Author: Emil Lazarian

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05/13/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Opposition No-show for Negotiations 2) Karabagh on Rice's Moscow Agenda 3) Ambassadors Ordway, Dryukov Meet with ARF 4) Armenia and Iran Seal Pipeline Deal 1) Opposition No-show for Negotiations YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Scheduled dialogue between Armenia’s ruling coalition representatives and the opposition was halted, when the opposition was a no-show for negotiations that were to take place Thursday. The opposition canceled the planned crisis talks with the governing coalition, saying that President Robert Kocharian has not stopped the month-long crackdown on his opponents. Opposition representatives were scheduled to meet on Thursday with leaders of the three ruling coalition parties. The meeting was supposed to be the first official “negotiation” between the two sides that have held a series of unofficial consultations over the past week. According to Artarutyun’s Victor Dallakian, the opposition will resume the contacts only after the authorities take “practical steps” stemming from the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). “We have nothing to discuss with the coalition now,” he said. Parliament majority leaders said the decision to pull out of the talks was not immediately communicated to them as they waited for opposition representatives inside the parliament building in the evening. The boycott followed Artarutyun’s and the National Unity Party's (AMK) decision to resume their joint rallies in Yerevan on Friday. The opposition says it is only prepared to discuss with the authorities ways of ensuring Kocharian’s resignation “without upheavals,” suggesting in particular a referendum of confidence in the Armenian leader. The international community has strongly encouraged both sides to try to bridge their differences through negotiations, with the PACE resolution calling for a “dialogue without preconditions.” The head of the Yerevan office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Vladimir Pryakhin, echoed the calls on Wednesday. “I encourage both sides to engage in a meaningful and genuine dialogue in order to resolve, within the constitutional framework, the continuing difficulties,” Pryakhin said in a statement. Pryakhin also urged the Armenian authorities to “review the cases” of all those detained during recent opposition demonstrations and end the controversial “administrative detentions” repeatedly condemned by the Council of Europe and other human rights organizations. “This practice is incompatible with European human rights standards,” the Russian diplomat said. 2) Karabagh on Rice's Moscow Agenda MOSCOW (Armenpress/Itar-Tass)--US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice told Russian newspaper Itar-Tass on Wednesday that she will discuss possible resolutions to the Mountainous Karabagh conflict while in Moscow May 14-16. “Along with Russia, we are trying to settle a range of conflict situations. I think we are disappointed to some degree that we have not succeeded in the case of Karabagh," Rice said. She said that the issue has become “too protracted,” and has had a negative political and economic impact on both Armenia and Azerbaijan. She stressed that the two governments must resume seeking a settlement with a “serious attitude.” Rice is expected to focus on the situation in Iraq during her talks with Russian officials. “Whatever differences the two countries might have had in the past, now the accomplishment of success in Iraq is of key importance; stable, democratic, and prosperous Iraq meets bilateral interests,” Rice told journalists. Rice was last in Moscow in April 2003 to discuss bilateral relations in connection with the US military campaign in Iraq. The upcoming talks will also focus on the common fight against international terrorism, as well as bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. 3) Ambassadors Ordway, Dryukov Meet with ARF YEREVAN (Yerkir/A1Plus)--US Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway met with the leadership of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Armenia on Thursday to review the political situation of the country and ways to remedy the situation. The ARF also met with the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Anatoly Dryukov on the same day. The ARF emphasized that dialogue is key to reaching a political agreement, and that the authorities and the opposition must meet each other halfway to jointly tackle critical issues vital to the welfare of the people. They agreed that destabilization of the situation in Armenia jeopardizes not only the development of the republic, but also in the entire region. Discussions were along the same lines between Ambassador Druykov and ARF Armenia Supreme Body representative Armen Rustamian, who said that the ARF and the other coalition partners are determined to resolve current tensions through dialogue with the opposition. Druykov praised the push for dialogue, pointing to Armenia’s stability as key to that of the region. Armenian-Russian relations were also discussed. 