Author: Hambardsumian Paul

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Communications Officer
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
April 22, 2004
___________________
Week of April 16 to April 22, 2004
* * *
GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION EVENTS ORGANIZED AROUND DIOCESE
This weekend, a variety of events commemorating the Armenian Genocide
committed by Ottoman Turks during World War I will take place in
communities throughout the Diocese. New York City’s St. Vartan
Cathedral will hold a special service at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday (4/24),
with a requiem at noon. A Martyrs Day Divine Liturgy will be celebrated
by the Primate at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 25, 2004, at the cathedral.
New York City’s Times Square will be the site of a massive commemoration
on Sunday, April 25, 2004, at 2 p.m.
For more information on these events, and others throughout the diocese,
click to our website’s Calendar of Events:
Check with your local parish for any other Genocide commemoration
events.
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/21/04)
* * *
CANADIAN PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZES GENOCIDE
On Wednesday (4/21), the Canadian parliament voted to officially
recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide. The motion was adopted by
a vote of 153-68. Turkish officials called the legislators “narrow
minded”. Canada is the 16th nation to officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians, sent a letter to the speaker of the Canadian House of
Commons expressing the gratitude and appreciation of all Armenians
throughout the world for the decision.
“As we approach the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the
important issue of genocide remains before the whole of mankind,” the
Catholicos wrote in his letter. “Genocide can never be the solution to
the religious, social, and political conflicts of our times. The way to
prevent genocide is to recognize it. The only way to find justice for
its victims, both living and dead, is to condemn it. Genocide is not a
crime against one nation, but rather it is against man and against God.
It is the gravest crime against humanity.”
(Source: Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Globe and Mail, 4/22/04)
* * *
DN. JEBEJIAN TO BE ORDAINED AS A PRIEST
Dn. Aren Jebejian, deacon-in-charge of the St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church in Chicago, IL, will be ordained as a priest by Archbishop
Barsamian during a two-day ceremony this weekend (4/24-25) at New York
City’s St. Vartan Cathedral. The Calling Service will be 7 p.m. on
Saturday, followed by a free reception. Sunday’s ordination will take
place during the Divine Liturgy, which begins at 10 a.m. and is followed
by a banquet. The public is invited to attend the services this
weekend.
For more information, click to the diocesan website:
;selmonth=4&sel
year=2004
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/21/04)
* * *
DIOCESES JOIN WITH AGBU, ASSEMBLY AT WEEKEND CONFERENCE
Leaders of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), the
Western Diocese, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), and the
Armenian Assembly of America joined in Washington, D.C. for a weekend
conference (4/18-19) organized by the Assembly. Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, represented the Eastern
Diocese, along with Bishop Vicken Aykazian, diocesan legate and
ecumenical officer, and Diocesan Council members Sarkis Bedevian and
James Kalustian.
The purpose of the conference was to discuss issues pertaining to
Armenians, such as recognition of the Genocide, permanent normal trade
relations between Armenia and the United States, U.S. assistance to
Armenia, and American foreign policy towards the Republic of Armenia.
Archbishop Barsamian delivered the benediction during a banquet Monday
night (4/19) and Bishop Aykazian helped organize an ecumenical service
which featured speeches by Cardinal William Keeler, Catholic Archbishop
of Baltimore, MD; and Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National
Council of Churches.
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/21/04)
* * *
WORK CONTINUES AT DIOCESAN YOUTH AND CONFERENCE CENTER
Over the weekend (4/17-18), 14 volunteers from five parishes helped
renovate the diocese’s new Youth and Conference Center in upstate New
York. It was the second of three work-weekends scheduled to freshen the
look of the facility in time for this summer’s St. Vartan Camp. The
volunteers painted 13 rooms, a large hallway in one building, and began
installing shades in another building.
Volunteers are still needed for the last work weekend, May 21 through
23. Any number of people can come help. Volunteers will be able to
stay at the Ararat Center overnight while they work that weekend. For
information and to sign up, contact Karen Durgarian by e-mailing
[email protected].
Click to our website to learn more about the recent work weekend, see
pictures, and learn more about the Youth and Conference Center:
;selmonth=4&sel
year=2004
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/19/04)
* * *
APPLY TO SUMMER CAMP TODAY
Spaces are going fast at the Diocese’s St. Vartan and Hye Camps. To
save your child’s space today, click here:
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/15/04)
* * *
SPEND YOUR SUMMER GUIDING OUR FUTURE
Looking for something to do this summer? Why not become a counselor or
staff member for St. Vartan Camp – with two sessions, running from June
27 to July 24. This year counselors and staff will be paid.
Application deadline is April 30, and camp organizers are particularly
looking for male counselors. Staff and counselors can work the full
four-week schedule or staff just one of the two-week sessions. They
must arrive at camp the day before the session starts and attend
pre-camp training, date to be determined. You must be 18 or older to
apply.
Camp organizers are also looking for hidden kitchen wizards to volunteer
in the kitchen. You don’t need to be a professional chef, just want to
have fun and like kids. Accommodations are available.
For more on these opportunities, e-mail Yn. Arpi Kouzouian at
[email protected].
(Source: St. Vartan Camp, 4/22/04)
* * *
ARMENIAN-AMERICAN SOLDIER RETURNS FROM IRAQ
John Merguerian, one of the Armenian-American soldiers fighting to bring
democracy to Iraq, recently returned from his tour of duty there. While
there, he was in contact with the Armenian community in Baghdad and
reports that they are working to rebuild their community. Click to the
Eastern Diocese’s website to read his most recent update on the Armenian
community of Baghdad, see photos of the people there, learn more about
the historic Armenian presence there, and see how you can help. Click
to:
;selmonth=4&sel
year=2004
(Source: John Merguerian, 4/19/04)
* * *
ST. NERSESS TO HOST CLERGY CONFERENCE RECEPTION
St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, NY, will host a special
reception for clergy of the Eastern Diocese next Thursday (4/29) at 11
a.m. The reception is in conjunction with the annual Clergy Conference
and Diocesan Assembly hosted this year by the St. Gregory the
Enlightener Church in White Plains, NY.
You can click to the Eastern Diocese’s website for more information on
this reception and the clergy conference. Be sure to check there next
week for live updates from the Assembly. Just click to the special
Diocesan Assembly e-diary:
(Source: St. Nersess Seminary, 4/20/04)
* * *
ST. NERSESS ALUMNI TO MEET
Next Sunday and Monday (4/25-26), alumni of the St. Nersess Armenian
Seminary will meet at the seminary to discuss the status of their alumni
association. The intent of the gathering is to decide whether the
alumni want to resurrect the association. Alumni from the New York
area, California, Illinois, and Michigan will attend. For information
on the gathering and the association, e-mail alumna Nancy Basmajian at
[email protected].
(Source: St. Nersess Alumni, 4/22/04)
* * *
RI CHILDREN’S CHOIR PERFORMS IN CANADA
The Junior Choir and the Nazeli Dance group of the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob
Church of Providence, RI, performed in Montreal, Canada, last weekend
(4/16-18) at the invitation of the Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada. Under the direction of
Maestro Konstantin Petrossian, the young singers took part in the Divine
Liturgy at Montreal’s St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. The choir
and dance group also performed a special concert at the Armen-Quebec
Alex Manoogian Armenian School.
(Source: Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church, 4/19/04)
* * *
APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP TODAY
The William E. Doctor Fund (Yervant Hekimian) will give out $60,000 in
scholarships to approximately 25 deserving Armenian-American students
this year. Criteria for selection include strong academic performance,
American citizenship, financial need, and Armenian community
involvement. Applications can be obtained by e-mailing [email protected]
or calling (202) 364-1440. The fund is an independent charitable trust
administered by members of the St. Mary Armenian Church of Washington,
D.C. Applications for the fall 2004 semester scholarships are due June
30, 2004.
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) also manages
many scholarship funds created by individual endowments. For
information on those, and an application, click to our website:
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/19/04)
* * *
TRAVEL TO ARMENIA THIS YEAR
Traveling to Armenia strengthens your faith and dedication. If you
haven’t gone yet, there are five opportunities this year.
In June:
* Young Professionals Trip — June 12 to 26 / $2,250. Specifically
designed for travelers between the ages of 23 and 40, this trip offers a
chance to see the sights of Armenia and build life-long friendships with
other Armenian American professionals. Call the Fund for Armenian
Relief (212) 889-5150.
* Diocesan Pilgrimage to Historic Armenia and the Republic of Armenia —
June 17 to July 7 / $3,450. Travel to Istanbul, historic Armenian
locations in modern day Turkey such as Musa Dagh, Cappadocia, Mt.
Ararat, and Ani. Continue to Armenia to tour important historical and
cultural sites. For more information call Armen Aroyan (626) 359-9510.
In September:
* Women’s Guild Pilgrimage to Armenia — September 16 to 27 / $2,400.
Tour Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, ancient holy sites, and current cultural
activities. For more information call Ann Devejian (203) 838-5758.
* Pilgrimage to Armenia — September 18 to October 3 / $2,350. A
Diocesan-sponsored trip to all the highlights of Armenia. For more
information call Sidon Travel at (818) 553-0777.
To get more information on any of these travel opportunities, e-mail
[email protected].
And don’t forget — you can also help fund the trip of a young person in
your parish, who will return more eager to be involved in parish life.
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 4/15/04)
# # #
If you know someone who would like to receive our e-mail bulletin,
please send their e-mail addresses to [email protected].
If your e-mail address changes, please e-mail your full name, new e-mail
address, and old e-mail address to [email protected].
If you no longer want to receive the International Religion News
Summary, send an e-mail with your name and your full e-mail address to
[email protected]. Put “Unsubscribe” in the subject line of the
e-mail.
# # #

April 21, 2004 (7:15 p.m. EDT) No. 60
CANADA REITERATES ITS FIRM POSITION ON THE ARMENIAN TRAGEDY
Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham today issued the following
statement concerning the adoption of a private member’s motion by the
House of Commons following a debate on the Armenian tragedy of 1915:
“The Government of Canada’s position on this issue, as stated on June
10, 1999, in the House of Commons, has not changed. We agree with the
members of the House that the events of 1915 to 1923 were tragic. Canada
has condemned the atrocities committed against hundreds of thousands of
Armenians, including massive deportations and massacres. In so doing,
the Canadian government has continued to urge the Armenian and Turkish
communities to seek reconciliation and peace and to look to the future
to contribute to prosperity and stability in an impoverished and
volatile region. The Canadian government also believes that the issue is
essentially for the Armenian and Turkish governments and experts to
resolve.
“Canada has had friendly and cooperative relations with Turkey and
Armenia for many years. The Canadian government is committed to make
these relationships even stronger in the future.”
