Author: Chalian Meline

THE FUTURE OF THE PAST: THE ARMENIANS IN TURKEY
A conference on solutions on the way to Turkey’s EU membership
Greens/EFA, 4/4/2005
Turkey seeks membership in the European Union. In December 2004, the
European Council approved Turkey’s fulfillment of the political
criteria of Copenhagen- a precondition for opening accession
negotiations. This decision recognizes Turkey’s progress in
further democratizing and improving human rights and minority issues,
which had only until recently minimally addressed, if at all. Many
problem areas and taboos still remain. The pre-accession process
gives us the opportunity to view these remaining problems and work
together on solutions.
The current situation of the Armenian minority in Turkey as well as
the Turkish discussion of its own history with respect to the
Armenians remains one of the largest remaining taboos. Many in the
Armenian diaspora demand that Turkey accepts responsibility for its
crimes of 1915 as a precondition for its EU membership. The official
Turkish position, on the other hand, has difficulty recognizing
Armenian suffering.
For the past several years, and largely unknown outside the region,
Turkish civil society has been addressing this problematic and
creating a dialogue that should contribute to a new understanding and
re-evaluation of official Turkish history. Leading Armenian and
Turkish scholars and intellectuals together have begun to critically
discuss historical interpretation as well as their common future in a
democratic and liberal Turkey.
By planning an event at the European Parliament, we seek to bring a
larger European dimension to the Armenian discussion and give
constructive opposing voices a fair debate forum. Any discussion
about Turkey’s future includes confrontation of the past based on
collective respect and empathy. Our goal is to contribute to this
process of understanding. More broadly, it is our goal to better the
future cohabitation of different cultures and ethnicities in Turkey.
The discussion on April 12 in Strasbourg will be lead by significant
personalities and scholars of history working on this issue such as
Hrant Dink, Etyen Mahcupyan and Taner Akcam.
AGENDA
14:30-15:00
Welcome and registration
15:00
Introduction by Marie Anne Isler Béguin, MEP
15:15-16:00
Panel discussion
Chair and moderator: Cem Ã-zdemir, MEP
Speakers
Taner Akçam, Sociologist and Historian-University of Minnesota
“The Ottoman archives as witness to the past: A new understanding
and re-evaluation of official Turkish history”
Etyen Mahçupyan, Columnist, Zaman daily, Istanbul
“Furthering an open dialogue on Armenian issues: Tension between
intellectual liberalism and mainstream politics in Turkey”
Hrant Dink, Editor-in-Chief- AGOS, Istanbul
“Future perspectives: Next steps in Armenian-Turkish relations,
what role for the EU?”
16:00
Discussion
16:45 Concluding remarks by Cem Ã-zdemir
Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French,
German and Turkish
Date and place:
Tuesday 12 April 2005
15:00-17:00
European Parliament, Strasbourg
Alexander Langer Room (LOW S2.2)
For information and registration
[email protected]
Phone: +32-2-284 74 46 fax: +32-2-284 94 46
Links:
–Boundary_(ID_tA x1ShmZZG8dAzdp0ROA1Q)–

MSNBC
World leaders pay tribute, the faithful grieve
NBC correspondents report on reaction from around the globeDispatches from
around the world:
– April 3 , 2005 |Baghdad | 7:00 a.m. ET
Sadness and fear in Iraq
Tom Aspell
News of the pope’s death reached Iraq’s 800,000 Christians in the early
hours of Sunday morning causing sadness mixed with trepidation and fear for
their future.
Special masses were scheduled in Baghdad’s 45 churches serving Chaldeans,
Eastern-rite Catholics who are autonomous from Rome but who recognize the
Pope’s authority.
Many of them still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus. The other
significant communities are Assyrians, Syrian Catholics, Armenian Orthodox
and Armenian Catholic Christians who fled from massacres in Turkey in the
early 20th Century.
On Sunday, Andreas Abuna, the Auxiliary Bishop to the Chaldean Patriarch of
Iraq, said all Christians here would be praying for the pope’s soul. Bishop
Abuna said he himself has special reason to mourn the pope’s death:
“I will never forget the Holy Father because he ordained me bishop in Rome
on Jan. 6, 2003,” he said. “All my life I will pray for him.”
Christians have inhabited Iraq for about 2,000 years, tracing their ancestry
to ancient Mesopotamia and surrounding lands.
Before the first Gulf War of 1991 they numbered more than one million, but
at least 200,000 have emigrated since then, fleeing a failing economy and
recent attacks on Christian targets in Mosul, Baghdad and elsewhere.
Under Saddam Hussein the Baathist regime kept a lid on anti-Christian
violence. Some Christians, notably Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, help
positions of power in overwhelmingly Muslim Iraq. But after Saddam’s removal
there were frequent attacks against Christian churches, and threats against
largely middle-class Christians, particularly in Mosul and Baghdad. Dozens
were kidnapped for ransom.
Pope John Paul was a vocal critic of both the first Gulf War and the
U.S.-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein. He visited more than 20
Islamic countries during his reign, but canceled plans for a trip to Iraq
during the 1990’s after his closest aides convinced him his security could
not be guaranteed.
– April 3, 2005 | Moscow | 7:00 a.m. ET
‘Humanitarian number one’
Preston Mendenhall
——————————————————————————–
Late night broadcasts carried news of the pope’s death at 11:37 p.m. Moscow
time on Saturday. Russia was not, however, on the list of the more than 100
countries Pope John Paul II visited during his 26-year papacy — by his own
admission a regretted hole in the most-traveled pontiff’s itinerary.
While the pope did much to improve relations the Orthodox Church during his
papacy, time ran out on his mission to build bridges to Russia’s dominating
faith. The Catholic and Orthodox churches split in the Great Schism of 1054.
The pope reconciled with Greek, Romanian and Georgian Orthodox, but never
won an invitation from Patriarch Alexey II to visit Russia. Alexey is
believed to be wary of losing Orthodox believers to the Catholic faith.
In Russia, the pope is remembered for his historic role in bringing down the
Iron Curtain of communism, put in place by the Soviet Union, which for
decades dominated John Paul’s homeland of Poland.
Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet president, told Italian TV in an
interview Sunday that the pope was `humanitarian number one on the planet.’
President Vladimir Putin calledthe pope `an outstanding public figure, whose
name signifies the whole era. … I have very warm recollections of meetings
with the Pope. He was wise, responsive, and open for dialogue.’
Recalling historic visit
Mary Murray
—————————————————————————-
Cubans offered tears of sympathy and words of praise for Pope John Paul II,
who succeeded in building a bridge of tolerance between Cuba’s communist
government and the island’s Catholic community.
`After closely watching news of the Pope’s health the Cuban government and
people share the pain of Catholics in Cuba and all over the world… We will
never forget the pope’s visit here in 1998… his words for peace… his
courtesy to president Fidel Castro when he visited the Vatican,’ said Cuban
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque just 30 minutes after the pope’s
passing. Perez Roque confirmed that a `high-level government delegation’
planned to attend the funeral without saying if that included Castro.
During the pope’s historic 1998 visit to Cuba, Lucia Alvarez stood for hours
in front of her church, Havana’s El Ermita de los Catalones parish, to catch
a glimpse of the `Popemobile.’
`That visit strengthened my faith,’ she remembers. `He was an inspirational
man who came and showed his concern for the Cuban people, the poor, the
forgotten.’
The papal visit lasted just five days but, according to Alvarez, helped to
erase 40 years of hostility between her church and the government. `He made
me proud to be a Catholic,’ she said, weeping.
The pontiff was not only responsible for the release of 500 political
prisoners and reinstating Christmas as an official holiday on the island but
for the transmission of four open-air masses over the government-owned
television and radio. Religious broadcasting is prohibited over Cuban
airwaves and, until 1992, the constitution characterized the state as
`atheist.’
Below a massive portrait of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Plaza of the
Revolution and speaking to over a million that included Fidel Castro and the
entire Communist Party Politburo, Pope John Paul II launched moral
criticisms at both Havana and Washington. He pleaded with Castro for to
allow `justice, freedom and human rights’ while admonishing the U.S.
economic embargo of Cuba as `unjust and ethically unacceptable.’
Marta Moya, a translator, was one of millions of Cubans who watched every
papal appearance on the island and appreciated the pope’s plea for
reconciliation. `Being a pope is not as easy as you think,’ she said. `You
have to take positions on political issues and I think he accomplished that
with a lot of dignity.
With the local media reporting few details from the Vatican, Cuban Catholics
on Friday tried tuning to Miami radio stations for updates on the Pontiff’s
condition.
By nightfall, they learned firsthand from their cardinal, Jaime Ortega, that
the pontiff was indeed on the verge of death. Cuban authorities had given
the cardinal six minutes of unprecedented airtime on the national newscast.
The only other occasion Ortega had appeared on Cuban television dated back
to January 1998, on the eve of the papal visit to the island.
– April 3, 2005 | Islamabad| 06:45 a.m. ET
Bringing different faiths closer
President General Pervez Musharraf in his message of condolence over the
death of Pope John Paul II said the pope II had rendered incredible services
for peace. `
The Pope had brought people closer `belonging to different faiths’ said
Musharraf, who has been promoting the idea of `enlightened moderation’ among
the Muslims all over the world and is known as an advocate of `east-west
dialogue.’
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his message said the pope would be remembered
for a long time for his services to people.
The right-wing conservative party Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Qazi
Hussein Ahmed credited Pope John Paul II with playing historic role in
bringing peace and tranquility amongst different religions.
`The pope kept a constant contact with various religious leaders including
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan to peace global peace’ Qazi said in a statement.
He said the pope sent out a Vatican City to Pakistan last year to discuss
intra-religious harmony and invited his party leaders to visit Vatican. `I
feel sorry now for not being able to travel to Vatican on the invitation’
Qazi said.
He said Pope John Paul II was a broadminded leader who supported the family
values advocated by Islam, especially the role of women in the society and
their rights. `We greatly admire him for his services to humanity and his
advocacy for religious tolerance’ Qazi said.
By Asif Farooqi

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
April 3, 2005
PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE DIMITRIJ RUPEL AND
ACCOMPANYING DELEGATION
[April 02, 2005, 19:57:57]
President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev met in private with OSCE
Chairman-In-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel
on April 2. Later, the Head of State received the accompanying delegation.
The President noted that Azerbaijan is successfully implementing reforms in
political, economic and other spheres, and taking active part in the global
projects being realized in the region. He pointed out that very good
opportunities had been created for the members of the delegation to
familiarize closer with the processes taking place in Azerbaijan.
Dwelling on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the
Azerbaijani leader stressed the problem was the greatest obstacle to
development, stability and security in the region. He repeated that the
Azerbaijan’s stance on this conflict was based only on such principles of
the international law as those of territorial integrity and inviolability of
borders. In this connection, President Ilham Aliyev mentioned the obvious
intensification of the related activities of the OSCE Minsk. He expressed
hope this visit would help the delegation to get more detailed picture of
the situation in the region.
OSCE Chairman-In-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Dimitrij
Rupel for his part expressed satisfaction with the exchange of views he had
had with President Ilham Aliyev.
He appreciated the prospects of the OSCE-supported work done in Azerbaijan,
and welcomed the President Ilham Aliyev’s recent decree on pardoning 114
prisoners.
The guest also expressed deep satisfaction with the Azerbaijani leader’s
views on the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, processes of
democratization taking place in the country including elections, regional
development etc. he had expressed during their conversation.
A number of other issues of mutual interests were touched on during the
meeting.

Withdrawal of Russian military base Georgia’s internal affair –
Armenian leader
Arminfo, Yerevan
1 Apr 05
Tbilisi, 1 April: The withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia is
Georgia’s internal affair and it is up to Georgia to decide. Armenia
will not express any official position on this issue, Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan, who is paying an informal visit to
Georgia, has said.
Georgian Speaker Nino Burjanadze confirmed in an interview with
journalists that during the negotiations, Robert Kocharyan and
[Georgian President] Mikheil Saakashvili had discussed the situation
surrounding the Russian military base in Akhalkalaki in southern
Georgia, the Russian media reported.
“Informal meetings can yield very positive results – much more
positive than one-to-one negotiations between presidents during
official visits,” Burjanadze said. She also expressed her satisfaction
with the position of the Armenian authorities, and in the first place,
with the stance of the Armenian president on the problem of Russian
bases in Georgia.
Some experts think that Robert Kocharyan’s unexpected visit to Georgia
is linked to frequent protest actions by the ethnic Armenian
population in southern Georgia, who are against the withdrawal of the
Russian military base from Akhalkalaki.
The region’s population is afraid that after the withdrawal of the
base, it will lose its only permanent source of income since most of
the district’s population are working at the base.
The Armenian and Georgian presidents are going to spend their weekend
at the winter mountain resort of Gudauri [in Georgia].
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Learn about the secrets of bulgur
By Joan Obra / The Fresno Bee
(Updated Wednesday, March 30, 2005, 6:55 AM)
With revised federal health guidelines advising Americans to eat more
whole grains, you may be trying to add bulgur to your diet.
But cooking bulgur isn’t as simple as you may think, says Armenian
cookbook author Barbara Ghazarian. She was in Fresno last week to meet
members of the nonprofit Ani Guild, which supports elderly residents
of the California Armenian Home.
I was glad to interview Ghazarian about bulgur. This grain hasn’t been
part of my kitchen since the time I tried to cook it with chicken
broth, spinach and bacon. That dish is the only thing I’ve cooked in
the past 41/2 years that my fiancé didn’t like.
Lucky for me, Ghazarian is an expert on bulgur. Her latest book,
“Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy,” details
some of her experiments with different types: fine, medium and
coarse. To buy the book, check Internet booksellers or call Enfield
Books at (603) 632-7377.
Before you cook with bulgur, you need to understand what it is.
“Bulgur, also known as cracked wheat,” Ghazarian writes, “was
originally developed as a preservation method in which the whole-wheat
kernels were boiled outdoors in huge cauldrons and then dried in the
sun. ¦ Essentially, bulgur is to the Armenian kitchen what pasta is
to the Italian. It’s a staple ‘ rich in nutrition, fiber and history.”
Because bulgur already has been boiled, cooks simply rehydrate it,
Ghazarian says. And this is where we get into trouble. Improper
techniques leave bulgur too mushy or too dry.
Take sini kufteh, a dish composed of a layer of spiced lamb sandwiched
in a bulgur crust.
“It sounds easy,” Ghazarian says, “but to get it right is really
hard.”
The secret is to cook the dish in a large, thin, 12-by-17-by-1-inch
baking sheet. If you use a 9-by-13-inch pan, the sini kufteh will have
the texture of meatloaf.
“It’s supposed to be juicy and crunchy at the same time,” Ghazarian
says, “not like a meatloaf.”
And beware of substituting different types of bulgur, as one woman did
when she used coarse bulgur instead of fine bulgur in Ghazarian’s
recipe for eetch, a cracked wheat-tomato salad.
The bulgur didn’t rehydrate properly and turned out crunchy, which
ruined the texture of the eetch, Ghazarian says.
Even bulgur pilaf, a ubiquitous dish in Armenian cuisine, can be
tricky for novice cooks.
Stir the bulgur too much while cooking, and it can turn mushy, says
Ghazarian, who advises giving the pot of bulgur and boiling water only
“one big stir.”
Stirring too much was the downfall of my bulgur, spinach and chicken
broth me ss.
For more successful experiences with bulgur, try Ghazarian’s recipes.
And take heart if you don’t get them right the first time. Ghazarian,
who is half Armenian, didn’t always cook Armenian cuisine. She started
learning in earnest after marrying an Armenian man who wanted to eat
it all the time.
Ghazarian spent 10 years standardizing recipes from her grandmother,
mother-in-law and other family members and Armenian friends. But the
recipes ‘ passed down through generations ‘ really reflect centuries
of tinkering by accomplished cooks.
When it comes to bulgur, such information is rare.
“There are not a lot of places in the United States where people cook
bulgur,” Ghazarian says. Hopefully, her cookbook will change that.
The columnist can be reached at [email protected] or (559) 441-6365.

PROGRAMMES RANKED AS CHARITY
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
30 March 05
The March 25 meeting of the central committee for humanitarian aid
chaired by the NKR minister of social security Lenston Ghulian
discussed the programmes implemented in the republic by the Armenian
Relief Fund of America, Armenian General Benevolent Union and the
humanitarian foundation `Tufenkian’. In accordance with the March 5,
2005 decision of the state tax service the commission defined the
programmes implemented by the above-mentioned organizations as
charity. According to the committee, in the framework of the contracts
signed with building companies 17 600 US dollars will be provided by
the Armenian Relief Fund of America for engineering and costing of
reconstruction of the water supply systems in the villages of
Harutyunagomer, Shahmasur and Haterk, Martakert region. AGBU will
provide 1.5 million drams for engineering and costing of the
construction of the school building in the village of Norashen, Hadrut
region. The foundation `Tufenkian’ assumed providing 3105.85 US
dollars for the reconstruction of the Shushi museum of history and
lore.
AA.
30-03-2005

National Council of Churches USA, NY
March 29 2005
Special NCC Report on Faith Communions’ Resources
For Observing the September 11 Anniversary
Faith groups and their congregations across the United States will be
observing the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist
incidents in a variety of ways. This brief survey samples some of
the plans of the 36 member communions of the National Council of
Churches, plus non-member denominations that participate in various
activities of the Council. Where available, links to more details
are shown.
You will also want to see “Eleven Days in September,” a web
collection prepared by The Shalom Center, where an extensive survey
of interfaith observances has been collected, in partnership with the
NCC.
American Baptist Churches
The ABC-USA website features many of the denomination’s terrorism
responses and resources, including the Relief Fund for Victims of
Terrorist Attack . . . Shalom Response at National Ministries Online
. . . Song “United We Stand” . . . Resources for discipling children
at Educational Ministries . . . Litany by Garth House . . . Judson
Press publications . . .Caring statements from around the world . . .
and a link to the Pastoral resources Web site developed through NCC
and its partners.
Armenian Church of America
and Oriental Orthodox Churches
The Church Remembers the Victims and Survivors of September 11 with a
special Memorial Service on Sunday, September 8 in New York City.
The service begins at Ground Zero at 3:00 pm and continues with a
requiem service at St. Vartan Cathedral. A reception follows in the
Kavookjian Auditorium. For more information, contact
[email protected]. This memorial service is sponsored by the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) and the Oriental
Orthodox Churches. Clergy of many of the Oriental Orthodox Churches
will be participating. All Faiths are welcome.
Christian Church-Disciples of Christ
The Disciples website carries a special section that suggests a daily
response to commemorate the terrorist events: “In soup kitchens, In
neighborhood centers, In schools, shelters and hospitals.With service
groups that can tell us what needs to be done, right now. AND with
our brothers and sisters of all shades, faiths, and cultures working
beside us. God is calling us to Ground Zero…and it’s right here, in
our own community.”
Episcopal Church
Presiding Bishop The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold has written his
monthly column with a focus on the commemoration of the September 11
events, and the following prayer that could be used in observances of
the anniversary: “God the compassionate one, whose loving care
extends to all the world, we remember this day your children of many
nations and many faiths whose lives were cut short by the fierce
flames of anger and hatred. Console those who continue to suffer and
grieve, and give them comfort and hope as they look to the future.
Out of what we have endured, give us the grace to examine our
relationships with those who perceive us as the enemy, and show our
leaders the way to use our power to serve the good of all for the
healing of the nations. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord
who, in reconciling love, was lifted up from the earth that he might
draw all things to himself. Amen.”
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
In a special web section, the ELCA provides its congregations with
resources in worship, prayer and action, highlighting printed and
spoken resources through The Lutheran magazine and Lutheran Vespers.
A litany and a photo album are among the materials on the website. A
Joint ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Declaration of
September 8 as a day of commemoration is also included.
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
“In Memory, In Faith, In Hope -The Church’s Response to Tragedy” is
the theme of a web-based summary of the Greek Orthodox connections to
the September 11 events and their aftermath, including the rebuilding
plans for the only church destroyed in the attacks — St. Nicholas
Greek Orthodox Church, which was located opposite the World Trade
Center.
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
The LCMS website carries a lengthy index of worship resources for
commemorating the 9/11 anniversary, including hymns, choral settings,
scripture references, responsive readings and other instrumental
arrangements suitable for downloading. The LCMS has long been a
participant in the NCC Communication Commission.
Mennonite Church USA
The church’s website offers extensive material on observing the
anniversary of 9/11/01. In addition, the Mennonite Central Committee
website carries additional resources for Mennonite and Brethren in
Christ congregations in both the U.S. and Canada. The Mennonite
Church is an active partner in the work of the NCC Communication
Commission.
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
A summary of statements and actions from the tragedy, plus resources
for “those laboring with issues of our peace process” are offered on
the PYM website.
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church’s website offers numerous resources,
including the outline of a service of prayer and remembrance and a
message from the moderator, The Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel . . . a forum
on PresbyNet for discussing issues in the aftermath of terrorism and
another for sharing worship aids . . . an extensive initiative in
peacemaking — the Interfaith Listening Project . . .and an extensive
array of suggestions for commemorating the anniversary from the
editors of Ideas! For Church Leaders magazine.
Reformed Church in America
The RCA website offers many helps for commemorating the tragic day of
terrorism, including an Order of Worship . . . a litany of
remembrance, healing, and hope, and a litany for the church. . . and
suggestions for age-graded studies on topics such as death, violence,
tolerance . . . a primer on Islam . . and an online forum for
discussing the issues surrounding the events.
Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada
The church’s website has an extensive index of resources for
commemorating the first anniversary of the September 11 events,
including statements by church officials, a background paper on
terrorism, a prayer for peace, and other articles of interest.
Seventh Day Adventist Church
This partner in the work of the NCC’s Communication Commission is
featuring a complete index to its responses to 9/11 on its website.
Included are reproductions of the church’s advertisements in the New
York Times and Washington Post.
Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
A summary of activities in the aftermath of the tragedies, mostly
from fall 2001, is carried on the church’s website.
Ukranian Orthodox Church of the USA
The Council of Bishops’ statement on the anniversary of the September
11 events is carried on the church’s website.
United Church of Christ
The focus of the UCC’s website resources for the terrorism
anniversary is on worship, with suggestions for liturgy, Bible study
and music. You may also want to use the website’s “search” function
to locate many other resources — simply type the word terrorism in
the search box and hit enter; a recent such search yielded 84 items
of interest.
United Methodist Church
The largest of the NCC’s member denominations is co-sponsoring with
the Council an electronic billboard at the entrance to New York’s
Holland Tunnel bearing words of hope and encouragement to commuters
headed to lower Manhattan during the month of September . . . the UMC
website carries an extensive series of articles focused on
Remembering 9/11: One Year Later . . . The church’s Igniting
Ministry program of outreach and renewal has also prepared special
September initiatives which are on their website.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The publishing arm of the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops has posted to its website a comprehensive resource titled
Nine Days to 9/11, presenting visitors with a day-by-day spiritual
response to the observance of the anniversary of the terrorist
attacks. The USCCB is a long-time partner with the NCC in the work
of the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission, which produces faith-based
network TV programming.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
March 29 2005
Ottoman Archives Open to All, Including Armenian Researchers
Ottoman archives promoted
Prime Ministry State Archives Director General Yusuf Sarinay said
that there were tens of thousands of documents in Turkish State
Archives refuting the Armenian allegations.
Holding a news conference, Sarinay said, ”Armenians have been making
propaganda against Turkey for a long time. There are more than 1
million documents related with Armenians directly and indirectly in
our archives from 1870s to 1922. These documents are waiting for a
scientific examination.”
”When we read those documents, we see that the Ottoman Empire
decided to relocate Armenians to suppress a de facto uprising and put
an end to Armenian’s collaboration of Russian army, not toprevent a
likely rebellion,” he said.
Noting that the allegations of so-called Armenian genocide were based
on subjective works and evaluations like memories instead of
scientific documents, Sarinay said, ”there are tens of thousands of
documents in our archives refuting these allegations. Our basic
target is that the history should be written objectively. Therefore,
we have opened our archives to all scientists.”
Recalling that April 24th was declared as ”day of genocide” by
Armenians, Sarinay told reporters, ”in fact, leading names of
Armenian committees were arrested on that date. For instance, 235
Armenian people were arrested in Istanbul. None of them was sentenced
to death penalty or sent to exile. Some circles claim that Armenian
artist Comidas was killed in the genocide. In fact, he was a member
of the Armenian committees. He was arrested in Istanbul and served 14
days in Cankaya Prison. He later left for Paris and died there.”
”Armenians created an imaginary history. The Republic of Turkey
remained silent against their allegations till 1990s in order to
prevent revival of past hatred, however, its silence did not resolve
the issue. On the contrary, this silence was wrongly perceived as a
sign of its being guilty,” he said.
Sarinay kept on saying, ”when we examine these documents as a whole,
it is evident that the decision of the Ottoman Empire to relocate
Armenians was totally legal. The Ottoman Empire had also made some
arrangements about properties of Armenians, and adopted a law about
return of these properties to Armenian people when they returned. The
Ottoman Empire had never targeted a genocide. It had made such an
temporary decision on political and military grounds.
Western historians and Armenian diaspora ignore these documents to
preserve their imaginary history.”
”There were many high-level Armenian officials in Istanbul in those
days. If the Ottoman Empire had intended a genocide, it would have
killed those officials first. The Ottoman Empire had sent notes to
Spain, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland in 1919, which had not been
involved in the World War I, to send jurists. If they had sent
jurists to Turkey, all those allegations would have been buried in
the history,” he stressed.
”Once again, we call on Directorate General of Armenian State
Archives to pave the way for scientific studies. Also, archives of
the American diaspora in the United States should be opened,” he
said.
Upon a question, Sarinay told reporters, ”according to the latest
population census in the Ottoman Empire, Armenians had a population
of 1 million 161 thousand. Sources say that nearly 400 thousand
Armenians had left for Russia, and 450-750 thousand Armenians had
been subject of the relocation. However, warfare and epidemics made
it impossible to clarify all these figures.”
Turkish Prime Minister tayyip Erdogan and Turkish opposition leader
Deniz Baykal had called the Armenian side to open their archives.
Erdogan said Turkish archives were open to all, and Turkey expected
the same from the Armenians and all related states. The Armenian
Tashnak Archives are closed to researchers. The Armenian politicians
argue that there is nothing to be discussed or researched because all
of the reality is clear. Armenian Foreign Minister Vaskan Oskanyan
said “the problem is not a matter of science but politics. Historians
has nothing to discuss.”
JTW News desk. Compiled from Anatolian news agency and other nes
sources.
29 March 2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, OH
March 28 2005
Diplomat speaks to students
EU administrator once attended Wynford High
By Margaret Thornton
Special to the Telegraph-Forum
BUCYRUS — The euro, the common currency among 12 of the countries in
the European Union (EU) doesn’t have pictures of national leaders.
