AZG Armenian Daily #152, 27/08/2005
Neighbors
SURP KHACH CHURCH OF AKHTAMAR BEING RECONSTRUCTED
While Half a Century Ago it Was Under Threat of Elimination
Surp Khach Armenian church on Akhtamar Island in eastern Turkey, which is
presently undergoing reconstruction on $1.5 million from Turkish government,
was under the threat of being destroyed half a century ago, Turkish Vatan
newspaper informed on August 25. “Eminent writer Yasar Kemal saved the
Armenian church of Akhtamar at the last moment. Thanks to the Lord, our
historic consciousness has ripened during 50 years. The same church is now
being reconstructed by the administration of Van province”.
The publication in Vatan being incredibly interesting, we think it’s worth
to present it wholly. Here is what the paper writes: “It was June 25 of
1951. This was the day that the church of Akhtamar was spared destruction.
Who are the savers? They were Ilyas Kitapci, one of wise men of Van, who
spearheaded military surgeon, captain Javit Bey, world famous writer Yasar
Kemal and editor-in-chief of Jumhuriet paper, Nadir Nadi. Journalist Azer
Bortajina presents this breathtaking story of salvation in his book “Eastern
Anatolia: the Legend of Fertile Lands” citing the words of Yasar Kemal, ‘I
embarked on a ship from Dadivan heading for Van. I got acquainted with an
officer aboard the ship. He was a captain and he told me: ‘It’s good I met
you. There is an Armenian church here on Akhtamar Island. The building is a
masterpiece. It’s being destroyed now. I want to take you there tomorrow.
The church, being a work of art, belongs to these lands, no matter who built
it. Can you help me and my country in this issue?”
‘Following the words of the captain, I went to Akhtamar. Though the church
was still untouched, the belfry beside was in ruins. The captain ordered
workers: ‘Don’t touch the church till I am back. I am going to the
governor’. The workers replied: ‘As you like’. We returned to Van. Finding
correspondent Jumhuriet, Ilyas Kitapci, we called the editor’s office. A few
hours later Nadir Bey was standing was standing before me. I explained him
the situation. Nadir Bey said: ‘Avni Bey will settle this issue. I know him
well. He is an intelligent person. Avni Basman was education minister at the
time. Two days later Ilyas and Javit Bey came to the hotel. Their faces were
shining with delight. Avni Basman telegraphed the governor to suspend
destruction of the church. June 25 of 1951 is the day of salvation of the
church of Akhtamar'”.
A conclusion on the salvation day ends the extract from Yasar Kemal and the
correspondent of Vatan poses a question to governor of Van, Mehmed Niyaz
Tameler, concerning the reconstruction works of Surp Khach who answers, “In
the years when these events occurred and which are described by Yasar Kemal,
our country, unfortunately, did not have the consciousness of preserving
historic and cultural monuments. We have completely different approach
today. Our government impartially cares for all monuments of spiritual and
cultural value, be it a church or a mosque. We have assigned 2 trillion
Turkish lire for reconstruction of Armenian church of Akhtamar. We bring the
stones from that very mine that was opened up especially for the
construction of the church one thousand years ago. We have invited
specialists from Italy. Many tourists are visiting Van in the recent years.
But there are no Armenians among them whereas we want them to come and see
the birthplace of their fathers and native land. Our doors are open before
everyone”.
By Hakob Chakrian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN YOUNG WEIGHTLIFERS PERFORM SUCCESSFULLY IN EUROPEAN
CHAMPIONSHIP
SOFIA, 26 AUGUST, NOYAN TAPAN: In Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, the
representatives of Armenia successfully performed at the European
Youth championship of weightlifting. Tigran Martirosian, in 69kg
weight category, won the first place and became European champion. In
the jerk exercise he showed 140kg, in clean and jerk – 167,5kg, and in
clean and jerk combination – 307,5kg result.
During the competitions Tigran made 6 European youth records. He won a
big gold medal designed for a winner. Besides, T.Martirosian was
handed over the gold sign of the European Weighlifting Federation. In
the same 69kg weight category Aram Andrikian won the 3rd place having
the bronze medal. Among the Armenian weightlifters Davit Muradian
(56kg weight category) won the 2nd place, and Ruben Mamoyan (50kg) won
the 3rd place. They were awarded respectively silver and bronze
medals. On August 26, the last day of the championship, 2 more
representaives of Armenia will perform in 77kg and 85kg weight
categories. In Sofia the girls of Armenia also distinguished with
their performances. Meline Galstian won the first place in 58kg weight
category and got awarded the gold medal of European champion. Anna
Govelian was recognized as the third winner in 46kg weight category
and got awarded a bronze medal.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN RELATIONS OF ARGENTINA TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON OFFICIAL
VISIT, ON AUGUST 29
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The official visit of Rafael Bielsa,
the Minister of Foreign Relations, International Trade and Worship of
the Republic of Argentina will take place on August 29-31. Noyan Tapan
was informed about this by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department. Minister R.Bielsa’s meetings with the RA
President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Catholicos of All
Armenians are envisaged during the meeting. Within the framework of
the visit, the Argentinian Minister will visit the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute and school “Republic of Argentina.”

