Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

Pan Armenian News
ROBERT KOCHARIAN MET PACE MONITORING COMMITTEE RAPPORTEURS
13.05.2005 08:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with PACE
Monitoring Committee rapporteurs Jerzy Jaskiernia and Georges Colombier as
well as Committee Secretary Bonny Teofilova, RA President’s Press Service
reported. In the course of the meeting the parties discussed the process of
constitutional reforms, regional problems as well as the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement.

58TH FILM FESTIVAL IN CANNES SHOWS FILM BY CANADIAN EDITOR, ARMENIAN
BY ORIGIN, ATOM EGOYAN
CANNES, MAY 13. ARMINFO. The 58th Film Festival continuing in Cannes
showed the film by Canadian editor, Armenian by origin, Atom Egoyan
“Where the truth is”. This film and another one “Last days” by Has van
Sent claim the grand prize of the festival – Gold Olive Branch.
According to foreign Mass Media, the hero of the film, a young female
journalist investigates the death of a young girl found by two popular
actors dead in a Hotel. The actors’ alibi is secured, however no
performance has been held since the incident, says the annotation to
the film.
The festival will continue till May 22. 21 films from 13 countries
have be submitted to the main contest.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KataWeb, Italia
Roma, 11 mag 2005
CINEMA, I FRATELLI TAVIANI AFFRONTANO L’OLOCAUSTO ARMENO

Cominceranno nel marzo del 2006 le riprese de “La masseria delle
allodole”, il nuovo film dei fratelli Taviani. La pellicola sara’
ispirata all’omonimo romanzo pubblicato da Antonia Arsian nel 2004,
che ripercorre la tragedia dell’olocausto armeno cui i Turchi diedero
inizio nel 1915, proprio sulle colline dell’Anatolia dove sorgeva la
casa di famiglia dell’autrice. Nessuna indiscrezione sul cast della
pellicola, che sara’ ambientata tra Italia e Bulgaria. (AGI)
[A new film by Taviani brothers on Armenian Genocide, based on a book
by Antonia Arsian]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus
| 14:43:53 | 11-05-2005 | Politics |
THE POLICEMEN HINDER MEETINGS WITH DEMIRCHYAN
Stepan Demirchyan’s today’s meeting in the deaf and numbs house will not be
held. This announcement was made by the workers of the police who visited
the house this morning. They did it without any ground, simply because they
decided so.
Let us remind you that today at 6:00 p.m. Stepan Demirchyan is going to meet
the party members. We learned from Rouzan Khachatryan, information
responsible of the People’s Party that the preliminary work of the meeting
has been done – there is the allowance, and the necessary sum for renting
the area has been paid.
At the second half of the day the members of the party tries to find out and
solve the problem raised by the police. In any case Rouzan Khachatryan
announced that Stepan Demirchyan’s today’s meeting will be organized are it
was supposed to.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/10/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Erdogan Conveys Turkey's Regret to Russian and Polish Leaders 2) Gul Comments on Possible Erdogan-Kocharian Meeting 3) Oskanian, Minsk Group Co-chair Meeting ahead of Council of Europe Summit 4) Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Officials in Armenia 5) Tragic Fate for Northern Cyprus Armenian Monastery 6) Bush Calls Georgia 'Beacon of Liberty' 1) Erdogan Conveys Turkey's Regret to Russian and Polish Leaders MOSCOW (AA)--Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Moscow attending "Victory in Europe Day" ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, held talks with various leaders on Monday at a lunch hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. During his talks with President Putin and Poland's President Alexander Kwasniewski, Erdogan conveyed Turkey's regret over their countries' official recognition of the Armenian genocide. Russia's State Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament, and the Polish parliament recently approved resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide. Prime Minister Erdogan and President Putin also evaluated bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia, and efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group aiming to resolve the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Karabagh. During the lunch, Erdogan also held talks with President George W. Bush, French President Jacques Chirac, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkanende of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Silvio Berlisconi of Italy, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barosso. Erdogan is scheduled to visit Washington, DC in June to meet with President Bush. 2) Gul Comments on Possible Erdogan-Kocharian Meeting ANKARA (Zaman)--Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul noted that the possibility of a meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Robert Kocharian may take place in Moscow or Warsaw, though there are no definite plans. The two leaders, who are in Moscow participating in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the World War II Victory, will take part in the European Council Summit, May 15-16, in Poland. US State Department Assistant Secretary for European & Eurasian Affairs Laura Kennedy commented that the US welcomes a possibility of talks. Mentioning recent resolutions in some European countries, which officially recognizing the Armenian genocide, Gul called those attempts contrary to Europe's basic rights. When asked whether he would have a meeting with President Kocharian, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "There is not a scheduled meeting now. There is not such a demand...however, I see no reason why we shouldn't meet in the future." "As you know, Turkey is one of countries which recognized Armenia after disintegration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. But there are no diplomatic relations between the two countries. If Armenia fulfills its duties, Turkey will do what is required for a fair and lasting solution in terms of balances in the region," Erdogan said. Indicating that Turkey opened its air space to Armenia, he said, "We have a positive attitude towards Armenian citizens in the country. We expect Armenia to overcome its problems with Azerbaijan." 3) Oskanian, Minsk Group Co-chair Meeting ahead of Council of Europe Summit YEREVAN (Armenpress)--OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen from Russia, US, and France will meet with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on May 14, a day before the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan are rumored to meet in Warsaw, on the sidelines of a Council of Europe summit. Oskanian said on Monday that he could not say with certainty whether the meeting of the presidents would take place, but added that is a preliminary agreement to that effect. "Though we have not established direct contacts with the Azeri side, the meeting is very likely to take place," he said. Oskanian also voiced disapproval at Azeri president Ilham Aliyev's decision to not attend a CIS summit that took place Moscow on May 8, where he was expected to meet with Kocharian. "Just a few days ahead of the Warsaw meeting, when both sides hold hopes for progress for the stalled talks, the Azeri leader's decision reveals Baku's reluctance to move forward in regulating the conflict," Oskanian said. 4) Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Officials in Armenia YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net)--Two rapporteurs from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) arrived in Armenia on Tuesday to hold a series of meetings with foreign and local officials. PACE Monitoring Committee Rapporteurs Jerzy Jaskiernia and Georges Colombier, as well as Committee co-secretary Bonnie Theophilova-Permaul, will meet with ambassadors of the EU countries to Armenia, the head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, as well as representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, and representatives of national minorities of Armenia. Meetings are also planned with President Robert Kocharian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdasarian, members of the Temporary Commission for Integration into European Structures, the parliamentary delegation to PACE, as well as Armenia's prime minister, and ministers of defense and justice. 5) Tragic Fate for Northern Cyprus Armenian Monastery YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Citing an April 17 story in Yeniduzen newspaper, published in Northern Cyprus, the Armenian foreign ministry said the Armenian Saint Makar monastery, which was previously turned into a cafe, will now become a hotel, according to its new owner Dervish Sonmezler. Situated in the mountain range of Pentadaktylos and well-known for its monastic order, the 10th century monastery is considered to be one of the holiest shrines of the Armenian people. Before the Turkish occupation of the Northern Cyprus, the monastery was one of the favorite destinations for local Armenians, but now inaccessible to Christians. All manuscripts and other relics kept there were plundered and sold. Further destruction of the monastery was prevented after intervention by the Republic of Cyprus, the Armenian Church, and international organizations. Following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the occupation of 37 per cent of its northern territory, the regime denied access to Armenians to the monastery, now partly destroyed. On April 27, 1998, the joint parliamentary committee Cyprus-European Union protested to UNESCO a decision by the Turkish Cypriot regime to convert the monastery in into a hotel. In a letter addressed to UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor, Chairman of the delegation to Parliamentary Committee, Philippe Monfils said the conversion of the Saint Makar monastery into a hotel alienates "an ancient Armenian religious site from its spiritual purpose." Monfils said in his letter to Mayor, the conversion of Saint Makar into a hotel "is a violation of the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Cooperation, adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO." 6) Bush Calls Georgia 'Beacon of Liberty' TBILISI (Reuters)--President Bush on Tuesday saluted Georgia's fledgling democracy as a "beacon of liberty" and backed efforts by the ex-Soviet republic to regain sovereignty peacefully over two pro-Moscow separatist regions. But during a 19-hour visit in which he was acclaimed by cheering crowds, Bush significantly avoided open backing for his host, President Mikhail Saakashvili, in his demand for the speedy closure of two Russian bases on Georgia soil. "The path of freedom you have chosen is not easy. But you will not travel it alone," Bush told at least 60,000 people at Freedom Square, focus of a "Rose Revolution" that installed Saakashvili's pro-Western government almost 18 months ago. The crowd, squeezed into the square and flowing beyond it, responded enthusiastically to the first visit by a sitting US president to the mountainous Caucasus state. Groups of people sat behind the podium wearing red, white and blue outfits to form the US flag and the red-and-white Georgian banner as Bush recalled Georgia's long independence struggle that led to its "people's power" revolution. "You gathered here armed with nothing but roses and the power of your convictions, and you claimed your liberty. And because you acted, Georgia is today both sovereign and free and a beacon of liberty for this region and the world," Bush said. He said Washington encouraged Georgia's closer cooperation with NATO, something Russia finds uncomfortable for a country in its own backyard and which it once ruled. And, in what appeared to be a swipe at Kremlin support for the two rebel Georgian regions, Bush said: "The territory and sovereignty of Georgia must be respected by all nations." Saakashvili has made the return to Tbilisi's control of separatist South Ossetia and Abkhazia central to his government's program to lift Georgia out of years of decline. Introducing Bush, the US-educated Saakashvili hailed "the history of a small but unbreakable nation's fight for freedom" and thanked the United States for standing up for Georgia. The Caucasus is home to a string of local conflicts arising from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Georgia borders Russia's troubled Chechnya region and is on the route for a US-backed pipeline linking Caspian Sea oilfields to world markets. "PHONE ANY TIME" Bush told a joint news conference with Saakashvili the Georgian leader could phone him any time to seek his help on the disputes but suggested he also work with international bodies such as the United Nations to resolve the issue peacefully. "The (Georgian) president has put a way forward that encourages autonomy and self government but does not encourage dividing up this great country. This seems to me...to be a very reasonable proposition," Bush said. He said the disputes should be resolved between the Georgian government and the separatist regions. "The United States cannot impose a solution nor would you want us to." At the news conference, Bush avoided support for Georgia in its dispute with the Kremlin over the Russian bases on its soil, which Saakashvili has likened to an occupation. Bush said he had discussed the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had replied that his government was working to fulfill its obligations under an earlier agreement. "I think...that is an important commitment for the people of Georgia to hear," Bush said in remarks likely to disappoint Saakashvili. Bush arrived in Georgia on a four-nation European tour that also took in Latvia, the Netherlands and Russia, where on Monday he joined Putin and over 50 other world leaders to mark the 60th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Saakashvili snubbed Moscow's lavish World War II anniversary party in protest over Russia's failure to agree on withdrawal of its bases, which house some 3,000 troops. In his speech in bright sunshine at Freedom Square, formerly known as Lenin Square, Bush said Georgia's freedom struggle had inspired peoples ranging from Ukraine to Iraq and Kyrgyzstan. The crowd reacted ecstatically, waving banners including "Mr. George W. Bush, you can save Georgia." "It is great that the president of a superpower has come to visit us," said Nana Razmadze, a 54-year-old teacher. "We hope that things will get better for us and we can move forward. I think that from now on the world will look on us differently." "This is a visit that should go down in history," said 46-year-old Merab Getsadze. "It's been 200 years since Georgia was visited by such a high-ranking person. We hope we will be able to solve a lot of problems after this visit," he said. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

ARMENIAN CHURCH IN NORTHERN CYPRUS TRANSFORMED INTO CAFE
YEREVAN, MAY 10. ARMINFO. An Armenian church in Northern Cyprus has
been transformed into a cafe. The press-service of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry informs ARMINFO that the historical monastery
St.Makar in the mountainous region of Kirena, in the zone of the
Turkish occupation, has suffered this fate.
The source reports that the issue dated April 17 of the Turkish
newspaper “Yeniduzen” published in Northern Cyprus says that the
current owner of the monastery transformed into the cafe is a certain
Dervish Sonmezler intends to transform it into a hotel. The monastery
founded by Copts in the 4th century was later transferred to Armenians
and has been one of the Armenian sacred places for many centuries.
Being under the jurisdiction of the Great House of Cilicia in
Antilias, St.Makaravank maintained close ties with Etchmiadzin. Before
the Turkish occupation of the Northern part of Cyprus, the church was
one of the sights of the Cyprian Armenians. At present, it is left and
inaccessible for the Christian believers. Manuscripts and icons were
robbed and sold, and gross infringement of the International Law was
prevented only due to the combined efforts of the Cyprian authorities,
the Armenian Church and international structures, the source reports.

SAFETY LEVEL OF ARMENIAN NPP CORRESPONDS TO INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: IAEA ESTIMATION
YEREVAN, MAY 5. ARMINFO. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
considers that the safety level of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)
corresponds to international requirements, informed Head of Armenian
State atom-inspection department Ashot Martirossyan at today’s briefing
at the government.
In his words, IAEA experts made this conclusion during the 3rd regular
meeting of Agency’s member-countries Apr 18-22. Martirossyan added
that IAEA offered to speed up the process of realization of actions
on increase of Armenia’s NPP safety level. About 10 large-scale
measures are conducted annually, he noted. According to IAEA program
approved in 1994 Armenia has undertaken to conduct 52 such measures
till 2010. To note, IAEA has allotted Armenia more than $3 mln as a
technical assistance since 1994. -r-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Washington Jewish Week, MD
May 5 2005
Starting a journey Iranians join Jews, Christians for interfaith
dialogue
by Eric Fingerhut
Staff Writer
A delegation of Iranian religious leaders strongly endorsed
interfaith dialogue last week. Less clear was whether such dialogue
might signal a change in the Islamic republic’s attitudes toward the
United States and Israel.
The nine-man Iranian group — Shiite clerics and academics, an
Armenian archbishop and the only Jewish member of the county’s
parliament — came to the area for an “Abrahamic” dialogue with
American Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law hosted the event,
reciprocating the visit of an American delegation to Iran in 2003.
During a public discussion and dinner, the Iranian Muslims emphasized
the importance of studying comparative religions. Ayatollah Mostafa
Mohaghegh Damad, dean of Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University and head
of the Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Islam, said true dialogue can
only occur when “nobody wants to convert anyone else to their
religion” and everyone can talk about his or her own way to God.
The Jewish and Catholic representatives noted that minorities are
treated well in Iran, receiving government funds to help run their
schools and other projects.
Issues such as Iran’s hostility toward Israel and the United States
did not come up, although the program came after more than three days
of meetings.
Delegates had participated in a two-day seminar on “Islam and the
Political Order” hosted by the law school that featured sessions on
freedom and democracy, as well as a Temple University professor and
rabbi who spoke about Maimonides.
Delegation member Marshall Breger, a longtime Jewish community
activist and professor of law at the Columbus School of Law, called
dialogue a gradual process.
“You start a journey at the beginning,” he said. “It’s important for
Iranians and Jews to understand the nature and character of their
religious faith. I think that’s a positive in itself [and] can lead
to broader understanding.”
For instance, he cited a program last Friday on “Modesty in the
Abrahamic Religions” with women representing all three faiths. The
Iranians, he said, may not have realized that Islam and Judaism would
have such a “common attitude” on that issue.
This is not Breger’s first experience with Iran. Three years ago, he
was invited to that country to give lectures at eight Iranian
universities about the U.S. Constitution.
“The constitution got standing ovations everywhere,” he recalled.
Then in 2003, he was asked to be part of an “Abrahamic delegation” to
Iran led by Washington’s Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.
“It was an extraordinary trip. We met with the highest officials in
the country because of the cardinal,” Breger said, recalling a
meeting the group had with the leader of the Iranian parliament.
When the legislator asked the cardinal to begin the gathering with a
prayer, McCarrick asked a Jewish member of the delegation, Rabbi Jack
Bemporad, to do the honors.
The trip “was premised on the view that if we engaged Iranians as
religious people … we could have honest conversations that would be
difficult otherwise,” Breger said. “In my view, if people are able to
talk about religious tradition, this means they [won’t] see the other
party as a caricature,” and that can lead to “important conversations
in a wide variety of areas.”
Most of the Iranian delegates were religious leaders, but Breger
explained that with Islam holding such sway in Iran, such clerics are
influential in government policymaking.
Among the members of the Iranian delegation were Ayatollah Mahmud
Mohammadi Araghi, president of Iran’s Organization of Culture and
Islamic Relations and an active member of the Supreme Council of
Cultural Revolution; Reza Davari-Ardikani, president of the Academy
of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran; and Gholam Reza Avani, a
philosophy professor at Shahid Behesti University and director of the
Iranian Research Institute of Philosophy.
Breger also noted that the Washington visit gave the Iranians an
opportunity to meet United States Muslims, which “allowed them to see
the extent to which Islam is recognized in America.”
Some of those who attended last week’s discussion, though, were
skeptical that the dialogue would lead to substantial achievements.
Ephraim Isaac, director of the Princeton, N.J.-based Institute of
Semitic Studies, said talking was nice, but “where is the action?”
“[They are] very nice people of good will, but it’s not enough to
have good will,” he said, hoping that such religious discussions
could lead to more concrete achievements.
Marc Gopin — director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy
and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University — conceded that
the public program avoided delving into important issues.
Still, he thought the visit was a positive step, and said he was
confident Breger and other members of the delegation had frank
exchanges behind closed doors.
Last week’s program was considered sensitive by some in attendance,
who did not want their organizations identified as participants in a
dialogue with Iranians.
As for whether Iran would be willing to soften its opposition to the
existence of Israel, Ayatollah Damad told WJW that his government
“cannot recognize” the Jewish state because “Israel has occupied the
land of Muslims.”
But if the Palestinians were to agree on a “contract” with Israel,
then Iran could go along.
Mouris Motamed, the only Jewish member of the Iranian Parliament,
said that the Iranian government made a distinction between Jews and
Zionists.
“They think Zionists are not real Jews,” said Motamed, who discussed
his government’s position on the issue, but declined to comment on
his own feelings about Israel other than his hope for peace in the
Middle East.
He also claimed that Iran “doesn’t support terrorists because Iran
has … been damaged by terrorism.”
Motamed said Iran’s 25,000 person-Jewish community was well-treated
in the Islamic republic. It has its own schools, newspaper and
synagogues, and faces no discrimination, he said.
“Everthing is OK,” he said.
Breger’s impressions during his 2003 trip to Iran were similar —
that the Jewish community, while facing some social discrimination in
a Muslim-dominated country, was generally free of legal
discrimination at this time.
During his Constitution lectures, he noted, the government provided
him kosher food daily. He also pointed out that just last month,
Motamed, speaking during a session of parliament, had criticized an
anti-Jewish television show on Iranian television and was backed up
by the speaker of the parliament.
Breger did cite problems. There is also “tremendous support for the
Palestinian cause,” from a huge sign at the airport calling for
“justice” for the Palestinians to a park bench that had a sign
proclaiming “Down with Zionists.”
But Breger said a religious dialogue could help to change those
attitudes.
“This is a positive first step,” said Breger. “It encourages viewing
other religions and other people with dignity. … It’s foolish to
say dialogue will get rid of … problems,” but it can “change the
atmosphere.”

Turkish Press
May 5 2005
Press Review
TURKIYE
Bahceli: The Armenian allegations are an EU game played on Turkey
BAHCELI: “THE ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS ARE AN EU GAME PLAYED ON TURKEY”
Commenting on recent pressure from Armenian allegations, Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said yesterday that this
was no coincidence. Speaking at a press conference at the MHP’s
Ankara headquarters, Bahceli said, “The Armenian issue is the result
of policies of the European Union towards Turkey.” Stressing that
certain circles were getting support from the EU, Bahceli warned
that similar activities would mount in the coming days. Asked about
a recent Swiss legal inquiry into Turkish Historical Society (TTK)
head Yusuf Halacoglu, the MHP leader called the incident a good
example of the hypocrisy of European countries. In addition, Bahceli
warned citizens about ethnic provocations. “No one can draw Turkish
nationalists into illegal activities. We’ll act with common sense,”
said Bahceli. /Turkiye/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

International Symposium On So-called Armenian Genocide Allegations
Turkish Press
May 4 2005
ANKARA – An international symposium will be held to discuss
“allegations of so-called Armenian genocide and the Realities of
Azerbaijan” in Ankara.
The symposium organized by Ataturk Culture, Language and History
Institution and Ataturk Center in Azerbaijan will take start in Ankara
on May 4th.
Turkish Institute of History (TTK) Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf
Halacoglu will make a presentation on “The Necessity of Emigration”
and historian Dr. Stanford Shaw will deliver a speech on “Problems
in Turkish-Armenian relations” on May 5th. Historian Andrew Mango
will deliver a speech on “How can Turkish-Armenian relations be
improved?” on May 6th.
The symposium will end with Ataturk Research Center Chairman Prof.
Dr. Mehmet Saray’s speech the same day.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress