Author: Parkev Tvankchian

The Messenger, Georgia
May 20 2005
New anti-base withdrawal demonstrations in Russia
In Tbilisi, however, ministers say compromise is close
By Mary Makharashvili
With the latest round of negotiations on the withdrawal of Russian
bases scheduled to begin on Monday in Tbilisi, Russians opposed to
the base withdrawal held two demonstrations on Thursday, while in
Tbilisi officials expressed cautious optimism that an agreement is
close to being reached.
Russian students belonging to the pro-Kremlin Rodina party, who are
on Monday chanted “Now Burjanadze is swimming in wine, but she will
soon swim in blood, if she continues this anti-Russian campaign”
while pouring Georgian wine onto a doll, held a similar demonstration
in front of the Georgian Embassy in Moscow on Wednesday.
This time Mikheil Saakashvili was the focus of their attack. They
poured wine and squeezed pomegranates over an inflated bear with a
rose on its chest while chanting, “Hands off Russian bases.”
The second demonstration was held by representatives of the Russian
Liberal-Democratic party, led by firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovski,
who has described the withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia as a
strategic mistake.
Not all messages coming from Russia were negative, however. The
Federation Council of the State Duma – the upper house – issued a
statement declaring that it does not welcome the suggestion of the
Abkhaz de facto authority that the military bases be relocated to
Abkhaz territory.
Chair of the Defense and Security Committee of the Council Viktor
Ozerov stated that Abkhazia was part of Georgia and that the deployment
of Russian bases on Abkhaz territory without agreement from Tbilisi
would be a violation of international law.
Speaking at a briefing in Moscow in Thursday, the Chief of Staff
of Russia’s armed forces Yuri Baluevsky suggested portions of the
Russian military bases could move to Armenia.
“Russian bases which will be withdrawn from Georgia are certain to move
to the territory of the Russian Federation; however, I don’t rule out
that the part of the ammunition and military hardware may be moved
to Armenia,” Baluevsky said. Earlier the Russian armed forces said
it would take 10-11 year to relocate the bases but Baluevsky said
that by moving portions of the base to Armenia, they could speed up
the process to only 4 years.
Back in Georgia, meanwhile, government officials have expressed
confidence that agreement will be reached soon, noting that
disagreements regarding the timeframe of withdrawal are small and
refer to a matter of months – whether the process should be completed
by the beginning or the end of 2008.
Yet another round of negotiation between Georgian and Russia are to be
held on Monday in Tbilisi, and several ministers have said this week
that a statement received from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
last Saturday offers reason to hope a compromise will be reached.
Speaker of the Parliament Nino Burjanadze said on Tuesday that the
document “contains two or three aspects which are quite acceptable
for us. If we can negotiate on these three issues than the other
issue can also be agreed on.”
“The Russian authority should once again understand that Georgia
wants to cooperate very constructively,” she stressed, adding, “the
Russian bases should leave Georgia no later than 2008. This is the
maximum the Georgian authority can offer.”
“We will discuss the draft document according to which the withdrawal
of Russian military bases from Georgian territory should happen by
2008. An agreement to withdraw the bases before 2008 was not of course
reached,” she added.
The main question now appears to be when in 2008 the process will be
completed, with government ministers stressing that the bases must
be fully withdrawn before the parliamentary elections slated to be
held that year.
“It is already known that we can say no later than the middle months
of 2008. This is the maximum compromise that we can make. I am not
aware of what agreement has been reached on this issue, but I think
that this process should not be dragged on,” he said.
Opposition parties have questioned the motivations behind linking
the end of the withdrawal process with the elections, however.
“The withdrawal of military bases needs a maximum one week so why
then. The reason is so simple: this is the parliamentary elections and
the government wants to stand before the electorate as the winner,”
said Forward Georgia member Giorgi Kobakhidze.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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:
A NEW VERSION OF THE BOOK ON KÃœTAHYA TILES AND POTTERY IS PUBLISHED
BY THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
The publishing house of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, in collaboration
with the Armenian Library of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, has
published a new, English edition of Carswell’s and C.J.F. Dowsett’s
“Kütahya Tiles and Pottery from the Armenian Cathedral of St. James,
Jerusalem”.
The book was first published in two volumes by the Oxford University
press in 1972. The current edition combines both volumes in one book
of 270 pages, rich with many colorful pictures and with an Introduction
by His Holiness Aram I.
In the Introduction, His Holiness welcomes the new publication of the
book, highlights the important place of Kütahya tiles and pottery
in Armenian art.
“This publication intensifies our understanding of the spiritual and
cultural importance of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, not
only within the Armenian Church, but also within the broader Christian
cultural heritage of the East. Through this work we experience the
valuable contribution that the Armenians have made and continue to
make in different spheres of Christian life to the witness of the
churches in this region. Finally, we owe our deep gratitude to the
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Armenian Affairs Department for the
significant role it plays in promoting Armenian cultural values by
publishing such works of special importance.” writes His Holiness in
the Introduction.
These antiques, which are the property of the Armenian Cathedral
in Jerusalem, have been mostly donated by pilgrims in the 17th
century. The book attests to the high quality of culture and art
developed in Armenian provinces in the pre-Genocide era.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information
about the books published in the Printing House of the Cilician
Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the Catholicosate,
The Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative
center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
–Boundary_(ID_954j9v1bxp5assUeFilU7w)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia’s Withdrawal See Changes To Sudirman Cup Schedule
Bernama, Malaysia
May 3 2005
KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) — Armenia’s withdrawal from the
Sudirman Cup in Beijing, China, scheduled for May 10-15, has forced
the organisers to amend the schedule.
However, the amendments involve only Group 6, which includes Sri Lanka,
Jamaica and Mongolia.
According to a statement from the International Badminton Federation
(IBF), Group 6 which initially had four teams, had been reduced to
three teams but the withdrawal did not disrupt the overall draw.
With Armenia’s withdrawal, the tournament to be held at the Capital
Gymnasium in Beijing will see 41 teams vying for honours in two
divisions of the world mixed team championships.
Malaysia playing in Division Two and hoping to gain promotion to the
cup proper are drawn in Group 2A and have Russia, Holland and Taiwan
for company.
The other main Division Two contenders are Singapore, Japan and Germany
while Division One powerhouses Denmark, Indonesia, China and defending
champion South Korea will fight it out for the cup.
The Sudirman Cup, played every two years, was named after former IBF
vice-president and “Father” of Indonesian badminton, Dick Sudirman.
— BERNAMA
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 21 2005
Latvia Supports Turkey’s EU Membership
* Latvian Supports Turkey’s EU Membership
Latvia, which became a member of the European Union in the last
enlargement wave in May of 2004, is ready to share its accession
experiences with Turkey.
* Latvian President argues that Turkey’s EU membership will show that
countries with different religions can co-exist.
ANKARA – The President of Latvia, Vaire Vike-Freiberga, and her
husband, Imants Freibergs, were hosted at a dinner in their honor at
Cankaya Palace in Ankara last night. At the dinner, President of the
Turkish Republic, Ahmet Sezer, thanked President Vike-Freiberga for
the support she had expressed for Turkey’s accession to EU
membership.
Preceding the start of the dinner, to which Turkish PM Erdogan came a
bit later, glasses were raised to the friendship between Turkey and
Latvia.
Earlier in the day, President Sezer and his wife Semra Sezer had
greeted the Latvian President and her husband when they first arrived
at Cankaya with an official ceremony. In clear Turkish, President
Vike-Freiberga saluted the military detachment present, saying
“Merhaba asker,” or “Hello, soldiers.” Protocols binding the two
Turkey and Latvia to cooperation in education, science, cultural
events, and sporting events were signed.
An agreement on educational, scientific, cultural and sportive
cooperation was signed between Turkey and Latvia yesterday. After
signing of the agreement, Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said
that they discussed bilateral relations, regional and international
matters and expressed their willingness to enhance cooperation
between Turkey and Latvia. Sezer said, ”the fact that Vike-Freiberga
will open Latvia’s Embassy in Ankara and that Turkey’s Embassy in
Riga is planned to be opened in fall are the signs of our
determination to further improve our bilateral relations.”
Sezer welcomed Latvia’s support for Turkey’s EU membership bid and
stressed that the countries should step up efforts to boost bilateral
trade and economic cooperation.
DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN TURKEY AND LATVIA BEGIN
Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga also visited Turkish
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc in Ankara. Arinc congratulated
Vike-Freiberga as he was elected President for the second time. Arinc
said, “there is no problem in relations between our two countries.
Our relations will be better through the activities of Turkish and
Latvian parliamentary friendship groups.“
Meanwhile, Transportation Minister Ainars Slesers of Latvia said that
they would start direct flights between Riga and Istanbul to
consolidate the bilateral relations.
LATVIA BACKS TURKISH CALL TO ARMENIA
Vike-Freiberga also gave a clear support to Turkish PM Erdogan’s call
to establish a joint commission to discuss the historical disputes
with the Armenians. Vike-Freiberga defended that the past should be
discussed by the Turks and Armenians.
JTW, 21 April 2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Der Tagesspiegel, Deautschland
20 April 2005
——-
DISPLACED HISTORY: the Genocide of the Armenians90 years ago.
During the First World War
In the Ottoman empire, one million Armenians died between 1915 and
1916 – Germany did not want to intervene.
——-
VERDRÄNGTE GESCHICHTE: Der Völkermord vor 90 Jahren an den Armeniern
Im Windschatten des Ersten Weltkrieges
Im Osmanischen Reich starben zwischen 1915 und 1916 eine Million
Armenier ~V Deutschland wollte nicht einschreiten
Von Wolfgang Gust
Am 20. Januar 1942 beschlossen 15 hochrangige Vertreter der deutschen
Ministerialbürokratie und führende SS-Leuten in der Villa am Großen
Wannsee in Berlin die Vernichtung der europäischen Juden. Das
Protokoll dieser Konferenz aber liest sich wie eine Anordnung zur
Abschiebung unliebsamer Asylanten. Nachdem die erhoffte Auswanderung
nicht den gewünschten Erfolg gebracht hatte, so das Protokoll,
müssten nun weitere so genannte ~DLösungsmöglichkeiten~S erörtert
werden. Es ist sodann die Rede von allgemeinen ~DEvakuierungen~S,
ältere Juden sollten ~Düberstellt~S, andere ~Dentfernt~S werden. Von
Tötung, Erschießungen, Mord oder Massenmord war nirgendwo die Rede.
~DDas Verfahren ermöglichte eine partiell aktive, insgesamt aber
passive Komplizenschaft mit der Regierung einzugehen~S, schrieb der
Historiker Götz Ali. ~DMehr wurde nicht verlangt, mehr war in
Deutschland nicht nötig.~S
Gut ein Vierteljahrhundert zuvor hatte ebenfalls ein Völkermord
stattgefunden, auch in ihn waren Deutsche verwickelt. Auch dort
herrschte bei den Entscheidungsträgern die Verschleierungssprache. Es
wurde abgeschoben, verschickt, ausgesiedelt, umgesiedelt. Das Wort
Mord oder Völkermord sprach kein deutsche Spitzenpolitiker und
Diplomat aus. Am Ende waren eine Million Armenier tot. In den Nächten
vom 24. und 25 April 1915 hatte die türkische Polizei in
Konstantinopel, wie Istanbul damals hieß, die armenische Elite
verhaftet. Nicht nur Politiker und Publizisten, auch Ärzte und
Künstler wurden ins Landesinnere deportiert und dort fast alle
umgebracht. Seither gedenken die Armenier in aller Welt an diesem Tag
des Beginns des ersten großen Völkermords im 20. Jahrhundert.
Die Jungtürken hatten auf den Verlust der europäischen Gebiete des
Osmanischen Reichs mit einem extremen Nationalismus reagiert, dessen
Hauptziel eine ethnisch reine Türkei war und das bedeutete die
Vernichtung der bedeutenden Minderheiten. Der zweite Teil des
armenischen Stammvolkes lebte im Kaukasus und damit unter russischer
Herrschaft. Russland aber war Weltkriegsgegner von Deutschland und
der verbündeten Türkei. So wurden sich Deutsche und Türken schnell
einig, dass die Armenier aus den Grenzgebieten deportiert werden
müssten. Doch was dann geschah, ging weit über militärische Sicherung
hinaus. Die radikale Linie des Komitees für Einheit und Fortschritt
hatte sich durchgesetzt und die Deportation aller Armenier
beschlossen, wobei von Anfang an feststand, das die Deportationen
nichts anderes waren als physische Liquidierung nahezu aller
armenischen Männer. Die Frauen und Kinder wurden so lange durch zum
Teil wasserlose Regionen getrieben, bis sie verhungerten oder
verdursteten, abgesehen von den schöneren Frauen, die in Harems
landeten, oder von den Kindern, die als Muslime aufwuchsen.
Schändungen waren das Alltagsschicksal der Armenierinnen auf den
Deportationsmärschen, Sklavenarbeit die Haupttätigkeit der
gestohlenen Kinder. Aber es gab auch Türken, Kurden und Araber, die
Armenier zu sich nahmen, um sie zu beschützen.
Die Deutschen akzeptierten die Deportation aller Armenier aus den
östlichen Provinzen ~V dem jahrtausendealten Siedlungsland der
Armenier ~V und ließen auch die Vernichtungswelle im Westen des Landes
zu, mit Ausnahme von Konstantinopel. Und mit Ausnahme von Smyrna, wie
Izmir damals hieß, wo der deutsche General Liman von Sanders die
Deportationen verbot und sich damit durchsetzte. ~DTraurige Vorgänge~S
nannte Außen-Staatssekretär Arthur Zimmermann den Völkermord
gegenüber deutschen Parlamentariern. ~DWir haben alles getan, was wir
konnten. Das Äußerste, was uns übrig bliebe, wäre, das Bündnis mit
der Türkei zu brechen. Sie werden verstehen, dass wir uns dazu unter
keinen Umständen entschließen können.~S Damit vollstreckte er nur, was
Kanzler Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg intern festgelegt hatte. ~DUnser
einziges Ziel ist, die Türkei bis zum Ende des Krieges an unserer
Seite zu halten, gleichgültig ob darüber Armenier zu Grunde gehen
oder nicht.~S
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
–Boundary_(ID_VDIGyuAtrBvvDTCHbPol+A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus
| 17:14:35 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |
DEMONSTRATION AT THE GEORGIAN EMBASSY
«Georgia is leading the policy of assimilating Armenians», «No to Georgian
nazism», `White genocide towards Armenians’ – read the posters today at the
doorway of the Georgian Embassy. A group of young people from Yerevan state
pedagogical university and other colleges organized a protest action in
support of the Armenians living in Georgia.
Declaring that their action had no political context the young people said
they were going to present a note of protest to the Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to Armenia. The students expressed
their concerns concerning the policy conducted with regard to Armenians in
Georgia. `We understand that Georgians implement national policy in Georgia,
but they even want to pass a bill in the parliament demanding that teaching
of Armenian language in Armenian schools be carried out twice a week. Some
nationalistic forces want to stirr up incitements in Georgia and to involve
Armenia in it. They profane Armenian historic and cultural monuments,
vandalism incidents were recorded. This is perhaps done by Meskhet Turks,
recently actively settled in Armenian settlements’, says student of the
pedagogical university Arsen Balyan.
The demonstrants ask the Georgian authorities not to give in to these
provocations, since Georgia has centuries-old fraternal relations with
Armenia, and hope that accepting the note of protest the Ambassador will
ensure rights of Armenians in Georgia.
The Ambassador was away, and the Envoy accepted the note, ensuring that no
Meskhet Turk will be settled in Armenian settlements, in particular, in
Javakhk. The Envoy also promised to review the matter of teaching Armenian
language and history in Armenian schools.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian News
KOCHARIAN: `I DO NOT RULE OUT OPPORTUNITY OF BUILDING NEW NUCLEAR PLANT IN
ARMENIA’
12.04.2005 02:42
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `I do not rule out the opportunity of building a new
nuclear power plant in Armenia,’ Armenian President Robert Kocharianstated
when addressing the students and the professors of Yerevan State University,
Regnum news agency reported. When answering a question of a YSU student
about the measures being taken by the Armenian authorities to provide for
the energy security of the republic, Mr. Kocharian said, `speaking of the
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant one should remember the faces of those people,
who in their time stopped the ANPP – there could have not been a greater
damage to Armenia: dark days, energy and economic crisis were not the
consequences of the war in Karabakh, but the closing of the ANPP,’ the
President emphasized. In his words, today the Government of Armenia
considers the prospects of alternative or restorable energy. `There is a
large program on the building of a hydroelectric power station on the Arax
river available (according to certain data, the Armenian-Iranian program
cost is $90), there are 70 programs on the building of small hydroelectric
power plants, some 24 out of which are already at the stage of realization.
At the next yearend the program of reconstruction of the Yerevan
heat-electric generating plant (being implemented by means of a credit of
the Japanese Government of $150.2 million) will begin. With the support of
the World Bank serious hydrothermal energy research is held in the region of
Sisian town, which can evolve into an investment program,’ the President
noted, adding that the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, the building of which
started this month, contributes to the enhancement of the energy security of
Armenia. It should be reminded that being composed of two energy blocks of
815MW, the ANPP is built in 1976, however it was closed in 1988, which
caused acute energy crisis. The second block of the station having the
capacity of 407.5 MW resumed work in 1995. The EU insists on closing the
station, suggesting 1 million euros financing. However, the representatives
of the Armenian Government state that the creation of alternative energy
sources will cost no less than $1 billion. At present the ANPP is managed by
Inter RAO EES CJSC, which is a branch structure of RAO EES of Russia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CIS FOREIGN MINISTERS REJECT AZERBAIJAN’S PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE
PROVISION ON SEPARATISM IN DECISIONS ON FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
MINSK, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation headed by the RA Deputy
Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanian paricipated in a regular sitting
of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS member states in Minsk
on March 18. The sitting was chaired by the RF Foreign Minister,
Chairman of the Council Sergei Lavrov. The process of the work on
imrovement and reforms of the CIS structures was under discussion.
The document submitted was approved, a decision was made to continue
this process. According to the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, during the discussion of the draft decision
on the concept of CIS member states cooperation in the fight against
terrorism and other violent manifestations of extremism, as well of the
draft decision on the program of CIS member states cooperation in the
fight against terrorism and other violent manifestations of extremism,
the Azeri side proposed to include a provision on “separatism” in the
documents, in which it was joined by the delegations of Ukraine,
Moldova and Georgia. The Armenian delegation’s head suggested
adopting the document in the version previously agreed by the
experts. He explained the Armenian position using the argument that
there is no internationally recognized notion of “separatism”. The
proposal of Azerbaijan was not accepted by the other CIS states and
was formulated as a reservation by the delegations of the 4 above
mentioned states. At the CIS Foreign Ministers’s Council sitting, the
RF delegation officially submitted a draft memorandum on the CIS member
states cooperation in the humanitarian sphere. After being dicussed in
the states, the draft will be submitted for discussion at an unofficial
summit of the heads of the CIS states to be held in Moscow on May 8.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE ARMENIANS OF LEBANON WILL BE CLEVER
A1+
09-03-2005
“We want Lebanon to be peaceful, stable, united, independent, and we
want all the dreams of the Lebanon people to come true”, said RA FA
Minister Vardan Oskanyan, mentioning that Armenia follows the latest
events in Lebanon.
And is there any danger for the Armenian community of Lebanon? In
answer to this question the Minister voiced hope that the Armenians
will wise and will act as in the 1975 Lebanon civil war, that is
â~@~S they will stand neutral.
–Boundary_(ID_tmvLPT/RtHggjXgtTiPFjQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 4, 2005 Friday
Russia’s Vneshtorgbank to open its filial in Ukraine
LIPETSK
Russia’s Vneshtorgbank will open its branch bank in Ukraine in March,
Vneshtorgbank President and Board Chairman Andrei Kostin told
journalists,
The bank seeks to expand its activities in countries of the former
Soviet Union. In particular, the bank is planning to buy a bank in
Moldova and has been looking for opportunities in Kazakhstan, Prime
Tass reported.
Recently, Vneshtorgbank bought a controlling block of shares of the
United Bank of Georgia, and last year- a controlling block of the
Savings Bank of Armenia.