Debates and votes on private member’s business in the House of Commons
are an integral part of the Canadian democratic process, but private
member’s motions are not binding on the Government of Canada.
– 30 –
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Isabelle Savard
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada
(613) 995-1874

Armenian National Committee of Idaho
2414 Brumback Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
Tel. (208) 484-4363
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2004
Contact: Rafael Saakyan
Tel: (208) 484-4363
IDAHO GOVERNOR ISSUES PROCLAMATION COMMEMORATING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
BOISE, ID – Idaho became the 33rd U.S. state to recognize the Armenian
Genocide this week, as Republican Governor Dirk Kempthorne, Chairman
of National Governors Association, issued a proclamation citing April
24th “Idaho Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923,”
reported the Armenian National Committee of Idaho (ANC-Idaho).
The proclamation begins noting that “one and one-half-million
Christian Armenian men, women, and children were the victims of a
brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Government from
1915-1923.” It goes on to cite the importance of commemorating this
crime against humanity as a way of “guarding against the repetition of
future genocides and educating people about the atrocities connected
to these horrific crimes.” The complete text of the Governor’s
proclamation is provided below.
The gubernatorial proclamation closely follows a resolution
unanimously adopted by the Senate of the Associated Students of Boise
State University (ASBSU) recognizing the Armenian Genocide and
condemning efforts to rewrite history. Senate Resolution 13 states
that the genocide “has resulted in the elimination of the Armenian
people from their historic homeland of over 3000 years through the
criminal loss of property and life.” The resolution “commemorates the
Armenian Genocide and condemns those attempts made by governments as
well as other entities, both public and private, to distort the
historical reality and legal relevance of the Armenian Genocide to the
descendants of its survivors and humanity as a whole.”
Upon hearing the news of the Governor’s proclamation, David Morriss,
President of the ASBSU, commented: “I think it’s fantastic that the
Governor not only recognizes the importance of bringing this
information to light, but also stands behind efforts to educate the
public about the Armenian Genocide”.
Chairman of ANC-Idaho, Rafael Saakyan, commended Governor Kempthorne
on his “commitment to advancing human rights issues in the state of
Idaho and for joining the Armenian community across this great state
in sustaining the flame of remembrance for the victims of the Armenian
Genocide.” Saakyan then urged the Idaho Congressional delegation to
“ensure that their state’s views are well represented through their
support for the adoption of the Genocide resolution in the House and
Senate.”
Rebecca Kun, communications director for ANC-Idaho, worked closely
with the ANC-Idaho team to collect close to 600 signatures for the
proclamation request. “This was a marathon process — we collected 594
signatures in 2 1/2 weeks in order to get our proclamation request
submitted in time to meet the April 24th deadline we set for
ourselves. With this proclamation and the Boise State initiative it
is clear that the Armenian community, working together, can make a
real difference.” Ms. Kun continued, stating “as a first generation
holocaust survivor, I understand the importance of bringing these
events to light. Having this proclamation signed by both the State of
Idaho and Boise State University is the first step to correct the
dissemination of lies that has been perpetuated for the last 89
years.”
Massachusetts State Republican Committee man Bob Semonian of
Watertown, MA helped the ANC-Idaho bring their concerns to the
attention of the Governor’s office. Semonian discussed the importance
of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide with Gov. Kempthorne
directly at the recent National Governor’s Association (NGA) meeting
in Washington, DC.
The Idaho proclamation follows an earlier letter of recognition issued
by Montana’s Republican Governor Judith Martz in late March.
Jamestown North Dakota Mayor Charles Kourajian issued a city
proclamation honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide last week.
#####
——————————————————————-
Text of the Idaho Proclamation Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
———————————————- ———————
The Office of the Governor
Proclamation
Executive Department
State of Idaho
State Capitol
Boise
WHEREAS, one and one-half-million Christian Armenian men, women, and
children were victims of a brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman
Turkish Government from 1915-1923; and
WHEREAS, the Armenian genocide and massacres of Armenian people have
been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a thriving
and noble civilization over 3,000 years old; and
WHEREAS, recognition of the eighty-ninth anniversary of this genocide
is crucial to guarding against the repetition of future genocide and
educating people about the atrocities connected to these horrific
events; and
WHEREAS, Armenian-Americans living in Idaho have greatly enriched our
state through their leadership in business, agriculture, academia,
government and the arts;
NOW, THEREFORE I, DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Governor of the State of Idaho, do
hereby proclaim April 24, 2004, to be
IDAHO DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be
affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise
on this twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord two- thousand
and four and of the Independence of the United States of America the
two hundred twenty-eighth and of the Statehood of Idaho the one
hundred fourteenth.
[signature]
DIRK KEMPTHORNE
GOVERNOR
[signature]
BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE

No reason to close Armenian nuclear plant – director
Azg, Yerevan
17 Apr 04
By Tatul Akopyan
The chief director of the Armenian Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (NPP),
Gagik Markosyan, said yesterday that he sees no reason for shutting
down the plant in the near future. Saying that even the most modern
nuclear plants will be shut down one day, he added that as long as the
Metsamor plant is functioning, Armenia should derive the most possible
economic benefit from it.
Talking about alternative sources of energy in Armenia, Markosyan said
that it is desirable to develop them, but no country can “live” only
on alternative sources of energy. The director of the Metsamor NPP
said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assessed the
current technical condition of the plant as positive.
Markosyan could not say for sure to what extent the safety of the
Metsamor plant corresponds to that of European nuclear power plants,
for safety mostly depends on the age of the plant. The Armenian
government, with the assistance of the United States and the European
Union, is taking measures to increase the safety of the Metsamor NPP
every year. Despite the increasing security measures, both the USA and
the EU continue to demand the closure of the NPP, failing to indicate
an alternative source of energy for Armenia.
The Atomic Energy Safety Council (AESC) under the Armenian president
yesterday held its 7th regular session which was attended by [Armenian
President] Robert Kocharyan, the chairman of the council, Adolf
Birkhofer, and members of the council from Russia, Germany, France,
Britain, Slovakia and Armenia.
Addressing the session of the AESC, an independent consultancy agency
set up in 1996 to deal exclusively with the affairs of the Metsamor
plant, President Kocharyan said that a lot of work had been done to
boost the safety of the nuclear power plant, and assured them that the
Armenian government is guided by the principle of the consistent
strengthening of the nuclear plant’s safety.

Turkey to open border with Armenia – Azeri pro-government MP
Azadliq, Baku
15 Apr 04
Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 15
April headlined “Is Anar Mammadxanli cleverer than Ilham Aliyev?” and
subheaded “The latter says that the borders will not open, the former
says they will be…”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his entourage differ about the
opening of the Turkish-Armenian border. Ilham Aliyev does not see any
grounds for concern, pointing out that during his visit to Ankara as
the prime minister last autumn, he heard statements from the Turkish
leadership that the border will not open. He believes that those
statement were sufficient for him.
Therefore, there is no need for anxiety over this issue because he
believes that the border will not open. He confirmed this stance in
his comment on a protest action by a group of Azerbaijani journalists
in Turkey against the possible opening of the border.
MP Anar Mammadxanli, who is well-known for his personal closeness to
Ilham Aliyev and is trying to show off as a staunch member of his
“team of reformists”, thinks the opposite and aired his concern about
the situation in his interview.
He backed the journalists’ protest action against the possible opening
of the border, but said that he expects the Turkish-Armenian border to
open. Unlike Ilham Aliyev, Mammadxanli believes that Turkey will open
the border as soon as its membership of the European Union becomes
topical. Despite his feeling of regret, the MP advises to take a
realistic approach to the issue.
Mammadxanli went even further and blamed “some pseudo-patriots for the
erroneous analysis of the issue”.
We wonder whether Ilham Aliyev, who does not believe that the
Turkish-Armenian border will open, is also one of the
“pseudo-patriots” mentioned by Mammadxanli. And who knows more – Anar
Mammadxanli or Ilham Aliyev?

A1 Plus | 16:10:58 | 14-04-2004 | Politics |
BAGHRAMYAN AVENUE IS NOT THE PLACE TO DANCE
“I think Office of Prosecutor has the power to appraise the Police actions.
And the appraisal was voiced yesterday”, Armenian Defense Minister Serj
Sargssyan said referring to the events on April 13 night during the joint
press conference with USA Ambassador in Armenia John Ordway in Talin in
connection with opening of the hospital reconstructed by finance of USA
Government.
“Policemen had to protect the social order and they did it. I don’t think it
is right to disturb the vital functions of a big city through 2000 or 4000
people. I don’t consider Baghramyan Avenue to be the place to dance. People
didn’t have to attack policemen with stones or bottles”, Minister commented.

timesunion.com
Turkey keeps running from genocide truth
By LUCILLE G. SARKISSIAN
First published: Sunday, April 11, 2004
When is a lie not a lie? Are there codes and colors to lies that can be
measured, that separate small lies from big lies?
Does it make a difference if the lie is told in a court of law, or in polite
society, or in religions, or in politics, or just among friends or
businesses? Doesn’t conscience mean anything anymore? Must the truth be
covered up?
There is an Armenian proverb that says: “If you tell a lie, it will
eventually confront you.” There is also a Turkish proverb that says: “If you
tell the truth, you better keep running.”
The Turkish government has chosen to deny the truth about the Armenian
genocide and consequently it has been running from the truth for 89 years.
But it cannot hide from the truth forever because the truth will eventually
catch up to it.
When Germany acknowledged its guilt in the Holocaust, its people were able
to take their government forward based on good conscience and actions that
finally gave justice to Holocaust victims and their families.
Turkey does not want to do that and so will not be able to move forward and
become a real democracy until it faces its past history and gives justice to
the victims of the genocide and their families.
It is well past time for Turkey to do what Germany did in the case of the
Holocaust. Only then will Turkey be able to stop running from the truth and
be at peace with itself, its neighbors and the world. But most important of
all, there will be peace and closure for the victims and their families.
Without acknowledgment, without acceptance of its historical responsibility,
Turkey undermines efforts at reconciliation in the Caucasus and sets up the
possibility for repetition of such crimes against humanity.
The world recognizes the scope and horror of the Armenian genocide, and
history has long settled the question of how and why the Turkish government
sought to rid itself of an industrious Christian minority.
This month, Armenians all over the world will commemorate the first genocide
of the last century with prayers, vigils, proclamations and speakers to
remember the 1.2 million people who were annihilated by the Ottoman Turkish
government in 1915.
Lucy Derderian, the oldest genocide survivor living in New York state, died
in 2003. She was 103 and lived in Queens. She will be missed this year at
the commemoration, but her spirit and memory will always be with us.

Radio Free Europe, Czech republic
April 10 2004
Georgia: Leader Walks Thin Line Between Patriotism And Nationalism
By Jean-Christophe Peuch

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has decreed the year 2004 will
be the “year of Zviad Gamsakhurdia,” in reference to his late
nationalist predecessor. Starting today, the memory of Georgia’s
first post-Soviet leader will be honored throughout the country. Why
does Saakashvili seem so eager to claim a lineage between himself and
Gamsakhurdia? Is it just part of an overall attempt at strengthening
Georgian statehood, or could it possibly signal a return to
state-sponsored nationalism?
Prague, 9 April 2004 (RFE/RL) — Today in Georgia marks the beginning
of official ceremonies to celebrate the memory of late nationalist
leader Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
President Mikheil Saakashvili and members of his government were to
attend a religious service celebrated by Ilia II, the head of
Georgia’s Orthodox Church, at Tbilisi’s Sioni (Mount Zion) Cathedral.
Later, a party will be held at Tbilisi Opera House to commemorate the
65th birthday of Georgia’s first post-Soviet elected president.
These ceremonies coincide with the 15th anniversary of the 1989
Soviet military crackdown in Tbilisi and the 13th anniversary of
Georgia’s declaration of independence. State-sponsored events to
commemorate Gamsakhurdia’s legacy will extend over the next six
months throughout the country.
Attending a private memorial service at Sioni Cathedral on 31 March
to mark Gamsakhurdia’s 65th birthday, Saakashvili paid homage to the
man who spearheaded Georgia’s struggle for independence under Soviet
rule. “Within these walls, [Gamsakhurdia and his] generation dreamt
of Georgia’s independence when others did not even dare thinking of
such a thing,” he said. “Here lies their main merit.”
In January 1992, just a few months after being elected, Gamsakhurdia
was ousted by a military coup that paved the way for Eduard
Shevardnadze’s return to Georgia. Forced into exile, the deposed
leader fled first to Armenia, then to Chechnya.
He died mysteriously while attempting to retake power as the head of
armed supporters. His body was interred in western Georgia and later
reburied in Grozny, the capital of Russia’s breakaway republic of
Chechnya. Officially, Gamsakhurdia committed suicide. Yet followers
of the late leader claim Shevardnadze had him assassinated.
“To me, it seems that his policy aims firstly at proving that Georgia
is a state, that its leaders are chosen by the people and that they
all deserve respect.”Meeting recently with Georgian emigres in
France, Saakashvili said he wanted today’s ceremonies to culminate
with the reburial of the presidential remains in Tbilisi. However,
Georgian authorities have been unable to locate Gamsakhurdia’s grave.
The pro-Moscow Chechen administration claims the province’s
separatist leaders had kept the grave’s location secret for fears of
possible desecration and says it may have been destroyed by Russian
bombs.
Since he was elected last January, Saakashvili has been courting the
so-called Zviadists, as supporters of the late president are commonly
known. A few weeks ago, he amnestied 30 Gamsakhurdia followers who
had been in jail since 1992. Earlier this month, he similarly
pardoned armed supporters of the late leader who had been living in
western Georgia’s forests for more that a decade.
Picking up an idea briefly floated under Shevardnadze, Saakashvili
also set up a national reconciliation commission which he entrusted
to State Minister Guram Absandze, a well-known Zviadist. Saakashvili
said the time has come to “consolidate the nation” and “end the
division of Georgian society into rival camps.”
Gaga Nizharadze works with the Tbilisi-based Center for the Study of
Conflicts and Mediations. While disagreeing with Saakashvili’s
decision to honor Gamsakhurdia’s memory, he believes it mainly stems
from efforts aimed at strengthening Georgia’s statehood.
“To me, it seems that his policy aims firstly at proving that Georgia
is a state, that its leaders are chosen by the people and that they
all deserve respect. Overall, Saakashvili’s policy aims at restoring
the symbols of the state and this is something I personally welcome.
Another aspect [of his policy] is that he is eager to garner as much
popular support as possible, including from among partisans of the
late president. To a certain extent, one can of course see here an
attempt to rehabilitate [Gamsakhurdia],” Nizharadze said.
Yet, even within nationalist circles, Saakashvili’s initiative is not
approved unanimously. Some Zviadists in particular say he has no
“moral right” to appeal to Georgia’s first post-Soviet leader until
the circumstances of his death are clear. In an apparent effort to
meet these concerns, Saakashvili recently ordered the
Prosecutor-General’s Office to reopen an investigation into the
former president’s alleged suicide and review criminal charges
leveled against him after his ousting.
Whatever Saakashvili’s motives for resurrecting his predecessor, his
initiative has sparked some misgivings among those who had suffered
from Gamsakhurdia’s authoritarian traits and xenophobic rhetoric of
“Georgia for the Georgians.” Those include many rights campaigners
and representatives of ethnic minority groups who also question the
adoption of a new national flag sporting Christian-like symbols.
Nationalism had stopped playing a major role in domestic politics
under Shevardnadze and critics accuse his successor of dangerously
stirring patriotic feelings among Georgians.
Yet, Nizharadze believes a resurgence of state-sponsored nationalism
is unlikely to happen. “Perhaps [nationalist feelings] are gaining
strength, but I am almost certain Saakashvili will not conduct a
nationalist policy,” he said. “He is well aware of who Gamsakhurdia
was and I don’t think he has any warm feelings toward him. Both men
have a radically different [way of thinking]. Although they share
some [mental] traits, psychologically they are different.
Saakashvili’s psychological orientation is not nationalist, although,
like Gamsakhurdia, he plays on his charisma and the attraction he
exerts on the crowds.”
Emil Adelkhanov of the Tbilisi-based Caucasian Institute for Peace,
Democracy, and Development (CIPDD) is less categorical. He believes
domestic circumstances are pushing Saakashvili and his mainly
Western-educated team to resort to nationalist rhetoric.
“Under Shevardnadze, this rhetoric had somehow diminished. One cannot
say it had almost disappeared. In fact, Shevardnadze [at times]
resorted to it with pleasure, but it was perceived for what it was —
mere rhetoric. The new leaders are forced to resort to it more widely
because their patriotic credentials are being permanently questioned
[by their political rivals],” Adelkhanov said.
In Adelkhanov’s opinion, whether Saakashvili’s seemingly nationalist
attitude will materialize into concrete action will depend on
circumstances.
Another recurrent trait of the new leader’s discourse is his
insistence in denouncing the alleged intrigues of Georgia’s purported
“enemies.”
On 24 January, while taking an oath at the grave of the 12th-century
King David II in Gelati, Saakashvili presented himself as the
champion of the Georgian nation. “Georgia has been divided up and its
people humiliated,” he said. “Some people would like to see [Georgia]
erased from the face of the earth. I want to tell everyone that the
expectations of Georgia’s enemies will not be fulfilled. Georgia has
existed in the past; Georgia continues to exist; Georgia will always
exist.”
These remarks have raised concerns among leaders of the separatist
provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, who fear Saakashvili — who
overtly cultivates ties with the military — may attempt to
forcefully restore his country’s territorial integrity. And
Saakashvili’s veiled threats have not gone unnoticed in the unruly
autonomous province of Adjaria, which the new government has vowed to
bring back into its fold and recently accused of plotting against the
life of the Georgian leader.
Last week, Saakashvili denounced “separatists, enemies, and dwarves,”
who he said were flouting Georgia’s “honor and dignity.” A few days
later, government officials similarly blamed alleged “enemies of the
nation” for a purported bomb attack against the commander of
Georgian-based Russian forces.
In Nizharadze’s opinion, “enemies” has become a blanket word to
designate the Adjar leadership. However, he believes these derisive
attributions are simply exaggerations, reflective more of
Saakashvili’s temperament than an indication of nationalist
tendencies.
Although Adelkhanov of CIPDD hopes Saakashvili’s harsh statements
will not have serious consequences, he said they are nonetheless
fraught with danger. “[Adjar leader Aslan] Abashidze used to blame
Tbilisi for plotting against his life. Now it is Tbilisi’s turn to
make level similar charges against Abashidze,” he said. “No one will
really take these accusations seriously, and the only hope is that
they will eventually lose their value. If not, then [Saakashvili is
playing] a very bad game.”

Eurasianet organization, United States
April 8 2004
AZERBAIJAN: TURKEY COULD PROVE SPOILER FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE
Zulfugar Agayev: 4/08/04
Prospects for a Nagorno-Karabakh peace agreement suffered a potential
setback recently when President Ilham Aliyev warned that Azerbaijan
might withdraw from peace talks if Turkey opens its border with
Armenia. In recent months, Turkey, a key Azerbaijani ally, has
indicated that it may be willing to consider ending its 11-year
blockade of Armenia. The Turkish decision-making process appears to
be driven by Ankara’s ambitions to join the European Union.
Turkish-Armenian relations have been marked by animosity for much of
the past century, with tension continuing to revolve around the mass
slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish soldiers during World War
I. On an official visit to the United States in late January, Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that his Justice and
Development Party (AKP) government might decide to re-open the border
with Armenia “if the friendly initiatives of Turkey were
reciprocated.” Erdogan said that Turks living in economically
depressed neighboring regions with Armenia want to see the border
opened so that they can easily trade with the former Soviet republic.
Currently, trade between the two states – estimated by the
Turkish-Armenian Business Council, a non-governmental organization,
at roughly $70 million – takes place via Georgia and Iran.
Without Turkey, Azerbaijan would be the only state maintaining a
blockade of Armenia over Yerevan’s ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani
territory captured during the Nagorno-Karabakh war. A decision to
open Turkey’s borders with Armenia, Aliyev said, would leave Baku at
a disadvantage in negotiating for the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijani territory. “If Turkey were to open its doors to
Armenia, Azerbaijan will lose an important lever in finding a
solution to the conflict,” the president told reporters on March 24
after returning from an official visit to Uzbekistan. “It also would
make it impossible for us to continue the peace talks and would even
bring the talks to an end.”
Already that threat appears to have been put to work. A meeting
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, originally
scheduled for March 29 in Prague, was cancelled at “the wish of one
side,” OSCE Minsk Group Chairman Yuri Merzlyakov told the Azerbaijani
Channel ATV. The Minsk Group, made up of the US, UK, Russia and
France, is charged with overseeing the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process. Citing an “informed source” in the Armenian Foreign
Ministry, the Armenian news agency Mediamax reported that the
cancellation had not been at Armenia¹s instigation.
Little progress has been made in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process
since 2002. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. Despite intermittent announcements of fresh peace
proposals, and a meeting between Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and President Aliyev last December in Geneva, no concrete
breakthrough has emerged. Aliyev stressed in early February that he
was “not in favor of making compromises,” and Azerbaijani officials
later announced that they were in “no hurry” to find a solution to
the Karabakh question.
Since Aliyev’s initial comments, other Azerbaijani leaders have
attempted to exert pressure on Ankara to maintain the status quo. “If
Turkey opens the border with Armenia, it will deal a blow not only to
Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship but also to the entire Turkic world,”
Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov told MPs on April 6,
according to a Trend news agency report.
Until recently, Turkish support for Azerbaijan on the Karabakh
question appeared steadfast. Turkey and Azerbaijan share close
cultural ties. Although Turkey was one of the first countries to
recognize Armenian independence in 1991, Ankara has no diplomatic
relations with its neighbor. In 1993, Ankara closed the Turkish
border with Armenia in an act of solidarity with Azerbaijan.
But now, more than 10 years later, Turkey’s foreign policy objectives
have changed. In December 2004, the European Union will decide
whether to begin accession talks with Turkey, potentially putting the
country in line to become the EU’s first predominantly Muslim member
state. To enhance Turkey’s chances for success, Prime Minister
Erdogan launched an ambitious reform program to improve the country’s
checkered record on human, political and ethnic minority rights and
rebuild its economy from a five-year-long recession. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive].
>From the EU’s perspective, lifting the blockade of Armenia remains a
key component of any program for change. A draft version of the
European Parliament’s yearly report on the status of Turkey’s
accession bid reportedly called on the country “to open the borders
with Armenia, establish good-neighbor relations . . . and to give up
any action impeding the reconciliation of the two countries.”
EU economic clout provides a compelling incentive for Ankara to
listen. In 2002, the latest year for which figures are available, the
EU ranked as Turkey’s top trade partner, accounting for more than 50
percent of its exports and 45 percent of its imports. At the same
time, the United States has also urged Turkey to rebuild ties with
Armenia. At a March 26 press conference in Yerevan, US Deputy
Secretary of State Richard Armitage stated that restoring official
economic ties between the two states would bring benefits to both
sides “rather dramatically and relatively quickly.”
For its part, Azerbaijan represents vast oil and natural gas wealth
that could enable Turkey to realize its dream of becoming a highly
profitable East-West energy bridge. Conscious of this weight, Aliyev
was quick to remind Ankara where its interests should lie. “Turkey is
a great and powerful nation and I am sure that Turkey will withstand
the pressures [to open its border with Armenia],” the Azerbaijani
president stressed. “The Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood is above
everything.”
Aliyev said he had received previous assurances from both Erdogan and
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul that the Turkish-Armenian border would
be opened only after Armenia withdraws from Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories. Ahmed Unal Cevikoz, Turkey’s ambassador to Baku, told
The Baku Sun, an English-language weekly, that Erdogan’s statement in
Washington had probably been “misunderstood” by the Azerbaijanis.
The Turkish ambassador emphasized that his country maintains all
three of its conditions for opening its border with Armenia:
withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh, an end to Armenian territorial
claims on Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia region, and an end to Armenia’s
campaign to secure international recognition of the 1915 slaughter of
1.5 million Armenians by Turkey’s Ottoman Empire as genocide.
But some Azerbaijani analysts believe that Turkey’s changes on other
foreign policy questions presage a similar about-face on its Karabakh
position. Thirty years after its invasion of Cyprus, Turkey recently
began talks with Greece on a UN reunification plan for the island,
another ingredient for Turkey’s accession to the EU. Turkey also has
bowed to US pressure on the Kurdish question, as Ankara has refrained
from sending Turkish troops into Kurdish-populated northern Iraq, and
has since extended language and media rights to its own Kurdish
populations. “This policy of retreat is obvious in the positions that
Ankara now holds on the issues of Cyprus, the Iraqi Turkomen and also
on Karabakh,” said Altay Goyushov, a Baku-based expert on Turkish
affairs.
Some analysts argue that Erdogan’s government is more concerned with
expanding trade than it is about potential for friction with a fellow
Turkic, Muslim state. “I think there are many in AKP who believe that
increased commerce makes better neighbors, and thus eases the way for
better relations,” Ugur Akinci, a Turkish analyst who accompanied
Erdogan to Washington, wrote in an opinion piece published in the
Turkish Daily News.
The World Bank agrees. Both the Bank and the UN’s Food and
Agriculture Organization have long argued that the blockade has
hindered the economic development of both Armenia and Turkey. The
World Bank has estimated that the lifting of both the Azerbaijani and
Turkish blockades could increase Armenia’s GDP by as much as 30-38
percent. The Turkish-Armenian Business Council has estimated that
bilateral trade could reach $300 million per year with the lifting of
the blockade.
As Azerbaijan looks on from the side, one analyst cautions that
patience is the best operating strategy. “We should consider that
Azerbaijan and Turkey are two separate countries,” said Goyushov,
“and although the two are bound by ethnicity and religion, their
interests can sometimes be different.”
Editor’s Note: Zulfugar Agayev is a freelance writer based in Baku.

Belarusian leader cancels meeting with Azeri premier
Ekho, Baku
2 Apr 04
The Belarusian president’s failure to meet the visiting Azerbaijani
premier is a “political demarche”, according to a Belarusian
commentator. In an interview with Azeri daily Ekho, he said that the
internal affairs of Belarus were more important for Alyaksandr
Lukashenka than his country’s relations with Azerbaijan. However, the
Azerbaijani ambassador in Minsk played down talk of political
manoeuvres. He said that Lukashenka had had to deal with pressing
problems in Brest Region and so could not meet the Azerbaijani
premier. The following is an excerpt from R. Orucov and N. Aliyev’s
report in Ekho on 2 April headlined “April fool’s ‘joke’ by
Lukashenka”, subheaded ” Belarusian president declines to meet
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizada … because of fight against
corruption”, subheadings inserted editorially:
A three-day visit to Belarus by an Azerbaijani government delegation,
headed by Prime Minister Artur Rasizada, ended yesterday [1
April]. The Azerbaijani ambassador to Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova,
Talat Aliyev, told Ekho that Rasizada had already left Minsk for an
official visit to Lithuania.
Belarusian leader declines to meet Azeri premier
As is known, the prime ministers of the two countries signed numerous
intergovernmental documents during the Azerbaijani delegation’s visit
to Minsk. They are agreements on free trade, air communications,
cooperation in geodesy, cartography, land development and land
registry and a protocol on cooperation between the foreign ministries
of the two countries. But the most remarkable aspect of the visit was
the agreements not reached. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka
made a very unusual gesture in terms of normal diplomatic relations –
he declined to meet Artur Rasizada. The Belarusian presidential
administration naturally gave the Azerbaijani side their official
excuses, but it was done too late – on 1 April – when the meeting
ought to have taken place. All this seems very strange, since the
Azerbaijani premier’s visit to Belarus had been scheduled and endorsed
a long time before. In any case, the Belarusian news agency MiK quoted
the country’s Foreign Ministry as saying that the Azerbaijani prime
minister’s visit was expected in March. Thus, Lukashenka could have
reconsidered his plans long before 1 April.
“We do not have special details why the previously scheduled meeting
between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizada and Belarusian
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka did not take place,” the Belarusian
political expert and employee of the Minsk office of Radio Liberty,
Valeryy Karbalevich, said.
[Correspondent] Does President Lukashenka often decline to have
prearranged meetings?
[Karbalevich] Yes. This happens from time to time. This has happened
with some Western delegations. It is known that Belarus has quite
difficult relations with Western countries and, therefore, Lukashenka
has declined to receive delegations if talks have been difficult and
not yielded the results expected by Minsk. I can remember such
incidents with representatives of the World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund etc. He declined to meet them, despite agreements
reached on this beforehand.
Cancelled meeting a political manoeuvre
This kind of act by Lukashenka is a political demarche. What is behind
the refusal to meet the Azerbaijani prime minister? It’s difficult to
say. You need to ask Lukashenka himself.
[Correspondent] Relations between Belarus and Azerbaijan are quite
cool, in view of the close military cooperation between Minsk and
Yerevan.
[Karbalevich] If this is the reason, then the meeting would not have
been scheduled beforehand. As far as Belarusian-Azerbaijani relations
are concerned in general, then they are insignificant, minimum, or
simply zero. Meanwhile, Lukashenka is known to have a high opinion
about the CIS states. One should bear in mind that Belarus has been
internationally isolated and not many states are ready to receive
Lukashenka at home.
[Correspondent] Lukashenka could not meet the Azerbaijani premier,
since he was in Brest [southwestern Belarus] apparently on important
business. What could have been happening place in Brest to urge the
president to postpone important state issues?
[Karbalevich] Lukashenka has been in Brest Region for two days. His
visit is being widely broadcast on TV. But the situation is really
quite strange. Large-scale corruption and misappropriation were
suddenly revealed in Brest. A new governor was appointed, although
nothing extraordinary has ever happened in the region. That region is
neither worse nor better than any other regions of Belarus. The point
is that Lukashenka is launching a new political campaign under the
motto of establishing order and discipline. All this has started from
Brest Region.
[Passage omitted: more details of the campaign]
Avoiding a meeting with Rasizada shows that for Lukashenka the
campaign is more important than relations with Azerbaijan.
Azeri officials play down talk of political manoeuvres
The press services of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and the Cabinet
of Ministers did not know about this yesterday [1 April]. The Foreign
Ministry said that Rasizada was part of their department, while the
Cabinet of Ministers offered to phone the next day.
Ekho managed to get in touch with a representative of the Azerbaijani
diplomatic office in Belarus, Ayar Huseynov.
“According to the information from Belarus, Lukashenka attended an
extraordinary session in Brest,” the diplomat said to explain the
reason for the incident. Then we spoke to ambassador Talat
Aliyev. Asked if it President Lukashenka’s step should be seen as a
political demarche by the Belarusian side, the ambassador said: “I
resolutely disagree with that assessment, since Mr Lukashenka had to
deal with urgent and pressing issues in Brest Region. He had to hold
an extraordinary session there and for this reason, had to visit the
region.”
The ambassador did not agree that Lukashenka’s gesture showed that the
resolution of internal political problems (linked to prolonging the
term of the presidency) was more important than the development of
relations with Azerbaijan.
“I think the Belarusian political expert is mistaken here,” Aliyev
said.
[Passage omitted: every state figure interested in improving ties with
other states]
In turn, independent diplomatic expert Tamerlan Qarayev said that “the
Minsk incident might not lead to damaging consequences, if Belarus
gives an appropriate explanation and Azerbaijan accepts it. If the
explanation is not satisfactory, then this will affect the mutual
relations between the two countries.”
[Passage omitted: Qarayev thinks this was not a political demarche,
details of Rasizada’s visit to Lithuania]