Author: Tambiyan Samvel

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
August 11, 2004 Wednesday
Azerbaijani FM to visit Moscow on Aug 17-19
By Elnara Bakhshiyeva
MOSCOW
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov will pay an official
visit to Moscow on August 17-19, a source in the Russian Foreign
Ministry told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
Elmar Mamedyarov will meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov
to discuss the fight with terrorism and Russian-Azerbaijani
cooperation in various fields.
Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation within the framework of the
Commonwealth of Independent States and on the international arena,
Karabakh settlement and Caspian problems will also be discussed.

Azeri police thwart picket outside US embassy over Armenian officers’ visit
Turan news agency
12 Aug 04
BAKU
The United People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party today attempted to stage
a picket outside the US embassy in Azerbaijan. The party protested
against the Armenian military’s visit to Baku this September to attend
NATO exercises.
The police thwarted this attempt and pushed the pickets away from the
embassy. That is why the action was held far from the embassy. The
action lasted from 1200 to 1230 0700 to 0730 gmt . The pickets chanted
“Death to occupiers!” and then read out a resolution.

Armenian catholicos regrets Baghdad church blasts in letter to Pope
Arminfo
3 Aug 04
YEREVAN
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II today expressed his support for
and sympathy with Pope John Paul II in connection with the 1 August
terrorist acts against Christian churches in Baghdad which damaged
Catholic churches most of all.
Arminfo news agency has learnt from the Holy See of Echmiadzin that
Garegin’s message to John Paul II reads: “We are saddened that
separate extremists have been trying to threaten the centuries-long
friendship and peaceful co-existence of the Christians of the East and
the Islamic peoples. That is why, we are praying to God in order for
Jesus Christ’s love to settle in the believers’ souls and violence and
wars to disappear from the region and the entire world”.
Garegin II has sent a similar message to the head of the Armenian
Catholic Church, Patriarch (?Nerses Petros Tarmuni).

Agence France Presse — Spanish
August 2, 2004 Monday
Primer secuestrado turco ejecutado, energica condena a atentados
anticristianos
BAGDAD
Turquia anuncio este lunes la muerte de uno de sus ciudadanos,
ejecutado por sus secuestradores en Irak, mientras que las
autoridades religiosas iraquies y el papa Juan Pablo II hicieron
llamados para unirse contra la violencia, al dia siguiente de los
sangrientos atentados anticristianos.
Por primera vez, un turco que era rehen de un grupo armado en Irak
fue ejecutado por sus secuestradores, anuncio este lunes a la AFP un
empleado de la embajada de Turquia en Bagdad.
De otro lado, en la ciudad santa de Nayaf (centro de Irak), las
fuerzas estadounidenses rodearon brevemente este lunes por la noche
la casa del jefe radical chiita Moqtada Sadr, cuyos fieles se
enfrentaron con las tropas extranjeras en pleno barrio, causando la
muerte a una mujer e hiriendo a tres personas, segun el director del
hospital Hakim, Jawad Kazem.
Un video difundido por la cadena de informacion turca NTV muestra a
Murat Yuce, de unos 20 anos, que se presenta en turco, indicando que
es oriundo de Corum (norte de Turquia), delante de tres hombres
armados encapuchados antes de ejecutarlo disparandole tres balazos en
la cabeza, segun el canal.
Dos camioneros turcos tambien fueron tomados como rehenes en Irak por
un grupo armado que amenaza con ejecutarlos si la empresa que los
emplea no se retira de Irak. Otro fue reportado desaparecido, su
familia anuncio el domingo haber perdido el contacto con el hace un
mes.
Como consecuencia de estos hechos, la Asociacion de transportistas
internacionales (UND), que afirma representar a 873 de las 900
empresas turcas especializadas en transporte internacional, anuncio
en un comunicado la interrupcion inmediata de las entregas a las
unidades militares estadounidenses en Irak.
En la crisis de los rehenes extranjeros en Irak, seguia reinando la
incertidumbre sobre la suerte de siete camioneros -tres indios, tres
kenianos y un egipcio – capturados el 21 de julio, dado que
diferentes fuentes dieron informaciones contradictorias sobre su
suerte.
Pero, segun la television Al Jazira de Qatar, un rehen somali va a
ser liberado proximamente.
En total, unos veinte extranjeros han sido secuestrados o estan
desaparecidos en Irak. El lunes, el Comite de Ulemas musulmanes
(sunitas) iraquies insto a “liberar todos los rehenes” secuestrados
en Irak que no tengan vinculos con las fuerzas de ocupacion y que no
hayan atacado al pueblo iraqui.
En otro ambito, varias autoridades religiosas condenaron los
atentados anticristianos que dejaron al menos 10 muertos y 50 heridos
el domingo en Bagdad y Mosul, en el norte, y exhortaron a la union
entre las diferentes comunidades.
“Debemos colaborar, cristianos y musulmanes, por el bien de Irak pues
somos una sola familia”, declaro monsenor Emmanuel Delly a la AFP,
precisando que este llamado estaria contenido en un mensaje que
prepara para enviar al gobierno interino iraqui.
La figura emblematica de los chiitas iraquies, el gran ayatola Ali
Sistani, llamo a “trabajar todos juntos, el gobierno y el pueblo,
para poner fin a los ataques contra los iraquies”.
Horas antes de que su casa de Nayaf fuera rodeada por las fuerzas
estadounidenses, el jefe radical chiita Moqtada Sadr tambien lanzo un
mensaje a traves de un portavoz, condenando estos atentados, “que no
hacen mas que crear divisiones en el seno del pueblo iraqui”.
Por su lado, el Comite de los Ulemas sunitas acuso a “las partes
extranjeras” de estar detras de los atentados “que intentan dividir
el pueblo iraqui y quieren que el caos perdure dentro del interes de
los ocupantes” de Irak.
El papa Juan Pablo II condeno el lunes “las agresiones injustas”
contra los lugares de culto cristianos en Irak, en un mensaje al
patriarca iraqui de los catolicos caldeos, Emmanuel Delly III.
Francia tambien condeno energicamente estos ataques, mientras que el
presidente armenio Robert Kotcharian se manifesto “profundamente
preocupado” por estos atentados, de los cuales uno golpeo una iglesia
armenia.
Los Hermanos Musulmanes estimaron que estos ataques no hacian mas que
“deformar la imagen de la resistencia” iraqui, segun el guia supremo
Mohammed Mehdi Akef, que puso en duda el papel de los servicios
secretos israelies, una tesis que tambien manejo el canciller libanes
Jean Obeid.
En el terreno, un miembro de la guardia nacional iraqui resulto
muerto y tres heridos el lunes en una emboscada al sur de Bagdad,
anuncio un funcionario de esta organizacion.
Pakistan anuncio el lunes que no enviaria tropas a Irak.
El portavoz del ministerio paquistani de relaciones Exteriores,
Masood Jan, indico que la ONU habia consultado a su pais sobre el
envio de militares para garantizar la seguridad de las misiones de la
ONU si eventualmente volvia a instalarse en Bagdad. Pero “no
enviaremos tropas en las circunstancias actuales”, dijo tajante el
ministro.
En el plano diplomatico, Kuwait e Irak acordaron restablecer sus
relaciones, suspendidas hace 14 anos, despues de la invasion del
emirato por las tropas del antiguo regimen iraqui, segun un
comunicado conjunto publicado el lunes en Kuwait.
bur-chp/plh/pb/af

Armenian, Azeri troops exchange fire across front line
Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
2 Aug 04
Bilik Dunyasi news agency, Baku
2 Aug 04

Armenian and Azeri forces have exchanged fire across the front line in
Azerbaijan’s northwestern Qazax District.
Quoting the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry, Bilik Dunyasi news agency
reported on 2 August: “The Armenian armed forces based in the south of
the occupied village of Asagi Askipara in Azerbaijan’s Qazax District
fired on the positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the east of
the village from sub-machine-guns for about 35 minutes, starting from
0055 this morning [1955 gmt on 1 August].” The Defence Ministry press
service said that the enemy was silenced by retaliatory fire and there
were no casualties, according to Bilik Dunyasi.
Armenian news agency Noyan Tapan reported on 2 August: “For several
hours during the night of 1-2 August the village of Berkaber in
Armenia’s Tavush Region came under intermittent fire from Azerbaijan’s
Qazax District.” Quoting the community leader in Berkaber, Volodya
Madatyan, Noyan Tapan said that there had been no casualties.

SDA – Servizio di base in Italiano
August 1, 2004
Iraq: stragi al vespro, autobombe contro chiese cristiane
Punto 1 BAGHDAD, 1 ago
Terrore e morte questa sera alla celebrazione del vespro a Baghdad e
a Mossul: sei autobombe sono esplose a pochi minuti di distanza l’una
dall’altra davanti a cinque chiese cristiane. In una sola delle
esplosioni, in una chiesa caldea a Baghdad, ci sarebbero stati 12
morti, secondo un testimone. E’ la prima volta in 15 mesi di
guerriglia contro le forze di occupazione e il nuovo potere iracheno
che la guerriglia prende di mira luoghi di culto cristiani.
Una fonte del ministero dell’interno iracheno ha detto che in almeno
due casi le autobombe esplose a Baghdad erano guidate da attentatori
suicidi, e ha detto di aspettarsi un “enorme numero di vittime”.
L’ondata di attacchi e’ stata accuratamente coordinata: gli attentati
sono avvenuti quasi contemporaneamente a Baghdad, dove sono state
colpite quattro chiese, e a Mossul, 370 chilometri piu’ a Nord, dove
sono esplose due autobombe.
L’attacco piu’ sanguinoso sembra per ora essere quello avvenuto nel
quartiere meridionale di Dora, nella capitale irachena, quando
un’autobomba e’ entrata a gran velocita’ nel parcheggio della chiesa
caldea, ed e’ esplosa mentre i fedeli uscivano alla fine della messa:
un testimone ha detto di aver visto almeno 12 persone morte e arti
umani sparsi sul luogo dell’esplosione.
La prima esplosione ha colpito a Baghdad la chiesa armena del
quartiere Karradi; la seconda, un quarto d’ora dopo, la chiesa
cattolica siriaca dello stesso quartiere, dove vivono molti
cristiani. In questo secondo attentato, secondo l’autista di
un’ambulanza, due persone sono morte e diverse altre sono rimaste
ferite.
A Mossul, secondo quanto ha detto all’agenzia di stampa “France
Presse” il comandante locale della polizia, Mohammad Amar Taha, due
autobombe sono esplose davanti alla chiesa Mar Polis, nel quartiere
Al Mohandessin, nel centro della citta’. Fonti mediche e di polizia
hanno detto che l’attentato ha fatto un morto e 11 feriti. Secondo
fonti citate dalla Reuters, sarebbero due i luoghi di culto colpiti a
Mossul.
La catena di attacchi alla chiese fa temere l’avvio di una nuova
strategia della guerriglia irachena, che mira a creare tensioni fra
le varie confessioni religiose in Iraq, non piu’ solo fra sunniti e
la maggioranza sciita, ma anche fra i musulmani e i cristiani, che
sono circa 800.000 nel Paese, quasi tutti concentrati a Baghdad.
Le autobombe contro i cristiani sono giunte al termine di un’altra
giornata di violenze: in mattinata, a Mossul, un kamikaze si e’
lanciato con un’automobile piena di esplosivo contro un posto di
polizia. A nulla e’ servito il fuoco subito aperto dagli agenti
contro l’attentatore: l’uomo e’ morto, ma l’automobile ha continuato
la sua corsa ed e’ esplosa a una ventina di metri dall’edificio.
Cinque poliziotti sono morti e piu’ di 50 altre persone, sia civili
sia poliziotti, sono rimaste ferite.
A Falluja, a Ovest di Baghdad, nel cosiddetto ‘triangolo sunnita’
dove piu’ accanita e’ la resistenza alle forze della coalizione
guidata dagli Usa, almeno dieci iracheni sono stati uccisi e una
quarantina feriti – secondo fonti irachene – in scontri con le truppe
americane, che hanno anche effettuato bombardamenti aerei.
A Samarra, altra citta’ del triangolo sunnita, a Nord della capitale,
un soldato della 1/a divisione di fanteria Usa e’ morto e altri due
sono rimasti feriti dall’esplosione di un ordigno al passaggio del
loro convoglio, secondo un comunicato militare americano.
Ed anche oggi e’ proseguita la ‘guerra degli ostaggi’: dopo i due
camionisti turchi fatti prigionieri ieri – uno e’ stato riconosciuto
dai familiari che hanno visto il video diffuso dai suoi rapitori – si
e’ appreso del sequestro, due giorni fa, di due uomini d’affari
libanesi e del loro autista siriano. Uno di loro – ha annunciato
Beirut nel pomeriggio – e’ stato liberato dalle forze di sicurezza
irachene con un’operazione di commando; resta incerta la sorte degli
altri due suoi compagni.
Intanto si e’ ingarbugliata – con l’accavallarsi di notizie
contraddittorie – la vicenda dei sette camionisti stranieri catturati
da un gruppo denominato Bandiere Nere dell’Esercito segreto islamico,
su cui da giorni e’ in corso una trattativa. Da Nairobi il ministro
degli esteri keniano ne ha annunciato la liberazione, affermando che
i sette – tre keniani, tre indiani e un egiziano – erano in salvo
nell’ambasciata egiziana di Baghdad; New Delhi e la ditta kuwaitiana
per cui lavorano gli ostaggi hanno smentito, mentre Il Cairo ha
negato che i sette fossero nella sua ambasciata; e il mediatore
iracheno, il capo tribale Hisham al Dulaymi, ha annunciato
addirittura di essersi ritirato dopo che erano sorte complicazioni
nella trattativa.

CUSTOMS COMMITTEE REFUTES ACCUSATIONS OF “ROYAL ARMENIA”
YEREVAN, July 30 (Noyan Tapan). The RA State Customs Committee
refutes the accusations of the “Royal Armenia” company that as if
customs workers refuse to draw up 91 tons, 800 kilograms of
unproccessed coffee imported by the company to the country without any
grounds. Gevorg Nersisian, a lawyer of the committee, said on July 30
that in case of the presentation of corresponding documents by the
“Royal Armenia” company, the indicated number of coffee will be
regisered. As for the fulfillment of court rulings satisfying the
claims of the company against the Customs Committee, according to
G. Nersisian, they are ready to fulfill these decisions, if the
company presents the documents confirming the expenditures of cargo
unloading or trans-shipment of the volume of cargoes in Poti port
(which aren’t mentioned in the court rulings). To recap, on July 27,
representatives of the company stated that customs workers from time
to time set customs costs for foodstuffs and coffee imported by them
to the country higher by 50-100% than their real customs cost. At the
same time, they set customs costs for the same goods imported by other
companies at least twice as less than the goods imported by the “Royal
Armenia” company. It should be also mentioned that the court instances
have already satisfied three claims submitted by this company in this
connection up to day.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Communications Officer
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
July 29, 2004
___________________
Week of July 24 to July 29, 2004
* * *
BISHOP HOUSSIG BAGDASIAN PASSES AWAY
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Houssig Bagdasian, longtime pastor of the St. Mary
Church of Livingston, NJ, passed away on Tuesday (7/27). A wake will be
held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 on Sunday (8/1). The Divine Liturgy and
last anointing, with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, presiding,
will be at the church at 10 a.m. on Monday (8/2). For more on the
arrangements and the life of Bishop Bagdasian, click to our website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/29/04)
* * *
ARARAT CENTER OPEN HOUSE A GIANT SUCCESS
More than 650 people turned out on Saturday (7/24) for the open house
and consecration of the Diocese’s new Ararat Center, 30 miles south of
Albany, NY. During the service, soil from Armenia was buried at the
site and an altar stone was consecrated for use during services at the
center. For more information on the open house and consecration, for a
full set of photos, and to learn how people were inspired to support the
center after seeing it, click to our website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/27/04)
* * *
PRIMATE HEADS TO THE MIDWEST
Archbishop Barsamian will travel to Chicagoland this weekend. He will
celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the St. James Church of Evanston, IL, at
10:30 a.m. on Sunday (8/1). The church is located at 816 Clark St. in
Evanston, IL.
Later on Sunday, he will spend time with the campers at Midwest Hye
Camp, which runs from Sunday through next Saturday (8/7). You’ll be
able to follow along with updates from the camp by clicking to our
website:
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/26/04)
* * *
PRIMATE CONTINUES ECCUMENICAL EFFORTS
The Primate is continuing his ecumenical work by participating in two
events this week in New York City. Tonight he will be a special guest
at the biennial clergy congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America. He will deliver welcoming remarks in the Grand Banquet Room of
the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
Yesterday (7/28), the Primate delivered the benediction during a
luncheon hosted by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in honor of His
Eminence Peter Cardinal Erdo of Hungry.
For more on these events, click to our website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/29/04)
* * *
SEMINAR AT DIOCESE FOCUSES ON ARMENIAN FAITH
This week, 10 parish leaders from throughout the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern) have been in New York City at the Diocesan
Center for a free week-long course titled “Light of Light: The Armenian
and His Faith,” which features prominent historians, psychologists,
sociologists, and linguists discussing a variety of aspects of Armenian
Christianity. For more details on this, click to the Eastern Diocese’s
website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/27/04)
* * *
YOUNG CHOIR MEMBERS HEAD TO ARARAT CENTER
The Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA) will hold a
new Junior Choir Leadership Development Program next week — from August
4 to 8 — at the Diocese’s new Ararat Center. The program was designed
to develop future choir directors for our parishes. Twelve outstanding
young students, between 14 and 18 years old, from different parishes
were selected to attend this special program. The Choir Association is
underwriting most of the cost for the session. To learn more about the
AACCA, click to its website. You can find it, and many others, on our
links page:
(Source: AACCA, 7/26/04)
* * *
MAKE OUR FAITH VIBRANT
Support the on-going operations of the Ararat Center, continue education
efforts such as the Light of Light seminar, and provide resources to
strengthen the outreach ministries of the Diocese, such as our college
ministry program and Internet ministry. Your continued support makes
all these efforts successful. You can give online today.
It’s simple, safe, and secure. Just click here to support the efforts
of the Diocese to make the Armenian Church significant in the lives of
every Armenian:
# # #

ArmenPress
July 28 2004
FM CONCERNED OVER AZERI PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS: ” If it were a simple public speech
made by Azeri president concerning domestic politics we wouldn’t have
reacted. But this time he addressed Azerbaijan’s ambassadors and this
rises serious concerns. This one indicates that in reality Azerbaijan
is not interested in a peaceful regulation of the Karabagh conflict
and pins its hopes on a forced solution,” Armenian foreign ministry
press secretary Hamlet Gasparian said, commenting on a recent speech
by Ilham Aliyev addressed to his ambassadors in which he had said
that if negotiations were fruitless Azerbaijan would use all means to
liberate its territories, including military force.
“We have stated that in case of any attempt to resolve Karabagh
conflict by force means the consequences will be disastrous for the
whole region and for Azerbaijan in the first place,” FM press
secretary said.

The Washington Times
July 27, 2004 Tuesday
EMBASSY ROW
By James Morrison, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
WORLD; EMBASSY ROW
Restoring trust
The foreign minister of Azerbaijan told Washington officials that he
is “cautiously optimistic” of an eventual peaceful settlement in the
conflict with neighboring Armenia that, he said, has caused thousands
of deaths and displaced nearly 1 million Azerbaijani citizens.
Elmar Mammadyarov said the optimism comes from his belief in
negotiations, but the caution is rooted in the deep distrust between
the mostly Muslim Azerbaijanis and the mostly Christian Armenians.
“The most important thing is to restore trust,” he told editors and
reporters at The Washington Times last week. “The hatred inside the
two communities is very high.”
The two countries agreed to a cease-fire in 1994, but as much as 20
percent of territory claimed by Azerbaijan remains under Armenian
control. The conflict centered on an ethnic Armenian enclave called
Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan.
“We need to continue negotiations to bring our position and the
Armenian position closer to each other,” Mr. Mammadyarov said.
Negotiations are being organized through U.S., French and Russian
diplomats of the so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe.
In a meeting with Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, he also
discussed progress on the construction of a $3 billion oil pipeline
that will pump 1 million barrels of oil a day from the Caspian
seaport of Baku in Azerbaijan to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the
Mediterranean, our correspondent Talar Beylerian reports.
“Most of the oil and gas fields are off shore in the Caspian Sea and
we are cooperating with the United States … and with some other
European partners with regards to the created security of the
offshore wells,” Mr. Mammadyarov said.
The pipeline is scheduled to begin operating in January.
Azerbaijan also is strengthening ties with the West, Mr. Mammadyarov
said.
On July 6, NATO welcomed the decision by Azerbaijan to develop an
Individual Partnership Action Plan. The initiative will help foster a
partnership between Azerbaijan and NATO and serve as a platform to
discuss all relevant issues related to defense and political reform.
“It is bringing us closer to the Euro-Atlantic structure,” he said.
Mr. Mammadyarov said the European Union’s inclusion of Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Georgia in the European Neighborhood Policy in June was
also an important step for the three nations of the southern
Caucasus.
The conflict-ridden nations remain far from membership in the
European Union, but the neighborhood policy involves a significant
degree of economic integration and a deepening of political
cooperation.
Azerbaijan was one of three Muslim states to join the U.S.-led
“coalition of the willing.” The country employs 151 military
personnel in Iraq and maintains contingents in both Afghanistan and
Kosovo.