MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
07-03-2006
Minister Oskanian Receives Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew J. Bryza
Minister Oskanian received Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State for European and Eurasian Affairs on March 7.
During the meeting, the two discussed the present status and future
prospects for Armenian-American relations, as well as a wide range of
international and regional issues. The Minister expressed appreciation for
the US Government’s continuing support of Armenia’s democratic development,
human rights protections and economic reforms. In this connection, they
discussed some details associated with the Millennium Challenge Compact to
be signed in Washington later this month.
Further, the Minister and the Deputy Assistant Secretary focused on regional
energy issues from the perspective of Armenia’s energy diversification
efforts.
Minister Oskanian briefed Mr. Bryza on some key issues in Armenian foreign
policy, paying special attention to implementation of Armenia’s NATO
Individual Partnership Action Plan and ongoing talks with the EU on the
European Neighborhood Policy, the second phase of which had concluded
successfully on March 6.
Toward the end of the meeting, Mr. Oskanian and Mr. Bryza explored several
issues having to do with regional cooperation, as well as the situation that
followed the recent presidential meeting on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Haaretz
Thursday March 9, 2006
ml
The holy basin: sovereignty, autonomy, internationalization or division?
By Nadav Shragai
The poet Uri Zvi Greenberg devoted his first speech to the First Knesset
to “the divided Jerusalem” and to his longing for the Old City beyond
the border. Greenberg, who accepted Menachem Begin’s offer to assume the
second spot on the Herut movement’s list for Knesset, emphasized that
the name Jerusalem meant only the area within the walls, “in which lies
the Temple Mount.” The city outside the walls was considered the
“outskirts of Jerusalem.”
As Israel heads toward the elections for the 17th Knesset, most elected
officials are a long way from echoing the feelings expressed by Uri Zvi
Greenberg. (Five years ago, at the most recent Camp David summit, the
Barak government even showed its readiness to concede roughly one-half
of the Old City, as well as a major share of Israeli sovereignty over
the Temple Mount.) But on the eve of elections, the parties prefer not
to engage in an open discussion about the future of the most serious
core of disagreement in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
As opposed to their readiness to discuss the transfer of Arab
neighborhoods in East Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority, when it
comes to the Old City and the Temple Mount, there is still reticence
among Israeli political parties when it comes to shattering public
conventions. The same public opinion that favors the concession of Arab
neighborhoods is opposed to concessions on the Old City and Temple
Mount. But on one matter there is no dispute: These are the most
sensitive and emotionally charged places in the world.
One fact, not necessarily a major one, found in the Lapidoth report,
which was issued a few years ago, possibly tells the entire story. The
report, which for the first time mapped out in detail the 900 dunams
(225 acres) that are so charged with emotion, that hold such significant
symbols and memories, revealed that the holy places have a tendency to
reproduce. Particularly in Jerusalem. And especially in the Old City. In
1949, a list of 30 holy places in Jerusalem was submitted to the United
Nations. Only half a century later, three authors – an Israeli Jew, a
Palestinian Armenian Christian and a Palestinian Muslim – prepared a
list that enumerated no less than 326 holy places.
The Lapidoth committee, which labored in the framework of the Jerusalem
Institute for Israel Studies (JIIS), also placed at the disposal of
policy makers a type of “holy meter,” which was developed by Dr. Yifrah
Zilberman, who proposed eight indicators for ranking holiness of the
holy sites in Jerusalem.
Currently, Professor Ruth Lapidoth, who on the upcoming Independence Day
will receive the Israel Prize for Justice, heads another team, also in
the framework of the JIIS. The team submitted to the policy makers
several weeks ago options for a settlement in the “historic basin of
Jerusalem” – that is, the Old City and adjacent territories.
Lapidoth and her team are not the first to offer a different solution to
the Old City and to the holy basin, and to the rest of Jerusalem. For
example, as early as April 1992, in an article that appeared in a
Jordanian newspaper Adnan Abu Odeh, chief of the Royal Court of Jordan
and an aide to the late King Hussein, raised the idea of expropriating
all political sovereignty from Jerusalem within the walls, and to see it
as a holy place worthy of being governed by a joint council of Jews,
Muslims and Christians.
“The Old City within the walls should be divided from the areas outside
the walls,” Abu Odeh wrote. “The main holy sites of the three religions
are clearly defined, distinguished and known: The Church of the Holy
Sepulcher for Christians, the Western Wall for Jews, and the Temple
Mount for Muslims – the true and holy Jerusalem will not belong to any
state or any single religion. It would belong to the entire world and to
the three religions, such that no state would have political sovereignty
over it.” Abu Odeh even suggested a complete ban on flags waving between
the walls.
Similarly, in the numerous meetings held between Yitzhak Rabin and King
Hussein, use was made of the term “Super-sovereignty” in relation to the
Old City and the holy places. Rabbi Menachem Fruman of Tekoa, a Hassid
of inter-religious dialogue, has for years called for the definition of
areas that would have no sovereignty, and their assignment to members of
the religions. Lapidoth herself, raised the idea during the 1990s of
suspending Israeli sovereignty in the Old City for an agreed-upon
period, even up to 20 or 30 years.
However, the current report, which was composed by the JIIS team headed
by Lapidoth, to a large extent abandons the idea of areas devoid of
sovereignty, and – in the majority of the options it proposes – returns
to the old-style partition. The five options that were recently
presented to the Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the chairman of
the Likud and Labor parties were formulated by a series of experts
gathered by the JIIS: Professor Yaacov Bar-Siman-Tov, Ora Ahimeir, Dr.
Shmuel Berkowitz, Dr. Moshe Hirsch, Dr. Yifrah Zilberman, Dr. Maya
Choshen, Dr. Kobi Michael, Reuven Merhav, Israel Kimhi, Dr. Yitzhak
Reiter, Amnon Rimon and Dr. Emanuel Sharon.
The first option proposes full sovereignty and control by Israel
throughout the basin, while granting some autonomy to the Palestinian
residents, and perhaps also determining a special status for the holy
places to Christianity and Islam. The meaning of this proposal is
essentially institutionalization of the existing situation, as even now
the Muslims and Christians operate their institutions autonomously. This
option also proposes to explore the possibility of granting
international immunity to the holy places or to the clergymen serving in
them.
The second option is the exact opposite: Full sovereignty and control by
the Palestinians throughout the basin, with autonomy for the Jewish
residents (for instance in the Jewish Quarter) and special status for
holy places to Jews. This option would perhaps be acceptable to the vast
majority of Palestinians, but one may safely assume that the State of
Israel would reject it out of hand, just as the Palestinians would
reject the first option.
The third option proposes a territorial division between the sides, with
international supervision. In this option, following an agreement on the
borderlines, each side is the sovereign and the source of authority in
the territory allocated to it in the agreement. The territorial division
of the historic basin, between Israel and Palestinians, could be
executed on the basis of a wide variety of alternate borderlines, which
the team lays out in the form of five sub-options:
1.The Jewish Quarter and Armenian Quarter would be included in the
sovereign territory of Israel. The Muslim Quarter and the Christian
Quarter would be under Palestinian sovereignty. The Temple Mount would
be included in the sovereign territory of Israel.
2.The Jewish and Armenian quarters would be included in the sovereign
territory of Israel. The Muslim and Christian quarters would be under
Palestinian sovereignty, and the Temple Mount would be under Palestinian
sovereignty.
3.The Jewish Quarter would be under Israeli sovereignty, the other three
quarters and the Temple Mount would be under Palestinian sovereignty.
4.The Jewish, Armenian, and Christian quarters, and the Temple Mount,
would be under Israeli sovereignty, and the Muslim Quarter under
Palestinian sovereignty.
5. Each of the above options, with territorial division of the Temple
Mount between Israel and the Palestinians.
The issues raised by this sort of division are complex, and some of them
seem unsolvable at first glance. A few examples: The request for freedom
of Jewish ritual on the Temple Mount, the issue of supervision of
construction, human rights, preservation of antiquities, border-crossing
conditions, restrictions on security matters, the scope of judicial and
criminal jurisdiction of each side over citizens of the other side that
enter territory under their control.
On the basis of this option, the two sides would grant surveillance and
oversight authorities to an international body. The international body,
which would function as an “observer,” would have to examine whether the
sides were in fact carrying out the directives of the arrangement.
A fourth option proposes joint management, and a division of authorities
between the two sides with international backing. The Old City basin
would operate as a single unit, and the sides would share the majority
of administrative and policing authorities in the basin. The
international body would be responsible to assume its authorities from
the sides and to apply them in areas in which the joint operation would
for whatever reason fail. The agreement could determine a minimal or
maximal period of time upon the conclusion of which the international
body would have to restore to the different sides those authorities that
it assumed.
The fifth option. Similarly, based on this option, the historic basin
would “usually” be administered as a single unit, although this would be
carried out by the international body itself, and not by the sides.
Nevertheless, it is possible that relatively small areas, primarily
those holy places on which there is no dispute, would be divided among
the sides on a territorial basis. According to this plan, which would
essentially mean the internationalization of the holy basin, the
international body would retain not only supervision and oversight
authorities, but would also be responsible for administration of the
holy basin, and would constitute the source of authority and control of
it.
One of the more interesting questions is who would operate the
international body, and here, once again, the team lays out several
sub-options, such as an international organization such as the UN, a
multi-national organization that would be established especially for the
purposes of this task, or a country such as the U.S. or Switzerland.
The permanent settlement team of the JIIS did not give its express
recommendation of any of these options, but it does favor some sort of
international involvement in administration of the Old City, mainly in
the area of security and preservation and supervision of the holy
places. The bottom line of the new report states: “It is especially
complicated to plan and put into place a special regime for the historic
basin, but it may be assumed that there is no other solution that could
gain the agreement of the two sides and of the international community.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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]
March 9, 2006
Supreme Spiritual Council Discusses Armenian Diocese of Georgia
On March 7, a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council was convened in the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin
II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, with the
participation of the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council residing in
Armenia.
During the meeting, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, Primate of the
Armenian Diocese of Georgia, presented a report regarding the pastoral,
spiritual and church-building activities within the diocese.  He
particularly noted that the renovations of the church of Saint Gevork
(diocesan headquarters) and the church of Holy Etchmiadzin (in Tbilisi) are
planned for this year, the architectural drawings for which will soon be
completed.  His Grace happily reported on the spiritual reawakening within
the diocese, underlining the need for new clergymen to be assigned,
specifically to the vicarage in Javakhk.  He also noted that the
applications to Georgian state authorities have yet to be resolved,
regarding granting of appropriate legal standing to the diocese and the
return of six historic Armenian churches.  His Grace also stated that
certain mass media agencies within Georgia continue with anti-Armenian
announcements and commentaries, which create an atmosphere of intolerance
and tension.
In response to a query from the Supreme Spiritual Council, Bishop Vazgen
confirmed that the Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, with their
decision of February 6, 2006, announced the creation of a new diocese within
the Republic of Armenia entitled Tashir-Agarak, subject to the bishop of the
Diocese of Dmanisi in Georgia, `…with the intent of reestablishing its
historic diocese’.
The Supreme Spiritual Council expressed disappointment that the Georgian
Orthodox Church did not inform the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin regarding
the creation of a new diocese located in the northern region of the Republic
of Armenia; and further, that their Synod is creating a new diocese in a
region where the Georgian Church has no faithful; while the rights of
hundreds of thousands of faithful Armenians living in Georgia to have the
Armenian Diocese granted appropriate legal standing and historic Armenian
churches returned are being ignored and disregarded.
The Supreme Spiritual Council received the report of the Primate of the
Armenian Diocese of Georgia with appreciation and satisfaction, and
commended his successful implementation of his mission, exhorting him to
enthusiastically continue his efforts aimed towards the enrichment of the
Armenian Diocese of Georgia and the strengthening of the centuries-old
fraternal relations between the Armenian and Georgian people and Churches.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MARCH 3-9, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS:
“PRESS CLUB+”: NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC UNION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
AND ARMENIA’S PLACE IN THE REGION
2005 REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REGULATION BODIES GIVE ACCOUNT
“PRESS CLUB+”: NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC UNION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
AND ARMENIA’S PLACE IN THE REGION
On March 7 the first issue of “Press Club+” talk show cycle went on “Yerkir
Media” TV evening air (see YPC Weekly Newsletter, February 17-23, 2006).
The guests of Aram Abrahamian, program host, Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily,
were the leaders of National Democratic Union. The experts invited were
representatives of media and NGOs. The TV discussion was on the amendments
to RA Constitution, adopted at November 27, 2005 referendum, within the
context of separation of power braches, and Armenia’s place in the South
Caucasus, possibilities of developing regional cooperation.
It is planned that next Tuesday, March 14 at 21.00 the representatives of
“Orinats Yerkir” party will share their views on hot issues at “Press
Club+”.
2005 REPORT OF US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
On March 8 US Department of State released its report on human rights
practices in 2005 in different countries of the world, prepared by the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

Referring to the situation of freedom of speech and press in Armenia, US
Department of State notes in particular “while the law provides for freedom
of speech and of the press, the government partially limited freedom of
speech” and “there were incidents of violence, intimidation, and
self-censorship in the press”.
According to the authors of the report, private print media actively
expressed various views, “but no newspaper was completely independent of the
patronage from economic or political interest groups or individuals”.
Because of low newspaper circulation, most people in Armenia relied on
broadcast media for information, which, similarly to print media, are mainly
private. “In the capital and regional cities, private television stations
offered generally independent news coverage of good technical quality.”
Alongside this, the report emphasizes, that the substantive quality of TV
and radio news reporting varied due to self-censorship by journalists and
the stations’ dependence on patronage. The major broadcast media “generally
kept to progovernment lines”. “Economic pressure on broadcast media was more
common than outright political pressure, including authorities requesting
bribes, and advertising revenues used to influence programming.”
The report runs that senior officials of RA President’s office “continued to
provide policy guidance” to First Channel of Public Television of Armenia.
While its coverage was mainly factual, First Channel avoided editorial
commentary or criticism of the government.
Not giving broadcast license to “A1+”, “one of the country’s last
independent television stations”, was, as observers think, politically
motivated for criticizing President Kocharian’s administration. The attempts
of the TV Company to resume air are still unsuccessful, the report notes.
According to US Department of State, foreign media overall freely operate on
the territory of the country. At the same time, for three days beginning on
the day of the constitutional referendum (November 27, 2005), Radio “Free
Europe”/Radio “Liberty” broadcasts were periodically inaudible. The Public
Radio of Armenia (the First Program of which is aired on the same frequency
as the Armenian Service of RFE/RL) explained these disruptions by technical
problems. However, “some observers alleged the disruptions were politically
motivated”, the report says.
Harassment of the journalists is still a problem, the State Department
emphasizes, noting that “there were unconfirmed reports of incidents of
harassment and intimidation of journalists outside the capital”.
In contrast to the previous years, in 2005 “there were no reports of police
beating journalists”. One of the official documents of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs mentioned one case “involving possible violence against a
reporter” still under investigation, “at year’s end the circumstances
surrounding the case were unclear”. The report also refers to a very mild
punishment on the case of assaulting a photo reporter in August 2004 in
Tsaghkadzor.
“There was no official censorship; however, there were continued reports of
intimidation of journalists, and some print journalists continued to
practice self-censorship to avoid problems with the government and because
of pressure from official sources”, the report stresses. US Department of
State concluded that “during the year there were no charges brought against
journalists for libel of a public official”.
REGULATION BODIES GIVE ACCOUNT
In “TV Alik” weekly (review of TV and radio programs) of March 6-12, 2006,
account on the activity of the Council of RA Public TV and Radio Company in
2005 was published. Earlier, in the same weekly (February 27 – March 5,
2006) a report was publicized on the last year work of National Commission
on Television and Radio, the body, regulating private broadcasting. The
accounts are issued in compliance with RA Law “On Television and Radio”.
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress & Genocide
130 W 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-6387
Tel: 212-362-4018
Fax: 201-941-5110
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
ARMENIAN AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR STUDIES ON STRESS & GENOCIDE (AASSSG)
INVITES YOU TO A SYMPOSIUM & WORKSHOP
Genocide denial & healing: The case of the Genocide of the Armenians
On
Friday, 7 April 2006 -7 PM
at
Fordham University, 113 W 60th St., (Off 9th Avenue) NYC
12th Floor Faculty Lounge
Recipient of 2005 AASSSG Outstanding Achievement Award
Professor Ervin Staub, Professor of Psychology at the University of
Massachusetts

`Roots of Evil & Denial: The case of Genocide of the Armenians, and a
presentation by
Professor Elif Shafak, Professor of Literature, University of Arizona
`Silence and Secrets in Women’s Stories: Tracing the Effects of the
Massacres and Deportation of Armenians in 1915 in Contemporary Women’s Culture in
Turkey.
Family Constellations by
Sophia Kramer-Leto and Chiara Hayganush Megighian Zenati
Special Performance by: Armenian Dance Group from Long Island
Armenian Dances from Historic Western Armenia
Chairperson: Dr. Anie Kalayjian, Fordham University and President of
AASSSG &
Association for Disaster & Mass Trauma Studies.
KRIEGER Essay Contest winners will be announced and certificates given
Hosted by: Fordham Psychology Association, SPSSI NY, Association for
Disaster & Mass Trauma Studies, and Fordham Psi Chi
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED
Admission free with Fordham ID
For information contact Dr. Kalayjian @ E-mail: [email protected]_
(mailto:[email protected]) , 201 941-2266

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Contact: Lerna Kayserian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA-WR PARTICIPATES IN CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY CONVENTION
— Meets with Governor and Other Republican Leaders in San Jose
SAN JOSE, CA – Representatives of the Armenian National Committee of
America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) traveled to San Jose to participate
in the California Republican Party (CRP) Convention held from February
24th through 26th. During the three-day convention, ANCA-WR Director
Armen Carapetian and ANCA activist Jack Hadjinian met with California
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as other Republican leaders to
discuss issues of concern to Armenian Americans.
Carapetian and Hadjinian joined the CRP Volunteer Organization
Committee meeting with the California Congress of Republicans,
California State Republican National Hispanic Assembly, and California
Federation of Republican Women, among others, where participants
discussed opportunities to collaborate on initiatives. Many candidates
for statewide offices were on-hand during the meeting to provide
updates on their campaigns. Governor Schwarzenegger greeted the
volunteer organizations and thanked them for their
support. `Volunteers have always been extremely important in
campaigns,’ said the Governor in his remarks.
Following the meeting, Jack Hadjinian spoke with the Governor and
thanked him for his principled stance on the Armenian
Genocide. Hadjinian, a Montebello resident, extended a special
invitation to the Governor for this year’s commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide at the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument at
Bicknell Park. Paying homage to the victims of the Armenian Genocide
at the monument is an annual tradition for Los Angeles area Armenian
Americans. This commemoration regularly draws over 10,000 visitors,
including many elected officials. Most notably, in 1969, then Governor
Ronald Reagan joined His Holiness Khoren I in commemorating the
Armenian Genocide at the monument. This year’s remembrance event will
take place on Sunday, April 23rd.
The convention provided the ANCA-WR the opportunity to reach out to
California Republican elected officials and candidates for elected
office. Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), who was the only
Congressional member at the convention, reiterated his support for the
Armenian Genocide legislation pending in the House of
Representatives. State Senator Chuck Poochigian (Fresno) invited the
ANCA representatives to a special reception and briefed them on his
campaign for Attorney General. Carapetian and Hadjinian also met many
Republican Party activists over the weekend, including Armenian
Americans involved in the CRP and various campaigns.
`It’s important for us to be here, and it’s good to see that Armenian
Americans are involved at this crucial level of the political
process,’ said Carapetian. `We have received nothing but appreciation
for coming to this convention, and we will continue to build on the
relationships we established this weekend.’
The ANCA-WR sponsored an exhibitor table at the convention to
familiarize those in attendance with the organization, its programs
and initiatives. Carapetian and Hadjinian also took part in workshops
hosted by the CRP aimed to train activists in all areas of
campaigning. The next CRP Convention will be held in the fall.
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a
broad range of issues.

Eurasia Daily Monitor — The Jamestown Foundation
Monday, February 27, 2006 — Volume 3, Issue 39
IN THIS ISSUE:
*Putin ignores 50th anniversary of Khrushchev’s Secret Speech
*Kazakh oilfields to be explored by Rosneft
*Aliyev welcomes Putin to Baku
KHRUSHCHEV’S SECRET SPEECH AND PUTIN’S PUBLIC PRAISE
Besides the Olympic headlines, in the last two weeks the Russian media
has presented a remarkable variety of comments and reflections on an
event that shocked the country 50 years ago. On February 14, 1956, the
20th Communist Party Congress opened in Moscow. It proceeded routinely
until the last day, February 25, when Nikita Khrushchev delivered his
“Secret Speech,” describing the scale of internal repressions in the
country from the mid-1930s until Stalin’s death on March 6, 1953.
The astounded delegates had then to inform all party members in strict
confidentiality that the “Great Leader” was in fact a bloody tyrant. The
Soviet leadership was deeply split about this speech, which was not
written prior to the start of the congress. Khrushchev insisted that his
decision was partly driven by the struggle for power and partly by the
desire to escape from the fear that had dominated their lives for so
many years (Argumenty i fakty, February 15; Nezavisimaya gazeta,
February 17; Grani.ru, February 22).
There were several events around this anniversary, including a
conference at the Gorbachev Foundation, but Russian President Vladimir
Putin chose to ignore it. He covered a great many topics at his extended
press conference on January 31, found time to congratulate every Russian
Olympic champion, issued special decrees to commemorate composer Dmitry
Shostakovich and scholar Dmitry Likhachev, but did not say a word about
that remarkable watershed, much the same way that he never mentions the
coup of August 1991.
There is certainly more to this silence than just the political gut
feeling to avoid issues that remain divisive and might damage his
popularity in some marginal groups. The main guideline of the
“de-Stalinization” campaign launched by the 20th Congress was against
the super-concentration of power in one pair of hands — and that is
exactly what Putin has been doing since arriving at the Kremlin. A
carefully orchestrated PR campaign has sought to prove that this style
of governance suits Russia the best, so now 57% of Russians are sure
that the country needs a determined leader who could rule with a “firm
hand” (Newsru.com, February 25). This opinion ties logically with
others: 47% of respondents have a generally positive view of Stalin and
21% perceive him as a “wise statesman” (Vedomosti, February 14).
The main target of Khrushchev’s emotional condemnation was the KGB,
which had been the main instrument of repression. Putin, in recent
weeks, has been busy strengthening the role of the FSB, the direct and
proud successor of the all-penetrating structure created by Felix
Dzerzhinsky and empowered by Lavrenty Beria. The shadows of these
“founding fathers” were probably present at the annual meeting of the
FSB top echelon where Putin expressed his full satisfaction with their
work, praising particularly the success in countering espionage
(Nezavisimaya gazeta, February 8). He was far more generous with praise
to his former colleagues than to the system of law enforcement that,
according to his address to the session of the General Prosecution
Collegium, was unable to check the “alarming trends” in crime growth
(Vremya novostei, February 6). Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov,
nevertheless, apparently feels quite safe in his job, as he proved his
loyalty beyond a doubt by making the criminal case against Mikhail
Khodorkovsky and his colleagues.
These declarations and evaluations were followed by a potentially very
significant presidential decree, “On Measures in Countering Terrorism,”
since the main initiative among these measures was the creation of the
National Anti-Terrorist Committee under the chairmanship of FSB Director
Nikolai Patrushev (Lenta.ru, February 17). This Committee will include
representatives of all military and paramilitary structures, from the
General Staff to the Ministry of Emergencies, and will be served by the
Federal Operational Headquarters with a staff of 300 officers that would
constitute a separate unit in the FSB structures. The State Duma, always
very attentive to signals from the Kremlin, has urgently approved
legislation that provides a formal mandate for the new bodies (Lenta.ru,
February 22). It is quite obvious that terrorism has not suddenly
acquired new scale or urgency that would require
large-scale counter-measures. The newly created Committee might in fact
have very little to do with the threat of terrorism but quite a lot to
do with the struggle for influence and power between the key “power
structures.” The FSB has accepted the main responsibility for fighting
terrorism (which it carefully denied during the crises in Beslan and
Nalchik) and thus secured for itself the dominant position vis-à-vis
the Ministry of Interior and every other state authority (Kommersant,
February 17).
This certainly does not mean that the Kremlin clock is turned back to
Stalin’s times. Putin’s regime remains essentially “bloodless” and
cannot reproduce the fear of repressions; the FSB is not disciplined by
any ideology and its main driving force is greed, which makes a big
difference. The stylistic resemblance, nevertheless, is unmistakable —
and it probably explains why the Russian political establishment was so
upset by the resolution on the “Need for international condemnation of
crimes of totalitarian Communist regimes” adopted by the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (Expert, 12 February).
Putin’s courtiers fancy themselves as heirs of the Generalissimos, but
at the same time they want to be accepted as equal members in “elite
clubs” like the G-8. The influx of “petrorubles” has made them
arrogantly self-confident but money can buy them only time – and
probably not that much of it. They are busy exploiting their special
gift – to turn every real proposition into a fake:
Quasi-authoritarianism and pseudo-democracy, phony elections and PR
exercises instead of “national projects.” That is why reflections on the
revelations at the 20th Congress are so disturbing for them: At the most
inappropriate moment somebody might suddenly stand up and establish for
fact that their emperor is wearing no clothes.
–Pavel K. Baev
ROSNEFT EXPANDING ITS ROLE IN KAZAKHSTAN
The chairman of Russia’s state oil company Rosneft, Sergei Bogdanchikov,
has completed a round of discussions in Kazakhstan with Kazakhstan’s
Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister
Baktykozha Izmukhambetov, and the KazMunayGaz state oil and gas company
management. During the concluding news conference Bogdanchikov told the
press that Rosneft is set for a significant expansion of its role in
Kazakhstan’s oil extraction and transportation. Before outlining those
intentions, Bogdanchikov claimed that Rosneft now holds first place
among oil companies worldwide regarding estimated oil reserves. The only
certainty about this claim is that Rosneft’s assets grew spectacularly
as a result of the destruction of the Yukos company by the Russian
state.
Kurmangazy Field: Rosneft and KazMunayGaz have decided to form a common
management structure for their joint venture at the offshore oilfield
Kurmangazy and start drilling this spring the first of two exploratory
wells. Kurmangazy’s recoverable reserves are estimated at 900 million to
1 billion tons of oil. The production sharing agreement, signed in July
2005, envisages total investments of billion for a 55-year period,
including 10 years for exploration and 45 years for extraction.
The KazMunayTeniz offshore oil company — a division of KazMunayGaz —
holds a 50% stake in the project; Rosneft, 25%; and another Russian
state company, Zarubezhneft (specializing in offshore drilling) the
remaining 25%. The field is situated at a shallow depth in the northern
part of Kazakhstan’s Caspian sector. Bilateral agreements on seabed
delimitation in 1998 and 2002 placed Kurmangazy under Kazakhstan’s
jurisdiction. However, Kazakhstan had to agree that the field would be
turned into a parity joint venture with Russia and that Kurmangazy’s
output would have to be exported via Russia (as opposed to a
trans-Caspian westbound route).
Imashev Field: The sides have initiated discussions on joint development
of the Imashev offshore field. The field holds estimated reserves of 130
billion cubic meters of gas and 21 million tons of condensate, adding up
to some 200 million tons of oil equivalent, and with a high sulfur
concentration of at least 20%. Under a border delimitation agreement
signed in 2005, Imashev is to be developed as a parity venture. At least
two issues remain to be resolved: first, which Russian company (or
companies) will be designated to hold Russia’s 50% stake; and, second,
where to separate the sulfur content from the field’s mix of
hydrocarbons.
Atasu-Alashankou Pipeline: Rosneft expresses “serious interest” in
delivering oil to China through the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline.
Apparently, the Russian company intends to match the Kazakh oil volumes
that are slated for delivery to China through that line. Commissioned
in December 2005 and financed entirely by China, the 990-kilometer
pipeline is scheduled to start commercial operation this coming May. The
initial throughput capacity of 10 million tons annually is slated to be
expanded to 20 million tons annually from 2010 onward. Oilfields owned
by China’s National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in Aktobe and Kumkol
(western and central Kazakhstan, respectively) will feed the pipeline,
but it may not be commercially profitable without additional volumes
coming from Siberian oilfields.
Yuganskneftegaz, formerly the main production unit of Yukos, seized by
Rosneft, is slated to supply most of the volumes Rosneft plans to pump
through the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline. Rosneft seeks urgent
clarification on three major issues: First, overhauling and expanding
the capacity of the Omsk (Russia)-Pavlodar (Kazakhstan) pipeline and
linking it with the Atasu-Alashankou line; second, determining the
volumes and schedules of Rosneft’s oil deliveries to China; and, third,
setting the transit charges for those deliveries on Kazakhstan’s
territory. All this will require negotiations in several formats,
including a quadripartite one among Rosneft, Russia’s state oil pipeline
company Transneft, KazMunayGaz, and CNPC.
In a concurrent development, the government of Kazakhstan has confirmed
the intentions of KazMunayGaz and Gazprom’s Orenburg gas processing
plant (on Russian territory close to Kazakhstan) to sign in coming
months a joint venture agreement. They envisage delivering 15 billion
cubic meters of Kazakh gas annually (up from approximately 6 billion
cubic meters annually at present) for processing at the Orenburg plant.
The Karachaganak field in northwestern Kazakhstan will supply that
volume. The field, among the world’s largest, is being developed by the
Karachaganak Petroleum Operating in which Italy’s state company ENI and
British Gas hold stakes of 32.5% each, ChevronTexaco 20%, and Russia’s
Lukoil 15%. It seems an odd development to route gas to Russia at a time
of looming problems with the supply of Western countries.
(Interfax, February 23, 24)
–Vladimir Socor
PUTIN IN AZERBAIJAN
Russian President Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to Azerbaijan on
February 21-22, presumably to inaugurate the “Year of Russia in
Azerbaijan 2006” celebration, following the “Year of Azerbaijan in
Russia 2005.” While cordial, the atmosphere was far more sober than the
love fest of Armenian President Robert Kocharian’s Moscow visit last
month to inaugurate the “Year of Armenia in Russia” (see EDM, January
16). Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev described the bilateral
relationship as an “example of relations between neighbors, practical
good-neighborly relations” (Azertaj, February 21). Far from eroding
Azerbaijan’s reliance on the United States to advance common energy and
security interests, Putin’s visit inadvertently underscored how little
Russia can offer Azerbaijan in those regards.
Oil: Azerbaijan declines Russian proposals to increase its reliance on
the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline for export of Azerbaijani oil. Azerbaijan
uses this pipeline only as a backup option while committing almost its
entire export volumes to non-Russian routes. In 2005, Azerbaijan’s State
Oil Company pumped 4.1 million tons of oil to Novorossiysk, up from 2.5
million-2.7 million tons annually in the preceding years. This temporary
increase was necessitated by delays in commissioning the Turkish section
of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline, even as Azerbaijan’s oil extraction grew on
schedule, requiring an outlet. Transneft, owner of the Russian section
of the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline, charges a transit fee of .67 per ton
of oil. The charge is exorbitant, though relatively tolerable as long as
oil market prices remain high. However, Transneft cuts further into
Azerbaijan’s profits by mixing the
low-quality Russian Urals blend with high-quality Azerbaijani oil before
the latter reaches the world market. A compensation mechanism known as
“oil quality bank” is standard international practice, but Russia
refuses to use this mechanism with Azerbaijan and other Caspian oil
producers.
In 2006, Azerbaijan intends to scale back its oil export to Novorossiysk
to 3 million tons, provided that the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline’s Turkish
section is commissioning by May 27 as now rescheduled. Once that problem
is resolved, Azerbaijan may reduce its export to Novorossiysk even below
the pre-2005 level of 2.5 million tons, unless the Russian side agrees
to use the oil quality bank mechanism. In Baku, Russia’s Industry and
Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko renewed a proposal to Azerbaijan to
move from annual contracts to a long-term contract for using the
Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline. However, this is clearly not in Azerbaijan’s
interest (Interfax, February 21, 22; Trend, February 23).
Gas: Azerbaijan is extricating itself from dependence on
Russian-delivered gas. Azerbaijan imports gas from Russia in order to
save fuel oil, which it previously used for electricity generation. It
imported 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas in 2005 from Russia and has
contracted for the same volume in 2006, despite the price hike to 0 per
one thousand cubic meters, up from in previous years. According to
Industry and Energy Minister Natig Aliyev, this year’s price is
reasonable, but the import volumes after 2006 will depend on the price
of Russian gas — i.e., that import may decline. Azerbaijan’s State Oil
Company plans to raise gas extraction to 4 billion cubic meters annually
from the Guneshli field and 9 to 10 billion cubic meters from the
Shah-Deniz field by 2008, sufficient to cover internal consumption and
some export (Turan, February 21, 22; Trend, February 23).
Military Issues: The two presidents’ joint communiqué mentions the
possibility of “cooperation in military industry,” implying procurement
of Russian equipment by Azerbaijan. The country is creating a new
Ministry for Defense Industry in charge of military procurement.
According to First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov during Putin’s
visit, Azerbaijan will cooperate in that regard “not only with Russia,
but with various countries, not excluding Russia” (Trend, February 21;
Interfax, February 22).
Two contentious issues in the military and security sphere were not
publicly addressed during Putin’s visit to Baku. The first is
Azerbaijan’s concern over the transfer of some Russian heavy weaponry
from bases in Georgia (which are slated to be closed) to Armenia. The
other issue is Moscow’s proposal for the creation of a joint naval force
of the five Caspian countries, Casfor, under de facto Russian control.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov again raised this issue in a
curtain-raiser interview on the eve of Putin’s visit (Zerkalo [Baku],
February 21). Azerbaijan, however, has resisted this proposal since its
inception in 2005 and continues to do so.
At the presidents’ joint news conference, Putin announced that he has
made a “promise” to invite Kocharian to Russia in the near future to
discuss a resolution of the Karabakh conflict. The move seems intended
to catch up with the United States, which currently leads the effort to
settle that conflict. While it may play spoiler, Moscow has few
resources to drive that process.
–Vladimir Socor
The Eurasia Daily Monitor, a publication of the Jamestown Foundation, is
edited by Ann E. Robertson. The opinions expressed in it are those of
the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of the
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EDM, or if you think that you have received this email in error, please
respond to [email protected].
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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:
KEVORK HOVNANIAN DONATES $1.5 MILLION TO THE FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF
Prominent philanthropist and businessman Kevork Hovnanian has donated $1.5
Million to the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), an organization he founded in
response to the devastating earthquake in December 1988. He has been
Chairman of the Board of Directors for the past 17 years.
In recognition of his dedication and devotion to the Armenian Homeland, and
his continuing generosity and vision in support of the FAR mission in
Armenia and Karabagh, the FAR Board of Directors unanimously elevated Mr.
Hovnanian to Honorary Chairman and Founder. The Directors elected a new
Chairman Randy Sapah-Gulian.
Kevork Hovnanian is a generous benefactor to many noteworthy causes. His
most recent donation to the Jersey Shore University Medical Center will
create the K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital. Among his many charitable
gifts, he built the St. Stepanos Church in Elberon, NJ and gave a midtown
Manhattan townhouse to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to
the United Nations in 1992.
He is the recipient of numerous national and international accolades. His
Holiness Vasken I of blessed memory awarded Mr. Hovnanian with the Holy
See’s highest honor, the St. Gregory the Illuminator medal. In 2001,
Armenia’s President awarded the St. Mesrob Mashtots Medal to Mr. Hovnanian
in recognition of his outstanding services to Armenia and the Armenian
people.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian
Church and President of the FAR Board, said “Our church and nation is
blessed with such a leader who represents the very best of human nature.
Kevork Hovnanian is a dedicated and compassionate Armenian. His latest
contribution is a material sign of his continued commitment to the
charitable mission of FAR and his strong support of the organization’s
financial well-being.”
— 03/09/06
E-mail photo available upon request.
PHOTO CAPTION: FAR’s Honorary Chairman and Founder Kevork Hovnanian with
Chairman Randy Sapah-Gulian.
# # #

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
MARCH 9, 2006
PASSING OF ARCHBISHOP GHEVONT CHEBEYAN
His Holiness Aram I and the Brotherhood of the Cilician See announce
with sadness the passing of Archbishop Ghevont Chebeyan, who died today,
March 9, in Lebanon. He was 95 years old.
Extreme Unction and Funeral Services will take place tomorrow, March 10,
at the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Antelias, Lebanon, under
the presidency of Catholicos Aram I. The late Archbishop will be buried in
the Catholicosate’s Zareh I Mausoleum in Antelias.
Archbishop Ghevont served the Holy See of Cilicia with loyal dedication.
He was one of the first students to enter the Seminary when it was
established in Antelias, after the forced exile of the Catholicosate from
its ancient home in Sis. The late Archbishop served the Armenian Church in
various areas including Cyprus, Syria and Iran. He continued his service to
the Holy See after his retirement as a respected teacher and role model for
the younger generation of seminarians.
May the Lord accept His faithful servant into His Heavenly Kingdom.
PASSING OF DIRAMAYR ROSE BALJIAN
The Eastern Prelacy mourns the passing of Diramayr Rose Rustigian
Baljian, mother of Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian, pastor of St. Stephen
Church in Watertown, Massachusetts.
The service of Homecoming (Dangark) will take place 7 pm Monday March
13, at Holy Trinity Church, Worcester, Massachusetts. Visiting hours are
from 4 pm to 8 pm. Funeral services will take place at 11 am, on Tuesday
March 14, at the Church.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Der Antranig and the entire extended
Baljian and Rustigian families.
CATHOLICOS ARAM ISSUES #4 IN DIALOGUE WITH YOUTH SERIES
This week His Holiness Aram issued the fourth in a series of dialogues
with the youth. Having recently returned from the 9th Assembly of the World
Council of Churches (WCC) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, His Holiness’s focus is
on youth participation. The Catholicos writes, “With this fourth dialogue
with the youth of the Armenian Church, I want to share some information and
my perspectives pertaining to the presence of youth delegates and their
participation in the Assembly and discuss with you my expectations from our
youth.” His Holiness describes how in his report to the Assembly he
“challenged the youth to make the Assembly a “Youth Assembly,” not only by
their strong presence but also by seeking the most efficient ways of making
an impact.” He praised the young delegates representing the Armenian Church
for their serious involvement “in all spheres of the life and work of the
Assembly. The intervention particularly of our two young women delegates
from Los Angeles and Boston in the plenary sessions made me proud. They
reminded me of my first intervention as a young delegate at the 5th Assembly
in Nairobi in 1975.”
LENTEN SERIES CONTINUES
The Prelacy’s Lenten series, sponsored by the Armenian Religious
Education Council (AREC), and the Prelacy Ladies Guild, continued last night
with V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Garabedian presenting a thoughtful mediation on
verses 6 to 9 of St. Nerses Shnorhali’s prayer, “In Faith I Confess.” The
Lenten programs take place Wednesdays during Lent at St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City. Husgoom Service starts at
7:30 pm, followed by a short meditation at 8:00 pm.
Next week’s meditation on Wednesday, March 15, will be based on verses
10 to 15 presented by V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian, chairman of the Religious
Council and pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, NJ.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS
“Sexual Ethics: An Armenian Orthodox Perspective,” will be the topic of
the upcoming National Conference for Christian Educators, March 17 to 19.
The conference will take place at the Wonderland Conference Center in
Sharon, Massachusetts.
Noted theologian Professor Vigen Guroian will lead the Conference.
Topics to be discussed include: Moral living, human sexuality, creation and
gender theology, and the institution and sacrament of marriage.
Sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC), the
conference will equip Christian educators as well as young parents with the
tools to teach these important issues.
ANEC SCHOOL FESTIVAL ON MARCH 26
More than one hundred students will participate in an Armenian School
Festival on Sunday, March 26. Sponsored by the Armenian National Education
Committee (ANEC) under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan, the Festival will take place at the Dwight-Englewood School in
Englewood, New Jersey, beginning at 3 pm.
DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM FOR YOUTH AGES 13-18;
20TH ANNIVERSARY TO BE MARKED THIS YEAR
Plans are underway for the 20th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute
Summer Christian Studies Program. Sponsored by the Armenian Religious
Education Council (AREC), the weeklong program will take place at the St.
Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
HADASSAH MAGAZINE FEATURE ON ARMENIA
The February 2006 issue of Hadassah Magazine features a travel article
on Armenia by Esther Hecht. The article includes many photographs including
one of Ararat taken from Khor Virab, which we here at Crossroads can
personally attest to being the most spectacular view of Ararat. Ms. Hecht
writes of Ararat, “The mountain’s twin peaks were once the heart of Armenia,
but now the Turkish border cuts between that heart and Yerevan, so that
Ararat remains ever visible but just out of reach, the object of endless
yearning.” She ends the article with this thought, “Long after you return
home, the sweet and haunting sounds of the duduk will conjure up memories of
Armenia’s struggle for survival, its vast snow-capped mountain ranges, and
its proud but welcoming people.”
The article is available on the web, but unfortunately the photographs
are not included. To read the article click
/archive/2006/06_feb/traveler.asp
ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
This Saturday, March 11, the Armenian Church remembers St. Cyril
(315-386) of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church.
St. Cyril possessed a moderate and conciliatory disposition.
Unfortunately he lived at a time when Bishops were embroiled in bitter
controversies and were quick to condemn any attempts of compromise as
treason. Sixteen years of his thirty-five years as a bishop were spent in
exile. When a famine hit Jerusalem, he sold some of the goods of the church
to raise money for the poor people who were starving to death. He was
condemned for selling church property and was banished.
His best-known work to survive, The Catechetical Lectures, is believed
to be one of the earliest systematic accounts of Christian theology. The
lectures consist of an introductory lecture, followed by eighteen lectures
on the Christian Faith that were used during Lent for those to be baptized
on Easter, and five lectures on the Sacraments to be used after Easter. The
lectures have been translated into many languages including English and
Armenian, and are noted for their presentation of the Christian faith in a
positive light and maintaining a balance between correct belief and holy
action.
“Let us, then, my brethren, endure in hope. Let us devote ourselves,
side by side with our hoping, so that the God of all the universe, as he
beholds our intention, may cleanse us from our sins, fill us with high hopes
from what we have in hand, and grant us the change of heart that saves. God
has called you, and you have your calling.”
(from the Catechetical Lectures)
SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON
This Sunday, March 12, is the third Sunday of Great Lent, known as the
Sunday of the Prodigal Son. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is intended to
show God’s fatherly love and eagerness to forgive those who repent. The
well-known story describes an errant son whose absence causes pain to his
father. When the son returns the father welcomes him with open arms and
jubilation much to the distress of an older son who had remained faithful.
But the father says, “It is fitting to make merry and be glad, for your
brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” The entire
story of the prodigal son can be read in Luke, chapter 15, verses 11 to 32.
FIRST TELEPHONE CALL
One hundred thirty years ago, on March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell
transmitted the first successful phone conversation when he said to his
assistant, “Mr. Watson, come here.”
By 1878, Bell had set up the first telephone exchange in New Haven,
Connecticut, and in 1884 long distance connections were made between Boston
and New York. The technology that resulted from this invention that Bell
called “electrical speech machine” is nothing short of an amazing revolution
in telecommunications.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
March 12-Membership meeting of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City.
March 12-Membership meeting of St. Stephen’s Church, New Britain,
Connecticut.
March 17-19-National Conference for Sunday School Teachers, at the
Wonderland Conference and Retreat Center in Sharon, Massachusetts, sponsored
by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC).
March 19-Mid-Lenten Luncheon (Michink), St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York.
March 26-School Festival presented by the Armenian National Education
Committee (ANEC), at Dwight Englewood School, Englewood, New Jersey. Watch
for details.
April 2-Lecture, “The Book of Revelation and Badarak: What’s the
Connection?” presented by Dn. Shant Kazanjian, Director of the Armenian
Religious Education Council (AREC), at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York. For information 718-224-2275.
April 2-Annual Ladies Guild Lenten Luncheon, Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church,
Whitinsville, Massachusetts. Immediately following church services.
April 8-Ladies Guild Annual Bake Sale, 10 a.m., Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church,
Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
April 17-“The Armenian Genocide,” a new documentary will be shown on most
PBS stations. Please check your local listings.
April 23-Commemoration of the 91st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at
Times Square-the crossroads of the world. Watch for details.
April 29-Presentation by comedian Vahe Berberian at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York. For details 718-224-2275.
May 5-Reunion of all students beginning from the 1930s who attended St.
Illuminator Armenian School in New York. Dinner Dance at Terrace on the
Park, Corona, NY. For reservations or information contact the St.
Illuminator’s Day School, 718-478-4073.
May 7-Mothers’ Day celebration at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York.
May 8-Mothers’ Day Luncheon by Prelacy Ladies Guild, St. Regis, New York
City.
May 12-Exhibition of the works of artist Emma Gregoryan at the Prelacy, 138
E. 39th Street, New York City.
May 13-Dinner-Dance organized by the St. Sarkis Church Ping-Pong Club. For
details 718-224-2275.
May 17-19-National Representative Assembly (NRA), hosted by Sts. Vartanantz
Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.
May 16 and 17-Conference of Yeretzgeens in conjunction with the National
Representative Assembly, hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey.
May 20-Saturday School year end Hantes, St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York.
May 21-Sunday School year end Hantes, St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York.
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03/09/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) US Official to Meet Armenian, Azeri Leaders about Karabagh 2) Armenian Army Prepared to Defend Itself as Azerbaijan Continues to Violate Cease Fire 3) ANCA Asks Secretary Rice to Explain Reports of Ambassador Evans' Recall 4) Turkish Organizations to Work against Genocide Law in France 1) US Official to Meet Armenian, Azeri Leaders about Karabagh YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)--Dan Fried, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia next week to discuss the results of internationally sponsored peace talks on Karabagh. Fried will be accompanied by Steven Mann, Washington's top Karabagh negotiator. Mann and senior French and Russian diplomats co-chairing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minsk Group ended a meeting in Washington this week in an attempt to salvage the Karabagh peace process after the unsuccessful meeting of Armenian and Azeri presidents in Rambouillet near Paris last month. The co-chairs were reported to have determined their future steps for resolution of the dispute. Mann said he will give detailed information to the Presidents of the two countries during his visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia later this month with Fried. Fried mentioned the Karabagh conflict on Wednesday as he addressed hearings on US foreign policy organized by a key House of Representatives committee. "We urge the Armenian and Azeri leaderships to seize the moment and help bring the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict to a close," he told the House International Relations Committee. Fried's deputy Matthew Bryza was in Yerevan earlier this week, saying after talks with President Robert Kocharian and other Armenian leaders that the conflicting parties remain "very close" to hammering out a framework peace accord. Bryza said Kocharian and his Azerbaijani counterpart have to make "very tough decisions" to reach a peaceful settlement. The US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish also remains optimistic about negotiations mediated by the Minsk Group, saying that they will lead to positive results in 2006. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, however, continues to make statements demonstrating Baku's reluctance to compromise. He stated yesterday in Tokyo that Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is not a topic for discussion at the negotiations over the Karabagh conflict regulation, reported the Azertag news agency. According to him, the topics of discussions are the liberation of the occupied territories, ethnic separation, return of refugees, and granting Karabagh a higher degree of autonomy. "All this should be done in compliance with international right and principles. We hope that the conflict will be solved in a peaceful way," said he adding that the international community should play a greater role in the conflict regulation process as the existence of the conflict is the main obstacle for the development of the region. 2) Armenian Army Prepared to Defend Itself as Azerbaijan Continues to Violate Cease Fire YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)--Amid cease fire violations by Azerbaijan, Vice Minister of Defense General Artur Aghabegian said that the Armenian Armed Forces are prepared to suppress Azeri attacks. He added that at this point there is no serious need to talk about the danger of war, but every single soldier knows that Armenia is ready to resist both local skirmishes and if need be, full scale military operations. Aghabegian said that both Armenia and Azerbaijan know that any unforeseen movement along the front line could lead to casualties. He said that Azeri forces may be firing on Armenian positions to disrupt the restructing of trenches. According to him, such incidents have occasionally occured since the 1994 cease fire. The Armenian military reported more frequent cease fire violations in recent days. The defense ministry said Azeri forces on Wednesday continued to open fire on the westernmost sections of the border in the Ijevan and Shorzha regions. On Thursday, Azeri troops shelled Armenian military units in the northeastern Tavush province and in Vayots Dzor on the border with Azerbaijan's enclave Nakhichevan. The Armenian defense ministry denied allegations by Azerbaijan that its positions in Kazah region were shelled by Armenians. A message released by the US embassy in Yerevan on Thursday advised American citizens residing in Armenia to stay away from the section of a highway in the northeastern Tavush region that runs close to the border with Azerbaijan. "The US Embassy has designated this portion of the road off-limits to all US government personnel because it lies too close to the cease fire line between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, a line which has seen numerous cease fire violations over the years," read the message. 3) ANCA Asks Secretary Rice to Explain Reports of Ambassador Evans' Recall --Representative Napolitano Questions Assistant Secretary Fried about Evans WASHINGTON, DCArmenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian called on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Wednesday to address reports that the US Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, is being forced from office based on truthful and forthright statements he made last April about the Armenian genocide. In a March 8 letter, Hachikian asked Secretary Rice to comment on published accounts (California Courier, March 9, 2006) that the Ambassador is being recalled, well before the normal end of his term of office, due to his remarks during a series of presentations to Armenian American communities across the country. Speaking last year to an Armenian American gathering at the University of California at Berkeley, Evans said, "I will today call it the Armenian genocide... I informed myself in depth about it. I think we, the US government, owe you, our fellow citizens, a more frank and honest way of discussing this problem. "Today, as someone who has studied it... there's no doubt in my mind [as to] what happened . . . I think it is unbecoming of us, as Americans, to play word games here. I believe in calling things by their name." Referring to the Armenian genocide as "the first genocide of the 20th century," he said: "I pledge to you, we are going to do a better job at addressing this issue." Evans also disclosed that he had consulted with a legal advisor at the State Department who had confirmed that the events of 1915 were "genocide by definition." Within days after his remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour of Armenian American communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently forced to issue a statement clarifying that his references to the Armenian genocide were his personal views and did not represent a change in US policy. He subsequently issued a correction to this statement, replacing a reference to the Genocide with the word "tragedy." Later last year, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), in recognition of his honesty and commitment to principle, decided to honor Ambassador Evans with the "Christian A. Herter Award," recognizing creative thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service. Sadly, as Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler revealed on June 9, AFSA withdrew its award following pressure from "very serious people from the State Department." In his letter, Hachikian wrote that, "the prospect that a US envoy's posting--and possibly his career--has been cut short due to his honest and accurate description of a genocide is profoundly offensive to American values and US standing abroad--particularly in light of President Bush's call for moral clarity in the conduct of our international affairs." He added that, "if, in fact, punitive measures are being taken against Ambassador Evans, this would represent a tragic retreat from our nation's core values. It would also represent a new low in our government's shameful complicity in the Turkish government's campaign of denial. Not only does the State Department continue to be publicly silent as Turkey criminally prosecutes its writers and citizens for speaking about the Armenian Genocide, it appears the State Department is following Turkey's lead by muzzling and punishing an American diplomat for his speech and his acknowledgment of a genocide that is extensively documented in the State Department's own archives." The ANCA letter also urged Secretary Rice to respond in a timely manner to the series of written questions on this matter submitted on February 16 by Congressman Adam Schiff during her testimony before the House International Relations Committee. Among these questions was a specific request that the Secretary assure the Committee that the Department of State has not taken--and will not take--any punitive action against Ambassador Evans for speaking out about the Armenian genocide. Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA) also submitted a series of questions about the reported recall of Ambassador Evans to a senior State Department official during his testimony before the US House International Relations Committee. As a follow up question, addressed to Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried, the California Congresswoman asked for a clarification of any restrictions placed on State Department officials concerning the use of the word "genocide" when discussing the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians starting in 1915. She also inquired about US policy on the Turkish blockade of Armenia and the proposed Caucasus railroad line circumventing Armenia. Responding to a reporter's question at the State Department briefing, spokesperson Sean McCormack said, "I'm not aware that we have recalled anybody... I believe that he's still serving as ambassador in Armenia." 4) Turkish Organizations to Work against Genocide Law in France (Marmara)--Several Turkish organizations in France are preparing a commission to work against the French Parliament's decisions about the Armenian genocide. The president of the Paris Anadolu Cultural Center said that the over 300 Turkish organizations operating in France, despite differing views, can unite on this one issue. He added that the organizers have nothing against the Armenian people, they are simply trying to "refute Armenian lies." All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress