Author: Emil Lazarian

AZG Armenian Daily #116, 24/06/2005

Science

INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOP IN ARMENIA IRREGULARLY

The First International Youth Conference on Informational technologies was
held in Yerevan on June 23-25. The conference was held in three universities
and was divided in three parts: informational technologies in social
sciences (the Yerevan State university), informational technologies in
Medicine and Biology (the Yerevan State Medical University), and
informational technologies in technical sciences (the Yerevan State
Polytechnic University). Harutyun Terzian, pro-rector of the Yerevan State
Polytechnic University, said that the decision to choose these three
universities was conditioned by the fact that these three directions develop
fast, as well as the influence of the informational technologies on that
process. Today, one can hardly find a sphere that wasn’t developed thanks to
the informational technologies. The organizers of the conference envisage to
include more spheres in the conference next year.

Armen Grigorian, Secretary of the Informational technologies Development and
Assistance Council at RA Prime Minister’s Office, expressed hope that the
conference, as well as the companies and the structures included in that,
will help arouse interest in the sphere and prepare more young specialists
of the international technologies. “The Informational technologies should
not be observed as a mere sphere, but as an instrument that influences the
development of all the spheres. We should use it to secure electronic
development in Armenia,” Armen Grigorian said. He said that today this
sphere doesn’t develop regularly in Armenia, stating that utilization of IT
in the spheres of education, art is on a rather low level. He added that
there is already a new counselor to RA Prime Minister who will coordinate
all the credit projects and deal with the creation of electronic management.
He said there are 4.000 specialists working in the IT sphere and if, their
number increases to 10.000, the annual profit from the sphere will amount to
1 billion.

By Tamar Minasian

LRAPER Church Bulletin
Contact: Deacon Vagarsag Seropyan
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
T: +90 (212) 517-0970
F: +90 (212) 516-4833
[email protected]

PILGRIMAGE TO KAYSERI

The annual pilgrimage to the Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the
Illuminator in Kayseri (Caesarea Cappadocia) was held on 18 and 19 June
2005. His Beatýtude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Ýstanbul and All
Turkey, led the pilgrimage, accompanied by the Revd. Fathers John Whooley,
Myuron Ayvazyan, Kevork Cinaryan, Drtad Uzunyan and Deacon Sahag Bicakciyan.

His Beatitude the Patriarch travelled to Kayseri by plane, and after a short
rest at the Kayseri Airport lounge, he proceeded together with his entourage
to the Kayseri Armenian Church where he prayed for the spiritual benefits of
the pilgrimage.

By noon, two other groups from Ýstanbul arrived in Kayseri by bus, led by
the Very Revd. Fr. Yeghishe Uchkunyan. The Liturgy of the Word was
celebrated at 13:00 hours, following which the pilgrims travelled to Mt.
Erciyes for lunch.

His Beatitude went to the Kayseri Municipal Cemetery in order to visit the
tombs of Muharrem and Gungor Buyukmihci, a benevolent Moslem couple that he
had known for many years and who passed on, one after the other, during the
last year. The Patriarch remembered their benevolent Works and prayed for
the repose of their souls.

Patriarch Mesrob, together with his entourage, was then escorted to Taksan,
a large plant owned by the Buyukmihci family in the Incesu district outside
the city of Kayseri. Following the tour of the impressive plant which
produces machine parts to 22 foreign countries, the Patriarch and his
company were treated to a meal in the picturesque garden of a villa owned by
businessman Ahmet Buyukmihci. Having sampled the delicious Kayseri cuisine,
the Patriarch thanked the Buyukmihci family for their warm hospitality.

The Patriarch and his entourage then visited the town of Develi (formerly
Everek), where they visited the Saint Toros Armenian Church (now Fatih
Mosque) and the old Armenian Quarter. The group continued its journey in the
vicinity of Mt Erciyes, passing through the districts of Talas and Hisarcik,
and finally arriving at the Hilton where some of the pilgrims were to stay
overnight.

DIVINE LITURGY IN KAYSERI

On Sunday, 19 June 2005, the second day of the pilgrimage to Kayseri, His
Beatitude the Patriarch presided over the divine services in the Armenian
Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. The Holy Eucharist was offered by
the Very Revd. Fr. Yeghishe Uchkunyan. Altar servers were Deacon Sahag
Bicakciyan, Sub-deacon Levon Kuyumcuyan and two acolytes. Participating in
the Liturgy were 110 pilgrims from Istanbul, Musadagh, Adana, Sivas and
Canada.

