Author: Hambardsumian Paul

EU GOING TO NORMALIZE ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

A1+
03-03-2005

It is not clear yet when the European Commission will establish an
embassy in the Republic of Armenia, European Commission Delegation in
Georgia and Armenia Charge d’Affaires Mr. Jacques Vantom stated during
today’s press conference held in the EU Yerevan Office.

`The approach of the Eurocommission is as follows: an Ambassador, who
will assume the office in the states of the region, will be
appointed’, Mr.Vantom said and added that `in future European
Commission will possibly establish an embassy in Armenia’.

When commenting on the role of the EU in the Armenian-Turkish
relations Mr. Vantom said that the normalizing of the
Turkish-Armenian relations is marked in the EU reports as an
obligation.

He also noted that the EU-Turkey relations should be perceived in a
wide context and assured that `it could be useful for Armenia’.

When answering the question how Azerbaijan and Armenia could
simultaneously become members of EU New Neighborhood policy with the
hostilities available between the nations Mr. Vantom said that `the EU
proposed assistance to the OSCE Minsk Group on this issue’.

As for the EU’s intentions to stop the work of the Armenian NPP
Mr.Vantom reiterated that the EU is ready to allocate 100 million
euros for suspension of the NPP functioning and finding alternative
energy sources.

EUROPAICA
Bulletin de la Représentation de l’Eglise Orthodoxe Russe
près les Institutions Européennes

N° 59

The Armenian Genocide discussed by the WCC Central Committee

The Moderator of the World Council of Churches Central Committee His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, made the following statement in
his report to the Central Committee on 15 February 2005: ‘The acceptance
of truth is the sine qua non condition for forgiveness. Guilt must be
admitted; truth must be told. The acknowledgement of truth in its
totality is the first concrete and hopeful step towards a new beginning.
Healing is generated primarily through truth telling. Allow me in this
regard to remind you of the painful story of my own people. This year my
church and people will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. During the First World War in 1915, one-and-a-half million
Armenians were massacred by the Ottoman-Turkish government according to
a well-devised and systematically executed plan. Although my generation
did not directly experience the tragic past, the Armenian Genocide has
had a strong impact on our spiritual and intellectual formation. The
past haunts the victims; we cannot free ourselves from the past unless
that past is duly recognized.’

During the plenary discussion of the Moderator’s report Bishop Hilarion
of Vienna and Austria, Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to
the European Institutions, said: ‘I am grateful to the Moderator for
mentioning the Armenian Genocide, which took place 90 years ago and
resulted with one and a half million victims. The Armenian Genocide is
one of those shameful pages of human history which, for the sake of
political correctness, is very often passed over in silence. I think the
hour has come for the entire international community to recognize the
Armenian Genocide and condemned it in the same way as the Holocaust.’
Bishop Hilarion called the WCC Central Committee to make a special
statement in which the Genocide would be duly recognized. ‘We must do
this out of solidarity with the Armenian Church and with the Armenian
people,’ concluded the Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Bishop Hilarion’s motion was seconded and the issue was forwarded to the
Public Issues Committee for appropriate deliberation and action.

In its statement, prepared by the Public Issues Committee and adopted on
21 February, the World Council of Churches ‘addressed the need for
public recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the necessity of Turkey
to deal with this dark part of its history. The importance of Turkey
evaluating its history has recently also been addressed by the
Conference of European Churches relating to Turkey’s relation to the
European Union.’

‘From the Christian perspective,’ continued the statement, ‘the path
towards justice and reconciliation requires the recognition of the crime
committed as a sine qua non condition for the healing of memories and
the possibility of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting but
to look back with the intention to restore justice, the respect for
Human Rights and relationships between perpetrators and victims. The
Public Issues Committee recommends the General Secretary and the staff
to propose to all member churches to make Sunday April 24 a day of
memory of the Armenian Genocide and to consider further appropriate
actions related to the 90 years Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.’

Avvenire, Italia
Giovedi 24 febbraio 2005

IL CASO
Dopo il genocidio voluto dai Turchi,i sopravvissuti iniziarono una
caccia sistematica ai colpevoli

La vendetta degli armeni

Nacque l’«Operazione Nemesis» che portò anche ad alcuni omicidi: un
libro ripercorre la vicenda

Di Edoardo Castagna

Nessun processo di Norimberga, nessun Simon Wiesenthal hanno reso
giustizia agli armeni. Per lungo tempo lo sterminio di più di un
milione di persone è stato cancellato dalla storia, affidato solo
alla memoria dei superstiti e dei loro discendenti. Oggi i fatti sono
noti e nella strage compiuta nelle pietraie anatoliche si vede il
primo dei genocidi del Novecento. Ma allora, durante la guerra e
immediatamente dopo, pochi si curarono degli armeni.
Lo sterminio era stato deciso dai Giovani Turchi al potere dal 1908,
che portarono la Turchia nella Grande Guerra e diedero il via alla
pulizia etnica. Nel 1919 il rinato governo ottomano condannò a morte
in contumacia i principali responsabili, ma i Giovani Turchi di Kemal
Atatürk finirono per imporsi e le sentenze furono dimenticate. Gli
occidentali, ansiosi di stabilire una collaborazione con Kemal,
tacquero; gli organizzatori del genocidio, internati a Malta,
tornarono in libertà. E gli armeni decisero di fare da sé.
Il Dashnak, la Federazione rivoluzionaria armena, ideò l’Operazione
Nemesis per uccidere i responsabili dei massacri sia tra i governanti
turchi, sia tra le spie armene al loro servizio. I politici furono
colpiti in Europa, dove si erano rifugiati in attesa di tornare al
potere; tre furono vittime di Arshavir Shiragian, giovane attivista
che ha raccontato la sua vicenda nel libro Condannato a uccidere.
Memorie di un patriota armeno, ora tradotto in italiano (Guerini,
pagine 252, euro 18,50).
Nato con il secolo, Shiragian aveva 15 anni quando i turchi diedero
il via al massacro. Scampò alla morte perché apparteneva alla
comunità armena di Istanbul, parzialmente difesa dalla presenza di
diplomatici e militari stranieri. I cristiani – armeni, ma anche
greci – erano comunque sempre a rischio; gli uomini venivano fatti
sparire di notte e inviati in Anatolia, il teatro della strage. Fu
deportato il patriarca, Zaven; la comunità armena si organizzò per
nascondere i ricercati e per ammassare armi, pronta a ogni evenienza.
Il giovane Arshavir raccoglieva vettovaglie e informazioni,
trasportava fucili e occultava, nei doppi muri della sua casa, decine
di compatrioti. Al termine della guerra ebbe il suo “battesimo di
fuoco” uccidendo una spia e poi partì per l’Armenia, che allora stava
vivendo una prima, effimera indipendenza. Stretto tra la morsa dei
sovietici a nord e dei turchi a sud, il neonato Stato armeno non
sopravvisse che fino al 1921; Shiragian, imprigionato e torturato dai
georgiani a Tiblisi, lo raggiunse quando ormai le speranze
d’indipendenza erano cadute. Nel 1923 il trattato di Losanna rinnegò
definitivamente quello firmato a Sèvres tre anni prima, che aveva
affermato la necessità di un tribunale internazionale per giudicare i
responsabili dei massacri.
Shiragian venne inviato a Roma per eliminare l’ex primo ministro Said
Halim. In quel momento il suo compagno Soghomon Tehlirian uccideva a
Berlino Talaat Pascià, già ministro degli Interni: l’Operazione
Nemesis era al via, e nel dicembre di quello stesso 1921 Shiragian
compì la sua missione assassinando Said Halim. Shiragian ricostruisce
pedinamenti, appostamenti ed esecuzioni senza enfasi ma anche senza
tentennamenti. Dalle sue memorie non emerge rimorso, né il sospetto
di essersi arrogato un ruolo al di sopra della legge e della morale.
Si avverte invece l’incombenza necessaria della giustizia, di quella
riparazione umana dei torti che la comunità internazionale aveva
negato.
Shiragian non cerca vendette personali ma esegue scrupolosamente gli
ordini del Dashnak; l’odio che cova è il movente individuale dei suoi
omicidi, ma lo disciplina entro l’Operazione Nemesis. Non si
considera un assassino: «Il pensiero di servirmi della mia arma
contro innocenti non mi aveva mai sfiorato. La nostra organizzazione
non aveva un progetto di sterminio. Puniva quegli individui che erano
stati giudicati in contumacia e riconosciuti colpevoli di assassini
di massa».
Lasciata Roma, Shiragian uccise a Be rlino Behaeddine Shakir,
pianificatore dello sterminio, e Djemal Azmi, il «mostro di
Trebisonda» responsabile della morte dei bambini armeni che, legati,
venivano gettati in mare. Insieme a un altro sicario colpì i due
turchi senza sfiorare mogli e figli che al momento dell’attentato si
trovavano con loro; sfuggito alla polizia riparò negli Stati Uniti,
dove si stabilì definitivamente.
Shiragian non fu mai processato, ma anche per lui si pone il problema
dibattuto a Berlino nel corso delle udienze contro il suo compagno
Tehlirian. L’assassino di Talaat Pascià era stato individuato come
l’autore dell’omicidio, eppure la giuria lo prosciolse. Negli anni
Venti la violenza era considerata un’arma abituale della politica, e
al processo si stabilì che Tehlirian aveva sì ucciso Talaat, ma non
ne era “colpevole”, non più di quanto il boia lo sia dell’esecuzione
di un condannato a morte. I sogni di Shiragian non erano di vendetta
e di odio, ma semplicemente di normalità.
Una normalità che gli appariva impossibile finché i responsabili del
genocidio sopravvivevano impuniti, ma che i militanti dell’Operazione
Nemesis credevano di poter restaurare attraverso la violenza:
«Compiuta la missione, sarei tornato a Costantinopoli per fidanzarmi
ufficialmente con Gaiané. Poi saremmo andati in America e ci saremmo
sposati. Mi sarei lanciato negli affari e avremmo vissuto una vita
tranquilla senza angosce quotidiane».

SecondsOut.com
Feb 25 2005

Martínez to face Airapetian

By Juan Pablo Manfredi: On Friday March 4 in León, Spain, current IBO
super-welterweight champion Sergio Martínez will face Armenian Albert
Airapetian in a 12 rounder for the vacant WBC International title.

This fight will replace the awaited rematch for the European Union
title between Rubén Varón and Lukas Konecny, that was postponed due
to a hand injury sustained by Varón in his previous fight.

“Maravilla” Martínez, a fast, slick southpaw came from a series of
good wins in Britain, beating Richard Williams (twice) and Adrian
Stone. The Spanish based Argentinean has compilled a 32-1-1 (14)
record with his sole defeat against Antonio Margarito in Las Vegas,
five years ago.

Airapetian has an interest resume of 17-1 (8) that introduce him as a
dangerous opponent. Last year, he decisioned well regarded portuguese
Antoine Montero in his big win as today.

Teenage super-bantamweight prospect Kiko Martínez will top the
undercard.
More Spanish news:

Javier Castillejo, who hold the interim version of the WBC 154 lbs
title since May 2002 has been in Africa in the past weeks as a member
of a tv show. “El Lince de Parla” may put the full version of the
title on the line on May 21 against Ricardo Mayorga in the US.

Last Friday 18 in Vigo, European flyweight top contender, local Iván
Pozo knocked-out Chilean Julio Vargas in the fifth.

Now Pozo is 19-3-1 (11) and looks for another shot at Brahim Aoslum’s
title after dropping a close decision last year in France.

Armenian leader, ruling coalition discuss election bill, constitutional
changes

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
23 Feb 05

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has met members of the council of
the [ruling] political coalition. The meeting discussed the process of
settling issues on the agenda of the National Assembly. The meeting
also touched on the draft law on elections and constitutional
amendments.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Feb 23 2005

`One should be ready for war to achieve peace’ – Belgian Amb.

Baku, February 22, AssA-Irada

The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper Garabagh was in focus of
discussions at the meeting of Minister for Defence, Colonel-General
Safar Abiyev with the Belgian Ambassador to Turkey and Azerbaijan
Marc Van Risselberg on Monday.
The ambassador expressed his disappointment with occupation of 20% of
Azerbaijan’s territory by Armenia and stated that one should be ready
for a war in order to achieve peace.
Risselberg noted that the Azerbaijan Armed Forces have become
stronger since the Upper Garabagh conflict started. `I wish armed
forces not to be involved in settling the conflict,’ he said.
Minister Abiyev, in turn, said that Azerbaijan is making every effort
to resolve the conflict peacefully. He said that the Azerbaijani
people are concerned over the fact that the international community
has not recognized Armenia as an invader yet.`The Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe has recently passed a resolution
calling Armenia an aggressor and forces in Upper Garabagh as
separatists. All international organizations must adopt similar
decisions. Armenia is purposefully settling population of Armenian
descent in the occupied regions of Azerbaijan. We restate that
Azerbaijan won’t give up a single inch of its territory to Armenia.
The longer the Upper Garabagh conflict remains unsettled the more the
possibility of launching military operations. If this happens,
Armenia will bear full responsibility.’*

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: WE HOPE THAT COURT OF BUDAPEST TO MAKE JUST
DECISION REGARDING CASE ON MURDER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19. ARMINFO. “We hope that the court of Budapest
will pass a just verdict regarding the case on the murder of the
Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian”, Prime MInister of Armenia Andranik
Margarian stated.

To remind, on Feb 19, 2004 senior lieutenant of Armenian armed forces
Gurgen Margarian was killed by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov. The
trial concerning this case is in process in the Budapest court/

The prime minister of Armenia expressed confidence that the results
of the expert examination will show that Ramil Safarov perpetrated
wilful homicide, coolly and in mentally sane state. All the attempts
of the Azerbaijani side to delay the trial and even to raise Safarov
to the second rank of hero in Azerbaijan will doom to failure,
he said. “Of course we cannot return the life to Gurgen Margarian,
but we must continue making every effort at all the levels to reach
rendering fair sentence”, Andranik Margarian said.

PRESS RELEASE

Haigazian University
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon

Haigazian University 50th Anniversary Celebrations Continue …

Student Art Exhibition

In line with the Haigazian University 50th anniversary celebrations,
and under the auspices of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr Sebouh
Hovnanian, the Student Art Exhibition opened on February the 8th at
5:00 pm in the Arthur Matossian gallery of the Mugar Building.

The opening of the exhibition attracted a good number of officials
and ordinary people intrigued to peep into the world of the youth.

In attendance were several Armenian deputies, former Lebanese deputies,
other governmental and diplomatic officials, along with many faculty,
staff and students.

The President Haidostian delivered a short speech, in which he
heartfully greeted the audience and stressed “the role the students
themselves play in the life of Haigazian”.

The exhibition featured a great diversity of works, 40 paintings and
drawings prepared by 15 students, and numerous sculptures, potteries,
ceramics and textile accomplished by the Arts and Crafts club.

As the President pointed out in his word, the students involved are
not majoring in arts, but instead in Business, Biology, Education,
Psychology, Economics and Mathematics. This made their work more
appreciable as it was commented in the news of a local television
station, Future TV, which was covering the whole event.

In a short interview with the reporter of the TV station, students
explained the theme of their paintings, in addition to their feelings,
states of mind and inspiration that has driven them in accomplishing
a particular painting, from conception of the idea till the final
realization of the work.

All participants are thankful for their efforts and contribution, Arin
Ayanian, Araz Keuroghlian, Maria Tenbelian, Liza Atmajian, Antranig
Keurkunian, Seta Doudaklian, Lily Melki, Arin Tchekidjian, Mher
Kalenderian, Anahid Babayan, Noushig Shanlian, Thia Sagherian, Rana
Merhi, Nora Mardirossian, and Satenik Aghassian who was awarded top
and first prize for the Inter University Student Drawing Competition
organized by the Russian Cultural Center in Beirut in late May 2003.

Last but not least, special thanks and a word of appreciation go
to the Arts and Crafts Club and their advisor Ms. Roula Halabi who
played a major role in turning this event to a real success. Be posted,
further successes are on the way…

Mira Yardemian

–Boundary_(ID_UlnKUamY8ZOh7ZYt4Yc5iQ)–

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 17, 2005

AGBU ARARAT PUBLISHES SPECIAL ASADOURIAN ISSUE

New York, NY – Nearly a hundred people of all ages gathered at AGBU
Central Office in New York on Thursday, January 27th, to celebrate the
publication of an issue of AGBU’s Ararat quarterly devoted entirely
to the writings of author Hagop H. Asadourian (1903-2003).

Born in the village of Chomaklou in eastern Turkey, Hagop Asadourian
was deported, along with the rest of his village, in 1918 but found
refuge in AGBU’s orphanage in Aleppo, Syria. He settled in the U.S. in
1920, where he became a successful businessman, singer, and author
of poetry and fiction, including his novel, “The Grandchildren of
Hovagim,” which describes his childhood experiences. He was honored
for this work by the Tekeyan Cultural Foundation in Lebanon in 1965 and
1984. On March 3, 2003 the Foundation celebrated his 100th birthday “in
honor of his lifelong dedication to his beloved Armenian people through
music and literature.” The Spring 2004 issue of “Ararat” is the first
extended excerpt from his work to be published in English translation.

Performers Lynne Kassabian, Marjorie Keyishian, Amy Keyishian, and
Nora Armani, treated the audience to selections from Asadourian’s
writing while oud master and performer, Ara Dinkjian, played a personal
composition in honor of the occasion. A number of speakers addressed
aspects of Asadourian’s writings, including Armenian Studies scholar
Vartan Matiossian and Richard Asadourian, the author’s son.

An official Hagop Asadourian website has been established by the
Naregatsi Art Institute at The site showcases
selections of Asadourian’s writings, music and life and offers various
CDs and DVDs for sale to the public.

Ararat quarterly () is published by AGBU. Copies
of the Asadourian issue or other back issues are available at $7
each. They may be ordered by e-mailing [email protected], calling
Hripsime at 212-319-6383, ext. 131, or mailing your request, along with
a check, to ARARAT/AGBU, 55 East 59th Street, NY, NY 10022-1112. For
more information about AGBU and its many cultural initiatives, please
visit

Egypt houses up to 1 million stateless children

afrol News, Norway
Feb 17 2005

afrol News, 16 February – There are believed to be 400,000 to more
than a million children living in Egypt without proper citizen rights,
including the right to an education or to work. Many of them are
born into families were several generations have been stateless,
others are children of a foreign father and an Egyptian mother,
thus without citizen rights.

According to a new report on stateless people released this week by
the Washington-based group Refugees International (RI), Egypt is the
African country with the greatest population of people without citizen
rights. The large group of stateless people in Egypt has accumulated
during a century of immigration and strict nationality legislation,
creating an entire class without basic rights.

The story of many of today’s stateless people in Egypt started in the
early 20th century. The collapse of the Russian and Ottoman Empires
around 1917 led to large-scale displacement, with Egypt being a
favoured destination for refugees. Only the number of Armenians
residing in Egypt was estimated at about 70,000-75,000 prior to the
Egyptian revolution of 1952, according to the RI report.

Subsequently, an agreement between the Egyptian government and the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1954, and
later ratified in May 1981, assigned the UNHCR the responsibility
of caring for stateless populations living in Egypt – individuals of
Russian, Armenian, Yugoslav, Albanian, Hungarian, Czech, Bulgarian,
Polish, Romanian and Estonian origins.

Officially, only some 130 stateless persons remain of concern to
UNHCR. In reality, however, large numbers of descendents from these
Eastern European and Middle East immigrants still live in Egypt, the
country they were born, without citizen rights. Also the children of
later immigrants live in this stateless limbo.

They cannot obtain an Egyptian passport as their father is not
Egyptian, according to current legislation. Only males may confer
citizenship. This in effect also leaves any child born to an Egyptian
mother and a non-Egyptian father stateless.

According to RI, these children “cannot attend public school or
state universities, are barred from certain professional schools,
and cannot work without meeting foreign residency requirements and
obtaining work permits.” There are believed to be 400,000 to more
than a million such children in the country, RI estimates.

These children and adult descendents of immigrants only know Egypt as
their country. They were born there and – due to a lack of citizenship
– mostly have been barred from leaving the country. They risk not
being let to return to their home if they go abroad. They must pay
large annual fees to get a work permit. They pay taxes but are not
entitled to social security.

In 2003, President Hosni Mubarak closed the annual ruling party
conference with a number of announcements, including a statement that
the Interior Ministry would begin processing citizenship applications
for children of Egyptian mothers and foreign fathers. It has been
predicted that if the President’s assurances are implemented, Egyptian
women will gain the historic right to pass their nationality on to
their children.

Excluded, however, are the many Palestinians residing in Egypt –
estimated at 55,000 to 77,000 – based on a 1959 agreement not to
give Palestinians citizenship in order to preserve their national
identity. Palestinian authorities expect these refugees to return to
Palestine once a state is established there.

Also, Palestinian men who have left the country to work abroad face
further difficulties because Egypt has closed the office that issues
return visas. “They live abroad illegally and cannot return to Egypt,
a situation that makes them stateless,” according to the RI report.

By staff writer