Author: Boshkezenian Garik

CHURCH OF HOLY SEPULCHER IN DANGER
by Brenda Easterling

Christian Web News
09-10-2008 08:11
KY

In danger of collapse is the historic Deir al-Sultan monastery located
on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. This
church is one of the most sacred sites in Christendom. It is the site
both of Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified and also the place where
Jesus was buried, the sepulcher.

A great fear that the monastery’s two chapels and tiny rooms where
its monks live could crumble causing great injury to the countless
visitors as well as the monks who live there as well as the ancient
Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Recently an engineer examined the structures and reported that the
complex was a "danger to human life." Back in 2004 the Interior
Ministry said it would pay for renovations. Due to a dispute between
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the clergy lives at the site and also
the Coptic Church who claim ownership. These two parties cannot reach
an agreement that would allow renovations to proceed. The fact has been
made clear through The Interior Ministry to various church officials
down through the years that it would pay for the work if the various
ownership problems would be resolved among the denominations.

Archbishop Matthias, the head of the Ethiopian Church in Jerusalem
sent a letter recently to Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit and also to
the minister in charge of Jerusalem affairs, Rafi Eitan. He warned
them of the condition of the complex as well as his unwillingness
to come to an agreement with the Copts. The archbishop said, "This
condition is completely unacceptable to us, since we do not recognize
any right of the Coptic Church in the area in question. Moreover,
it is inconceivable that the implementation of emergency repairs
at the holy site would be conditioned on the consent of the Coptic
Church. Indeed, there is disagreement between us and the Coptic Church
regarding the rights at the site in question, but that is precisely
the reason we are turning to the Israeli authorities, as a neutral
factor, to carry out the necessary repairs."

An engineer’s report the church commissioned was submitted by
Yigal Bergman of the construction supervision firm Milav, has
written including others things stating that the complex was in a
"dangerous state of construction. The structures are full of serious
engineering damage that creates safety hazards and endangers the
lives of the monks and the visitors. This is an emergency, also due
to the immediate danger to the site that would damage other parts of
the nearby churches." Also he shared the dangerous problems in the
electrical and sewerage infrastructure of the ancient buildings.

The Deir al-Sultan monastery contains 26 small rooms that are used for
Ethiopian monks, also four services and storage rooms, a large open
courtyard and two chapels that are located one above the other. You
enter this area from the courtyard and exit into the entrance plaza
of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher below.

It is Far from the first dispute between the denominations that share
space in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in regards to its maintenance
and also the use of its various areas. The three large denominations
that have control of the church are the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian
Orthodox and the Roman Catholics. The smaller denominations rights in
the church are the Ethiopian Orthodox and the Copts and included in
this is the Syria Orthodox. One of the disputes that are known between
the communities surrounds the question of which denomination has the
right to remove a ladder that was placed on a ledge outside an upper
floor window in the 19th century. The ladder stands there to this day
above the main entrance to the church because no agreement can be made.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN LEAVING FOR BISHKEK

armradio.am
09.10.2008 11:57

President Serzh Sargsyan is leaving for Bishkek today to participate in
the sittings of the Council of Heads of State of CIS member states and
the Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community (EvrAzES).

The delegation headed by the President of Armenia comprises Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian, Permanent Plenipotentiary Representative
of Armenia in CIS structures, Armenian Ambassador to Belarus Oleg
Yesayan, other officials.

The sitting of the Council of CIS Presidents will be opened with the
meeting of the Heads of State, which will be followed by a meeting
in an enlarged format.

The Commonwealth leaders will discuss a broad framework of issues
related to the strategy of economic development of CIS until 2020,
cooperation in the energy sphere in 2009, as well as the further
development of the Commonwealth and the cooperation between member
states in different spheres.

In the capital of Kyrgyzstan President Sargsyan will participate
in the sitting of the Eurasian Economic Community. Armenia has the
status of an observer in that organization.

ARMENIAN-INDIAN CENTER TO OPEN IN YEREVAN

ARKA
Oct 8, 2008

YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Government approved today
Armenian-Indian memorandum of understanding on the opening of a center
for information and telecommunications technologies (ITT) in Yerevan.

"The memorandum will help attract scientific workers and support
employment," RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan said at today’s
government meeting.

The minister believes the center will help prepare skilled
ITT specialists, attract more investments in Armenia and boost
exports.

TURKEY TO SET UP PROFESSIONAL ANTI-TERRORISM UNITS

Today’s Zaman
07 October 2008, Tuesday
Turkey

The government has plans to launch a new strategy in the fight against
terrorism. Under the new plan, only professional teams will fight
terrorists and a temporary security zone in northern Iraq may be set
up along the Iraqi border.

Turkey’s search for a new strategy to fight terrorists of the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Southeast has taken a decisive turn
following an attack at the Aktutun military outpost in Hakkari last
Friday in which 15 soldiers were slain. PM Tayyip Erdogan announced
on Saturday that Turkey will implement a new strategy, without giving
any further details.