4) Armenia and Iran Seal Pipeline Deal YEREVAN (Armenpress/RBC/RFE/RL)--After more than a decade of negotiations, the Armenian and Iranian governments took the final step and signed an agreement on Thursday to begin construction of a pipeline which will be operational before January 1, 2007, and will continue to operate for at least 20 years. “Negotiations on this agreement have lasted for about 12 years and it has become a reality today,” Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisian said at the signing ceremony, attended by Iran’s visiting Oil and Gas Minister Bijan Zanganeh. The Armenia-Iran intergovernmental agreement covering the route of the 141 kilometer pipeline was signed in 1995. The construction of the Armenian part of the pipeline linking the city of Meghri with Yerevan at a length of 100 kilometers is estimated at $96-100 million. The Iranian portion of the pipeline will be 41 kilometers, and is estimated to cost $120 million. Each of the two countries is responsible for constructing its part of the pipeline. According to Movsisian, Iran has agreed to deliver no less than 1.1billion cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia, which will pay for gas with electric energy supplies. The minister declined to comment on possible sources of financing the construction. His Iranian counterpart Zanganeh declined to name the agreed price of gas supplies. He stressed that under the 20 year agreement, Iran is to deliver 36 billion cubic meters of gas to Armenia. Some estimate that the cost of gas supplies agreed to is $84 per 1,000 cubic meters. The Iranian minister said that the Iranian part of the pipeline will be constructed by the National Gas Export Company. Movisian only said that construction of Armenia’s portion would be financed by Armenians, and that proposals put forth by Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, China, and the US would be considered. Zanganeh arrived in Yerevan and met with President Robert Kocharian earlier in the day. A statement by the presidential press service said the gas project will double the volume of Armenian-Iranian trade, which stood at $90 million last year. Armenian leaders say the pipeline will be of strategic importance for their country as it will provide it with an alternative source of natural gas, which is used for meeting approximately 40 percent of its energy needs. Russia has been Armenia’s sole supplier of the vital fuel since the mid-1990s and was, until recently, uneasy about having a major competitor in the Armenian energy sector 80 percent of which is controlled by Russian firms. "We regard this project as a serious question for Armenian energy security," the President Kocharian stressed. Armenia imported about 1.2 billion cubic meters of Russian gas last year through a single pipeline running through Georgia, which is reportedly in poor condition and needs urgent repairs. The agreement commits it to buying almost as much Iranian gas in 2007. The annual volume of Iranian deliveries is due to jump to 2.3 billion cubic meters in the future, raising the question of whether there will be that much demand for the fuel inside Armenia. Armenian and Iranian officials have indicated in the past that Armenia could serve as a transit route for Iranian gas exports to third countries, notably Georgia and Ukraine--an option reportedly opposed by Russia. The Ukrainian government has shown interest in the project ever since its inception, and the issue was on the agenda of Prime Minister Andranik Markarian’s visit to Kiev this week. Markarian was reported to call for Ukrainian involvement in the pipeline’s construction. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Kurt Chesko
HALO USA
850 Seventh Avenue #506
New York, NY 10002
T: 212-581-0099
F: 212-581-2029
Email: [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HALO Trust to Brief Los Angeles Community on Landmine Problem in
Karabakh
Kurt Chesko, Program Officer for the HALO Trust, will speak about his
recent visit to Nagorno Karabakh and discuss the impact that landmines
and unexploded ordnance (UXO) have on the Armenian population. He
will share photographs and give a mine clearance demonstration. All
are welcome to attend.
The HALO Trust is the world’s largest humanitarian landmine clearance
organization and operates a 200-person program in Karabakh, one of the
most mine-affectied regions in the world. HALO’s dedicated Karabakhi
staff have destroyed 2,300 antipersonnel landmines, 1,000 antitank
mine and over 26,000 items of UXO since 2000. HALO also provides mine
risk education to the goverment authorities and residents of Karabakh.
This briefing will occur at 10:30 AM on Saturday, 15th at The Glendale
Public Library’s Central Auditorium (222 East Harvard Street, Glendale,
CA 91205). We hope to see you there.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FEDERATION EURO-ARMENIENNE
pour la Justice et la Démocratie
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B–1000 BRUXELLES
Tel./Fax : +32 (0) 2 732 70 27
E-mail : [email protected]
Web :
COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE
13 mai 2004
Contact: Talline Tachdjian
Tel.: +32 (0)2 732 70 27
ELECTIONS EUROPEENNES: LES TETES DE LISTES S’EXPRIMENT DEVANT LA COMMUNAUTE
ARMENIENNE
Lyon, France – Dimanche 9 Mai 2004, lors d’un meeting organisé à l’occasion
de la Journée de l’Europe à la Bourse du Travail de Lyon par le Comité de
Défense de la Cause Arménienne (CDCA) et la F.R.A Tachnagtsoutioun, les
têtes de listes de la circonscription du Sud-Est de la France pour les
Européennes ont eu l’occasion de s’exprimer sur l’entrée de la Turquie en
Europe: étaient présents Thierry Cornillet (UDF), Gérard Benhamias (Verts),
Patrick Louis (UPF). Le débat était animé par Frédéric Bourgade, journaliste
à France Inter, avec la participation de Franck Bianchieri du Think Tank
Europe 2002 et Hilda Tchoboian, de la Fédération Euro-Arménienne.
Absents en raison du lancement de la campagne électorale de leur parti,
Françoise Grossetête (UMP) et Michel Rocard (PS) se sont exprimés par des
interviews filmées.
Franck Bianchieri a témoigné de la préoccupation et de l’opposition
grandissantes à l’adhésion de la Turquie, constatée lors des débats qu’il a
animés dans 100 villes européennes.
Devant un auditoire attentif de plus de mille personnes, Thierry Cornillet
et Patrick Louis ont exposé leur opposition formelle à l’adhésion turque,
pour des raisons géographiques, culturelles et démographiques, promettant de
poursuivre cette politique lorsqu’ils seraient élus au Parlement européen.
De même, Françoise Grossetête, dont le parti a fait un revirement
spectaculaire depuis peu sur la question, a préconisé un statut de
partenariat privilégié pour la Turquie. A gauche, Gérard Benhamias, du parti
des Verts, a rappelé qu’il fallait intégrer la Turquie rapidement, et faire
confiance aux démocrates turcs pour l’amélioration de la situation des
Droits de l’Homme, ainsi que la reconnaissance du génocide qui serait le
résultat de la démocratisation du pays.
Pour sa part, Michel Rocard, a souligné l’importance stratégique de l’
adhésion turque, en raison des liens ethniques et culturels de la Turquie
avec les pays turcophones d’Asie Centrale dont les réserves pétrolières ne
sauraient laisser l’Europe indifférente ; selon lui, la reconnaissance du
génocide des Arméniens viendrait naturellement lorsque la Turquie se
sentirait « ridicule» pour son négationnisme.
Hilda Tchoboian a rappelé que c’est à l’occasion de l’examen de la
candidature de la Turquie que le Parlement européen a commencé depuis 2000 à
considérer, sous l’impulsion de la Fédération Euro–Arménienne, les questions
du génocide et du blocus. Rappelant les rapports Morillon et Lamassoure,
elle a dénoncé les incohérences entre les déclarations des partis opposés
à l’adhésion turque et leur refus de dire la vérité à la Turquie dans les
rapports annuels du Parlement Européen.
Pour les positions de la Gauche, Hilda Tchoboian a démenti l’exemplarité de
l’adhésion de la Turquie pour le monde musulman, en raison des relations
conflictuelles qui régissent le rapport de ce pays avec ses voisins arabes.
Elle a également dénoncé l’argument de la laïcité, fondée en Turquie non sur
la pluralité, et la séparation de la religion et de l’état, mais sur la
protection par l’état turc de la religion musulmane devenue majoritaire
après l’extermination des citoyens non musulmans.
