PRESS RELEASE
NAREK Bell Choir of St. Mary Armenian Church
4125 Fessenden street, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Contact: Rev. Fr. Vertanes Kalayjian
Tel: 202-363-1923
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Narek Bell Choir of St. Mary Ends a Historic and Triumphant Tour of Concerts
Washington, DC To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of
St. Mary’s Narek Bell Choir, the Hokatar Parents’ Committee with the
blessings of the pastor and the Parish Council organized a concert
tour, which included several concerts in Vienna, Austria and
Armenia. The grand tour could only be described as truly historic and
triumphant by all means.

First, a daylong stopover in Vienna, Austria gave us the opportunity
to plan a concert at the Diocese of Vienna. The reception committee
gave a warm welcome by providing transportation from the airport to
the St. Hripsime Armenian Church in Vienna. Their hospitality and the
tour of the city will remain a memorable experience. In the late
afternoon a sizeable group of Vienna Armenians responded to the
invitation of Mr. Poghos Guiragossian, Parish Council and Hayr Avetis,
the Assistant of the Primate: it was a most responsive and
appreciative audience for which a musical performance by a Bell Choir
with almost exclusively Armenian sacred and spiritual music from Holy
Badarak and Sharagans was an entirely new experience. After concert
reception at the community center allowed the group to get to know the
parishioners and receive their congratulations for the excellent
performance. Maestro Leon Khoja-Eynatyan expressed the group’s
sentiments when he said: “Even though this was o! ur first encounter
with the leadership and the parishioners of St. Hripsime, we felt at
home and among family members. They were really an enthusiastic
audience.” The committee took the group back to the airport to
continue the trip to Yerevan.

After a day’s rest in Yerevan our host for the first concert was His
Grace Bishop Navasard Ktchoyan, Vicar of the Araratian Pontifical
Diocese; and Mr. Tigran Sargsyan, President of the National Bank of
Armenia and the Chairman of the Araratian Pontifical Diocesan Council.

Because of the untimely the tragic death of the Vicar of
Gegharkouniatz Diocese, the Very Rev. Fr. Derenik Davidian, the event
was transformed into a memorial concert. The mass media was present
for TV and press coverage. Several TV stations and newspapers gave
extensive coverage to the heartfelt comments of His Grace Bishop
Navasard, to the press conferences with the Artistic Director Maestro
Leon Khoja-Eynatyan and the Rev. Fr. Vertanes Kalayjian.

Throughout the week that followed, TV viewers of Yerevan and readers
of the newspapers were made aware of this new phenomenon, i.e. Narek
Bell Choir of St. Mary from Washington, DC..

With prior coordination with Mrs. Silva Mekinyan, a former Deputy
Minister of Culture and a dynamic organizer and impresario of young
and talented “New Names” of Armenia, several billboards throughout the
city had already announced the upcoming performances.

On July 25 for an unscheduled concert we boarded on a van to visit the
house-museum of renowned composer the late Avet Terterian with his
wife Irina Tigranova as our gracious hostess. This event, as we were
informed, was part of an annual observance of the late composer’s
birthday. In addition to the Bell Choir’s performance there was a
breathtaking performance of “Collections” from Bizet’s Carmen on
saxophone by Airapet Arakelian accompanied by his own mother. We
learned that he was invited to Germany on a scholarship to continue
his education and training. The group then was taken to Noraduz to
visit a historic cemetery, a forest of exquisite Khatchkars memorial
monuments, before ending the day enjoying ishkhan on the sunny shore
of Lake Sevan.

On July 30, through the prior arrangements by Mrs. Rita Balian,
Founder-President of the Armenian-American Wellness Center in Armenia
and its Co-President in Armenia, the dynamic member of the Armenian
Parliament Dr. Hranush Hakobian, a concert was held at the prestigious
Arno Babajanian Concert Hall. The hall was jam-packed with standing
room only. Present were a large group of servicemen in training with
their chaplain. The guest of honor of the day was the charming wife of
the Prime-Minister Mrs. Susanna Margarian with other dignitaries
including representatives from the US Embassy in Armenia. The media
coverage was again extensive and excellent. “The entire concept of the
handbell, the techniques and the players collectively forming an
ensemble, was entirely new to the people, a new “art-form” which
caused a lot of excitement and enthusiasm” said one of the young
bell-ringers Armine Sanamyan.

The Honorable Hransuh Hakobian had generous words of praise for the
performance as she acknowledged and welcomed “our Mrs. Prime Minister”
as she, the wife of the Prime Minister, presented the group with an
artistically arranged bouquet of flowers.

“Veni, vidi, vici”, declared Fr. Kalayjian swept by the response of
the enthusiastic and appreciative audience.

The media coverage was again extensive and excellent.

Among the newspapers Yeter, Hayastani Hanrapetutyun, Aravot, Iravoonq
and the Diocesan weekly Shoghakat had glowing reviews of the concerts
which Tatevik Khoja-Eynatyan characterized as “the opportunity to
serve my homeland and give back to Armenia” as a token cultural
contribution. As a native Armenian, she added: “It was a great feeling
to know that our hard work in our new community [i.e. Washington, DC]
was greatly appreciated back home.”

On August 8 the group was invited to the Gavar University in the
Gegharkounik region and the concert was hosted by the Honorable
Dr. Hranush Hakobian and the Marzpet (Governor)| of the region the
Honorable Stepan Barseghyan. The occasion was a special treat to the
children from a nearby orphanage who were brought in to enjoy the
concert at the theatre named after Levon Kalantar.

The highlight of the tour was the concert given at the Komitas Chamber
Music Hall of Yerevan. With the cooperation of Mrs. Silva Mekinian and
prior advertisements and invitations, the standing room only
jam-packed audience enjoyed not only the full repertoire of the Narek
Bell Choir, but also Sargis Davtian’s duduk and Airapet Arakelian’s
saxophone performances. With a special invitation and to satisfy those
who could not attend the prior concerts, Narekatsi Art Institute (the
Yerevan affiliate of the New York based Young artistic center) had
organized one last concert with many journalists and TV reporters
giving the event a wider coverage.

One of the intended results of these tours and concerts was to spark
enough interest among local groups of the youth and music lovers in
general. Such a group was formed under the auspices of the Youth
Association of the Araratian Diocese with Lucine Sargsyan as the
Director. A set of chimes was donated to the group by the Narek Bell
Choir. The amazing and unexpected result was that this newly formed
group, in a short period of introduction and rehearsals, joined the
Bell Choir in performance at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall, as well
as at the Narekatsi Art Institute, sharing the applause of the
enthusiastic audiences. Liana Parakesikova had this to say: “It was
really great to go to Armenia and give concerts over there and
demonstrate to our people that the Armenians who have left their
country still remember and care about her. And when we blossom we take
our beautiful flowers of achievements to Armenia and present them as a
token of our gifts.”

The last and spiritually uplifting event was the visit to Holy
Etchmiadzin. His Holiness Vehapar Karekin II received the group led by
Yeretzgin Anahid Kalayjian and the Assistant Director of Narek Bell
Choir Ervand Kristosturyan and the new Choir director Lucine Sargsyan
accompanying. Even though almost half of the group had already left
Armenia, His Holiness received the reports of the activities with
great interest and blessed the Bell Choirs of both Yerevan and
Washington as he accepted the CD of the Narek Bell Choir as their
gift. “I could not imagine a trip this successful, – said Tatevik
Mikayelyan, a member of the Bell Choir, – Armenia is truly the place
where one cannot go without a spiritual awakening and renewed with
encouragement. What better place to play the heavenly Armenian tunes
than in our homeland, on our own Armenian soil. Each smile that we
received from our audience, each person whose eyes lit up from the
fragile sounds of the bells, warmed my heart for! years to come, for
I knew their reaction couldn’t be anything but sincere,” – she
concluded.

While in Yerevan, the Artistic Director Maestro Leon Khoja-Eynatyan
used the opportunity and led the group to do a new CD recording which
soon will be issued under the title “Yeghitsi Looys”, featuring songs
and sharagans from Seven versions of Armenian Patarags by Komitas,
Yekmalian, Bianchini, Apcar Chilinkirian, Manas and Khorenian
(Mekanejian). The experience must have been demanding and
grueling. This is what Vahan Kristosturyan had to say: “Even though
some group members got sick, we were able to pull off a lot of work at
the recordings. Many things brought the Narek Bell Choir members
together, we started to play better and better after each concert and
at the recording session at Ardini Studio. I specially liked the fact
that we planted a new Bell Choir group in the Homeland.”

Narek Bell Choir of St. Mary has made a commitment to support the
newly formed group in Armenia by supplying them with new instruments
and accessories and by providing financial help. To obtain your CD’s
and/or extend your financial help to accomplish these goals, you may
visit us at our website: or call 202-363-1923. In
Yerevan the CD is available for sale only at Oscar Music Store in the
Marriott Armenia Hotel.

* * *

After notable performances at the White House, Library of Congress,
the National Shrine, the National Cathedral, New York Central Park and
St. Vartan Cathedral, this group tour of the Bell Choir in Austria and
Armenia will indeed remain the most historic and triumphant
achievement of the group. We congratulate both the artistic director
and the members of the Narek Bell Choir of St. Mary. We are sure we
will hear and read about them more in the years to come. (Applause!)

PRESS RELEASE
ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN DENMARK
Contact: Karekin Dickran
Hans Broges Gade 45,
8000 Aarhus C. DK
Denmark
Telephone: 45 + 86 13 90 54
e-mail: [email protected]
Nothing is forgotten!
This weekend the Armenian community in Denmark are having the honor to
receive 30 former students of Karen Jeppe Armenian College of Aleppo. They
are arriving from various parts of the world to express their gratitude to
the memory of Karen Jeppe. They will be traveling to Denmark for this
occasion from the United States, France, Austria, Syria, Sweden and other
parts of the world to express their thanks to the memory of Karen Jeppe for
the dedication of her life to helping save thousands of Armenians during the
first Genocide of the last century in Ourfa, Turkey, and then in Aleppo, and
the Syrian countryside in the aftermath of that terribly inhuman event.
The members of the group will be attending a church service on 10:30 AM,
Sunday, September 11, 2005, at Gylling, in the very church where Karen Jeppe
prayed as a young girl in making her decision to go to a far away land to
alleviate their pain, and help save Armenian lives. This trip is to
emphasize the group’s commitment and strong efforts to help support the
school, which was founded to perpetuate Karen Jeppe’s name and memory.
After the church service, the group will lay a wreath at Karen Jeppe’s
memorial stone in front of the church, sing the Hyre Mehr (Our Father) in
Armenian. It will then proceed to the local Community Hall with the
participation of local Armenians, where they will view important items from
the museum, all lovingly collected and managed by a Danish friend of
Armenians Mr. Ejnar Pedersen over the last 50 years. Mr. Ejnar will be
presented a certificate of appreciation by the leader of the group Zareh
Misserlian written and decorated by an artist from Yerevan, Armenia, in old
Armenian script during the ensuing luncheon as well as a similar memorial,
stating the groups visit to place at the local museum.
By reviving and celebrating the important and exemplary life and work of
Karen Jeppe at the turn of the century, the group will propose that a
humanitarian award be established by the Danish Government in Karen Jeppe’s
name to recognize men and women who distinguish themselves by devoting their
lives to protecting people in similar difficult situations. The Republic of
Armenia has already the Fridjorf Nansen Prize, the famous Arctic explorer,
athlete, author, statesman and humanist whom in 1925 the League of Nations
appointed Nansen to organize the settling of the Armenian refugees as well
as Karen Jeppe.
The luncheon will be attended also by many local officials and dignitaries
among them the mayor of the district, Henning Lehman the former Rector of
Aarhus University who has arranged an exhibition about Armenian architecture
and stones in 1974, Mr. Lehman is a good friend of Armenians and has
published books about Armenia and Armenians in Danish. A press release will
be sent to the Danish media emphasizing different points about the
importance of reminding the current generations about similar situations,
specially point of the good Samaritans among the Danish people as well as
K.M.A (Woman’s Missionary Workers) including Maria Jacobsen founder of
Danish Birds Nest in Djoubeil Lebanon and by mentioning the benefit to the
Armenian people from the warm friendship of the Danish people and the
Armenians for 9 decades.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
05-09-2005
Minister Oskanian receives Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz, Minister of
Culture and Science of State of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
September 5, 2005
On September 5, Minister Vartan Oskanian received Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik
Olbertz, Minister of Culture and Science of State of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
During the meeting, the sides expressed with satisfaction that the existing
legal framework of bilateral documents have contributed to efficient
cooperation in the spheres of culture, education and science.
Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Olbertze described Armenian Culture Week in the German
State of Saxony-Anhalt, which will take place between September 3 and 7.
Concerts, exhibitions, movie screenings, as well as a German-Armenian
conference will be held during the Culture Week.
Minister Oskanian highly appreciated the exchange programs between
scientists, students, teachers and pupils.
During his visit to Armenia, the Minister of Culture has met with the
Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, the Minister of
Culture and Youth,Hovik Hoveyan, Minister of Education and Science, Sergo
Yeritsyan. Also, he will sign a Statement of Cooperation in the spheres of
culture, education and science between Armenia’s Ministry of Cultural and
Youth Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science and the State of
Saxony-Anhalt’s Ministry of Culture, Science.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
05-09-2005
Minister Oskanian receives Yves Arnoldy, Newly Appointed Head of ICRC
delegation to Armenia
On September 5, Minister Oskanian received Yves Arnoldy, the newly appointed
head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation to Armenia.
Highly appreciating the activities of ICRC Delegation, the Minister noted
that Armenia considers very important the efforts of the ICRC in exchanging
prisoners and searching for the missing during the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict.
Yves Arnoldy attached great importance to the continuation of the efforts of
the Delegation in implementing new projects to teach international
humanitarian law and principles of humanitarian law in secondary schools and
higher education institutions.
Minister Oskanian congratulated Yves Arnoldy on the occasion of his
assignment as the head of ICRC delegation to Armenia and wished him success
in his important mission.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ceHearingsSeptember2005.htm
Tuesday 20 September 2005
Chamber
Hearing on the merits
9 a.m. Fener Rum Erkek Lisesi Vakfi v.Turkey (no. 34478/97) and
Yedikule Surp Pirgic Ermeni Hastanesi Vakfi v. Turkey (nos. 50147/99 and
51207/99)
Both applicants are foundations under Turkish law that were established at
the time of the Ottoman Empire. Fener Rum Erkek Lisesi Vakfi was set up to
provide educational facilities at the Greek Higher Secondary School in Fener
(Istanbul). Yedikule Surp P?rgic Ermeni Hastanesi Vakf? is the foundation
for the Armenian hospital Surp P?rgic in Yedikule. The status of both
foundations complies with the provisions of the Lausanne Treaty of 1923
affording protection to foundations that provide public services for
religious minorities.
In accordance with Law no. 2762 of 13 June 1935, by virtue of which they
obtained legal personality, the applicant foundations filed a declaration in
1936 of their aims and of their immovable property.
In 1952 the Fener Rum Erkek Lisesi Vakfi Foundation received a gift of part
of a building in Istanbul. It purchased another part of the building in
1958. The Yedikule Surp P?rgic Ermeni Hastanesi Vakf? Foundation received
gifts of two properties in Istanbul in 1943 and 1967, one in Beyoglu, the
other in Kad?koy.
In 1992 the Treasury applied to the Turkish courts for an order setting
aside the applicants’ title to the properties and deleting their names from
the land register. In three judgments (on 7 March 1996 in the case of Fener
Rum Erkek Lisesi Vakfi and on 30 October 1997 and 24 February 1998 in the
case of Yedikule Surp P?rgic Ermeni Hastanesi Vakf?), the Istanbul High
Court granted the Treasury’s applications. Referring to a decision of the
Court of Cassation of 8 May 1974, it held that the foundations, whose
membership was made up of religious minorities as defined by the Treaty of
Lausanne and whose constitutive documents did not contain a statement that
they had capacity to acquire immovable property, were precluded from
purchasing or accepting a gift of such property. Accordingly, their
immovable property was restricted to that set out in their constitutive
documents and finalised in the declaration made in 1936, so that they were
precluded from acquiring immovable property.
On appeals on points of law by the applicants, the Court of Cassation upheld
the judgments of the Istanbul High Court in decisions of 9 December 1996, 22
September 1998 and 20 October 1998.
In October 2000 Fener Rum Erkek Lisesi Vakfi applied to the Foundation
Commissioners for permission to amend its status to permit it to acquire
immovable property. However, its application was turned down.
In both cases, the applicants complain of the orders setting aside their
title to the properties. They argue that the Turkish legislation as
interpreted by the domestic courts deprives foundations established by
religious minorities within the meaning of the Lausanne Treaty of all
capacity to acquire immovable property. In their submission, that incapacity
amounts to discrimination when their position is compared to that of other
foundations. The applicants rely on Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection
of property), and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) taken together
with Article 1 of Protocol No. 1. Yedikule Surp P?rgic Ermeni Hastanesi
Vakf? further complains under Article 6 (right to a fair hearing) that it
did not receive a fair hearing in the Turkish courts.
Decisions, judgments and further information about the Court can be found on its Internet site ().

Registry of the European Court of Human Rights
F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Press contacts: Roderick Liddell (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 24 92)
Emma Hellyer (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 90 21 42 15)
Stephanie Klein (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 21 54)
Fax: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 27 91
The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the
Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged
violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. Since 1
November 1998 it has sat as a full-time Court composed of an equal
number of judges to that of the States party to the Convention. The
Court examines the admissibility and merits of applications submitted
to it. It sits in Chambers of 7 judges or, in exceptional cases, as a
Grand Chamber of 17 judges. The Committee of Ministers of the Council
of Europe supervises the execution of the s judgments.
[1] Under Article 43 of the European Convention on Human Rights,
within three months from the date of a Chamber judgment, any party to
the case may, in exceptional cases, request that the case be referred
to the member Grand Chamber of the Court. In that event, a panel of
five judges considers whether the case raises a serious question
affecting the interpretation or application of the Convention or its
protocols, or a serious issue of general importance, in which case the
Grand Chamber will deliver a final judgment. If no such question or
issue arises, the panel will reject the request, at which point the
judgment becomes final. Otherwise Chamber judgments become final on
the expiry of the three-month period or earlier if the parties declare
that they do not intend to make a request to refer.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN SCHOOL OPENED IN SOCHI
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 04:32
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In Chereshnya village of Adler region of Sochi
a ceremony of opening a new school was held, reported the Yerkramas
newspaper of Armenians of Russia. The school is a national one and has
bilingual instruction – in Russian and Armenian. The school building,
designed for 550 pupils, was built in the course of 3 years. Head of
the resort town Victor Kolodyazhny took part in the opening ceremony of
the Russian-Armenian school. He noted in his speech that “the opening
of the school should make the village residents believe in tomorrow,
the deserving future of their children and their village.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENTEL WANTS TO REVISE FIXED TELEPHONES TARIFFS
Armenpress
Sept 5, 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: ArmenTel telephone operator that
holds legal monopoly on fixed telephones and Internet services in
Armenia, has confirmed today it has sent a package of proposals to
transport and communication ministry calling for revision of tariffs
for fixed telephones.
A spokeswoman for ArmenTel said a state commission for protection of
economic competition has to examine the company’s proposals and make
a decision within next 45 days.
The commission in turn has said that ArmenTel paid a $400,000 fine
levied on it for the more than month-long breakdown of its network
that caused widespread anger among its nearly 300,000 subscribers
from June 30 to July 10.

UK GOVERNMENT: CHANGE OF AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
M2 Presswire
September 5, 2005
Mr Anthony Cantor has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the
Republic of Armenia in succession to Miss Thorhilda Abbott-Watt who
will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.
Mr Cantor will take up his appointment in January 2006.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Full Name: Mr Anthony John James Cantor Date of Birth: 1 February 1946
Family Status: Married to Patricia Children: Two daughters (1969) &
(1972) and one son (1980)
2001-2005 Asuncion, Ambassador
2000-2001 FCO: Public Diplomacy Department, Head of Expo Section
2000- Hanover, Deputy Commissioner General, Expo 2000
1999-2000 FCO: European Union Department (Bilateral), Desk Officer
1995-1998 Osaka, Deputy Consul General
1994-1995 Tokyo, 1st Secretary Commercial
1992-1994 On loan to Department of Trade and Industry
1990-1992 Hanoi, Deputy Head of Mission
1983-1989 Osaka, Consul Commercial
1982-1983 FCO: West Indian Atlantic Department, Desk Officer
1980-1982 FCO: Aid Policy Department, Desk Officer
1977-1980 Accra, 2nd Secretary Consular
1972-1976 Tokyo, 3rd & later 2nd Secretary Commercial
1968-1971 Rangoon, 3rd Secretary
1966-1968 FCO: Finance Department, Desk Officer

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THE CONFLICT
A1+
| 15:07:51 | 05-09-2005 | Official |
Today the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Slovenia Foreign Minister
Dimitrij Rupel who has arrived in Armenia on a 2-day official visit
will meet the President of the Nagorno Karabakh republic Arkadi
Ghoukasyan. The meeting will take place at 09:00 p.m. by local time
in the hotel Yerevan.
It is noteworthy that the meeting is not closed as journalists have
been invited to highlight the meeting.
The NGR President has already arrived in Armenia.

NISTELROY SAVED HOLLAND
A1+
| 15:00:27 | 05-09-2005 | Sports |
After the 1-0 win over the Armenian National Football team in Yerevan,
the Holland team practically secured their place in the 2006 World
Championship.
The win was not an easy one for the Netherlands National team, although
before the match no one doubted their winning. Our team had chosen
a defense tactics, besides, goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky was quick
enough to capture dangerous moments and save our team. Nevertheless,
the guests managed to break the defense, and at the 67th minute Ruud
van Nistelroy scored.
In the press conference after the match the Holland team coach Marco
van Basten said, “I never thought the Armenian team could create so
many problems for us and that it would be so difficult to win”.