Instead, the euro has pictures of bridges and windows, symbolic of
looking outward and of building bridges of international
understanding.
Tuesday, Bill Pedersen, an administrator for the European Union,
spoke to students at Wynford and Bucyrus high schools and built some
bridges of understanding among area teens.
An exchange student from Denmark, Pedersen was enrolled at Wynford
High School during the 1981-82 school year. He returned to this area
for two days to visit his host family, Rodger and Carol Carpenter.
When Pedersen came to the United States through the Youth for
Understanding exchange program at age 15, he believed that the U.S.
was filled with tall buildings. Instead of being placed in a city,
however, Pedersen wound up on a farm on the edge of Wyandot County,
living with the Carpenters and their children, Jeff, Gary and Karen.
Pedersen’s year at Wynford High School taught him much about America
and prepared him for his career in foreign relations.
“I learned to feel at home in a new place,” said Pedersen, certainly
something he must do often now because his profession requires
extensive travel. “The Carpenters made me feel welcome, and after two
weeks they said that they felt as though they had a new son. Spending
time in Ohio has helped me better understand the United States.”
After leaving Wynford, Pedersen returned to Denmark and finished his
education. He studied European law and international relations, and
he traveled extensively. For three years, he worked at the Danish
Embassy in Madrid before taking his current post as an administrator
with the EU. The young diplomat speaks eight languages.
Although Pedersen was eager to roam the familiar halls of Wynford
High School again after so many years, most of the familiar faces
were gone. However, he did speak with two of his former teachers, as
well as with science teacher Lee Rowlinson, who was a student when
Pedersen was at Wynford. He also shared his experiences with the
current Wynford students by speaking in four classes. He then went to
Bucyrus High School, where he spoke to about 40 students in the media
center.
Pedersen gave a brief history of the European Union (EU), a “club”
that began with six countries (Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxembourg) after World War II and has now grown to
25, with other countries seeking admission. Based in Brussels, the
European Union encourages economic cooperation as a means to
prosperity and peace and makes Europe an “actor on the world stage.”
Pedersen’s post deals with the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia), an area he describes as “a bit messy” because of ethnic
conflicts. In order to join the EU, a European country must apply and
then meet extensive economic and political criteria. To be a member,
a country must “clean up its act” and live up to the standards of
human rights, including abolishing capital punishment. The process of
joining the “club” can take many years.
Speaking about the European view of Americans and President Bush,
Pedersen said that many Europeans know about America through the
media’s focus on crime and violence. President Bush’s image as a
Texan makes him seem extreme to many Europeans. He noted other
differences between Europe and the U.S., such as the fact that
Europeans have gun control and that they focus more on rehabilitation
of prisoners than on punishment.
Regarding the war in Iraq, Pedersen said his own country of Denmark
has committed troops to the conflict and that personally he agrees
with the U.S. actions there. He believes that most Europeans agree
with the U.S. goals in Iraq, but not necessarily on the means to
reach those goals.
Next stop for Bill Pedersen: Georgia, on the Russian border. He is
one of three EU experts being sent to Georgia to report on the
removal of monitors that have been in place to protect Russia from
Chechnyan terrorists. He describes his mission as “very sensitive”
and he expects to be stationed in Georgia for three months.
Before leaving Wynford High School to head for his next faraway
assignment, Pedersen had to take one quick look into the Wynford
gymnasium and inquire about the success of the basketball team. Once
a Royal, always a Royal.

GEORGIA PROPOSES ARMRUSGASPROM CONTINUE SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY
YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The United Georgian Energy Distribution
Company made ArmRusgasprom an offer to continue supplying electricity
from Armenia. According to the ArmRusgasprom press service, in all
likelyhood, the Armenian side will accept the offer and extend the
term of the contract. To recap, the contract on electricity supply
between ArmRusgasprom and the Georgian company expires on March
31. ArmRusgasprom has been supplying electricity to Georgia from
October 16, 2004.