Author: Emil Lazarian

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:
HIS HOLINESS HAS LUNCH WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF FRANCE
His Holiness Aram I accepted a personal invitation by the Ambassador
of France to Lebanon, Bernard Emie and had lunch with him in the
French Embassy on March 23.
His Holiness and the Ambassador held a meeting before the lunch and
discussed the current situation of Lebanon and the possibilities of
brining the country out of the stalemate it faces.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and the mission 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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Explosion hits downtown Yerevan
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 25 2005
Baku, March 24, AssA-Irada
A powerful explosion hit downtown Yerevan on Thursday morning. The
blast was caused by an explosive hidden in the tree near the State
Customs Committee building, according to Armenian sources.
The Committee chairman’s office car was damaged as a result of the
explosion but the chairman and his driver received no injuries.
The explosion came on the first day of Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s official visit to Yerevan.
Armenian law-enforcement bodies stated on the eve of the Russian
President’s visit that security was tightened in the country.*

RUSSIAN AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS OPEN YEAR OF RUSSIA
RIA Novosti, Russia
March 25 2005
YEREVAN, March 25 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan will participate in the opening
ceremony of Armenia’s Year of Russia, held in Yerevan.
According to a source in the Armenian presidential administration,
the main purpose of Putin’s trip to the country is to take part in
the festivities.
“This significant event meets the traditional ties of friendship
and spiritual and cultural closeness of the two peoples. It is
especially significant in view of the celebration this year of the 60th
anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War,” the source said.
The Year of Russia program includes about 120 joint events in
political, economic, humanitarian, scientific, technological and
inter-regional areas.
According to a spokesman of the Russian embassy’s press service in
Armenia, the Year of Russia will provide for trade and industrial
exhibitions and fairs, expansion of the exchange of economic
information and the holding of scientific and practical conferences
on various problems of bilateral and regional economic cooperation.
The Armenian public will be exposed to the best Russian theater
companies, achievements in the Russian musical, theater and art
schools, and today’s outstanding Russian performers in theater,
film and television.
Writers, poets, actors and producers will also meet during the course
of the Year of Russia.
The Bolshoi Ballet, The National Philharmonic Orchestra, The Moscow
Chekhov Art Theater, The Obraztsov State Central Puppet Theater and
The Alexandrov Academic Company of the Russian Army are all scheduled
to perform in Armenia.
“In the areas of education and science, the events under the
Year’s program will expand contacts between the higher educational
establishments of the two countries, to train and re-train specialists,
to hold scientific exchanges and events, aimed at strengthening the
position of the Russian language in Armenia and toorganize events
through the National Academies of Russia and Armenia, including all
kinds of forums on the priority themes of joint scientific studies,”
the spokesman said.
The opening ceremony of the Year of Russia in Armenia will end with
a big gala concert.
“A logical continuation of the Year of Russia in Armenia will be
the Year of Armenia in Russia in 2006. Its main aim is to open the
way for a public and business initiative, to establish direct human
contacts, to expand the informational and cultural exchange and to
deepen bilateral contacts,” the embassy’s spokesman said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DENIAL OF ARMENOCIDE POLICY AND MYTH OF REBELLION
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
25 March 05
Eighty-five years ago the town of Shushi was set to fire and ruined.
In several hours the values of world importance created throughout
centuries turned into piles of ash, and the people who had created them
fell victims to cruel manslaughter. This tragic event must be viewed
in the context of the Turkish policy of genocide of the Armenians in
East Armenia, Transcaucasia after the extermination of a major part
of the West Armenians and their displacement from their historical
cradle – West Armenia. The evaluation of the tragedy of Shushi given by
historians is not absolute and satisfactory. What is more, Shushi has
not become subject of a thorough study; no serious attempts were made
to discover the causes of the tragedy. There were only accusations
and swearing on both sides. In parallel with the tragic events the
Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan (DRA) put forth the false version
of the riot of the Armenians trying to present the crime committed by
themselves as the consequence of the riot of the Armenians. Whereas,
we deal with a policy of genocide worked out by Turkey and implemented
by the government of the DRA, as well as with a recurrent attempt
of denying it. In the resolutions passed at the general meeting of
the political party Musavat on March 30, 1920 and the parliament
of Azerbaijan on April 1, 1920 the Armenians and the government of
Armenia were brazenly accused of the events in Shushi. Casting all
the blame on a group of “insurgents” Azerbaijan did not forget to
threaten that everything would be much worse if the Armenians of
Karabakh did not become sensible and obedient. Our compatriot Leo,
paying homage to the tendency of praising the new Bolshevist power,
as well as the false pivotal idea of equality it put forth that both
the Musavatists and Dashnaks were to blame for the tragedy in Shushi,
almost repeats the groundless accusations of Bolshevists inherited
from the Musavatists (see Leo, “From the Past”, Tiflis, 1925, p. 437
~@” 438). Listing the aggressive actions of the enemy and exposing the
inevitability of a crucial collision, A. Mikaelian tried to prove that
there had been enough potential for resistance and providing security
of the population, however, the chance was not used (Arsen Mikaelian,
“The Latest Events in Karabakh”, Hayrenik Journal, Boston, 1923,
p. 118, p. 121). In fact, it would take too much space to present
all the opinions but the above-mentioned two are quite typical and
vivid. It should be mentioned that the viewpoints, contradicting
information we come across in various documents cause confusion
and make it almost impossible to insist on a definite version. This
disorderly state persists in later studies. There is an impression
that often the archival documents had not been treated critically,
and the information in them had not been verified for truthfulness
and source. Studying a great many documents of this period the
majority of which was published in collections, scientific journals
and appendices of scientific works, it can be concluded that there is
a lot of information in them which disorient, do not meet scientific
requirements, and why not are untrustworthy. A careful and critical
approach is needed in order not to be caught in this web. We do not
want to play down the work of the previous investigators. However,
we can express our opinion on these works the general fault of which
is the lack of political thought and evaluation. This is especially
obvious against the impertinent trumpeting and exaggerating of
the “myth” of insurgency; we do not think that everything took
place exactly the way it is described, especially that it smells a
recurrent political provocation on the part of the opponent. Some
of the investigators (B. Ulubabian, H. Harutyunian, H. Abrahamian)
tried to manoeuver between two points of view (i.e. insurgency or
armed resistance against the Azerbaijani troops). There is a general
tendency to think that in the atmosphere of tension Sultanov and the
other executioners were waiting for an occasion to carry out the plan
of extermination of the Armenians. This also can be accepted. However,
the false version that this occasion was enabled by the Armenians is
not convincing and logical. The fact is that the Armenians defended
themselves from the gangs and regular army formed of Turk-Azerbaijanis
and Kurds, and the self-defence was presented by the Azerbaijani
propaganda as an insurgency to confuse the international community
by presenting the consequences instead of the cause and to justify
the destruction of the once prosperous town of Shushi and massacres
of the Armenian population. To get convinced of this it is enough
to recall the preceding and succeeding events and the image of the
Turk-Tatar (Azerbaijani) political thought and logic based on their
interpretation of these events, which is, by the way, typical of the
nomadic tribes at a rather law level of development which suddenly find
themselves in a civilized and prosperous country completely strange to
them. While developing this idea we based on the results of synthesis
and analysis of the cynical evaluations and “counterarguments” set
forth by the Turk-Azerbaijanis to the genocide of Armenians in 1915,
the tragic events in Baku in September 1918, the extermination of
the Armenian population of the adjacent areas of Shushi in 1919,
the ethnic cleansing in the former state of Elizavetpol in 1920,
the barbaric events in Sumgait in 1988, Baku in 1990 and Maragha on
April 10, 1992 and the NKR ~@” Azerbaijani conflict in general. The
March 1920 tragedy of Shushi is a link in this chain~@¦ The “myth”
of insurgency and the scenario of “extermination of Armenians in
reply” are used by Turks since old times. Even the genocide of
Armenians in 1915 when 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered,
is cynically presented by them as a reply to the insurgency of the
Armenians. Whereas, the riots if there were any, and generally the
national liberation movement of the Armenians was against the national,
religious, cultural and economic pressure of the Turks; for the people
living in extremely hard conditions there was nothing to do but to
make their last efforts to save from slow death. And this provoked,
and why not imposed riot was used by the Turks as an occasion to
perpetrate the extermination of the Armenians. Studying the evidence
of the past we come to believe that even if the Armenians had not
resisted, they would be condemned to slow death. In both cases the
Turks had nothing to lose; more exactly they were favoured while the
Armenians lost in any case. An example of such falsification is the
cunning expression of Nuri Pasha, “Armenians are also to be blamed
for the ruin of the Armenians of Turkey for they became toys in the
hands of these great powers (Great Britain and Russia ~@” M.H.),
started mutinies, gave rise to suppression against them and lost”
(see “Massacres of Armenians in the States of Baku and Elizavetpol
in 1918 – 1920”, ed. A. Virabian, compilers S. Mirzoyan, A. Ghaziyan,
Archive of History of RA, 2003, document 29, p. 45, 49). However, the
monstrous plan of extermination of the Armenians had been worked out
long before and strange though it may seem, without any guise, along
with an anti-Armenian hysteria and a campaign of instilling hatred. It
is a fact that already by the beginning of 1920 the Ittihat had emerged
in Azerbaijan and propagated aggressive moods among the government and
the entire Muslim population. At that time the representative of the
legacy of Armenia in Azerbaijan Tigran Bekzadian informed about this
in his report on his talk with Wardrope (see “Massacres of Armenians
in the States of Baku and Elizavetpol in 1918 ~@” 1920″, document 362,
p. 434) which confirms our viewpoint about the existence of a plan of
genocide which included the destruction of Shushi. In our opinion,
the events took place in the following order: Sultanov ordered the
troops to hit the center of Armenians Shushi. At the same time the
troops deployed in Aghdam and the armed mop, as it had been foreseen,
moved in the direction of Askeran ~@” Khojalu ~@” Khankendi ~@” Shushi
aiming to aid the criminals suppressing (but in reality slaughtering)
the Armenians of Shushi. Another fact proving that the DRA had openly
started war against the Armenians of Artsakh was that the Azerbaijani
troops attacked in the direction of Gandzak and Shamkor for the aim
of ethnic cleansing. The state policy of the DRA aiming to terrorize
and subdue the Armenians of Artsakh through horrible massacres was
first implemented in Shushi because since 1919 the population of the
capital of Artsakh had been in the state of hostages (see Leo) and,
according to the archive documents, it was viewed by the enemy as
an important factor in invading Artsakh. In his report addressed to
the chairman of the Azerbaijani council of ministers Sultanov wrote,
“I hope by officially subduing the Center and the Armenian movement in
the town of Shushi the question of subduing the Armenians of Karabakh
will be completed successfully.” According to the tactics worked out
beforehand the defence forces defeated the Azerbaijani invaders on
March 23, 1920 and liberated Askeran, which was a strategic point for
preventing further advance of the Azerbaijani forces from Aghdam and
protecting the rear of the defenders of Shushi and Khankendi. These
very events of self-defence were falsified by the Azerbaijanis and
defined as “insurgency” to “justify” their crimes, on the one hand,
denying and refuting the genocide, on the other hand.
MHER HARUTYUNIAN. 25-03-2005
–Boundary_(ID_8B3Oar2inprRBGPWfqrvfQ)–

Armenian premier rules out fresh Karabakh war
Ayastani Anrapetutyun, Yerevan
24 Mar 05
Excerpt from Gayane Gasparyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Ayastani
Anrapetutyun on 24 March headlined “I think war is unlikely to resume”
An interview with Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan.
[Ayastani Anrapetutyun correspondent] How would you assess an
initiative to convene an extraordinary [parliament] session to
discuss the return of bank deposits [lost after the collapse of the
Soviet Union]?
[Andranik Markaryan] This is the constitutional right of the deputies
which they are trying to exercise.
[Passage omitted: local government elections not discussed yet]
[Correspondent] The OSCE fact-finding mission’s report says that
Armenia does not conduct a state policy or provides budget money
for settlement in the liberated territories [Nagornyy Karabakh]. Do
you think it is positive? If yes, does this mean that we do not need
these territories?
[Markaryan] I think what the report says is true. Not we but the
Azerbaijani party raised this problem. If they have made another
conclusion, it would be useful for them but not for us. We have put
forward another initiative: we have applied to the fact-finding
mission to conduct similar monitoring in Shaumyan [Goranboy] and
other territories occupied by Azerbaijan. And we shall see if they
conduct the same policy as Armenia in those territories.
[Passage omitted: Armenia not interested in recognizing the Karabakh
government]
[Correspondent] Yesterday [actually, on 21 March], the Azerbaijani
president said that war could start against Armenia any time since
there is no peace agreement. Is this possible?
[Markaryan] I think this is unlikely. More than 10 years have passed
since the cease-fire was achieved, and this could happen any time if
Azerbaijan or Armenia had such a desire. I am sure Armenia does not
have such a desire.
[Correspondent] What are your expectations from [Russian President]
Vladimir Putin’s visit to Armenia?
[Markaryan] This year has been declared the year of Russia in
Armenia. The presidents of the two countries often meet and discuss
different issues. Some economic and political issues will be discussed
today as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Zaman Online
INTERNATIONAL 03.24.2005 Thursday – ISTANBUL 22:18
Rehn: Ease up on Comments regarding Domestic Policy Interpretations
By Selcuk Gultasli
Published: Thursday 24, 2005
zaman.com
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who attended the European Union
(EU) midterm summit in Brussels yesterday (March 23) met with the
EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy,
Javier Solana and the EU Commissioner responsible for EU enlargement,
Olli Rehn.
Touching on recent criticisms regarding the Turkish government’s
slowing of EU reforms in a news conference held after the meeting,
Gul said some EU members faced problems due to the EU constitution
referendum and they are currently pursuing a policy not to aggravate
these problems. The Minister also added that he negotiated the issue
with Rehn and in response the Enlargement Commissioner told Gul that
those were the interpretations made according to the developments
on domestic politics and suggested that they should not dwell on
to them too much. Addressing the allegations about the so-called
Armenian “genocide”, Gul said they would enforce a mechanism that
will convince countries into recognizing the truth of the genocide
by proving their arguments; however, the Turkish Minister abstained
from giving any details.
Meanwhile, EU leaders decided to form a group to ascertain whether
or not Croatians had cooperated sufficiently with the United Nations
(UN) War Crimes Court in order to begin negotiations. The group will
consist of the EU term President, the EU Commission, the upcoming
term president, Great Britain, and Austria who will instigate the
term transfer. Vienna is known for its opposition to Turkey.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Putin to seek loyalty vow on visit to Armenia
Turkish Press
03/24/2005 12:18 GMT
Published: 3/24/2005
YEREVAN – Russian President Vladimir Putin was expected late Thursday
in Armenia for a visit aimed at securing a vow of loyalty from Moscow’s
ex-Soviet ally.
Putin, accompanied on the day-and-a-half working visit by his wife
Lyudmilla, was due to dine with the Armenian presidential couple
before addressing the main reason for his visit on Friday.
The Russian leader will hold talks with his counterpart President
Robert Kocharian and take part in a ceremony to mark the opening of
the Year of Russia in Armenia.
The problem of the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic
Armenian enclave in the heart of Azerbaijan, will be discussed.
And the construction of a gas pipeline between Armenia and Iran, which
is viewed unfavourably by Moscow, was also to feature on the agenda.
The Karabakh war erupted before the fall of the Soviet Union in
1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent,
ending in a ceasefire in 1994 with over one million people displaced
and 25,000 killed.
Russia co-chairs, with France and the United States, the Minsk group,
tasked by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
with finding a negotiated solution to the dispute.
03/24/2005 12:18 GMT

PanArmenian News
March 24 2005
CLASH OF COSSACKS WITH ARMENIANS PROVOKED BY THIRD PARTY NOT TO LET
ARMENIAN DIASPORA MASS ACTIONS APRIL 24
24.03.2005 04:28
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The clashes between Cossacks and Armenians might
have been provoked by a third party not to let the mass actions of
the Armenian Diaspora planned next to the Turkish Consulate General
in Novorossiysk April 24, the Yerkramas newspaper of the Armenians of
Russia reported. Due to the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide the Kuban Armenian Diaspora plans numerous events. These
include a rally next to the Turkish Consulate General, opened in
Novorossiysk this year. After the occurrence the Novorossiysk
authorities will most probably refuse authorizing the event,
justifying their decision with taking care of the law and order in
the city. It should be reminded that according to various assessments
from 100 to 200 Cossacks have made pogroms in one of the Novorossiysk
districts on 22 March. Ethnic Armenians were attacked, as well as
cars and commercial buildings owned by them. An incident in a café in
the city on night of March 21-22 caused the conflict. At the time
Cossacks headed by city Cossack Society ataman Vladimir Petrushin
approached a group of young people, composed of Armenians and Greeks,
who were celebrating a birthday. The ataman got serious bodily
injures in the course of the subsequent skirmish. He was operated at
the city hospital N1 and it there at present. Physicians assess his
state as stable.
–Boundary_(ID_DYdrBwsDKETq5aceM4OeSg)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian finance minister, US envoy sign action plan
Arminfo
23 Mar 05
Yerevan, 23 March: Armenian Finance and Economy Minister Vardan
Khachatryan and the US ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, today
signed an action plan drafted by the 9th meeting of the Armenian-US
working group for economic cooperation.
The document outlines the spheres in which the governments of the two
countries will cooperate within the programme, the press service of
the Finance and Economy Ministry has told Arminfo.
As John Evans said at the signing ceremony, the action plan is a
development guide. “It helps formulate questions accurately and
secures effective cooperation at the government level in the name of
the bright future of the Armenian people,” Evans said.
The action programme, which consists of 30 points, concerns
improvements in fiscal management, the strengthening of the banking
sphere, the fight against corruption, the intensification of business
ties, as well as the strengthening of lasting cooperation in the
agricultural and humanitarian spheres.
The document also states that Armenia has the right to participate in
the Millennium Challenges Account and should ensure progress in the
spheres defined by the programme.
The director of the USAID mission in Yerevan, Robin Phillips, also
took part in the signing ceremony of the programme. Prior to the
signing ceremony, a working meeting was held between representatives
of various Armenian ministries, the US embassy in Armenia and USAID.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BILL ON AMENDMENTS TO RA LAW ON EXPORT AND
IMPORT OF CULTURAL VALUES
YEREVAN, MARCH 23. ARMINFO. The Armenian Parliament adopted today
a bill on amendments to the RA Law on export and import of cultural
values in the first reading.
MP Hranuysh Hakobyan says that the bill proposes establishment of a
government body which will determine the list of the authors who died
during the last 50 years. Their works can be exported from the country
only in case of a state certificate for export. Head of the United
Labor Party Gurgen Arsenyan stated that the bill did not proceed
from the interests of our culture and that artists themselves were
against it.
To note, the law approved by the parliament in late 2004 was not as
tough as the former law. It reduces the state duties for the export
of cultural values and simplifies the procedure of their temporary
export-import. Also simplified is the uncertified export of pictures
and works of art if they are no more than 50 years old except for
the works by dead authors included in the government’s list. The bill
mentions the works that are not subject even to temporary exportation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress