OKTAY EKSI: LAST WORD ON THE HEYBELIADA SEMINARY FROM GUL?
Hurriyet, Turkey
May 2 2006
There seems to be something different about Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul these days. He appears to be backing away from his former “well,
if that’s how it is, that’s ok, oh, and that’s alright too” diplomatic
style. It was precisely this style which used to give the impression
that he was indecisive.
But just yesterday, we read in the news what he said to French Foreign
Minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy about the claims of Armenian genocide,
and the French plans to prosecute those denying them: “Let’s say either
I or the President of Turkey came to France. And let’s say that,
while there, reporters asked one of us about the Armenian claims,
and we denied them. What would you do? Throw us in jail?” Douste-Blazy
did not respond.
And in the same way, at the same Sofia, Bulgaria unofficial meeting of
NATO ministers, Gul went outside his usual relaxed style of diplomacy
in responding to Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni’s pressing on
the question of whether Ankara would allow the Heybeliada Seminary to
open. As you know, the Halki Seminary on Heybeliada Island has been
closed since 1971. This decision was made neither by the Turkish
government nor by YOK (the Turkish Board of Higher Education) but
instead by the Orthodox Fener Patriarchate itself. It derived from the
emergence at that time of a law requiring all private institutions of
higher learning to be connected to universities in Turkey. Following
the emergence of this law, the Ministry of Education informed the Fener
Patriarchate that the Halki Seminary too would have to link itself
to a university in Turkey. It was after this that the Patriarchate
decided instead to close down the seminary.
According to reports, Gul told Greek FM Bakoyannis in Sofia that
“the offering of a religious education at the seminary is anathema
to our Turkish Constitution,” and then went on to stress that
religiously based education in Turkey was only authorized under
certain guidlines. Following this, he reportedly repeated the Turkish
government’s suggestion that the Halki Seminary open up in a capacity
linked to Istanbul University.
If these words by Gul put the final note on the question over whether
or not the Heybeliada Seminary will re-open, we will all breath a
sigh of relief. That being said, the pressure to re-open the seminary
is not only coming from the US or EU countries. As you might know,
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is very soft on this matter,
and has even made statements to Patriarch Bartholomeus which could
be interpreted as promises. Even Education Minister Huseyin Celik
has said things like “If it were up to me, I would open that school
in 24 hours.” In any case, it looks like prudence in Turkey does,
from time to time, do its duty.

TURKEY, FRANCE AND REVISIONISM
Nazlan Ertan
The New Anatolian, Turkey
May 2 2006
Turkey and France have had a long history of intense and turbulent
relations for the last six centuries. This has, not surprisingly,
included times of cooperation, strategic balancing, intense trade and
cultural exchange and war. There have been moments, such as on the eve
and in the wake of the 1997 Luxembourg summit of the European Council,
that Turkey regarded France as one of its key partners in its drive
towards the European Union. There have been others, as we’ve heard
lately, before Sept 3, 2005, when France appeared to be an obstacle
to Turkey’s EU ambitions, both in terms of accession and Cyprus.
For a few months, Turkey has been living through a French spring in
the field of culture, but alas not in politics.
While art lovers are enjoying performances in Ankara, Istanbul and
around Turkey by French masters of their art, diplomatic and political
circles are deeply pensive about the possible damage that would be
inflicted on relations if France passes a new bill on the Armenian
“genocide” this month.
The French socialists will almost certainly bring a new bill proposing
penalties to those who question the so-called Armenian genocide
to the floor of the French National Assembly this month during a
“window session.”
Armenians in France have already welcomed the law, which will come
to the floor for debate on May 18, one of the limited times when the
opposition is allowed to propose laws.
If accepted then it would be a crime — punishable for up to five
years in prison — to “deny that the Armenian genocide” took place.
This will be the second time that a debate in the French Parliament
on the Armenian “genocide” has poisoned Turco-French ties. The French
Parliament adopted a controversial law in 2001, which says, in a single
line, that “France publicly recognizes the Armenian genocide of 1915.”
When this law, penned by the Socialist Party (PS), was first discussed
in 1997, there were various proposals: Some groups suggested that
a clause on revisionism be added to the law, while others wanted
to change the date to 1915-1921, when the modern Turkish state was
also established.
Then, after three years of being buried in the Senate, the law was
finally passed and signed by President Jacques Chirac. Both French
diplomatic and political circles quickly verified the law didn’t
contain “revisionism.”
The text, said Parisian policy-makers, diplomats and academics, was
greatly different from that of the Loi Gayssot, which made denial of
the Holocaust punishable under the law.
The Turks were unpersuaded. Ankara was certain that once this first
law was passed, a negationism clause would follow sooner or later.
Time, it seems, has proved Ankara right.
In the wake of the conflict around monuments that aimed to “honor”
victims of the Armenian genocide claims dedicated in the French
cities of Lyon and Marseille, the fertile atmosphere for that new
law was created.
Many French politicians have judged the graffiti scribbled on the
monument to be a mere act of vandalism, which fed pressure from the
strong and well-organized Armenian lobby on French politicians to
“do something.”
I’m reluctant to get into a debate on how and under which conditions
historical revisionism (or “negationism”) can be reconciled with
freedom of expression, if at all. To me, any negationism reminds me
of its most famous example in literature, George Orwell’s “1984.”
Nor will I discuss the differences between what constitutes a
“genocide” and what constitutes a “massacre” or wonder out loud
whether the international tendency to shout “genocide” is a factor
that, in fact, diminishes the gravity of other crimes against humanity.
Looking at the situation between Turkey and France, it seems highly
probable that the law will be passed. Take the existing sympathies in
the country toward the Armenian diaspora, the well-organized Armenian
lobby and its power, and all the negative factors against Turkey. Add
to this the dialogue of the deaf between Ankara and Paris on this
issue. No Turkish diplomat can be sufficiently convincing for the
French audience on the Armenian question, no matter what they say, and,
vice versa, no French diplomat can explain and make Turks “understand”
the French dilemma on the Armenian question. The civil societies of
both countries don’t have a sufficiently developed relationship with
each other to be a serious element in the equation.
One hopes, however, that credible and nonpartisan groups on both
sides will come together and discuss the issue in the coming days.
What makes one uneasy is think that French lawmakers will vote for
the new law without fully realizing what it means. They will know,
of course, that opposing it may border on political suicide. Most
will surely think of the Armenian question itself and conclude,
easily and without much of a dilemma of the conscience, that since
France passed a law recognizing genocide five years ago, why not add
another one on revisionism? After all, they might ask, do we want
graffiti on monuments?
Will any of them see the inconsistency when their country’s foreign
minister asked Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika not to
“overuse” the term genocide in regards to France’s former role as a
colonial power in his country? Will he remember remarks uttered by
ex-Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, who in 2001 rejected a proposal to
investigate French “massacres” in Algeria, saying they should leave
judgements on the issue to historians?
Will the same deputies also think that by passing this law, France
— which was considered an intellectual and academic capital — can
no longer play a meaningful role on any Turkish-Armenian platform to
build a relationship? Would the same country be better off supporting
joint academic studies or a “Truth” commission on the same question?
A senior diplomat maintained that Turco-French ties, which have been
intense for centuries, will withstand it, but he added, “I’d be sorry
to see them deteriorate in my time.”
Hopefully, he won’t be the only one to think that, neither in Ankara
nor in Paris, and particularly not in the National Assembly.

THANK YOU, MR. URPER
Recep Guvelioglu
The New Anatolian, Turkey
May 2 2006
I was going to write another article about the Armenian genocide
claims. But after I read a news item in the newspaper Sabah, I changed
my mind.
According to the report, a cultural and political crisis occurred
in Bergama, a town whose biblical name is Pergamum. Greek Fener
Patriarch Bartholemeos wanted to organize a special religious ceremony
for St. John’s Day. All the local leaders of political parties —
with the exception of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party
– submitted a petition to the local authority, demanding that no
permission be given to this ritual: They claimed that Bartholemeos
wants to create a positive atmosphere for his claims to have an
ecumenical status. But the mayor of Bergama, who is a member of the
AK Party, Rasit Urper, rejected that idea and gave the permission for
this special ceremony. Urper said: “What age are we living in? We
started this event to boost faith tourism three years ago. They’re
trying to mix politics up with this event.”
Personally I congratulate the mayor of Bergama, Mr. Urper.
What really bothers me is the “mentality of the other side.”
Let me give you an example. Let’s say that as a devoted Muslim you
would like to organize “Mevlud” in one of the European cities, but
the municipal authority doesn’t give you permission. What would you do?
What would your reaction be?
The claim that the patriarch wants to create a positive atmosphere
for his ecumenical status by organizing St. John’s Day in Bergama is
also funny. As a patriarch it is part of his duty to do this. This
event will not add any power to him. What it would add is tourism to
the region.
This kind of event enriches faith tourism. It creates an extra spending
opportunity for regular tourists.
There is another point I should add.
Bergama (Pergamum) has an importance in Christian history. It is the
site of one of the seven churches mentioned in the New Testament.
So if Christians organize a religious ceremony there, why should this
bother us? Would it not be their right to do so?
If you say “no,” then why are you trying to get Turkey into the
European Union?
Why are you trying to be included in the civilized world?
St. John and other apostles are also mentioned in our Koran as “Ensar”
(supporter of Jesus Christ). To a certain extent we Muslims recognize
them.
Then why are we getting bothered about their religious ceremony?
St. John described Pergamum as “Satan’s throne,” mostly because of
the Temple of Zeus which existed there. Now that great monumental
temple can’t be seen there. It’s in Berlin. Because of the negligence
of our people. The negligence of narrow-minded people.
Bigotry and negligence have destroyed many historical artifacts in
this beautiful land.
That’s why I would like thank Mr. Urper again and again .At least he
saved us from a great shame.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN MEMORIAL SPURS GREENWAY WORRY
By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe Staff
Boston Globe, MA
May 2 2006
Allowing the proposal could open the door to a rush of competing
political groups and causes.
A proposal to build a park memorializing Armenian genocide victims
on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is rattling neighbors and
conservancy board members, who fear that it would open the door to
an overwhelming number of groups and causes.
The proposal is to put a large sculpture, reflecting pool, and
fountain, and 60-foot-diameter paved labyrinth on the southern end
of the block near Faneuil Hall. It would be the sole feature of the
new Greenway that would honor an ethnic group.
Edwin Schlossberg of New York, a conservancy board member and the
husband of Caroline Kennedy Schloss-berg, granddaughter of Rose
Kennedy, said he is concerned that placing one ethnic memorial on
the Greenway could “pit one group against another.”
“It’s so difficult when you open up the door to consideration about
people wanting to exhibit discrete things on their mind,” Schlossberg
said. “This area was one to be developed without that.”
So far the Greenway has been designed without monuments or memorials.
There is not even a plan for a bust or statue of Rose Kennedy,
namesake of the new corridor of parks along the former Central Artery
highway. She was the mother of President John F. Kennedy and Senator
Edward M. Kennedy, the senior US senator from Massachusetts.
“The Greenway, if possible, should stay true to how it’s been,”
Schlossberg said.
The Greenway conservancy board is scheduled today to see for the first
time the proposed Armenian park, which is being funded by the Armenian
Heritage Tribute and Genocide Memorial Foundation, a group of about
45 Armenian-American churches and cultural groups. The foundation
would also create a $500,000 endowment for maintenance and establish
a separate $500,000 endowment for an annual lecture series to be held
at Faneuil Hall.
Donald J. Tellalian of Tellalian Associates Architects & Planners LLC
of Boston said the memorial would not be dedicated solely to the 1.5
million Armenians who died in conflict with the Turks early in the
last century.
“It will be as universal in its message as possible,” said Tellalian
who led a design committee of 12 from the Armenian-American
community. “This is meant to be celebratory,” Tellalian added
yesterday, recognizing the “immigrant experience for all — not
just Armenians.”
Objections to the memorial concern not only whether a single monument
to an ethnic or national group should find a place on the Greenway,
they also have to do with the unusual process by which the memorial
was proposed and developed.
In 2000, the Legislature passed a brief provision into law directing
the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to study the feasibility of
constructing “a monument to the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1922.”
It did not specify a location, but the Turnpike is now formally
proposing the foundation’s design for a parcel of a little less than
one-half acre between Cross Street and Surface Road, near Christopher
Columbus Park.
Other groups that sought Greenway space, including the Boston Museum
Project, went through competitive processes before being designated
and were designed within a public process approved by the Federal
Highway Administration. That included review by the Turnpike Authority,
City of Boston officials, and the community.
The Armenian group’s proposal has bypassed that route and is just
being made public. It was presented Thursday to a meeting of North
End and Wharf District residents.
“The memorial is a wonderful and important idea for our community,”
said Peter Meade, chairman of the conservancy board. “But there
are questions about whether it is consistent with the goals of the
Greenway conservancy, and we have to have a discussion about that
with the proponents.”
State Representative Peter J. Koutoujian, a Waltham Democrat and
proponent of the memorial, said at the meeting that details of the
plan had been purposely kept under wraps until all public officials
were briefed on it.
Fred Yalouris, director of architecture for the Big Dig, called the
land “a public park” and said, “We have proceeded with a very public
process that has been going on five to six years.”
But Rob Tuchmann, cochairman of the Mayor’s Central Artery Completion
Task Force, and others noted that the group, which oversees Greenway
design, has never seen the proposal.
“It is certainly not consistent with the spirit of the requirement
that they include the three parties — including the community —
in the design process,” said Anne Fanton, former executive director
of the Central Artery Environmental Oversight Committee.
Chris Fincham, a resident of Harbor Towers and a close observer of the
years-long design of the Greenway parks, said, “All the other parcels,
the community was involved in the designs from the beginning. This
is an ethnic memorial, and it creates a problem.”
Mayor Thomas M. Menino declined comment on the Armenian group’s
proposal or questions raised about it.
The park would almost certainly be the most distinctive feature of the
Greenway, which is under construction and is expected to be completed
in 2007.
The sculpture in the proposed park would be a 15-foot-high
steel dodecahedron, or 12-sided structure, in the form of a large
interlocking puzzle. It would symbolize the 12 provinces of historic
Armenia and the Armenians who died in the conflict early last century.
Tellalian said the structure would be pulled apart as it is installed,
recalling what happened to the Armenian homeland. Each year, with the
assistance of a crane, it would be taken apart again, and reconfigured.
“The immigrants came to this country and began to put themselves back
together again,” he said.
Some in the North End who attended last week’s meeting praised the
proposed park.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the design,” said Nancy
Caruso, a North End community leader. “The problem is with the
process. I think what everyone’s objecting to is having it pushed
down our throats.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/02/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Armenian Army Prepared to Defend Itself against Adversaries 2) US Expresses Concern about New Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia 3) Turkish Court Overturns Armenian Journalist's Appeal 1) Armenian Army Prepared to Defend Itself against Adversaries Armenian Deputy Defense Minister General Artur Aghabegian said Tuesday that the Armenian Military is prepared to resist any attack from its adversaries, adding that the Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR) Defense Forces demonstrated their abilities last month with week-long war exercises. Aghabegian also referred to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev's statement in Washington, DC, in which he said that Azerbaijan has been very active in peacekeeping efforts in Iraq. Aghabegian said that such a statement can only be made by a person who does not know what it means to serve in an army and the logistics of a war zone. "We have always publicized Armenian peacekeeping operations [in Iraq]," he said, adding that many countries have thanked Armenia for its participation. Aghabegian said that if Azerbaijan is truly committed, "Let them show on TV what their peacekeeping forces are doing in Iraq." 2) US Expresses Concern about New Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia YEREVAN (RFE/RL/Armenpress)--The United States has serious misgivings about the Armenian Government's ambitious plans to build a new nuclear power station in place of the aging Medzamor plant, said a senior US official Tuesday during the 12th meeting of the US-Armenian Economic Task Force in Yerevan. Tom Adams, who coordinates US Government assistance to former Soviet republics, expressed Washington's position on the issue after attending a regular session of the inter-governmental body co-chaired by Adams and Armenian Finance and Economy Minister Vartan Khachatrian. Armenia's energy security was high on the agenda of the one-day meeting, with Khachatrian saying that the Armenian side discussed with its US counterparts Yerevan's intention to replace Medzamor with a more modern and powerful nuclear plant. "The ideal option in our [energy] strategy would be to launch the new facility on the day that the existing reactor will stop operating," said Khachatrian during a joint news conference with Adams and John Evans, the US ambassador in Yerevan. Medzamor, which generates nearly 40 percent of Armenia's electricity, is expected to be decommissioned by 2016. The plant remains open despite pressure from the US and the European Union, which say the plant's sole operating reactor is too old and unsafe. Adams noted that the mountainous country is located in a seismically active zone that poses serious safety risks. "I think our view right now is that there are probably better alternatives to a second nuclear plant [in Armenia]," he said. Another, more high-ranking US official, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, appeared more supportive of the idea when he visited Yerevan in early March. Bryza noted that a "new generation of nuclear power" is one of potential ways of ensuring Armenia's energy security. The issue was high on the agenda of his talks with senior Armenian officials. Building a new nuclear facility would cost Armenia at least $1 billion, a sum worth its budget for this year. The Government says it cannot put the ambitious project put into practice without external financial support, saying that it is already looking for potential foreign investors. The 12th session of the task force also discussed development of the Armenian economy, democratic reforms, and issues pertaining to the Millennium Challenges Account program. Also discussed were agriculture, energy, education, and judicial issues. The US-Armenian Task Force was founded in 2002 to promote US-Armenian cooperation. The Task Force holds two annual meetings, one in Armenia and one in the US. Over the last decade, the US Government has carried out various development and humanitarian projects worth $1.6 billion in Armenia. 