UNESCO CENSORSHIP FOR OTTOMAN ARCHIVES
>From the Zaman Daily Times
Judeoscope.ca, Canada
June 12 2006
UNESCO, an organization founded to promote collaboration among
member countries to the United Nations through education, science
and research, attempted to alter historical documents it did not like.
An exhibition of Ottoman Archives in Paris last week was cancelled
due to controversy over censorship.
UNESCO asked that five of the 50 documents sent by the Turkish General
Directorate of State Archives be removed from the exhibition and two
of them be modified.
The documents censored include the friendship letters sent by Armenian
dignitaries to the Ottoman palace in 1889 and 1898.
UNESCO claimed the letters would anger the Diaspora Armenians.
Another document about Jews was also asked to be modified.
The Ottoman Empire protected the Jews expatriated from Spain and
Portugal at the end of the 15th century and settled them in different
regions.
UNESCO has been uneasy about the expression, “The Jews who took refuge
in the Ottoman State and settled in Edirne upon being expatriated from
Spain and Portugal…” in the document included in the Tahrir Defteri,
a written survey of a province.
UNESCO asked the word “expatriated” to be removed from the text and
be replaced with “Spanish and Portuguese Jews.”
The document will only be allowed to be exhibited only after this
change has been made.
Turkey’s permanent representative for the organization discussing
the issue with UNESCO officials approved the removal of the five
documents and the modification of the two documents.
The document on the Polish residents of Polonozkey in Istanbul that
UNESCO asked to be removed was not excluded from the exhibition.
The Turkish representative later communicated these developments to
the Foreign Ministry and General Directorate for State Archives.
The ministry and general directorate reacted harshly against the
attempt for censorship and insisted on exhibiting the documents in
their original form.
The General Directorate for State Archives emphasized the documents
they chose meticulously do not offend any nation and said the samples
show the Ottoman State displayed an impartial attitude towards humanity
with no practice of any religious or ethnic discrimination.
As no consensus between Ankara and Paris was established, the
exhibition scheduled to be held at the UNESCO Headquarters on June
8-22 was cancelled.
UNESCO officials stated the exhibition was postponed upon the Turkish
Embassy’s demand but offered no response to questions regarding the
censorship attempt.
Turkey’s Ambassador to UNESCO Numan Hazar said the exhibition has
been postponed “due to technical problems.”
_breve=1719

GEORGIA HAS TO PROVIDE FIRM GUARANTEES TO ATTRACT AZERI CAPITAL
Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
June 12 2006
Traditionally Georgia and Azerbaijan maintain good neighborly
relations. When Russia cut gas and electricity supply to Georgia
last winter Baku extended a hand of friendship to Georgia sharing
some of its supply with Tbilisi. Georgia and Azerbaijan have similar
problems with territorial integrity. However, Azerbaijan has improved
its relations with Russia and due to its oil resources has started
to push its economic growth.
GT interviews Azeri ambassador to Georgia Namig Aliyev. This is
the first interview the Azeri ambassador has given to the Georgian
print media.
Namig Aliyev: At the GUAM summit a short while ago, Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili came up with a proposal to create a free economic
zone. I think this initiative should be welcomed, and we hope Georgia
will build its relations with its neighbouring country this way. I
believe Azerbaijan and Georgia are destined to live in peace and
friendship. It cannot be otherwise. It’s quite natural that our
relations have been improving.
Q: Many are unhappy to see good neighborly relations between Azerbaijan
and Georgia. In a live broadcast on Russian TV Channel RTV, a Russian
political expert noted with regret that Azerbaijan shared its supply
with Georgia when Russia cut the gas and electricity to Georgia,
adding that Russia was involuntarily strengthening the friendship
between Georgia and Azerbaijan by resorting to such actions…
A: Azerbaijan wants to maintain friendly, peaceful relations with all
of its neighbors. We do want to have friends, kind and peace-loving
neighbors in the north and south, east and west, with whom we can work
and interact. We want our borders to be open. This will contribute
to a firm and long-lasting peace in the region.
Q: You are struggling to achieve friendly relations with Armenia, much
like Georgia is with Russia. Is this because we have similar problems:
Azerbaijan – that of Karabakh, and Georgia – those of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia? How are you going to settle the Karabakh conflict,
and does Azerbaijan have any advice for Georgia?
