Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

DigitalJournal.com
Dec 28 2011

Priests in Bethlehem come to blows in battle of the brooms

By Katerina Nikolas

Bethlehem – The annual Christmas clean-up of the Church of Nativity in
Bethlehem descended into a broom-fighting brawl between priests.

In a scene more reminiscent of pantomime performance than religious
peace, rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests fought with
broomsticks inside Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. Up to 100
priests were involved in the fighting.

AFP reported “For a quarter of an hour bearded and robed priests laid
into each other with fists, brooms and iron rods .” None of the
priests was seriously injured in the fighting.

Problems regularly break out between the two groups as they argue over
who should be responsible for maintaining the upkeep of the Church.
The 1,700-year-old Church is one of the holiest sites in Christendom.
Pictures of the fight provide great hilarity to other religious groups
and amused tourists who were visiting the site.

According to the BBC, Lt-Col Khaled al-Tamimi of the Bethlehem police, said
“It was a trivial problem that… occurs every year. No one was
arrested because all those involved were men of God.”

From: Baghdasarian

Catholic Culture
Dec 28 2011

Monks brawl at Bethlehem basilica
December 28, 2011

An ugly brawl broke out between Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic
monks at the basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem on December 28.

Police were called in to separate the angry monks. No major injuries
were reported.

Jurisdiction over the basilica–built on the site where Jesus was
born–is shared by Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Roman Catholic
priests, in an uneasy arrangement, in which parties jealously guard
their own prerogatives. Today’s clash began when one group of monks
charged that another had infringed on its jurisdiction within the
building.

The scuffle broke out–as such confrontations usually do–when the
monks were cleaning the building, and working in areas beyond the
patterns of their regular liturgical use.

From: Baghdasarian

APA, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2011

Russian presidential candidate says he supports idea of recognition of
`Nagorno Karabakh Republic’

[ 30 Dec 2011 17:34 ]
Baku. Azer Mustafayev – APA. `Russia, Europe and the US partially
recognize the rights of Armenians to their homeland and Turkey should
defer to it’, said leader of Russian Liberal Democratic Party (RLDP),
MP and presidential candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky in his meeting with
president of the Moscow regional bureau of the Russian-Armenian Union
Yuriy Navoyan, APA reports quoting the Armenian new agencies.

RLDP leader said he supported Navoyan’s idea that `Nagorno Karabakh
should be recognized as an independent country’. `The current
conjuncture prevents the international recognition of Nagorno
Karabakh. Armenians conduct fair campaign for their rights. I defend
the truth, and the truth is on the side of Armenians. I welcomed the
French parliament’s draft law. The history can not deny the fact of
the achievement of restoration of the people’s rights by a long and
successive struggle’.

From: Baghdasarian

Tehran Times, Iran
Dec 30 2011

Sarkozy gets a black eye over new bill

Saeed Khalouzadeh
On Line: 30 December 2011 18:04

The French parliament passed a law in 2001 recognizing the killing of
more than one million Armenians by Turkish soldiers in 1915 as
genocide.

The move angered the Turkish government at the time, leading to a
series of tit-for-tat actions by Ankara and Paris.

The French National Assembly approved a bill criminalizing denial of
the Armenian genocide in 2006, but that measure was rejected by the
Senate.

However, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s recent trip to Yerevan
paved the way for the approval of a similar bill in the lower house of
the French parliament. According to the new bill, anyone who denies
the incident could be subject to a one-year prison sentence and a fine
of 45,000 euros.

The Senate must still approve the bill for it to become a law.
However, the low number of votes it received in the lower house shows
that it is very unlikely that the controversial bill will be ratified
by the Senate.

Moreover, after Turkey’s harsh response to the move, the French
government was censured in several quarters. Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan vehemently criticized the bill, cancelled all
economic, political, and military meetings with France, and recalled
the Turkish ambassador from Paris.

Turkey views the move as a campaign ploy by Sarkozy’s ruling party
meant to attract the votes of the country’s Armenian minority.

Armenians have an influential role in the political, economic, and
cultural spheres in France.

The ratification of the bill by the lower house of the French
parliament has had many repercussions for Sarkozy inside France.

The move, which was meant to gain votes for the ruling party in the
upcoming presidential election, has backfired. The country’s Turkish
minority has protested against the measure, and other Muslim groups in
France have also expressed their dissatisfaction.

The French government’s failure to respond to the economic needs of
its citizens and the decline in France’s position in the international
arena have caused discontent in the country. Thus, the new bill could
cause Sarkozy to lose votes in the upcoming election.

The move could also intensify Turkey’s anger with France over the
country’s obstruction of the accession of Turkey to the European
Union. Influential governments in the EU, including France, have
opposed the accession, mainly due to the fact that the Turkish
government is currently in the hands of a party that follows Islamic
principles. The applications of countries like Spain, Bulgaria,
Hungary, and Cyprus were easily accepted. But over the past few years,
Turkey has made serious efforts to gain admission to the European
Union, but to no avail.

Bearing all this in mind, it is clear that the controversial bill will
have many ramifications for both Turkey and France.

However, due to Turkey’s harsh response to the move, France will
experience more negative repercussions than Sarkozy had anticipated.

Saeed Khalouzadeh is a political analyst and an expert on Europe and
France based in Tehran.

From: Baghdasarian

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 30 2011

Turkish assembly speaker sees link between PKK and ASALA

Turkish Assembly Speaker Jemil Cicek said that the terrorist
organization ASALA and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party have links,
Turkish television reports.

Cicek also said that Turkey plans to take counter-measures against the
recognition of Armenian Genocide and terrorism.

Paris passed the law on punishments for the denial of Armenian
Genocide on the day ASALA killed a Turkish consul for tourism, a niece
of Cicek of the Turkish Embassy in Lisbon.

ASALA is the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia, a
transnational ethnic organization. The US State Department recognizes
it as a terrorist organization. The organization was headed by Akop
Akopyan (Arutyun Tagushyan), who was killed at outside his house in
Athens in 1988. ASALA fights to force Turkey to recognize Armenian
Genocide during WWI.

From: Baghdasarian

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 29 2011

Armenia to continue cooperation with NATO in 2012

Armenia has successfully concluded cooperation with NATO this year on
about 130 points and approved a program for cooperation for 2012-2013,
Secretary of the National Security Council Artur Bagdasaryan said,
News Armenia reports.

It is an ambitious program for improvement of Armenian defenses and
cooperation in emergency situations, Bagdasaryan said. Armenia formed
Crisis Centers with the support of NATO and the 911 service.

Commenting on cooperation with the European Union, the secretary of
the Security Council said that the cooperation program with the
European Union consists of 197 points, 90% of which have been
fulfilled.

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIAN FM: “A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN 2011 ON SOME KNOTTED ISSUES OF THE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT”

APA
Dec 28 2011
Azerbaijan

Baku. Victoria Dementieva – APA. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Russia determined main foreign policy events in 2011.

According to the ministry, the most important direction of the Russian
foreign policy in outgoing year was the development of cooperation
with the partners in CIS, which celebrated its 20th anniversary,
and the membership of the World Trade Organization.

The Russia’s involvement in the settlement of the conflicts was
also among the main foreign policy events. “Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev attended the meetings of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
in Sochi on March and in Kazan on June. A mutual understanding has been
achieved in these meetings on some knotted issues of the settlement
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict”.

From: Baghdasarian

“EN TURQUIE, LES FRANCAIS SONT INQUIETS” ECRIT LE PARISIEN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
jeudi 29 decembre 2011

Le Parisien du 27 decembre proposait un article sur la situation
des francais en Turquie après le voe de la loi de penalisation du
negationnisme des genocides et la colère d’Ankara. Furieux, les Turcs
multiplient les manifestations (ici devant le consulat de France) pour
protester contre le vote a l’Assemblee nationale de la loi reprimant la
negation du genocide armenien. La colère des Turcs n’est pas retombee
après le vote la semaine dernière a l’Assemblee de la proposition de
loi reprimant la negation du genocide des Armeniens.

Les quelque 4000 Francais installes a Istanbul la ressentent de plus
en plus. la Turquie gèle sa cooperation avec la France Politique :
les petites phrases du dimanche ” Les Turcs sont blesses ; eux qui
etaient très francophiles vivent cela comme une nouvelle declaration
d’hostilite et une trahison a leur egard “, temoigne ce patron installe
depuis une dizaine d’annees sur les rives du Bosphore. ” On m’a demande
comment je pouvais encore parler francais “, poursuit ce Francais,
marie a une Turque. ” La crispation est la “, confirme Marie-Rose,
coach et responsable de la section socialiste dans la ville. Mais
beaucoup d’expatries assurent que la colère vise davantage Sarkozy et
les responsables politiques que les Francais en general. ” Mes parents
etaient inquiets pour moi, mais je les ai rassures, il n’y a pas
animosite a notre egard “, explique France, installee a Istanbul. ”
Au fil du temps, les liens privilegies historiques entre Paris et
Ankara s’estompent et c’est prejudiciable pour la France, estime
Marie-Rose. La francophonie recule. Il y avait beaucoup d’echanges,
d’expositions et aujourd’hui il y a de moins en moins d’ardeur. ”
Mais l’inquietude porte surtout sur le plan economique.

Quelque 400 entreprises sont implantees en Turquie dont Carrefour,
Renault, Areva, Sodexo, et la France est le deuxième investisseur
etranger. ” A ce stade, il est difficile de tirer un bilan des demandes
de represailles economiques de la part du gouvernement turc “, explique
Raphaël Esposito, directeur de la chambre de commerce francaise en
Turquie. Selon lui, un premier point pourra etre fait en janvier. ”
On a peur sur le long terme, confirme un employe du groupe Lafarge. Il
y aura sûrement un effet. Les gens sont furieux et nous demandent si
nous sommes totalement francais. ” Beaucoup d’entreprises travaillent
en partenariat avec des groupes turcs, ce qui, espèrent-elles, peut
limiter les represailles. ” On craint que des marches se ferment
aux Francais lors des appels d’offres, rapporte Raphaël Esposito, ou
que des entreprises turques refusent de cooperer avec des Francais. ”
Depuis quelques jours, un site recense les produits a boycotter, après
l’appel des chambres de commerce aux represailles contre les marques
francaises. Les salaries tentent de se rassurer en se souvenant que
les appels lances lors de la reconnaissance du genocide armenien
par la France en 2001 et en 2006, n’avaient ete suivis que sur une
periode limitee. ” Cela avait dure au maximum un mois et demi “,
explique un dirigeant.

From: Baghdasarian

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN – PIERRE LELLOUCHE AFFIRME QUE DES REPRESAILLES TURQUES SERAIENT ILLEGALES
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 29 decembre 2011

Le secretaire d’Etat au Commerce exterieur Pierre Lellouche a
appele mercredi les dirigeants turcs a faire preuve de retenue après
l’adoption par les deputes francais d’une loi penalisant la negation
des genocides, prevenant que des represailles seraient “illegales”.

Interroge sur France 2 sur l’eventualite de mesures de represailles de
la Turquie a l’encontre des societes francaises, M. Lellouche a declare
: “Je pense que non. Je ne souhaite pas que les Turcs s’embarquent
dans une affaire de ce genre parce que ce serait proprement illegal”.

“Ils sont membres de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce, ils ont
un accord de libre echange avec l’Union europeenne et il est hors de
question pour qui que ce soit de discriminer les societes francaises”,
a-t-il poursuivi. “Je compte sur la sagesse des dirigeants turcs”.

“Il y a ce point d’histoire qui n’est pas negligeable”, a releve M.

Lellouche, faisant reference au genocide armenien de 1915-17.

“Quand on est sur le continent europeen, il est bon de regarder
l’histoire en face, sans donner de lecons a qui que ce soit, sans
aller vers l’escalade”.

Selon lui, “l’apaisement en Europe passe par un peu de calme, un peu
de retenue”. “Ce qui me paraît essentiel dans cette affaire, c’est
la desescalade. (…) Il y a eu des propos très durs de la part de
nos partenaires turcs”, a-t-il estime.

“Il faut donc trouver les voies d’une sortie de crise. Nous avons des
interets strategiques majeurs communs entre la France et la Turquie,
beaucoup d’interets economiques aussi qui ne sont quand meme pas
negligeables”, a-t-il souligne.

From: Baghdasarian

$100,000 RAISED AT FERRAHIAN SCHOOL FUNDRAISER
BY DR. RAZMIG KRUMIAN

asbarez
Monday, December 19th, 2011

A scene from the fundraiser

Optimism was in the air on the chilly evening of November 19 as the
School Board of Holy Martyrs Ferrahian/Cabayan/Pilavjian Schools
held a dinner fundraiser at the home of Rafi and Anoush Kuyumjian in
Tarzana, California.

Invitations to attend this beautifully appointed event were sent to
members of the greater Ferrahian community. It was attended by more
than one hundred parents, alumni, and community members who were all
unified in one objective: to help support the raising of the next
generation of Armenian Americans.

The delightful mood of the evening was initially set by the large
white tents which enclosed the different areas of the venue. Beautiful
lights decorated the entire enclosure which included a formal dining
area as well as a lounge. The relaxing atmosphere allowed guests to
socialize, mingle and feel right at home!

Dr. Garo Tchakian, a longtime community supporter, Ferrahian alumnus
and parent said that it was a night that was both impressive and
humbling, all wrapped under an elegant tent. “We felt like we were
taken to another far-off location with friends, but felt like one
big family. We all had one goal with open hearts and great hosts.”

Host and school board chairman, Rafi Kuyumjian, expressed his
heartfelt appreciation to all who attended and urged them to be as
generous as possible. The guests then enjoyed the vocal performance
of Araxia Varteresyan. Afterwards, Principal John Kossakian informed
the audience about the academic and financial state of the school
and kept the crowd laughing by adding humorous anecdotes relating to
school life. He also surprised everyone with his promise to jump into
the cold swimming pool should the evening’s pledges reach $100,000!

By the end of the evening, $100,000 had been pledged and the crowd
watched in amazement as Principal Kossakian kept his word and
dove fully dressed into the pool! “United we stand!” said Ferrahian
alumnus and parent Seta Aghjayan. “It was an evening filled with magic,
exciting memories and accomplishments! Thank you to the gracious hosts
and hostess for opening your hearts and exquisite home. Many thanks
to our Principal, John Kossakian, for creating an ambiance that will
be remembered for many years to come.”

The recent downturn in the economy has negatively impacted the
financial health of Holy Martyrs due to a decrease in both enrollment
and donations. In addition, the school has had to face another
financial challenge. For more than a decade, the Lincy Foundation has
helped all Armenian Schools with its sizeable yearly donations. With
its dissolution, the school has lost yet another important form
of support.

Despite these difficult times, Holy Martyrs Armenian School has
refused to compromise the quality of its curriculum. It continues
to value the exposure of its students to the fine arts, technology,
health and many other enriching co-curricular and extracurricular
programs and activities.

Encouraged by its success, the School Board plans to organize smaller
scale events that will not only help the school raise much needed
funds, but also unite the community in a common goal. The School Board
is grateful to all those who took part in this event by generously
contributing their time, money, and talents.

From: Baghdasarian