Author: Vanyan Gary

No response from Iran on Armenians’ rally yet
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 20 2005
Baku, April 19, AssA-Irada — The Iranian government has not sanctioned
the protest action that Armenians plan to hold outside the Turkish
embassy in Tehran on Sunday to mark the fabricated “genocide” day.
The Iranian authorities are not likely to allow the picket, as tens
of people received injuries, while 40 were arrested in a clash between
Armenians and Azerbaijanis living in Tehran in 2004. Armenians honor
the victims of the fake “genocide” in churches.*

ROBERT KOCHARYAN HAS CONGRATULATED THE POPE
A1plus
| 12:25:20 | 20-04-2005 | Official |
Today Robert Kocharyan has sent a congratulating message to the newly
elected Pope Benedict XVI.
It is said in the message, “Your Eminence, on behalf of the Armenian
Nation and myself I send You warm congratulations on being elected Pope
and on starting Your high mission as the leader of the Catholic Church.
I am convinced that all Your initiatives will be crowned with success
and the Rome Catholic Church will continue Its important role in
the enhancing of religious tolerance and international peace for the
welfare of the defense of human rights and setting of justice.
I am sure that in Your reign the warm relations between Armenia and
Vatican, the Armenian Apostolic and the Roman Catholic Churches will
continue to develop.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Stuttgarter Zeitung, Deutschland
19. April 2005
The role of Germany during the Armenian deportation is still not
established
Einfach die Augen vor dem Grauen verschlossen;
Noch immer ist die Rolle Deutschlands während der Vertreibung der
Armenier nicht vollständig aufgeklärt
Keine europäische Macht wollte am Vorabend des Ersten Weltkrieges dem
Volk der Armenier helfen. Vor allem in Deutschland verschlossen die
Mächtigen trotz Berichten über Gräuel die Augen. Sie wollten den
türkischen Verbündeten gegen Russland auf keinen Fall verlieren.
von Knut Krohn
Der preußische General Colmar von der Goltz war ein Mann mit vielen
Talenten – und darüber hinaus sehr ehrgeizig. So war es nicht
verwunderlich, dass in Berlin die Wahl auf ihn viel, als es im Jahr
1882 darum ging, Armee und Offizierskorps des Osmanischen Reiches zu
modernisieren. Der Offizier löste seine Aufgabe so gut, dass
“Goltz-Pascha” schließlich Oberbefehlshaber der I. und VI.
osmanischen Armee und von Kriegsminister Enver Pascha zum
persönlichen Berater ernannt wurde. Er sei es auch gewesen, der schon
zur Jahrhundertwende ein geopolitisches Konzept für die Türkei
skizzierte, nach dem diese ausschließlich islamisch und asiatisch
sein müsse – womit kein Platz mehr für das christlich-armenische
Element gewesen sei. Das schreibt Vahakn Dadrian in dem Buch “Der
Völkermord an den Armeniern 1915/16”. Goltz sei es auch gewesen, so
der Direktor des Zoryan-Instituts für Genozidstudien in Toronto
weiter, der am Vorabend des Ersten Weltkrieges eine umfassende
Deportation der Armenier in die Wüste Mesopotamiens vorgeschlagen
habe, um eine religiös-homogene muslimische Bastion zu schaffen und
damit ein Bollwerk gegen das expansionistische Russland.
All diese Aussagen bezeugen, dass das Verhältnis zum Osmanischen
Reich nicht nur auf die außerordentlich guten freundschaftlichen
Beziehungen gegründet war. Dahinter standen handfeste militärische
und wirtschaftliche Interessen. Vor und während des Ersten
Weltkrieges suchte Berlin nach Waffenbrüdern. Am Bosporus fand man
den wichtigsten Bündnispartner gegen die Russen. Und der Bau der
Bagdadbahn war nicht nur eine wirtschaftliche Investition
gigantischen Ausmaßes, sondern unterstrich darüber hinaus die
imperiale Rolle des Deutschen Reiches. Allein aufgrund dieser
vielfältigen Verbindungen konnten den Mächtigen in Berlin die
Deportationen der Armenier und das damit zusammenhängende Morden
nicht verborgen bleiben. Dokumentiert werden diese tief greifenden
Verflechtungen in dem Buch “Der Völkermord an den Armeniern 1915/16”.
In akribischer Manier wurden von Wolfgang Gust unzählige Berichte und
Depeschen von Konsuln, Botschaftern, Offizieren und anderen
Augenzeugen gesammelt. Sie spiegeln ein erschreckendes Bild von den
Vorgängen im untergehenden Osmanischen Reich wider.
So schreibt der der junge Oberstleutnant Stange am 23. August 1915 an
die deutsche Militärmission in Konstantinopel. Die Ausweisung der
Armenier aus der Stadt Erserum “ist ein Musterbeispiel für die
rücksichtslose, unmenschliche und gesetzwidrige Willkür, für
tierische Rohheit sämtlicher beteiligter Türken gegenüber der ihnen
tief verhassten und als vogelfrei angesehenen Bevölkerungsklasse”.
Und: “Die Armenier von Ersindjan wurden allesamt ins
Kemach-(Euphrat)Tal getrieben und dort abgeschlachtet.”
Aus dem ganzen Land kamen immer neue solche Schreckensmeldungen, was
die deutschen Diplomaten allerdings nicht zum Handeln veranlasste –
im Gegenteil. Hans Humann, deutscher Marineattaché an der Botschaft
in Konstantinopel, ließ in einer handschriftlichen Notiz wissen: “Die
Armenier (. . .) wurden jetzt mehr oder weniger ausgerottet. Das ist
hart, aber nützlich.” Humann hatte damit auf einen Bericht des
deutschen Vizekonsuls in Mossul, Walter Holstein, reagiert. Der hatte
am 10. Juni 1915 geschrieben, dass 614 aus Dijarbakir verbannte
Armenier auf der Reise sämtlich abgeschlachtet worden seien. Und
wenig später analysierte der Militärattaché messerscharf die
gesamtpolitische Situation: “Die türkische Regierung benutzt die
Kriegszeit und das anderweitig gefesselte Interesse Europas, um die
ganze armenische Frage brevi manu gewaltsam zu erledigen.”
Hans Humann sollte Recht behalten. Kein Land in Europa wollte oder
konnte in jenen Tagen dem Völkermord an den Armeniern wirklich
Einhalt gebieten. Und es schien, dass die Gräuel dem Vergessen anheim
fallen könnten. So wurden 1923 im Lausanner Friedensvertrag mit dem
neuen türkischen Nationalstaat die Armenier mit keinem Wort mehr
erwähnt. Es galt jetzt, Ankara einzubinden, um die aufkommende
Sowjetmacht zu kontrollieren. Gut zwei Jahrzehnte später macht der
Kalte Krieg die Türkei als Nato-Partner noch unentbehrlicher.
–Boundary_(ID_awWuhPkZt3CKpg9SI0MzNA)–

Völkermord
Der Spiegel, Deutschland
Montag 18. April 2005
Die Ermordung von mehr als einer Million Armeniern im Osmanischen
Reich vor 90 Jahren war der erste Genozid des 20. Jahrhunderts.
Beteiligt an den Massakern von 1915 an waren paramilitärische
Einheiten, reguläre Soldaten, aber auch ganz normale Türken und
Kurden.
Sie erschossen oder erschlugen armenische Männer, vergewaltigten
Frauen und trieben die Menschen in Todesmärschen in die Wüsten
Syriens und Mesopotamiens. Der fast 100-jährige Garbis Hagopjan, der
heute in Paris wohnt, zählt zu den wenigen, die überlebt haben und
noch davon erzählen können. Er hat seine Eltern verloren und seine
drei Geschwister, und der Vater opferte sich, damit der Junge nicht
verhungerte: “Alles, was essbar war, hat er mir gegeben, er selbst
nahm nichts”, erzählte Hagopjan SPIEGEL-Autor Klaus Wiegrefe, 40. Bis
heute leugnet die türkische Regierung das Verbrechen. Die christliche
Minderheit sei nur friedlich in andere Landesteile gebracht worden,
behauptet etwa das Kulturministerium auf seiner Website, und
kaschiert den Genozid als “erfolgreichste Umsiedlung der Welt”. Zum
Jahrestag in dieser Woche droht der Türkei nun internationale
Isolierung. “Wenn die Türken in die EU wollen”, urteilt Wiegrefe,
“müssen sie sich dem Thema stellen” (Seite 130).
–Boundary_(ID_Tut6C56ffGPwSaNF9a6Ddw)–

‘No concessions for Armenia’ – parliament speaker
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 19 2005
Baku, April 18, AssA-Irada — Despite the OSCE Minsk Group’s
insistence, Azerbaijan won’t make any concessions for Armenia,
Parliament Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said in a meeting with
representatives of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation
Committee on Monday.
Alasgarov said that granting the autonomy status to the Armenian
community in Upper Garabagh after Azerbaijan’s occupied regions are
liberated may be the only concession.
The speaker noted that although the conflict has remained unsettled
for many years, international organizations fail to make serious
efforts in this area.
“The peace talks are stalling due to the biased approach of
international organizations to the issue.”
Head of the foreign delegation Maria Ishler Belqueen expressed concerns
over unresolved status of the Upper Garabagh conflict and said that
she has become familiar with the living conditions of internally
displaced persons.
“Like the Minsk Group, we have an obligation to settle the conflict.
It is possible that we have not correctly determined our activity
for more than 10 years”, said Belqueen.
She said that the negotiations should continue at the meetings of
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
Touching upon Azerbaijan’s parliamentary elections due in November,
Belqueen said the Committee wants them to be democratic and compliant
with international standards.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GENERAL STAFF OF TURKEY TO PUBLISH FOUR-VOLUME EDITION
TELLING ABOUT ACTIVITY OF ARMENIANS IN OTTOMAN TURKEY IN 1914-1918
YEREVAN, APRIL 14. ARMINFO. Leadership of General Staff of Turkish
military forces is going to publish a four-volume edition with 1000
documents from its archives, as Turkish “Radical” newspaper informs,
stated Head of Center for strategic investigations and military
history of Turkey, general of Air Forces corps Erdogan Karakush.
According to the source, the GS leadership in such a way tries to
refute confirmations that archives of these department are closed for
society. Karakush noted that it took 1,5 years to publish the
4-volume edition. He says that documents telling about “Armenians’
activity” from 1914 to 1918 will be published there. Karakush
informed that the first two volumes are already printed and will go
on sale shortly. The next two volumes will be published within the
nearest six months. -r-

Pan Armenian News
TURKEY DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EVIDENCES INSUFFICIENT PERCEPTION OF
EUROPEAN VALUES
14.04.2005 07:29
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A conference focusing on the plight of the Armenian
community in Turkey was held in the European Parliament on Tuesday April 12,
reported the European Armenian Federation (EAF). The organization cautioned
EuroParliament members about the likely Turkish government manipulation of
the Armenian speakers on the panel, pressuring the them to claim that all
Armenian minority problems would be solved simply by Turkey joining the EU
and to refrain from discussing `taboo’ topics including the Armenian
Genocide. In the words of Laurent EAF Executive Director Leylekian, the
presentations of both the Armenian minority representatives from Turkey were
full of ambiguity and incoherence. `It was clear that these individuals,
muted by fear, self-censored themselves bother in terms of terminology used
and on the ideological level. Their speeches dealt with everything except
the genocide,’ he said. Meanwhile, in his words, in reality, the purpose of
the conference was not to discuss recognition of the Armenian Genocide by
Ankara, but to discuss the obstacles to Turkeys admission into the EU. The
denial of the Armenian Genocide today, like the act of genocide 90 years
ago, demonstrates a lack of understanding of European values, continued
Leylekian.

REOPERATION OF ABKHAZIAN RAILWAY AND FUTHER WORK ON KABKAZ-POTI FERRY
LINK TO BE DICUSSED IN KRASNODAR ON APRIL 15
YEREVAN, APRIL 14, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 13, the RA National Assembly
President Artur Baghdasarian, who is on a visit to Moscow, met with
memebers of the RF State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs and Relations
with Compatriots. During the meeting, the sides discussed the
implementation of the Debt for Property Agreement and the problem of
speedy relaunching of the 5 enterprises transferred to Russia, which
has acquired not only economic but also poltical importance. The
issue of reoperating the railway was also discussed. An agreement has
been reached to hold a discussion on this issue with the participation
of parliaments of the countries concerned, which is of importance for
the political and economic life of the region and Armenia. At the
meeting with the RF Minister of Transport, Co-Chairman of the
Armenia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission Igor Livitin,
A. Baghdasarian addressed the problem of further work on the
Kavkaz-Poti ferry link, which of special importance to Armenia. The
necessity for relaunching the Abkhazian railway of great significance
for the region was underlined as well. According to the RA National
Assembly PR Department, I. Levitin stated that he will have a meeting
in Krasnodar on April 15 with specialists of the sphere to discuss the
two above mentioned problems. He noted the most important thing is
that the legal aspect of the problem has been ensured and now the
technical and economic issues have to be regulated.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – April 14, 2005
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN ATTENDS FUNERAL FOR
FORMER GREEK PRIMATE, ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan attended funeral services today for
Archbishop Iakovos, who was the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in
North and South America for 37 years. His death on Sunday, April 10, was
announced by Archbishop Demetrios, the current primate of the Greek church
in the United States.
Archbishop Iakovos was an imposing religious leader who moved the Greek
Orthodox Church into the mainstream of religious and political life, and a
fierce defender of social causes. He was 93 and lived in Rye, New York.
Archbishop Oshagan expressed his sympathy to the Greek Orthodox
community describing Archbishop Iakovos as a special friend of the
Armenians. “He was a dynamic leader who advanced the visibility and work of
the Greek Orthodox Church and in many ways became a model for younger
clergymen.”
JOINT 90TH COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS IN NEW YORK CITY
EXPECTED TO ATTRACT THOUSANDS FROM EAST COAST
Thousands of Armenian Americans are expected to converge on New York
City on Sunday, April 24, to attend the various commemorative events on the
occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
Communities all along the east coast, and even the Midwest, are filling
buses for the trip to New York in order to attend the various memorial
events.
The day will begin at 9 am with Divine Liturgies celebrated at St.
Vartan Cathedral and St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City. Mass will
also take place at St. Ann’s Armenian Catholic Church in Brooklyn, and
services will take place at the Armenian Evangelical Church in New York
City, and the Armenian Presbyterian Church in Paramus, New Jersey.
Memorial Gathering at Times Square will begin at 12 noon until 1:30 pm.
The day will conclude with a solemn ecumenical requiem service at St.
Patrick’s Cathedral, Fifth Avenue at 50th Street, beginning at 2:30 pm to
4:30 pm.
Visit for full details.
BEAST ON THE MOON BEGINS PREVIEWS
The much anticipated New York debut of the Beast on the Moon, a play
about two Genocide survivors, began its preview performances this week.
Beast on the Moon has received 40 international awards, has been performed
in 17 countries, and translated into 12 languages. The play, which has been
described as “heartwarming” and “uplifting,” tells the story of an Armenian
immigrant and his mail-order bride, as they come to terms with their tragic
common past.
Tickets can be ordered through telecharge at 212-947-8844. A number of
Armenian organizations have purchased blocks of tickets. We published a list
several weeks ago and add the following as well:
Armenian National Committee of NJ, April 17.
Armenian National Committee of NY, April 22
Armenian Presbyterian Church (NJ), April 30 (matinee)
EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION IN ANTELIAS
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, ordained
and anointed V. Rev. Khoren Doghramdjian, Prelate of the Diocese of Greece,
and V. Rev. Fr. Shahan Sarkisian, Prelate of the Diocese of Aleppo, as
bishops on April 9 and 10.
On the evening of Saturday, April 9, the bishops made their vows in St.
Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral. The two prelates declared their
faithfulness to the creed of the Armenian Orthodox Church. Then they read
their vows and expressed their loyalty to the Catholicate of Cilicia, His
Holiness Aram I, and their readiness to serve the Armenian church and
people.
The anointing service took place on Sunday, April 10. The service was
conducted by the Catholicos, who was assisted by Bishops Kegham and Nareg.
Members of the Cilician brotherhood, clergy guests and a large number of
faithful from Aleppo, Greece and Lebanon congratulated the bishops following
the service.
AREC SPONSORS SEMINAR FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Sixteen Sunday School teachers and directors from four New England
parishes gathered at St. Stephen Armenian Church on Saturday, April 9, 2005,
for a daylong seminar on the Bible and the Sacraments of Christian
Initiation-Baptism, Chrismation and Eucharist.
Sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the
four-hour seminar focused on the service of the Word in these sacraments.
Deacon Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC, led the seminar.
Dn. Shant walked the participants through the services, highlighting the
ritual movements, prayers and the readings of the scriptures. While the
service of the sacrament of Baptism-Chrismation contains several fixed
biblical readings, the scriptural readings for the Soorp Badarak (as for
every day) are prescribed by the lectionary of the Armenian Apostolic
Church. “The way the Church uses the scriptures in her services provides an
important lens through which we can learn about the mind of the church, how
the church understands a particular passage,” said Deacon Shant.
“For instance, reading John, chapter 3, where Jesus teaches about new
birth or being born ‘of water and spirit,’ a passage which is read during
the service of baptism indicates that the Armenian Church understands the
new birth as something brought about in and through baptism. But this same
passage is read on the third Sunday of Easter {last Sunday’s reading), known
as the Sunday of World Church (Ashkharhamadran Giragi), which commemorates
the establishment of the first church. By doing so, the Church wants to
remind us also of our baptism, in and through which we became members of the
Church of God, we were born into the family of God. Hence, on the third
Sunday of Easter, we commemorate and celebrate our own baptism as well.” He
continued, “We should not view this as simply a souvenir from the past. This
invites us and challenges us to live the new life that we have received in
Christ as a gift in Baptism, to actualize the grace of baptism in our daily
lives. This means then we have to live as aliens to sins, to confess the one
true and holy faith, to submit ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ,
and to live according to the teachings of scriptures,” said Deacon Shant.
ONNIC MARASHIAN WILL REPRESENT PRELACY
AT COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS IN ARMENIA
Onnic Marashian, a former chairman of the Prelacy’s Executive Council
and faithful supporter of the Armenian Church, will represent the Eastern
Prelacy at a series of commemorative events for the 90th anniversary of the
Genocide in Armenia. The events are sponsored by the ARF, and include an
international symposium on the Genocide. Delegations from all over the world
are expected to attend the events which will begin on April 20th and
continue through to April 24th with a visit to Dzizernagapert, the martyrs
memorial in Armenia.
PASHALIAN FUND TRUSTEES MEET
The annual meeting of the trustees of the Pashalian Family Scholarship
Fund took place on Monday, April 11, at the Prelacy offices. The trustees
reviewed the financial reports of the Fund and then discussed the
distribution of funds for the current year. Recipients of grants will be
announced shortly.
The trustees of the Fund are: H. E. Archbishop Oshagan (exofficio), Ms.
Gloria Tarsy, Dr. George Dermksian, and Michael Derian.
NALG CONFERENCE THIS SATURDAY
The National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG) and the Ladies Guild of
Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church will host the 2005 regional religious
conference this Saturday, April 16, 10 am to 3 m at the church, 4906 Flint
Drive, Bethesda, Maryland.
The keynote speaker will be Yeretzgin Joanna Baghsarian from Providence,
Rhode Island. Her presentation will focus on women of integrity in the
Bible. Mary Derderian, adjunct instructor at George Washington University
and Stratford University, will conduct a workshop for special event
coordination, implementation and evaluation.
For information contact Mary Derderian, 703-759-3908.
ORDINATION OF ALTAR SERVERS IN PHILLY
Ordination of altar servers will take place Sunday, May 1, at St.
Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the Divine Liturgy. His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan will preside. A banquet in honor of the newly
ordained altar servers will take place immediately after the services. For
information contact the church office, 215-482-9200.
PHOTOS OF FATHER TANIEL ON WEB
Last week we reported on V. Rev. Fr. Taniel Garabedian, who celebrated
the Divine Liturgy in the parish he grew up, Sts. Vartanantz, Ridgefield,
New Jersey. To see some photographs of that day go to:
INTERCOMMUNAL COMMITTEE OF PHILADELPHIA
WILL COMMEMORATE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE
The Armenian Intercommunal Committee of Philadelphia will commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on Thursday, April 21, 7 pm at
Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church, 630 Clothier Road, Wynnwood,
Pennsylvania, with a prayer service and program. Guest speaker on this
occasion will be Mgr. James E. King, PhD.
BAYRAKDARIAN WILL PERFORM IN BOSTON
FOR BENEFIT OF ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY
The acclaimed soprano, Isabel Bayrakdarian, will perform on Thursday,
May 5, at the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, along with pianist Serouj Kradjian.
All net proceeds will benefit the Armenian Relief Society Eastern USA’s
programs in Armenia and the Diaspora. An afterglow reception will follow for
VIP guests.
For information contact the ARS regional office at 617-926-3801.
ARMENIAN SISTERS ACADEMY WILL UNVEIL
NEW EXPANDED 24,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY
Armenian education in the United States is an important endeavor and we
here at Crossroads are pleased to support the educational institutions which
provide outstanding educational opportunities for our younger generations.
The Armenian Sisters Academy in Radnor, Pennsylvania, will unveil its
newly expanded and renovated 24,000-square foot facility on April 29. The
event will salute three individuals who have supported the school’s goals:
Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York; Wallace
F. Forbes, son of the founder of Forbes Magazine, and currently president of
Forbes Investors Advisory Institute; and Janet Janjigian, Senior Vice
President of Corporate Communications at Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Inc. (MGM).
The April 29th celebration will feature inspiring and oral depiction of
the meaningful lives of Gregorian, Forbes, and Janjigian. For information
contact Rita Ohanyan, 610-647-2016.
THIS SUNDAY IS RED SUNDAY
This Sunday, April 17, the third Sunday after Easter, is called Red
Sunday (Karmir Kiraki). The name does not have an ecclesiastical origin, but
rather similar to Green Sunday, it is a celebration of nature, especially
the rebirth of springtime when red flowers grow in the green fields. The
forty days after Easter are also a commemoration of Christ’s various
appearances to His disciples before His ascension. The two Sundays, Green
and Red, are good days to concentrate on our relationship with nature and
our stewardship of this good earth given to us by our Lord.
TOMORROW IS TAX DEADLINE
And, of course, tomorrow, April 15 is the deadline to file your income
tax returns, unless you filed for an extension, which would allow you a
reprieve until August.
In 1913, the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified
empowering Congress to tax “incomes, from whatever source derived, without
apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or
enumeration.” While some states do not have an income tax (i.e., Nevada),
all residents and all citizens of the United States are subject to the
federal income tax.
“The tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but
was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'” Luke
18:13 (NRSV)
We leave you this week with these words of Archbishop Iakovos, who was laid
to rest today.
“I will not remain still or I will die. I will use the time I have left to
further my ecumenical work. I will elucidate the positions of the Orthodox
Church in America. It must be an active church and an activist church,
because the world today needs to be rearranged.”
>From statements made by Archbishop Iakovos, at the time of his retirement as
prelate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America.
Visit our website at

Pan Armenian News
ISRAELI REPRESENTATIVES TO ADDRESS FORUM ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 90-TH
ANNIVERSARY
14.04.2005 03:46
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenges: Genocide and Human
Rights international forum devoted to the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide will be held in Yerevan April 20-21. The event is organized by the
National Commission for the Commemoration of the 90-th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, Regnum news agency reported. Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II will address the forum
opening. Former President of Poland Lech Walesa, as well as Juan Mendez (New
York), the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
President of the International Center for Transitional Justice will address
the conference. The agenda includes 5 sessions: the Desecration of Human
Rights, Past and Present, the Ultimate Crime, Prevention and Action,
Ultimate Challenge: Truth, Reconciliation, and Transitional Justice,
Turkish-Armenian Relations: Divided by History United by Geography. William
Schabas (Galway) Director of the Irish Human Rights Center, National
University of Ireland will deliver a report titled Crimes against Humanity
in International Law. Alfred de Zayas, Former Secretary, UN Human Rights
Commission, Visiting Professor of Law; Secretary-General, PEN Centre,
Geneva, Switzerland will make a report on the Human Rights and International
Law, Genocide Denial as Continued Repression of Human Rights report will be
made by Israel Charny (Jerusalem) Executive Director, Institute on the
Holocaust and Genocide, Professor of Psychology and Family Therapy, Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Yossi Sarid (Jerusalem), Member of the Israeli
Knesset, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Education and Culture
Committee; Chair, Meretz Movement will speak on Jewish People’s Obligations
to Other Victims, while Yair Auron (Jerusalem), the Open University of
Israel and Kibbutzim College of Education – on the Pain of Knowledge;
Reflections on Holocaust and Genocide Issues in Education. Many other
scientists and guest from the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Armenia, France will
also appear at the meeting, Jewish.ru reported.