Delivering his homily in the second part of the Liturgy, the Patriarch
analysed the historic events leading to the conversion of the Armenian court
at the beginning of the fourth century from a spiritual perspective.
Mentioning the passion of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the tortures he had
to endure and his imprisonment in an underground pit, the Patriarch
commented that Satan always seeks to destroy the good seeds planted by men
of God. In the Parable of the Tares, we see that Satan seeks to destroy the
good seed which has been planted in the hearts of those who have heard God’s
word. The image the Lord Jesus uses in the parable is a common everyday
example of planting, harvesting, and sorting the good fruit from the bad.
Weeds can spoil and even kill a good harvest if they are not separated and
destroyed at the proper time. On the other hand, uprooting them too early
can destroy the good work and the good plants in the process. Just like
Saint Gregory, His Beatitude exhorted that, we, too, must often continue our
work, mission and ministry despite evil attacks from Satan and his
representatives. God’s patience teaches us to guard the word he has planted
in our hearts and to beware of the destructive force of sin and evil which
can destroy it. In the end, God will reward each according to what they have
sown and reaped in this life. In that day, we believe that God will separate
the evil from the good.

The Service for the Repose of Souls followed, with the former Primate of the
Diocese of Caesarea Cappadocia, Bishop Drtad Balyan of blessed memory, and
the deceased members of the Kayseri Armenian community being commemorated.

The luncheon after the Divine Services, a generous gift of businessman Ahmet
Buyukmihci, blessed by His Beatitude, was then held in the courtyard of the
church. The final event was a visit to the Armenian cemetery in Kayseri,
following which most of the pilgrims returned by coach or car to their
respective cities.

His Beatitude the Patriarch, answering questions posed by press reporters,
spoke as follows: `This is an annual pilgrimage that we undertake every year
to this church which is a holy site for the Armenian people. It was in this
city that the second founder of the Armenian Church, Saint Gregory the
Illuminator, grew as a child in grace, studied the Holy Scriptures and
theology in the famous school of Caesarea, married, had two sons, and later,
after healing King Drtad, was ordained Bishop of Armenia Major by Archbisop
Leontius of Caesarea. This church, first built in the 11th century by
Armenians who had come from Ani, commemorates these events in the formative
period of our hierarchy as we know it today. Every Divine Liturgy celebrated
here is an occasion to remember these historic events in the life of our
Church, in situ, thank the Almighty Lord for His blessings, and to pray for
peace in our community, our country, our region and in the world. In prayer,
I am particularly reminded of all the soldiers who are mostly involuntarily
engaged in war in our region and in various corners of the world. They are
sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers to numerous
families. I pray for the safety of all soldiers. I pray for an end to these
armed conflicts and violence. I pray for peace. `

Later in the afternoon, the Patriarch, with his entourage, visited the
Archaeological Museum in Kayseri, the Covered Bazaar, the Beshtepe Hill Park
opposite Mt. Erciyes, thence travelling to and arriving in Istanbul just
before Sunday midnight.

New Straits Times (Malaysia)
June 19, 2005, Sunday

Hairy, scary and violent..ZO: A-ALL

by Shanon Teoh; Jeremy Mahadevan

MEZMERIZE
System Of A Down
(Columbia/Sony)
Review by Shannon Teoh

SINCE time immemorial, man has been a creature whose every primal
instinct is to rule, conquer and beat up anyone who refuses to bow
down
to its power. Stanley Kubrick himself said so, in his epochal film,
2001:
A Space Odyssey.

Never mind that I never got to the space bits I keep hearing about.
The
first half containing those hairy hominids in their tribal wars still
rings true today. Hairy men need to rock and roll!

It’s hard to get more manly than the likes of System of a Down
(SOAD).
It’s hairy, scary and violent as hell. It’s not just riff after riff
of
inane thrashmetal, the assuredness with which it constructs such
in-your-face loud-soft-loud-barking dynamics is sheer all-conquering
power of Dodge Viper-like proportions.

Interesting then that it wears its anti-American Imperialism on its
sleeves. But could you blame these bug-eyed-on-testosterone (real men
don’t take drugs you see, unlike, ahem, some bands) Armenians whose
homeland was ravaged by civil war? And like real manly men who beat
their
chests and do the Maori Hakka, these warriors are heroes who sound
the
gong of a new era.