« Si elle n’impose pas ses valeurs à la Turquie comme condition préalable à
son adhésion, l’Europe sera forcément amenée à intégrer les valeurs
négationnistes de la Turquie, et donner libre cours aux négationnismes des
autres génocides » a affirmé la Présidente de la Fédération Euro–Arménienne.
Elle a souligné qu’au delà d’une reconnaissance formelle, l’Europe doit
rendre possible les réparations du génocide, permettant notamment à la
Turquie de donner à l’Arménie et au peuple arménien les garanties de sa
sécurité.
« La Turquie doit promettre de renoncer à sa politique agressive vis à vis
de l’Arménie ; cette politique n’est pas le fait d’un régime, mais découle d
‘une doctrine d’état qui se poursuit aussi bien sous les régimes militaires
ou civiles, que sous celui des Islamistes » a conclu Hilda Tchoboian.
Avant un concert du groupe Bratch, en faisant la synthèse du débat, Georges
Kepenekian a déclaré que les Arméniens resteraient vigilants, et ne
donneraient pas de carte blanche aux partis dont les actions futures
resteront au centre de l’attention des citoyens européens.
#####

Armenian president, Iranian oil minister discuss Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
13 May 04
The main agreement of the construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
will be signed in Yerevan today. A delegation headed by Iranian
Minister of Oil and Gas Bijan Namdar Zanganeh is in Armenian for
this occasion.
During the meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan Bijan
Zanganeh noted that the agreement which will be signed today, is
a result of both sides’ constructive work. The interlocutors noted
the high level of Armenian and Iranian political relations. Noting
that enhancement of the two countries’ cooperation has a favourable
influence on regional developments.
Robert Kocharyan said that the energy industry is a kind of engine
of Armenian-Iranian relations. The Armenian president said that
deepening of cooperation in the energy is of big importance and
Armenia is interested in the successful implementation of the project.
The sides stressed that Armenia-Iran gas pipeline’s construction will
double the volume of bilateral economic relations and will has major
importance for the development and deepening of both Armenian-Iranian
and regional cooperation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri, Armenian talks in Strasbourg yield no result – paper
Ekspress, Baku
13 May 04
The meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers held on
the sidelines of a Council of Europe session in Strasbourg on 12 May
yielded no results, the Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress has said. The
newspaper quoted the Russian mediator in the talks, Yuriy Merzlyakov,
as saying that the stage-by-stage settlement, which was allegedly to be
discussed at the meeting, was a failure. At the same time, the Armenian
president’s special envoy said that the goal of the meeting was to
update the parties on their positions on the Karabakh settlement. In
accordance with this settlement plan, Armenia is to return the seven
occupied districts around Nagornyy Karabakh in exchange for the
reopening of the railway link with Azerbaijan. The following is an
excerpt from Alakbar Raufoglu report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress
on 13 May headlined “The Strasbourg meeting yields no results. Yerevan
rejects the ‘option to liberate the seven districts'”:
The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, Elmar Mammadyarov and
Vardan Oskanyan, held a meeting in Strasbourg yesterday. The meeting
took place on the sidelines of the 114th session of the committee of
the foreign ministers of the Council of Europe member states. Apart
from the ministers, the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as
the special representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
for the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Araz Azimov and
Tatul Markaryan, participated in the talks. This was the second meeting
of the new Azerbaijani foreign minister with his Armenian counterpart.
The talks that started at 1700 Baku time [1200 gmt] ended at 2030
[1530 gmt]. After expanded three-hour discussions, the ministers
held tete-a-tete talks. After the talks, the foreign ministers left
without making any statement for the media.
“We managed to hold quite an open and successful meeting,” Russian
co-chairman Yuriy Merzlyakov told Ekspress after the meeting. But
since the talks were “strictly confidential”, it was decided not to
provide information about the ministers’ dialogue.
The discussions were aimed mainly at “familiarization with ideas”,
and the mediators informed the parties about new proposals. “The
participants in the meeting were also made aware of the Azerbaijani
option on seven districts [Armenia returns the seven occupied districts
around Nagornyy Karabakh in exchange for the reopening of transport
links between the two countries],” Merzlyakov said. “What was most
important for us was to compare the positions of the conflicting
parties and to search for possibilities to continue the dialogue.”
Although the Russian diplomat said nothing specific about Armenia’s
stance on the return of the seven districts, he admitted that this
option was a failure. “The position on this settlement option was
equivocal from the very beginning, and therefore, I was against
discussing this idea on its own. But no-one listened to us,” said
Merzlyakov regretfully.
During the talks, Mammadyarov once again voiced the Baku government’s
stance on the settlement. “Our position is unchanged: Azerbaijan
will never agree to Nagornyy Karabakh being independent or part
of Armenia. Any new settlement proposal should be based on these
principles,” the minister said.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a joint statement by the two
countries’ foreign ministers yesterday evening. The statement says
that the meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen and the Armenian
and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Strasbourg “opened an opportunity
to discuss future prospects”.
According to the statement, Armenia and Azerbaijan “stated once again
that they were interested in the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict and agreed to continue this useful dialogue”.
The major achievement of the meeting is that the parties agreed to
continue the talks. “We did not focus on specific options, but simply
expressed our views,” the special representative of the Azerbaijani
president for the Karabakh settlement, Araz Azimov, told [the Armenian
news agency] Mediamax after the meeting.
He also commented on the recent calls for war in Azerbaijan and
Armenia. In the official’s opinion, in the current situation, peace
talks “are the best option, and the talks have not run out of their
potential”. Azimov said that the next meeting of the foreign ministers
“will be agreed by the parties, depending on the situation”.
The special representative of the Armenian president, Tatul Markaryan,
also described the talks as “very useful” at a news conference in
Strasbourg yesterday evening. “No new proposals were put forward. The
goal of the meeting between the ministers and the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen was to clarify the parties’ stance, to learn the other
side’s views and to find a common position,” he said.
Asked by French journalists to comment on Azerbaijan’s proposal that
the seven districts be vacated in exchange for the reopening of the
railway link, Markaryan said that Armenia was against this option and
that the Karabakh problem could be resolved only under the “package
settlement” plan. “This is not a conflict just between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, this is also a problem of ensuring the Karabakh people’s
independence and security,” the Armenian diplomat added.
[Passage omitted: Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the Karabakh
cease-fire agreement]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ukraine to join construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 May 04
The Armenian prime minister [Andranik Markaryan] has suggested that
Ukraine should take part in the competition on the construction of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. This was one of the main issues discussed
during a session of the Armenian-Ukrainian economic cooperation
commission in Kiev. Andranik Markaryan said that Armenian-Iranian
technical consultations are coming to an end, after which the project’s
financing will be discussed.
The Ukrainian prime minister [Viktor Yanukovych] confirmed Ukraine’s
wish to take part in the construction of the gas pipeline.
The Armenian prime minister today discussed the strengthening of
Armenian-Ukrainian economic cooperation with Ukrainian President
Leonid Kuchma.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian opposition rejects dialogue with ruling coalition
Mediamax news agency
13 May 04
Yerevan, 13 May: Armenia’s united opposition today refused
to participate in the negotiations with the ruling coalition
and independent parliamentary factions due to the fact that “the
authorities have not taken effective steps to meet the main demand” of
the opposition, or to be more precise, “to overcome the situation that
has developed in the country since the 2003 presidential elections”,
the Justice bloc and the National Unity Party said in a statement
approved in Yerevan today.
A member of the Justice bloc, Shavarsh Kocharyan, told a press
conference in Yerevan today that the opposition was ready to discuss
all issues with the coalition, but only after the consideration of
the opposition’s main demand.
The secretary of the Justice bloc, Viktor Dallakyan, told journalists
that at a rally scheduled 14 May, the opposition is planning to demand
that President Robert Kocharyan resign and answer “who is to blame for
the failure of the dialogue between the opposition and the coalition”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri leader’s Karabakh remarks “standard” statement – Armenian ministry
Noyan Tapan news agency
13 May 04
Yerevan, 13 May: The Armenian Defence Ministry has described as
“standard” a statement made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
yesterday that “the Azerbaijanis can restore Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity at any time”.
“This statement contains nothing serious,” the spokesman for the
defence minister, Col Seyran Shaksuvaryan, said in an interview with
our Noyan Tapan news agency correspondent. He underlined that if the
Azerbaijanis could, they would have won back the liberated territories.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Former FM says Armenia may join BTE gas project
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
May 13 2004
A statement made by officials concerning the liberation of seven
occupied districts of Azerbaijan by Armenia following the recent talks,
has sparked various opinions.
Former foreign minister of Azerbaijan Tofig Zulfugarov told AssA-Irada
that a concrete proposal concerning the liberation of seven occupied
districts should be expected after the meeting of the two countries’
ministers scheduled to be held in Strasbourg on May 12.
Commenting on the absence of any reaction to the proposal by Armenia,
Zulfugarov did not rule out the possibility of applying pressure
on Yerevan, and especially on President Kocharian. According
to some sources, the United States has supported the idea of
liberating occupied territories and thus aspires to achieve Armenia’s
participation in the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline project.
Giving a positive assessment to the idea, Zulfugarov said that
Armenia’s involvement in the BTE project may divert its attention
from the issue of Garabagh’s status.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Religious Leaders Meet in Mardin for Peace
Zaman, Turkey
May 13 2004
The second International Symposium of Religions and Peace in the
Light of the Common Ancestor (Abraham) (Harran Meetings), organized by
Intercultural Dialogue Platform of Journalists and Authors Foundation
(JAF), begins in Mardin today.
The conference, which is supported by the Ministry of Culture and
Tourism, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Governorship of Mardin
and Mardin Education Foundation (MAREV), will be held in the Qasimiye
(Qasimiyya) Madrasa. Topics such as “Peace in Abraham’s Message”,
“Peace in the Abrahamic Tradition”, “Heroes of Peace in the Three
Heavenly Religions”, “The Place of the Abrahamic Message in the
Future World” will be discussed over four sessions. 28 academics and
11 religious leaders from Germany, the US, Sweden, England, Italy,
France and Turkey will participate in the symposium.
After an opening ceremony at 09:30 by the Intercultural Dialogue
Platform, the Kirklar Church, Mardin Ulu Mosque, Hatuniya Madrasah
-in which the footprint of the Prophet Muhammad exists- and the Tombs
of Sitti Radviye and her son Qutbettin Ilgazi will be visited as part
of the symposium.
The Deyrulzaferan Monastery, and the monasteries of Mor Gabriel in
the Midyat district and Mor Yaqub in the Nusaybin district as well as
Hasankeyf will also be visited. The program in Mardin will conclude
with a visit to the tomb and Mosque of Zeynel Abidin. The participants
will then come to Istanbul to complete the symposium.
Vice-Director of Religious Affairs Muhammet Sevki Aydin, Istanbul
Mufti Dr. Mustafa Cagrici, Istanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch
Bartholomeos, Turkey Armenians Patriarch Mesrob II, Turkey Jewish
Chief Rabbi Rav. Ishak Haleva, Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicar in
Istanbul Monsignor Georges Marovitch, Latin Catholic Congregation
Spiritual Leader Monsignor Louis Pelatre, Assyrian Orthodox Community
Metropolit Filksinos Yusuf Cetin and Assyrian Catholic Community
Patriarchal Vicar Chorbishop Yusuf Sag are expected to participate
in the symposium whose Project Scientific Coordinator is Dr. Bekir
Karliga. The first of the International Symposia of Religions and
Peace in the Light of the Common Ancestor Abraham (Harran Meetings)
were held in the Harran district of Sanliurfa – the place of birth of
the Prophet Abraham- between April 13 and 16, 2000. 44 theologians,
academics and journalists had joined the Abraham Symposium.
13.05.2004
05.13.2004 Mustafa Ozge
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress