Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Agence France Presse — English
July 21, 2004 Wednesday 5:51 AM Eastern Time
No compromises on Karabakh: Azerbaijan’s president
KHUDAT DISTRICT, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan will make no compromises in its negotiations with Armenia
over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, President Ilham Aliyev
said Wednesday.
The statement appeared to mark a hardening of Azerbaijan’s stance
over the conflict, which remains unresolved after a war in the early
1990s that displaced a million civilians and left some 35,000 people
dead.
“We cannot react positively to calls on us to make compromises. On
questions of our territorial integrity we will never make any
compromises,” Aliyev said on a visit to northern Azerbaijan.
“Certain calls on us (to make compromises on Nagorno-Karabakh) are
without foundation,” the Azeri leader added.
“All international norms, the economic situation, are on our side.
Large resources are being given to the army and we will continue to
make available these resources.”
Since large-scale fighting ceased in 1994 Nagorno-Karabakh — which
is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan — and several
surrounding Azeri regions have been under the control of Armenian
forces.
Azerbaijan has insisted that Armenian troops relinquish the
territory, and has said it reserves the right to use force to settle
the dispute.
In the past, Azerbaijan has signalled that it might make concessions
in order to reach a lasting peace settlement with Armenia over the
enclage. One possibility that has been mooted is an exchange of
territory.
But Aliyev’s comments Wednesday, to a unit of border guards on
Azerbaijan’s frontier with Russia, seemed to indicate that this
option has now been ruled out.

Armenian arrested for “hooliganism” in Azeri capital
Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
20 Jul 04

[Presenter Etibar Mammadov] An Armenian has been detained in Baku. It
became known that Igor Bagiyan, who had received years in prison for
misappropriating state property, lived in the capital under the
patronage of [Director of the Human Rights Centre of Azerbaijan] Eldar
Zeynalov who is famous for protecting the rights of Armenians.
Zeynalov supplied Bagiyan with money and even helped him to obtain his
ID.
[Correspondent over video of beach and streets of Baku] Employees of
the Azizbayov district police department [Baku] have arrested an
Armenian for hooliganism on the Mardakan beach [suburbs of Baku]. The
Baku City Main Police Department reports that ethnic Armenian Igor
Rubenovich Bagiyan had brawled with ethnic Russian Ivan Borisovich
Demin on the beach. A resident of Sabuncu district [Baku], Elcin
Eldarov, intervened in their dispute and was stabbed by Demin.
The investigation found out that Bagiyan had been jailed for
misappropriating state property in the past. After his release, he
lived in a house bought for him at Basir Safaroglu Street in Yasamal
District [Baku]. Another interesting detail was revealed as
well. Eldar Zeynalov created conditions for Bagiyan to live in
Azerbaijan. He protected Bagiyan’s rights when he was in prison.
Eldar Zeynalov helped him to get his ID with an Armenian name and
surname. Zeynalov constantly supplied Bagiyan with money after his
release from prison.
Legal proceedings have been instituted against Bagiyan and Demin at
the moment. The law-enforcement agencies will examine the reasons why
Zeynalov protects Bagiyan.
Fuzuli Hasanli for “Son Xabar”.

Armenia favours cooperation with CIS bloc and NATO – minister
Arminfo
20 Jul 04
YEREVAN
For Armenia, activities within the framework of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization and the deepening of ties with NATO do
not contradict, but supplement each other, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan has told Armenian Public Television.
Armenia pursues a policy of complementarity, both organizations and
their members, including the USA and Russia, are aware of this and
this policy applies to security tasks, the minister recalled.
The minister said that NATO’s expansion is inevitable, and the task
here is whether Armenia will voluntarily remain outside these
processes or will be involved in them and defends its interests. “At
present, our decision is to deepen relations with NATO without joining
the alliance,” the minister said.

PolitInfo.com, Germany
July 14 2004
Congressman Arrested Protesting Sudan Regime’s Actions in Darfur
Jul 14, 2004 Washington
Representative Charles Rangel (Democrat of New York) was arrested
Tuesday as he blocked the entrance to the Sudanese Embassy to protest
the Khartoum government’s support for militia groups that have killed
between 15,000 and 30,000 people in Sudan’s Darfur region while
making a mockery of international efforts to stop what the lawmaker
termed “genocide.”
Standing with crossed arms in front of the embassy’s door on
Washington’s Massachusetts Avenue at high noon, Rangel and a band of
about 50 protesters sang the defiant civil rights anthem “We Shall
Overcome,” evoking similar protests against racism in America during
the 1960s and against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s.
The protesters, joined by Armenian-Americans who claim their people
suffered a similar genocide under the Turks last century, also
unfurled a large banner that proclaimed: “Slavery & Genocide = Sudan”
while they chanted: “Stop the Genocide. Free Darfur Now” and “Every
Life Is Precious. Stop the Genocide in Sudan.”
Rangel told the crowd: “I am protesting today to urge the United
States government and the United Nations to take immediate action to
stop the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.”
Showing impatience at recent efforts by the United Nations and a
“troika” of nations including the United States, the United Kingdom
and Russia to rein in the Khartoum regime’s support for the Jingaweit
militias, Rangel said, “While I applaud Secretary [of State Colin]
Powell for his efforts, I am worried that our government is not
constructively engaging a government who has, by almost all accounts,
been the primary sponsor of genocide in Sudan.”
According to the influential lawmaker: “The situation in Sudan has
clearly reached the level of a genocide. U.S. Agency for
International Development Administrator Andrew Natsios has declared
that at least 300,000 people will be dead by year’s end in the
best-case scenario, and over a million will perish if things continue
on their present course. We must take immediate actions to condemn
the government of Sudan for their complicity and save the lives of
these innocent people.”
Rangel warned: “We acted too late to save million of Jews during
World War II. We didn’t act at all when hundreds of thousands of
innocents were slaughtered in Rwanda. We have the opportunity now to
stop a genocide and we must act.”
After being asked several times by uniformed members of the Secret
Service to step aside, Rangel declined to do so and was handcuffed
and carried away in a police van.
It was almost 20 years ago to the day that the congressman was
arrested down the street at the South African Embassy while
protesting against the apartheid regime.
The Reverend Walter Fauntroy, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, vowed to continue
the protests, with more arrests of prominent African-Americans in the
offing. “We will prick the conscience of the American people and
their elected officials to declare it what it is and then go in to
stop the genocide,” he declared.
Fellow protester, radio talk show host and social activist Joe
Madison said he would begin a hunger strike that would not end until
the Sudanese government stops its obstruction of humanitarian aid to
the stricken Darfur region.
The crisis in Sudan has become a hot foreign policy issue in a humid
and steamy Washington. While Rangel was being arrested on Embassy
Row, across town on Capitol Hill Senator Sam Brownback (Republican of
Kansas) told a news conference that Congress would introduce
resolutions that day declaring the Khartoum government’s actions in
Darfur to be genocide.
Meanwhile, at a White House ceremony in which he signed the latest
African Growth and Opportunity Act earlier in the day as Congressman
Rangel looked on, President Bush said: “I’m deeply concerned about
the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Darfur, Sudan. For the
sake of peace and basic humanity, I echo the sentiments of the
secretary of state. I call upon the government of Sudan to stop the
Jingaweit violence.”
The president added: “I call on all parties of the conflict to
respect the cease-fire, to respect human rights, and to allow for the
free movement of humanitarian workers and aid. The United States and
the United Nations and the leadership of the African Union are
working to bring relief to the suffering people of that region.
America will continue to strongly support these efforts for peace.”

The Age
July 14 2004
Drug cloud over male lifter
By Roy Masters
The Australian Olympic Committee believes Australia’s sole male
weightlifter nominated for the Athens Olympics, Sergo Chakhoyen, went
into hiding for three-and-a-half months before finally being
drug-tested in Armenia last Thursday.
Acknowledging difficulties in obtaining details of Chakhoyen’s
overseas address, AOC president John Coates said: “Clearly, there
were some issues concerning the provision of his whereabouts
information and we should wait for the results of these tests.”
The AOC has deferred an announcement on Chakhoyen’s selection in the
team for the Games until the tests results are known.
The Australian Sports Drug Agency has told the AOC it had asked the
Austrian agency that tested Chakhoyen to expedite the analysis at a
Vienna laboratory, with the test results expected late this week.
Chakhoyen, who represented Armenia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, is
rated No. 1 in the 85-kilogram class and won a gold medal at last
year’s world weightlifting championships in Vancouver, Canada.
He has been an Australian resident since 1997 but returned to
Armenia before Christmas, after briefly stopping in Melbourne to
celebrate his world championship gold medal in the snatch and bronze
medals in the clean and jerk and total.
The AOC sought information on his location following a directive from
the World Anti-Doping Agency that all potential athletes for the
Athens Olympics declare their whereabouts and be tested from March
31.
