CO-CHAIRMEN PARTCUALLY REVEAL PRINCIPLES OF SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH ISSUE, RA FOREIGN MINISTRY STATES
Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Taking into account the statement that
the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group presented to the OSCE Permanent
Council, in Vienna, on June 22, and the interview that Matt Bryza,
the new US co-chair gave soon thereafter, where albeit partially,
the principles of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
were revealed for the first time, and also taking into account the
recent desperate calls by Azerbaijan for a military solution and
autonomy for Nagorno Karabakh, the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs
made a statement in which it states the following:
“- the co-chairs have partially revealed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution principles; they have left out references to a corridor
linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia, and issues relating to Nagorno
Karabakh’s status until a referendum;
– the co-chairs have, for the first time, affirmed that the people
of Nagorno Karabakh shall determine their own future status through
a referendum;
– those items over which the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
continue to disagree does not include a referendum; that concept has
been agreed to by the presidents; The area of disagreement between
the presidents has to do with the sequence in which the consequences
of the military conflict are removed;
– in an attempt to resolve this remaining area of disagreement, a
proposal was made by the co-chairs after Rambouillet. This proposal
was accepted by Armenia in Bucharest. Azerbaijan rejected it.
– Armenia finds that the basic principles, overall, on the table today
remain a serious basis for continuing negotiations; Armenia is prepared
to continue on that basis to continue to negotiate with Azerbaijan;
– Armenia believes that Azerbaijan’s wavering on these principles
is a serious obstacle to progress in the negotiations. If this
policy continues, Armenia will insist that Azerbaijan conduct direct
negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh.
– Finally, we would remind Azerbaijan once again that regardless of the
size of their military budget, they cannot force the people of Nagorno
Karabakh to renounce freedom and the right to self-determination.”

NUMBER OF PUPILS ATTENDING ARMENIAN SCHOOLS ABROAD REDUCES DURING LAST YEARS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. 2960 Armenian young
people from 32 countries of the world study today at institutions
of higher and middle professional education of Armenia, among them
2174 students study at state instutitons of higher education, 448
at non-state institutions of higher education and 338 at middle
professional istitutions. At the same time, 546 of them study free,
and 2414 study at paid system.
As Hrach Tadevosian, the Chief of the RA Education and Science
Ministry’s Department on Cooperation with Diaspora mentioned at
the June 23 press conference, the Ministry continues the process of
giving educational literature to Armenian educational institutions
of Diaspora. Armenian teaching schools of Georgia and Abkhazia were
mainly provided with the necessary number of t ext-books. According
to got claims, 7200 copies of text books and educational materials
were allocated to Armenian educational institutions abroad during
the previous months of 2006.
According to Hrach Tadevosian, the Ministry will continue to
implement one-month programs of re-training teachers of Armenology
subjects being taught in Armenian schools, colleges, kindergartens,
one-day and other types of educational institutions acting in foreign
countries. The program will be organized this year from July 17 to
August 15. Participant teachers will get certificates. 37 teachers of
7 countries still presented claims for participation in the re-training
courses of this year.
According to Hrach Tedevosian, 177 full Armenian schools function
abroad today, 19 of which are in Russia, 150 are in Georgia, including
112 ones in Javakhk, and 8 ones in Tbilisi. Besides, 400 one-day and
Sunday schools function as well. The Department Chief also mentioned
that the number of pupils attending Armenian schools abroad strictly
reduced during the last years, just by what reduction of the number
of those schools in some countries is povided.

SUSPECT IN TWO PEOPLE MURDER CASE IN MALATIA-SEBASTIA COMMUNITY ARRESTED
Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Stepan Hakobian, a person suspected
of the crime envisaged by Article 235 Part 1 of the RA Criminal
Code – illegal keeping of ammunition, was arrested on June 24 in
connection with the case of two people’s murder in Malatia-Sebastia
community. NT correspondent was informed about it from spokeswoman
for the RA Prosecutor General Sona Truzian.
To recap, according to the same source, on June 22, at about 3:00 pm,
at the crossroads of Sebastia and Tichina Streets an unknown person
committed a murder in the way dangerous for the lives of many people –
opened fire on Sedrak Vahan Zatikian, 26, who was in his Mersedes car
(registration number of licence plate 10SS045), as a result of which
S. Zatikian and a passer-by Karine Manuk Sargsian, 37, received bullet
wounds and died on the spot. 24 bullet cases were found on the scene
of the crime.
S. Zatikian was the son of Vahan Zatikian, former head of Yerevan’s
Malatia-Sebastia community in 1996-99, a deputy of the RA National
Assembly, who suddenly died on October 8, 1999.
A criminal case was opened based on the above mentioned fact under
Article 104 Part 2 Points 1 and 6 and Article 235 Part 1 of the RA
Criminal Code.
The case is being investigated by a group of investigators on
particularly important cases of the Investigation Department of the
RA Prosecutor General’s Office.

DAVIT HOVHANNES OFFERS “ARMENIA – HEAVENLY COUNTRY” CREATION REMADE BY KOMITAS AS NATIONAL ANTHEM
Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. A national anthem should be a
dedication, a prayer concentrating and presenting a country’s history
and not some creation.
Poet Davit Hovhannes, member of the commission created for the purpose
of selecting lyrics and music for RA national anthem, expressed
such an opinion at the June 27 press conference. According to him,
they should find the variant of the anthem that will have elements of
march with a military key. At the same tome he offers the “Armenia –
Heavenly Country” creation remade by Komitas as RA national anthem,
which according to him, corresponds to the process of our country’s
history, as well as makes an impression of a prayer.
As writer, publicist Perch Zeytuntsian affirmed, we should not deny all
possible variants of selection of an anthem and only base ourselves
on Aram Khachatrian’s creation. “If there is an anthem better than
the previous one I will prefer it,” P.Zeytuntsian said. The writer
offers to make such a choice that will express “the national spirit
and will be close to every Armenian.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY
Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian President Robert Kocharian
on June 27 received the delegation of the International Scientific
and Technical Center (ISTC), headed by V. Aless, Chairman of the
US Industrial Coalition, member of the ISTC Board of Directors. The
President expressed satisfaction over the efficient cooperation that
has formed over years between the ISTC and the RA National Academy
of Sciences (NAS). He attached great importance to assistance that
the ISTC has provided to the RA NAS.
Noting that Armenia has always had a sizeable knowledge-based economy
with developed scientific technical centers that used to operate for
the huge state, Robert Kocharian said that these branches of science
started to face difficulties after the collapse of the USSR. In
his words, the problems have been somewhat dealt with thanks to the
ISTC’s assistance.
According to the RA President’s press service, the sides discussed
reforms in the sphere of science during the transitional period. The
President underlined that the state should take serious steps aimed
at working out a policy for management f the sphere. “Our goal is to
have a knowledge-based economy and become a center of intellectual
services,” Robert Kocharian said.

PRESENTATION OF “SUN MOUNTAIN” ARMENIAN CENTER TO TAKE PLACE NEAR MOSCOW
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
KRASNODAR, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The
“Russian-Armenian Cooperation” public organization joint with the
“Sun Mountain” Armenian Cultural Center” organization will organize a
solemn evening party, exhibition and concert on June 26 in the city
of Solnechnogorsk at which the head of the Solnechnogorsk regional
administration, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of Armenia to Russia, heads of the Armenian public organizations of
Moscow and near Moscow will be present. According to the “Yerkramas”
(country) newspaper of Armenians of Russia, works of Armenian
painters and sculptors living near Moscow, including works of Roman
Pashayan, Gagik Antashian, Vitali Inkatov, will be presented at the
exhibition. The presentation of the newly created public organization
of the “Sun Mountain” Armenian Cultural Center” of Solnechnogorsk
will take place within the framework of the solemn evening party.
Events of Solnechnogorsk are public initiatives and are held within
the framework of the Year of Armenia in Russia. The “Russian-Armenian
Cooperation” public organization plans to hold till late 2006 similar
events in other cities near Moscow as well, cooperating with the
local administrations and Armenian communities.

UNWORTHY RECEPTION OF ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE OF ARMENIAN NATION, YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIA EMPHASIZES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUEN 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Turkey may not become
a member of the European family under the mask of false reforms
and democracy. At the moment Turkey is not ready for any mutual
relations with Armenia. Such a unworthy and hooligan reception of
the Armenian Catholicos is a slap in the face of the whole Armenian
nation. Representatives of the youth organization of the Republican
Party of Armenia and of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun “Nikol Aghbalian”
youth union stated about it at the June 27 press conference. On
their initiative, about 30 youth political, public and students’
organizations condemned the hooligan deeds taken place during the
visit paid to Turkey by Karekin II Catholicos of All Armenians and
made a statement.
“Under the light of obvious calls and actions of intolerance,
vandalism and violence, Turkey’s legends, proclaimed theses of
historic traditions of religious tolerance about “civilization” and
“Europeanization” blow up,” is mentioned in the statement.
According to the statement authors, the reality that Turkish mass
media irritate the public opinion on the visit of Karekin II and his
meetings, and response of separate mass media makes public the Turk
society’s intolerance towards Armenians and the Christian religion.
Participants of the press conference informed that the statement must
be addressed to diplomatic representations accredited in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“ARAGIL” CENTER UNITES PEOPLE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
KRASNODAR, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “Aragil” (stork)
center of acquaintances headed by Arevik Safarian started to function
from April, 2005, in the territory of the Surb Hovhannes Avetaranich
(John The Evangelist) Armenian church in Krasnodar. According to
Arevik, the main goal of the center was to organize assistance for
those people who finds it difficult to create a family by himself. One
of not less important tasks of the center is to assist marriages
between Armenians in counter-balance to interracial marriages being
practically shaped. The fact that the most part of men addressed to
the center wants to link their life with Armenian women, deserves
attention.
To add, all Armenians above 18 years old may address to the center.
According to the “Yerkramas” (country) newspaper of Armenians of
Russia, as of today, five couples from those addressed to “Aragil”
linked their fates.
During a comparatively short period of time the center became famous
not only in Krasnodar and in the country, but in Moscow as well from
where a few letters were addressed to “Aragil.” Attempts are made
to establish ties with Armenia: the last example, a young man from
Krasnodar even came to Yerevan to get acquainted with a girl.
“Though many people would like to address to the center, however,
there are restraining factors, and first of all, it is the shyness,
the head of the center mentions. But there is nothing blameworthy in
the center’s assistance, creating a family is a very serious issue,
isn’t it. We have cases when parents address to us secretly from
their children whom they want to help to create a family.”
“Aragil” attempts to establish ties with similar organizations
of Armenia and Russia: in Arevik Safarian’s opinion it will be
useful. The head of “Aragil” mentions that it is not easy to establish
acquaintances just by forms. It would be better to organize evening
parties and festive events during which young people (and not so young
ones) would have possibility to communicate and form some opinion
about one another. This part of activity of the center will suppose
financial expenses, and Arevik hopes that people are found soon who
will sponsor similar events.

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II CELEBRATES PONTIFICAL DIVINE LITURGY IN ISTANBUL
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 27 2006
ISTANBUL, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On Sunday, June 25,
as the culmination of the first Pontifical Visit of the Catholicos
of All Armenians to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople,
His Holiness Karekin II celebrated a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in
the St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Cathedral of Istanbul. In
attendance for the Divine Liturgy were Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, high-ranking
archbishops and bishops of the Armenian Church from Armenia and the
Diaspora, among them the primates of the dioceses of North America,
Germany, Damascus, Romania and Bulgaria, the Vicar General of the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese, the Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, representatives of sister Churches, Mr. Karen Mirzoyan
(Representative of the Republic of Armenia in Turkey), and hundreds
of Armenian faithful.
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and His Grace Bishop Vicken
Aykazian, Diocesan Legate for the Eastern Diocese and President of
the National Council of Churches of America, assisted His Holiness
at the Holy Altar during the Liturgy.
During the sacred Divine Liturgy, His Holiness addressed his message
to the faithful, using as the theme of his sermon, the words of Christ:
“Because I live, you shall live also.” (St. John 14:19). The Catholicos
of All Armenians first offered thanksgiving and glory to the Almighty,
for granting him the gift of visiting the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople in this pontifical visit, and for the opportunity
to offer the liturgy under the cherished and prayer-filled arches
of the historic cathedral with His Beatitude Mesrob and his beloved
faithful flock.
As he continued his message, the Pontiff of All Armenians stated,
“Christ is alive, as are all who believe in Him – the Savior of the
world Who was crucified for us, buried and rose again on the third
day. Our people were taught and raised in this manner. With this
belief and by the vision of the Illuminator, our people built Holy
Etchmiadzin on our native soil, received the letters of Mashtots as a
heavenly gift, became firmly established in their Christian identity,
and when the time came, accepted ‘death with meaning’ in the name of
that faith, while living and creating with God at their side.
“Truly, our people did not desire to live without God. The
testimony of this spiritual reality is presented in its most
compelling manner through the six-century history of the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople. The names of the great patriarchs
are immortal, who selflessly cared for the people entrusted to them;
and protected, raised and strengthened them with the light of faith,
transmitting the noble virtues of their graceful minds and faithful
souls to the generations. Immortalized also are the names of those
in the arts, education and science, as well as their works and
contributions. Treasures created with faith, which draw a wide path of
illumination upon the pages of our history, shaped a path of creation
and progress. With the power of faith, the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople continues to carry the lamp of illumination…
“Being with you during these past few days, we once again had the
experience that our people always keep and protect the sacred mystery
of a renewing life in their deepest inner spaces. Not even the Armenian
Genocide was able to extinguish that light, when it appeared that
life itself would end within the borders of the Patriarchate. In the
trials of our people, the spirit alive with faith found the strength
to be reborn and live yet again, to do good works, create goodness
and aspire towards goodness. The greatest inheritance we received
from our forefathers was faith in God, in our Lord Jesus Christ. You,
dear ones, and your parents kept and nurtured the faith in your souls,
transforming it into love for one another, laboring for each other
and for the glory of our Apostolic Holy Church.
“…Glory to you O Lord, that you directed our footsteps here
from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and we became the witness
to the blossoming national and ecclesiastical life, and faithful
and traditional spirit of our people. We came from our cherished
cradle of faith, so that together, Pontiff and people, through the
commemorations, exhortations and traditions of our holy fathers,
could testify with our unified prayer under the halls of this holy
church – that our Armenian nation is steadfast and unshakeable in its
oath sealed with God. It is loyal to the holy legacy of its forebears
and with its oath of unity with Holy Etchmiadzin.”
The Catholicos of All Armenians continued by exhorting the Armenians of
Istanbul to continue to create and flourish with the same dedication
and love, keeping all of their national institutions strong and
vibrant. His Holiness addressed words of thanks to His Beatitude
Mesrob and the members of the Religious Council of the Patriarchate
for the warm reception which had been prepared during these days of
his first pontifical visit to Istanbul.
His Holiness also extended his appreciation to the ranks of clergy of
the Armenian Patriarchate, to all administrative lay council members
and committees, the devoted choir members of the churches, national
organizations and associations, charitable institutions, teachers,
artists, and representatives of the Armenian press, for their fidelity
to national values and their brave and selfless devotion.
At the conclusion of his fatherly message to the Armenians of Istanbul,
His Holiness bestowed His Beatitude Mesrob with two panagias and a
pectoral cross from Holy Etchmiadzin as a symbol of the Pontiff’s
appreciation for the years of service and dedication of the Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople.
According to the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, following the Liturgy, a reception was hosted in the hall
of the Patriarchate in honor of His Holiness. During his remarks,
the Pontiff of All Armenians expressed his thanks and appreciation
to the chairman and all members of the Pontifical Visit committee
of the Patriarchate for their efforts in successfully planning and
implementing a well-organized and most enjoyable visit.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: WHY THE WRITERS REFUSE TO BE SILENCED
FT
June 26 2006 15:38
Perihan Magden, a Turkish novelist and journalist, appeared in an
Istanbul court earlier this month accused of the slightly surreal
crime of “alienating the people against military service” because
she defended a young man’s right to be a conscientious objector.
As she entered the court she was attacked by a small crowd of
demonstrators shouting insults and causing a commotion that at least
guaranteed television news coverage.
It was a scene that has become familiar outside Turkish courtrooms. A
series of prosecutions of writers and journalists, for things they
said or wrote, has attracted bigots and xenophobes to each hearing,
adding a sharp political edge to the occasions and turning them into
spectacles that would be considered in some other countries to be
bringing the law into disrepute.
Ms Magden’s case was adjourned to another hearing in late July. She
faces three years in jail if she is convicted. “I cannot believe I
am being prosecuted,” she said in court.
Her alleged crime was to write an opinion piece in a magazine in which
she defended the notion of conscientious objection to military service,
arguing in favour of a young man who was refusing to wear the uniform
during his conscription because it was against his beliefs.
The Turkish military, a powerful institution with a long history
of meddling in politics and silencing its critics, objected to the
article, arguing that it could undermine the standing of the armed
forces in the public mind and perhaps encourage youngsters to refuse
military service, which is compulsory for men.
The notion is absurd in a country where the armed forces are, on
the whole, highly regarded, and where military service is seen as
a badge of honour. But a prosecutor filed a case against Ms Magden,
and it is now being played out in court.
If Ms Magden thinks the case is absurd, many Turks would probably
agree. So would the European Union, which Turkey wishes to join. The
EU has put freedom of expression high on its list of issues Turkey
must address if any progress on entry is to be made.
In particular, the EU wants Turkey to change or abolish Article 301
of the revised penal code passed by this government, which is seen as
a license for any prosecutor to pursue a case against an individual
based on the flimsiest evidence.
The furore that invariably surrounds the prosecution of freedom of
expression cases in Turkey does immense damage to the country’s image
at home and abroad.
This raises the intriguing question of why Turkey, which is a modern
democracy with a pluralist media and no shortage of opinions on every
conceivable subject, still puts writers and journalists on trial,
and why such a powerful country is still so seemingly terrified of
wayward, unorthodox, or subversive yet non-violent opinion.
One reason, commentators say, is because the legal system tolerates it.
Although a constitution drafted by the military top brass and imposed
after a coup d’etat in 1980 has been heavily amended, its legacy has
been pernicious and authoritarian.
Even today, commentators and diplomats say, vaguely worded articles
allow for severe restrictions on freedom of expression. These
restrictions are less draconian than a decade ago, but they are still
effective in making a writer think twice before putting an opinion
down on paper.
Much of the impetus for prosecutors to pursue writers who might
be considered to have insulted Turkey in some way comes from the
hard-line, xenophobic nationalist extremes of Turkish politics.
This is not a large group but it is exceptionally noisy – perhaps
because it feels itself alienated from the modern trend of Turkish
politics – and it uses the legal system to announce and pursue its
grievances.
“Nationalists are feeling besieged,” says Ali Tekin, a political
scientist at Bilkent University. “When they see an avenue to express
their frustration, they seize it.”
A second reason is that, although debate on contested historical
questions is now more open in Turkey than it was five years ago,
some subjects are still regarded by some Turks as taboo, such as the
fate of Ottoman Armenians, the plight of the Kurds, or the continuing
usefulness of Kemalism, the republican nationalist ideology bequeathed
by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of Turkey. Those who would
silence debate on these issues say European countries do the same
thing.
They point to Austria, which jailed David Irving – a British historian
who denied the Nazi Holocaust – for three years.
That is a more severe sentence than any handed down in recent months
by a Turkish court. The saving grace of Turkish cases is that many
are either withdrawn or collapse under the weight of contradictions.
A third, and perhaps more important, reason why freedom of expression
is so sensitive in Turkey is that it is a country where opinions are
important, especially if they challenge received wisdom.
The columnist Cengiz Candar has described Turkish intellectuals as
” iconoclasts in a conservative society”, holding Turkey to account
on behalf of the world. There is a vast amount of opinion in Turkish
newspapers, sometimes at the expense of news, but it plays a vital
role in shaping public opinion.
Orhan Pamuk, the novelist whose trial last December on a charge of ”
insulting Turkishness” led to an international outcry, recently made
a similar point about writers.
He told a conference of PEN, the international writers’ organisation,
that part of a writer’s task was to raise forbidden subjects “purely
because they were forbidden”.
In his PEN lecture published in the New York Review of Books, from
which these quotations are taken, he recalled a visit to Istanbul
in the mid-1980s by the playwrights Arthur Miller and Harold Pinter,
to show support for jailed writers in Turkey.
Things are not that bad today. But Mr Pamuk observed that for a
writer to self-censor himself simply to avoid upsetting anybody was
“a bit like smuggling forbidden goods through customs” and was shaming
and degrading.
He has refused to be silenced in his own writings. Other Turkish
writers, as Ms Magden shows, feel the same way.