Category: News

PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENT FOR MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND POLAND
MEET CONSTITUTION OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23. ARMINFO. The provisions of the Agreement on
military cooperation between Armenia and Poland meet the Constitution
of Armenia. Constitutional Court of Armenia made a decision Thursday.
Secretary of Council of national security attached to the president
of Armenia, Defence Minister Serge Sargsian, who was representing
the interests of the president in the sitting hall, said that the
document was signed on Sept 6, 2004 in Warsaw. The agreement is
the first document on development of Armenian-Polish cooperation in
the sphere of defence. According to the document, the cooperation
between Armenia and Poland may develop in the sphere of exchange
of experience, the participation in NATO’s program “Partnership for
Peace”, joint implementation of peacekeeping and humanitarian actions
within the framework of international organizations, fight against
terrorism. The cooperation will also be implemented by joint contacts,
military-political consultations and meetings between the ministers
of defence, commanders of General Headquarters and other high-ranking
military officials, Serge Sargsian informed.
For the document’s coming into force it must be ratified by National
Assembly of Armenia.

Israeli security officials hope for kinder, gentler Bethlehem Christmas
By PETER ENAV
The Associated Press
12/23/04 12:45 EST
JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel is taking special steps to insure a
merry Christmas season in Bethlehem, an Israeli military official
said Thursday, raising hopes for a kinder, gentler holiday in the
traditional birthplace of Jesus after four years of Israeli-Palestinian
violence.
International attention focuses on the West Bank town on Christmas
Eve, so Israeli officials see an improved Christmas atmosphere there
as a boon to Israel’s troubled image.
“The importance of Bethlehem to the Christian world is clear to us,”
said Lt. Col. Aviv Feigel, head of the army’s Bethlehem district
liaison office. “We in the army are preparing ourselves for this
momentous occasion.”
The main difference with previous years is the perception of an
improved atmosphere following the death of Yasser Arafat, though the
military could point to no actual changes in procedures.
Arafat died Nov. 11. Israel accused him of involvement in Palestinian
violence and is hoping for a more pragmatic, nonviolent leadership
to replace him.
Briefing reporters on Israel’s Bethlehem Christmas preparations, Feigel
said Israel would transfer security control there to Palestinian
forces between Dec. 24 and the Armenian Christmas on Jan. 19, and
provide detailed instructions to Israeli soldiers manning Bethlehem
area checkpoints on how to deal with Christian visitors.
Shortly after violence erupted in September 2000, Israel took
control of main West Bank towns and roads, setting up dozens of
roadblocks. Bethlehem is surrounded by Israeli roadblocks, controlling
entry and exit, and the barrier Israel is building in the West Bank
cuts through the town.
Within that framework, the military says it will allow Israeli and
Gaza Christians to visit Bethlehem and will not restrict the numbers
of West Bank Palestinians arriving there.
“Every soldier at the checkpoints will receive a detailed sheet of
information about the importance of Bethlehem to Christians, so they
will know how to behave,” he said.
However, Feigel himself seemed a bit confused by the religious
intricacies of the holiday. In distinguishing Dec. 25 from the separate
Greek Orthodox and Armenian celebrations, he referred to it as the
“Catholic Christmas,” apparently unaware that hundreds of millions
of Protestants celebrate it on the same day.
A town of 40,000 located 6 kilometers (4 miles) south of Jerusalem,
Bethlehem was once a magnet for foreign Christmas visitors, with tens
of thousands crowding Manger Square during the annual midnight mass.
But following the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence in
September 2000, the numbers dropped precipitously, falling to only
2,000 last year.
This year Israeli officials are expecting about 4,000 visitors,
reflecting the recent reduction in violence and more relaxed
atmosphere.
(pe/ml)

‘Clerical leader’s intention to engage in politics contradicts Constitution’
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 23 2004
The Caucasus Clerical Office chairman Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazada’s
intention to engage in politics contradicts constitutional regulations
and laws, chairman of the State Committee on Work with Religious
Organizations Rafig Aliyev said.”Under the existing legislation,
religion is separate from the state, and accordingly, from politics.”
He stated that the law “On Freedom of Conscience” also forbids
religious figures’ involvement in politics.
“The establishment of a democratic, secular and a sovereign state was
the main principle in Heydar Aliyev’s activity. Individuals holding
religion-related positions cannot run for legislative bodies either.
I believe that the Caucasus Clerical Office chairman is aware of these
constitutional provisions. However, in order for the clerical leader
to resemble the Armenian Catalicos Garegin II or Georgian Patriarch
II, and particularly, Ayatollah Khomeni, his aspirations are not
sufficient, as such activity must be consistent with the law.”
Sheikh Pashazada earlier said that he intends to become actively
involved in political activity.

USA to provide equal aid package to Azerbaijan, Armenia
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 23 2004
The US Congress intends to provide equal military assistance to
Azerbaijan and Armenia next year, the US ambassador to Azerbaijan
Reno Harnish said.
Considering Azerbaijan’s active involvement in the anti-terror
coalition, the US President has proposed to set the military
assistance to Azerbaijan in 2005 at $8 million, he said. However, the
US Congress exercised its authority and set the figure at $2 million,
the same package to be allocated to Armenia. But the law on foreign
allocations is not the only source to be used in providing military
aid to Azerbaijan, the ambassador said.
“We highly appreciate cooperation with Azerbaijan in the area of
security and fighting global terror,” said Harnish, adding that the
US administration plans to continue this collaboration in the future.

Putin Gives Positive Assessment of Russia’s 2004
MOSNEWS, Russia
Dec 23 2004
MosNews
Speaking at an annual press conference in the Kremlin Russian president
Vladimir Putin gave the political results of 2004 a “plus sign,
on the whole.”
He said the world was not free from areas of tension, “and they are
not only in the Middle East and Iraq”. Putin also mentioned the Beslan
tragedy that pushed everyone to strengthen antiterrorist and other
measures. The Russian leader stressed that proposals to cancel the
popular vote of governors and to form the Russian parliament according
to party lists were part of those counterterrorist measures.
“It is necessary to work out all the mechanisms that will create a
situation whereby a regional leader feels responsible for the country
and the region’s problems,” Putin said.
Also at the press conference in the Kremlin, broadcast live by Russian
television channels, Putin said the positive trade balance of Russia
in 2004 was $80 billion, while the rise in the gross domestic product
would reach 6.8 percent which corresponds with the rise of the last
five years, and the gross revenue per head is about $4,000 which is
twice as high as in 2000. The state debt of Russia has been reduced by
one third since 1999, Putin said. Gold and exchange currency reserves
have increased by up to 70 percent and are close to $120 billion.
“It is a record figure not only in the history of the Russian
Federation but also for the Soviet Union,” the Russian president
said. “It is important to point out that for the first time the bulk
of gold and exchange currency reserves has exceeded the bulk of the
state external debt.”
The minimum salary for budget workers will rise by a third in 2005,
Putin promised. Inflation will be 8.5 percent. The number of those
unemployed has decreased to 7.4 percent of the workforce, which means
about 5.5 million people, the Russian head of state said.
Putin also touched on Yukos subsidiary Yuganskneftegaz. He said that
the Rosneft oil company had bought it using legal market methods.
Speaking on energy resources, he said that according to the results
of an evaluation, Russia will have enough resources for 45-50 years.
All energy companies in Russia are working successfully, with oil
companies increasing output by five percent, and gas companies by
three percent.
“Our country developed as a superbureaucracy for a long time,
and it has consolidated in the minds of officials and the people,”
Putin said. “The administrative reform is not a fast process. What
the government has done is not enough, but we are heading in the
right direction.”
Speaking on Chechnya, Putin said that there would be no Russian
conscripts in the region from Jan. 1, 2005. It is also necessary to
raise the professionalism of the Russian army. “We are not setting
the task of creating a fully professional army, but professionals
will serve in the units of permanent combat readiness,” Putin said.
“Russian interests in the Caucasus must be harmoniously combined with
those of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia,” Putin said adding that
Russia was ready to mediate in a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Addressing the journalists, Putin described them as his “team”
alongside the government. He added, however, that it was not very
effective to always hold open government meetings. “I hope that
government will hold part of their meetings behind closed doors to
have far more acute discussions.”

