Author: Nadirian Emma

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

An Assembly of Youth and for Youth
(Dialogue with the youth- Number 4)

I just returned from Porto Alegre, Brazil, where the World
Council of Churches (WCC) had its 9th Assembly. The gathering of four
thousand people (delegates, advisors, guests and journalists) was a landmark
event in world Christendom. Through prayer, celebration, reporting,
discussion and decisions, the Assembly set a new process in the life and
witness of the WCC. I am sure that church historians, theologians,
ecumenists and journalists will make a critical assessment of the Assembly.
At a later stage, I would like to make my own evaluation of this event by
identifying its challenges and vision for the future of the ecumenical
movement.
With this fourth dialogue with the youth of the Armenian Church,
I want to share some information and my perspectives pertaining to the
presence of youth delegates and their participation in the Assembly and
discuss with you my expectations from our youth.
In my report to the Assembly, I challenged the youth to make the Assembly a
“Youth Assembly”, not only by their strong presence but also by seeking the
most efficient ways of making an impact. Further, I emphasized the crucial
importance of the role that youth are impelled to play in the ecumenical
movement, and called them to become the pioneers of a new ecumenical order,
as well as the avant-garde of a new ecumenical future.
The response of the youth was positive. In fact, their
commitment, participation and forward-looking vision permeated all aspects
of the Assembly. In my dialogue with the youth, I reminded them that the
dignity of service and not the arrogance of power must guide us, that we
must look for substance and not for position, and we must be after quality
and not after visibility.
This is what I have learned in this world-wide ecumenical
movement and in my ministry. This is what I expect from our youth.
Now that the “Youth Assembly” is over, how can the youth make it
an “Assembly for Youth” by translating its recommendations and vision into
action-oriented process in the life of their churches and the ecumenical
movement at large? This is the real challenge. I hope that the youth will
take this challenge courageously and responsibly.
I was very pleased to see the young delegates of our church actively and
seriously involved in all spheres of the life and work of the Assembly. The
intervention particularly of our two young women delegates from Los Angeles
and Boston in the plenary sessions made me proud. They reminded me of my
first intervention as a young delegate at the 5th Assembly, in Nairobi, in
1975. The contribution, the zeal and the seriousness of our youth give me
hope for the future of the ecumenical movement and the active ecumenical
role of our church.
With this strong conviction and forward-looking perspective, I want to
underscore a few points.-
1. Those who are taking part in the ecumenical movement are not
necessarily clergy or theologians. They come from different walks of life
and with different experiences. This diversity of age, gender and expertise
constitutes one of the rich expressions of the ecumenical movement. Yet, for
these people, basic information about Bible, church history, the
confessional communions and church families, etc. is vitally important. This
background information will significantly enhance the intellectual and
spiritual dialogue between people, who come from different churches and from
different parts of the world, seeking the unity of church and a common
Christian witness.
2. For our youth, who want to engage in the ecumenical activities, the
knowledge of the Armenian Church is essential. I say this because I know the
limited scope of the information that our youth have about their church, its
history and theology, liturgy and spirituality. Representing a church means
representing its doctrinal positions, theological teachings, moral
principles and spiritual values. The ecumenical movement is a space where
not only people but also values, traditions, experiences come together and
engage in creative and mutually enriching dialogue.
3. The ecumenical formation of our youth must become a continuous
process. By ecumenical formation I do not mean only accumulation of
information on ecumenical history, agenda, goals, priorities and structures,
etc. By ecumenical formation I basically understand: a process whereby
through the acquisition of knowledge a person is transformed and learns to
look beyond the narrow boundaries of a particular church, to open up to the
other churches, to different contexts and traditions, and to look at
realities, issues and concerns in a broader context. Hence, ecumenical
formation is a learning process.
4. Knowledge and formation are not enough if they are not undergirded
by firm commitment. Fully equipped with the necessary tools, our youth must
become active participants in the ecumenical movement. Ecumenism deals with
vision. It has clear goals. Being ecumenical means being engaged in a
faith-sustained and vision-driven life. Being ecumenical means being
involved in struggle for the visible unity of the church and for the
promotion of Gospel values.
5. Finally, ecumenism is a sort of school, where one always remains a
student and never becomes a graduate, where one knows what and how to give
and what and how to receive, when and how to talk and when and how to remain
silent. Indeed, quality, commitment and vision count more in ecumenism than
any other thing.
I invite the Armenian youth to engage in ecumenical life with this spirit,
openness and vision.

Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia
5-3-2006
Antelias

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BULGARIA AND TURKEY MOVE TO SECURE ACCESSION TO THE EU

AZG Armenian Daily #046
15/03/2006

Some important diplomatic moves regarding further E.U. enlargement
are scheduled this week. Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin
will officially meet his British counterpart today in London. Two
days later, on March 8, an E.U.-Turkey meeting will take place
in Vienna. The Austrian government, which took the helm of the
rotating E.U. presidency in January 2006, will be represented by
Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, who will meet Turkey’s counterpart,
Abdullah Gul. E.U.

Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and Finnish Foreign Minister
Erkki Tuomioja will also be attending.

Both Sofia and Ankara are enhancing their diplomatic means to increase
their influence among E.U. decision makers. A faster tempo in bilateral
and multilateral negotiations concerning the new enlargement is an
expected result.

Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Turkey are all working to meet
E.U. demands (the so-called Acquis Communautaire) in order to join
the Community. They do so, however, at a time of crisis in European
politics.

Romania and Bulgaria will probably join in 2008 rather than 2007,
Croatia possibly in 2009, whereas the problem with Turkey is that
some key E.U. members, such as France, may stop its accession.

Political Analysis

The political elites in the Southwestern Balkans, both those of former
communist countries and of Turkey, are eager to join the European
Union. Such determination has not been stopped by Western Europe’s
increasing dissatisfaction with the E.U.’s functioning or by French
and Dutch refusals of the proposed E.U.

Constitutional Treaty. [See: “Intelligence Brief: European
Constitution”]

The reasons for their pro-European stance are many.

First of all, accession to the E.U. is viewed as having achieved
Western standards in democracy and economic performance. This would
boost their prestige and political influence at home. Secondly, their
economic and financial interests are increasingly tied with European
and Euro-Atlantic networks; this makes integration the best way to
secure these interests.

Third, Bulgaria and Romania, especially, are searching for a double
security guarantee (N.A.T.O. plus Europe) against Russia’s political
and strategic goals in Eastern Europe.

The main problem is that even though the whole area connecting the
Adriatic Sea with the Caucasus — via the Black Sea — is considered
to be unified by geoeconomic and security imperatives, the political
and cultural perceptions of its different regions differ significantly
among Western European public opinion and decision makers.

In fact, notwithstanding that the failure of the E.U.

Constitutional Treaty has cooled down enthusiasm about a larger Europe,
it is safe to say that most E.U.

elites are favorable to Croatia’s, Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession,
whereby they have much more complicated and ambiguous feelings
about Turkey.

In Western Europe, three primary different visions of Europe have
been competing for the past 15 years — all of them are akin to
well-established, traditional concepts of continental integration.

The first one was the British preference for an enlarged Europe
marked by free market policies, loose political unity, and N.A.T.O.’s
unambiguous preponderance in security and defense matters. Such an
approach has been the most successful in the post-1991 international
context.

The second one was the French view of a European superpower. The
fundamental political and strategic orientation of this proposed
superpower would be to play an autonomous role in a multipolar world
by building up a continental security and defense policy coupled by
strong political unity. Friendship with the U.S., in this view, would
not mean U.S. strategic hegemony over the West. In the last decade,
Paris’ approach has suffered various setbacks.

The third vision was the German goal of creating an enlarged European
federation marked by increased German economic and financial power,
in accordance with the United States, and strategically based on a
European defense policy embedded into N.A.T.O.

The real novelty since the 2004 enlargement is that even the “British
Model of Europe,” that seemed to be triumphing, is in crisis. To begin
with, in the last few years, economic nationalism suddenly resurfaced
in France, Poland, and elsewhere. In addition, European elites and
the public are beginning to perceive European integration as a source
of troubles, instead of as a power and interest multiplier. [See:
“Economic Brief: French Protectionism”]

At the moment, the political context cannot ignore the end of
“Euro-enthusiasm.” As a consequence, the new E.U. candidates are
working in a difficult environment. The crucial issue is that in
all E.U.

states, parliaments must approve of the new member’s accession treaty
in order for it to become effective.

Western elites, however, are divided over the next enlargement. Such
divisions are a window of opportunity for a charm offensive by
E.U. candidates.

Bulgaria , which already expressed its nervousness about a possible
delay of its E.U. membership, launched a public initiative and began
to hire consultants. The consultants are being asked to identify
parliamentarians and opinion-makers in E.U.

states where the ratification of the Bulgarian Accession Treaty
is considered more problematic, such as in Germany, France, the
Netherlands and Denmark.

The European Commission will issue its report on Bulgaria and Romania
in May 2006, and a negative assessment of the countries’ political,
juridical and financial fundamentals may cause national parliaments
to postpone ratification procedures.

Geopolitical Analysis

>>From a geopolitical point of view, the significance of the
proposed new enlargement lays in the restructuring of political
and security contexts in the Southwestern Balkans and in the Black
Sea region. Eastern Europe remains a decisive region, spanning west
from the Eurasian block dominated by Russia. The United States and
its closest allies, such as the U.K., are striving to reshape this
once Soviet-dominated area into a liberal, free-market oriented,
pro-N.A.T.O. (or N.A.T.O.-embedded) macro-region.

>>From North to South, the inclusion of Bulgaria, Romania, and
Turkey will mean the construction of a political and strategic
unified theater from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and Eastern
Mediterranean Sea. This has tremendous implications for post-Cold
War geostrategy. N.A.T.O. and the U.S. are actually trying to secure
the Black Sea regions for their security goals, as confrontation
with Middle Eastern and Eurasian countries (see Iran, Iraq, Syria
Afghanistan) is now at the center of their preoccupations.

Also, in spite of new, post-Soviet relations with Russia,
energy-related and strategic matters will continue to cause friction
between Washington and Moscow. The area from the Adriatic Sea to
the South Caucasus will, therefore, acquire even more importance
in light of the E.U.’s quest for energy security and new investment
opportunities in the former communist world.

Additionally, by letting Turkey, Bosnia, and Kosovo into the E.U.,
Washington and Brussels hope to provide a model of democratic
integration of Muslim countries into the West, which could, in the
coming decades, ease the struggle against Islamist militants and
religious-inspired terrorism.

Nevertheless, perceptions of such an issue are various. Many in the
West hold the view that integrating Turkey will definitively destroy
all hopes to create a coherent political entity in Europe because of
the huge cultural differences and Turkey’s expanding demography. There
are, nonetheless, other perceived geopolitical hindrances to Turkey’s
integration. For instance, Turkey borders Middle Eastern countries
such as Iraq, Syria and Iran, widely perceived as unreliable actors
in the West.

There is also the Kurdish question, which is directly related to the
thorny issue of Ankara’s human rights policy. Another major issue is
Cyprus, whose situation is still unsettled. Finally, Turkey’s accession
could open the way to further enlargements (for instance, Georgia,
Azerbaijan and Armenia). Even though the rationale for such ulterior
integrations might be obvious for geopoliticians and decision makers,
it is not the same for European citizens, which makes the cultural
issue increasingly complicated.

The bottom line is that the possible role of Turkey’s accession for
the improvement of Western relations with Islam and for Europe’s energy
security does not appear convincing to all key players in Europe.

Conclusion

Notwithstanding the recent disillusionment with E.U.

integration and enlargement, it is to be expected that Bulgaria
and Romania will join the Community in the next two years, although
accession in 2007 appears to be slightly more difficult than only 12
months ago.

Croatia and other Balkan countries will see their chances to join
enhanced by such an event.

However, the Austrian E.U. presidency will very likely avoid to
accelerate decisively the process of Turkey’s accession. It is typical
for European decision makers to keep good relations with Ankara while
passing the buck of Turkey’s issues to their successors, and there
are few concrete signs that Vienna will act otherwise.

A crucial moment in the Turkish issue will be the French presidential
election of 2007. Some candidates, like Nicolas Sarkozy, have expressed
negative views on Turkey’s accession. As it often happens, Paris will
hold the key to determine the new European political landscape.

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LEVEL OF AFFORESTATION OF ARMENIA LESS BY 1-2% THAN PREVIOUS INDEX

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 6, the problems of the Yerevan
air, water pollution, destruction of green belts, responsibility for
the damage caused to the ecological state, the measures and prospects
directed to the correction of the created state were discussed
at the enlarged parliamentary hearings on the theme “Yerevan City
Surroundings Problems”.

According to Vardan Ayvazian, the RA Minister of Nature Protection,
the level of the air pollution is especially higher in the center of
the Yerevan and in the communities of Arabkir, the main cause of which
are the exhaustions of transport. From 2006 it is forbiden by the law
to import cars without neutralizators, as well as the exploitation
of cars without the implementation of the demand of obligatory annual
measurings. Besides that, appropriate equipments are bought in order
to control the quality of the importing fuel. In order to control
the ecological state of the capital it is also envisaged to maintain
a movable expert laboratory in 2006.

According to V.Ayvazian, the level of the afforestation of the
territory of Armenia never surpassed the 11.2%, and today it is less
than it by 1-2%. The level of the afforestation of the territory of
Yerevan never surpassed the 2%. According to the new main plan of
the capital, in the forthcoming 15 years it is envisaged to add the
surface of the green territory falling to one person.

According to the Minister, the process of the collection of scraps,
sorting of garbage is also problematic.

KOCHARIAN CONGRATULATES ARMENIAN WOMEN ON MARCH 8

Armenpress
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian congratulated
Armenian women today on the occasion of International Women’s Day
marked on March 8.

“Women have contributed a lot in the prospering of Armenia,”
Kocharian’s address said. “There is no one who realizes better than
you the significance of peaceful and stable development. And most
of all, I congratulate our mothers, who are the root of the family,
and keepers of our traditions.”

“I wish you all to be proud of our future, and wish you keep being
beautiful and charming.” Congratulatory messages were also issued by
parliament chairman and prime minister.

URANIUM CONCENTRATION POSPONED

Panorama.am
15:39 07/03/06

“The talks about concentration of uranium should be postponed for
several years,” announced the head of Department of Economics and main
industry of the Ministry of Trade and Economical Development Arthur
Ashughyan at the conference confirming the fact of the presence of
uranium in Armenia. As he said everything began form the announcement
published in the official site of Global Gold Corporation American
Company according to which uranium mains have been discovered in the
basin of River Getik.

Recently Global Gold Corporation bought the 27 square km of the
territory next to the basin of River Getik, Gegharkunik region, which
is said to be rich in gold and uranium. The Americans are mainly
interested in uranium.

To note, Global Gold Corporation company already exploits several
mains in Armenia.

WORDS OF WISDOM

The Statesman (India)
March 8, 2006 Wednesday

Mathures Paul “There is something about Kolkata and India that
gets into your blood! J Chloe Braun has been writing articles and
short stories most of her life. Having spent 12 years working with
underprivileged women and children, her journals and memories gave
birth to Hurdy Gurdy, a fictional account of one brave womans escape
from spousal abuse.

Raised in the small Armenian community, one of her aunts by marriage
was an Anglo Indian. Along with my parents she had a tremendous
influence on me encouraging me to read by buying me books, to be
always willing to read my work, to study music and to think! Kolkata
was a great place to grow up in with its rich culture and hospitable
people. Most of my teachers were Anglo Indians my English teacher
was tremendous. She not only taught us to speak proper English but
to love the language as well. The seeds for Hurdy Gurdy was sowed
at a writing competition. The topic (of the competition) was Unusual
customs or practices, or something like that. And I decided to write
about bride burning because I thought it would be a very unusual
entry. A woman in India confided in me that her in-laws had tried to
burn her because the amount of her dowry was not enough. There were
also articles in newspapers and journals about such cruelty. As I
continued my research and began recalling some of the experiences I
had heard from women I had worked with, the story took a different
path. The contest deadline came and went but I was so engrossed in
continuing, it seemed the novel wrote itself. I had not meant it to
be so poignant and dark. I developed one main character and used
her to tell the many stories I had heard from women in situations
of domestic violence. Since the story unfolds in the first person,
many consider Hurdy Gurdy to be autobiographical. But this is not true.

Besides Hurdy Gurdy, she has written another mystery novel set
in Kolkata and the Himalayas. Its about a group of bumbling jewel
thieves who go after some famous emeralds. I co-authored it with
Lynne Rebeiro, who is involved with the Anglo Indian community in
Canada. Lynne helped me to answer some of these questions since she
is more knowledgeable than I am. Our book is called Blind Spot and is
being published by Amazon.com later this year. All profits will go to
help the Tiljallah Project (CTR Calcutta Tiljallah Relief fund) with
which Lynne is very much involved. The Anglo Indian community in the
United States is steadily growing. But there is no active association
or organisation to bring the community together. Canada, however,
has a thriving Anglo Indian community. The Anglo Indian Association
of Canada is the 2007 host city for the World Anglo Indian Reunion.

Living in the Midwest with her husband and two children, Braun works
with the chancellors office at the local University. Of the shrinking
Anglo Indian community in India, especially Kolkata, she says,
After Partition, as the Anglo Indian diaspora immigrated to various
western venues, the remaining members endeavoured to maintain their
unique culture and at the same time embrace their Indian heritage
in a whole-hearted manner. In so doing, they adopted the language,
the Indian dress and most importantly, married outside the community.

Away from her former home, Braun is always ready to return. I would
love to just pack up my bags and take a long sentimental journey back
to India, especially Kolkata where my dearest friend resides. I would
love to take a year off and trek all over that wonderful land. It would
be wonderful to tour the Nilgiris with our daughter who was born there.

WASHINGTON URGES ARMENIAN AND AZERI AUTHORITIES TO END KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 20:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “We urge the Armenian and Azeri leaderships to
seize the moment and help bring the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to
a close, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs Daniel Fried said. “We seek to work with Russia and others
to resolve dangerous and debilitating conflicts in places like South
Ossetia, Transnistria, Abkhazia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. We hope that
Russia will take advantage of Georgia’s proposals for a peaceful
settlement of the South Ossetia conflict and work toward a solution
that respects both Georgia’s territorial integrity and the interests
of the people of South Ossetia,” he remarked. “We keep working with
our European partners to fight tyranny and for conflict settlement
along the European freedom borders – in Belarus, the South Caucasus
and Balkans. To reach those goals we work to strengthen capacities of
key international organizations as the NATO and OSCE and strengthen
US-EU relations,” said the US Assistant Secretary of State.

NATO PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER TO TRAVEL TO ARMENIA

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 9 2006

YEREVAN, March 9. /ARKA/. NATO Public Information Officer Despina
Afentouli to travel to Armenia to attend a seminar to be held by
Armenia’s Atlantic Association and Netherlands Security Institute on
March 9 to 12.

Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press service told ARKA News Agency that
Afentouli is set to meet Armenian media outlets representatives in
the ministry on March 10.

Armenia-NATO relations are to be discussed at the meeting.

Azeri pressure group accuses Hungarian court of bias

Trend news agency
9 Mar 06

Baku, 9 March: The city court of Budapest has taken a biased stance
towards Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov by not heeding lawyers’
arguments, as well as the causes and the motivation of his deed
[Safarov is accused of killing an Armenian officer during NATO
courses], the Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) has said in a
statement.

The city court of Budapest accepted the findings of the fourth expert
conclusion on Ramil Safarov which said that he was sane when
committing the crime. The findings of two previous expert opinions
were not taken into consideration [the second conclusion said he was
partially sane and the third certified him as not sane]. The KLO
believes that the decision of the city court of Budapest and the
refusal to look into petitions filed by Safarov’s defence represent an
attempt to deliver the harshest verdict on his case at the directives
from the Armenian government.

“The Hungarian authorities could not resist the pressure from the
Armenian leadership and the Armenian lobby. They did not take a fair
position but [acted] in the interests of the political situation. The
KLO resolutely condemns the decision of the court and demands a change
in the position of the Hungarian authorities which was formed under
Armenians’ pressure. If the city court of Budapest delivers an unfair
verdict, this will be a blow to relations between Azerbaijan and
Hungary,” the statement said.

A1+

GABRIEL SARGSYAN AMONG LEADERS

07:03 pm 10 March, 2006

Armenian Grand Master Gabriel Sargsyan is playing
successfully in the Chess International tournament in
Reykjavik. After winning the first three games he tied
with Queynus in the forth and shares the first place
with eight other players.

102 chess players are participating in the Reykjavik
tournament. In the fifth round Sargsyan will play with
Pavel Tregubov from Russia.