Author: Hakobian Adrine

CHRISTIANS AT BIBLE PUBLISHERS HAVE THEIR THROATS CUT
Suna Erdem In Istanbul

The Times/UK
Source: Turkish News, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Asia News
April 19, 2007

Knife-wielding attackers slit the throats of three people at a
Christian publishing house in conservative eastern Turkey yesterday.

One of the dead men was of German origin, the local governor said. Two
other men were taken to hospital, one with knife wounds to his throat,
back and stomach, the other with a head injury after jumping from
a third-floor window to escape. The hospital in the town of Malatya
said that both were in a critical condition.

Police have detained four men for the attack, which took place in the
early afternoon. Television footage showed a policeman tackling one
man while another man covered in blood was carried to an ambulance
on a stretcher.

The killings came less than three months after the murder of a
prominent Armenian journalist.

The Zirve publishing house, which the Turkish media says is owned
by two South Africans, Gert Martinus de Lange and Stephen Smithdorf,
had been the target of nationalist protests for allegedly distributing
Bibles and proselytising.

Halil Ibrahim Dasoz, the Governor of Malatya, said the authorities
were also investigating possible Islamist links, because the method of
killing was reminiscent of attacks by the Turkish arm of the militant
Islamist group Hezbollah.

Officials from Zirve say they had been the target of threats for
some time and had been intending to ask for protection. They deny
any missionary aims.

Martin de Langue, a former official, reportedly said two years ago
that the public in Malatya was being provoked against Christians and
foreigners. The small community of Turkish Protestant Christians, as
opposed to Greek and Armenian minorities, comprises eager converts
with a missionary bent. Although proselytising is not illegal in
mainly Muslim Turkey it is regarded with hostility.

The attack came as two Turkish evangelical Christians in Istanbul
attended a hearing of their trial under the notorious article 301 of
the penal code, which the West condemns as a restriction on expression,
after being accused by nationalists of insulting Turkey and Islam.

The European Commission has condemned the attack as "horrendous". The
EC has long called on Turkey to offer better protection and rights
for its minorities.

The attack comes at a time of great tension in Turkey over secularist
worries that the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former
Islamist firebrand who now says he is a conservative democrat, will
announce he is running for President in next month’s elections. This
would cement the grip of his Justice and Development Party (AKP)
on the top jobs in the land. Hundreds of thousands of secularists
marched at the weekend to prevent what they believe would result in
an assault on the secular nature of the state.

The AKP MP for Malatya said the attack in his constituency could have
been an act of provocation aimed at creating greater turmoil.

"There are people within Turkey who want extraordinary tension to
reign in the country," the MP. Munir Erkal, said.

Threat to faith

There are 100,000 Christians in Turkey. Last year two employees
of a Bible correspondence course were charged with insulting
Turkishness". It was alleged they were bribing Muslims to convert,
promoting promiscuity and denigrating the Turkish army. Odemis
Protestant Church in Izmir was attacked with Molotov cocktails in
November.

WE DARE NOT MURDER MEMORIES OF GENOCIDE
By Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis

The Jewish Journal of greater L.A, CA
April 19 2007

Amnesia of the past foreshadows amnesia of the future. Forget
yesterday’s tragedy and the threat to tomorrow is denied. Forget
the first genocide of the 20th century — the murder of 1.5 million
Armenians in 1915 — and the memory and atrocities of the first
genocide of the 21st century in Darfur turn invisible, and the world
response is muted.

The Polish Jewish jurist, Raphael Lempkin, who coined the term
"genocide," defined it in large part by what happened to the Armenians
in 1915. Armenia was the cautionary record of a mass murder of a
people, which tragically and shamelessly the world has and continues
to repress.

Amnesia is a sickness and feigned amnesia is a blasphemy. To choose to
forget what happened to the martyrs is an insult to their memory and
a danger to our children. As the philosopher Cicero sagely observed,
"Not to know what happened to you before you were born is to remain
forever a child."

Infantilizing ourselves and our progeny is dangerous, and silence is
lethal. We dare not murder memory.

The Hebrew term for remember (zachor) appears 169 times in the Bible.

Memory is a sacred mandate. Jewish World Watch, founded almost three
years ago and comprised of over 50 synagogues of every denomination
throughout Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Orange counties, was formed
to use its energies to make people aware of and stop genocide. Its
initial focus has been on the ongoing genocide of the persecuted
people of Darfur.

It continues its work in Darfur and Chad by building and supporting
medical clinics; creating water wells; sending solar cookers for
women intimidated, branded, tortured and raped by the Janjaweed in
the fields where they have to forage for scraps of firewood to cook;
providing educational materials to children desperate for any sense of
normalcy, and a social worker dedicated to providing grief counseling
to a population where every single family has lost at least one of
its members.

No two dyings are the same. No two holocausts are the same. Darfur
is not Rwanda; the killing fields of Cambodia are not the crematoria
of the Nazi death camps.

Every genocide is singular. But a kinship of suffering unites us all.

To play the shameless game of "one-downsmanship" is an invidious
sport. My blood is not redder than yours, my suffering not more
painful than yours. Hatred consumes us all indiscriminately.

We have enough tears to shed for others. Our tear ducts are not
dried up. Our hearts are not so small that they cannot beat for and
with another.

We join together to remember and to bind each other’s wounds. In
memory, we together raise our collective conscience and act out
our resolve. "Never again" will we allow the threat of genocide
to terrorize any nation, religion or ethnic community. Together we
demonstrate our solidarity and mutual support.

On Friday, April 27, at Valley Beth Shalom, 15739 Ventura Blvd.,
Encino, Jewish World Watch will honor Archbishop Hovnan Derderian,
primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, a joint service of memory, including Armenian and Jewish
choirs, liturgy, song and reflection. Prior to the 8:15 p.m. service,
an Armenian Sabbath dinner will be served at 6 p.m. (by reservation
only). For more information visit jewishjournal.com.

Harold M Schulweis is a rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino and
founder of Jewish World Watch.

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TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, SERBIAN PRESIDENT DISCUSS KOSOVO

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
April 19 2007

Belgrade, 19 April: Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had several
bilateral talks in Serbian capital of Belgrade on the sidelines of
the 16th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

Romanian FM Adrian Cioroianu, Serbian President Boris Tadic, Russian
FM Sergey Lavrov were the executives with whom Gul had talks.

Meanwhile, Gul had a brief talk with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanyan.

According to sources, Gul exchanged views about developments regarding
Kosovo with Tadic. Tadic said that Kosovo is important for them while
Gul said that Turkey attaches great importance to the Balkans and
stressed that everybody should refrain from acts that may destabilize
the region.

Gul noted that Turkey is taking joint action with the international
community regarding Kosovo. "What is important is to ensure a model
in which the majority has the right to speak but the minority rights
are also protected," he stated.

During their meeting, Lavrov said that Russian President Vladimir
Putin will most probably attend the BSEC Heads of State and Government
Summit to be held in Istanbul in June 2007.

RA PRIME MINISTER CONTINUES GETTING CONGRATULATION TELEGRAMS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Serge Sargsian continues getting
congratulation telegrams on the occasion of the latter’s appointment
on the RA Prime Minister’s post.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s Information and
Public Relations Department, President of the Federative Republic of
Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Prime Minister of Syria Naji Al-Utri,
World Bank Regional Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Shigeo
Katsu, Management Board Chairman of the RAO UES company Anatoly
Chubais and Armenian Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia Catholicosate
Nerses Bedros XIX sent congratulation telegrams to Serge Sargsian.

CURRENT ROUND OF OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV TALKS TO BE HELD IN BELGRADE APRIL 18

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 16 2007

A current meeting of RA and AR FMs Vardan Oskanian and Elmar
Mammadyarov will be held in Belgrade April 18. In the course of the
meeting the parties will go on discussing main principles of the
Karabagh conflict settlement.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the RA MFA Press Office,
the meeting will be held with the participation of OSCE Minsk group
Co-Chairs and OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal Representative.

To note, a meeting of FMs of the member countries of Organization of
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation will be held in Belgrade April 19.

RA FM is to deliver a speech in the course of the meeting.

MAMMADYAROV: "I CANNOT SAY ALL THE ISSUES WILL BE SOLVED IN BELGRADE"

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 16 2007

"The core principles of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
will be debated at the meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan in Belgrade," Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said while
commenting on his meeting with his Armenian counterpart.

"Last time we met with Armenian Foreign Minister in Geneva. We try
to work on the main principles of the settlement and approve these
principles on any consensus. I can not say that all the problems will
be solved in Belgrade. The negotiations will last until there is a
result," he said.

Elmar Mammadyarov said the date and place of the meeting was determined
at OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ proposal.

Commenting on US Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried’s statement "In
case Azerbaijan starts war, it would harm all the progress achieved
by now," Foreign Minister said that Azerbaijan intends to achieve
peaceful solution of the problem.

"As Foreign Minister I will make all efforts for the peaceful solution
to the conflict. But not everything depends on me. Much depends on
Armenia too," the minister underlined.

OSKANIAN AND MAMMADYAROV TO MEET APRIL 18 IN BELGRADE

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.04.2007 15:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The regular Oskanian-Mammadyarov meeting will
take place in Belgrade April 18 in presence of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-chairs, Yuri Merzlyakov, the OSCE MG Russian Co-chair told
PanARMENIAN.Net. He also voiced hope that the mediators will visit the
region in late May or early June, before the meeting of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani Presidents.

8 TEAMS TO TAKE PART IN 16th CHAMPIONSHIP OF ARMENIAN FOOTBALL HIGHEST LEAGUE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. 16th championship of Armenian Football
Highest League will start on April 14. Eight teams will compete. Six of
them will represent Yerevan. They are Pyunik, Banants, Mika, Ararat,
Kilikia, Ulis. The rest two are Gyumri’s Shirak and Kapan’s Gandzasar
teams. Henceforth Mika will represent Yerevan, as it is registered
in Yerevan and not in Ashtarak as previously.

The championship will be held by four tours. The champion will receive
the right to take part in the Tournament of Europe Champions League
and for the first time will be awarded a sum in drams equal to 15
thousand USD. The team which will take the second place will take
part in UEFA Cup Tournament.

The Championship of first group will be held on April 25 with
participation of nine teams.

SOCIOLOGIST SAYS WEALTH IS A SIGN OF WIT

Panorama.am
18:12 10/04/2007

Aharon Adibekyan, renowned sociologist in Armenia, has high hopes
with the parliamentary elections in Armenia. He expects a "quality
parliament" in Armenia.

"The National Assembly will play a big role in the formation of
the executive," Adibekyan told a news conference today. Asked if he
has seen the majority list candidates and if he is of high opinion
about their intellect, Adibekyan said, "The Americans say if you
are so clever why are you so poor. The wealth is a sign of wit." He
believes the National Assembly must compose of professional lawyers,
political figures who come from different political parties, on one
hand, and from people who represent public interest, on the other hand.

START OF ARF PRE-ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCED ON YEREVAN AZNAVOUR SQUARE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. At the threshold of the May 12
parliamentary elections the ARF announced start of its pre-electoral
campaign on the Yerevan Charles Aznavour square. As Armen Rustamian,
a representative of the ARF Armenia Supreme Body, the Chairman of
the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations mentioned, the ARF,
participating uninterruptedly for the 3rd time in the NA elections
by the proportional electoral system, the previous time as well held
the first event of its campaign on the same square. In his words,
it has its symbolism: the party may meet with the people with open
forehead, responding for what it did and did not do.

In A. Rustamian’s words, the coming elections are unprecendeted ones:
"we shall really solve the issue of formation of the authorities,"
and the most important thing is to pass this goal to the people. In
his words, the ARF has a task to inspire people with confidence of
safety and security what is missing at present. It was also mentioned
that sensitive stability existed in Armenia that’s why the party kept
itself restrained in many issues.

ARF Bureau member, NA Deputy Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian in his turn
welcame the new period of time which, in his opinion, will open on
May 12. In his words, the authorities at present "have many obliged
friends" but the people must turn its face upon the authorities to be
formed as a result of the elections. He also mentioned that "there
are no invented, false, sham biographies" in the ARF proportional
list in which, by the way, non-ARF members are involved, either.

NA ARF faction head Hrayr Karapetian re-affirmed that the party has
always been for the principle of the parliament’s being formed by
100% proportional electoral system, but had to compromise. He also
reminded the voters that there are people who strive for appearing
at the parliament at any cost to insure their business, to make laws
serve their interests, and that means that it will not be possible
to solve social problems tomorrow. H. Karapetian assured that the ARF
is decisive in the issue of continuing its numerous half-implemented
programs.

"We expect hard work to win together," ARF Bureau representative Hrant
Margarian stated. He assured that the ARF will not give electoral
bribe and he himself is sure that the party will have the people’s
vote as the ARF was not identified with the bad and kept its face.

Patriotic songs and ones dedicated to the ARF were performed after
each of the speakers’ speeches, and the event was completed by a
concert program.