3) Turkish Court Overturns Armenian Journalist's Appeal (AFP/BBC)A Turkish court in Ankara rejected Monday an appeal by a prominent Armenian journalist against a ruling that found him guilty of insulting Turkishness. Hrant Dink, publisher of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos, was sentenced to a suspended six-month sentence in October by a court in Istanbul for an article published in February 2004. The article about the genocide of Armenians during World War I in Turkey called on Armenians "to turn now to the new blood of an independent Armenia, which alone is capable of liberating the Armenian diaspora" and to reject any Turkish roots. In February, the chief prosecutor's office at the Appeals Court considered Dink's case and recommended that the remarks were in no way insulting. But now, in a surprise development, the court itself has chosen to ignore that interpretation and ruled that the substance of the charge still stands. The appeal judges in Ankara overturned the conviction due to procedural errors, Anatolia reported, adding that the case will be referred back to the Istanbul court for retrial. It is a blow for the defense team. The high-profile newspaper editor, whose publication Agos appears in Turkish and Armenian, was first found guilty of insulting Turkishness last year when a court ruled that his article described Turkish blood as dirty. Dink always denied his words meant any such thing and argued his column was in fact aimed at improving the difficult relationship between Turks and Armenians. The case will now go back to the local court that first heard it, and Dink could face a retrial. He told the BBC he was extremely distressed at the news. He has always said he would have to leave the country if the courts here could not clear his name for good. This case is one of several similar cases in Turkey, monitored closely by EU officials concerned about limits on free speech in the country. European Union officials have expressed serious concern about the article of law that was used against Hrant Dink and several dozen other writers here in Turkey. Despite a series of reforms linked to Turkey's bid for membership of the EU, it is still illegal to insult the Turkish identity, the military and the judiciary and the line between criticism and insult is often blurred. The issue of the Armenian genocide is frequently the spark for court cases. 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.

For Immediate Release
May 2, 2006
65 Main Street, Watertown MA 02472
Contact Person: Mariam Stepanyan
Phone: 617.926.2562
Email: [email protected]
Website:
_________________________________ _______________________________________
The Arts of Photography, Poetry, and Translation.
The Arts of Photography, Poetry, and Translation is the title of an
uncommon exhibition at the Armenian Library and Museum of America’s
Terjenian Gallery, featuring photojournalist Armineh Johannes.
Illustrating the photography are selected poems from *I Want to Live*
by Shushanik Kurghinian, translated by Shushan Avagyan, and from the
*Other Voice: Armenian Women’s Poetry Through the Ages*, translated
by Diana Der-Hovanessian.
DATES: May 14 – 28 during museum hours.
RECEPTION: Sunday, May 21, 2006, from 1:30 – 3:30 pm.
Armineh Johannes is an award-winning photojournalist whose assignments
and interests have taken her to Armenia for the last seventeen years,
and to some eastern and middle-eastern countries as well. The majority
of the photographs in this exhibition are from her “Transitions”
series which try to capture those elements in these societies that may
be in the process of disappearing, namely the traditional, the rural,
what is considered pre-industrial and everlastingly old-world. These
photos do not suggest revolution or upheaval of the overt kind;
rather they evoke those internal question marks and hidden tumults
that are part of every man’s and woman’s life.
The poetry linked to the images varies. Kurghinian’s from I Want to
Live volume, deals with social issues, feminism, and confrontation
with established values and oppressive norms. The poetry from the
“Other Voice” extends the spectrum.
The forced juxtaposition of the photos with the selected poetry
provides some unusual tensions, reflecting the tension always inherent
in Kurghinian’s poetry, and the range of emotions called forth by
the number of poets in the “Other Voice.”
Is the pretty bride sitting on a patterned couch menacingly sandwiched
between two huge tiger faces, in fact happy bedecked in bracelets,
or is she Kurghinian’s bride whose gold ringlets attest to the fact
that she is “Sold.” Will the little girl with the black cat eventually
reflect her mother’s high ideals as the poem “Gift to my Daughter”
suggests, or just her own mischievous spirit. What about the little
swaddled infant with the alert eyes? Viewing Johannes’ web site and
people with more eastern non-Armenian eyes, provides further reflection
and questions about what their future holds.
Hopefully this exhibition will be a beginning exploration for the
viewer of how photography stimulates thought, and how poetry captures
images with a minimum of words.
To stimulate audience participation, and interest in the power
of translation, a poetry contest is an integral part of this
exhibition. Two of Kurghinian’s poems, chosen by Karine Marino,
are available for translation from the Armenian. To make the
contest accessible to all, the Armenian comes with a literal,
word-by-word translation into English. The best poetic translation,
as judged by a jury of three, will receive a $100 (one hundred
dollar) award. The two poems are short love poems, in contrast to
the more serious and purposeful poetry of Kurghinian’s in the I
Want to Live poetry book, to expose another aspect of this poet to
the public and to solicit a greater response to the contest. These
poems are available online on the publisher’s web site, AIWA Press,
Don’t miss this unusual exhibition. Bring your family and friends.
And let all try out for the contest, to demystify poetry while
simultaneously giving the fine art of translation its due, in a spirit
of fun and competition.
Both poetry books, published in 2005, are available from AIWA,
information via aiwainc.com; and from NAASR bookstore in Belmont,
MA, as well as other bookstores in the United States and elsewhere.
The exhibition at the Terjenian Gallery at ALMA, 65 Main Street,
Watertown, MA. 617.926.ALMA (2562) , is open during
museum hours, Thursday 6 – 9 PM, Friday and Sunday 1 – 5 PM, Saturday
10 AM – 2 PM. Gallery Admission is Free.
Submitted by Gina Ann Hablanian

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:
May 2, 2006
RAFFI HOVANNISIAN IN BELGIUM FOR TRANSATLANTIC FORUM
Meets with Solana, Scheffer, Basescu, McCain, Bennett
Brussels — Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign
Affairs, represented Armenia at an international policy conclave which
was convened here from April 28 to 30 under the auspices of the German
Marshall Fund of the United States, the Federal Government of Belgium,
and the Bertelsmann Stiftung of Germany.
Entitled “Transatlantic Challenges in a Global Era,” the Brussels
Forum brought together world leaders, public figures, diplomats,
academicians, activists, and renowned journalists in order to reassess
the transatlantic agenda from American, European, and neighborhood
perspectives; to discuss the threats of terrorism and pandemics
across the globe of the 21st Century; to explore global competition
in the public and private sectors; to chart the course of democracy
and geopolitics in wider Europe, the Middle East, and China; and
to contemplate transatlantic energy security, national identities,
and international integration.
In his intervention, Raffi Hovannisian addressed the track record
of the transatlantic alliance and examined its contribution to
the transition from Cold War to European cooperation. He also
underscored the imperative correlation between collective security
and shared core values both within the alliance and for potential
partners on its periphery. In particular, he urged the stringent and
equal application to all national actors of the highest standards
of democracy, rule of law, human rights protection, and genocide
prevention and condemnation–irrespective of their place and role in
the international system.
Against the backdrop of contemporary democracy movements and
geopolitical developments, Raffi Hovannisian held informal meetings
with Dr. Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the
European Union; NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer; Romanian
President Traian Basescu; and United States Senators John McCain and
Bob Bennett.
In the margins of the conference, Raffi Hovannisian also met with Crown
Prince Philippe of Belgium; Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt;
General James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; Chairman
Elmar Brok of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs;
Belgian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel De Gucht;
Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay; U.S. Senators George Voinovich
and John Edwards (former); Jordanian Senator Marwan al-Muasher; former
Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio; DaimlerChrysler Chairman Dieter
Zetsche; and several others.
Hovannisian and his conference colleagues were received at the Royal
Palace by His Highness King Albert of Belgium.
Raffi Hovannisian, who is founder of the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies and the National Citizens’ Initiative,
currently chairs the Heritage Party of Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE
April 29, 2006
American University of Armenia
40 Marshal Baghramian
Yerevan 375019 ARMENIA
Tel: (37410) 512-522
Fax: (37410) 512-523
Contact: Diana Manukyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Public Lecture at AUA Law Department
YEREVAN — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Department of Law,
in partnership with the NGO “Internews” Media Support, hosted a public
lecture by David Sandukhchyan (attorney, head of the legal service
of the “Internews” Media Support NGO), entitled “Current issues of
legal regulation of mass media” on Saturday, April 29, 2006.
Mr. Sandukhchyan discussed the impact of current media legislation on
freedom of speech in Armenia. He commented that, “According to PACE
resolutions and reports of international media freedom organizations,
the basic problem is the lack of the full independence of the
broadcasting regulatory body. The television and radio regulatory
body is formed of top political officials of the country through
non-transparent procedures and, therefore, cannot be fully independent
and neutral. Parallel with other deficiencies of the broadcasting
legislation, the absence of political neutrality of the regulatory
authority negatively affects the freedom of the broadcasting media
in Armenia.”
The aim of the lecture was to raise media awareness about current legal
protections for Armenian journalists and the regulation of mass media
activities in general. Topics included the independence of TV and radio
companies; legislative guarantees of the Mass Media independence from
state authorities; protection of media professionals against imperfect
legislation; and the inadequate application of current legislation.
Mr. Sandukhchyan concluded with his view of the primary issue of
Armenian media legislation and enforcement; i.e., the lack of a
provision in the ROA Law on TV and Radio that guarantees broadcasting
media independence from political authorities. He noted, however, that
there is room in the criminal, civil and administrative legislation to
develop efficient protection of journalists’ professional rights. “The
main problem…is the lack of enforcement of the legislation protecting
the media professionals. Despite a number of violent acts against
journalists that took place during the last three years, the relevant
article of the Criminal Code was applied by the Armenian courts only
once. None of the cases of violence against journalists by the police
[were] disclosed and no…law enforcement authority was panelized,”
Sandukhchyan stated.
The event was free and open to the public. Students, representatives
from international and local NGOs, and the representatives of media
attended the lecture.
Photos attached: David Sandukhchyan, Head of the legal service of the
“Internews” Media Support NGO.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
May 2, 2006
___________________
FR. ABDALIAN SPEAKS AT ANTI-GENOCIDE RALLY IN D.C.
As he stood before 15,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.,
Fr. Tateos Abdalian, pastor of the Holy Trinity Church of Cheltenham, PA,
thought about his father Manoog, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide.
Fr. Abdalian was representing the Armenian Church during a rally calling for
action to end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. It was fitting,
he thought, for an Armenian to address the thousands of activists gathered
in the nation’s capital.
“The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century, and this
is the first genocide of 21st century,” he said sadly. “In 100 years
nothing has changed. We still kill each other. We have that connection
with Darfur, and as Armenian people, we need to learn the lesson of going
outside our selves to help our brothers and sisters.”
In Rwanda, a region racked by its own genocide, there is a museum dealing
with the on-going violence, Fr. Tateos said. And a wall in that complex
deals with the Armenian Genocide.
“These African people associate and identify themselves with us through the
evil of genocide. We need to do the same, not only with them but with all
the people who suffer,” he said. “It is Christ who compels us to do this.
We can’t proclaim being the first Christian nation unless we translate that
into action. And there’s no greater action than to try to stop genocide.”
CAMPAIGN TO STOP GENOCIDE
Organized by Million Voices for Darfur, the rally in Washington, D.C., was
joined by others throughout the world. Supporters of the quest to end the
violence were also encouraged to send postcards to President Bush and other
lawmakers, urging American action. One million postcards were sent through
the campaign.
Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), was actively involved with the
organizing of the campaign, though unable to attend because of a prior
commitment with the Midwest parishes.
Several Armenians from Washington, D.C., and nearby parishes, including many
members of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA),
attended the rally on the National Mall. Before the day’s activities, Fr.
Abdalian celebrated a special Divine Liturgy at the St. Mary Church of
Washington. At the rally, Fr. Tateos delivered an invocation and then
briefly spoke to the activists.
“I stand before you on this day, humbled to be one among you who have united
in a collective voice of indignation crying out to the world against the
brutality of genocide,” he told the thousands of protestors. “With sorrow,
we testify that the spirit of hatred, the pure evil which is the genesis of
this crime against humanity does indeed exist in our word today, as it has
in the past.”
The stage was filled with speakers from the world of religion, politics,
academia, and entertainment. They spoke about the need for action and
compared the genocide in Darfur to other dark chapters in human history.
But for Fr. Tateos, the focus was on speaking as an Armenian, personally
touched by genocide. He highlighted the damage genocide does for
generations.
“The cruelty we are witnessing in Darfur and in other parts of the world is
just the latest step in a long and terrible journey for man, which began
when one brother found it possible to kill another,” he told the crowd. “I
myself am a survivor of genocide: the 1915 genocide of the Armenian people,
the genocide committed by the Turkish Ottoman government against its own
minority Armenian Christian citizens. That terrible episode still casts its
shadow over mankind 91 years later, and in a profound way.”
He urged the activists to follow in the footsteps of leaders like Martin
Luther King and Pope John Paul II, who relied on their hope-filled faith to
overcome evil.
“As people who are concerned over the continuing fact of genocide, we must
combat that darkness with weapons of light,” he said. “These weapons are
within the grasp of each person here, so long as we have the courage, the
resolve, the faith to uphold that light and shine it to the dark places of
our world.”
“Do not let the darkness of evil doers overshadow God’s light of love,” he
added. “Hold his lamp high. Do not be silent. Let your voices be heard by
the perpetrators of genocide, those of today and those of the past, so they
may be judged in this world and hereafter.”
Fr. Tateos’ three-minute remarks were interrupted by applause four times.
“It was one of the most humbling experiences I ever had in my life,” he said
afterward. “I was honored and I spoke as a survivor. My father was a
survivor, as was my father-in-law and mother-in-law. I spoke on their
behalf and on behalf of others I knew.”
During the rally Fr. Tateos connected via phone with young Armenians
attending the coinciding rally in San Francisco, CA. That group was
organized by Fr. Vazken Movsesian, priest at the St. Peter Church and Youth
Ministries Center, in Glendale, CA, who has traveled to Rwanda and spoken
out against the ongoing killing in Darfur.
“The Armenian voice was being heard from California to D.C.,” Fr. Tateos
said.
In the Sudan, the Janjaweed — a government-backed nomadic Arab tribe — has
raped, killed, and burnt the homes of black, non-Arab residents in the
nation’s Darfur region since 2003. The violence is an attempt to get them
to leave their lands, which the Arab government has promised to the
mercenaries. According to reports by the World Food Program, the United
Nations, and the Coalition for International Justice, 3.5 million people are
now hungry, 2.5 million have been displaced due to violence, and 400,000
people have died in Darfur so far.
For more on the rally or how to add your voice to end the genocide, visit
— 5/2/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Tateos Abdalian, pastor of the Holy Trinity Church
of Cheltenham, PA, is seen on a giant TV screen as he speaks about the
genocide in Darfur to 15,000 activists gathered on the National Mall in
Washington, D.C., on Sunday, April 30, 2006.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Fr. Tateos and Yn. Margaret Abdalian with actor George
Clooney, one of the other speakers during the Darfur genocide rally in
Washington, D.C.
# # #

PRESS RELEASE
From:
Rosario Teixeira
[email protected]
Peace of Art, Inc.
Fort Point P.O. Box 51660
Boston, MA 02205
May 1, 2006
Ripped Armenian Genocide Billboard on Arsenal Street is Up Again
by Rosario Teixeira
Watertown, MA – The Armenian Genocide commemorative billboard that
was up on the week of March 13th on Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA,
on Saturday April 22nd, was found ripped eliminating the message that
read “Join us recognize the Armenian Genocide.” Initially it seemed to
have been an act of vandalism, but the police investigated the matter
and concluded that the damage on the poster was weather related. Peace
of Art, Inc., the organization that sponsored the billboard, replaced
the poster on April 27th with a new one that reads “A poster may be
ripped but history remains.” The new poster will be up until May 15th.
For the last ten years, since 1996, the artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian
has been sponsoring the Armenian Genocide commemorative billboards,
to honor the survivors and bring awareness to the genocide. “I feel
sorrow in my heart to see the billboard destroyed” he said on WCVB
Channel 5 news story on Sunday, April 23rd. In the last three years,the
Armenian Genocide commemorative billboards have been sponsored by Peace
of Art,Inc., a non-profit organization founded by
Mr.Hejinian which uses art as an educational tool to bring awareness
to the universal human condition.
On Monday, April 24th on my way home during the evening commute,
I noticed a little boy with big sad eyes holding onto his mother
riding the train seated across from me. As he looked at me, thoughts
raced through my mind faster than the evening train. Through the sad
eyes of the little boy, I saw the eyes of a nation, whose houses were
destroyed,their churches were burned, masses marching barefoot through
hot desert sand to an unknown destination. Images of Armenians who
were forced out of their homes, killed, deported to die of starvation.
Innocent children without mothers to cling onto and without homes.
contrary to that little boy with large sad eyes seated across from me
with a mother to hug and a home to return. I felt a deep sadness for
the loss of a nation, and for the loss of the billboard on Arsenal
Street with a symbolic message of remembrance.
It didn’t matter if it was the weather, unseasonably hot sun, or the
soft wind, the cold April rain or an act of vandalism that ripped
the billboard. What maters is that the poster was destroyed two
days before the official 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
at a time when the community comes together to remember the loss
of 1.5 million Armenians. As it didn’t matter ninety one years
ago that the extermination of the Armenian population during the
turmoil of World War I, was the result of forced evacuation across
Anatolia to the Syrian desert of Dayr al Zawr or was the result of
a state-sponsored plan of mass destruction. What matters is that it
was the first Genocide of the 20th Century, and it will remain in
the history as a crime against humanity.
History can not be rewritten, the pages off the history books may be
ripped, leaving the book with ripped pages but history remains, just
like the ripped poster on Arsenal Street in Watertown. April 24,
1915,is a dark date in the history of Armenians, that is engraved
in the collective memory of a nation, it molded the psych of every
generation even since, and became part of the Armenian heritage.
However, the indomitable spirit of Armenians has prevailed in spite of
it all, and it has flourished through five continents. Peace of Art
Inc., will continue calling for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
For more information visit