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:
PARTICIPATION IN AN INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON
“HOLY SCRIPTURES IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH”
IN THE VATICAN
The Primate of the Diocese of Aleppo, Bishop Shahan Sarkisian represented
the Catholicosate of Cilicia in a congress held in Rome on September 14-18
and entitled “Holy Scriptures in the life of the Church”. The congress was
organized by the Catholic Biblical Federation and the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity.
The congress was held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the
promulgation of the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis
redintegratio, a document that specifies the role of the Holy Bible in the
Roman Catholic Church. The document was published by the Vatican.
Over 380 attendants, representatives from various churches, lecturers,
special committees and workshops reviewed the document in detail and its
adoption from the time of its publication to the present. They discussed
ways of publishing and disseminating the Holy Bible in light of the
challenges the current world poses and contemporary local and regional
circumstances.
The participants in the meeting stressed the importance of making God’s word
heard to the modern man through contemporary translations understandable to
people and readings. They also emphasized the importance of brining out the
contemporary messages of God’s word and looking for solution for current
social and moral problems in them.
The participants visited Pope Benedict XVI on September 16. Bishop Shahan
conveyed His Holiness’ greetings to the Pope and made proposals for fruitful
cooperation between the Armenian Church and the Roman Catholic Church within
the context of ecumenical relations.
Bishop Norvan Zakarian from Leon represented St. Etchmiyadzin in the
meeting.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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:
MEETING THE ARMENIAN YOUTH OF MONTREAL
HIS HOLINESS ASSURES THAT THE ARMENIAN
CHURCH NEEDS REFORMS
His Holiness Aram I met with the Armenian youth of Montreal on the evening
of September 26, listening to their concerns, views and proposals regarding
various issues related to our nation.
During the meeting that lasted over two hours, His Holiness proved that he
is also the Catholicos of the youth, one who speaks their language and
understands well their concerns.
Lorig Hovsepian delivered the opening remarks, welcoming His Holiness in
Montreal and expressing gratitude for the opportunity given to the youth to
meet His Holiness. She then talked about various challenges and problems
troubling the youth, focusing on what the Armenian youth expects from its
church today.
V Rev Fr Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia, who accompanies His Holiness on his trip, talked about the
technological orientation of today’s youth in general and the Armenian youth
in particular.
Over 200 young males and females were given the opportunity to ask
questions, express concerns and talk about their expectations. His Holiness
Aram I gave detailed explanations to their questions.
The questions included issues related to the efforts of reforming the
Armenian Church especially in light of the social and moral values of the
West.
“Our church has an overdue need for reform. Reform does not only mean
shortening or adapting rites and services. Reform should include all the
areas of our church’s life. Social and moral issues are part of the church’s
reform and these should be discussed according to the Bible and the
theological principals of a Christian Church,” said His Holiness.
His Holiness stated that a special committee of professionals and ordinary
people has been formed within the Catholicosate of Cilicia to gather
different views regarding the preparatory work for the reform of the
Armenian Church.
Answering questions related to the participation of the youth in church
activities, His Holiness said: “Even though several structures are used for
the ritual life of the church, the church in itself is not a structure; it’s
a mission. The church should reproach its people, speak its youth’s
language, and involve them in its life and mission. Otherwise, churches will
become empty and lose their believers.”
The Catholicos also spoke about a youth swinging between traditions and
modernity, pointing out that today’s youth find it difficult to establish
their identities and take up their responsibilities in light of the current
world’s challenges.
Prelate Archbishop Khajag Hagopian concluded the evening, promising the
youth more opportunities to meet with the spiritual leaders and exchange
views on the efforts needed for the reform of the Armenian Church.
##
View pictures here:
*****
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.

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 RECEIVES THE AMBASSADORS OF
LEBANON AND ARMENIA
The Ambassadors of Armenia and Lebanon to Canada flew from Ottawa to
Montreal to hold a meeting with His Holiness Aram I on the sidelines of his
Pontifical visit to Canada.
The Ambassador of Lebanon to Canada, Remon Baaklini, met the Catholicos in
his hotel in Montreal for over an hour. The two discussed issues related to
the current situation of Lebanon, the recent developments in the country and
the political situation the region.
Ambassador Baaklini informed His Holiness about the activities of the
embassy in Canada and the work being carried out in favor of Lebanon. He
also spoke about the Lebanese community of Canada and particularly the
Lebanese-Armenians living in Canada.
His Holiness Aram I praised the Ambassador’s and his assistants’ efforts,
reminding him of the love of Lebanese Armenians living in Canada towards
Lebanon and their special link with the country.
His Holiness also received the Ambassador of Armenia to Canada, Ara
Babian. The two discussed possibilities for strengthening relations and
cooperation between Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.
In this context, the two talked about the meeting between Armenian
intellectuals from Armenia and the Diaspora in Antelias in August 2005,
whose main aim was to seek for means of cooperation, in order to strengthen,
even more, brotherly ties between Armenians of Armenia and the Diaspora.
The Ambassador of Armenia also attended the ceremony organized on the
occasion of the 10th anniversary of His Holiness’ enthronement.
##
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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARAJANOV.COM NEWS (27 September 2005)
Sir Paul McCartney used the Armenian instrument duduk
on his new record “Chaos and Creation in the
Backyard”. The song is called “Jenny Wren” and duduk
is interestingly played by Pedro Eustache. Of course,
Macca should have invited the virtuoso Djivan
Gasparyan but maybe the “cute Beatle” hasn’t met him
yet… Duduk is constantly used in Hollywood
blockbusters and can also be heard in Sergei
Parajanov’s masterpiece SAYAT NOVA.
The 93 year old Michelangelo Antonioni received
sensational standing ovations at the LACMA Museum in
Los Angeles, when he appeared there on 17 September
2005 after the screening of his THE GAZE OF
MICHELANGELO and BEING WITH ANTONIONI by his lovely
wife Enrica Fico Antonioni. The event was attended by
the world’s first Chechnya-born filmmkaer, the
Armenian master Mikhail Vardanov, director of the
influential documentary PARAJANOV: THE LAST SPRING.
The President of Finland Tarja Halonen visited the
Parajanov Museum during her visit to Armenia. It’s a
great honor! It’d intersting to find out how Sergei
Parajanov’s museum was chosen instead of, say, the
Matenadaran Museum.

THE ISSUES REFERRING TO ARMENIAN – AMERICAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION DISCUSSED IN THE US
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005
A wide spectrum of Armenian – American economic cooperation was
discussed in the course of the recurrent meeting of Armenian – American
intergovernmental working group on economic issues (US-Armenia Task
Force) that took place in Washington on September 26.
According to the information De Facto got at the RA MFA pres service,
the meeting’s participants discussed democratic amendments in Armenia,
economic policy and long – term development of the country, the issues
referring to development of energetic system and infrastructures,
as well as a number of other issues.

EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS ACCUSE RIGHT-WING OPPONENTS OF NOT WANTING MUSLIM TURKEY IN EU
IRNA< Iran Sept 28 2005 Brussels, IRNA The Socialist Group (PES) in the European Parliament accused Wednesday the right-wing European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED) of being against Turkey's EU membership because it was a Muslim country. "You don't want to have Turkey because it is Islamic and far away. Croatia is closer and is Catholic. That is the truth of your message. Let us not beat about the bush. We must apply the same standards to all countries," PES leader Martin Schulz told EPP leader Hans-Gert Poettering during a heated debate on Turkey's EU membership in the EP in Strasbourg. The leader of the 219-strong Socialist Group, the second-largest in the EP, said "the EPP does not want Turkey. We want to give Turkey a chance." On his part, the leader of EPP - which with 267 MEPs in the 732-member EP is the largest group - said if EU membership was not achieved at the end of the process, then the alternative result must be a privileged partnership for Turkey. He said Christians' "legitimate rights" in Turkey had to be recognised and implemented in the same way that "Moslem citizens' rights were recognised in European Union countries." Poettering urgently called on the British Presidency of the EU to apply the same criteria to Croatia as that of Turkey. "Everyone has shut their eyes on the human rights issue in Turkey while Croatia was to be refused the start of negotiations because a single general - one who was plainly not even in Croatia - had not yet been delivered up to the Hague Tribunal," he said. The EU has postponed talks on Croatia's membership because of Zagreb's failure to arrest a war crimes suspect Gen Ante Gotovina. But EU states like Austria and Hungary want Croatia to start talks at the same time as Turkey on October 3. The co-president of the Green/EFA (European Free Alliance), Daniel Cohn-Bendit, also criticized the EPP saying "some of the opponents of Turkey's accession are surfing on a wave of cultural and racist prejudices." "This is a dangerous game," he said adding that "the question of European Islam exists with or without Turkey. There are already more Muslims in the EU than there are Belgians." The EP Wednesday voted in favour of starting talks on Turkish accession on October 3, but insisted on a number of conditions before it is allowed entry. MEPs insisted that Turkey recognise the killings of thousands of Armenians in 1915 as genocide. The EP also postponed a vote on ratifying Turkey's customs arrangements with the EU because of its refusal to recognise the Greek Cypriot government. At the request of the EPP-ED group, EP voted 311 votes in favour, 285 against and 63 abstentions to postpone the vote

EU-TURKEY: ANOTHER SLIGHT FOR ANKARA
AKI, Italy
Sept 28 2005
Strasbourg, 28 Sept. (AKI) – The European Union’s parliament has
approved a resolution in which it supports the start of membership
talks with Turkey but lays down a series of provisos. The parliament
says recognition as genocide of the killing of more than a million
Armenians in 1915 was “a prerequisite for accession”. Euro-MPs also
postponed a vote on extending Turkey’s customs agreement to the
ten newest member states, because of Ankara’s refusal to recognise
Cyprus. The parliament’s decisions do not affect the start of
entry talks on 3 October but are seen as a further sign of European
reluctance towards Turkey’s bid.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, described the
postponement of an important vote on the trade agreement as ‘an
own goal’.
The decision was motivated by Turkey’s recent declaration that
signing the protocol of the Ankara Agreement did not mean any form of
recognition of Cyprus, which became an EU member last May. Euro MPs
wanted assurances that this declaration would not be part of Turkey’s
parliamentary ratification of the protocol. Turkey also refuses to
admit naval vessels and airplanes from Cyprus.
Armenia and Armenians abroad accuse Turkey’s Ottoman rulers of carrying
out genocide when 1.5 million of their people died in 1915.
Turkey denies there was any systematic killing, saying the death toll
was much lower and that the deaths occurred during a civil war. Last
week a Turkish court cancelled a historians conference which was due
to have discussed the highly taboo subject.
More negotiations are scheduled for Thursday to resolve outstanding
issues in the framework for Turkey’s entry negotiations which
officially kick of on 3 October.
Austria has been seeking to push a “privileged partnership”, also
seen positively by the German centre-right leader Angela Merkel,
while Ankara insists nothing short of full membership will do.
;loid=8.0.213277002&par=0

MEPS DEFY TURKEY ON EVE OF ENTRY TALKS
EUobserver.com, Belgium
Sept 28 2005
28.09.2005 – 17:44 CET | By Mark Beunderman EUOBSERVER/ BRUSSELS –
In a strong message of frustration with the Turkish stance on Cyprus,
the European Parliament on Wednesday postponed the ratification
of a key customs agreement with Ankara – dismaying the commission,
but not endangering the start of entry talks on 3 October.
Under EU law, the European Parliament has to formally ratify an
agreement on the extension of the customs agreement between the EU
and Turkey to all new member states – including Cyprus, which Ankara
does not recognise.
But the conservative EPP group in the parliament today (28 September)
successfully achieved suspension of ratification of the deal, with
311 against 285 MEPs voting to postpone the ratification.
EPP group leader Hans-Gert Pottering said ahead of the vote that there
had not been any “appropriate statement” by the Turkish government
on Ankara’s commitment to the customs agreement.
MEPs had demanded a public guarantee from Turkey that the Turkish
parliament, in its ratification process, would not at the same time
endorse Ankara’s unilateral declaration issued last June saying that
Turkey does not recognise Cyprus.
Formal ratification of the agreement by the European and Turkish
parliaments is no precondition for the opening of EU membership talks
with Turkey, scheduled for 3 October.
But the commission said today it regretted the Parliament’s decision.
Enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn stated “Unfortunately today’s
decision does not strengthen our position in urging Turkey to stick
to its commitment, that is following the signature, to ratify and
implement the protocol without delay”.
The commission and member states are pressing Ankara to first ratify
and then fully implement the customs agreement, meaning that Ankara is
obliged to stop blocking Cypriot ships and planes from its territory.
But now the commission claims MEPs have complicated these efforts by
blocking ratification by the EU itself.
Socialist and liberal MEPs also regretted the postponement of the
ratification, with liberal MEP Andrew Duff describing the decision as
“stupid, short-sighted and mean-spirited”.
Resolution seeks tough human rights guarantees The Parliament in a
separate resolution backed the opening of membership negotiations
with Turkey on 3 October.
But the resolution, which is non-binding, further pressurises Ankara
by highlighting Turkish failures in meeting human rights standards.
The text explicitly mentions the case of Orhan Pamuk, a well-read
author who was recently charged by a Turkish prosecutor to have
“denigrated” the nation by publicly raising the issue of the Armenian
genocide in 1915.
MEPs urged the commission to suspend the accession talks once started,
in case of a persistent breach of human rights or the principles of
democracy and the rule of law.
The parliament called for further guarantees by demanding that each
session of the negotiations at ministerial level be preceded by “an
assessment of the political criteria in both theory and practice, thus
exerting permanent pressure on the Turkish authorities to maintain
the pace of the necessary reforms”.
Following an amendment by French MEPs, the parliament resolution also
calls on Turkey to recognise the genocide of Armenians by Ottoman
forces in 1915, considering this a “prerequisite for accession to
the European Union”.
The Euro-Armenian federation last week staged a high-profile conference
in the parliament, drawing attention to the issue.

EUROPARLIAMENT SAYS TURKEY MUST RECOGNISE CYPRUS, ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Cyprus News Agency, Cyprus
Sept 28 2005
CNA – Strasbourg-France – 28/9/2005 19:20
Strasbourg, Sept 28 (CNA) – The European Parliament backed Wednesday
the opening of EU entry talks with Turkey next week, but insisted
that Ankara recognise Cyprus and the genocide of Armenians during
the negotiations.
The European Parliament has also postponed a vote to ratify Turkey’s
extended customs union with the EU with 311 votes in favour, 285
against and 63 abstentions. The delay was demanded by the European
People’s Party (EPP), the biggest party in the EU parliament, due to
Ankara’s refusal to let Cypriot ships and planes use its ports and
airports, as required under the extended customs deal.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘EP DECISION HAS NO EFFECT ON NEGOTIATION PROCESS’
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 28 2005
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey’s accession
process to the European Union will not be affected by today’s decision
taken in the European Parliament.
The EP earlier today decided in favor of a call for Turkey to recognize
the so-called Armenian genocide allegations and for imposing the
recognition as a pre-condition for membership.