SPIRITUAL LEADERS’ DELEGATION FROM CANADA ARRIVES IN ARMENIA
ETCHMIADZIN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. By an invitation of Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians, spiritual leaders’ delegation from Canada
arrived in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiazdin, on August 25, on the
occasion of the 1600th anniversary of the Armenian Letters’
invention. Noyan Tapan was informed about this by the Information
System of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. From August 25 to
September 1, the delegation will go round different holy places, get
acquianted with the present activities of the Armenian
Church. Meetings with the Chairman of the RA National Assembly, with
the Foreign Minister and the Chairman of the RA NAA are also
envisaged.

BUILDINGS FOR EMERGENCY ROOMS RESTORED UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF ARMENIAN
RELIEF ASSOCIATION OPEN IN TWO VILLAGES OF JAVAKHK
AKHALKALAK, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Buildings of
emergency rooms in the villages of Tapatsghur, Radionovka, Satia, Mets
Gondura, Azavret, Kartsakh, Gumburdo, Bezhano, Mets Samsar, Tamala,
Tsughrut of Javakhk have been restored by the assistance of programs
of the Armenian Relief Association – Javakhk Relief Committee. The
committee also undertook furnishing of those emergency rooms providing
them with medical equipments and medicine of first necessity, the
“A-Info” agency informed. Opening of restored buildings of the
emergency rooms in the villages of Tamala, the region of Aspindza, and
Tsughrut, the region of Akhaltskha, already took place on August
25. Bagrat Sargsian, the Chairman of the AUA Javakhk Relief Committee
was present at the solemn ceremony, and he personally gave medical
equipments and medicine of necessary quantity to the emergency
rooms. On behalf of all the population of Tamala, Gurgen Tumasian, the
head of the village of Tamala addressed words of gratitude to the
committee and benefactors. Those from Tsughrut also expressed their
gratitute. According to Bagrat Sargsian, the Javakhk Relief Committee
will start the affair of allocating ambulance cars to all
above-mentioned emergency rooms. On the committee’ initiative, the
school building of Ghado, the region of Akhalkalak has also been
renovated fundamentally. The official opening of the building will
take place at the beginning of the new school year.

INTRODUCTION OF RIGHT OF JUDICIAL PRECEDENT IS INEVITABLE IN ARMENIA,
CHAIRMAN OF RA COURT OF CASSATION SURE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The discussion promoted at the August
25 meeting of heads of the justice and judicial systems of Armenia
with Tigran Tevrizian, a US retired federal judge of Armenian origin
was dedicated to possibilities of usage of the right of judicial
precedent in Armenia. Hovhannes Manukian, the Chairman of the RA Court
of Cassation mentioned that an approach process of two legal systems,
continental and Anglo-Saxon, is going on in the world. According to
his estimation, usage of particularly, the right of judicial precedent
developed in the American judicial system is unavoidable in the
nearest future, in Armenia which is on the eve of the second stage of
the judicial-legal reforms. H.Manukian mentioned that conditioned by
the implementation of the consitutional reforms, some objective
necessity also arose to change the system. According to him, it is
envisaged, based on the constitutional reforms, to review the laws “On
Judge’s Status,” “On Forming Court” and “On Justice Council”
foundamentally.

ARMENIAN-HUNGARIAN RELATIONS HAVE GOOD PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of
the RA National Assembly received Pal Steiner, the head of the Center
of Budapest, and Laslo Mester, the head of the 18th region, deputies
of the Parliament of Hungary, on August 25. Noyan Tapan was informed
about this by the RA NA Public Relations Department. A.Baghdasarian
attached importance to development of the ties among the two countries
and re-affirmed the invitation of an official visit to Armenia
addressed to the Chairman of the Parliament of Hungary.
According to him, that visit may become an important spur for
development of the interstate relations between the two countries. The
great role of the Armenian community living in Hungary and Budapest
was mentioned, establishment of regional ties between the two
countries and implementation of concrete programs were attached
importance to. P.Steiner and L.Mester mentioned that the
Hungarian-Armenian relations have a good prospects of development. The
agreement on cooperation signed between the centers of Yerevan and
Budapest may also become a base for implementation of mutually
beneficial programs. Special importance was attached to the sphere of
tourism for development of which the direct flight Budapest-Yerevan
may become an additional stimulus.

AZG Armenian Daily #152, 27/08/2005
Constitution
A TIME FOR RESPONSIBILITY
On August 29 the National Assembly will discuss the proposed amendments to
the Armenian Constitution. This is an extremely important process that
should be taken seriously by all political actors, as well as by all
citizens of Armenia.
A Constitution is the founding law of any land and the document on which the
rule of law is based. It took us Americans thirteen years to arrive at the
first version of the U.S. Constitution. Since then we have amended it
twenty-seven times, most recently in the early 1990s. As we see in Iraq
today, writing a Constitution – like amending one – is properly a lengthy,
weighty process that demands the highest degree of responsibility from all
parties, in order to ensure that the resulting document expresses the will
of the people and provides an appropriate balance of power among the
branches of government.
The United States supports the efforts of all those who have been involved
in the process of attempting to amend the current Armenian Constitution, and
encourages all parties to engage in responsible and constructive debate on
this issue. The constitution of any country establishes the rules of the
political game. Every political party ought to be interested in establishing
those rules. Once the rules are established, then let the political game
begin, and let it be hard-fought, even fierce, but conducted within the
rules that have been agreed.
In addition to political actors, every citizen should be attentive to the
process of amending the Constitution, as this document will be the
fundamental law of the land. The international community, including the
United States, has consistently supported the efforts of the Council of
Europe in helping Armenia arrive at a good package of reforms. In our view
the current package represents a notable step forward, but its approval is
of course a matter for the voters of the Republic of Armenia to decide. I
hope that the necessary steps will be taken to increase public awareness
about this important process so that a well-informed public can express its
will in the referendum scheduled for November.
As the members of the National Assembly prepare to discuss the proposed
constitutional amendments on Monday, we hope that they will recognize the
heavy responsibility they bear before their fellow-countrymen for agreeing
on the best constitutional arrangements for the Republic of Armenia.
Monday’s debate and the subsequent process will be taken as an indication of
the level of political development in Armenia.
U.S. Embassy, Yerevan

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II NOT TO VISIT JAVAKHK
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Priest Vahram
Melikian, the head of the Press Service of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin disproved the news about a visit to be paid to Javakhk by
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. He mentioned that nothing
like that is envisaged. To recap, the presvios day, the “A-Info”
agency spread news, according to which His Holiness would visit
Javakhk on October 1.

AZG Armenian Daily #152, 27/08/2005
Home
HOW AND WHEN WILL NEW BUILDING OF AIRPORT BE BUILT?
Investments to Amount to $230 Million in Total
RA Government has approved the first stage of Zvatnots airport’s new
building’s main layout. Artyom Movsisian, head of Department of Civil
Aviation, said about this. He informed that “Armenia” International
Airports” company, the coordinator of the airport, suggested amendments to
the formed master-layout that was conditioned by the great number of
passengers. This number amounted to 23,3% last year. The airport had 1
million 89 thousand passengers this year. While the coordinator company
envisaged to achieve this indicator only in 2008. Anyway, it is envisaged
that this data will increase to 2 million in 2030.
Artyom Movsisian informed that new technologies that increase the security
level will be used when constructing the new building of the airport. A
high-level security system will be installed. It will help define the
identity of the passengers and watch the airport on 90 screens.
As for the new main layout, it envisages investments amounting to $230
million in total. The investments should be made till 2030.
$105 million will be invested in the first stage. The new two-storied
building of the complex will be built in this stage. The second floor of the
building will be used as the hall for departures together with the old
building of the airport. The hall for departures will be completed in late
2007.
The second stage covers 2008-2020. $140 million more are envisaged to be
invested then. The second hall for departures will be built and all the
passengers will be served there.
The second stage of the construction envisages investments amounting to $21
million that will be used for preservation needs.
Artyom Movsisian stated that the coordinator company is most likely to built
new blocks of flats for the residents of the tall buildings and two hostels.
This will be done for the security of both the airport and the residents. 15
thousand square meters of are will be allocated for the construction and
better living conditions will be secured for the residents.
By Ara Martirosian