A: Let’s start from the end. There are no ready recipes to solve
the problems. The biggest problem plaguing the Caucasus today is
the unresolved conflicts in the region. 20 percent of Azerbaijani’s
territory is broken away from Azerbaijan. Negotiations are underway
and conducted under the aegis of the Minsk group. We do want our
neighbour [Armenia] to make proper conclusions and recognise the
norms of international law, as other states have done. Our hope is
that the international community will make political assessments of
our neighbour’s actions, especially as OSCE has already recognized
that Armenia is occupying Azeri territory.
Q: Do you think this issue will reach the Hague Tribunal? As far as
I know, Azerbaijan is working on the issue, and our compatriot Paata
Davitashvili is also involved in this activity.
A: Launching a case in Hague would need extensive work. I think,
if necessary, Azerbaijan will take the proper measures, but it does
need preparations.
Q: In your opinion, how effective would it be to conduct an
inter-Caucasian dialogue with the participation of the leaders of
all three South Caucasian states, plus neighbouring Turkey and Russia?
A: We have seen several such meetings conducted under various
formats. Parliamentary speakers of these countries have already met
but it’s hard to say how effective these meetings have been. I hope
a meeting between the executives of the countries will yield more
concrete results. I can say more about the importance of bilateral
relations. Azerbaijan has a very distinct, clear position about the
breakaway territory, and is demanding the withdrawal of forces. It’s
absurd, almost impossible, when someone tries to impose on you the
importance of economic relations or re-opening of rail communications
when the territory is still in foreign hands. We can only talk of
ending this occupation, eliminating the results of the aggression,
and demanding compliance [from Armenia] with the norms of international
law.
Q: What is Azerbaijan’s position on re-opening of the rail link between
Georgia and Russia via Abkhazia? Armenia and Russia have deep interests
in this project.
A: It’s up to Georgia to determine the need for re-opening this
rail link. We cannot comment on it. I can only say that Georgia and
Azerbaijan are friendly countries and we have much in common.
Q: Among common points we can also name the BTC pipeline. What role
do you think it plays in Georgian-Azeri relations?
A: Had the pipeline been unprofitable for Azerbaijan, we would not have
launched it. It is profitable for Georgia, as well. Azerbaijan made
this step based on our historically friendly relations with Georgia.
Q: Let’s touch on the issue of the Georgian settlements in
Azerbaijan. As far as we know, Georgian schools functioning in
Azerbaijan have had some problems using Georgian textbooks. Is
Azerbaijan planning to make any steps to help Georgian schools?
A: Some 17,000 Ingilos live in the Kakh and Zakatalo regions in
Azerbaijan. I can say that they have all necessary conditions to
develop and preserve their mother tongue, to learn Georgian culture
and develop it. They have their own cultural centre and a theatre.
The Azeri government pays heed to the demands of the Georgian
population and assists them in solution of the problems. During her
visit to Azerbaijan, (Georgia’s First Lady) Sandra Roelofs asked our
government to provide ambulances for these regions and we certainly
honored her request. You know that Georgia is also home to a half
million Azeri minority. However, Azerbaijanis have quite a different
problem here – they are not taught the Georgian language at high
level. Poor language skills are one of the major impediments for the
integration of the Azeri minority in Georgia. Georgia should create
conditions to improve the teaching of its state language.
This is why we do want Azeri people to learn the Georgian language,
the history of the Georgian people, and to receive education in the
Georgian language to ensure that they are equal citizens of Georgia
and enjoy equal privileges and rights. However, due to poor knowledge
of the Georgian language, they cannot participate in the active life
of Georgia.
Q: From the very first years of its independence, Armenia has
identified Russia as its strategic ally. Azerbaijan has managed to
establish rather balanced relations with Russia; at least it does not
have any acute problems in its relations with Russia, while Georgia
does. Ironically, Azerbaijan has not sold any assets of strategic
importance to Russia, while Georgia has sold many. How have you
managed to improve your relations with Russia?
A: You know, every policy should be built on realism and experience
of international law. Azerbaijan made it clear that it was to build
its policy on good neighbourly relations and friendship. We only
want one thing – to make friends with all of our neighbours. That
would guarantee peace in the region. This is why, when we talk about
relations with Russia, Georgia, Iran, and even with Armenia, we try
to base our relations on peaceful co-existence, international law
and friendship. If you follow this policy without major deviations,
without compromising your principles, the policy will bear fruit in
the long run.
