‘TURKEY SEPARATES BAKU FROM YEREVAN’
Hurriyet
Dec 29 2008
Turkey
ISTANBUL – A real breaking of Turkish-Armenian and Turkish-Azerbaijani
relations has occurred in 2008, Web site today.az quoted Alexander
Iskandaryan, Director of the Caucasus Institute as saying yesterday.
Although there has been no real breakthrough in Turkish-Armenian ties,
the fact that Turkey managed to separate its relations with Yerevan
from the ones with Baku was a positive development, he said.
Winners of 3rd All-Armenian e-Content Competition announced
YERE VAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. 337 works were submitted for the 3rd
All-Armenian e-Content Competition, which was by 30% more than at the
previous competition, the Chairman of the Armenian e-Content
Association, Executive Director of the IT Foundation of Armenia Garegin
Chigaszian announced at the December 26 press conference. This year’s
competition was dedicated to the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing.
According to G. Chugaszian, the top prize winners by 8 categories are:
"e-culture" category – the group to have created the website of the NGO
studying Armenian architecture; "e-business" category – the group to
have created the website of GPS control and security system of mobile
objects; "e-inclusion" category – "tert.am" electronic periodical;
"e-entertainment" category – "35mm" virtual photoclub; "e-government"
category – the group to have created "Tundardz Hayastan" website;
"e-learning" – the group to have created the Armenian educational
portal; "e-health" category – the group to have created "Law and
Health" website; and "e-science" category – the Armenian Genocide
Museum Institute. Special awards were given: "e-Armenian language"
category – to the group to have created a website with an automatic
translator from English to Armenian, and "e-Armenology" category – to
"Humanitarian Virtual Community" website.
The Director of IT Park company Gagik Karapetian said that e-content
competitions are conducive to the correct use of participants’ works in
the virtual environment. The Chairman of Bi Line company Hayk Khanjian
in his turn stated that thanks to development of e-content, Armenia is
better presented to the world via the Internet.
The top prize winners in each category will receive 300 thousand drams
(about ,000), those in second place will receive 150 thousand drams.
The competition fund makes ,000.
ARMENIAN LAWMAKERS AGREE TO INCLUDE AIR TAX IN AIR FARE
ARKA
Dec 25, 2008
YEREVAN, December 25. /ARKA/. Armenian National Assembly amended laws
on state duty and an aviation on Thursday.
Aharon Chilingaryan, deputy chairman of State Revenue committee, said
the amendments imply inclusion air duty in the cost of air tickets.
The duty will be taken by the company selling tickets and sent to
the state budget, if flights are regular.
In the event of not regular flight and flights operated by the foreign
companies having no offices in Armenia, the duty will be taken by
the company exploiting the airport.
The amendments abolished state duty preferences for everybody,
including persons having diplomatic passports.
Instead, lawmakers decided to exempt passengers of short-distance
flights (up to 450 kilometres) from state duty.
Ara Nranyan, member of National Assembly’s economic committee, said
that it was proposed to abolish or reduce the air fee from present
AMD 10,000 to AMD 6,000.
But the MP thinks it would be wrong to do it right now, amid the
financial crisis, especially taking into account that this tax adds
AMD 7 billion every year to the state budget.($1 – AMD 308.35).
ARMENIA-DIASPORA COOPERATION CONCEPT DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.12.2008 15:49 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A discussion on Armenia-Diaspora cooperation concept
was held in Yerevan today.
The concept was presented by the International Center for Human
Development (ICHD). The current stage will cover five provisions,
including the strategy of development, unused possibilities and
challenges Armenia and Diaspora face.
"We have been developing the concept since August, jointly with the
Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. Now, we to brought it up for discussion
of public and experts," Tevan Poghosyan, executive director of the
Armenian Atlantic Association, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
"All ideas and suggestions will be submitted to the Ministry of
Diaspora Affairs for final discussion," he said.
NEW MARONITE ARCHBISHOP OF CYPRUS ENTHRONED
rus_and_World_News/13245
December 22, 2008
The enthronement of the new Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, Joseph
Soueif, took place Sunday in the Maronite Church in Nicosia.
The ceremony was attended among others by President of the Republic
of Cyprus Demetris Christofias, Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus
Chrysostomos II, Bishops of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus,
Maronite Archbishops and Bishops, members of the Cypriot Council of
Ministers, leaders and representatives of the political parties of
Cyprus, members of the Cypriot Parliament and Cypriot Members of the
European Parliament, heads of diplomatic missions, representatives
of the Maronite community in Cyprus, mayors and others.
In his address, the new Maronite Archbishop thanked especially the
Cypriot President and the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus for
attending the ceremony, saying "I interpret your presence at this
ceremony as an honor to the Maronite community in Cyprus and to my
self and I express to you all my deep appreciation".
"My special gratitude to you Mr President for your presence
among us today. This is a proof of love and concern for our
community. Archbishop Chrysostomos II, I am deeply touched by your
presence here and the brotherly initiative that you took in sending
me a special greeting on the very day of the declaration of my elect
ion", he continued.
The new Maronite Archbishop expressed the wish and prayed that
the Cyprus problem is soon solved and the Maronite refugees return
to their villages and properties, which are under Turkish military
occupation since 1974.
"We wish and pray that the Cyprus problem will soon be resolved and
our people will go back to our homes, to our churches in Kormakitis,
in Asomatos, in Ayia Marina and in Karpasia", which are traditionally
Maronite villages now under Turkish occupation.
He also referred to the Maronite enclaved persons who still live in
their villages in the occupied areas of Cyprus, saying "I admire
the faith and the courage of people who are still living there. I
bestow upon them the blessings of the Lord and the protection of the
Virgin Mary" assuring them that "I will be by their side regularly
visiting them".
Cyprus, he continued, "has a very rich inheritance of apostolic
tradition. Cyprus is an island rich in spiritual history. This allows
it to play a special role in the European Community".
"I look forward to our sincere and closed cooperation for the good
of my community and the whole of this great island", the new Maronite
Archbishop concluded.
In his address, President of Cyprus congratulated the new Maronite
Archbishop for his enthronement and wished him every success,
reassuring him that their c ooperation will be "close and daily".
"Today’s message is a message of unity, a message on behalf of the
Maronite community, the Maronite Church, a message on behalf of the
Orthodox Church of Cyprus as well as a message of unity on behalf
of the Armenian and Latin communities of Cyprus", he said, adding
"it is also a message of love, brotherhood and unity with the Turkish
Cypriot community of the Republic of Cyprus".
He expressed the wish that soon the "blessed day will come, when the
refugees will return to their homes and properties and villages".
"Dear new Archbishop of the Maronites in Cyprus, I would like to
reassure you of my friendship and support", the Cypriot President
said, adding "we have a common struggle, a struggle for the salvation
of our country and I am sure that the day will come when this will
become reality".
Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus has congratulated the Maronite
Archbishop for his enthronement and reassured of his cooperation
with him.
"I would like to reassure you that the Church of Cyprus will welcome
you with pleasure and we will be at your disposal. Our cooperation
is given and we will be glad to welcome you in the Archbishopric and
other Churches. Your presence will be a great joy for us", he said.
Archbishop Chrysostomos II wished the new Maronite Archbishop 9
Cstrength and prosperity".
In his address, Antonis Hadjiroussos, Representative of the Maronite
Religious Group at the Cypriot House of Representatives, welcomed
the new Archbishop, describing the day as historic for the Maronite
community in Cyprus.
"The presence of the President of Cyprus is highly appreciated by all",
he said.
Hadjiroussos referred to the ongoing process which began in September
with an aim to reunify Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of
1974, saying that "You should know Mr President that we support your
efforts for the reunification of Cyprus".
He referred to the problems faced by the Maronite community in Cyprus
after the Turkish invasion of 1974, saying that "Maronite refugees
would like to return to their villages and properties".
Welcoming the new Archbishop, he said "welcome and congratulations
for your enthronement, you have our unreserved support".
The new Archbishop was born in Chekka, Lebanon, in 1962 and ordained
a priest in 1987.
The Maronite Church is one of the largest Eastern-rite communities
of the Roman Catholic Church and is especially prominent in modern
Lebanon.
The Maronite community in Cyprus has a Maronite Archbishop who is
elected by the Holy Synod of the Maronite Church in Lebanon and
confirmed by His Holiness the Pope.
At present the Cyprus Maronite community is a very small community
forming an integral part of the people of Cyprus but, at the same
time, continuing to exist as a separate community. The Maronites who
now live in Cyprus consider themselves of Lebanese origin and they
are Christian Catholics.
The Maronite community of Cyprus today numbers around 6.000 scattered
all over the island.
After the Turkish invasion of 1974, the Maronites had to abandon
their villages which are now under Turkish occupation.
The number of Maronites living in the Turkish occupied areas has
steadily decreased from 2.000 in December 1974 to 150 persons today,
who are of an average age of 70 and over.
Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Dec 20 2008
Fazail Aghamaly: "The political parties of Azerbaijan and Turkey must
hold a conference in Baku"
20 December 2008 [14:06] – Today.Az
An appeal will be sent to the parties, represented in the Supreme
National Assembly of Turkey, calling them to hold a conference in the
light of strengthening of ties between this country and Armenia",
said Fazail Aghamaly, deputy of Azerbaijani parliament and chairman
of the Ana Veten party.
He said the political parties of Azerbaijan and Turkey must hold a
conference in Baku.
"This proposal was initiated by the Ana Veten party and necessary work
is held in the political structure in this direction.
We want the conference to be held in Baku. Strengthening of relations
between Turkey and Armenia raises many issues, therefore, it is
necessary to clarify all these moments. It is necessary to define what
the strengthening of these relations will bring to Azerbaijan and if
it is worthy to restore ties at all.
This issue is especially urgent and we want it to be clear. Armenia
must return the occupied lands of Azerbaijan", noted Aghamaly.
/Day.Az/
URL:
Deccan Herald, India
Dec 20 2008
Srinivas spreads Gandhian message through ghazals
Hyderabad, PTI:
This singer from Andhra Pradesh, popularly known as ‘Ghazal Srinivas,’
who made it to the Guinness World Records by singing in most number of
languages at a single concert, is now on a mission to promote world
peace and propagate Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals…
He is a peace activist of a different kind, who does not hold protests
but spreads Mahatma Gandhi’s message through his Ghazals and songs.
This singer from Andhra Pradesh, popularly known as ‘Ghazal Srinivas,’
who made it to the Guinness World Records by singing in most number of
languages at a single concert, is now on a mission to promote world
peace and propagate Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of truth, non-violence,
peace and satyagraha.
After accomplishing the Guinness record by paying a musical tribute to
Gandhiji by singing in 100 different languages in Vijayawada in June
this year, Srinivas now wants to spread the Satyagraha philosophy
across the globe through his songs.
"The Gandhian philosophy should be made known to the world and I am
trying my bit to spread the Mahatma’s message by singing the songs in
global languages," Srinivas said.
"Gandhiji’s message can guide the younger generation in creating a
peace-loving world. Gandhiji is not the past but the future for the
world," the singer feels.
Srinivas, who himself penned the peace song in Telugu, got it
translated into 100 languages — 56 Indian and 44 foreign.
Srinivas said that he was awaiting a communication from the
Rashtrapati Bhavan where he would render some of these peace songs in
January.
President Pratibha Patil would release an audio CD ‘The Path of
Mahatma Gandhi’ consisting of these peace songs in 100 languages and
also launch a website on the same name during the proposed function,
he added. After this, Srinivas would like to embark on peace concerts
in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran and other Gulf
countries. Besides, he would also sing at peace concerts at the United
Nations and Chicago in the middle of next year.
"I had sung in 100 languages at Vijayawada, but, only 76 languages
were taken into consideration for Guinness record, because the length
of each song should be of at least two minutes as per their
stipulation," he said.
Srinivas, who also composed the music for the songs, would like to
break his own Guinness record by singing in 150 languages at his
native Palakollu in West Godavari district on February 3 next — his
mother’s birthday.
Srinivas said that he worked for about 13 months along with language
experts to get his song ‘Bapuji kanna bangaru kalalu saakaram cheyali
sakala janulu’ (Meaning: All people should realise the golden dreams
that were dreamt by Bajuji-Gandhiji) has been translated into Hindi,
English, German, Arabic, Tibetan and several other global languages.
"I found difficulty in singing in Armenian language due to the
pronunciation of words. It took me almost five hours to record the
song finally," Srinivas recalled.
Despite such difficulties, he does not want to stop here and says he
would attempt to sing in at least 300 different languages.
Srinivas, through his Ghazal concerts since 1986, has enthralled
audiences in countries like US, England, Singapore, Malaysia,
Australia, Dubai and gave over 6,000 performances.
Srinivas also renders Hindi and Urdu ghazals during his performances
and uses only ‘Kanjeera’ instrument as his music accompaniment.
t/Dec202008/national20081220107847.asp?section=upd atenews
TBILISI WITNESSES UNHOLY ROW
By Fati Mamiashvili and Sara Khojoyan
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
Dec 18 2008
UK
Call for commission to settle long-running dispute over ownership of
Tbilisi church.
At around midday on November 16, 22-year-old Alexander Oganov saw a
bulldozer next to the Armenian church named "Holy Norashen" in the
old town district of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.
In the churchyard, Oganov saw that the tombstones of 19th century
Armenian benefactor Mikhail Tamashev and his wife Lidia had been
prized up from the ground. The young man photographed the scene on
his mobile phone and then called the police.
"In the churchyard I saw Father Tariel, who is the priest of the
Georgian church next door to Norashen," said Oganov. "He told me,
‘Don’t worry, we’re cleaning the churchyard and levelling the ground
and we will put the tombstones back later’."
Later, after the police arrived, the tombstones were indeed put
back. But this did not prevent a furious row from breaking out,
with Armenian parishioners complaining that the Georgian priest had
insulted the memory of the dead.
The episode has rekindled the long-running row between the Georgian
Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church over the ownership
and upkeep of a number of churches on Georgian territory. Amongst them
is the Norashen church in Tbilisi, which the Armenians lay claim to
but which is still owned by the Georgian state.
The row was poorly covered in the Georgian media, with television not
devoting any attention to it at all. In Armenia, however, a series
of angry articles was published, some of them accusing Georgians
of carrying out "enforced Georgianisation" of Armenian churches
in Georgia.
After, Armenian bloggers leapt into action, a protest rally was held
outside the Georgian embassy in Yerevan on November 27, with the
demonstrators demanding the Georgian authorities stop destroying
Armenian cultural monuments.
Vardan Astzatrian, head of the department of nationalist minorities
and religion in the Armenian government, called the incident an act
of vandalism.
"This kind of thing can only happen in a country which is not taking
proper care of things," said Astzatrian. "Moreover, this kind of
action can be very dangerous for the maintenance of stability which
is very important now in the region."
However, Father Tariel, the Georgian priest at the centre of the row,
told IWPR that there had been merely a misunderstanding.
"I would never dishonour graves, even if they were the graves of
[medieval Muslim conquerors of Georgia] Jalal ad-din and Shah Abbas,"
said the priest. "The ground had sunk in that place and I wanted to
level it out again but they didn’t let me."
Mikhail Avakian, spokesman for the Armenian diocese in Georgia, said
he doubted Father Tariel’s version of events. "Cleaning up is the
job of the appropriate mayoral service and not Father Tariel," he said.
This was the latest episode in a long-running quarrel between the
local Armenians and Father Tariel. In May, he had a fence built
alongside one of the walls of Norashen covered in Georgian orthodox
symbols. The priest said he had done this with the permission of the
mayor’s office to help protect the church.
The Armenian diocese called for the fence to be taken down – something
which has not yet been done.
Father Tariel says the Armenians are causing trouble because they want
to get their hands on the Norashen church, whose origins are disputed.
According to Georgia’s 2002 census, Armenians comprise 7.6 per cent
of the population of Tbilisi. A century ago, the Armenian population
in the city was much larger. Georgians and Armenians view the history
of the city in completely different ways.
The Armenian diocese says that Norashen is an Armenian church dating
back to the 15th century. Avakian said that in the 1930s the Bolsheviks
closed it for worship, used it as a book warehouse and handed the
building over to the local government.
The Georgian historian Bondo Arveladze says that Norashen was illegally
built by Armenians on the ruins of an Orthodox church.
"In the archives you won’t find any document authorising its
construction issued by the tsar or the patriarch of that time,"
said Arveladze.
Ever since Georgian regained its independence in 1991, the Armenian
diocese has tried unsuccessfully to recover Norashen. The church
is still owned by the ministry of economics, with the ministry of
culture responsible for its upkeep.
Nikloloz Antadze, who is responsible for the protection of monuments at
the ministry of culture, said that Norashen was not in need of urgent
help and that the issue of its restoration was not on their agenda.
The doors of the church are currently locked. One of the last men
to gain entrance was Father Tariel, a decade ago. He briefly began
holding Georgian services there.
"I didn’t break into the church I simply opened the doors," said
Father Tariel. "The wooden alter was already rotten, we erected a
Georgian one in its place and started to conduct services there,
although the patriarch soon stopped us from doing that."
The Armenian and Georgian churches have agreed to resolve their
differences over Norashen and five other disputed churches, but the
commission tasked with doing this has not yet been set up.
"The political authorities have to form a commission which will
put an end to this conflict," said Levan Ramishvili, head of the
non-governmental Liberty Institute. "If the church is Armenia then
it ought to be given back to the Armenians. The commission should
first establish whose it is."
Armenian prime minister Tigran Sarkisian reportedly raised the issue
during informal talks with his Georgian counterpart on a visit to
Tbilisi on December 9.
In the meantime, the Georgian-Armenian society Nor Serundi (meaning
New Generation) has taken on the role of mediator in the dispute.
"We live together in Georgia and nothing should divide us," read
the slogan of around 300 Armenians and Georgians who formed a human
chain linking a series of Georgian and Armenian churches, amongst
them Norashen. The head of the society, Mari Mikoyan, blamed people
for whipping up tensions about this issue.
"This country is still in a state of war," said Mikoyan, whose father
is Armenian and whose mother is Georgian and who was awarded a medal
for her services as a front-line doctor in the August war over South
Ossetia. "Anyone who artificially raises the issue of disputed churches
and tries to trade on it is an enemy of his people and religion!
"The time has come for historians, cultural scholars and diocesan
officials to think about this."
Fati Mamiashvili is a reporter with Rustavi-2 television in
Tbilisi. Sara Khojoyan is a reporter with Armenianow.com in Yerevan.
CONGRESSMAN MARK KIRK SELECTED AS INCOMING CO-CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES
ArmInfo
2008-12-18 19:52:00
ArmInfo. The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) echoed
Representatives Frank Pallone’s (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg’s (R-MI)
welcome of the selection of Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) as the
incoming Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.
The Assembly told ArmInfo, Congressman Kirk succeeds Co-Chair Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), who will be retiring at the end of the 110th
Congress.
"After 20 years of working with the Armenian-American community
to advance U.S.-Armenia issues, I am honored and excited to serve
alongside Congressman Pallone as co-chair of the Caucus on Armenia
Issues," Kirk said. "The Caucus on Armenian Issues is well-known for
its work to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship and recognize
the Armenian Genocide. I look forward to working with Congressman
Pallone and all members of the Caucus to advance the U.S.-Armenia
relationship in the 111th Congress",- he added.
"The Assembly congratulates Congressman Kirk on this new role
and extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing Caucus Co-Chair
Knollenberg," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "Nearly
90 percent of the Caucus is returning in the 111th Congress and we look
forward to working with Representative Kirk and the entire Caucus",
– he said.
DEFENDERS CHALLENGE JUDGE
Panorama.am
16:19 19/12/2008
Today at 12:00 in the community court of Shengavit the defenders
of seven arrested challenged the judge Mnacakan Martirosyan. In
particular, Stepan Voskanyan, the defender of the former mayor
of Abovyan Grigor Voskerchyan announced that the defender’s side
has justified suspicion over the fairness and objectivity of the
judge. According to him, the judge has "unsubstantiated rejected
the mediation of the defending side, in particular, to investigate
additional witnesses and additional material". The other defenders
have also agreed to challenge the judge.
The injured party has also joined the defenders, especially the head
of "Heritage" fraction Armen Martirosyan, who announced that PACE
Monitoring Commission has announced the trial unjustified.
The accuser’s party announced that the defenders’ proposal should be
rejected, as their argumentations are unsubstantiated.