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
December 23, 2004
___________________
STEWARDS PAST ARE CELEBRATED, WHILE NEXT GENERATION TAKE UP
RESPONSIBILITIES
Six years ago the parishioners of St. Mary Church of Hollywood, FL,
built a new sanctuary. They had been gathering at St. John the Baptist
in Miami, but the surrounding neighborhood had deteriorated, and they
decided to move to nearby Hollywood.
On Sunday, December 12, 2004, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), joined more
than 100 parishioners at St. Mary to celebrate the new parish’s sixth
anniversary.
“It was exciting because it’s just the beginning,” said Fr. Vartan
Joulfayan, the parish priest in Hollywood. “The sixth anniversary is
not like the 60th. It is the beginning of our new parish, the beginning
of coming together with new parishioners.”
The day of celebration was marked by a ceremony honoring two long-time
stewards and another ordaining the newest leader of the parish.
HONORING THE PAST
Honored during the Divine Liturgy were James and Shocky Pilafian, who
are the surviving founding members of the original St. John the Baptist
Church and on the building committee of St. Mary Church.
“They are truly representatives of a great generation who, throughout
the Diocese, recognized that the Armenian Church is indeed important,
but that the Armenian Church does not live without active parish
leaders,” said Archbishop Barsamian. “They are truly dedicated stewards
of the church, who have shown countless others how to live solid
Christian lives.”
During a touching ceremony, the Primate presented the couple with a
Pontifical Encyclical on behalf of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
“After almost a half century, they received this encyclical for all the
devotion and time and effort and treasure they have given to the
original parish and that they continue to give to this new parish,” Fr.
Joulfayan said of the couple, who because of advanced age are no longer
active in parish leadership but who still, none the less, remain
constant supporters and benefactors of the parish. “They’ve become
stewards of the church. They are very kind, very devoted Christian
people. They are examples for many others who are now following them in
contributing to the life of the parish.”
WELCOMING NEW LEADERSHIP
During the badarak marking the parish anniversary, the Primate also
ordained Ryan Patino, 14, as a tbir. He had been serving the parish as
an altar server for a little more than one year.
“It is very, very important and exciting for parishioners who see a
young person coming forward who is willing to serve his parish and who
also has the faith and the devotion to his or her church,” Fr. Joulfayan
said. “This young man was looking forward to this ordination. He was
humbly willing to take this type of responsibility upon his shoulders.”
He was not the only young parish member to take part in the anniversary
celebration. Harout Esmerian, a young member of the parish, served as
the master of ceremonies during an anniversary banquet. And three
Sunday and Armenian School students offered musical performances to the
120 people at the banquet.
Though a small parish, with only about 60 highly active members and 120
people who attend services and events, Fr. Joulfayan said parish leaders
are committed to making sure people get involved and stay involved in
the church.
“Without the participation of parishioners, the church cannot survive,”
he said. “We would have the walls and dome and stained glass, but
without the soul in it a church cannot survive.”
— 12/23/04
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), presents a Pontifical
Encyclical to James and Shocky Pilafian, founding parishioners at the
St. Mary Church of Hollywood, FL, during a Divine Liturgy celebrating
that parish’s sixth anniversary on Sunday, December 12, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): The Primate ordains Ryan Patino as a tbir during an
anniversary celebration at the St. Mary Church of Hollywood, FL, on
December 12, 2004.
# # #

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 -December 23, 2004
JOHN VARTAN IS ACCORDED THE HONOR
OF A NATIONAL FUNERAL
A National Funeral Service took place for John Vartan, an extraordinary
businessman, and long-time benefactor of the Armenian Church and especially
the Eastern Prelacy, on Saturday, December 18 at the Cathedral Chapel of St.
Lawrence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan presided over the funeral services and the vigil service the
previous evening.
We honor his memory and pray for his soul to rest in everlasting peace.
2005 BIBLE READINGS ON THE WEB
The Bible readings for the entire year of 2005 are now posted on the
Prelacy web page. Visit the web page for this and other news. To reach the
Bible readings go to:
COMMEMORATIONS THIS WEEK
This is a busy week in the Armenian Church with several commemorations
in honor of saints.
DAVID AND JAMES
Today, Thursday, December 23, the Church honors St. David the
Prophet-King and James the brother of the Lord.
David was the youngest of eight brothers and was brought up to be a
shepherd where he learned courage, tenderness and caring. David eventually
became the second king of Israel. In Scripture the name is his alone which
shows the unique place he has as an ancestor and forerunner of our Lord
Jesus Christ. In the New Testament there are more than 50 references to
David, including the title given to Jesus-Son of David. David was also a
poet and some of the Psalms are his creations.
James, the brother of the Lord, became a leader of the early Christian
Church following the Resurrection. Tradition states that he was appointed
first bishop of Jerusalem by the Lord Himself. James was martyred by
stoning.
ST. STEPHEN THE PROTODEACON AND FIRST MARTYR
On Saturday, December 25, the Armenian Church commemorates the life of
St. Stephen the Protodeacon and First Martyr. After Christ’s Ascension the
apostles went about spreading the Word of the new faith. It soon became
apparent that more persons were needed to serve the churches. A selection of
seven worthy individuals were made to serve the holy altar, and called
deacons (sarkavag). The most noteworthy of the original seven deacons was
Stephen and the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr is an important feast
day in the Armenian Church. It is also meant as a special day of honor for
all deacons.
St. Stephen was the first martyr for his faith and is therefore called
Protomartyr.
APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL
On Monday, December 27, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy
Apostles, Peter and Paul.
On the day after the Crucifixion, Jesus came to Paul and asked him to
tell the others apostles of His appearance and give them His message. This,
in spite of the fact that at the time of the judgement of Jesus, Peter
denied knowing Him. Peter was known for his oratory skills and used this
talent to spread the Word and advance Christianity.
The Roman Catholic Church considers Peter as its founder. The Armenian
Church has great love and reverence for the Apostle and the name Peter
(Bedros) is a popular choice for newborns.
JAMES AND JOHN: SONS OF THUNDER
On Tuesday, December 28, the Armenian Church remembers the Apostles
James and John. James, a Galilean fisherman was called with his brother John
to be one of the twelve apostles. They, together with Peter, formed the
inner core among the twelve who were present at the raising of the daughter
of Jairus, the transfiguration, and the agony of Gethsemane. James and John
earned the nickname sons of thunder by Jesus.
CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 25 OR JANUARY 6?
Of course, Saturday is also December 25, the day that all of Christendom
celebrates the birth of our Lord. All, except the Armenians.
Originally all Christians celebrated the birth, the baptism, and the
visit of the Magi on January 6. Of course, there is no such thing as a
correct date, because we do not know when Jesus was born. For a variety of
reasons Rome officially adopted December 25 in the year 336, and this date
gradually became popular. It was decided at the Council of Chalcedon in 451
that all churches should accept December 25 as the date of the Nativity. The
Armenians did not attend Chalcedon because of their war with the Persians
concerning national and religious freedom. Thus, the Armenian Church
remained faithful to the original date and continued to celebrate the birth
and baptism on January 6.
We here at Crossroads had very wise parents who told us it was OK to
celebrate both dates. After all, they said, our Lord deserves to be honored
and remembered with two birthdays. Growing up, December 25 became a more
commercial type of celebration, while January 6 remained very religious,
very Armenian, very introspective, and very much a time to remember and
dedicate ourselves to the principles and teachings of our Lord.
Today is the Feast of the Holy Birth. Glad Tidings.
Of our Lord, and of His Revelation. Glad Tidings.
Today the Son of Righteousness. Glad Tidings.
Has appeared among men. Glad Tidings.
Today the angel of heaven descended. Glad Tidings.
And with us praised the immortal King. Glad Tidings.
>>From an Armenian hymn of the Feast of the Nativity,
Aysor Ton Ee Sourb Dzunundyan, Avetis
Visit our website at

