LEO PLATVOET REPORTED ON HIS VISIT TO NK AND ABKHAZIA IN THE PACE MIGRATION, REFUGEES AND POPULATION COMMITTEE MEETING
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2006
Co- chairs of International Working Group for searching war prisoners,
missing persons and hostages Svetlana Gannushkina, Bernhard Klazen,
Armenian coordinator Carina Minasyan, Azerbaijani coordinator Evez
Hasanov and coordinator from Nagorno Garabagh Albert Voskanyan are
in Strasburg, APA European bureau reports.
They met with PACE Rapporteur on the Captures and Missing Persons
in South Caucasus Leo Platvoet. The working group representatives
took part in the meeting of PACE Migration, Refugees and Population
Committee meeting. Leo Platvoet reported on the visit to Nagorno
Garabagh and Abkhazia in the meting. Then the co-chairs discussed
the activities of the organization in Nagorno Garabagh conflict
settlement. They said both sides of the conflict should take upon
themselves commitments to provide opportunity for efficient activity
of the group.

THE LOGICAL BASIS FOR RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE
by Ali Bulac
Zaman, Turkey
Oct 5 2006
When we take the matter into consideration with a cool head, we
come to this conclusion in regard to the Pope’s words: Claiming that
in Islam “there is no connection between the nature of God and the
nature of the mind,” the Pope implied via the Byzantine Emperor that
“the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and, consequently, Muslims resort to
unreasonable violence, that is, they identify Islam with the sword.”
In order to understand whether or not this claim has any true value,
we must ask these questions:
-If as claimed, Islam resorts to unreasonable violence due to its
teachings, and is spread by means of the sword, how were Christians,
Jews, Sabeans, Magians,Yazidis, Buddhists, animists and those
holding other beliefs able to preserve, in addition to their physical
existence, their beliefs, places of worship, traditions, customs and
cultural existence from Vienna to the Great Wall of China and from
Morocco to Yemen at a time and place when Muslims used their swords
skillfully and others didn’t?
-And in connection to this, why haven’t any different religious groups,
Muslims and Jews in particular, been able to preserve their existence
in all the places where Western Christianity has entered?
It’s not just a claim that Christians and members of other religions
under Muslim rule have been able to preserve their existence until
today; it’s a concrete fact. Saying that “the Pope’s words, which
hurt Islam and Muslims, are contrary to Christian doctrine,” Priest
Shenouda of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church states that “they
comprise approximately 10% of the 73 million Egyptian population”
and that they “follow the traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Church”
without any oppression. This is important in relation to the reality
of today’s Islamic world.
It’s helpful to make this small note: Turkey is the country where
according to the general population, the fewest non-Muslims live
(in a population of 72 million, there are approximately 400 thousand
Greeks, 65 thousand Armenians and 20 thousand Jews). Unfortunately,
since the first quarter of the 20th century Turkey has been the
most troublesome for them. The dialectic of “the model country that
harmonizes religion with democracy” doesn’t have a side that can be
defended or embraced by either the Muslim population or non-Muslims.
Keeping the Heybeliada Monastic School closed in a nonsensical way,
denying the ecumenical status of the Phanar Patriarchate and tying
it to a district head office, making unfair prohibitions on religious
community foundations, and almost punishing non-Muslims by acting on
the basis of the “rule of reciprocity” that has no just basis in the
usage of citizen rights are not statutes and applications from the
Islamic religion and Ottoman model. Islam doesn’t have these kinds
of prohibitions, and they weren’t enforced historically. Within this
framework, the guarantee of basic rights and freedoms for non-Muslims
like other citizens is one of the important steps that need to be
taken. If help is expected from non-Muslims outside of Turkey, first
the situation needs to be improved and their rights have to be given
fully. Later, if they are found to be involved in “dirty relations”
with foreign countries, of course, they can be addressed within legal
parameters. Perhaps then non-Muslim leaders will appear at critical
times like these and defend Turkey like Priest Shenouda of the Egyptian
Coptic Church did. Still, forgetting for a moment the difficulties
he has seen, Patriarch Mutafyan of the Armenian Church said, “It’s
necessary to remind the Pope of the history of the Crusades.”
Finally, in relation to this subject, there is an important point
that those who are waiting for an “apology” have forgotten regarding
theology: the Pope “can’t apologize” because according to belief he
is a “creature that is infallible and can’t be made to err.” If he
“apologizes,” he will have lost this basic attribute. This alone
is sufficient to give us an idea about the Catholic Christian’s
connection to the “nature of the mind.” Actually, the Pope is only
a man who can become confused; he’s a human and he can be fooled,
forget, change his mind, evolve or forego some of his views. When
Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, he did not stop being
human like the rest of us. This infallibility can historically be seen
by the fathers of the Catholic Church, who persistently and stubbornly
said that the world was “flat” even after it was understood that the
world is round, and they burned those who opposed this. I wonder what
the logical basis for this violence was.

STOP BARBARIAN DESTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN CHURCHES IN AZERBAIJAN
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2006
According to the information DE FACTO Information-Analytics Agency
received at the reliable sources, on the first days of October the
St. Sargis Church built in 1716 had been destroyed in the village of
Erkej, Shahumyan region, controlled by Azerbaijan.
DE FACTO Information-Analytics Agency again urges the world’s
humanitarian organizations, clergymen of all confessions to demand
that Azerbaijan stop barbarian destruction of the Armenian churches
on the territories controlled by the Republic. We call on the UNESCO
and the CIS and OSCE competent structures to hold monitoring on the
territories and put the rest of the monuments of the Armenian temple
architecture in Azerbaijan under control.

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES OF SAFAROV’S FAMILY TO VISIT HUNGARY LATE OCTOBER EARLY NOVEMBER
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2006
Ramil Safarov sentenced for lifetime prison for murdering Armenian
officer Gurgen Margarian called the legal representative of his family
Ikram Shirinov, the lawyer told the APA.
He said Safarov feels good and prepares to the trial. Shirinov has sent
some documents and translated materials concerning the case to Safarov.
The lawyer will visit Hungary late October and for preparation to
Appeal Court .Within the visit the lawyers will meet with Safarov
and his Hungarian lawyer. Shirinov also stated that a contract was
signed with the Hungarian lawyer in Appeal Court “Necessary measures
are being taken together with Azerbaijan Prosecutor’s Office, Defense
and Foreign Ministries and Azerbaijan Embassy in Hungary for efficient
defense of Safarov in the Court of Appeal,” he said.
Shirinov also said that the trial date will be defined at the
beginning of next year. He stressed the necessity of careful approach
to the case.
“Non specialists should avoid of speaking about this case in media.
Unfortunately, it plays a great role in passing unfair decision in
the court,” he said.
Elmar Kerimov will defend Safarov’s family’s rights together with.

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 ARAM I HAS BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF “RELIGIONS FOR PEACE”
GLOBAL INTER-RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION
Meeting in Kyoto, Japan (August 26-29, 2006) for its Eight Assembly,
the Religions for Peace, the global inter-religious organization has
elected His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, as one of its
honorary presidents.
Founded in 1970 as an international, nonsectarian organization,
Religions for Peace is now the largest coalition of the world’s
religious communities.
The Religions for Peace Eighth World Assembly returned to Kyoto, the
site of its historic first Assembly in 1970. Since then, Religions
for Peace World Assemblies in Louvain, Belgium (1974), Princeton,
New Jersey, USA (1979), Nairobi, Kenya (1984), Melbourne, Australia
(1989), Rome, Italy (1994) and Amman, Jordan (1999), have brought
the world’s religious communities together to address the critical
global challenges of our time from a faith perspective.
The Religions for Peace Eighth World Assembly was the world’s
largest and most diverse multi-religious assembly. More than 800
high level delegates came from the Religions for Peace network
of more than 70 national and regional affiliated inter-religious
councils and groups. It also included Buddhist, Christian, Hindu,
Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Shinto, Zoroastrian and Indigenous
leaders. Representatives of governments, development agencies and
civil society also attended the Assembly.
The Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi welcomed the religious
leaders at the opening ceremony. In his message, the UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan wrote, “By standing together in multi-religious
alliances, you are well-placed to be effective agents for peace”.
Due to the situation in Lebanon, His Holiness Aram I was not able to
attend the Assembly. Commenting on the Assembly, Catholicos Aram I
said: “Religions must become the avant-garde of global struggle for
peace with justice”.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and mission 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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION REGISTERS SHUSHA TV TO AZERBAIJAN’S NAME
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2006
International Telecommunication Union has registered Shusha TV channel
as Azerbaijan’s although it is being used by Armenians, Azerbaijani CIT
Ministry’s Teleradio Unit technical director Mikayil Abbasov told APA.
Transition of the channel of Shusha TV to the other one and all issues
of this channel have to be agreed with Azerbaijan. He said Armenian
TV channels are broadcasting in some territories of Azerbaijan
currently. Because of the close distance between the borders, the
mutual interference of the channels is natural.
“The outside channels have some interference but they can’t impede
our broadcasting,” he said.

IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE TO GO ON STREAM IN EARLY 2007
Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
Oct 5 2006
Tehran, Oct 5, IRNA
Iran-Armenia-Gas pipeline
A pipeline to transfer Iranian gas to Armenia is to go on stream
in early 2007, Reza Kasaiizadeh, managing director of the National
Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), said here on Wednesday.
“First, Iran will export 3 million cu. m. of gas per day to Armenia.
The figure will gradually reach 10 million cu. m. of gas per day,
according to the schedule,” he was quoted by Tehran Times as saying
on Thursday.
Shifting to the Iran-Turkey gas pipeline, he said that exports of
Iranian gas to Turkey resumed on October 2 after they were disrupted
by an explosion last Thursday which damaged a partion of the pipeline.
“The explosion was the first of a kind occurred at Iran’s border.
NIGC is pursuing plans to increase security in border regions in
order to prevent such events in future,” he added.
He also said that Iran currently exports 20 million cu. m. of gas to
Turkey per day.

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
October 4, 2006
Highest Ranking Muslim Cleric in Syria Visits Armenia
In continuation of the unprecedented inter-faith and inter-religious
dialogues and visitations during the pontificate of His Holiness
Karekin II, His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Badr Ad-Din Hassoun, the
Mufti of Aleppo and spiritual leader of the Muslims of the Syrian Arab
Republic, traveled to Armenia last month upon the invitation of the
Catholicos of All Armenians.  The visit of the Chief Mufti of Syria
occurred less than one year following the visit of the Chief Rabbi
of Israel to Holy Etchmiadzin as a guest of His Holiness.
Sheikh Ad-Din Hassoun was accompanied by Sheikh Abdul Fattah Al Bizem,
Mufti of Damascus; Mr. Basel Kas Nasrallan, Secretary for Christian and
Islamic Relations for the Syrian Arab Republic; and Sheikh Muhammad
Abir Hassoun.  Also accompanying the high-ranking delegation was
His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese
of Damascus.
Arriving in Holy Etchmiadzin on September 2, the Chief Mufti was
received by the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Pontifical
Residence.  Welcoming Sheikh Ad-Din Hassoun to the headquarters of
the Armenian Church, His Holiness stated, “We are most happy that
your visit to Armenia has given us the opportunity to renew our
friendship and express our respect for the Syrian people.”  His
Holiness, recalling his visit to Aleppo in 2001 where he was very
warmly received, continued, “It was a great consolation for us and
our people to witness the love and respect of the Syrian people and
authorities when we visited Der Zor.  We and our predecessors have
always appreciated the brotherhood and friendship of the Arab peoples,
which was most highly manifested in the years following the Armenian
Genocide, when your nation and many others received the survivors
and their descendants in your hospitable lands, giving them the
opportunity to reestablish their lives and families.”
Sheikh Ad-Din Hassoun thanked the Pontiff of All Armenians for the
warm welcome, congratulating him and all Armenians throughout the
world on the 15th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of
Armenia.  The Chief Mufti spoke of the good relations between Armenia
and Syria and added that the people of Syria received the Armenians
fleeing genocide not as immigrants, but as brothers.  Sheikh Ad-Din
Hassoun also stressed the necessity for peace and tolerance in the
world, and the cooperation and ever-present communication among the
leaders of world religions.  “The past has given us a history of blood
and suffering.  The future must hold a different path for mankind”,
stated the Mufti.
As part of the three-day visit of the Syrian religious leader,
the Chief Mufti and his delegation also visited the Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial and Museum of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan.  In tribute
to the 1.5 million victims of the first genocide of the 20th century,
Sheikh Ad-Din Hassoun stated, “If nations followed their religions,
such crimes would never happen…”
##
–Boundary_(ID_tPwx6htL0+GJ9R 0RqP0ruw)–

SABANCI: WHILE WE TRY TO LIFT ARTICLE 301, FRANCE ACTS AFRAID OF TRUTH
Hurriyet, Turkey
Oct 5 2006
As part of the “Turkey Week” sponsored by the Turkish Industrialists
and Business Foundation (TUSIAD), a panel entitled “European Global
Struggles and Turkey” took on the controversial topic of France’s
approach towards Armenian claims of genocide. With an upcoming debate
in the French Parliament on a law which would forbid public denial of
the so-called Armenian genocide, TUSIAD President Omer Sabanci spoke
yesterday about how this law contrasted with Turkey’s hotly debated
article 301 from the Turkish Penal Code.
Answering questions after the panel, Sabanci reminded reporters that
TUSIAD was at the forefront in Turkey of putting pressure on Ankara
to either alter or remove article 301 from the Turkish Penal Code. He
then said “And while we take these steps towards freedom of expression,
I cannot understand how France is embracing a stance which would limit
freedom of expression. This stance seem to me to be the stance of a
country which fears something.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE+++ PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Contact: Lerna Kayserian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Build a Genocide Memorial
in Sacramento
Glendale, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America –
Western Region welcomed the signing of AB 1210, which calls for the
construction of an International Genocide Monument in Sacramento’s
State Capitol Park.
The California State Legislature took the first step this year
in working to construct an International Genocide Memorial in the
State’s Capitol. Authored by State Assembly member Lloyd Levine,
AB 1210 was introduced in 2005 and is currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee. The bill establishes the International
Genocide Memorial Commission and authorizes the construction of a
memorial to California’s genocide survivors in the Capitol Historic
Park. However, AB 1210 prohibits the expenditure of state funding
for both the Genocide Memorial Commission and the construction of the
memorial. Funding for the construction will only be provided through
private contributions.
“We should never forget the inhumanity and brutality of genocide,”
said Governor Schwarzenegger. “The construction of this memorial will
help all Californians remember the unimaginable suffering genocide
survivors endured.”
The State of California has a longstanding history in protecting the
rights, history and culture of all its citizens, including those
who are survivors and descendents of genocide and crimes against
humanity. Just last week, Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 1524,
“Armenian Genocide Bank and Looted Assets Recovery Act”. This bill
will allow victims and heirs recovery – through California Courts –
of assets looted by banks and financial institutions operating in
the Ottoman Empire and Turkey during the Armenian Genocide which have
been wrongfully withheld since the Genocide.
An International Genocide Monument in the State Capitol would not
only serve as a symbol for remembrance of past genocides, but also as
a tool to educate thousands of students who visit the State Capitol
annually for class trips.
“The establishment of a memorial to the Armenian Genocide as well
others marks the State’s indelible recognition of the Armenian Genocide
and the need for modern Turkey to finally come to terms with its
history,” said ANCA-WR Chairman Steven Dadaian.
The ANCA-WR commends Governor Schwarzenegger and Assembly member Levine
for their leadership in creating an enduring symbol of remembrance and
recognition in California for all victims of genocide and injustice.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress