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
October 12, 2006
CALLING ALL YOUTH.
YOUR CHURCH. YOUR FUTURE. ENGAGE:
A GATHERING WITH ARAM VEHAPAR
Young adults, ages 18 to 30, are encouraged to make plans to be in
Michigan on the first weekend of December to participated in a gathering
with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.
If you want to learn more about your religious heritage, this weekend is
the perfect time to learn, ask questions, and receive answers. The dates of
the weekend gathering are Saturday, and Sunday December 2 and 3, with
Hrashapar services on Friday evening, December 1. The Midwest was selected
as the site of the event because of its central location accessible to both
the East and West coasts of the United States and Canada.
The theme of the event is “Your Church. Your Future. Engage.” The
committee organizing this event is composed of young adults and they have
put together a challenging agenda for the two-day event. The gathering with
Vehapar is being sponsored by the three Prelacies of North America. For more
information click

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN HEADED TO MIDWEST
Archbishop Oshagan will travel to the Midwest this weekend where he will
visit the parish of St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, Michigan. The Prelate
will celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, and preside over the church’s
44th anniversary celebration.
VICAR WILL ATTEND 160TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
OF ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH
Bishop Anoushavan will represent the Eastern Prelacy at a gala celebration
in honor of the 160th anniversary of the founding of the Armenian
Evangelical Church, tomorrow evening, Friday, October 13, in New Jersey. The
Vicar is one of the main speakers at the event.
VICAR WILL TRAVEL TO OHIO
Bishop Anoushavan will travel to Ohio this weekend where he will
officiate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday at Holy Cross Armenian Church which
serves the Armenian community in the Cleveland area.
CATHOLICOS ARAM I ELECTED PRESIDENT
OF “RELIGIONS FOR PEACE”
At its meeting in Kyoto, Japan in August, Religions for Peace, the
global inter-religious organization, elected His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos
of Cilicia, as one of the organization’s honorary presidents. Founded in
1970 as an international, non-sectarian organization, Religions for Peace is
now the largest coalition of the world’s religious communities.
BIBLE STUDY AT PRELACY
The second session of the eight-session course on the “Letter to the
Hebrews” will take place this Monday, October 16, at the Prelacy from 7:15
pm to 8:45 pm, and will continue on the first and third Mondays of the
month. Sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the
course is conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC.
For information about Bible studies or other Christian education
programs, please contact Dn. Shant by telephone at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail
at [email protected].
CHILDREN’S CONCERT ON NOVEMBER 18
WILL CELEBRATE “FALL COLORS”
Tickets for the children’s concert “Fall Colors” are being sold rapidly,
so don’t hesitate. Reserve your tickets now. Remember that the last children’s
concert was sold out weeks before the event. For details click
M IDWEST DATEV PROGRAM NOVEMBER 10-12
The popular summer Datev program goes on the road again with a weekend
program scheduled in the Midwest, November 10 to 12, at the Colombiere
Retreat and Conference Center, Clarkston, Michigan.
The program will include interactive presentations and instructions on
faith-related topics, discussions of religious and current issues, Bible
studies, short worship services, fellowship and recreational activities.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Deacon Shant Kazanjian will be the
instructors and facilitators.
For information and registration click
.
OCTOBER IS CULTURAL MONTH
October is a special month for Armenians; the entire month has become a
celebration of Armenian culture. This Saturday, October 14, the Armenian
Church commemorates the sacred legacy of the Holy Translators. In the
traditional sense the term “Holy Translators” refers to St. Mesrob, St.
Sahag and their disciples of the fifth century who translated the Holy
Scriptures from Greek into Armenian. But it has taken on a wider scope and
refers to all Church Fathers, including preachers, teachers, theologians,
philosophers, poets, who made significant contributions to the growth of
Armenian culture by bringing God’s Word to the people.
Specifically remembered this Saturday, along with Saint Mesrob are:
Yeghishe, a renowned student of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, who served as
secretary to Vartan Mamigonian and wrote the great history of the Vartanantz
wars; Moses of Khoren, also a student of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob, is revered
as the father of Armenian history; David the Invincible was a student of
Movses, He received most of his education in Athens, where he was given the
title “invincible” because of his brilliance in philosophy; Gregory of Narek
is considered the greatest poet of the Armenian nation and its first and
greatest mystic; Nerses Shnorhali, a great writer, musician, theologian, and
ecumenist.
ORHAN PAMUK RECEIVES NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
It was announced today in Stockholm, Sweden, that the Turkish writer
Orhan Pamuk is the recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature. Pamuk
was charged and brought to trial last year for “insulting Turkishness” by
telling a Swiss newspaper that Turkey was unwilling to deal with two of the
most painful episodes in recent Turkish history: the massacre of Armenians
during World War I and the guerrilla fighting in Turkey’s Kurdish southeast.
“Thirty thousand Kurds and one million Armenians were killed in these lands,
and nobody but me dares to talk about it,” he said in an interview in
February 2005. The charges were dropped following an international outcry in
his defense. The 54-year-old Nobel Laureate is currently a visiting
professor at Columbia University in New York City.
ALSO TODAY.FRENCH PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW
By a vote of 106 to 19, the lower house of the French Parliament today
adopted a law similar to the statute already in effect criminalizing
Holocaust denial, that imposes fines and a potential jail term on those
denying the Armenian Genocide.
“That you may know wisdom and instruction, and understand words of insight.”
(Proverbs 1:2-The first words of Scripture to be translated into Armenian).
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
October 15-Tribute to Aivazovsky, Lecture and Art Exhibit of reproductions
by Karnig Alajajian, 1 pm to 4 pm. Wine and cheese reception. Organized by
Cultural Committee of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, NY. For details
718-224-2275.
October 16-Second session of eight-session Bible study on the “Letter to the
Hebrews” at the Prelacy, 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, first and third Mondays of the
month, sponsored by AREC. Conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian. For information:
212-689-7810.
October 19-22-Annual bazaar, Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland.
October 22-Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration.
October 22-“The Way We Were,” a humorous and enlightening look at the past
through song and dance, 1 pm at Pashalian Hall, St. Illuminator’s Cathedral,
New York City.
October 29-72nd anniversary of Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts.
November 3-4-51st Annual Bazaar of St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, with special program for children on Saturday afternoon. For
information 617-924-7562.
November 3-4- Ladies Guild Food Festival, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
November 3, 4, 5-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual
Bazaar and Food Festival. For information 201-943-2950.
November 5-Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
November 5-36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian
Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts.
November 10-12-Mini Datev program for teens, ages 13 to 18. At Colombiere
Retreat Conference Center in Clarkston, Michigan.
November 11-42nd Anniversary of Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, in
the church hall.
November 11-12-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual “Armenian Fest” at
Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.
November 17 & 18-Annual Bazaar, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts.
November 18-Children’s Concert, “FALL COLORS”, sponsored by the Eastern
Prelacy at Florence Gould Hall, Alliance Francaise, New York City, featuring
TALINE AND FRIENDS.
November 26-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
First Episcopal Badarak in Philadelphia by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian.
December 9-Men’s Club Steak Dinner, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
December 1-3-Gathering of the Youth with Catholicos Aram I, Hyatt Regency,
Dearborn, Michigan.
December 24-Sunday School Christmas Pageant, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Visit our website at

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x106
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Never Too Young for Camp Nubar – Inaugural Young Professionals Retreat
Opens Cabin Doors & Hearts to AGBU
Andes, NY – Forty Armenians from greater New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, and even Monaco, joined the AGBU Young Professionals of
Greater New York (YPGNY) and YP Boston in kicking off their inaugural
joint retreat at AGBU Camp Nubar from August 18-20, 2006. While making
friends and memories in the scenic Catskill Mountains of upstate New
York, YP campers enjoyed the summer weekend getaway complete with a
variety of indoor and outdoor activities, such as swimming, boating,
tennis, yoga, basketball and hiking.
