Author: Vardanian Garo

5 HELD IN TURKEY AFTER KILLINGS IN BIBLE PUBLISHING HOUSE
By Sabrina Tavernise

International Herald Tribune, France
April 19 2007

ISTANBUL: Five men were detained for police questioning after three
people were found with their throats slit in a publishing house in
eastern Turkey that prints Bibles and other Christian literature.

Turkish authorities said the five detained were three 19-year-olds
and two 20-year-olds. None was identified further.

Several of the suspects were carrying weapons when they were
apprehended, the authorities said. One had broken his leg in a jump
or fall.

The publishing house, in Malatya, a town with a reputation for
nationalism, has had trouble in the past over a shipment of Bibles
that nationalists forcefully blocked.

As change opens up Turkish society, the country’s nationalist fringe,
dedicated to the ethnic and religious purity of the state, has been
turning to violence. Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian
descent who was killed in January in Istanbul, was one victim.

The trend is a concern for the government, whose prime minister,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been pushing hard for Turkey’s entry into
the European Union. Some European politicians have opposed membership,
arguing that Turkey does not fit in culturally or religiously.

The three victims in Malatya were found seated in chairs, their hands
and feet bound, according to Halil Ibrahim Dasoz, a government official
there. He spoke on NTV, a Turkish news channel. One did not die from
his wounds until later, Dasoz said, adding that the victim had also
been stabbed in the back and stomach.

The state-run Anatolian news agency identified the victims as Tilman
Ekkehart Geske, 46; Necati Aydin, 35; and Ugur Yuksel, whose age was
not given. The German ambassador to Turkey, Eckart Cuntz, said through
a spokesman that one victim was a German citizen but he declined to
give details.

The victims were evangelical Protestants, said an evangelical pastor
in Istanbul, Carlos Madrigal, Reuters reported.

Malatya once had a heavy Armenian population. But in eastern Turkey,
Armenians were driven out or killed in a series of purges culminating
in 1915, when 1.5 million Armenians died.

Subsequently, nationalists were urged to settle in the area to preserve
a Turkish identity there.

Mehmet Ali Agca, who tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981,
was from Malatya, as was Dink, the outspoken journalist.

"Nationalism is on the rise in Turkey," said Ali Bulac, a Turkish
newspaper columnist in Istanbul. "It stands against the U.S. and
the EU."

Turkish nationalists boast of their Muslim identity, but often have
as much in common with the secularists of the state elite as with
Islamists. So it was not clear whether the suspects were motivated
more by a dedication to Islam or a longing for a pure Turkish state.

The distinction is important because of the broad debate over the role
of religion now roiling Turkish society. The discussion has become
more shrill in recent weeks because the country faces an election to
its presidency, the single most important post safeguarding secularism.

Erdogan, a former Islamist who has moderated his views considerably,
may try to compete for the presidency, a possibility that has thrown
some secularists into a panic.

CORONA STUDENTS SET UP MEMORIAL FOR GENOCIDE VICTIMS
By Shirin Parsavand

Press-Enterprise , CA
April 19 2007

Video: Corona-Norco high school students plant small flags in
rememberence of the Holocaust

CORONA – Antonio Williams had heard only a little about the Rwandan
genocide before last month, when he started learning about it at Norco
High School. Now, he struggles with the idea that brutal violence
could kill so many so quickly — 800,000 in just 100 days in 1994.

"It was at least a thousand dying a day … it was just thousands,
thousands dying," Antonio, 16, said Wednesday. "It’s just women,
men, children, infants being slaughtered. It’s a horrible thing to
think about."

Yet rather than turn away, Antonio and about 50 other high school
students worked Wednesday to help themselves and the community
understand the toll hatred can exact.

Sebastian Hernandez, a teacher at Norco High School, and his daughter
Jane Hernandez, 3 ½ , attend a program about victims of genocide and
the Holocaust at Santana Regional Park in Corona.

The students, from six schools, met at Santana Regional Park to plant
more than 3,000 small flags. Each represents 5,000 people who lost
their lives in a mass killing that resulted from ethnic, national,
political or religious divisions.

The project was based on one Centennial High School did last year to
mark Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Just as they did last year, Centennial students on Wednesday planted
more than 2,000 flags of various colors to represent the 11 million
killed in the Holocaust.

This year, students from Buena Vista, Corona, Norco, Orange Grove
and Santiago high schools joined them.

The students put together a timeline of tragedy along Ontario Avenue.

It starts with 300 orange flags that mark the deaths of up to 1.5
million Armenians around 1915. It ends with 45 red flags to represent
the more than 200,000 people from the Darfur region of Sudan killed
during the past four years.

In between are flags representing those who died in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Cambodia and Rwanda, as well as in the Holocaust.

At the end of the display, affixed to the fence, is a sign that reads:
"Who’s next?"

Several students said Wednesday they were stunned when they began the
research that led to the flag project. They thought genocide ended
with the Holocaust.

"It breaks my heart, knowing that people in these kinds of numbers
died in such a short period of time," said Nick Craig, 17, a junior
at Norco High School.

Most of the students take part in Unity Forum, an elective class for
students who lead activities to help fellow students overcome bias.

Christina Romero, the Unity Forum teacher at Buena Vista, said the
flag project made her students more aware of world events and sensitive
to others’ suffering.

The students learned about the criteria for genocide under
international law, and they decided the tragedy that befell the
Armenians met the definition, Romero said. Many historians use the
term Armenian genocide, but Turkey maintains the deaths of Armenians
were the result of civil strife that also killed Turks.

Romero used a children’s book to personalize the tragedy of the
Armenians for her students. Buena Vista senior Bianca Huerta said
she could relate to what happened nearly a century ago.

"You realize that could have been your actual blood," said Bianca, 17.

The flags will remain on display until Sunday.

s/PE_News_Local_D_holocaust19.3d663f4.html

–Boun dary_(ID_anrOgrjEMHlePscI5gcpRg)–

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS RECEIVES THE CHAIRMEN OF THE THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION OF
THE TWO FAMILIES OF ORTHODOX CHURCHES

An important ecumenical meeting was held in the Catholicosate of Cilicia
in Antelias on April 17 between the chairmen of the Commission of the
theological dialogue between the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox churches –
Metropolitan Bishoy from the Coptic Orthodox Church (Oriental Orthodox) and
Metropolitan Emmanuel (Eastern Orthodox).

This dialogue between the two families of Orthodox Churches, initiated in
1983 in Geneva, had come to a halt in 1993 for several reasons. About a
month ago Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I sent a delegate to His Holiness
Aram I to discuss the possibility of renewing the dialogue. Based on his
vast experience in ecumenical relations, Catholicos Aram I had outlined the
necessary steps and the difficulties to restart the initiative.

After their meeting in Antelias, the two chairmen informed the Pontiff of
the result of their meeting. His Holiness assessed the outcome and provided
the appropriate advice.

His Holiness recently received phone calls from the General Secretary of
the World Council of Churches, Dr. Sam Kobia, and Patriarch Paulos I of the
Ethiopian Church regarding ecumenical issues.

##
View the photos here: #3
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

RF AND CIS COUNTRIES ARE RECOGNIZED THE MOST DANGEROUS STATES AS REGARDS FLIGHTS SAFETY

Arminfo
2007-04-18 12:15:00

Upon results, 2006, RF and CIS countries are recognized the most
dangerous states from the viewpoint of flights safety, the data of
the report of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) say.

The level of air incidents in these states makes up 8,6 cases per 1
mln of flights, that exceeds the world level 13 times (0,65 cases per
1 mln of flights). At the same time, the IATA noted the improvement in
the area of air flights safety in the African countries, which take the
second place by the flights safety. The coefficient of air incidents
in 2006 in this region was fixed at the level of 4,31 cases per 1
mln of flights, having reduced more than twice against the similar
indicator, 2005 (9,2 cases per 1 mln of flights). On the whole, the
report notes, the number of major air incidents upon results, 2006,
reduced to 77 from 111 cases in 2005, that allowed the Association to
call the year, 2006, "the most safe year in the area of flights" over
the whole history of surveys. Bad weather conditions (the reason of
43% of air crashes), non- coordination of actions of the dispatcher
and the crew (38%), as well as the poor training of pilots (33%)
remain the basic reasons for air crashes.

IS COURT SUIT INEVITABLE?

A1+
[12:55 pm] 17 April, 2007

Today, UEFA Executive Committee will hold its consecutive meeting in
Cardiff, capital city of Wales.

A number of European football matters will be addressed at the
meeting. The Executive director of RA Football Federation, Armen
Minasyan informed ‘A1+’ that the area for Armenia-Azerbaijan matches
would be known at the committee meeting on April 18. He hoped UEFA
to make the decision due to the Regulations, i.e., the matches should
be held under their roofs not in a neutral area.

Azeri’s hope the matches to be held in a neutral area.

They are pretty much afraid of the statement made by Ruben Hayrapetyan,
chairman of RA Football Federation.

He claimed that he would turn to CAS in case UEFA decide in favor
of Azerbaijan. The court is in Lozan; it is 23- year old. As an
independent court, CAS is very famous among all kinds of sport
structures.

RA granted safety security guarantee to UEFA a year ago, thus the RA FF
believes there is no grounds for holding the meeting in a neutral area.

ADDITIONAL VACCINATION OF PERSONS AGED 6-27 AGAINST MEASLES AND GERMAN MEASLES TO BE DONE IN ARMENIA IN AUTUMN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 16 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia has joined the World
Health Organization’s (WHO) global policy of eradicating measles
and German measles in Europe by 2010. Head of the RA National
Immunoprevention Program Gayane Sahakian stated this at the April
16 press conference. According to her, cases of measles and German
measles are seldom registered in Armenia. She said that despite it,
a new outbreak of measles or German measles is not ruled out in the
country, which is typical of these diseases.

G. Sahakian said that a draft 2007-2010 national strategical program
has been developed with the aim of eradicating cases of measles and
German measles and controlling mumps and congenital symptom of German
measles in Armenia. The program envisages additional vaccination of
persons aged 6-27 against measles and German measles in the autumn. It
was noted that WHO, UNICEF, Vishnevskaya-Rostropovich Foundation have
contributed to implementation of additional vaccination.

IT IS PLANNED TO BUILD "NEW KENTRON" IN NORAGYUGH DISTRICT

YEREVAN, APRIL 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The project of Yerevan Kentron
community’s zoning is at the final stage. As Chief Yerevan Architect
Samvel Danielian reported at the April 16 press conference, this
project is based on the project of drawing Kentron’s plan approved as
early as in 1982, in which many changes were made. Drafts of
development of a number of territories of Kentron will be worked out
after the project’s approval by the government.

S. Danielian said that by the draft is it planned to increase
Kentron’s green zones by 95.4 hectares and to incresse the area of
green zones per one resident from current 9.8 sq.m. to 15.3 sq.m. In
the words of the Chief Architect, green zones will increae in the Kond
district, in territories of Cascase complex, territories near Vazgen
Sargsian stadium.

Though there is a necessity to build new constructions in Kentron
community, nevertheless, in S. Danielian’s words, this is imposible
due to territorial limitations. Therefore, a New Kentron will be
created in the Noragyugh district, where hotels, offices of
international organizations, cultural centers, as well as places of
rest and entertainment will be built.

Egyptian, Armenian presidents hold talks in Cairo

MENA news agency
14 Apr 07

Excerpt from report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA

Cairo, 14 April: President Husni Mubarak and his visiting Armenian
counterpart Robert Kocharyan on Saturday [14 April] held a tete-a-tete
session of talks, tackling a range of political issues of joint
interest.

Talks also took up the latest regional and international developments
as well as relations between Egypt and Armenia in the various fields,
especially in the economic and trade ones. [passage omitted]

[MENA news agency earlier (1001 gmt) on 14 April reported the Armenian
president’s arrival in Egypt at the head of a delegation, including
the foreign, trade and economic development and culture and youth
affairs ministers.]

NAGORNO KARABAKH WILL NEVER GAIN INDEPENDENCE AND JOIN ARMENIA

Today, Azerbaijan
April 13 2007

"If Armenia demonstrates constructiveness, Azerbaijan-Armenia,
Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be solved. Our position is one-sided
and international community supports it: Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity should be restored, invaders must withdraw from our lands
and the people suffered from ethnic cleansing should be brought back
to their lands," Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated.

Regarding carrying out negotiations in the framework of the Prague
process, the head of state said Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
is recognized by international community and the world community
condemns referendum illegally held in Nagorno Karabakh, APA reports.

"The frame of negotiations is our diplomatic and political success. I
want to hope that Armenia will realize it and find a way out of the
situation," he said.

Noting that sometimes Armenian officials make statements that Karabakh
will gain independence, the president regarded them as false.

"In this case, Armenia would not ask to stop the talks due to the
elections in Armenia. If they are satisfied with the talks why they
ask us to stop them? They proposed to stop the negotiations and said
it may have negative influence on internal situation. It shows what
the negotiations are based on. I do not want to go into details,
because the negotiations are negative. But anyway the public is aware
of some points. I can only say we will never allow Nagorno Karabakh’s
independence. Nagorno Karabakh will never join Armenia. If those
living in Nagorno Karabakh want self-determination they can move to
Armenia – the state established on historical places of Azerbaijan,"
the President stressed.

URL:

ANCA AND GENOCIDE INTERVENTION NETWORK CALL ON UN TO OVERRIDE TURKEY’S OBJECTIONS TO RWANDA GENOCIDE EXHIBIT

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 11:48

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian,
in a letter sent to the United Nations, called upon the international
body to reverse its recent decision to close a major exhibit,
organized by the Aegis Trust, on the Rwanda Genocide due to the Turkish
government’s objection over a portion of the display that referenced
the Armenian Genocide.

The ANCA letter, addressed to Kiyotaka Akasaka, Under-Secretary-
General for Communications and Public Information, expressed the
"Armenian American community’s profound disappointment over the
decision to allow the Turkish government to delay – and quite
possibly cancel – a United Nations exhibit intended to help ensure
that the lessons of the Rwanda Genocide are used to help prevent
future genocides."

Hachikian stressed that the dismantling of the exhibit represents "a
troubling retreat from the founding principles of the United Nations,"
and added that, "in allowing Turkey’s protest over the exhibit’s
historically accurate mention of the Armenian Genocide to delay its
opening, you have, very unfortunately, undermined the credibility of
the United Nations on a central issue of our time – ending forever
the cycle of genocide. Rather than rightfully standing up for the
organization’s highest values, you permitted the immoral objections
of one member state, Turkey, to drag the entire institution into
complicity in that nation’s shameless campaign of genocide denial."

Commenting on the UN’s decision, Mark Hanis, Executive Director of
the Genocide Intervention Network, said that, "Hitler felt justified
to carry out the Holocaust when he saw how little resistance there
was to the Armenian genocide of 1915. It is incumbent on the UN to
ensure that the atrocities of Armenia and other past genocides are
exposed, not just for the memory of those dead but for the safety of
future generations."

Commenting on the exhibit’s postponement, James Smith, the chief
executive of the British-based Aegis Trust, said, "If we can’t get
this right, it undermines all the values of the UN. It undermines
everything the UN is meant to stand for in terms of preventing
(genocide). . . You can’t learn the lessons from history if you’re
going to sweep all of that history under the carpet. And what about
accountability? What about ending impunity if you’re going to hide
part of the truth? It makes a mockery of all of this."

Serj Tankian, songwriter, singer, poet, activist and lead singer of
Grammy Award-winning band System of a Down, and Carla Garapedian,
who directed the award-winning documentary "SCREAMERS" about
the band’s anti-genocide advocacy, issued a statement condemning
the UN’s decision: "We are very shocked by this decision by the
Secretary General to remove mention of a historical event which is
well-documented by thousands of official records of the United States
and nations around the world, including Turkey’s wartime allies,
Germany, Austria and Hungary; by Ottoman court martial records;
and by eyewitness accounts of missionaries, diplomats and survivors;
as well as decades of historical scholarship. In the US, President
Bush has called the events the "forced exile and annihilation of
approximately 1.5 million Armenians.’"

Tankian and Garapedian went on to stress that, "The reason why
genocides have continued in the last century – from the Armenian
genocide, to the Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda, to the
genocide going on now in Darfur – is because the international
community has not intervened to stop them. Sadly, the Secretary
General’s decision to stop any mention of the antecedents to the
Rwanda genocide is a blow to those who want to stop genocide now."

The New York Times, Associated Press, and other major news outlets
have reported extensively about the controversy surrounding Turkey’s
pressure to close down the Rwanda Genocide exhibit. The New York Times,
in an April 9th article, explained that, "the panels of graphics,
photos and statements had been installed in the visitors lobby on
Thursday by the British-based Aegis Trust.

The trust campaigns for the prevention of genocide and runs a center
in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, memorializing the 500,000 victims of
the massacres there 13 years ago. Hours after the show was assembled,
however, a Turkish diplomat spotted offending words in a section
entitled ‘What is genocide?’ and raised objections. The passage said
that, ‘following World War I, during which one million Armenians were
murdered in Turkey,’ Raphael Lemkin, a Polish lawyer credited with
coining the word genocide, ‘urged the League of Nations to recognize
crimes of barbarity as international crimes.’"