Q: Are you striving for integration into NATO?
A: No, we are striving to keep relations with the international
community and international organizations normal and active. At this
stage, we are satisfied with this level of relations with NATO as it
helps us further develop. However, it is not absolutely necessary
to join NATO to achieve that. We don’t set such goals at all, but
cooperation is beneficial for both parties.
Q: The US is building pressure on Iran concerning nuclear armament
allegations. If the US decides to attack Iran where will Azerbaijan
stand?
A: Iran is our neighbour and we have good neighbourly relations. We are
ready to cooperate with every party that supports peaceful settlement
of the issue.
Q: Azerbaijan is a member of GUAM. At the recent GUAM summit in Kiev,
Saakashvili’s rhetoric over Russia was explicitly negative, while
Azerbaijan refrained from being critical. Will those differences in
foreign policy priorities deepen the rift within this organization
and help divide it into two camps?
A: Let’s make it clear that GUAM is not an organization that
is targeting any country. GUAM is an organization which aims to
solve issues concerning the four member countries, to facilitate
to economic, political and cultural actions among them. It aims to
create the necessary conditions for common development. I don’t think
its confrontation with any country or organization would be reasonable.
Q: At the GUAM summit the leaders of the member countries talked
about further enlargement of the organization to incorporate Romania,
Bulgaria and some other countries.
A: I don’t think that is a bad idea.
Q: You don’t, but Russia might not like it.
A: I don’t have any such information, nor have I heard of any open
rhetoric [against GUAM enlargement]. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said
that Azerbaijan viewed GUAM as an organization with a more economic
basis than a political one.
Q: Let’s get back to relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan. The
two countries have not yet agreed on the restoration of the portion
of the Davit Gareji monastery complex which is in Azeri territory.
Georgia wants to restore the complex and has launched some work,
but Azerbaijan has suspended it. Can you explain this?
A: Azerbaijan is planning to do the restoration work on its own and it
is expecting an appeal from the Georgian Patriarchate. What happened
before is that several Georgian men just crossed the border and began
erecting some frames around the monastery. This was an illegal move
and we had to take all proper measures to end to the action. However,
Azerbaijan is still ready to restore the monastery.
Q: Azerbaijan has spoken of conducting certain economic projects in
Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia [densely settled by Azeri population].
What is Baku thinking about the projects now?
A: I don’t think Azerbaijan will refuse the implementation of any
projects. However, Georgia has to create a favourable investment
climate to encourage Azeri investors.
Q: Who or what is hindering the inflow of investments?
A: Do you know? If I knew who was impeding the final solution of the
issue I would name them.
Q: Azerbaijan has seen a tremendous growth in its economy.
Nonetheless, Azeri companies do not participate in tenders in
Georgia. How can you explain this?
A: Georgia has to provide firm guarantees to attract Azeri capital.
This is very important for investors.

ISRAEL-AZERBAIJAN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN CARDS?
YNet
June 12 2006
National infrastructure minister hints in speech Israel interested
in strategic cooperation with Muslim country that borders with Iran.
Are Israel and the United States planning a strategic alliance with
Azerbaijan, in a bid to counter the Iranian nuclear threat? Binyamin
Ben-Eliezer, the minister of national infrastructure, has hinted
to the possibility in a recent speech at the Israel Institute of
Petroleum and Energy.
“Azerbaijan is a Muslim country with a large Shiite population that
borders with Iran. We are interested in this small state’s location,”
Ben-Eliezer said.
Azerbaijan has recently become the center for economic cooperation
with Israel. Israeli arms companies equip the Azerbaijani army and
the National Infrastructure Ministry is trying to form collaboration
with Azerbaijan on purchasing oil and natural gas.
Ben-Eliezer visited Azerbaijan’s capital Baku last week, for a trip
that officially focused on contracts for purchasing oil, and perhaps
even natural gas, from Russia via Azerbaijan, through Turkey to Israel.
However, government officials told Ynet that the visit may have
also included an attempt by the Israeli government and its defense
establishment to strengthen ties with Azerbaijan.
The officials stated that Azerbaijan is a poor country in desperate
need of foreign investments, and that it is currently in the midst of
a strategic conflict with its neighbor Armenia. The Muslim country is
also trying to break free from Russia’s bear hug. Diplomatic sources
said that Israel and the US are also interested Azerbaijan due to
its proximity to Iran.
According to government officials, as Turkey refuses to continue
allowing the US to use its air bases for attacks in Iraq (and
will apparently refuse to cooperate with an Iran strike as well),
Azerbaijan’s location plays a key role for the Americans and Israel.
Referring to the Baku visit, Ben Eliezer said: “We achieved important
progress on economic issues and other issues as well. I met with the
Azerbaijan’s president for a meeting that was important for Israel’s
interests.”

PUTIN, IRAN AND THE CAUCASUS
American Thinker, AZ
June 12 2006
The antique media and the punditry continue to dismiss or ignore the
overall geo-strategic picture concerning our stand-off with Iran over
the development of nuclear weapons technology. Largely unnoticed is the
US and Coalition’s successful maneuvers to establish an outer cordon
around Persia and the other radical Islamist states in the region. A
critical ally in establishing this blockade is the Republic of Georgia.
For centuries, Georgia has occupied the strategically vital land bridge
between the Black and Caspian Seas. This has historically placed the
country at the mercies of two powerful neighbors: Russia and Persia.*
It is no different today, given Russia’s covert and overt support
of the mullahs’ nuclear program and the requirement for secure trade
routes. For Putin, his fellow Russian nationalists, and Ahmadinejad
the task at hand is simple: defend and maintain the Eurasian lines
of communication and commerce to permit the flow of banned materials
and to control both legitimate and criminal enterprises in the region.
Russian Domination of Georgia
In the heyday of the Silk Road, Georgia controlled the land passages
through the Caucasus Mountains and port facilities on the Black Sea.
In the late 1700s, its leaders signed a protectorate treaty with the
Russian Empire for help in defending itself from an imminent Persian
invasion. When the Persians attacked in 1795, the Russians ignored
repeated pleas to honor its treaty commitments, and in 1864, simply
annexed the entire country.
Georgia enjoyed a few years of independence in the wake of the
Russian Revolution, but the invasion of the Red Army in 1921 put
an end to dreams of a return to a sovereign kingdom. The Post-WW II
Soviet buildup in the small country again highlighted its strategic
importance. NATO member Turkey was just a few hours away, so Georgia
had the dubious honor of hosting the second largest Soviet base during
the Cold War.
Outside of its military significance, the supposedly classless
communist empire had other interests in Georgia which provided
further incentive for the new breed of Russian Nationalists and the
remaining nomenklatura to doggedly fight any Western expansion into
the Caucasus. Controlling the Silk Road and Black Sea ports also
meant controlling suitable areas for gas and oil pipelines and a
generations-old illicit drug trade. The ability to easily transfer
nuclear technology and know-how to Persia was an added benefit. Once
again at the center of the storm, the Georgians’ fear of Persia is
now only matched by the dread of again coming under the thumb of
the Russians.
Georgia finally started to shed the last vestiges of the Russian Empire
in November of 2003 when they ushered President Edvard Shevardnadze
out of the statehouse during the Rose Revolution.
However, Putin was not about to let another state of the Former
Soviet Union slip away without a fight, especially one that sits on
strategic terrain and if allowed to pursue democracy, would certainly
put Russia’s money interests at risk.
Russia Counters Western Moves
As part of GWOT operations, the Bush administration decided that
radical Islamists would not receive a free ride into Europe from
the Central Region. In 2002, the US responded to Georgia’s request
for assistance in its counter-terrorism program and deployed Special
Forces to train Georgian units and to conduct operations in the Chechen
terrorist haven of the Pankisi Gorge. The military assistance program
has evolved resulting in the establishment of several Georgian combined
arms brigades and a small air force.
The first evidence of resistance to the pursuit of a full-fledged
democracy was the agonizingly slow withdrawal of Russian troops from
Georgian territory. In some cases, Putin stubbornly refused to honor
agreements stipulating integrity of Georgia’s traditional borders by
maintaining a garrison in South Ossetia and by ostensibly “helping”
staff a UN peacekeeping force in the breakaway Georgian province of
Abkhazia. Putin was even so bold as to station troops at a Soviet-era
listening post overlooking a NATO training base before reluctantly
withdrawing them in 2005!
Then an additional 20,000 Russians were withdrawn to the south into
Armenia. From Putin’s point of view, Armenia is the last hope to
secure commerce and pipeline routes into south Asia to leverage his
own and the mullahs’ vast energy resources and to export commercial
and military technology. From the Georgians’ perspective, they are
sandwiched between two large Russian combat contingents.
Russia also flexed its muscles by continuing to play with the flow
of natural gas supplies just as it did with Ukraine. Earlier this
year, a mysterious group of “terrorists” blew up a gas pipeline in
Russian-controlled South Ossetia, which is within Georgia’s traditional
boundaries. Not coincidentally, the detonation was located in the
very southern part of Ossetia, meaning the province and its Russian
troop garrison received all of the gas it needed, while Georgia had
to deal with another electrical power crisis.
To help the sometimes shaky electrical power situation, a new pipeline
is planned from the oil-rich Caspian Sea basin through Georgia to the
Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean Sea. But Georgia needs
significant infrastructure modernization before this can become a
viable conduit for energy stockpiles and trade revenue.
Make no mistake; we should expect the “Pipeline Wars” to continue as
Putin attempts to outmaneuver the West to hang on to energy and trade
routes in the region. In this regard, the balance of geo-political
maneuvers seems to be tipping to the US and the West, in that recent
overtures to Azerbaijan have nominally moved this country into
our camp.
Putin’s US Apologists
In a rather surprising commentary in the Washington Times last month,
Arnaud de Borchgrave, editor at large of the Times and UPI, takes
up for Putin and assails a US policy that is supposedly causing the
Russian “democracy” to shrink. It’s amazing that de Borchgrave misses
the entire point of our maneuvers in the Global War on Terror, while
soft-pedaling Russian and Persian cooperation on both the mullahs’
nuclear program and on conventional weapons deals.
Apparently, he views GW as the aggressor because he has dared to take
action to block lines of commerce between a fanatical terrorist state
and a former enemy of now-dubious intentions.
De Borchgrave’s fellow member of the Council on Foreign Relations,
Charles A. Kupchan, opines that the “bloom is off the Rose revolution,”
and tries to make the case that Georgia’s struggle for freedom and
democracy is somehow going down the tubes because the current Georgian
President, Mikheil Saakashvili, dares to fight for his country’s
territorial integrity. He notes in the port town of Sukhumi in the
breakaway province of Abkhazia that,
…resorts that were once the envy of the Soviet elite lay battered
and vacant. Despite the warm sunshine, the boardwalk was devoid of
tourists, populated instead by locals drinking Turkish coffee and
playing backgammon.
It’s ironic that he writes from the port of Sukhumi and claims that
these poor people are being taken advantage of by Georgia. How does
he think the Russians were able to build all of these now-abandoned
resorts on the Black Sea coast? Sukhumi is the major port for opium
originating in Afghanistan to be shipped to Europe. Abkazhia is
therefore a criminal economic cash cow and had been for generations of
Russian/Soviet elites who have taken their cut of this profitable dope
smuggling operation. Now that we back Saakashvilli in his attempt to
regain what rightfully belongs to Georgia, the UN dreams up a plan to
station peacekeepers on the border between the Abkhazia and Georgia –
Russian peacekeepers of course.
The economic aspect of the War on Terror is more than just drying up
financial resources of terror groups. Operation Iraqi Freedom stuck
a dagger in the heart of the Russia – France – Iraq financial nexus
and their allies in the UN. Russian and French economic, military and
technical support to Saddam showed how so-called allies will pursue
their slimy business deals with oil-rich tyrants even if it means
opposing the establishment of a new democracy. The common actor in both
the Iraq and Iran money for dictatorship programs is of course, Putin.
Vice-President Cheney recently admonished Putin for his aggression
against Russia’s neighbors while simultaneously letting his own
country slide into a nationalistic autocracy. Putin’s call for a new
arms race openly communicates what has been going on under the radar
for several years. Rising energy prices have enabled oil-rich Russia
and its ally to the south to mount a steady conventional and nuclear
weapons buildup. Money from contracts for refurbishing Persian nuclear
facilities and ancillary services would further fuel the development of
a more capable Russian military. And all of this depends on ages-old
trade routes through countries that are no longer easy pickings for
Putin or the Persian mullahs.
So the next time Ahmadinejad spouts off with one of his rants, keep
in mind that he has a more rational partner to the north who needs
the mullahs as a source of revenue. We must realize that by design,
Putin is of little or no help in negotiations over Persia’s nascent
nuclear program. And perhaps he is more of a hindrance than an ally
in the larger War on Terror.
* Georgians generally refer to their large southern neighbor as
“Persia,” and do not use the term “Iran,” since they view it as a
modern artificial construct.
Douglas Hanson is the national security correspondent for The American
Thinker. He recently returned from the Caucasus.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE AMBASSADOR OF IRAN
His Holiness Aram I received the newly appointed Ambassador of the
Islamic Republic of Iran to Lebanon, Mohammed Riza Shibani in Antelias
on June 8. The political and cultural secretaries at the Embassy
accompanied the Ambassador.
The Iranian diplomats and His Holiness talked about the current
situation in Lebanon. The Ambassador informed the Catholicos of the
recent dialogue between Iran and the international community and the
latest proposals presented to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Referring to the Armenian community of Iran, the Catholicos asked the
Ambassador that consultations between the mixed government-community
committee over legal issues related to the community continue. He also
asked that the government follow closely the anti-Armenian policy of
Azeris in the region of Tabriz.
Speaking about the Armenian community of Lebanon, the Pontiff said
its political approach have always been in favor of Lebanese internal
unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty.
##
View photo here: tm#2
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
THE CATHOLICOS HONORS THREE SERVANTS
OF THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY
His Holiness Aram I concluded his pontifical visit to the Diocese of Lebanon
by an official dinner held at the “Emirate” hall of Habtoor Hotel on June 8.
Organized by the Diocese of Lebanon, the dinner was also dedicated to the
“Year of the Armenian School” and particularly the Lebanese-Armenian
schools.
Speakers at the dinner focused on the new activeness and spirit brought
forth by His Holiness’ Pontifical visit to the Diocese and the great
satisfaction and encouragement caused by the consecration of the newly built
St. Vartananats Church.
After the welcoming and greeting words of Primate Bishop Kegham Khatcherian,
His Holiness granted the “Knight” medal to Tsolag Tuitelian, Hovhannes
Keleshian, Hagop Shamelian and Zohrab Toruigian, four Lebanese-Armenians who
have in one way or another served their community with great dedication. The
medals were given following the request of the Primate and the local
national authorities of the Diocese.
With the kind intention of supporting Armenian schools and their progress,
Mr. Hrayr Sarkissian donated 100,000 US Dollars to the National Schools’
Student Fund. More than 500 people, including the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Karabakh Kevorki Bedrossian, ambassadors, representatives of
unions and organizations, attended the dinner.
His Holiness highly praised all the structures and organizations functioning
in the Diocese of Lebanon and all those Armenians who breather life into
them. Referring to the latter, he said they “share a part of their time,
just earnings and intellect with the nation, church, school and our civil
organizations.”
“Our Diaspora life would wither without our spiritual cultural and national
values, traditions and dreams. They are rivers that always flow from the
living history and healthy identity of our people. The identity of small
nations is subject to danger in this age if globalization. Therefore, the
preservation of our identity demands double work and commitment from us
today. The Armenian School is the fortress of the preservation of our nation
‘s identity, in front of which all hampering, polluting and misguiding
trends will be destroyed. The Armenian School should be kept strong so we
can be strengthened by the Armenian School, so the Diaspora can become
stronger, so Armenia can become stronger through a strong Diaspora,” said
His Holiness.
The Pontiff then spoke with praise about the strength shown by the Armenian
community of Lebanon. “The Armenians of Lebanon should continue their pan
national role. Let’s not forget that many of our communities refer to
Armenian community of Lebanon when they need spiritual leaders, teachers,
principals, editors, etc. The Lebanese-Armenian community should not view
its role with pride, but should asses its pan national role as a task to be
fulfilled with the sense of responsibility,” the Pontiff concluded.
##
View photo here: tm#3
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the dioceses of
the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
From: Baghdasarian

TIGRAN TOROSYAN: OGTAY ASADOV CONGRATULATED ME ON MY ELECTION PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AND WISHED ME SUCCESS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
“Azerbaijani delegates really read the congratulation addressed to me
by speaker Ogtay Asadov,” Armenian parliament speaker Tigran Torosyan
told journalists (APA).
Commenting on the recent scandal regarding Azerbaijani parliament
president Ogtay Asadov’s congratulatory message to him, Torosyan said
he regrets the Azerbaijani side’s denial of this fact. In his words,
Azerbaijani parliamentarian Asef Hajiyev addressed the meeting of
the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parlaimentary
Assembly in Yerevan.
“Asef Hajiyev read the message of speaker Ogtay Asadov. In the message,
he thanked to the Armenian parliament for providing a good opportunity
for the meeting participants. Besides, Ogtay Asadov congratulated me on
my election parliament speaker and wished me success,” Torosyan said.
The parliament press secretary Akif Tavakkuloghlu told APA that
speaker Ogtay Asadov refuses to say anything about that.

Press Release
From:Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon
Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb Lectures in Haigazian University
The Palestinian Christians: Immense Challenges and Endless
Possibilities
On Thursday, June the 8th, 2006, the Cultural Hour at Haigazian
University hosted the Director of the International Center of
Bethlehem, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, to dwell on “The Present of the
Palestinian Christians, and discuss their challenges, opportunities
and threats facing this ever-diminishing, but quite potent community
in Palestine.
Among the presence were, the President of the Supreme Council of the
Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon, Rev. Dr. Salim Sahyouni,
the Secretary General of the Christian – Muslim Committee for
Dialogue, Mr. Mohammad Sammak, the President of Haigazian University,
Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, The President of the Near East School of
Theology, Dr. Mary Mikhael, in addition to a large number of scholars
and clergy.
In her welcoming speech, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences,
Dr. Arda Ekmekji, talked very briefly about Christian ethnicities
in Palestine: “It is in fact tragic that in the ongoing polemic
on Palestine, and in this eternal debate on whose land is the Holy
Land, very often one tends to overlook a very important community:
The Palestinian Christians, who in their turn could belong to various
ethnic and diverse cultural groups: Arabs, Armenians, Copts, Syriacs,
Abyssinians and even Franks”, said Ekmekji.
Rev. Raheb started his lecture by providing facts and figures on the
Palestinian Christians. It’s an urban society, concentrated mainly
in the cities of Bethlehem, the West Bank region, and Jerusalem, the
majority being orthodox, and catholics and evangelicals. Christian
Palestinians are less than 2% of the total population of the country,
yet they are a very active community. They possess 64 schools, 2
universities, and 2 colleges. They also provide 30% of the health
service in Palestine. Raheb presented the major challenges of this
small community, which is the minority complex, and the fear of
disappearing, the absence of law and order, the rise of the Islamic
parties, the Israeli occupation and the system of segregation and
racism.
A 20-minute moving documentary was shown during the lecture, featuring
the city of Bethlehem, the construction of the dividing wall, and
true stories and experiences of land confiscation and segregation.
Finally, Rev. Raheb concluded his speech, by calling to a living hope
in conditions of despair, as the Palestinian cause is more explicitly
presented today than any other day, the developmental projects of the
churches are increasing, and the Palestinian Christians have a pivotal
role to play in building a Christian identity in the Middle East.

KARABAKH LIBERATION ORGANIZATION OFFERS TO ESTABLISH PROFESSIONAL ARMY IN AZERBAIJAN
Author: E.Javadova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) offers to establish in
Azerbaijan a professional army, Akif Nagi, the chairman of KLO, made
such a statement at the round table held on June 12, Trend reports.
He noted that it was need to involve the officers participating in
the first Karabakh war in the creation of the professional army.
“Army creation is of great importance for Azerbaijan of which 20
percent territory is under occupation. The Azerbaijanis conducted
several successful military operations during the first Karabakh war,”
told Nagi.
According to him, the large-scale military operations started on June
12, 1992 demonstrated the force of Azeri army and military efficiency
of officers and soldiers. The experience of this way confirms the
necessity to transfer to the recruitment for the army on contracted
or professional base. Besides, Nagi ruled out the necessity to present
this topic to the regular discussion of public.

AGO GROUP TO VISIT BAKU
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
The AGO group of the Council of Europe Ministerial Committee will
visit Azerbaijan, June 13.
The goal of the group led by permanent representative of Germany at the
Council of Europe, Ambassador Roland Wagener is to study fulfillment
of the obligations the Republic took before the Organization.
In the frame of visit, the Group is to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, issues of political prisoners and election practice, meet
with governmental dignitaries, NGO representatives and oppositions
parties.
After the visit, the Group will prepare a report to be published
prior to the PACE session.
As stated, the AGO Group will come to Baku form Yerevan.