National Review Online
June 09, 2006
Long, Hot Summer
Border enforcement and the deaths of illegal immigrants.
By Mark Krikorian
This week marked the start of the season for media features on illegal
aliens dying in the desert. The Washington Post’s entry on Tuesday was
especially horrific, telling of a blameless three-year-old boy who died of
dehydration and exposure as he accompanied his mother across the border.
Sixty Minutes, meanwhile, reran on Sunday a more policy-oriented offering,
but pegged it to the death of 18-year-old Abran Gonzales, “a quiet kid. He
never hurt anybody. He just wanted to work and come back home.”
The message of these stories, and the cascade of other stories we will see
from the mainstream media over the next few months, is that such tragedies
are the result of increased border enforcement, which, in the Post
reporter’s words, `funneled them onto increasingly perilous trails where
temperatures are high, water is scarce and danger is abundant.’
It’s true, of course, that the concentration of enforcement resources near
the urban areas of San Diego and El Paso over the past decade or so shifted
the crossing patterns to more remote areas, especially to the Arizona
desert. And while it’s not clear that the total number of border deaths has
actually increased (since many people were killed in traffic accidents and
criminal assaults during the chaotic years when those two cities were the
focus of illegal crossings), the human toll is real, and heartrending.
But are tighter border controls really the cause? Is elite opinion right in
implying that we, as a nation, are responsible for the deaths of these
people by trying to control our borders? If so, then perhaps the supporters
of open borders are right and American sovereignty is itself a crime.
Fortunately not.
Many people share culpability for these deaths. The illegals themselves, of
course, are moral agents and responsible for their actions (including
endangering their children – how, unless you’re fleeing certain death, can
you justify risking the life of a three-year-old in a trackless wasteland?).
The smugglers, many of them scum of the earth, not infrequently abandon
their charges to the vultures. And the thieving elites of Mexico and the
other dysfunctional societies in Latin America also share the burden.
Interestingly, the standard culprit in polite opinion – the Border Patrol – is
not only blameless, but spends much of its time rescuing helpless illegals,
saving thousands of lives.
We, as Americans, do share responsibility, but not in the way that
fashionable thinking would have you believe. It’s not border enforcement, as
such, that’s at fault, but rather the toxic combination of tough (or at
least tougher) border enforcement with easy access to jobs.
The job magnet is strong because few businesses are ever punished for hiring
illegals, making the opportunities in America worth the risk of the
dangerous crossing. The amount of investigative time devoted to worksite
enforcement of immigration laws fell steadily from 1999 to 2003, dropping by
more than half, according to the GAO. The number of worksite arrests fell by
84 percent. And, from 1999 to 2004, the number of fines issued to employers
fell by 99 percent, plummeting to a laughable nationwide total of three.
Only in the past six months, after a quarter century of scorched-earth
resistance from open-borders advocates, have the two houses of Congress
separately voted to require businesses to verify the Social Security numbers
of new hires – and it still may not come to pass because of irreconcilable
differences in the bills.
And it’s not just jobs. The government at all levels has taken many actions
over the past few years to make life easier for illegal aliens – the Treasury
Department signaling to banks that Mexico’s illegal-alien ID card is an
acceptable credential for opening bank accounts; legislatures offering
in-state tuition subsidies to illegals attending state universities; and
city councils barring local police from using immigration law in the course
of their duties.
In other words, we’ve told prospective illegal aliens that they’ll have to
risk their lives to get in, but once they’re clear of the border, they’re
home free. With government establishing that kind of incentive structure,
it’s a wonder more people don’t die in the desert.
While no one is pleased by the deaths, Americans like the idea that
foreigners are willing to take such risks to get into our country. At a time
when the ties that bind us as a people are increasingly frayed and Muslim
fanatics plot to nuke us, we take some consolation in the fact that many
outsiders still want to come here to live. As Gov. George W. Bush (quoted in
Boy Genius) said of a remote and treacherous part of the Texas border,
“Hell, if they’ll walk across Big Bend, we want ’em.”
But as a civilized people, we must face up to our responsibility for the
border deaths and stop sending mixed messages. We face two morally
consistent choices: on the one hand, we can continue to ignore worksite
enforcement, but open the borders. This would bring our interior and border
strategies in sync and stop forcing aliens to cross in remote and deadly
areas. It would also mean the dissolution of the American republic.
Or, we can get serious about upholding the law everywhere in our country,
combining strong border controls with muscular interior enforcement. This
means not only more arrests and deportations, but also a comprehensive
firewall strategy that would bar illegals from access to important
institutions of our society – no jobs, no bank accounts, no driver’s
licenses, no car loans, no mortgages.
By ending the mixed messages we send illegals, we can fundamentally change
the incentives they face, and the decisions they make. In this way, American
people can both protect the nation’s sovereignty and minimize these tragic
deaths at the same time.
Mark Krikorian is executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies
and an NRO contributor.
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National Review Online –
ZTI1NTQ4NmNkMzZhNTc5ODgzYzAyOTU

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-10) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Georgia’s Foreign Minister Gela Bezuashvili received Armenia’s Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian in Tbilisi, on June 27, on the first day of
Minister Oskanian’s working visit to Georgia.

In their welcoming remarks, the two foreign ministers shared the belief that
Armenian-Georgian relations, based on solid historic ties, will continue to
develop in the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

The two ministers discussed bilateral issues in detail. They noted that the
Armenian-Georgian bilateral agenda is a full one and this broad-based
relationship is reflected in frequent and high-level visits.

The sides stressed the need to further coordinate economic and business ties
in order to encourage greater trade and more investments. They noted that
the development of economically efficient transport routes is essential for
greater economic activity. They also discussed issues related to energy
security. The two ministers explored ways to seek the assistance of
international organizations and individual countries in cross-border rural
development programs.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister stressed the economic and political importance of
the operation of the Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi rail line, and its contribution to
the growth of trade in the region, equally benefiting all countries.

The Georgian Foreign Minister affirmed that Georgia is aware of its bridging
role and responsibility in the region and will continue to work for more
favorable transit conditions for Armenia. He explained that Georgia , too,
is interested in ensuring diversified transport routes.

In discussing Javakhk, Minister Oskanian stressed that the Armenian
government stands prepared to work with the Georgian government to resolve
the socio-economic problems facing the population of Javakhk.

They addressed issues of border delimitation and confirmed that there exists
the political will on both sides to resolve outstanding issues and reach a
mutually acceptable solution.

Regarding euro-integration processes, and specifically the European
Neighborhood Policy and deepening cooperation with NATO, they noted the
importance of coordinating efforts.

Minister Oskanian briefed his colleague on the current state of the Nagorno
Karabakh negotiations. In turn, Minister Bezuashvili spoke about the
negotiations surrounding Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The meeting between the ministers was followed by a joint press conference.

Later on the same day, Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili received
Armenia’s Foreign Minister.

On Wednesday, the Minister’s visit will continue.

ARMENIA NEGOTIATES READMISSION AGREEMENTS WITH SEVERAL COUNTRIES
Armenpress
Jun 27 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: Armenia has signed readmission agreements
with Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark and Switzerland and is negotiating
readmission agreements with Benelux countries, Germany, Norway,
the Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Russia.
According to deputy foreign minister Armen Baybourdian, signing
of readmission agreements with EU member countries is viewed as a
condition for Armenia for closer integration with the European Union.
He said readmission by Armenia of its citizens living illegally in
some EU countries is supposed to facilitate in future granting visas
to Armenian citizens wishing to visit these countries.
Armenia has developed a special re-integration program for readmitted
Armenians, under which they are provided with various assistance,
jobs, education for children and those who want to start a business
are given a $4,000 loan.

RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
_________________________________________ __________________
RFE/RL Balkan Report
Vol. 10, No. 6, 27 June 2006
A Weekly Review of Politics, Media, and Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty Broadcasts in the western Balkans
***************************************** *******************
HEADLINES:
* MOVING TOWARD ENDGAME IN KOSOVA
* BLACK HOLES AND WHITE ELEPHANTS IN THE BALKANS
****************************************** ******************
MOVING TOWARD ENDGAME IN KOSOVA. Denmark’s Soren Jessen-Petersen
leaves Kosova as head of the UN civilian administration (UNMIK) at
the end of June. His successor is likely to be the last person in
that post before the international community and Kosovar leaders
agree on the details of how Kosova will move toward independence.
Jessen-Petersen will probably be remembered by most Kosovar
Albanians as the best leader of UNMIK during the transition from
Serbian rule, which effectively ended with the departure of Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic’s forces in June 1999, and the
declaration of Kosova’s independence, the circumstances of which
are likely to be clear before the end of 2006. The international
community has made it clear that Belgrade will not have a veto over
Kosova’s future. Most commentators agree that
Jessen-Petersen’s successor will be the last person to head
UNMIK, which began long ago to hand over some of its functions to
officials of the elected Kosovar government.
Unlike some of his predecessors, Jessen-Petersen did his
homework relating to his job and did not consider himself bound to
steer a middle course in every controversy that came along. It was
during his term in office that the UN and the major international
powers — whether they said so in public or not — came to accept
that “political limbo” could not be continued indefinitely because it
would compound the fears and frustrations of the 90 percent ethnic
Albanian majority and possibly lead to more violence like that which
shook the province in March 2004 (see “RFE/RL Balkan Report,”
September 10 and December 17, 2004). He also recognized that the only
way forward was to move toward independence, albeit with strong
guarantees for the Serbs and other minorities.
His unambiguous views and his reputed closeness to some
ethnic Albanian political leaders, such as Ramush Haradinaj of the
Alliance for the Future of Kosova (AAK), prompted some Serbian
politicians to call for his resignation, but such tactics only served
to underscore the weakness of the Serbian position. The local Serbs,
whose future will ultimately lie with their Albanian neighbors in an
independent state, by and large boycott Kosova’s growing
institutions of self-government at the behest of Belgrade and thereby
miss out on the opportunity to put their mark on the new state from
the beginning.
The Belgrade politicians, who have expected to face early
elections for well over a year, are reluctant to say or do anything
that voters might interpret as showing “weakness” regarding Kosova.
They thus waste time and energy over Kosova, which some of them
privately admit is “lost” anyway, that could be put to use in dealing
with Serbia’s real problems, which are crime, poverty,
corruption, and a democracy deficit. Some observers go one step
further and suggest that the politicians deliberately draw
voters’ attention to the Kosova issue in order to divert their
gaze away from those same politicians’ poor track record in
improving the daily lot of ordinary Serbs.
On June 20, Jessen-Petersen submitted his final report to the
UN Security Council. He made it clear that the elected Kosovar
institutions have made good progress toward implementing the
international community’s standards, particularly since Prime
Minister Agim Ceku was nominated in March. Jessen-Petersen noted that
many members of the Serbian minority have cause for complaint, but
added that he hopes that their problems will be dealt with quickly.
He also stressed that the Serbs should not consider themselves
victims of deliberate oppression, and he repeated his call for them
to take part in public life. He warned of the dangers inherent in the
prolongation of the unclear political status, which, he argued, must
be settled in keeping with the wishes of the majority while
respecting the rights of the minority.
It will be incumbent on the ethnic Albanians to offer the
Serbs fair treatment under the rule of law. If the Albanians fail to
do so, they can expect difficulties with the international community.
But the violent incidents that take place from time to time seem
sporadic rather than planned, may be rooted in personal or criminal
rather than in ethnic disputes, and could be, at least in some cases,
engineered by Serbian extremists in order to maintain tensions and
discredit the Kosovar government.
There are, however, few observers who expect many of the
Serbian refugees and displaced persons to return to their old homes.
While their numbers are uncertain, figures of around 235,000 often
surface in the media, but Kosovar officials claim that the real
number is lower.
The root of the problem is that the Albanians tend to
distrust local Serbs in general because of the active role that many
of them played in bringing Milosevic to power in the second half of
the 1980s and in keeping him there. Perhaps more important, most
Albanians believe that Milosevic’s repressive campaign of
1998-99, which culminated in the “ethnic cleansing” of the Albanians
in the spring of 1999, could not have been carried out without the
active participation of local Serbs, both as combatants and as
providers of “human intelligence” about their neighbors. Some German
Balkan experts have drawn parallels with the Czech attitude at the
end of World War II toward the Sudeten Germans, whom the Czechs
regarded as an incorrigible Fifth Column, even though Kosovar
officials are at pains to stress that local Serbs will enjoy full
protection of the law.
The local Serbs, for their part, remain fearful. Violent
incidents against Serbs have contributed to this tense climate,
particularly when those killed or injured are the very young or very
old. It should be recalled that in launching his wars in Croatia and
in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the early 1990s, Milosevic was able to
exploit the fears of local Serbs there who refused to accept that
they might possibly live safely and peacefully as a minority in a
state in which others constituted the majority. The Serbs of Kosova
today are no less worried than were the Serbs of Krajina in 1990,
even if they are not seriously planning to arm themselves or
expecting military help from Belgrade. Meanwhile, most local Serbian
politicians have displayed more skill in criticizing and complaining
that in providing leadership or offering constructive programs.
As Jessen-Petersen’s mandate comes to its end, Kosova
moves toward a clarification of its final status. Most international
commentators point out that anything short of independence, however
qualified, is simply unrealistic. As Montenegro celebrates its newly
won statehood, and Serbia finds itself in growing international
disrepute over its failure to arrest and extradite former Bosnian
Serb commander General Ratko Mladic, Kosova’s independence
probably seems even more realistic that it did at the start of 2006.
(Patrick Moore)
BLACK HOLES AND WHITE ELEPHANTS IN THE BALKANS. One truism of
postcommunist Europe is that all the countries of Eastern Europe and
the Balkans will sooner or later join the EU and NATO. It seems,
however, that the countries of the western Balkans might find
themselves in a “black hole” outside the EU for the foreseeable
future even if they are surrounded by member states (see “RFE/RL
Balkan Report,” December 9, 2005).
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosova, Macedonia,
Montenegro, and Serbia face uncertainty in their hopes to join the
EU. The Brussels-based bloc has a particular attraction for the
countries of the region for three reasons.
First, membership means a seat at the table where decisions
affecting all of Europe are made. The small Balkan states might not
wield much influence, but it is better to be inside looking out than
outside looking in, or so the argument has run.
Second, joining the EU symbolizes the end of the
continent’s division and the inclusion of former communist
countries — including war-torn states — in the “rich man’s
club.” For former Yugoslavs, whose passport was once the only one in
Europe with which one could travel freely to the East or West without
a visa, it means a return to a normal situation. It also means an end
to the inconvenience and humiliation of having to go through often
long procedures for something that was once simple, such as a visit
to relatives working in Germany. The importance of visa-free travel
for ordinary people in the western Balkans should not be
underestimated.
And third, as poorer members of a wealthy organization, the
western Balkan states would be able to look forward to a cornucopia
of subsidies, as well as opportunities for more or less unrestricted
study and work abroad. In short, even if NATO membership will someday
provide for these countries’ security requirements, joining the
EU is still regarded in the region as an essential stage in its rite
of passage into the modern, prosperous, and democratic world.
For Brussels, integrating the western Balkans has long meant
that there will be no “black hole” in the middle of the EU —
especially after Bulgaria and Romania join in 2008 or so — in which
organized crime could flourish. More recently, some Western
governments have come to see EU membership for the western Balkans as
a way of keeping out of that region unwelcome but well-funded
political, criminal, or religious influences from Russia or the
Middle East.
By offering the prospect of membership, the EU has, moreover,
a powerful lever to influence precisely the kind of changes — called
“reforms” — that it wants to see implemented. Progress has been slow
in some countries, but the view from Brussels for years was that it
is better to have slow progress than to isolate a potentially
volatile region that is indisputably part of Europe and right on the
doorstep of several member states.
But then on May 29, 2005, French voters rejected the proposed
EU constitution by a clear majority, and Dutch voters did the same by
an even larger margin three days later. In both cases, objections to
further enlargement of the EU after the admission of 10 new members
in 2004 played at least some role in the vote.
One year after those two votes, the EU is none the clearer as
to its goals and how to achieve them. In June 2006, a summit took
place in Vienna, but there was no agreement on any of the key issues,
including the fate of the constitution. The only consensus seemed to
be in putting off any possible movement on thorny questions until the
German presidency in the first half of 2007, or maybe to the French
presidency in the second half of 2008.
It was perhaps telling for the newer members — and those who
would like to join — that a joint declaration by the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia was “slapped down,” as the
“Financial Times” put it on June 17, by Luxembourg, Germany, and
other, unnamed EU founder states. The five Central European countries
had called into question what they regard as their second-class
status within the bloc and demonstrated their willingness to work
together. Some observers recalled French President Jacques
Chirac’s remark about a 2003 declaration by a similar group of
countries, which backed the United States over Iraq. The French
leader said at that time that they had missed an opportunity to “shut
up.”
Before and during the summit, several leaders of older member
states made it clear that one cannot speak of enlargement, at least
beyond Romania and Bulgaria, before the growing EU has decided at
least on how it will manage its internal affairs. That would mean
2009 at the very earliest. Consequently, many people in countries
hoping to join that body began to fear that their chances of
obtaining membership within a reasonable time frame have become much
slimmer as a result.
This was true for Croatia, which has long sought to convince
itself that its membership on the heels of Romania and Bulgaria was a
foregone conclusion. Many people in the western Balkans suspected
that the EU was keeping them at arm’s length as a pretext for
dodging the larger and more controversial question of Turkish
membership. After all, the reasoning in the Balkans went, had not the
West Europeans told them for years that integrating such small states
would not require much money and effort on Brussels’ part?
Meanwhile, antireform forces in the Balkans took heart,
blocking police and constitutional reform in Bosnia. In Serbia, they
continue to thwart the arrest and extradition to the Hague-based war
crimes tribunal of former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic, with the
result that relations between Belgrade and Brussels are on hold.
The question then arises: if Brussels is unlikely to offer
the western Balkans a serious “European perspective” within a clear
time frame, and if some people in those countries are becoming less
enamored of a EU that does not seem to want them, might it not be
time for the people in the western Balkans to reexamine old beliefs
about the necessary postcommunist rite of passage and look for
alternatives? Has not the obsession with EU membership become
something of a white elephant, like the EU-sponsored bridge over the
Prut River from Romania to Moldova that stood unused for several
years for want of a road on the Moldovan side?
How else might the countries of the region modernize their
economies and expand their markets than with top-down efforts at
nation building and seemingly endless rules imposed from abroad?
Might it not be to their advantage to concentrate first on developing
straightforward free-trade and travel arrangements that would not
involve compromising what for most of them is newly won sovereignty
in favor of a distant and unelected bureaucracy?
Some Euroskeptics have long argued that the EU is cumbersome,
inflexible, nontransparent, and dominated by Paris and Berlin. Might
some other parts of Europe now find themselves faced with an
opportunity to develop alternative ideas to the EU model that are
simpler, more democratic, and hence more likely to produce clear
results and win popular support? After all, there is no better
incentive for learning to think outside the box than being denied
permission to enter the box. (Patrick Moore)
NOTABLE QUOTATIONS: “Accusing the European Union for the
country’s own failures is not serious. [EU Enlargement]
Commissioner [Olli] Rehn considers that it is in the hands of Serbia
and its leaders to fulfill the conditions and realize the EU
perspective.” — Krisztina Nagy, Rehn’s spokeswoman. Quoted by
RFE/RL on June 21.
“We are looking for Kosova to become a normal country.” —
Prime Minister Agim Ceku to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
in Washington on June 19. Quoted by RFE/RL.
(Compiled by Patrick Moore)
******************************************* **************
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.
The “RFE/RL Balkan Report” is prepared by Patrick Moore based on
sources including reporting by RFE/RL’s South Slavic and Albanian
Languages Service. It is distributed once a month.
Direct content-related comments to Patrick Moore in Prague at
[email protected] or by phone at (+4202) 2112-3631.
For information on reprints, see:
p
Back issues are online at

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:
June 26, 2006
His Holiness Karekin II Meets Governor of Istanbul
On June 23, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, visited Mr. Muammer Güler, Governor of Istanbul, at the
governor’s office. His Holiness was accompanied by His Beatitude Archbishop
Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; His Eminence
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern); Mr. Karen Mirzoyan, Representative of the Republic of
Armenia in Turkey; and Mr. Bedros Shirinoghlu, Chairman of the Pontifical
Visit Committee.
The Catholicos of All Armenians expressed his happiness to be in Istanbul
through the joint invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople, and noted his pleasure to have the opportunity
to closely know the Armenian community of Istanbul.
In his remarks, His Holiness Karekin II stated his awareness of the
achievements of the Armenian community of Istanbul in its national and
spiritual life. His Holiness also noted that there are certain issues which
exist in the Armenian community related to properties and educational
matters, and expressed his hope that they will find their positive
solutions.
Governor Güler welcomed the visit of the Pontiff of All Armenians to
Istanbul, and conveyed his hope that the relations between the Armenian and
Turkish peoples will improve.
At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness Karekin II, reflecting on the
relations between the two peoples, confirmed that the Armenian people have
the same desires to see them improved and stressed his conviction that
relations will progress based on the principles of justice.
During the meeting, they also discussed matters related to the Pontifical
Visit of the Catholicos of All Armenians and the activities of the
governor’s office.

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:
June 27, 2006
His Holiness Karekin II Celebrates Pontifical Divine Liturgy in Istanbul
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.
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.

Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
26 June 2006

UK lawmaker tackles government over stand on Ottoman massacres

London (ENI). A member of the British parliament, Stephen Pound
from the ruling Labour Party, has called on the British
government to declare that the mass deaths of Armenians,
Assyrians and Greeks in the former Ottoman Empire between 1915
and 1923 were genocide. Pound said in the House of Commons, the
lower parliamentary chamber: “I hope it is not contentious to say
that 3.5 million of the historic Christian population of
Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks then living in the Ottoman Empire
had been murdered – starved to death or slaughtered – or exiled
by 1923.” [383 words, ENI-06-0508]

ENI News Highlights contain summaries of ENI articles published
today.
This summary may be copied or re-posted provided the information
printed below is retained.

Individual paragraphs may be reproduced provided ENI is
acknowledged as the source.

ENI Online –

Ecumenical News International
PO Box 2100
CH – 1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland

Tel: (41-22) 791 6088/6111
Fax: (41-22) 788 7244
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Anush Babayan
Tel: 3741 52 09 40
Fax: 3741 52 37 95
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
.27.06.06
Recently the Toronto Affiliate of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund
organized a fundraising dinner in Canada. Apparently, the presence of
Conservative MP Jason Kenney at the event caused concern of the
Azerbaijani Embassy and the Azerbaijani community.
Canadian Press put an article on the newswire in this regard. It was
picked up by several Canadian newspapers. Unfortunately, the reporter,
Jennifer Ditchburn, used solely Azeri sources while covering the event.
Moreover, the reporter tried to put a frivolous spin on the fact that
Canadian Armenians extended a helping hand to their kin in
Nagorno-Karabakh raising $300 thousand USD for construction of schools
in the area. The reporter purposefully mentioned that the current
Executive Director of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund used to hold the
position of the Foreign Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In
this regard we would like to stress that the Executive Director is not
appointed, but rather is voted into the office by the Board of Trustees
of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund, members of which are influential,
well-respected and well-known representatives of the Armenian worldwide
Diaspora.
`Hayastan’ Fund brings to the attention of all interested parties
that during its 15-year history the organization has spend more than
$130 million on projects in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the nature of
which is purely humanitarian. This philanthropic organization has always
been transparent in its operations. Since 1992 `Hayastan’ Fund has
been undergoing annual independent audits conducted by Grant Thornton.
Never have our auditors revealed any improper spending of funds. Through
its affiliate offices in 19 countries, `Hayastan’ Fund often
received co-financing from European (France, the Netherlands, Greece and
others) and U.S. governments for its projects. Never has the
organization had any problems with any government in this regard.
`Hayastan’ Fund considers unacceptable drawn parallels between the
Fund and a unrelated questionable political organization. We want to
remind that `Hayastan’ Fund is a organization that is well-respected
in the world and is proud of its mission benefiting people of Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh.
We consider this disrespectful and unsubstantiated attack a result and
embodiment of Azerbaijan’s shortsighted policy. We believe that this
attack questions the reputation of the organizers of this smear campaign
against `Hayastan’ Fund and only strengthens the resolve of
Armenians around the world to help Nagorno-Karabakh stand on its feet.
In this regard we would like to cite MP Jason Kenney from the mentioned
article: `…I can’t imagine anybody objecting to Canada supporting
clinics, schools, hospitals and the like’. I think these words make
any further commentary unnecessary. `Hayastan’ fund is strongly
convinced that the worldwide Armenian Diaspora will continue supporting
their ancestral homeland.
In her official letter to Mr. Russo, the Bureau Chief of `The Canadian
Press’, Mrs. Naira Melkoumian, the Executive Director of
`Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund, mentions: `It was irrelevant to
refer to the status of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as the international
status of Nagorno-Karabakh is subject to the outcome of the peace talks
that have been mediated by the Organization of Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the
United States. Meanwhile, `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund does not
believe that mere fact that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is not
officially recognized by the international community should stand in the
way of children’s education or people’s healthcare. The US Agency
for International Development (USAID), International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), American Red Cross, Medecins Sans Frontier, Save the
Children, Halo Trust and other international humanitarian relief
organizations do not believe that either, since they have extensive
projects in Nagorno-Karabakh. For a number of years the US Congress has
been allocating nearly $5 million annually to the victims of the NK
conflict who reside in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. We think, these facts
make any other commentary unnecessary.’
Public Relations Department of `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund

PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Edina N. Bobelian
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
June 27, 2006
____________________
Dr. And Mrs. Raffy and Vicki Hovanessian ReDiscover the Fund for
Armenian Relief and its Work to Help the People of Armenia
Add a FAR Excursion on Your Next Trip to the Armenian Homeland
`The road going to the school did not look like anything; there were
huge potholes full of water. It took an expert driver to get around
those potholes and get to the school. I kept asking myself, `How are
the kids getting to school when the road is this bad?’ Then, when we
arrived at the place, I didn’t see anything that had a semblance of
being a school.’
That was Dr. Raffy Hovanessian’s first thought as he approached the
Octet Music School in Gyumri with his wife, Vicki (Shoghag), and two
representatives from the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) that provides
scholarships to 32 of the school’s 200 students.
`When we arrived, I saw the temporary tin shelters and didn’t think
there was a music school there. I thought refugees lived there,’
Vicki added.
A MUSICAL OASIS
In April 2006, the Indiana residents set aside one day of their 11-day
trip to Armenia for a visit to FAR-operated projects in Gyumri and
Vanadzor. Although they have traveled to Armenia countless times over
the past 16 years and visited other FAR projects (the Areni water
pipeline and the Siranoosh summer camp in Yeghegnadzor), this
experience was different because of the people they met, such as the
young musicians at the Octet Music School.
`They put together a phenomenal concert for us. They played the
violin, piano and cymbalta (an Armenian folk instrument),’ said Vicki
who was touched by the talents of the children such as nine-year old
Ani, a violin player who walks 40 minutes from Ashotks, a village
outside of Gyumri, to attend the school. `You wouldn’t think that in
such an environment, in the poorest section of Gyumri, in the Octet
Music School made of temporary tin shelters, this talent would even
exist.’
The couple expressed surprise that in such tough living conditions –
from the small classrooms with individual space heaters to a small
auditorium – the students were able to master both classical and
modern instruments.
`Once the students started playing, you’d think that you’re in
Carnegie Hall. They didn’t play just national music, they also played
classical music, pop and hit music – such up-to-date music in such a
dingy place,’ said Dr. Raffy. `It inspires so much hope!’
The students are also aided by teachers.
`The students are so dedicated to music, to practice and to excel.
It’s unbelievable, and really worth a visit,’ exclaimed Vicki, who
promised to sponsor the five-year tuition of violinists Hripsimé and
Raiya if they are accepted into the Komitas Conservatory in Yerevan.
`The school’s principal and the teachers are extremely dedicated.
They are teaching, nurturing, and raising a great musical generation,
even going beyond the call of a simple music teacher.’
`Even as we left, we parted with a light heart, knowing that we also
made them happy just by the fact that we just came to visit them.
These people are invigorated by signs that the Diaspora is not
forgetting them. Hopefully, many others will help them in whatever
capacity they can,’ said Dr. Raffy, the dynamic doctor who also,
during the April trip, coordinated an operation in Yerevan to repair a
seven-year old talented violinist student’s split palate that
prevented her from speaking clearly.
Having visited Gyumri in 1990-1992, Dr. Raffy was shocked to see that
temporary tin shelters were still being used and that the Octet Music
School operated in such an environment. This surprise was accentuated
because of the stark difference given the main music Conservatory in
Gyumri, a big, solid building serving the entire city.
`I can see a big difference between the adult Conservatory on the main
street of Gyumri and this place that serves the talented neighborhood
kids. It is all the more reason for us to make sure that small, local
places of talent for artistic work like the Octet Music School are
available,’ he explained. `Without public transportation in Gyumri,
there is no way for young kids to go from one side of town to the
other. We must support these local access places.’
Seeing the importance of music to these children, the couple has
decided to help through FAR. They are now looking at possible
properties in the area and reaching out to friends to fund the
renovation of the music school and, guided by Vicki’s own passion to
maintain and uphold Armenian art, to add and develop a fine arts
program to this school.
OTHER FAR PROJECTS
Next, the Hovanessians visited the Hagop S. Touloukian Senior Center,
two FAR-sponsored schools – the Ounjian School in Gyumri and the
Mathevosian School in Vanadzor – and the Old Age Home in Vanadzor.
They were impressed with the cleanliness, maintenance and services of
each of the programs, as well as the attentiveness of the staff.
During their visit, Dr. Raffy and Vicki met Dr. John Ounjian, the
Ounjian School’s benefactor, who gave them a tour of the grounds and
introduced them to students and teachers.
`I was so impressed by the Ounjian School,’ said Vicki. `Dr.
Ounjian’s dedication, his concern and fatherly attention to every
detail of the school was obvious. FAR has done an absolutely
magnificent job executing his wishes. It is amazing all the good he
is doing.’
`The school is in excellent condition, very clean and fully equipped.
I was impressed with the caliber of the school’s construction and the
gym,’ shared Dr. Raffy. `I am very happy that Dr. Ounjian has also
thought about vocational training and university scholarships for the
school’s graduates.’
IMPACT OF A SINGLE DAY WITH FAR
This one day’s guided trip with FAR’s Country Director Bagrat Sargsyan
and Press Secretary Levon Lachikyan, which started with their first
visit to the FAR office in Yerevan, provided the Hovanessians with a
better understanding of the diversity and comprehensiveness of FAR’s
programs helping the people of Armenia.
`We were touched by the individuals we met,’ said Dr. Raffy, whose
recent appointment to the Diocesan Council prompted the day’s
excursion with FAR. `We could see the reality of the support given to
the people through FAR. We saw the faces, the talent, the ambition of
the beneficiaries of FAR programs. We witnessed that donations given
to FAR really do translate to hope and opportunity. I think all
people should allocate one day to visiting FAR projects.’
`Throughout my many visits to Armenia, I always concentrated on
nothing but promoting Contemporary Art and artists through exhibitions
in Armenia and the United States, but I am glad we took the time to go
to Gyumri and Vanadzor with FAR and witness first-hand the results of
FAR’s hard work. It certainly was a great experience,’ declared
Vicki, who also opened a retrospective exhibition of Sarkis
Hamalbashian with a catalogue raisonée at the National Museum of
Yerevan during this trip. `From this and our previous experiences
with FAR, I can say that FAR, through the leadership of Executive
Director Garnik Nanagoulian, is doing good deeds. We witnessed the
implementation of people’s donations to FAR and we saw real results.’
ABOUT FAR
Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
millions of people through more than 220 relief and development
programs in Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more than $265
million in humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide range of
projects including emergency relief, construction, education, medical
aid, and economic development.
FAR, one of the preeminent relief and development organization
operating there, is dedicated to realizing the dream of a free,
democratic, prosperous, and culturally rich Armenia. It works towards
a brighter future by partnering with donors to make life a little
better for our people. By offering hope and more promising prospects
in Armenia, Karabagh, and Javakhk, FAR binds the Diaspora and the
Armenian family together around the globe.
For more information about FAR, to organize a visit to FAR projects,
or to send donations, contact the Fund for Armenian Relief at 630
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; web ; e-mail [email protected].
— 06/27/06
E-mail photos available upon request.
PHOTO CAPTION1: During their recent visit to the FAR-sponsored Azad
Shishian Octet Music School in Gyumri, Dr. and Mrs. Raffy and Vicki
(Shoghag) Hovanessian (third and sixth from right) were treated to a
special concert by a few students, including the two violinists
pictured here with their principal (second from right), teachers, FAR
Country Director Bagrat Sargsyan (far right), and FAR Gyumri Office
Director Marina Bazayeva (second from left).
PHOTO CAPTION2: Vicki (Shoghag) Hovanessian (far right) with
violinists Hripsimé and Raiya (center) and their teacher (far left) at
the FAR-sponsored Octet Music School. The Hovanessians promised to
sponsor the five-year tuition if these talented girls are accepted
into the Komitas Conservatory in Yerevan.
PHOTO CAPTION3: Holding the Ounjian School flag, Dr. Raffy Hovanessian
(right) was impressed with school’s building and cleanliness, as well
as the attentiveness of Dr. John Ounjian (left), the New York
benefactor who rebuilt the Gyumri school in honor of his parents
through FAR.
# # #

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x109
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
AGBU YP BOSTON WALK-A-THON RAISES $3,000 FOR KARABAKH REPOPULATION PROJECT
On June 4, 2006, AGBU Young Professionals of Boston sponsored its
inaugural Walk-a-Thon raising over $3,000 for the furnishing of a new
secondary school in the village of Norashen, which is located in the
Hadrut region of Karabakh. With twenty walkers participating, the
five-mile trek began at the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill
and ended at Harvard Square in Cambridge.
The construction of the Norashen school is one of many worthwhile
projects under the umbrella of the ABGU Karabakh Repopulation
Project. A pan-AGBU venture first initiated by the organization’s
France District, the rebuilt village of Norashen is today home to 100
residents, including 32 school-aged children and 14 pre-schoolers, 23
houses, a kindergarten and a medical center. Sponsored by the Southern
California District and Sydney Chapter, the secondary school is
currently under construction and will be shared by Norashen and
Pareshen, the second Karabakh village built with funds raised by AGBU
London.
AGBU Young Professionals of Boston are committed to preserving and
promoting the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural and humanitarian programs. For more information on YP Boston,
please email [email protected].
For more information on AGBU Young Professional Groups, please visit
the Programs section of