Author: Jalatian Sonya

Ecumenical News International / 22 September 2005
Armenians mull sainthood for victims of Ottoman-era massacres
By Clive Leviev-Sawyer
Sofia, Bulgaria, 22 September (ENI)–A committee of the Armenian
Apostolic Church is studying the question of sainthood for
victims of what Armenia says was a genocide carried out between
1915 and 1917 by the Ottoman Empire, which became Turkey after
the First World War.
Armenia says about one and a half million people died as a result
of a systematic genocide as the Ottoman Empire undertook forced
removals of Armenians.
Turkey, however, rejects the term “Armenian genocide” and says
mass removals were intended to clear people from a war zone. It
acknowledges that people died, but holds that the number was far
less than that given by Armenia, and that there was no deliberate
intention to kill.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, to which about 90 per cent of
Armenians are said to belong, said the first meeting of the
committee studying sainthood took place from 3 to 6 September.
Proceedings were blessed by church leader Catholicos Karekin II.
The six-member committee is made up of senior leaders from the
two branches of the church, the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin,
based in Armenia, and the Catholicosate of Cilicia, based in
Lebanon.
In 2004, the Evangelical Church in Germany, which groups most of
the country’s Protestants, said the issue of how Turkey dealt
with its past was an important pre-condition for whether it could
enter the European Union.
“Only an honest examination of the past makes future development
possible, borne by the spirit of reconciliation and the striving
for justice and freedom,” the German church said, noting in
particular “the problem of dealing with the genocide on
Armenians”.
Meanwhile, Karekin II issued a statement to mark 21 September,
the day that commemorates Armenia’s 1991 declaration of
independence from the Soviet Union. He said that Armenians had
not yielded to the difficulties of recent years including war and
the 1988 earthquake in which tens of thousands of people died.
“We have passed through a difficult yet ascending pathway on the
journey to create our new life and new statehood, a course which
will become broader and brighter through the united efforts,
faith, devotion and love of our people,” Karekin said.
Armenia became the world’s first nation officially to adopt
Christianity as a state religion in AD 301.

Bahrain News Agency
September 21, 2005 Wednesday 11:25 AM EST
King sends Cables
HM KING HAMAD SENDS CABLES
Manama, Bahrain
21 (BNA) HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent cable of congratulation
to President of Armenia Robert Kocharian, President of Malta Edward
Fenech Adami, and General Governor of Belize Colville Young marking
their countries National Days.
HM wished the presidents continued health and further progress and
prosperity for their peoples.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 21, 2005 Wednesday 7:06 AM Eastern Time
Russian-Armenian relations become major stability factor – Putin
MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to
Armenian leader Robert Kocharyan on the occasion of Armenia’s
holiday, Independence Day, the presidential press service reported on
Wednesday.
“The centuries-old traditions of friendship between the peoples of
Russia and Armenia, and the proximity or coincidence of interests of
our countries are a firm basis of bilateral interaction. It is good
that Russia-Armenian relations of allies, characterized by dynamism
and versatility, became a major factor of stability and security in
the region,” Putin’s message said.
The president said he was sure of the success of the Year of Russia
cultural festival in Armenia this year and the counterpart event, to
be staged by Armenia in Russia in 2006.
They will help intensify mutually advantageous Russian-Armenian
cooperation, the Russian leader said.

THE CLICKABLE CHAMBER MUSIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE SOUTH BAY
Wednesday, September 21, 2005 – Wednesday, September 28, 2005 No.243
Next issue: Wednesday, September 28, 2005
INAUGURAL CONCERT – DILIJAN CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
N E W S L E T T E R B E G I N S
*********************************
GREETINGS, MUSIC AFICIONADOS,
[ stuff omitted ]
B. Inaugural Concert
DILIJAN CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
MARTIN CHALIFOUR, VARTY MANOUELIAN, and MOVSES POGOSSIAN violins,
PAUL COLETTI and GINA WARNICK violas, PETER STUMPF cello
Sunday, September 25, 2005 – 3:00PM – Zipper Concert Hall
This is the inaugural concert of a major new chamber music series in
the superb Zipper Concert Hall. Aficionados will immediately recognize
this town’s finest artists in the ensemble — Los Angeles Philharmonic
concertmaster MARTIN CHALIFOUR, violinist VARTY MANOUELIAN, and
principal cellist PETER STUMPF, and Colburn and UCLA distinguished
faculty member PAUL COLETTI. Violinist and Dilijan Artistic Director
MOVSES POGOSSIAN is a prizewinner of the 1986 Tchaikovsky
International Competition and the youngest-ever first-prize winner of
the USSR National Violin Competition. He made his American debut
performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Boston Pops in
1990. Read about the artists for this and upcoming concerts by clicking:
The Dilijan series’ six concerts of the 2005-06 season will encompass
both traditional pieces of the genre, along with fine examples of
Armenian classical chamber music. An important component of Dilijan is
its commitment to commission and premiere two to three compositions
each season. The inaugural concert, for example, will feature the
world premiere of “Serenade with a Dandelion” by Vache Sharafyan,
whose compositions have been championed by cellist YO-YO MA and his
Silk Road Ensemble.
Program
Edward Mirzoyan: String Quartet (1947)
Vache Sharafyan: Serenade with a Dandelion for two violins (World Premiere)
Zoltán Kodály: Serenade for two violins and viola, Op.12
Brahms: String Quintet No.2 in G Major, Op.111
For full concert information, see No.34 in the listings below, or click:
C. USC Thornton School of Music – Free
SZYMANOWSKI PROJECT – Songs of the Mad Muezzin
a theatrical multimedia fantasy
Saturday, September 24, 2005 – 7:00PM
Sunday, September 25, 2005 – 3:00PM
USC Schoenberg Institute Recital Hall
A dangerous and esoteric world of mystical-erotic desire found in the
song-cycle “Songs of the Mad Muezzin” by the Polish composer KAROL
SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937) is explored in a collective project between
students of USC’s Schools of Music, Theatre and Cinema & Television,
and the Polish Music Center. Film installation, projected slides,
abstract paintings, and classical music are combined to create an
experimental alternative to the traditional recital presentation of
the classical voice cycle.
The SZYMANOWSKI PROJECT was conceived by Russian-born tenor TIMUR
BEKBOSUNOV, a graduate student at USC studying voice with GARY
GLAZE. Read about Timur and the other USC artists involved with the
Szymanowski Project by clicking:
Admission is free, but reservations are required. For full concert
information, see No.16 in the listings below, or click:
Newsletter Contact: Jim Eninger
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Voice of America
Sept 20 2005
Turkey an Example of Religious Tolerance for 500 years
By Miguel Angel Rivera
Istanbul

Turkey is 90 percent Muslim. But in parts of the large cities, there
are pockets of people of different faiths. VOA’s Miguel Rivera looks
at three houses of worship that share adjacent parcels in Kuzguncuk,
Istanbul.
Kuzguncuk is an ancient part of Istanbul, the only city in the world
that lies in two continents: Asia and Europe. For hundreds of years
its been inhabited by Muslims, Jews, and Christians; Turks, Armenians
and Greeks.
Kuzguncuk lies on the Asian side of the Bosporus Strait. There is a
church, a mosque, and a synagogue, right beside each other. The
priest of the Armenian Orthodox Church, using a key made in 1835,
opens the doors to a Christian world within a Muslim one. The priest
is one of a few who come from another part of Istanbul to serve the
faithful. And when he says `faithful,’ he is referring to Jews and
Muslims, as well as Christians, who enter this holy place to pray.
“There is no difference between us,’ says priest Mehmet Biraz.
‘Muslims come in here to light a candle. Yes, Muslims come to pray
here. They light the candle and they pray. There is no difference.
There is only one God and different paths to that God.”
The church leader says cooperating on every level is vital for
offsetting the religious negativity he finds in politics. He says
ties with others are still strong.
“We have good relations with the neighborhood. We are buying things
from this area because we want the local merchants to benefit from
our trade. In the political world there is the appearance that
religions have problems among themselves. But at the people level, we
have no problems among ourselves.”

A small park adjoining the mosque, synagogue, and church
A woman has been living in front of the church and mosque for 20
years.
“Very beautiful… We live in peace here,’ she says. ‘Everybody loves
each other. This mosque on this side, and the synagogue on the other,
being so close to each other, shows that Turks really accept
different religions and cultures.”
It is a fresh late morning, after a rain, and faithful Turks await
the arrival of the imam, or hoja — the religious leader to direct
them in midday prayers — and prepare to pray with ritual cleansing.
The land the mosque sits on was a gift — from the Armenian Orthodox
Church.
For hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire promoted religious
tolerance. Modern Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal, also known as
Ataturk, rejected tying his new government to Islam, even prohibiting
the use of traditional clothing in favor of western wear. Religious
tolerance was also his government’s policy.
“We have good relationships with our neighbors the Armenians and the
Greeks. They come to our funerals. We go to their funerals,’ says
Mahmut Uslu, a worshipper at the mosque. `The Armenian Church is
older than ours. Ataturk’s new republic had an open door policy to
all religions. The Sufi’s with Mevlana (known in the Western world as
Rumi) also had the same idea hundreds of years before. No matter what
country or creed, you can come to our home. Religion is important,
not what religion you belong to.”
Imam Aydin Vatan has led prayers in the Kuzguncuk mosque for years.
“We are all very close, like the flesh and fingernail. We are all
together. Nobody can separate us, Christians, Jews, and Turks.”
There are more than 22,000 Jews in Turkey. Most of them live in
Istanbul. There was an influx into the Ottoman Empire during the last
years of the 15th Century, after Jews and Muslims were expelled from
Spain during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella.

Jews held senior positions in the sultan’s government. Rabbi Cenk
Misraji is the highest-ranking Jewish leader in Asian Turkey.
“From the moment of our arrival more than 500 years ago, there has
been great religious tolerance in Turkey. We have been able to follow
our religion, and open our synagogues wherever we desired. We were
free to follow our traditions, practices and Jewish customs,” said
the rabbi.
There have been some glaring exceptions to the general tolerance of
Turkish society. The Christian Armenians say they were the victims of
Ottoman genocide in 1915, when thousands died. The Turks deny the
accusation. Turks and Kurds, fellow Muslims, have battled each other
for years in parts of the country where the Kurds are found.
And there have been terrorist attacks against Jewish targets, most
recently in 2003.
But in this neighborhood, there is a different history.
Here in Kuzguncuk, a Muslim — in a gesture of brotherhood —
designed, constructed, and donated a small park with its delicate
fountain in front of the doors of the synagogue, behind, and
adjoining, the mosque and the church.

LABOR PARTY LAUNCHES A DO NOT PURCHASE SWISS GOODS CAMPAIGN
The Anatolian Times, Turkey
Sept 20 2005
ANKARA – Turkish Labor Party (IP) deputy leader Mehmet Bedri Gultekin
has indicated today that his party has launched a campaign titled
“Do Not Purchase Swiss Goods” that will be effective until the Swiss
Parliament revokes a decision it adopted earlier on the so-called
Armenian genocide.
Members of the IP convened in capital Ankara’s main square Kizilay and
carried banners and shouted slogans encouraging Turks not to purchase
Swiss made goods due to the decision of the Swiss parliament vis-a-vis
the so-called genocide of Armenians.
Gultekin pointed out that IP leader Dogu Perincek was called by the
Lausanne Prosecutor’s Office. Perincek was warned by the Swiss police
officers before he gave a speech on the so-called Armenian genocide.
“The acts of the Swiss police have hurt the democratic image of
Switzerland. Despite the warnings, Perincek delivered his speech,”
told Gultekin.
Gultekin said Perincek will be questioned tomorrow by the Lausanne
Prosecutor.

CSIT-20055TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO COMPUTER SCIENCES AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHED IN YEREVAN
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 19 2005
YEREVAN, September 19. /ARKA/. CSIT-20055th international conference
devoted to computer sciences and information technologies was launched
in Yerevan. According to the Vice-President of the RA National
Academy of Sciences (NAS), Director of the Institute of problems of
informatics and automatization (IPIA) of the RA NAS Yuri Shukuryan,
the main goal of the conference is exchange of information in the
area of science and information technologies and establishment of
new contacts between specialists. Shukuryan added that from 1997,
when the first such a conference was held, Armenia did specific steps
forward in the area of information technologies, in particular, an
experimental high productive system was introduced. “After the first
conference we did a lot, and we learn from our colleagues, among whom
are very famous scientists”, he said. In particular, according to him,
representatives of the Scientific and Research Institute of Informatics
of Tuluza, Institute of High Productive Computing and Database of Saint
Petersburg, Institute of System Programming and Computing Center of
the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ukrainian Institute of Cybernetics,
Tehran University and of other scientific institutions participate
in the conference.
The conference is organized by the IPIA of the RA NAS in association
with IEEE, with the support of the International Scientific -Technical
Center, National Fund of Sciences and Advanced Technologies, Incubator
Enterprises Foundation, Arminco Company, Unicomp, Haylink. Over
35 specialists from 12 countries participate in the conference,
including the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, France, India and
Iran. 135 reports, including those by over 40 young scientists from
Armenia will be read at the conference. Theoretical researches are in
the areas traditionally developing in Armenia, and which make the basis
for the applied work: theory of algorithms, machines and mathematical
logic, discrete math and theory of combinations, artificial intellect,
recognition of samples and processing of images, theory of information
and coding. A special attention is paid to the development of a high
productive system for scientific calculations in Armenia, based on
“Armclaster” high productive computing system and developed by the
project of the International Scientific and Technical Center of IPIA
and its software development on the base of theoretical researches
and technology of parallel programming. A.H. -0–

A1+
| 18:36:53 | 14-09-2005 | Politics |
ARAM SARGSYAN OFFERED TO SPLIT UP
Why did the Republican party split up today? This is a question in
which all the journalists are concerned. The points of view published
in newspapers about Serge Sargsyan having a finger in it or Russia
being involved, were denied by a single fact brought by the founder
member of the party, ex-member of the Justice bloc Vagharshak
Haroutyunyan.
He informed that his last talk with Aram Sargsyan has been about the
disagreements, and Aram Sargsyan considered the only way out of the
situation created to form a new party with those who do not share his
ideas. «What else were we to do?», asked Vagharshak Haroutyunyan and
advised us to turn to Aram Sargsyan with questions about the reasons
of the splitting.
That is, the splitting of the party has been the «initiative» of Aram
Sargsyan.

The Library of Congress
17 Sept 2005
Bill Summary & Status for the 109th Congress
H.R.3103
Title: To direct the Secretary of State to submit a report outlining the
steps taken and plans made by the United States to end Turkey’s blockade of
Armenia.
Sponsor: Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] (introduced 6/29/2005) Cosponsors
(5)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred
to the House Committee on International Relations.
COSPONSORS(5), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort:
by date)
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] – 9/7/2005Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] – 9/7/2005
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] – 6/29/2005Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] –
9/15/2005
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] – 9/15/2005

A1+
| 18:40:26 | 16-09-2005 | Politics |
PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFINGS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION
The opposition is against the Constitutional reforms as the authorizations
of the President are reduced, and those who tend to the President’s chair
cannot resist the temptation of high authorizations.
«The authorities were able to resist to the temptation», said Galoust
Sahakyan during the Parliamentary briefings today. Asked the question if the
authorities were not able to resist to the temptation in 2003 when they did
not manage to preach the Constitutional reforms and to adopt them, Galoust
Sahakyan reminded that the referendum coincided with the Elections.
Member of the Orinats Yerkir party Mher Shahgeldyan announced that they find
the democratization of the country extremely important and everything mist
be done for that purpose, in this case a more democratic Constitution must
be adopted.
Leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Levon Lazarian finds that
the opposition must be able to give ground for their «No» and the
authorities for their «Yes».
Leader of the National Unity Artashes Geghamyan reminded the Constitution of
Turkey at the end of the 19th century written by Abdul Hamid which was
considered the best in Europe. Nevertheless, it was under that very
Constitution that 300 thousand Armenians were killed. The same can be said
under Stalin’s Constitution. «So, what is written on the paper is of no
importance, as under these authorities we cannot expect anything good».
And is it possible that the organization of the Constitutional Referendum be
postponed? Artashes Geghamyan said that everyone understands that today, in
an atmosphere of non-confidence of the authorities organizing a
Constitutional Referendum will mean to fail it. «It means that even they
understand that the authorities have exhausted themselves».
Viktor Dallakyan announced, «It is not that people aren’t ready for the
referendum, they themselves are not ready for democratic, free and fair
voting».