑ~AÑ~Bианам и
иÑ~CдеÑ~Oм конÑ~DиÑ~AкованнÑ~CÑ~N Ñ~AобÑ~AÑ~BвенноÑ~AÑ~BÑ~L,

5 See: Ð’ ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~Fии Ñ~@еаДизаÑ~Fии закона о возвÑ~@аÑ~Iении немÑ~CÑ~AÑ~CДÑ~LманÑ~Aким
Ñ~@еДигиознÑ~Kм обÑ~Iинам конÑ~DиÑ~Aкованного имÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~Bва меÑ~HаÑ~NÑ~B бÑ~NÑ~@окÑ~@аÑ~BиÑ~GеÑ~Aкие
пÑ~@епонÑ~K,

6 Ð~^Ñ~BкÑ~@Ñ~KÑ~Bие ХаДкинÑ~Aкой богоÑ~AДовÑ~Aкой Ñ~HкоДÑ~K завиÑ~AиÑ~B оÑ~B вÑ~AÑ~BÑ~@еÑ~GнÑ~KÑ… Ñ~Hагов Ñ~Aо
Ñ~AÑ~BоÑ~@онÑ~K ДÑ~@еÑ~Fии, заÑ~OвиД Ñ~BÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкий миниÑ~AÑ~BÑ~@,

7 See, e.g., ibidO~I ТÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкие вДаÑ~AÑ~Bи наÑ~GинаÑ~NÑ~B возвÑ~@аÑ~IаÑ~BÑ~L конÑ~DиÑ~AкованнÑ~CÑ~N
недвижимоÑ~AÑ~BÑ~L Ð~ZонÑ~AÑ~BанÑ~BинопоДÑ~LÑ~Aкого Ð~_аÑ~BÑ~@иаÑ~@хаÑ~Bа,
; ТÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкие вДаÑ~AÑ~Bи веÑ~@нÑ~CДи
Ð~ZонÑ~AÑ~BанÑ~BинопоДÑ~LÑ~Aкой Ð~_аÑ~BÑ~@иаÑ~@хии здание Ñ~HкоДÑ~K в ДаДаÑ~Bе,

8 Õ~@Õ¡O~@Õ¸O~BÕ© Õ~MÕ¡Õ½Õ¸O~BÕ¶ÕµÕ¡Õ¶, Ô”Õ¶Õ¹ÕºÕ¥Õ~^Õ½ ÕºÕ¥Õ¿O~D Õ§ Õ~MO~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~DÕ¶ Õ¡O~@Õ±Õ¡Õ£Õ¡Õ¶O~DÕ” Ô¹Õ¸O~BO~@O~DÕ”Õ¡ÕµÕ”
Õ´Õ¥O~@Õ±Õ¥O~AÕ´Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¶Õ¡Õ­Õ¡Õ±Õ¥Õ¼Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶Õ¶Õ¥O~@Õ”Õ¶,

9 2012Õ©. O~CÕ¥Õ¿O~@Õ¾Õ¡O~@Õ” 23-26-Õ¨ Ô±Õ¶Õ©Õ”Õ¬Õ”Õ¡Õ½Õ¸O~BÕ´ ”Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¯Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ O~AÕ¥Õ²Õ¡Õ½ÕºÕ¡Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶Õ¨Õ~]
ճանաչոO~BմՔO~A հատոO~BO~AոO~Bմ” խոO~@ագO~@ով մՔՔազգայՔն գՔտաժողովՔ O~Cակման խոսO~DոO~BմO~I
Concluding address at the international conference on “The Armenian
Genocide – from Recognition to Reparation” held on February 23-26,
2012.

10 Õ~@Õ¡Õ½Õ¯, 2012, O~CÕ¥Õ¿O~@Õ¸O~BÕ¡O~@, Õ©Õ”O~B 2, Õ§Õ” 116O~I

“Globus” analytical journal, #1, 2013

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