Author: Khondkarian Raffi

LEBANESE SHED FEW TEARS FOR SYRIA’S FEARED ENFORCER
By Lin Noueihed

Reuters AlertNet, UK
Oct 12 2005

BEIRUT, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Abu Hussein could barely conceal his smirk
when he heard that Syria’s dreaded former security chief in Lebanon
was dead.

“This is a blessing because he harmed and betrayed Lebanon and
God punishes the wicked,” chuckled the porter, seated on his stool
outside a residential block in Beirut. “It’s the best news I’ve heard
all year.”

For two decades, Ghazi Kanaan was the chief enforcer of Syrian policy
in neighbouring Lebanon, where he was feared by friend and foe alike.

Many Lebanese learned the hard way not to cross Kanaan’s troops and
“moukhabarat” agents, who never hesitated to use force against those
who got in their way.

Few Lebanese shed a tear over news of the Syrian major-general’s
apparent suicide.

For Bilal Mattar it revives painful memories of his two-day detention
by the Syrians as a teenager during the 1980s.

Mattar, now 28, and his friend had started a fight with a Syrian man
who banned them from playing football near his house.

“They took us and shaved our heads. They tied us up and beat us and
beat us and put cigarettes out on our tongues,” he recalled in the
Beirut electrical goods store he runs.

“You can’t imagine what they did. We virtually crawled out.”

Families of some Lebanese who went missing during the country’s
1975-1990 civil war, say their loved ones remain locked up in Syrian
jails to this day, though Syrian troops and security agents withdrew
from the country amid uproar in April.

Three weeks before he was found dead in his office, U.N.

investigators had questioned Kanaan over the assassination of Lebanese
former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Many Lebanese blame Syria for the Feb. 14 bomb blast that killed
Hariri. Damascus denies any role, but was forced to end its military
and political domination of Lebanon following local protests and
intense global pressure following Hariri’s death.

BEHIND BARS

Four pro-Syrian Lebanese generals are already behind bars, awaiting
trial on murder charges. The U.N. probe is expected to present its
findings this month.

“If he wasn’t guilty, why would he have done that. He must have been
expecting bad news from the report,” said Leila Ahmadieh, a housewife
who broke into a grin at the news.

“This is a happy ending after he oppressed so many Lebanese. Everyone
eventually gets what he deserves; Saddam Hussein was the most brutal
criminal of all and look how he ended up.”

Kanaan left Lebanon after a 20-year sojourn in 2002 to head the Syrian
Political Security Directorate, before becoming interior minister
in 2004.

He handed over his headquarters at the Armenian town of Anjar in the
Bekaa Valley and his office in a west Beirut hotel, to his successor
Rustom Ghazali.

By then, Syria’s grip was unchallenged, only to be swept away
dramatically three years later by a Lebanese and international outcry
over Hariri’s death.

“All I can say is: you reap what you sow. Now he is facing God’s
justice,” said Munir Ibrahim, a retired man chatting to friends on
a street in Beirut.

“One shouldn’t speak ill of the dead but suffice to say, I hope he
drags the rest of them behind him, one by one.”

SUMMARY OF SYNOD OF BISHOPS: 14TH GENERAL CONGREGATION

Kath.net, Germany
Oct 12 2005

VATICAN (kath.net/VIS)
During the Fourteenth General Congregation of the Eleventh Ordinary
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, held this afternoon in
the Vatican’s Synod Hall, apart from speeches by the Synod Fathers,
the fraternal delegates were given an opportunity to address the
gathering. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Juan Sandoval
Iniguez.

At the start of this afternoon’s session, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic,
secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, recalled that today is the
43rd anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II and the feast
of Blessed John XXIII.

Following are excerpts of some of the speeches delivered by fraternal
delegates and Synod Fathers:

METROPOLITAN JOHANNIS ZIZIOULAS OF PERGAMO, GREECE. “It is a great
honor for me to be given the opportunity to address this venerable
episcopal Synod and bring to it the fraternal greetings and best
wishes of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Church of
Constantinople. The invitation to our Church to send a fraternal
delegate to this Synod is a gesture of great ecumenical significance.

We respond to it with gratitude and love. We Orthodox are deeply
gratified by the fact that your Synod also regards the Eucharist
as the source and summit of the life and mission of the Church. It
is extremely important that Roman Catholics and Orthodox can say
this with one voice. There may still be things that separate our
two Churches but we both believe that the Eucharist is the heart of
the Church. It is on this basis that we can continue the official
theological dialogue of our two Churches, which is now entering a
new phase. Eucharistic ecclesiology can guide us in our efforts to
overcome a thousand years of separation. For it is a pity to hold
the same conviction of the importance of the Eucharist but not be
able to share it at the same table.”

REV. FILIPPO VAYLTSEV OF THE PATRIARCHATE OF MOSCOW, RUSSIA. “The
Eucharist is the central and most important point of the life of the
Church and of every Christian. Hence, the weakening of Eucharistic
awareness leads to a destruction of ecclesiastic awareness, … and to
errors in the understanding of Christian values. … We would be very
pleased if our experience of Eucharistic life, both past and present,
proves useful and helpful to the Roman Catholic Church. …

It must not be forgotten that preparation for communion in the Russian
Orthodox Church also includes, apart from inner preparation, ‘The Rule’
(strict fasting for three days, visits to Church during these three
days, prayers for communion, and special Eucharistic fasting after
midnight), and Confession is also compulsory. However, these strict
rules are seen by the Church not as an obligation, but as a measure
that was formed historically in accordance with tradition, and that
people apply to themselves.”

MOR SEVERIUS MALKE MOURAD OF THE SYRO-ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE, SYRIA.

“In our Syrian Orthodox Church, we celebrate the divine liturgy
in Syriac-Aramaic, the language of our Lord Jesus; and during the
divine liturgy the very same words which Jesus said in the Upper
Room are recited. And the priest who celebrates this Sacrament, has
to celebrate it alone. I feel proud that I live in the Monastery of St.

Mark in the Old City of Jerusalem, where Jesus had His Last Supper.

.. The presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist is not only His.

bodily presence, but all His fullness in humanity and divinity. So
Lord Jesus is present in all parts of the two elements. … St. Paul
the Apostle exhorts the believer to spiritually prepare himself before
he comes to receive holy communion with faith, reverence and a pure
conscience, and should cleanse his body and observe the pre-communion
fast at 12 midnight. We used to give the sacraments of holy communion
to the children immediately after they receive the sacraments of
Baptism and Confirmation.”

BISHOP NAREG (MANOUG) ALEMEZIAN, ECUMENICAL OFFICIAL OF THE GREAT
HOUSE OF CILICIA, ARMENIA. “The Armenian word used to designate the
Holy Eucharist is ‘Surp Patarag,’ which means holy sacrifice. In the
liturgical life of the Church we are at God’s service (liturgy) and
offer sacrifice of thanksgiving (Eucharist) for gifts received from
Him. Holy Eucharist is centered on the sacrificial giving of our Savior
and generating a communion of love with God and our fellow beings by
the power of the Holy Spirit. … In assessing the constructive role
of bilateral and multilateral ecumenical dialogues in discussing the
theme of ‘Church as Communion,’ I encourage all of us to engage in
the study of Eucharistic ecclesiology, which situates the unity of
the Church in the local celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided
over by the bishop in communion with his brother bishops. In this
respect, the distinctive role of the bishop is underlined as the one
who takes care of the flock entrusted to him by the Good Shepherd,
tending it with a love that is most fully revealed in the Eucharistic
partaking of the one bread for a spiritual and universal communion
in the mystical Body of Christ.”

BISHOP JOHN HIND OF CHICHESTER, ENGLAND. “I bring greetings from the
Archbishop of Canterbury and request for prayers for Anglicans at a
difficult time. … When is it appropriate to share holy communion?

How should we interpret the public giving of communion to the
Protestant Frere Roger Schutz? The Eucharist is not primarily a matter
or rite or ceremonial but a living of the new life in Christ.

If it is to be truly Christian, there must be criteria for mutual
recognition. No less important is the extent to which we suffer
with each other. … In the Eucharist it is not our fellowship that
is being celebrated, but our reconciliation with God which creates
our fellowship. … If the Eucharist is itself ‘Mysterium fidei’
then it must follow that our fellowship or communion in the Church
is also a ‘mysterion,’ in other words, speaking something we cannot
understand by reason alone. Finally, being united with Christ in His
self‑offering orients us not only towards God but also towards
every single one of our human brothers and sisters, for whom in their
amazing diversity the Son of God gave His life.”

CARDINAL GERALDO MAJELLA AGNELO, ARCHBISHOP OF SAO SALVADOR DA BAHIA,
BRAZIL. “We know how, from the first centuries of Christianity,
special attention was paid to faithful who could not participate in the
celebration of Eucharistic sacrifice, which was why the conservation
of the Eucharist was instituted, to meet the various requirements
of such situations. … I would like to underline the situation
of the sick, prisoners and elderly people who have difficulty in
moving independently. I would also mention here the need to train lay
faithful to promote visits by a priest for sacramental reconciliation,
and then to continue their pastoral care by bringing Eucharistic
communion. Today, many persons feel alone because they lack close
relatives, or because they have been placed in permanent nursing
homes, or due to the difficulties in walking that force them to remain
confined to their beds with no possibility of receiving visits from
relatives and friends, or even rejected because they are no longer
productive. In a world with so many means of communication, people,
even healthy people, often live in isolation and silence. However,
in moments of suffering people become sensitive and needful of an
expression of God’s goodness and mercy.

Thus God needs our efforts and our testimony to fulfill the experience
of His love.”

FIFTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

This morning in the Synod Hall, the Fifteenth general Congregation of
the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was held. The
president delegate on duty was Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo,
and 239 Synod Fathers were present.

Given below are excerpts from some of the speeches delivered this
morning by Synod Fathers and auditors:

ARCHBISHOP OSWALD THOMAS COLMAN GOMES OF COLOMBO, SRI LANKA. “We have
to promote a visible demonstration of our faith in the Eucharistic
Lord. And this has to be done more in deed than in word. Reference
has already been made here to many abuses and aberrations in the
celebration of the Eucharist and gross lack of reverence for the Most
Blessed Sacrament. … Particular reference has been made to secularism
and relativism. It is unfortunate that these are even creeping into
Asia. While respecting common liturgical norms we need to make a deep
study of the cultural patterns of the various worshippers and have them
integrated to our liturgy. The cultural patterns of people differ from
continent to continent, and often from country to country. Therefore
liturgists in these respective areas will have to make a study of
these patterns and integrate the highest forms of adoration into the
adoration of the Eucharist. … Finally, today we have the serious
problem of Christian fundamentalism which affects our belief in the
Eucharist. This Synod has to address its mind to this danger. Else
it would be like an effort to plant a beautiful tree – our faith in
the Eucharist – when there is a dangerous virus attacking it.”

BISHOP ANGEL FLORO MARTINEZ I.E.M.E., OF GOKWE, ZIMBABWE. “Let me
inform you of the main challenges our faithful are facing, not of a
theological but of a pastoral nature. The first challenge concerns
the availability or accessibility of the Eucharist to many of our
Catholics. The shortage of priests and the scattering of our faithful
in our vast rural areas means that priests are available to them for
the Eucharist only once a month, every two months or even longer.

This challenges the centrality of the Eucharist in the lives of our
Catholics. Could our rural Christian communities that rely mostly on
the celebration of the Word be called Eucharistic communities? This
is an interesting question that could be discussed in our working
groups. The second challenge concerns the Eucharist and Marriage. The
Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) published a second
pastoral letter on the Eucharist this year under this heading,
exhorting the faithful to appreciate the greatness of the Eucharist and
its deep relationship with the dignity of the Sacrament of Marriage,
and to regularize their situation. Many Catholics who used to receive
the Eucharist in their youth no longer do so in their adult lives
because of irregular marriages.”

CARDINAL GEORGE PELL, ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. “Many Synod
Fathers have spoken of the difficulties experienced by the Church
throughout the world. Some of these are caused by our own mistakes.

Vatican Council II brought great blessings and substantial gains,
for example, continuing missionary expansion and the new movements
and communities. But it was also followed by confusion, some decline,
especially in the West, and pockets of collapse. Good intentions are
not enough. … My recommendations to the Synod on how to deal with
these ‘shadows’ presuppose the maintenance in the Latin Church of
the ancient tradition and life‑giving discipline of mandatory
celibacy for the diocesan clergy as well as the religious orders. To
loosen this tradition now would be a serious error, which would
provoke confusion in the mission areas and would not strengthen
spiritual vitality in the First World. It would be a departure
from the practice of the Lord Himself, bring significant practical
disadvantages to the work of the Church, e.g. financial, and weaken
the sign value of the priesthood; it would weaken, too, the witness
to loving sacrifice, and to the reality of the Last Things, and the
rewards of Heaven. … Communion services or liturgies of the Word
should not be substituted for Mass, when priests are available. Such
unnecessary substitutions are often not motivated by a hunger for the
Bread of Life, but by ignorance and confusion or even by hostility
to the ministerial priesthood and the Sacraments.”

BISHOP LUIGI PADOVESE O.F.M. Cap., APOSTOLIC VICAR OF ANATOLIA,
TURKEY. “I speak as bishop of the Church of Anatolia, an area that saw
the first great expansion of Jesus’ message and in which Christians are
now reduced to just a few thousand. The only Christians in the city
of Tarsus, homeland of the Apostle Paul, are three nuns who welcome
pilgrims; pilgrims who must get a permit in order to celebrate the
Eucharist in the only remaining church-museum.

The same is true for the church-museum of St. Peter in Antioch. In
that city was born John Chrysostom, the 16th centenary of whose death
in exile falls in 2007. With his homilies, Chrysostom reminds us that
the Eucharist was and is the privileged place for announcing Christ.

His memory, as well as the more recent recollection of bishops such as
Clemens von Galen and Oscar Romero, is a living testimony of the bond
between the memorial of Jesus’ sacrifice and the people who found
therein the motivation and strength for a proclamation undertaken
with intelligence and courage and frankness.”

BR. ALVARO RODRIGUEZ ECHEVERRIA F.S.C., PRESIDENT OF THE UNION
OF SUPERIORS GENERAL, COSTA RICA. “The ‘Instrumentum laboris’ of
the Synod underlines the Church’s hope in its young people. Young
people today, living in globalized cultures marked by the incessant
change of perspectives, and in a society ruined by so much economic
insecurity and by the glorification of violence, find it difficult
to articulate the story of their lives in a way that gives meaning,
direction and purpose to their youthful dreams. Today more than
yesterday, then, we need to satisfy the thirst and hunger felt by
young people as they search for a mystical experience of union with
Jesus. There is not doubt that He is a force attracting young people
today. … Drinking from the source that is the Eucharist, … they
also find the strength to discover in this world their own crucified
brothers and sisters, those who suffer under the oppression of wars,
of violence, of hunger. Those without a future. From this source
and summit, they come away burning with a new passion, and with the
strength of grace to participate in the Church’s mission in society and
in the world. … The Eucharist is also the summit whence all (young
people’s) actions flow. In this way, the Eucharist is not unconnected
to the social and political concern felt by Christ’s disciples among
the men and women of the world, especially among the poor.”

MOYSES LAURO DE AZEVEDO FILHO, FOUNDER AND MODERATOR GENERAL OF THE
SHALOM CATHOLIC COMMUNITY, BRAZIL. “One of the most important fruits
of the Eucharist which we must cultivate is ‘parresia.’ Parresia
is a Greek word which in the New Testament takes on the meaning of
audacity in proclaiming Christ. In the period of carnival, in Brazil,
when youngsters are exposed to serious dangers, the Catholic Shalom
Community promoted … a moment of adoration before the Most Holy
Sacrament. It was impressive to see what many consider impossible:
one hundred thousand young people in deep adoring silence before
the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This was a prelude to
Cologne. Even more impressive were the fruits of this and of other
actions of this type: many conversions, a large number of confessions,
commitment to the Church with a return to participation in Mass, an
awakening of priestly vocations, and love and service to the poor. We
discovered that the best reply to the challenge of secularization is
to present Christ with audacity!”

DR. VAHAKN ATAMYAN ELECTED BY 52%

Gibrahayer e-magazine, Cyprus
Oct 12 2005

(Gibrahayer – Nicosia 11, October) 48 year old Dr.Vahakn Atamyan is
the new representative of the Armenian community in the Cyprus House
of Representatives. He will serve for eight months. He won 52% of the
vote in last Sunday’s by-election, that was held after the death of
Bedros Kalaydjian, who passed away last month.

His candidacy was supported by the Shahoumian Communist faction,
the Henchagian Social Democrats, Ramgavar Liberal Party, the AGBU
and Melkonian Alumni.

The Armenian community of Cyprus gave Parsegh Zartarian’s independent
candidacy 4% of the vote while Dashnaktsoutiun’s candidate –
Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Cyprus – 33 year old
Dr.Antranik Ashdjian gained 44% of the electorate. (detailed results
on ).

The results were extremely similar to the 2001 vote. Issues
like the closure of Melkonian, the regression of our community’s
Armenian character and the primitive methods of conducting day-to-day
community affairs, the lack of transparency and checks and balances,
made minimal impact on a community that has been heading downwards,
towards a doubtful future littered with scandals, mismanagement and
lack of imagination.

NEWS IN BRIEF

~UThe situation in Akhalkalak is very tense. Tax officers from
Akhaltsakha closed 10 stores demanding acquirement documents for
the goods they traded. Shop-keepers told them that they bring goods
from Tbilisi and get no document there. A few hundred residents of
Akhalkalak gathered before the town administration protesting about
the activities of the tax officers.

~UA 43-year-old Van Nuys man – Melkon Gharakhanian – was arrested
on eight felony counts of federal mail fraud in connection with an
alleged investment scam that bilked about $20 million from mostly
Armenian-Americans, many of whom were from Glendale.

~UFrench President Jacques Chirac said that Turkey would need to
undergo a “major cultural revolution” before entering the European
Union, and he reiterated that France would hold a referendum on
admitting Ankara to the bloc.

~UThe French Insurance Company Axa agreed to pay $17 million to
descendants of life insurance policyholders who perished during the
Armenian Genocide.

~UThe decision of who will be given the Nobel Prize for Literature
has been delayed due to a split among the judges. The announcement is
now scheduled this Thursday. The split occurred over honoring Turkish
writer Orhan Pamuk author of several books including “My Name is Red”
and “Snow”. Pamuk faces trial later this year for having said that
Turkey was GUILTY of the Armenian Genocide.

~UDubai International Properties, a leading property developer
based in the U.A.E., has agreed to invest $5 billion in projects in
Istanbul. The deal between the company and the Istanbul municipality
was signed late Thursday at a ceremony presided over by Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan – a former Istanbul mayor – and Dubai’s
Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum.

~UA journalist in Turkey has been found guilty of insulting Turkish
identity and given a suspended six-month jail sentence by a court in
Istanbul. Hrant Dink, of Armenian-Turkish descent, wrote a newspaper
column which he argued was aimed at improving relations between
Turkey and Armenia. The prosecution interpreted one part as an insult,
but Mr Dink has said he will appeal against the ruling. The verdict
follows criminal code reforms as Turkey seeks to join the EU.

The article written by Mr Dink addressed the killings of hundreds of
thousands of Armenians during Ottoman rule.

Gibrahay calendar ~UCartoonist Massis Araradian in Cyprus. His best
collection of Armenian and International political satire will be
exhibited at The Utudjian Hall of the Armenian Prelature on Friday
October 14, 2005 at 8:00 pm. Organised by The Hamazkayin Oshagan
Cyprus Chapter. Dinner at AYMA will follow by reservation only with
Alice Nadjarian on 99689948.

~UBadanegan meetings – for children from 7- 12 years old – have begun.

They take place every Saturday at 4:00 pm at AYMA.

~UAYMA/HMEM Chicco football practices take place every Friday at 7:30pm
at AYMA ~UEric Simonian invites you to Orpheas Piano Bar. Every Friday:
Spanish Duo Band Flamengo and Salsa. Starting from October 7, 2005,
Italian Chef Sergio at your service. Every Saturday Blues Night with
guitarist George. Marie Louise Kouyoumdjian will soon be performing
at Orpheas Piano Bar together with Eric Simonian. Details to follow.

~UBadanegan meetings – for children from 7- 12 years old – have begun.

They take place every Saturday at 4:00 pm at AYMA.

AYMA/HMEM Chicco football practices take place every Friday at 7:30pm
at AYMA ~UArmenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation
via real audio on . Broadcast 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus
time (14:00-15:00 GMT). Armenian news every Friday, Saturday, Sunday
and Tuesday.

~UNew Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance in London
Harout Pampoukdjian and his Band will be performing in London at the
Royal Lancaster at Hyde Park – London on Saturday 31 December 2005.

Organised by HOM (Armenian Relief Society), Hamazkayin and HMEM.

~UThe Honourary Consul of Brasil, Mr. Garo Keheyian, invites you to a
series of Brasilian cultural events in Nicosia, throughout the month
of October. For more information, visit

NKR AND ARMENIA STRENGTHEN JUDICIAL – LEGAL TIES

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005

The issues referring to improvement of Nagorno Karabakh judicial –
legal system, as well as further strengthening of ties between the
corresponding organs of Armenia and NKR were discussed in the course
of the NKR President Arkady Ghoukasyan’s meeting with the delegation
of RA Courts of Cassation, Appeal and Economy headed by Court of
Cassation Chair Oganes Manoukyan.

According to the information De Facto got at the Central information
department under the NKR President, during the meeting Oganes
Manoukyan informed the President of the fact that the Cooperation
Agreement had been signed in Stepanakert, according to which fruitful
interaction between RA and NKR judicial structures had been assumed as
basis. According to Manoukyan, the parties are to exchange professional
information, render legal and consultation assistance.

In his turn the NKR President Arkady Ghoukasyan voiced confidence
that the cooperation between the two Armenian Republics’ judicial
organs would be useful and effective for both parties.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Section WORLD A13

Banning things will not change anything¹

Charged with insulting Turkish identity and army, controversial author faces
jail time

By LEVON SEVUNTS, Montreal

When Dora Sakayan first published her grandfather¹s diary in Montreal, she
had no inkling that 10 years later it could land someone a half a world away
in court, facing as much as two years in jail.
But then, she never dreamed that her grandfather¹s diary, an eyewitness
account of the events in which several members of his family perished, along
with 30,000 Greeks and Armenians at the hands of Turkish nationalist forces
in Izmir in 1922, would ever be published in Turkey.
Ragip Zarakolu, a prominent activist and human-rights activist. dared to
translate and publish Mrs. Sakayan¹s book, An Armenian Doctor in Turkey.
Garabed Hatcherian: My Smyrna Ordeal of 1922. Now, he is charged with
insulting the armed forces, Turkish identity and the memory of Kemal
Ataturk, the iconic founder of the Turkish republic.
³I was worried and upset that he is suffering because of me, because of
my book,² Mrs. Sakayan said during an interview over a cup of Turkish coffee
and homemade sweets in her downtown apartment. ³But he calmed me down,
saying that he sees this as his calling, to use the courthouse as a platform
to speak out on human rights, the rights of Turkey¹s ethnic minorities and
as an opportunity to fight historical revisionism.²
Mr. Zarakolu has a track record of defying Turkish authorities. He was
imprisoned for three years for his activism in 1971 by the military junta.
In 1977, Mr. Zarakolu and his now-deceased wife Ayse Nur founded the Belge
(The Document) Publishing House, which has been a target for Turkish
censorship laws ever since. The couple was imprisoned, their books were
impounded and they were forced to pay heavy fines. In 1995, their offices
were firebombed by a right-wing group.
Mr. Zarakolu¹s legal troubles began because Turkey officially denies
that the massacres and deportations of the Armenian population of Ottoman
Turkey during the First World War constituted genocide. That puts Turkey at
odds with the majority of genocide scholars, as well as more than 20
parliaments, including Canada¹s. The Armenian question has been a taboo
protected by draconian censorship laws in Turkey.
What irked Turkish authorities most about her book is that it deals with
massacres perpetrated by some of the founders of the modern Turkish
republic, not by young Turks, which was the case between 1915 and 1918, Mrs.
Sakayan said.
In his defence statement during the first court hearing in the case on
Sept. 21, Mr. Zarakolu said Turkey owed an apology to Mrs. Sakayan¹s
grandfather, a Turkish citizen and a decorated military doctor, who served
his country despite the Armenian massacres.
³Publishing this book can be counted as part of that apology.² Mr.
Zarakolu told the court. ³The accusations that the book insults the Turkish
national character or the Turkish army are totally unfair. All these events
really happened. Banning things will not change anything.²
Mr. Zarakolu is also facing two different criminal proceedings related
to another book on the Armenian genocide that he published and a critical
magazine article he wrote about Turkish policy toward Iraqi Kurds.
The trial for the magazine article is set for Oct. 11, and he is due to
return to court on Nov. 22 for the hearings on Mrs. Sakayan¹s book.
The case of Mr. Zarakolu comes at an embarrassing moment for Turkish
authorities as they prepare to start negotiations for eventual membership in
the European Union. Abolishing their censorship laws is one of the
preconditons for Turkey joining the EU.
Yet despite some changes to the penal code, about 60 Turkish writers and
publishers are facing trials in Turkey, said Kjell Olaf Jensen, president of
the Norwegian PEN Centre, which has been closely monitorng the trials.
Among them is the world-famous Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk. Mr. Pamuk
will be brought before an Istanbul court on Dec. 16, 2005. He faces as many
as three years of prison for a comment he published in a Swiss newspaper
earlier this year, in which he criticised the Turkish positon on the
Armenian genocide and the Kurdish issue.
³I find the whole thing completely absurd,² Mr. jensen said. ³Are these
the same authorities who want Turkey to become member of the EU?²

Special to the Globe and Mail

Photo: Dora Sakayan photoghraphed in her Montreal apartment

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
Fresno Bee

Opinion Section

‘Preposterous claim’

September 30, 2005

Again we read in a newspaper story (Sept. 24) of the Armenian massacres,
the claim by Turkey’s apologists that “the [Armenian genocide] deaths
were part of a war in which an equal number of Turks died.” The
implication is that losses on both sides were a consequence of World War
I.

Such a claim is preposterous and perverted. Virtually the entire
Armenian population of Turkey in 1915 (whole families, including women
and children) was forcibly deported from its homeland of nearly 3,000
years by the leaders of the much more recently arrived Ottoman Empire.
About 1.5 million died.

That occurred during World War I when Turkey, a member of the Central
Powers together with Germany, was at war with the Allies. Of course, the
Turks did lose many lives in the war (which was not against Armenians).
But an equal number — more than a million? Hardly.

Armenian lives (families, not military personnel) were lost at the hands
of Turkish forces and the Kurds.

Turkish lives (virtually all military) were lost in a war at the hands
of British and Russian troops.

This needs to be repeated, for the preposterous claim of Turkish
apologists will not cease.

Arra Avakian

Fresno

RA PRESIDENT MET HEIKKI TALVITIE

A1+
| 15:00:42 | 29-09-2005 | Official |

Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian received EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Haikii Talvitie to discuss
cooperation within the New Neighbors EU Program.

The parties also touched upon the Karabakh conflict settlement,
some regional problems and development programs. The process of
constitutional reform was as well considered.

Robert Kocharian and Mr. Talvitie stressed the importance of the
constitutional amendments rating them as a new possibility for
developing and strengthening democracy in Armenia.

WAC-RA GOVERNMENT COOPERATION MECHANISMS NOT ELABORATED YET

Pan Armenian News
28.09.2005 08:06

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Days of the World Armenian Congress and the
Union of Armenians of Russia are starting in Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh today.

Special mechanisms of collaboration between the WAC and the Armenian
government have not been worked out yet and the organization develops
activities in scientific, educational and economic fields only,
Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamian stated
during today’s press conference dedicated to the 5-th anniversary
of the organization. He also informed he is meeting with Robert
Kocharian tomorrow and is going to offer the RA President to elaborate
a mechanism of the kind. He also noted that the organization is not
engaged in politics, since its members are citizens of Russia. However
he informed that they will assist in conducting the parliamentary
and presidential election in Armenia. When commenting on the demand
of the Armenian community of Georgia to grant an autonomy status to
Samtskhe-Javakhetia Ara Abrahamian said that Georgia is an independent
state but if it is incapable to secure employment for its citizens,
the residents of Samtskhe-Javakhetia have the right to ask for
autonomy. “We should show concern for the fate of our compatriots”,
he stated.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 23-29, 2005

HIGHLIGHTS:

DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO THE RA CONSTITUTION ADOPTED

ENP, MCA AND MDG IN ARMENIAN MEDIA

HEARINGS ON THE SUIT VERSUS “ARABOT” DELAYED

DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO THE RA CONSTITUTION ADOPTED

On September 28 the RA National Assembly passed the draft amendments to the
Constitution of Armenia in the third reading and finally.

As it has been reported, before the discussion of the draft in the third
reading Yerevan Press Club made its proposals to the National Assembly on
the amendments to the Constitution. The statement of YPC, disseminated on
September 15, noted the insufficient involvement of Armenian public in the
constitutional reform process and concern was voiced over certain provisions
of the draft, particularly, those referring to freedom of expression and
information. Since the draft cannot be substantially improved after the
second reading, Yerevan Press Club made proposals of editorial nature that
would make the appropriate provisions more specific and would contribute to
the greater clarity of phrasings (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter,
September 9-15, 2005).

The proposals of editorial nature made by YPC were taken into account in the
final text of the Constitution.

At the same time, YPC proposed to introduce the greatest clarity possible in
the status and the role of body created in the sphere of broadcast media.
Namely, it was recommended that Article 83.2 (“To ensure freedom,
independence and diversity of broadcast mass media, in accordance with the
law, an independent body is established. Half of its members are elected by
the National Assembly, and the other half is appointed by the President of
the Republic – for 6 years’ term of service. The National Assembly elects
the members of this body by a majority of the total number of deputies”) be
narrated as follows: “In accordance with the law, a body is established,
regulating the activities of public and private broadcast mass media,
contributing to their diversity. To ensure the greatest independence of this
body, half of its members are elected by the National Assembly and half is
appointed by the President of the Republic – for 6 years’ term of service.
The National Assembly elects the members of this body by a majority of the
total number of deputies.”

In the text of the Constitution adopted in the third reading Article 83.2
did not undergo significant changes, but for one clarification: the body
mentioned in it is now specified on only as “independent”, but also as
“regulatory”. Thus, the Article is presently narrated as follows: “To ensure
freedom, independence and diversity of broadcast mass media, in accordance
with the law, an independent regulatory body is established. Half of its
members are elected, for 6 years’ term of service, by the National Assembly,
half is appointed by the President of the Republic – for 6 years’ term of
service. The National Assembly elects the members of this body by a majority
of the total number of deputies.” In other words, the purpose of
establishing a regulatory body and its status remain vaguely defined in the
Main Law.

ENP, MCA AND MDG IN ARMENIAN MEDIA

On September 23-25 in Tsaghkadzor a seminar “Coverage of International
Programs in Armenian Media” was held. The event was organized by Yerevan
Press Club with the assistance of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The event
brought together representatives of media, NGOs, also journalistic
associations, state structures of Armenia and international missions
accredited in the country.

The prospects of the program of the EU European Neighborhood Policy in
Armenia were presented to the seminar participants by the Head of Department
on Cooperation with World Trade Organization and EU of the RA Ministry of
Trade and Economic Development Vahagn Ghazarian and the Head of the EU
Department of the RA Foreign Ministry Armen Liloyan. The Chairman of
“European Integration” NGO Karen Bekarian told about the impact of the
program on democratic reforms in the country and its coverage in media.

The start of implementation of another major program in Armenia, the
Millennium Challenge Account, funded by US Government, was the subject of
the presentation by Deputy Head of Armenian group of the Millennium
Challenge Corporation Hovhannes Azizian. The necessity of ensuring the
transparency of this program was highlighted by the head of the Center for
Regional Development/Armenian branch of “Transparency International” Amalia
Kostanian.

Another project, also implemented in many countries of the world, including
Armenia, the UN Millennium Development Goals was presented by the economist
of UNDP Armenian Office Aghasi Mkrtchian.

The producer of Internews Armenia NGO Armen Sargsian told about how Armenian
media cover these issued and the subjects of public importance in general.

HEARINGS ON THE SUIT VERSUS “ARABOT” DELAYED

On September 23 at the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and
Nork-Marash communities of Yerevan the hearings on the suit of the former
assistant of Electrical Energy Chair of State Engineering (Polytechnic)
University Karen Khachatrian versus “Aravot” daily started and were
postponed. The plaintiff demanded that the daily publish the refutation text
prepared by him to the article “Sexual Harassment of a Student”, published
in “Aravot” on June 24, 2005. The piece was based on the complaint of a
group of students and professors of the Engineering University about the
behavior of Karen Khachatrian and his father Varos Khachatrian, a professor
of the same Chair, addressed to the RA Human Rights Defender.

The consideration of the suit of Karen Khachatrian versus “Aravot” was
postponed since presently criminal proceedings are underway on the appeal of
the father of a female student of the Engineering University. The court has
no competence to consider the civil suit, filed by Karen Khachatrian, until
the investigation is over.

As it has been reported, a similar suit with the same claim was filed by
Karen Kachatrian versus “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun” newspaper. The court
hearings again were delayed due to the same reason (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, September 9-15, 2005).

Meanwhile, it became known that Karen Khachatrian is no longer employed by
the Engineering University. As “Aravot” daily reported on September 24 with
a reference to the Rector of the Engineering University Yuri Sargsian,
considering the big amount of complaints from students, the administration
did not find reasons to sign a contract with Karen Khachatrian.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS RUSSIAN BASE REMAINS SECURITY ELEMENT

Armenpress
Sept 27, 2005

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: Speaking to a news conference
after talks with the visiting president of Finland Tarja Halonen,
Armenian president Robert Kocharian said Russian military bases
in Armenia were not imposed on it, but established in line with an
Armenian-Russian agreement.

He said also the Russian base is in line with Armenia’s national
interests.

Kocharian said Armenia is located in a complicated region where
relations between countries are not finally regulated yet. He said
Russian bases in Armenia are looked on as an element of its national
security. “There is no need to expand these bases, but what is there
is regulated by the intergovernmental agreement,’ he said. The press
conference was preceded by face-to-face talks between Kocharian
and Halonen, who according to Kocharian’s press office, discussed
bilateral relations, Armenia-EU cooperation, regional problems and
exchanged views on a set of key international issues.

Mrs. Halonen welcomed Armenia’s inclusion in the European Neighborhood
Policy (ENP), saying Finland was going to attach greater attention
to its relations with South Caucasian nations. President Kocharian
in turn said involvement of influential international organizations
in the process of regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would
have a positive impact, especially in providing political and economic
support to the sides after they reached a peace deal.

Kocharian said there were moments when the conflicting sides were
very close to hammering out the deal, but some circumstances have
slowed down the process. He said talks are very intensive now and
there is hope for reaching a mutually acceptable peace formula.

Mrs. Halonen said after learning the latest developments in the process
he encouraged Kocharian to continue active efforts for reaching final
peace with Azerbaijan.