By uniting sister YP communities on the recently renovated grounds of
Camp Nubar, guests were provided the unique opportunity to connect in
a tranquil setting far away from hectic city life. “The AGBU YP
Retreat to Camp Nubar was a wonderful experience, and gave the
northeast chapters an opportunity to meet each other and enjoy the
beauty of the Catskill Mountains,” said Stephan Nigohosian of
Ridgewood, NJ. “It also promoted a feeling of extended family among
the campers, and strengthened the Armenian bond among the
up-and-coming generation.”
YPGNY ([email protected]) and YP Boston ([email protected]) are
committed to upholding the mission of AGBU to preserve and promote the
Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs. For more information on AGBU Young
Professionals, please visit the Programs section of

Orhan Pamuk wins Nobel prize
Richard Lea and agencies
Thursday October 12, 2006
Guardian Unlimited (United Kingdom)
The Turkish author Orhan Pamuk, whose trial on charges of “insulting
Turkishness” was dropped earlier this year, has won the 2006 Nobel
prize for literature.
The Swedish Academy praised the author’s work, which includes the
bestselling novels Snow and My Name is Red and a memoir of his home
city, Istanbul, saying that “in the quest for the melancholic soul of
his native city [he] has discovered new symbols for the clash and
interlacing of cultures.”
Pamuk’s work, which has achieved both critical and commercial success
in Turkey and beyond, examines questions of identity, and explores the
transformations of modern Turkish society.
The announcement by Horace Engdahl, head of the Swedish Academy, in
Stockholm this lunchtime drew a brief but intense round of applause.
At 7-1, 54-year-old Pamuk was third favourite with bookmakers
Ladbrokes in the run up to the prize, after the perennial Nobel
contender Ali Ahmad Said, the Syrian poet better known as Adonis (3-1)
and the American author Joyce Carol Oates (6-1).
The award follows last year’s decision by the Academy to honour the
playwright Howard Pinter, who used his acceptance speech to launch an
attack on US foreign policy.

Point de vue
Guérir la plaie de notre histoire, par Elif Shafak
,1-0,36 -822731,0.html
LE MONDE | 12.10.06 | 15h16 . Mis à jour le 12.10.06 | 15h16
Il y a trois semaines à Istanbul, par une journée venteuse et pluvieuse, je
comparaissais devant la justice. J’étais accusée d'”insulte à l’identité
turque” dans mon dernier roman, Baba ve piç (“le père et le btard”, non
traduit en français), une saga sur deux familles, les Kazanci, des Turcs, et
les Tchakmakchian, des Arméniens. A priori très différentes, ces deux
familles avaient une chose en commun : un passé douloureux. Mon livre
racontait l’histoire pleine de douleur mais aussi de promesses de ces
familles, à travers le regard de plusieurs générations de femmes, et en
particulier celui des grands-mères arménienne et turque. Bien qu’il aborde
des souvenirs pénibles et des tabous politiques, le roman a reçu en Turquie
un accueil chaleureux. Il a été beaucoup lu et commenté librement par de
larges pans de la société. Puis un groupe d’avocats ultranationalistes a
porté plainte contre moi pour avoir “pris le parti des Arméniens et trahi
les Turcs”. L’affaire a été portée en justice et un long processus
d’interrogatoires et de jugements a débuté.
L’article 301 du code pénal turc a été utilisé maintes fois pour engager des
poursuites contre des esprits critiques, journalistes, rédacteurs en chef,
éditeurs, écrivains… De ce point de vue, mon procès n’était que l’énième
affaire d’une longue série d’actions en justice. Pourtant, ce procès avait
aussi quelque chose de particulièrement étrange et d’inédit. Pour la
première fois, c’était une oeuvre de fiction que l’on accusait d'”insulte à
l’identité turque”.
Plus précisément, c’était sur les personnages arméniens de mon roman que les
projecteurs étaient braqués. Ainsi, dans un passage, l’un des personnages en
cause, tante Varsenig, déclare avec ferveur : “Dites-moi combien de Turcs,
dans l’histoire, ont appris l’arménien. Aucun ! Pourquoi nos mères ont-elles
appris leur langue et pas l’inverse ? Qui domine qui, c’est clair, non ? Une
poignée de Turcs arrive d’Asie centrale et en moins de temps qu’il n’en faut
pour le dire, ils sont partout, et qu’est-il arrivé aux millions d’Arméniens
qui étaient là avant ? Assimilés ! Massacrés ! Orphelins ! Déportés ! Et
enfin oubliés !” Mes détracteurs ultranationalistes soutenaient qu’en
faisant de telles affirmations mon roman diffusait la thèse du “génocide
arménien” et devait pour cela être condamné.
Tant que cet article 301 n’est pas amendé ou amélioré, la Turquie connaîtra
d’autres procès de ce genre, en particulier sur les sujets tabous comme la
question arménienne. Mais, à l’heure où le Parlement français s’apprête à
voter la “loi sur le génocide arménien”, je ne peux m’empêcher de craindre
que des raisonnements semblables ne soient faits en France.
L’histoire de toute nation a ses épisodes déplorables, et la Turquie ne fait
pas exception. Le déni de cette réalité et le rejet de toute mention des
événements de 1915 est la pierre d’achoppement sur laquelle bute la
démocratie dans mon pays. Il est essentiel de favoriser la prise de
conscience des grands événements du passé, aussi sombres soient-ils. Car la
mémoire est à la fois une responsabilité et la condition préalable de toute
culture démocratique aboutie. Nous, les Turcs, pouvons et devons partager la
peine des Arméniens et respecter leur douleur. Nous, les Turcs, pouvons et
devons être capables d’affronter les pages sombres de notre passé. Nous
pouvons parler des erreurs de nos grands-pères, non pour semer les graines
d’une nouvelle hostilité, mais pour construire un meilleur avenir à nos
enfants.
Mais la proposition législative française ne contribuera certainement pas à
résoudre ce problème historique profondément enraciné. Lorsque des Etats
tentent d’imposer une seule version de l’histoire au détriment de toutes les
autres, c’est non seulement la liberté d’expression mais aussi l’intérêt
authentique pour l’histoire que l’on réprime. Même avec de bonnes
intentions, de telles initiatives ne peuvent qu’envenimer les choses.
L’histoire de la Turquie avec les Arméniens est un sujet délicat pour toutes
les parties concernées, et la guérison de cette vieille blessure n’est
possible que si un nombre croissant d’individus, turcs et arméniens,
commencent à s’écouter les uns les autres.
En Turquie, les opinions sont violemment tranchées. D’un côté, les partisans
de la liberté de pensée et de la démocratie libérale, qui estiment que le
pays devrait affronter son passé. De l’autre, les opposants farouches à la
candidature turque à l’entrée dans l’Union européenne, qui souhaitent que le
pays reste un Etat-nation insulaire, isolé et xénophobe, coupé de
l’Occident. Or, si l’Etat français fait pression sur la Turquie par le biais
d’une loi, cela jouera exclusivement en faveur de ces derniers.
L’intransigeance nourrit l’intransigeance : les sentiments anti-turcs en
Europe exacerberont le nationalisme turc, et réciproquement. Le retour de
bton est déjà perceptible. Alors que certains journaux appellent au boycott
des produits français, plusieurs hommes politiques évoquent de possibles
mesures de rétorsion, avec par exemple l’adoption d’une loi sur le “génocide
français en Algérie”.
Mais il y a plus grave : la loi française n’améliorera en rien les relations
entre Arméniens et Turcs moyens. Les événements de 1915 et leurs stigmates
dans le coeur de ces deux peuples restent une plaie ouverte que ne peuvent
toucher et guérir que les Arméniens et les Turcs, ensemble, par le dialogue
et l’empathie. Pour que cela se produise, il faut que toujours plus de gens
aient le courage et la vision nécessaires pour transcender les frontières
nationales et les dogmes nationalistes. Le véritable changement viendra d’en
bas, non d’en haut, et sera le fait des individus et des peuples, non des
Etats et des hommes politiques.
Si l’Etat français adopte cette loi, les intransigeants prendront l’avantage
en Turquie. Puis, dans le tumulte de la politique de représailles, ce sera
l’escalade verbale machiste et nationaliste. Et, une fois de plus, ce sont
les histoires des femmes arméniennes et turques, des grand-mères arméniennes
et turques, qui retomberont dans le silence…
Traduit de l’anglais par Julie Marcot ©
Elif Shafak est romancière.
Elif Shafak
Article paru dans l’édition du 13.10.06

PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL ROYAL SAYS TURKEY MUST ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN KILLINGS AS GENOCIDE
International Herald Tribune, France
The Associated Press
Oct 11 2006
PARIS French presidential hopeful Segolene Royal said Wednesday that
Turkey must recognize the mass killing of Armenians in the early 20th
Century as a genocide if it hopes to join the European Union.
Royal, a Socialist, also said she was in favor of a bill to go before
France’s parliament Thursday that would make it a crime to deny that
the killings amounted to genocide.
Turkish anger over the bill forced a delay in the initial debate, which
had been set for May, as lawmakers caved in to warnings by Turkish
authorities that bilateral ties would suffer if the bill became law.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, commenting Wednesday on
the bill, said France would compromise its values if the measure
became law.
“We’ve done everything we can,” Gul said. “If this passes, Turkey will
lose nothing. But France will first lose Turkey … it will turn into
a country that throws people in jail for expressing their thoughts, for
expressing their ideas, for stating what is in historical documents.”
Royal, a lawmaker hoping for the Socialist Party’s nomination as 2007
presidential candidate, aligned herself with the official stance
that Turkey must recognize the killings as genocide if it wants
EU membership.
“It is obvious that if Turkey wants to confirm its candidacy and one
day enter Europe, it is obvious that it must recognize the Armenian
genocide,” she said at a news conference called to set out her
positions on Europe.
She added that she was for the legislation going before parliament.
“We have no lessons to give anyone and, at the same time, something
has to be done.”
On other issues, Royal called for Europe to immediately establish aid
to the Palestinian territories, and supported continued diplomatic
efforts to counter fears that Iran is looking to develop nuclear arms.
Meanwhile, about 40 Turkish demonstrators gathered at the Place de la
Concorde, facing the National Assembly, to denounce the bill making
it a crime to deny Armenian genocide.
“The Armenian genocide is an imperialist lie,” said Yalcin Buyukdagh,
who identified himself as the presidential counsel of the Workers
Party in Turkey.
“If France votes ‘yes’ to this law, it will have officially taken a
position as an enemy of Turkey,” he said.
In Ankara, lawmakers, looking to retaliate against Paris, discussed
proposals to recognize an “Algerian genocide” during France’s colonial
rule there, which ended in 1962 after a brutal war.
Armenians claim that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed between 1915-1923 in an organized campaign to force them out
of eastern Turkey. However, Turkey contends that a large number of
people died in civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
French President Jacques Chirac visited the Armenian capital of Yerevan
– the first by a French president – less than two weeks ago and urged
Turkey to acknowledge a genocide.
___
Associated Press Writer Emily Withrow in Paris contributed to this
report.
PARIS French presidential hopeful Segolene Royal said Wednesday that
Turkey must recognize the mass killing of Armenians in the early 20th
Century as a genocide if it hopes to join the European Union.
Royal, a Socialist, also said she was in favor of a bill to go before
France’s parliament Thursday that would make it a crime to deny that
the killings amounted to genocide.
Turkish anger over the bill forced a delay in the initial debate, which
had been set for May, as lawmakers caved in to warnings by Turkish
authorities that bilateral ties would suffer if the bill became law.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, commenting Wednesday on
the bill, said France would compromise its values if the measure
became law.
“We’ve done everything we can,” Gul said. “If this passes, Turkey will
lose nothing. But France will first lose Turkey … it will turn into
a country that throws people in jail for expressing their thoughts, for
expressing their ideas, for stating what is in historical documents.”
Royal, a lawmaker hoping for the Socialist Party’s nomination as 2007
presidential candidate, aligned herself with the official stance
that Turkey must recognize the killings as genocide if it wants
EU membership.
“It is obvious that if Turkey wants to confirm its candidacy and one
day enter Europe, it is obvious that it must recognize the Armenian
genocide,” she said at a news conference called to set out her
positions on Europe.
She added that she was for the legislation going before parliament.
“We have no lessons to give anyone and, at the same time, something
has to be done.”
On other issues, Royal called for Europe to immediately establish aid
to the Palestinian territories, and supported continued diplomatic
efforts to counter fears that Iran is looking to develop nuclear arms.
Meanwhile, about 40 Turkish demonstrators gathered at the Place de la
Concorde, facing the National Assembly, to denounce the bill making
it a crime to deny Armenian genocide.
“The Armenian genocide is an imperialist lie,” said Yalcin Buyukdagh,
who identified himself as the presidential counsel of the Workers
Party in Turkey.
“If France votes ‘yes’ to this law, it will have officially taken a
position as an enemy of Turkey,” he said.
In Ankara, lawmakers, looking to retaliate against Paris, discussed
proposals to recognize an “Algerian genocide” during France’s colonial
rule there, which ended in 1962 after a brutal war.
Armenians claim that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed between 1915-1923 in an organized campaign to force them out
of eastern Turkey. However, Turkey contends that a large number of
people died in civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
French President Jacques Chirac visited the Armenian capital of Yerevan
– the first by a French president – less than two weeks ago and urged
Turkey to acknowledge a genocide.
___
Associated Press Writer Emily Withrow in Paris contributed to this
report.

CHIRAC & FRENCH GOVERNMENT AGAINST ARMENIAN BILL
Zaman, Turkey
Oct 11 2006
The French government and the ruling party have differing views on
the Armenian bill. Both the French president and the French government
evidently oppose the Armenian bill in the French National Assembly.
Chirac repeated his opposition even in his speeches in Armenia, where
he mostly dwelled on the issue. However, Internal Affairs Minister
Nicholas Sarkozy and his right hand man Patrick Deveciyan support
the Armenian bill. By supporting the bill, Sarkozy may be trying
to undermining Chirac’s camp, his main opponent in the upcoming
presidential elections.
Foreign Minister Douste Blazy made a strong speech last May speaking
out against the bill.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SARKOZY’S POLITICAL ADVISER CRITICIZES ARMENIAN BILL
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris
Zaman, Turkey
Oct 11 2006
Francois Fillon, political adviser to Internal Minister Nicholas
Sarkozy, opposes the Armenian bill due before the French National
Assembly on Thursday.
Fillon, Sarkozy’s right hand man, said that the Armenian bill, which
would make it a crime to deny that Turkey perpetrated a genocide
against Armenians, was “a real mistake” and he called on French
parliamentarians to say “no” during tomorrow’s session.
In a statement to the French news channel LCI, Fillon admitted that
the French should stop enacting laws about historical issues. Fillon
also added that the Armenian issue had nothing to do with Turkey’s EU
membership process and he criticized those claiming that this should
be made a precondition.
One of the architects of the 2001 law recognizing the Armenian
genocide, socialist Jack Lang, the former minister of culture, has
reiterated that he is against the new bill. Speaking to the French
daily newspaper Liberation, Lang said that this new Armenian bill
would be against freedom of expression and unconstitutional.

COOPERATION AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN LORI MARZ AND PROVENCE ALPES COTE D’AZUR
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The existence of the French Armenian
community is greatly conducive to the development of friendship and
cooperation between Armenia and France, which is also evidenced by
establishment of mutual cooperation between various regions of the two
countries. The Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian stated this
on October 10 when receiving the chairman of the regional council of
the French province of Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur Michele Vosel and
the delegation headed by him. The delegation is in Armenia with the
aim of approving some cooperation programs with Lori marz.
A. Margarian said that it is no accident that friendly links have
already been established among 22 Armenian and French cities and
cooperation programs are underway.
He also attached importance to the fact that the delegation’s visit
is taking place in the days following the events of significance to
Armenia – the visit of French president to Armenia and the start of
Year of Armenia in France. He expressed his confidence that all the
agreements reached between the two presidents in the political and
economic spheres will be successfully continued.
M. Vosel also underlined the great importance of marking Year of
Armenia in France in terms of promoting the bilateral cooperation. He
noted that numerous events with the active participation of many
French and French-Armenian organizations will be held in Provence,
a French province with the greatest number of Armenian inhabitants. He
expressed his satisfaction at the agreement on cooperation in various
spheres, which was recently signed between Lori marz and Provence
in Vanadzor, stating with confidence that all the envisaged programs
will be successfully implemented.
During the meeting, the sides also addressed issues related to
Armenia’s Eurointegration process, the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide and regulation of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

ACCORDING TO UNOFFICIAL INFORMATION, ARMENTEL SOLD TO ARAB CONSORTIUM
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. 90% of shares of the
telecommunication company ArmenTel that belong to OTE company (Greece)
have been sold to the Arab consortium Emirates Telecomminications
Corporation (ETISALAT)/ Istithmar PJSC/Emergent Telecom Venures
(ETV) for 600 million USD. The news agency Regnum reported that
this information was neither confirmed nor refuted by ArmeTel
itself. According to spokeswoman for ArmenTel Hasmik Chutilian, she
has no information about the winner of the international tender. In the
words of spkeswoman for the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication
Tamara Galechian, the minsiter is away on a business trip so she can’t
get any information about the new owner of 90% of ArmenTel’s shares.
It is worth mentioning that last year OTE announced a tender for
sale of 90% of ArmenTel’s shares. 16 companies participated in
the tender, with the Russian companies VympelKom and MTC, as well
companies ETISALAT (Emirates Telecommunications Corporation/Istithmar
ETV/Emergent Telecom Ventures) and VTEL Holdings/Knightsbridge
Associated reaching the second stage of the tender.
To recap, in 1997 OTE acquired 90% of shares of the telecommunication
company ArmenTel for 142.47 million USD through an international
tender. 10% of ArmenTel’s shares belong to the Armenian government.
Recently the RA Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik
Margarian stated that the purchaser of ArmenTel’s shares must waive
the right of monopoly on a number of activities, and the companies
intending to acquire the company’s shares agreed with this requirement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HRANT DINK IS READY TO STATE IN FRANCE THAT “TURKS DID NOT CONDUCT GENOCIDE”
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006
ISTANBUL, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. If Frenchmen
adopts the draft law considering denial of the genocide as a crime,
“Akos” editor Hrant Dink will go to France, and how much he believes
the opposite, unfortunately, he will insist that Turks did not conduct
a genocide. According to the “Milliyet,” H.Dink made such a statement,
adding that to puhish in Turkey people recognizing the genocide and
to punish people in France denying the genocide is the same thing and
the one who is against violation of the freedom of opinion in Turkey,
must be against it in France as well. “If I’m sentenced here, I’ll
be sentenced there as well,” Dink said. He also expressed an opinion
that the French draft will damage the Armenian-Turkish relations and
will weaken possibility of ideological exchanges.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress