Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

NEW CORPSES FOUND ON THE A320 CRASH SPOT

Yerevan, May 5. ArmInfo. The Emergency Department of Russia reports
that new bodies are found of the spot of the A320 liner crash.

Russian mass media repost that the corpses will be taken aout of
the sea later, as searches are suspended in connection with mourning
ceremony in Sochi town.

Today evening another airplane will arrive to Zvartnots airport,
Yerevan, carrying the bodies of the killed passengers. To be reminded,
113 people died in result of the air accident. 53 corpses have been
already found, of which 41 identified.
From: Baghdasarian

RF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SERVICE: SEARCH OPERATIONS WHERE A320 CRASHED HELD IN TWO DIRECTIONS

Moscow, May 4. ArmInfo-RBC. Search operations in the area of the crash
in the Black Sea will be in two directions: at the spot and in the
bottom, Andrey Legoshin, Deputy Head of Russian ESS Operative Office,
told journalists.

A special a deep-sea robot was to be used to try to recover the
plane’s recorders, after the fuselage is found. The search operations
are coordinated by helicopters. Search and rescue teams had pulled
48 bodies from the water, 20 bodies were identified, including
a stewardess.

To recap, the wrecked Airbus A- 320 was carrying out U 8967 fight
Yerevan-Sochi. French specialists of Airbus Industry concern also
arrived in the place. Besides, the sonar system and deep-sea devices
were assembled. Investigation group of RF Prosecutor General’s Office
(PGO) headed by Vladimir Lisenko, Head of the RF PGP Department for
Investigation of Special Cases, is in the place of the crash. Besides,
arriving in the disaster place were Deputy Prosecutor General of RF
Nikolay Shepel, Krasnodar Regional Prosecutor Sergey Yeremin, and
other officials of the region. Preliminary data say that all the
133 passengers and the crew of Airbus A320 that crashed into the
Black Sea were killed. Among them were 26 citizens of Russia, one
citizen of Ukriane. Krasnodar Regional Prosecutor’s Office initiated
a criminal case on the Article 263.3 of RF Criminal Code (violation
of safe transportation and air transport exploitation rules resulting
in death of two and more people).
From: Baghdasarian

VICTOR YUSHCHENKO OFFERS CONDOLENCE ON TRAGEDY OF ARMENIAN PLANE CRASH

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 04 2006

KIEV, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Ukrainian President
Victor Yushchenko sent letters of condolence to the Armenian President
Robert Kocharian and the Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the
letters he offered condolence to the family members and friends of
the victims, to the Armenian and Russian peoples on the tragedy of
the Armavia crash near the Russian city of Sochi. According to the
press service of the Ukrainian president, the tragic news caused a
feeling of deep grief in Ukraine. Victor Yushchenko’s message to the
Armenian President Robert Kocharian in particular reads: “We share
your deep pain from the irreplacable loss that the friendly people of
Armenia has suffered. On behalf of the Ukrainian people and myself,
I offer sincere condolences to the families of the victims and the
Armenian people.”
From: Baghdasarian

JEWISH COMMUNITY ASSISTS FAMILY OF PLANE CRASH VICTIM

Federation of Jewish Communitites of CIS, Russia
May 4 2006

SOCHI, Russia – Last night, an A-320 airplane routed to fly from the
Armenian capital of Yerevan to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi
ended up crashing in the sea just 500 meters off the coast. Upon
arriving at the accident site, the Russian search and rescue team
discovered that all of the 105 passengers and 8 crew members have died.

Rabbi Arie Edelkopf, the Chief Rabbi of Sochi and a Chabad Lubavitch
emissary, arrived to the site together with the rescue team. He
discovered that one Jewish person, who happens to be a citizen of
Armenia, was among the passengers to die on this tragic day. “With
the help of the rescue team, we will find the remains of this person
in order to bury him in accordance with Jewish national traditions,”
said Rabbi Edelkopf in reaction to this tragedy and the local Jewish
community’s response.

The Chief Rabbi of Armenia, Rabbi Gersh Burshtein, has already been
in contact with the family of the Jew whose life ended with this
airplane accident. He informed them about the carrying out of the
search for their loved-one at the accident site and promised to
provide the family every assistance possible.

Because of the catastrophe, Armenia and Russia have declared May,
5th the day of national mourning.

Both the Jewish communities of Armenia and the Jewish community
of Russia send their condolences to the families of this terrible
accident.
From: Baghdasarian

THANK YOU, MR. URPER
Recep Guvelioglu

The New Anatolian, Turkey
May 2 2006

I was going to write another article about the Armenian genocide
claims. But after I read a news item in the newspaper Sabah, I changed
my mind.

According to the report, a cultural and political crisis occurred
in Bergama, a town whose biblical name is Pergamum. Greek Fener
Patriarch Bartholemeos wanted to organize a special religious ceremony
for St. John’s Day. All the local leaders of political parties —
with the exception of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party
– submitted a petition to the local authority, demanding that no
permission be given to this ritual: They claimed that Bartholemeos
wants to create a positive atmosphere for his claims to have an
ecumenical status. But the mayor of Bergama, who is a member of the
AK Party, Rasit Urper, rejected that idea and gave the permission for
this special ceremony. Urper said: “What age are we living in? We
started this event to boost faith tourism three years ago. They’re
trying to mix politics up with this event.”

Personally I congratulate the mayor of Bergama, Mr. Urper.

What really bothers me is the “mentality of the other side.”

Let me give you an example. Let’s say that as a devoted Muslim you
would like to organize “Mevlud” in one of the European cities, but
the municipal authority doesn’t give you permission. What would you do?

What would your reaction be?

The claim that the patriarch wants to create a positive atmosphere
for his ecumenical status by organizing St. John’s Day in Bergama is
also funny. As a patriarch it is part of his duty to do this. This
event will not add any power to him. What it would add is tourism to
the region.

This kind of event enriches faith tourism. It creates an extra spending
opportunity for regular tourists.

There is another point I should add.

Bergama (Pergamum) has an importance in Christian history. It is the
site of one of the seven churches mentioned in the New Testament.

So if Christians organize a religious ceremony there, why should this
bother us? Would it not be their right to do so?

If you say “no,” then why are you trying to get Turkey into the
European Union?

Why are you trying to be included in the civilized world?

St. John and other apostles are also mentioned in our Koran as “Ensar”
(supporter of Jesus Christ). To a certain extent we Muslims recognize
them.

Then why are we getting bothered about their religious ceremony?

St. John described Pergamum as “Satan’s throne,” mostly because of
the Temple of Zeus which existed there. Now that great monumental
temple can’t be seen there. It’s in Berlin. Because of the negligence
of our people. The negligence of narrow-minded people.

Bigotry and negligence have destroyed many historical artifacts in
this beautiful land.

That’s why I would like thank Mr. Urper again and again .At least he
saved us from a great shame.
From: Baghdasarian

CONVICTION OF ARMENIAN JOURNALIST IN TURKEY OVERTURNED: PRESS

Agence France Presse — English
May 1, 2006 Monday 4:07 PM GMT

A court in Ankara Monday overturned on appeal the conviction of
an Armenian journalist in Turkey, accused of insulting the Turkish
identity, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Hrant Dink, publisher of the bi-lingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper
Agos, was sentenced to a suspended six-month sentence in October by
a court in Istanbul for an article published in February 2004.

The article about the massacre of Armenians during World War I
in Turkey called on Armenians “to turn now to the new blood of an
independent Armenia, which alone is capable of liberating the Armenian
diaspora” and to reject any Turkish roots.

The appeal judges in Ankara overturned the conviction due to procedural
errors, Anatolia reported, adding that the case will be referred back
to the Istanbul court for retrial.

Dink’s lawyer, Fethiye Cetin, could not confirm the Anatolia report
when contacted by AFP, as he had not yet received word from the
appeals court.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917 in the final days of the
Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of Turkey.

It remains a sensitive issue as Turkey categorically rejects claims
of genocide. Ankara argues that 300,000 Armenians and at least as
many Turks died in civil strife when the Armenians took up arms
for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided with Russian troops
invading the crumbling Ottoman Empire.
From: Baghdasarian

Armenian minister, NKR speaker discuss Karabakh settlement

Mediamax news agency
28 Apr 06

Yerevan, 28 April: The speaker of the natioanal assembly of the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR], Ashot Gulyan, and Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan discussed the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict in Stepanakert today.

Gulyan informed Oskanyan of recent debates in parliament in
Stepanakert of prospects for settling the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. The speaker handed over a statement adopted in the debates
to the minister, who will submit it to appropriate international
organizations.

Oskanyan spoke about the current and possible developments around the
settlement process and the policy of the Armenian leadership on the
negotiations. The minister pointed out an important detail that unlike
the previous stage, the key point of the talks and the main topic of
discussioins will be the issue of self-determination of Nagornyy
Karabakh.
From: Baghdasarian

EUROPEAN COURT CONSIDERS ACCEPTABLE COMPLAINT OF “GERAGUYN KHORHURD”
CLUB RELATING TO 2003 ELECTIONS

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Court of Human Rights
considered acceptable the complaint of the “Geraguyn Khorhurd”
(Supreme Council) deputies’ club about violation of its observer’s
rights in 2003 NA elections. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the club,
the corresponding chamber of the court made a decision on April 11 to
infrom the RA Government about it, proposing to express in written
form its attitude relating to that complaint till July 6 of this year.
From: Baghdasarian

PanARMENIAN.Net

Union of Armenians of Israel Successfully Functioning

28.04.2006 21:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Union of Armenians of Israel, which is the
member of the World Armenian Congress, was registered a year ago in
Israel, director of the Tel Aviv Institute of Eastern Europe and CIS,
Knesset member Alexander Tsinker told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
According to him, the Union includes the Israeli citizens, natives of
Armenia. `We have two organizations. One is `Ararat’ and the other,
`Nairi’, was formed by the natives of Gyumri. This year the day of
Holocaust coincided with the Armenian Genocide and on April 24 we
marked both dates. Recently we organized a concert of Armenian and
Jewish songs. The organization also brings to Israel books and
textbooks from Armenia. As a matter of fact the Armenian community in
Israel is more numerous that the Jewish one in Armenia. Actually we
have two communities – the church community in Jerusalem and the
secular community in Tel Aviv and other towns,’ Tsinker said.

He also remarked that the term `Armenian complimentarism’ is already
used in Israel. `We closely examine the principles of the Armenian
foreign policy. It’s interesting and can be useful,’ Tsinker said.
From: Baghdasarian

From: Hrach Kalsahakian <[email protected]>
Subject: Two admirable schools need your attention

Azad-Hye, Dubai

By Taline Babikian
 
24 April is not a day of mourning only, but a day to celebrate life that we
are still here and alive.
 
Under what circumstances the Turkish government might accept the Genocide,
no one knows. No one even knows if we will see this acceptance, but we all
work in our own ways to see it come true. No blood is cheap, no soul is
worthless. We are humans.
 
I thank all governments who have accepted the Genocide, I thank all
individuals and organisations who work for this cause. I thank all who keep
the proofs of the Genocide alive, be it pictures, stories, diaries,
documentaries, schools. I thank teachers who teach who we are, where we come
from, the values of our heritage and the ability to balance all these with
our immediate environment.
 
Education is a universe that opens doors to many things; with wisdom hand in
hand with education much could be done.
 
My letter today is not mainly about 24 April, we know this by heart. My
letter today is about 2 institutions that have marked my life – Birds’ Nest
and Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI).
 
Both have been the shelters of victims of 1915 events.

Birds’ Nest is a home now for children from broken families and orphans who
live and study there. It is also the school where the small Armenian
community of Byblos send their children to. A multi-purpose institute.
Birds’ Nest needs your help. Birds’ Nest’s history is very important as it
served as a home to many children back from the 1920 till today. The
archives show many pictures from that time, many victims of the 1915. Birds’
Nest was founded by Ms Mary Jacobson, an admirable character of compassion
and strength. It needs your donation.
 
Melkonian on the other hand even though it was founded in the 1920s as a
shelter and orphanage evolved into something much greater then one could
expect. From an orphanage that sheltered children from the 1915, to a well
known educational institute recognised, admired and complimented by many.

This Institute was founded by 2 brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian. Their
aim was and is to have graduates from their Institute to be strong in
whatever corner of the world they go. They have a vision and that vision is
to have as many students from the diaspora to attend their school and get
deep and strong knowledge of their ancestors, culture heritage and of course
combined with admirable level of education. Thousands passed from Melkonian,
thousands went into the four corners of the world, having the knowledge of
who they are.
 
Whatever your background, you came out knowing more about Armenian history,
music, folk dance … much more than a typical Armenian school can offer.
Coming from diverse social environmental life, the students were able to
learn how other students lived in their respective countries and built
frienships and many later married.
 
In their will the Melkonian brothers asked AGBU CB of that time to manage
the school with conditions ensuring that the school functions at all times
and if at any time AGBU CB is not able to manage they must hand over the
management of MEI to the Patriarch of Istanbul as sole inheritor.

The MEI court case has ordered now to freeze all assets of MEI in Cyprus.
 
Alumni in many countries, individuals, Pro Edvcatio, joined efforts to stop
this wrong and unjust move of the CB of AGBU who at first ignored the
letters, petitions, emails that were sent to their head office in New York.

Many AGBU members who are Melkonian graduates were not able to support due
to the fact that they are employees or somehow been manipulated and couldn’t
voice their opinion. Even AGBU members who are not “Melkoniantsi” do not
approve what’s happening at the top of the management, but their questions
and remarks are falling on deaf ears.

The school’s Board of Directors was ignored. In the last 2-3 years the
school was actually run by Mr. Anderson, whose job turned out to be
establishing the closing procedure of MEI.

Many still believe in the noble aim of AGBU, but AGBU is something and its
CB is another issue, from whom the members must start to demand transparency
of accounts in all the departments, something that we haven’t seen in ages.

Blind trust is not advisable in any institute.

AGBU unfortunately is not run with the same spirit of late presidents, even
though the motto is the same it is only on paper.

I hope to see AGBU CB reverse its point of view. The rent that the CB is
collecting from the commercial centers that should be going to the school’s
fund is going to the pockets of the AGBU.

That income must have gone to MEI’s fund many years ago.

There is no shame is reversing a decision, it will not discredit AGBU CB,
but it will show to all that even our leaders like our parents make mistakes
that they should fix.

A genocide of education and culture is taking place while we’re looking back
at past events.

This message is against the decision of closing MEI, it is to support our
schools, to send our children to our schools rather then putting them to
local schools from early age.

Two admirable schools need your attention.

Taline Babikian could be reached at the following e-mail:
[email protected]

Find more details about how to support Melkonian Educational Institute:

www.savemelkon ian.org
 
See collection of photos on Cyprus Armenians, including photos taken of
students during the last academic year in the Melkonian Educational
Institute (2004-2005). Azad-Hye photo collection:
 
lbumpicture.asp?al=qhsdtrnshy101376a

Photo: Students during the last academic year 2004-2005
p?newsId=876aff95
From: Baghdasarian