Prime Minister Erdogan immediately called a meeting of the Higher
Counterterrorism Board (TMYK) after Friday’s attack and consulted
with top representatives from Turkey’s security forces. Yesterday he
met with some of his Cabinet ministers to lay out the structure of
the new strategy, which will be finalized at the next TMYK meeting,
scheduled for Thursday.

The key feature of the new strategy, according to a senior security
official who asked not to be identified, is having professional
troops conduct operations against terrorist organizations. The idea
of establishing a professional army, first proposed in June 2007
by then-Land Forces Commander Gen. Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug, will become a
reality under the new plan, the same source said. A new special
force, initially of 7,000 privates from gendarmerie operation
battalions and ranger brigades, will be deployed in the region as
soon as possible. In the following year, an additional 8,000 will
be recruited to the new force. The recruitment process will be on a
voluntary basis. The minimum salary will be $2,000. In other words,
no longer will unprofessional soldiers deployed in the region after
a short period of basic military training be conducting military
campaigns against terrorism. Conscription soldiers will be acting in
the background as supporting units. The professional units will be
deployed along Turkey’s eastern frontiers, from the Armenian border
to the Syrian border.

A special operation command already established under the National
Police Department will be fortified to protect against potential
urban terrorist attacks. Another possibility, according to the same
source, is that governors of the provinces hit worst by terrorism
will be granted special authorities to allow garrison commanders
to conduct operations against terrorists at any time. However, the
government is not warm to the idea, which is reminiscent of the
Emergency Rule Regions (OHAL), areas placed under martial law in
Turkey’s Southeast that remained so well into the beginning of the
2000s. The military is also demanding certain temporary amendments
to restrictions established in the Criminal Procedures Law. Justice
Minister Mehmet Ali Å~^ahin is expected to brief Prime Minister
Erdogan on the military’s demands. The government is determined not
to step back from the democratizing reforms Turkey has made during
the European Union harmonization process.

One of Turkey’s greatest concerns in fighting terrorism is PKK camps
located in the Zap, Avashin, Hakurk and Basyan regions of northern
Iraq. The government is set to ask northern Iraq to set up temporary
security zones in these areas, where the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)
will be in charge of ensuring security. President Abdullah Gul is
expected to take up the issue very soon with Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani.

According to this plan, which heavily relies on Iraq’s consent,
Turkish troops will provide security across an area extending 40
kilometers into northern Iraq from the southeastern province of
Hakkari. Large military outposts will be set up along the border,
protected by large steel barriers, not unlike the NATO missions’
posts in Afghanistan. The government is also determined to deal with
European countries, which have been inactive over the sale of arms
to the PKK, which usually gets its weapons from Europe.

The TMYK determined that a delay in the delivery of Heron unmanned
air vehicles (UAVs) ordered from Israel has also caused difficulties
in obtaining intelligence in northern Iraq. Turkey will work to speed
up the delivery process to ensure enhanced intelligence gathering in
the region.

–Boundary_(ID_tLO3/ESUnkLy3lIwrWqBxQ)–

PM TIGRAN SARGSYAN TO PARTAKE IN THE ANNUAL FORUM OF THE IMF AND THE WORLD BANK

armradio.am
07.10.2008 13:49

October 9-15 RA Prime minister Tigran Sargsyan will leave for
Washington to participate in the annual forum of the World Bank and
the International Monetary Fund.

The delegation headed by the Prime Minister comprises RA Minister
of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan, Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan,
Adviser to RA President on Economic Issues Vahram Nersisyants, Head
of Government’s Staff David Sargsyan, President of the Central bank
of Armenia Arthur Javadyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan,
Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the US Tatul
Margaryan, other officials.

HIERARCHS OF WORLD ORTHODOXY PARTICIPATED ECUMENICAL SERVICES IN ARMENIA

Portal-Credo.Ru
Oct 1, 2008
Russia

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople (Ecumenical Patriarchate),
Metropolitan Valentine of Orenburg and Buzuluk (Moscow Patriarchate)
and representatives of eleven more "sister-churches" accompanied
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II inblessing the Chrism for
Armenian Apostolic Church in Etchmiadzin on September 28.

Armenian Apostolic Church uses two relics to bless the Chrism: the
Right Hand of St. Gregory, the Enlightener of Armenia, and Holy Spear
of Crucifixion. During the ceremony of blessing the Chrism, the Right
Hand of St. Gregory was used by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II
(Monophysites), and the Holy Spear was given to Patriarch Bartholomew
of Constantinople (World Orthodoxy).

The following Church leaders and representatives participated the
ceremony: Metropolitan Valentine of the Diocese of Orenburg and
Buzuluk, of the Russian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate;
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches, who led the delegation for the Roman Catholic Church;
His Bishop Benjamin of Menoufeya from the Coptic Orthodox Church;
Metropolitan Mor Eustathius Matta Roham of Jazirah and Euphrates
of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East;
H.G. Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasios, Metropolitan of the Chengannur
Diocese who led the delegation of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian
Church of India; Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe of
the Anglican Church, Mgr. Vartan Ashkarian, General Representative
of the Patriarchal Eparchy of the Armenian Catholic Church; Father
Yeghia Kilaghbian, Abbot of the Armenian Mkhitarist Congregation
of San Lazzaro; as well as representeatives from the World Council
of Churches, and the organization "World Conference of Religions
for Peace".

The day before (on September 28) the same members of "sister-churches"
presided by Garegin II served a memorial service for the victims
of the Armenian Genocide. Prior to the start of the service, a
wreath was laid at the memorial. During the service the participants
offered joint prayers in their own languages for the victims of the
Genocide. Following the service, members of the delegations visited
the Genocide Museum.

KARABAGH MUST TAKE THE INITIATIVE
Karine Asatryan

A1+
[08:47 pm] 30 September, 2008

Russian Communist Party leader and member of the PACE Russian
delegation Genadi Ziuganov believes that the Russian-Georgian war was
planned beforehand by the unruly adventurer [Georgian President Mikhail
Sahakashvili] and feels sorry that the Georgian people play by his
rules. During the Strasburg press conference today Ziuganov recalled
that World War I and II began as a result of the provocation of a
psycho and mentioned a couple of motives for the Georgian President
to start the war:

1.Sahakashvili was on the verge of downfall-he falsified the elections.

2.NATO integration was constantly postponed

The U.S. is getting ready for elections, is in a financial crisis
and needs support

Since, according to Ziuganov, it was impossible to start a war
against Iran now, the war broke out in Georgia. Ziuganov stressed a
couple of times the importance of the right to self-determination
of nations. What is Ziuganov’s view on the Nagorno-Karabagh peace
settlement? Is it possible to see the Russian State Duma recognize
Artsakh’s independence as it recognized the independence of Abkhazia
and Southern Osetia? In response to these questions, Genadi Ziuganov
reminded that he has met several times with Abkhazian president
Sergey Bagapshi, there have been special visits and discussions. As
far as Nagorno-Karabagh is concerned: "Go ahead, Karabagh must take
the initiative."

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

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE PARTICIPATION OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH IN THE MEETING
OF THE WCC’S EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) convened in
Lubeck, Germany on September 22-26. The WCC Executive Committee meets twice
a year and is accountable to the Central Committee.

Representing the Armenian Church at the meeting were Archbishop Vicken
Aykazian (Catholicosate of All Armenians) and Bishop Nareg Alemezian
(Catholicosate of Cilicia).

The agenda of the meeting featured the presentation of the General Secretary’s
report, the extension of his term by another year, the adoption of the
presidents’ assessment report, discussion of the 2009-2010 budget, the
presentation of future projects, the evaluation of the staff’s work and the
adoption of specific WCC positions on urgent socio-political issues.

The participants in the meeting agreed on extending the term of General
Secretary Dr. Sam Kobia until December 31 2009. They also decided to recruit
the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s candidate, Ms. Carla Khijoyan, as the
director of the department ‘justice, social service and commitment towards
creativity.’

On September 22 Bishop Nareg visited the center of the Lutheran Church in
Lubeck, which deals with refugees. Meeting with officials from the center,
His Holiness said: "I am the grandson of survivors from the Armenian
Genocide. The collective sorrow of the Genocide still pushes us to pursue
justice and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide to prevent other
genocides from being carried out."

Bishop Nareg also met the Head of Germany’s Evangelical Churches, Bishop
Wolfgang Huber, the former General Secretaries of WCC, Dr. Philip Potter and
Dr. Konrad Raiser, who spoke about His Holiness Aram I’s significant
contribution to the ecumenical movement and the WCC’s achievements during
his term as moderator of the Council. Bishop Nareg in his turn conveyed the
Armenian Pontiff’s greetings to his companions.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

SERZH SARGSYAN: MEETING OF ARMENIAN, TURKISH AND AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTERS HAS HAD NO SPECIFIC RESULT SO FAR

ArmInfo
2008-09-29 15:07:00

ArmInfo. Meeting of Armenian, Turkish and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
has had no specific result so far, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
told journalists Monday when commenting on the meeting of the foreign
ministers in New York on 27 September.

The ministers discussed developments in the South Caucasus and the idea
of establishing "Security and Cooperation Platform in Caucasus." ‘The
result of such meetings will become visible in future’, the president
said. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated the
establishment of Security and Cooperation Platform in Caucasus. It
must be based of OSCE principles and involved Armenia, Georgia,
Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia.

CANDIDATE TO THE POST OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TO RAISE EFFECTIVENESS OF PARLIAMENT ACTIVITY

ArmInfo
2008-09-29 13:59:00

ArmInfo. Candidate to the post of Armenian parliament speaker,
ex-ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan is going to raise effectiveness of
parliament activity.

She said in her speech, that the present activity of the National
Assembly is shameful and is not in line with activity of a state
which pretends to be democratic. She is going to resolve the problem
is elected. She also added the parliament has been turned into a club
where certain group of persons is resolving their problems. Moreover,
in fact the parliament has found itself beyond the interests of many
public organizations. Alaverdyan also said if elected, she is going
to take efforts for recognition of the NKR independence and for
improvement of Armenia’s relations with its neighbours.