A new era that began in the late 1990s when SOAD’s eponymous debut
slayed the arena of nu-metal gladiators with one fell swoop. The
dominion
of all that is phallic about the 21st century continued with
Toxicity.

Fuelled by irresistible pheromones induced by the fire breathing
pipes
of Serj Tankian and Daron Malakian’s songcraft, singles such as the
aptly
titled Chop Suey – which describes the miscellany that is signature
to
their bewildering mix – caught on in mainstream consciousness,
signalling
its intent on clubbing even more cavemen and women.

Mezmerize builds on this intensity and even so, it is but part one of
a
new agenda. The autumnal ascension of Hypnotize later this year from
the
band’s melting pot of grinding guitar chops and 1980s synth-rock
looks
set to fully cement SOAD’s masculine butts to the throne of
alternative-hardcore.

Wearing sociopolitical commentary (read: dissatisfaction) like badges
on its breastplates and marching out with pyromancy and irrepressible
choruses, Mezmerize does exactly that, culminating in the closing
track
Lost in Hollywood.

Telling us that we “should’ve never trusted Hollywood” with its nest
of
“maggots smoking fags on Sunset Boulevard” who tell us lies about
being
“the best they’ve ever seen”, it is hardly the cleverest stuff on the
planet but it makes for immediate, straightforward momentum in
today’s
political climate that takes longer than grannies sewing Christmas
stockings to resolve anything.

While the album does suffer from a bit too much of Malakian’s
contribution on the mic, it hardly distracts from an album armed with
gems like Violent Pornography and This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m
On
This Song – both surely candidates for song titles of the year.

And titles like song of the year, employee of the month, Time Man of
the Year (ironically, most recently won by Dubya Bush himself) and
“rockingest” band of all time are the sort of milestones in what will
surely lead to SOAD being immortalised in bronze and pigeon droppings
one
day. Real men go out in style.

Righthand men… Rage Against the Machine, Mars Volta, Tool.

Lord and Master over… Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Korn.

Best listened to while… priming yourself to face the music after a
late night out with the boys… and especially not while shaving.

LULLABIES TO PARALYZE

Queens of the Stone Age

(Interscope/Warner)

Review by Jeremy Mahadevan

LISTEN, pal: you just got to get your mitts on this album. A little
discussion on manliness first, though: what makes manly men manly?
What
exactly did Captain Arthur Phillip see in those aborigines across
Sydney
Harbour, back in 1788, that made him name the spot Manly Cove?

I think we can all agree that hairy chests and gruesome faces just
don’t cut it. Anybody can decide to stop shaving for three months.
No,
really manly folk are the ones who just don’t give a hoot.

A manly man is the one you see cruising across desert roads in his
Shelby Cobra, one hand on the wheel at all times, speeding but never
in a
hurry. He’s got things to do, he’s at peace, and he’ll be relaxing
even
in the middle of Armageddon. Smooth and cultured, the man never
speaks
until he’s got something worth saying. People might be rioting and
looting outside, but he’ll still be at the bar, sipping his bourbon
and
trying to decide if it’ll be Lisa or Denise for dinner tonight. Then
he
waits for them to call. Because a manly man never shows you how he
really
feels.

Lullabies to Paralyze is a lot like some sort of Armageddon through
the
eyes of the world’s manliest men. The Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA)
have always been very adept at maintaining composure through squalls
of
its own creation. The music is always heavy, somehow, even when they
turn
down the volume.

The excitement is in seeing the new ways in which it manipulates that
ancient formula of guitars, drums, bass and vocals – there’s no
mistaking
the laid-back, measured nuances of QOTSA’s sound, it plays with
texture
and explore different melodies through to its conclusions, always
keeping
the tension up.

What could be hopelessly tepid and lifeless ends up with a certain
lazy
cigar-chomping vigilante cool, commanding attention without ever
having
to resort to manic tempo changes, wrecking-ball aesthetics or over
baked
theatrics.

Lullabies is more sober and spooky than previous QOTSA efforts –
perhaps a reaction to the sudden ejection of lynchpin member Nick
Oliveri
from the band prior to the recording of this material.

Some compare losing Oliveri to losing an arm, and tell me, what’s
manlier than sawing off your arm and just getting on with whatever it
was
you were doing before, as if nothing ever happened?

Songs like Everybody Knows That You are Insane and Someone’s in the
Wolf crackle with the same sort of fiery energy that kept previous
QOTSA
work lean and mean, but at the same time there’s a growling menace
permeating the whole thing that makes it unnecessary for the band to
ever
have to shout and shriek at you in some unmanly manner.