Arafat Authority Owns a Piece Of Bowlmor Lanes
BY RODERICK BOYD – Staff Reporter of the Sun
The New York Sun
Dec 23 2004
Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes is widely known as a popular place
for drinks, children’s parties, or bowling a few games at night or
on the weekend. Less well known is that Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian
Authority gets a cut of every beer bought and pair of shoes rented
at Bowlmor, via the $799 million Palestinian Investment Fund.
Indeed, according to an analysis of the fund’s investment activity
from December 2002 to December 2003 done by Standard & Poor’s,
the Palestinian people have about $40 million worth of American
investments. These include California real-estate holdings, wireless
technology stocks, and a piece of a well-known private equity fund.
The majority of the fund’s investments were in the Middle East,
including a $285 million stake in an Egyptian mobile-phone company,
Orascam Holding SAE, and its affiliates, and a $71 million joint
venture with England’s BG group, to explore for natural-gas deposits
off the coast of the Gaza Strip.
The investment fund’s chairman and CEO, Mohamed Rachid, did not reply
to e-mail inquiries seeking comment.
The S&P valuation of the fund’s assets was commissioned by the fund
when executives of international donors requested an accounting of
the fund’s assets.
To invest in America, the S&P report shows, the fund set up holding
companies in Delaware. Much of the legwork was done by a McLean,
Va.-based private equity fund, SilverHaze Partners LLC, whose managing
partner is Zeid Masri, an American citizen with two relatives on the
fund board, according to Bloomberg News. Mr. Masri did not return
several phone calls from The New York Sun. The fund’s 5.23% ownership
stake in SilverHaze’s management company was valued at $260,000.
In the case of Bowlmor, Mr. Masri set up a Delaware holding company,
Onyx Funds LLC, to invest $1.3 million in the bowling alley’s parent
company, Strike Holdings LLC. S&P valued the stake at $930,000,
citing the illiquid nature of the investment. The valuation did not
disclose whether the investment was profitable or whether dividends
were paid on it.
In a statement sent to the Sun by email, Strike Holdings’ CEO,
Thomas Shannon, said he had taken steps to sever the relationship
with SilverHaze immediately.
“This information was never disclosed to us previously and had we
known the source of these funds, which represents approximately 2%
of our company’s equity, we would never have accepted them,” he said
of the ties to the Palestinian Authority.
Another New York company that received an investment from the
Palestinian fund is Madison Avenue’s Delma Real Estate fund, according
to the valuation documents. The fund owns two buildings in Woodland
Hills and Sherman Oaks, Calif., the documents said. The Palestinian
fund invested in Delma via a wholly-owned subsidiary, Darnel Limited,
that was worth $6.6 million at the end of last year, S&P said. The CEO
of Delma, Kevork Toroyan, did not return a reporter’s call. Mr. Toroyan
is an Armenian, and according to the Web site of a charity with which
he is affiliated, the Armenian Fund, he was a member of a group set
up to support the 1993 Oslo Mideast accords.
The Palestinian Investment Fund, whose chairman, Mr. Rachid, was
installed by Arafat in June, did not have the Midas touch when it
came to timing many of the investments, according to the valuation
documents. For example, beginning in April 2000, SilverHaze’s Mr.
Masri began investing $25 million in fund capital in Internet stocks.
The vehicle Mr. Masri set up to make the investments, Chalcedony LLC,
put only $9.9 million to work before the Internet bubble cracked,
said the valuation report. The investment in Chalcedony – controlled
entirely by Mr. Masri, according to S&P – declined in value to an
estimated $4.4 million.
The Palestinian fund was created on Arafat’s orders by “diverted”
tax receipts Israel collected on goods shipped to the territories,
according to a World Bank report released in June. The diverted funds
– the exact amounts are not known – were supposed to be given to the
Palestinian finance ministry, according to an article in Bloomberg
News’s Markets magazine.
The fund also took a stake in the Canaan Equity Offshore funds,
two investment funds managed by Canaan Partners, a high-profile
private-equity firm with $2 billion under management and offices in
Menlo Park, Calif., and Rowayton, Conn. The Palestinian fund’s stakes
in one of the funds, Canaan Equity Offshore II, was valued at $1.1
million, and its stake in the other, Canaan Equity Offshore III,
was valued at $3.6 million. A call to the fund’s general partner,
Eric Young, was not returned.
One analyst of the finances of both Arafat and the PLO, Manhattan-based
historian Rachel Ehrenfeld, said the “so-called donors” to the
Palestinian Authority – including many member states of the European
Union and the World Bank – who demanded the valuation would not have
wanted to see a full accounting of the Palestinian Authority’s finances
from its inception in 1994.
“Arafat had $10 billion in assets in mid-1994, and this one-year
snapshot contains less than $800 million,” she said. “They don’t want
to know about the other $9 billion because they don’t want to know how
rich Arafat was, or how much he paid to murder thousands of Israelis.”
Ms. Ehrenfeld, who has written and lectured extensively on terrorism
financing, was highly critical of the Palestinian fund’s rush to
transparency.
“It’s nearly useless,” she said of S&P’s valuation work. “It covers
only one year, it’s already a year old, and doesn’t offer any
comparison to the previous years.”

US set to cancel Section 907
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 23 2004
The US Department of State will fully repeal the Section 907 it
passed on Azerbaijan after the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper
Garabagh is settled, the US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish told
journalists last Wednesday. Harnish said that every year President
Bush proposes to the US Congress to suspend execution of Section 907
to the Freedom Support Act,
which prohibits direct US assistance to the Azerbaijani government.
The ambassador also said that his country welcomes the ongoing peace
talks. “The US is very pleased that meetings between the Azerbaijani
and Armenian foreign ministers continue and that further steps will
be taken in this area in January.”
Harnish voiced a hope that such meetings will lead to a fair and
long-term resolution of the conflict through negotiations.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: RUSSIA AS NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT INTERMEDIARY AND
GUARANTOR ONLY
RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 23 2004
MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti) – As far as the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is concerned, Russia is ready to act as an intermediary and
a guarantor only, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
“We have formulated our approach [that is as follows]: we are ready
to act as an intermediary and a guarantor of the agreements possible
between the parties to the conflict – Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the
president said at a news conference on Thursday.
“We do not want to become a long-term unfavorable partner for one
of the parties. We are unwilling to assume responsibility for that,”
President Putin emphasised.
In his opinion, the two sides have to reach agreement on their own.
President Putin underlined that Russia had been present at the
Caucasus for centuries, “We’ve got our own interests in the South
Caucasus. These interests should be assured but, of course, they also
have to go with the interests of other nations, including Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
According to the president, Russia has been pursuing proactive policies
in the region.