When the Australian Weightlifting Federation advised the AOC on June
23 that Chakhoyen would be unavailable for competition at the
national championships in Melbourne from June 26 for “personal family
reasons”, the search for Chakhoyen intensified.
The AOC sent a letter to the president of the Australian
Weightlifting Federation, Sam Coffa, on June 24 requesting
information on Chakhoyen’s whereabouts and it took another two weeks
to locate the 34-year-old.
Chakhoyen tested positive at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane in
September 2001 and completed his mandatory two-year suspension last
year.
His Vancouver success was the second time Chakhoyen has been world
champion.
He won his weight category while representing Armenia at the 1994
world championships in Turkey.
Chakhoyen finished fifth at the Sydney Olympics representing
Australia.
Coates reflected concerns over Chakhoyen in a letter to the chief
executive of ASDA, John Mendoza, last Friday.
Coates referred to “recent ASDA concerns regarding the whereabouts
information supplied in respect of weightlifter Sergo Chakhoyen who
was eventually tested in Armenia overnight”.
Chakhoyen has been tested only once in 12 months, before last
Thursday’s test in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Financial Times (London, England)
July 10, 2004 Saturday
All life is here
Ten years after writing a book that became a word-of-mouthsensation,
this author returns with a more ambitious novel: an epic story
displaying writing that is both lyrical and ruthlessly succinct
By HENRY HITCHINGS
BIRDS WITHOUT WINGS
by Louis de Bernieres
Secker & Warburg Pounds 17.99, 640 pages
Occasionally a novel comes along that redefines the contours of
popular fiction. Perhaps the best example of recent years is Captain
Corelli’s Mandolin, in which Louis de Bernieres blended sun-drenched
romance with epic gravity. Captain Corelli was a word- of-mouth
sensation, a beneficiary and then a mainstay of the emerging
book-group phenomenon. A few years ago it was barely possible to
travel on a commuter train or flop down on a beach without seeing
someone immersed in the story of the sleepy Ionian island convulsed
by the second world war. The book has sold nearly three million
copies in English, and has multiplied the number of tourists to
Cephallonia.
But de Bernieres has been slow to follow up his success; it is now
ten years since Captain Corelli was first published.
Birds Without Wings is, very obliquely, its sequel (or rather,
prequel). Its events periodically connect with those of the earlier
novel – for instance, we are reunited with the formidable Drosoula,
mother of Mandras the handsome fisherman. But here the story takes
place in Anatolia, not Cephallonia, and in the first quarter of the
last century, amid the crumbling fabric of the Ottoman Empire.
Specifically, we are in the remote village of Eskibahce (modelled, it
appears, on the real-life “ghost town” of Kayakoy near Fethiye).
Eskibahce is a polyglot colony of Turks, Armenians, Greeks and Arabs,
where Muslim and Christian happily rub shoulders. It is, like de
Bernieres’ previous half-imaginary societies, a place that unites the
chimerical poetry of Gabriel Garcia Marquez with the fine-grained
domesticity of Trollope.
Eskibahce is the novel’s heart. There is no clear protagonist, nor
any presiding narrative voice. Instead this is a story about the
disintegration of a community, and de Bernieres allows a multitude of
characters to jostle for attention, at first to suggest the richness
of the community’s life, and then to register its erosion.
Among these characters are Philothei, the local beauty, and her
admirer, Ibrahim the goatherd, who wins her affection with the gift
of a dead goldfinch; apparently inseparable friends Karatavuk and
Mehmetcik, whose childhood innocence gives way to savagery as their
society is torn apart by conflict; and the prosperous, sad Rustem
Bey, whose wife Tamara is stoned for adultery, and whose Greek
mistress Leyla gamely takes her place.
The cast is enriched by the presence of minor eccentrics such as
Mohammed the Leech Gatherer and Ali the Snowbringer (so-called
because on the night of his birth it snowed for the first time in 75
years), as well as charismatic figures of authority – the holy men
Father Kristoforos and Abdulhamid Hodja, and Iskander the potter, who
provides the book’s title when he reflects that “Man is a bird
without wings”, while “a bird is a man without sorrow”.
Real historical characters play their part too: Enver Pasha, the
Turkish minister who drew his country into the first world war by
attacking Odessa with the Nazis, the German general Limon von Sanders
and Mustafa Kemal, the brilliant commander known to posterity simply
as Ataturk.
It is the surge of military ambitions that explodes the sanctity of
Eskibahce and scatters its inhabitants. The strongest part of the
novel is an 80-page sequence which follows Karatavuk as he finds
himself fighting the allies at Gallipoli. “Intoxicated with the idea
of martyrdom”, he suffers in the trenches, surrounded by rotting
corpses, and frequently bent double with dysentery while flies drink
the moisture from his eyes. Troops eat their own donkeys. The bodies
of their dead comrades are used to buttress collapsing trenches. Yet,
in the depths of squalor, there blooms a generous camaraderie: de
Bernieres has a remarkable ability to evoke the tenderness of
relationships even as he depicts their brutality, and his mordant
sense of human comedy increases the pathos of what is, in effect, a
critique of militant nationalism.
Throughout the novel, the author switches deftly between minute
description – of the shape Leyla’s white cat, Pamuk, makes as she
shelters beneath her favourite orange tree, or of what maggots do to
a corpse – and wide-ranging historical synthesis. The strength of his
writing lies in that he can be both lyrical and ruthlessly succinct –
he can move seamlessly from energetic humour to poignancy, and from
easy charm to a searing anger.
These qualities run right through Birds Without Wings. It is a more
ambitious novel than Captain Corelli, and in many ways a better one.
But, with its slow beginning, complex geography, somewhat unfamiliar
historical territory, and (to British eyes) strange- looking names
and improbable orthography, it is unlikely to be as successful.

GEO Pakistan
July 9 2004
Pakistan, Azerbaijan sign four accords
BAKU: Pakistan and Azerbaijan have signed four agreements for
enhancing cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev ensured support to Pakistan for
seeking just resolution of the Kashmir issue.
President Musharraf and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev signed a
joint declaration for boosting cooperation in various fields.
During the formal talks, the two sides explored ways of broadening
their economic relations. They signed four agreements at Presidential
Palace in Baku including cooperation in anti terrorism drive,
eradication of drugs, customs related issues and agreements for
enhancing relations in culture and politics.
Federal Minister for Industries and Production Liaquat Jatoi,
Petroleum Minister Chaudhry Nauraiz Shakoor and Foreign Secretary
Riaz Khokhar signed agreements for Pakistan. Azeri Minister of
Interior, head of the customs committee and minister for youth
affairs and culture signed agreements on behalf of their country.
Azeri President Aliyev in a banquet in the honor of President
Musharraf said the visit would promote mutual cooperation and
bilateral relations between the two countries. He also ensured
support to Pakistan for just resolution of the Kashmir issue.
President Musharraf said “In international questions our positions
are close and on issues of the Islamic world, like the Palestine
question, questions of Iraq and Afghanistan, we have agreed to
coordinate our actions in the future.”
General Musharraf reciprocated Azerbaijan’s backing for Pakistan over
Kashmir by saying that his country backed Baku’s efforts to regain
control over Karabakh, which is under Armenian control.
After talks between the Pakistani and Azeri heads of state, the two
leaders and their officials signed a series of agreements covering
tourism, customs and combating the drugs trade and international
terrorism.
Earlier, the two leaders held one-to-one meeting during which they
expressed the desire to strengthen Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations.
They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of
common interest.

No truce violations observed on Azeri-Armenian border
Mediamax news agency
6 Jul 04

Yerevan, 6 July: The OSCE mission held a planned monitoring on the contact
line between Nagornyy Karabakh [NKR] and the Azerbaijani armed forces east of
the village of Talysh in NKR’s Mardakert Region today.
The monitoring was held in accordance with the planned schedule, a Mediamax
correspondent reports from Stepanakert. No violations of truce were observed.

Armen Press
July 2, 2004
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES RUSSIAN INTERIOR MINISTER
YEREVAN, JULY 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian
received today Russian interior minister Rashid Nurgaliyev, who has
arrived in Armenia for a meeting of the governing boards of the Russian
Interior Ministry and the Armenian police force that discussed today
prospects for cooperation in fighting organized crime and cleansing the
Russian and Armenian economies of criminality.
Kocharian was quoted by his press office as saying that interaction
in the struggle against organized criminal groups will be more
effective. The Russian minister was said to brief the president on the
meeting results that dwelt also on fighting drug trafficking and
suppressing trade in people.

GIBRAHAYER e-newsletter
[email protected] yer.cyprusnewsletter.com
THE GODS OF MODERN GREECE MAKE IT TO THE FINALS OF EURO 2004
Friday July 2, 00:15 a.m. (Gibrahayer)
The National soccer team of Greece defied all odds by reaching the finals of
Euro 2004. After downing host nations Portugal 2-0, drawing with giants
Spain and knocking out 1998 World and 2000 Euro Champions France 1-0, Greece
stopped the winning streak of the Czech Republic in the semi finals by the
silver goal of Traianos Dellas seconds before the end of the first quarter
of extra time.
Cyprus was silent for more than two hours while the entire population
watched the game. Moments after the Greek goal the entire population went
into delirious celebrations.
The Greek national team will play host nations Portugal on Sunday, the team
they beat in the opening match of Euro 2004.
NEW PROPOSAL ON KARABAKH BASED ON CYPRUS BLUEPRINT
Ayna, Baku – 29 Jun 04 – The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Turkey met on 28 June on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Istanbul. The
gathering was held behind closed doors.
The ministers told journalists after the meeting that they had discussed the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict but did not disclose the details. In their brief
speeches the ministers said that both Azerbaijan and Armenia support a
greater involvement of Turkey in resolving the conflict. The mechanism for
this will be ready in one or two months, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said.
In turn, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that the sides also
discussed the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border. Resolving this issue
may take some time, Oskanyan said. The foremost objective of the talks was
to work out a new approach to resolving the problem.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Armenia received a new formula to
settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict during the trilateral meeting. The
formula is similar to the blueprint for resolving the Cyprus problem. In
essence, the new proposal is to pay greater attention to the interests of
both the Armenian and Azeri communities in Nagornyy Karabakh.
Before the trilateral meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
received Oskanyan. The Turkish mass media reported that this meeting
discussed the Nagornyy Karabakh problem and relations between Turkey and
Armenia. The two countries have yet to establish diplomatic relations.
TURKISH, FRENCH PRESIDENTS DISCUSS EU, CYPRUS AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Anatolia news agency, Ankara: Istanbul, 28 June: Turkish President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer met on Monday [28 June] with French President Jacques Chirac,
who is currently in Istanbul for the NATO summit.
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and French
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier also attended the meeting. Following the
meeting, President Sezer’s Foreign Policy Chief Adviser Sermet Atacanli told
reporters that Sezer focused on Turkey’s European Union (EU) membership in
his meeting with Chirac.
Atacanli said that Sezer explained once again that Turkey expected France,
which was one of leading countries in the EU, to support Turkey’s EU
membership. Atacanli quoted Sezer as saying that Turkey fulfilled all
political criteria of EU, noting that Turkey expected to be treated as other
countries which fulfilled those criteria. Stating that Sezer said in the
meeting that he expected the report on Turkey that would be announced by EU
Commission in October to be positive, Atacanli quoted President Sezer as
saying that EU should set a date for Turkey in December to start its
membership negotiations with the union.
Noting that Sezer also focused on Cyprus issue in his meeting with Chirac,
Atacanli quoted Sezer as saying that new developments took place after
referenda held in Cyprus on 24 April and Turkish Cypriot side showed its
determination for solution in referendum. Atacanli said that Sezer noted in
the meeting that Greek Cypriot side did not put forth good will on that
issue.
Atacanli stated that Sezer stressed that embargoes imposed on the
[self-declared] Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be lifted
immediately.
When asked what were the views of Chirac about Cyprus issue, Atacanli said:
“Both Chirac and French For eign Minister, who also attended the meeting,
said that they are aware of developments in Cyprus and welcomed the attitude
of Turkish side and they noted this. Mr Chirac said regarding the EU issue,
‘you know my stance about EU issue. And
you also know that my stance is positive.’ Mr Chirac said that Turkey has
started its EU trip 40 years ago and the EU has a 40 year of commitment and
this commitment concerns a vision related with the future of Europe.”
Atacanli said that Chirac also noted that the commission report which would
be presented in October was important.
When asked whether Armenian problem was brought onto agenda during the
meeting, Atacanli said that President Sezer stressed Turkey’s sensitivity
over the so-called Armenian genocide which is occasionally brought onto
agenda of the French Parliament.
Atacanli said that Sezer earlier invited Chirac to Turkey and he repeated
this invitation during the meeting. Atacanli added that this invitation was
acce pted and the date would be cleared later.
MELKONIAN ADMISSION TESTS CONCLUDED LAST WEEK
Nicosia July 2, 2004 – Gibrahayer: On Friday, June 25th MEI gave admissions
testing to 5 potential students. Their applications and test results were
sent to AGBU’s office in New York for evaluation. The parents will be
notified as soon as the evaluation is completed.
MEI’s annual Summer School program began today (Thursday July 1st) and will
run though out the month. Enrollment is limited, but there are few openings
in selected weeks. Parents interested in enrolling their child should
contact Ms. Freda Georgiou at (22) 422-195 or (99) 570-897.
The Graduation Ceremony of the 2003-2004 Class of Melkonian took place on
Saturday June 12, 2004 during which 3 2 students from ten countries
graduated.
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH MEETS U.S. PRESIDENT IN BOLIS
Lraper Church Bulletin – Bolis – On 27 June 2004, Sunday afternoon,
President George W. Bush of the United States of America had a meeting with
the religious leaders of Turkey.
His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
accompanied by the Revd. Fr. Drtad Uzunyan, attended the meeting held at the
Hilton Hotel in Istanbul at the U.S. Embassy’s invitation.
Also present were His Excellency Ali Bardakoglu, Director of the Office
of Islamic Religious Affairs in Ankara; His Holiness Bartholomew I, Greek
Orthodox (Ecumenical) Patriarch of Istanbul; His Excellency Rav Itshak
Haleva, Chief Rabbi of Turkey; His Grace Philixinos, Metropolitan of the
Syriac Orthodox Church in Istanbul; His Excellency Mustafa Cagrici, Gran d
Mufti of Istanbul; Mr. Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State; Mr. Eric
Edelman, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara; Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the President’s
National Security Advisor, and others.
The meeting was cordial and began with President Bush welcoming each
guest personally. The President, in his opening remarks, spoke of his
appreciation of Turkey’s being a mosaic of faiths and cultures, and how she
presents a good model for a country which is a secular democracy, though
predominantly Muslim.
In his exchange with the Armenian Patriarch, the President indicated his
awareness that His Beatitude had studied in the United States. In response,
Patriarch Mesrob said that he considers the United States his second home
after Istanbul, and therefore the visit of the President of the U.S. gave
him great pleasure.
The Patriarch also referred to America’s hospitality over t he years
since the second half of the 19th century to hundreds of thousands of
Armenians, who had settled on the friendly shores of the New World. The
President fondly said that he thinks highly of the American Armenian
community and made a special reference to Mr. George Deukmejian, the 35th
Governor of California.
Speaking of the minority situation in Turkey, Patriarch Mesrob said that
any of the non-Muslim minorities in Turkey, or for that matter, for any
ethnic or national minority to exist anywhere, three types of institutions
are essential: First, places of worship to preserve religious heritage and
to nourish the spiritual life of the community, secondly, schools to teach
language and culture, and thirdly, foundations to fund religious and
educational activities and the personnel who enliven them. The minorities in
Turkey are attempting to maintain those institutions for the future and
well-being of their communities.
Patriarch Mesrob expressed his satisfaction that there was an on-going
inter-faith dialogue between the different religious establishments in
Turkey, and also a neighbourly dialogue of life among peoples of various
confessional communities. Another subject Patriarch Mesrob touched on was
the intermediary roles of the minorities. He said that the communities have
sometimes been in the past, are ready today and will be so in the future to
act as catalysts in any peace undertaking in the region between Turkey and
neighbouring countries.
And finally the Patriarch said that being ministers of religion engaged
in spiritual edification, religious leaders try not to interfere or engage
in politics. However, certain occurrences call for, if not political
involvement, at least a moral response to particular situations. Fully
supporting the initiative of the World Council of Churches call ed “the
Decade to Overcome Violence,” Patriarch Mesrob voiced the sadness and
disquiet of many believers of various faiths in Turkey who are daily
bombarded with terrible scenes of violence via the media. Such images come
daily from Palestine, the Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq and other places in
the world. The Patriarch said he was deeply concerned with this because he
is worried that such occurrences may cause lasting differences between
various faiths and cultures.
Patriarch Mesrob presented the President with an album of the Armenian
churches in Turkey. The President gave the Patriarch a Steuben crystal bowl
with his insignia engraved on it.
Vartan Oskanian meets Gul, Mamedyarov and visits Armenian Patriarchate of
Bolis
The foreign ministers of the three troubled neighbors, Vartan Oskanian of
Armenia, Elmar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, and Abdullah Gul of Turkey met on
the sidelines of the NATO summit in Istanbul. Oskanian said he and his
counterparts had agreed to hold further trilateral meetings later in the
year.
A close ally of Azerbaijan, Turkey has declined to establish diplomatic
ties with Armenia and remains bitter at Yerevan’s efforts to secure
international recognition of the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey. Ankara
is under pressure by the EU to re-open its border with Armenia, which it
closed in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Baku.
Oskanian told reporters he had discussed the issue with Gul in a
bilateral meeting earlier in the day, but it would be premature to expect an
immediate re-opening of the border. Oskanian used his participation in the
NATO summit, marred by violent clashes between Turkish police and left- wing
protesters, to meet with Patriarch Mesrob Mutafian, the spiritual leader of
Turkey’s small Armenian community. He also delivered a speech to a group of
Istanbul Armenians.
BUSH LAMBASTED OVER TURKEY COMMENTS
” he went into territory that isn’t his ” – Chirac
EU Observer Andrew Beatty – 30 June 2004 – French president Jacques
Chriac has strongly criticised George W Bush for interfering in the EUs
relations with Turkey. During a NATO summit in Istanbul, Mr Chirac rebuked
the US President for his comments earlier this week, when he said that
Turkey should start EU talks late this year.
“He has nothing to say on this subject. It is as if I were to tell the
United States how it should conduct its relations with Mexico”, Mr Chirac
said. “If President Bush really said that in the way that I read, then not
only did he go too far, but he went into territory that isn’t his”, he
continued. The EU will decide later this year if Turkey has met the
conditions for EU membership.
External Relations Commission Chris Patten earlier played down Mr Bushs
comments acknowledging Washingtons legitimate interest in seeing democracy
in a Muslim state consolidated.
At the recent EU-US summit Mr Patten said he would be surprised if a US
president whose next stop is Turkey did not make such comments. But for
France the issue is a sensitive one.
Aside from general mistrust between the France and the US, Paris holds
some deep reservations about Turkish entry into the EU. Turkey will be among
the EUs largest members if it entered, shattering the current balance of
power in the EU which sees France and Germany take a lead role. And it is
not the first time Washington has been judged to have overstepped the mark.
In autumn 2002, the US ruffled feathers by taking part in an aggressive
campaign for Turkey to get potential member status, which they later
received.
That campaign led to Turkey being heavily chastised by the EU and
agreement between Brussels and Ankara that there would be no repeat of the
campaigning seen in the run up to the Copenhagen summit in 2002.
This winter Turkey is widely expected to receive the go ahead to start
accession talks.
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RECOMMENDED WEB SITES
osi.jsp?i=EeAN mLJu4ZtGrC8gTogether with the Parikian brothers Misak and
Edmond – back to Cyprus from Australia after 30 years – we visited Morphou
area last Saturday. Enclosed you will find more than 60 pictures from our
expedition to Turkish occupied north-west.
Images include the Cathedral of Ayios Mammas, Ayia Paraskevi, Panayia
Chryseleousa Church, Xeros Bay, CMC Mine, Limnitis Bay, Morphou Mitropolis,
Potamos tou Kampou and the Monument dedicated to the first shot down pilot
of the Turkish Republic Captain Cengiz Topel whose F-100 was downed by the
National Guard in the summer of 1964.
Click on the link under the Mosque.
If any of you are visiting occupied Cyprus the following town and village
name guide might come in handy in recognising our towns and villages:
Morphou – Guzelyurt, Potamos tou Kampou – Yedidalga, Xeros – Geni Konaj,
Pantaya – Yesilyurt.
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NEWS IN BRIEF
On Sunday 27 June 2004 the 9th Anniversary of the election and consecration
of His Holiness Aram I was celebrated in all Armenian dioceses and churches
all over the world under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Catholicosate of
Cilicia.
– on June 21 an Azerbaijani sniper shot and killed and Armenian soldier
Radik Avetisyan. On June 14 platoon leader Lieutenant Samvel Vshtunts was
also killed in the same area. In a separate incident on Monday an
Azerbaijani soldier was killed by gunfire that appeared to come from
Armenian-held positions.
– Armenia reaffirmed on Thursday its plans to take part in the NATO-led
military exercise in Azerbaijan this September, but appeared to have scaled
back its participation, strongly opposed by many Azerbaijanis.
– The charitable organi zation “Shen,” which has been active in both Armenia
and Karabagh, has announced its plans to supply 400 computers to the schools
of Karabagh. To date, the program has been implemented in the Askeran and
Shoushi regions of the country.
– During a June 23 session of the UN Economic and Social Council (known as
ECOSOC) Armenia was elected unanimously to ECOSOC commission on population
and development, receiving the accord of the East European countries.
Armenia will be member of the commission from 2005 to 2007.
– The United Armenian Fund’s 129th airlift arrived in Yerevan on June 26,
delivering $1 million of humanitarian assistance. The UAF itself collected
$262,000 of medicines and medical supplies for this flight, most of which
were donated by AmeriCares ($138,000) and the Catholic Medical Mission Board
($123,000).
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g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r
The Armenian Club of Larnaca invites all friends to a Garden Party on
Saturday July 3, at 8:00 p.m. Enjoy the delicious food and good company in
our Open air Garden for only #4 per person (drinks not included) Children
#2. For reservations please contact Avedis Avedissian 99-445784, Vartoog
Karaguelian 99-880226.
Pan-European Games Party, between July 2nd to July 4th, Armenian teams
from Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and England will compete
in the Pan-European Games in our own back yard. HYE is proud to announce
that we are throwing the party to end this fantastic sports tournament…
come down and party with the Euro-Armos on their last night. when: Sunday
4th July 2004 @ 8:30pm – 1:00a.m. where: Marriott Hotel Windsor/Slough,
Ditton Road, Langley, Berkshire, SL3 8PT. For map and directions to hotel go
to:
ons.mi?marshaCode=LHRSL
music: Resident DJ Josey Kray with hip hop & RnB and DJ Devil with the funky
armo and middle eastern entrance: #5 contact: John on 07961 166 969 Alenoosh
on 07932 597 089 [email protected] THIS IS NOT A BURUHUNTES THIS IS A HYE
PARTY!
POSTPONED The Annual General Meeting of The Hamazkayin Cultural and
Educational Association “Oshakan” Cyprus Chapter has been postponed for
Tuesday September 14, 2004.
Khanasor and Lisbon 5 Expeditions commemoration at Troodos Picnic site of
“Kampos tou Livadhiou” on Sunday July 25, 2004, organised by AYMA,
Dashnaktsoutiun Cyprus Committee, The Armenian National Committee of Cyprus,
AYF, Larnaca and Limassol Armenian Clubs, Hamazkayin and ARS (HOM) Cyprus
Chapters. Hayer hishek nviragan ayn ore, Houlis amsoun ksanhinkin gadaretsek
mer done. Commemorative Programme begins at 12:00 noon.
AYMA 66th Annual General Meeting, on Thursday July 8, 2004 at 8:00 p.m.
The Armenian Youth Federation is organising its Annual Summer Camp at the
Camp Site of Morphou Prelature from 9-15 August 2004. To receive more
information or to r egister please contact the following: Nareg Tavitian,
Nora Sarian or Simon Aynedjian.
THE TEKEYAN YOUTH MOVEMENT OF CYPRUS is organizing a unique excursion to
Armenia, 7-14 August. Participants will exclusively be Armenian youth (ages
13 to 35) from all over the world. The one-week programme is specially
organized to include an optimum amount of sightseeing, led by expert guides.
Trips to Shushi, Stepanakert, Noravank, Gladzor, Lake Sevan, Dilidjan, Barz
Lidj, Khor Virab, St. Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots, Sartarabad, Garni, Keghart,
Dzidzernagapert are included in the meticulously prepared programme. Lodging
will be at the “Lousakert” Hotel, 20 kilometres North of Yerevan, ideally
situated in an orchard. The hotel rooms are fully equipped with all the
necessary facilities. The price of the WHOLE PACKAGE, including FULL BOARD,
all the excursions, transfers from and to the airport, return air fare from
Cyprus and visa to Armenia is only 335 Cyprus pounds. Those interested
should immediately call 99747798 or 99929343, as availability is very
limited.
A Tour to Armenia is being organised by the Central Executive of
Hamazkayin from August 20-September 3, 2004 with the participation of
members and friends from Armenian diaspora communities. Trips to Karabagh
are also scheduled. To receive more info and to apply for the trip please
contact the Cyprus Hamazkayin committee members immediately.
HAMAZKAYIN FORUM 2004 The 10th Forum, Lebanon:From July 12-18 (Optional)
Armenia: From July 19-31, 2004. Thought provoking lectures, trips to
historic and amazing destinations, and nights of dancing and entertainment
are only some of the Forum highlights. For many Armenian students across the
globe, the Hamazkayin Summer Forum is one of the most anticipated events of
the year. Those interested should visit the website for more details on how
to apply.
The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus announces that the next permit for the
Armenian Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is
scheduled for Sunday 11 July, 2004.
The Armenian Youth Federation has organised three events for Armenian
Cypriot youth for the month of July as follows: Limassol outing on Monday
July 12. Weekend in Ayia Napa on 17-18 July and Beach Party on Saturday July
31. Details to follow from the pages of Gibrahayer e-newsletter.
———————–
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