All right, so you can tell I’m making none-too-thinly-veiled digs at
that other band featured today. But let’s face it: anything that goes
out
of its way to be so visceral, so affecting, so hairychested – well,
it’s
just not very manly, is it? It’s trying too hard. Not that Mezmerize
isn’t a good album, it’s absolutely stunning and probably better than
Lullabies – it just isn’t as masculine.

Unsmiling like… Soundgarden, Jimi Hendrix, MC5.

Unamused by… Guns n’ Roses, Staind, KISS.

Best listened to while… sipping bourbon, one hand at the wheel of
your Shelby Cobra, chasing down werewolves and trying to decide
whether
it’s going to be Lisa or Denise for dinner tonight.

Journal of Turkish weekly
June 20 2005

Armenia Arrests Turkish Researcher Studying on Armenian past

Yektan Turkyilmaz, the first Turkish researcher to receive a
permission to study Armenian international archives, has been
arrested at the Yerevan Airport. Turkyilmaz is accused by Armenia of
attempting to take history books to Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had called Armenia and Tashnaks
to open their archives. Turkish Ottoman archives have been opened for
the decades to all researchers from all over the world.

Armenia has resisted to open its archives. It is also argued that the
Tashnasks archives in the US contain vital documents about the 1915
events, Armenian immigrations and Tashnak-Nazi collaborations.

DELEGATION HEADED BY NORWEGIAN STORTING PRESIDENT TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN
ON OFFICIAL VISIT ON JUNE 21

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The official visit of the delegation
headed by Jorgen A.Kosmo, President of Norwegian Parliament, Storting,
to Yerevan is planned for June 21-24. According to Noyan Tapan’s
information, the delegation will meet with Armenian parliamentarians,
as well as country’s high-ranking leaders. The results of the visit
will be summed up at the press conference at RA National Assembly.

In Caucasus enclave, Internet puts young in touch with outside world

Agence France Presse
June 19 2005

STEPANAKERT, Azerbaijan (AFP) – For 15-year-old Albert, who lives in
Nagorno Karabakh, the Internet is an exciting venue for meeting
people of his own age from any nation but one, Azerbaijan, which
remains dead against any moves to have the enclave recognised as an
independent state.

“I have never seen a single Azeri in my life, but I consider them
enemies. If it hadn’t been for the war with them, my father would
not have died and our house would not have been destroyed,” said the
teenager from Nagorno Karabakh, a mostly ethnic Armenian enclave that
lies within Azerbaijan.

As the territory holds parliamentary polls Sunday, hoping to convince
the world it should be recognised as an independent country, Albert’s
resentment of Azerbaijan, which surrounds Nagorno Karabakh, is typical
of many young people here.

Nagorno Karabakh seceded from Azerbaijan upon the Soviet Union’s
1991 collapse, leading Armenia to fight Azerbaijan for control of
the territory in 1993 and 1994, with the loss of an estimated 25,000
lives and the displacement of millions of people, most of them Azeris.

Just over a year old when the fighting erupted, Albert remembers
nothing of the bombings and underground shelters where families
sought refuge.

But the loss of his father and the family home have led him to
passionately oppose any Azeri attempt to retake his homeland.

Continued border clashes and ideological sniping make laying past
grievances to rest all the harder.

“We live very well without Azerbaijan and to be honest I can never
understand those politicians who want to see us subject to Azeri rule
again,” said another young resident, Narek, a 17-year-old economics
student.

Propped up by Armenia — itself supported by a large Armenian community
in the West — Nagorno Karabakh has in recent years taken on more of
a stable appearance.

Whereas its young people used to have to travel to the Armenian capital
Yerevan for higher education, institutes have sprung up in Nagorno
Karabakh’s main city of Stepanakert, offering their own degrees.

The political landscape has also grown more diverse.

While young people alot a healthy amount of time to the main
entertainment of evening walks and bar-hopping, the weeks prior to
Sunday’s poll found many of them vigorously discussing the programmes
of the seven parties vying for parliamentary seats, and some joining
in the campaigning.

And among the territory’s young there are some who feel the only
way forward is to reach out to Nagorno Karabakh’s large, oil-rich
neighbour, Azerbaijan — especially as rumours persist that Baku may
try to take back the territory by force.

“I am afraid of war and don’t want it to happen again,” said Sveta,
a 27-year-old lawyer, explaining that she had many Azeri friends she
chatted to over the Internet.

“We need to communicate, to know each other better, to learn to trust
each other,” Sveta said.

For others the important thing is that the vote should be fair, so
that Nagorno Karabakh can win the international community’s respect
and eventually recognition of its independence.

“We want peace and to enjoy our youth in an economically developed
and democratic country,” one teenager said.

NKR PRESIDENT APPEALS TO NKR PEOPLE ON THE OCCASION OF THE ELECTIONS TO NKR NA

STEPANAKERT, June 17. /ARKA/. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan appealed
to NKR people on the occasion of the elections to NKR NA. He noted that
he believed that the deputies of the new convocation of the Karabakh
parliament will be most worthy candidates. “Pre-election campaign is
being over and it was held positively and became one more step for the
further democratization of our state and society”, according to the
statement of the president. Meantime, it’s noted in the statement that
some candidates forgetting about elementary norms of ethics, pursue
only one goal, namely by any means, including inadmissible ones, to
discredit rivals, without introducing to electors their own programs
on legislative activity. The president guaranteed in his appeal that
voting will be fair and transparent. “I assure you that any attempts
to violate the law, as well as post-elections destabilization of the
situation will receive due evaluation. The initiators and performers
will be held responsible”, he said.

In his message Ghukasyan noted that the approaching elections are
have an important international meaning for Nagorno-Karabakh. “By our
attitude to elections we should demonstrate the world irreversibility
of democratic reforms in the country and contribute to international
acknowledgement of NKR. If the forthcoming parliamentary elections
are not in line with European standards, then the image of our state
will suffer, and its authority on the international arena will in
its effect negatively on peaceful process of the settlement of the
conflict with Azerbaijan. In other words, the fate of Artsakh and
our achievements are at stake”, according to the message. A.H. -0–

National Council of Churches USA, NY
June 17 2005

Habitat for Humanity launches 2005 Jimmy Carter
work project, and NCC rolls up its sleeves

New York, June 16, 2005 – National Council of Churches USA General
Secretary Bob Edgar will join former President Jimmy Carter and
volunteers from 50 churches June 19-24 to build 40 homes during
Habitat for Humanity’s 2005 Jimmy Carter Work Project in Michigan.

“President Carter is demonstrating once again that our obligation to
those who are struggling in our economy is more than lip service and
good intentions,” Edgar said. “The thousands of volunteers who will
be rolling up their sleeves and grabbing hammers are witnesses to the
fact that we all have a duty to work together. Those who have homes
must never turn their backs on those who can’t afford them.” Edgar is
shown at left meeting with the Carters at an earlier work project.

A special addition to this year’s work project will be the presence
of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. Karekin will preside over an announcement of the Armenian
Church’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity to build in Armenia,
the United States and other countries.

During the annual event, thousands of volunteers will join Mr. Carter
and his wife, Rosalynn, to make the dream of homeownership come true
with families in need. Volunteers will complete more than 230 homes
throughout Michigan and in Windsor, Canada. The Carters will build
in host cities Benton Harbor and Detroit.

Leading up to the project, denominational leaders Bishop Gary Hansen
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Bishop Bob Gepert
of the Episcopal Church led a campaign to get denominations engaged
by providing seed money and matching grants to encourage involvement
from local congregations.

Diverse church groups represented include Presbyterians, United
Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Baptists and many
non-denominational churches including Willow Creek Community Church
near Chicago, which is sending more than 200 volunteers and
sponsoring two homes.

Representatives from Michigan Faith Leaders Council will show their
support by building along with church members from various
denominations and nondenominational churches.

–end–

Contact: NCC News, Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252,
[email protected]; Leslie Tune, 202-544-2350, [email protected]

Contact Habitat for Humanity, Duane Bates, 229-938-1917,
[email protected]; Jennifer Lindsey, 202-270-2030,
[email protected]

ARMENIA READY TO LEND FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN RESTORATION OF ABKHAZIAN RAILWAY

AZG Armenian Daily #111, 17/06/2005

Region

Armenia is ready to allocate part of the financial sources required
for the restoration of railroad communication through the territory
of Abkhazia. Mediamax agency informed that Ararat Khrimian, head of
“Armenian Railroads” CJSC, stated this in Tbilisi. He was participating
in the sitting of transport council of CIS member countries.

“Armenia wants to be involved in the project of restoration of
Sochi-Tbilisi Railroad communication, if Russia and Georgia take
a final decision on state level on restoration of that part of the
railroad,” Khrimian stated.

Genady Fadeyev, head of Russian Railroads, stated in his turn that
the expenditure of restoration of the Abkhazian part of the railroad
will cost about $100 million.

Zurab Noghayideli, Georgian prime minister, said at the sitting of
transport board of the CIS member countries that Tbilisi has a more
positive position in the issue of restoring the Abkhazian part of the
railroad. At the same time, Noghayideli said that one shouldn’t hurry
unless there are unsolved issues, particularly the issue of securing
the safety of Gali region’s residents.

AsiaNews.it, Italy
June 16 2005

Armenians protest Erdogan’s visit to Beirut
by Youssef Hourany

Hariri’s warm welcome to Turkish Premier is criticised as the
campaign gets hotter. Hizbollah says no to forcing President Lahoud
to resign.

Beirut (AsiaNews) – Four days from the last and decisive round of
Lebanon’s elections, the visit by Turkish Prime Minister has provoked
protests by the country’s Armenian community. It is also generating
anti-Saad Hariri feelings in this community. For its part, today
Hizbollah rejected Hariri’s call for President Lahoud’s resignation.

Protests by the Armenian community in its Bourj Hammouyd stronghold
against the visit by the Turkish Prime Minister are a new factor in
the ongoing political crisis that is shaking Lebanon.

Residents of the populous neighbourhood-reputed for its banks,
shopping centres and jewellery shops throughout the Middle East-have
blocked streets and shut down stores.

Armenians blame Turkey for committing genocide against them in the
early part of the 20th century and demand that the international
community condemn this act so that it may never happen again
elsewhere.

Lebanese-Armenians have also protested against the attitude shown by
newly-elected MNA for Beirut Saad Hariri, who gave the Turkish
Premier a very warm welcome.

Upon arrival, Mr Erdogan went to Rafik Hariri’s mausoleum in downtown
Beirut to pay his respect to the slain former Lebanese Prime
Minister.

Saad Hariri is working on his election campaign in northern Lebanon
where two main slates of candidates are running-one that sees
Interior Minister Suleiman Frangieh allied with General Michel Aoun;
the other made of Hariri, Kornet Chehwane, and the Lebanese Forces.

The round in northern Lebanon will complete the staggered process to
elect Lebanon’s 128-member National Assembly, evenly divided between
Christians and Muslims in accordance with the 1989Taif agreement.

Results next Sunday will determine the new political map of the
country. Surveys indicate that the 28 seat up for grabs might split
down the middle with 14 going to each of the two main groupings.

Should this happen current President Emile Lahoud is likely to
continue his mandate until 2007.

After the elections though, lawmakers will have to elect a new
Speaker of the National Assembly and choose a new Prime Minister.

Since yesterday, Saad Hariri has been on the campaign trail in
Tripoli helping his allies.

According to Gebran Bassil, who is running on General Aoun’s ticket,
Hariri’s help includes handing out petrodollars.

Mr Bassil said the Frangieh-Aoun alliance trusted the people,
reaffirming its conviction that it was not for sale; voters, he said,
have done everything to preserve Lebanon’s true character.

The northern region, he added, is the Land of Saints, the Land God
blessed with shrines, that of Saint Rebecca, Saint Neemtallah and
Saint Charbel.

In the meantime, Hizbollah deputy secretary general, Sheikh Nahim
Kassem, said that it was necessary to preserve the presidency. His
party, which now has 14 members in the National Assembly, is against
the demand by Jumblatt, Hariri and the Kornet Chehwane group to
remove Lahoud from office before the end of his mandate in 2007.

The head of the Presidency’s Economic, Social and Educational Affairs
Directorate Faten Nader told AsiaNews that President Lahoud wants to
see Lebanon reborn.

She insisted that the President is attached to the country’s
political institutions which, in his view, remain the only way to
help it maintain its mission. As Pope John Paul II said: “Lebanon is
more a message than a country”. And for Ms Nader the Lebanese must
follow reason and overcome sentimentality.

Today also marks the return to Lebanon of former Deputy Prime
Minister Issam Fares, who after Rafik Hariri’s assassination, said he
would retire from politics.

Contacted by phone by this news agency, he said that northerners will
speak their mind on Election Day. “This people will never be bought,
as some might want,” he said.

Fares confirmed that he was against removing President Lahoud from
office and reiterated his support for the Frangieh-Aoun alliance.
(YH)