Foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan to discuss
Karabakh conflict in Moscow
.c The Associated Press
MOSCOW (AP) – The foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
were slated to meet in Moscow on Wednesday for discussions of the
conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave and a planned meeting this
week between the two Caucasus nations’ presidents, the Interfax news
agency reported.
“Negotiations have intensified noticeably over the past six months,”
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov was quoted as saying
Tuesday, referring to talks on Nagorno-Karabakh that have been
mediated by Russia, the United States and France.
The bloodshed began after the legislature of the ethnic
Armenian-dominated enclave in Azerbaijan called in 1988 for the region
to be incorporated into Armenia, which like Azerbaijan was then still
a Soviet republic. Full-scale military offensives broke out in 1991;
thousands were killed and a million displaced.
A tense cease-fire has held since 1994 but efforts to finally resolve
Nagorno-Karabakh’s status have repeatedly failed.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his Azerbaijani counterpart
Ilham Aliev are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of a summit of the
Commonwealth of Independent States in Russia’s Volga River city of
Kazan on Friday, Interfax said.
08/24/05 02:26 EDT

#
Sunday, August 21, 2005
************************************
It is not anti-Armenian to suggest that if Turks are human beings they deserve our understanding.
*
Because I speak for understanding, tolerance, and dialogue, I am accused of denying the Genocide. I see no connection there, but I see a connection between being perennial losers and perennial ignoramuses.
*
I am against hatred not because I love murderers and rapists but because hatred limits our ability to function at our full potential.
*
Freedom of speech does not mean my freedom is more important than yours is because I am right and you are wrong. It means the freedom to be wrong, that is to say, to be fallible, that is to say, to be human.
*
Armenians are a misunderstood, unappreciated, and ignored people, and ignored not only by odars but also by Armenians.
*
Authoritarianism, intolerance, and charlatanism: I see them as three different facets of the same aberration.
*
Any idea that remotely resembles what I thought twenty years ago as a dupe is repellent to me today, as it may well be twenty years hence to our dupes today.
*
As long as there are Armenians who are not Armenophiles and Turks who are not Turcophiles, we may hope for reconciliation, coexistence, and peace.
#
Monday, August 22, 2005
**********************************
I am for dissent and against propaganda regardless of race, color, and creed. Between a Turkish dissident and an Armenian propagandist I will be on the side of the dissident; and I refuse to believe that agreement with a dissident Turk and disagreement with an Armenian propagandist is a capital offense.
*
The sentence, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do,” could also be rephrased as, “Forgive them, Father, for they have been brainwashed.”
*
The only way to agree with a propagandist is to allow him to brainwash you.
*
Where benefactors play a central role, there will be rule by flunkies and brown-nosers parading as intellectuals and statesmen. When asked to name the greatest influences in his life, one of these so-called statesmen-intellectuals is quoted as having named one of our national benefactors.
*
After subsidizing the construction of a museum dedicated to Armenian history and culture, one of our benefactors is said to have offered his old desk as an exhibit. What a book one could write on the megalomania of our benefactors!
*
Until she died a couple of years ago, the wealthiest woman in Turkey is said to have been a bordello madam by the name of Manoogian. At her death even our weeklies in the diaspora published long obituaries.
#
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
***********************************
There are two kinds of people, those who say, “Let us reason together” and mean it, and the others. It is to the “others” that we owe all wars and massacres.
*
As long as I have the agreement of moderates on both sides, why should I care about the others? To put it more bluntly: as long as I have the agreement of reasonable men, why should I give a damn about the disagreement of jackasses?
*
My greatest ambition in life: to make my readers smile even when I write about sad things.
*
More often than not I do nothing but paraphrase our writers (see my DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN QUOTATIONS). Our jackasses are not aware of this fact because they don’t read Armenian writers. Their ignorance thus allows them to parade as good Armenians even as they voice views that are neither good nor Armenian.
*
The Turks say, “We are not guilty of slaughtering Armenians,” and our political parties say, “We are not guilty of leading the nation to the slaughterhouse.” Nothing new in that. All significant historic events have their defenders and critics. Napoleon is a hero to some, a villain to many others. The American, French, and Russian Revolutions have their apologists as well as critics. Notwithstanding their countless victims, Stalin and Hitler have their defenders. Even Hiroshima has been Rashomonized.
*
Like all moderates, I believe silencing or exterminating the opposition is not the only legitimate way of settling differences.
#
Wednesday, August 24,2005
***********************************
Speaking as a layman, I say if our political parties and their pundits have so far failed to convince me, they have also failed to convince many others. The reason of our high alienation and assimilation rate (or “white massacre”) must be sought in this failure rather than in “historic, social, cultural, and environmental factors beyond our control.”
*
If you are like myself a man of limited knowledge and understanding, you will have many adversaries among those who know and understand everything.
*
Preaching to the converted is one of the most popular and profitable commercial enterprises in the world.
*
After meeting a nice Turk and a nasty Armenian you are bound to question many other assumptions.
*
Armenian writers survive only by writing for an odar audience. The culturally starved Armenian will only starve them.
#

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 MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF THE ST. EGIDIO BROTHERHOOD
His Holiness Aram I met with around 30 members of the St. Egidio
secular brotherhood which functions under the patronage of the
Roman Catholic Church. His Holiness briefed the visitors about the
birthplace of Christianity, the Middle East and the long history of
Christian-Muslim coexistence.
“The Christian Muslim dialogue has its toots in the Middle East, where
these two monotheistic religions have witnessed a dialogue unfolding
over the centuries. Lebanon is in this sense a mosaic of religions
and this gives it a unique character and identity,” said His Holiness.
Aram I pointed that while international conferences and seminars
about dialogue can sometimes be fake, the Christian-Muslim dialogue in
Lebanon is not based on conference agendas. “Rather, it is everywhere:
in people’s homes, shops, on the streets, in other words, in everyday
life.”
The members of the Brotherhood attended the Holy Mass conducted in
the Chapel of St. Asdvadzadzine. They also visited the St. Gregory
the Illuminator Cathedral and the Martyrs’ Chapel in Antelias.
The St. Egidio Brotherhood often organizes international conferences
with the aim of developing a dialogue between religions. His Holiness
Aram I has frequently been invited to attend these conferences.
##
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:
HIS HOLINESS MEETS WITH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER SALLOUKH
His Holiness Aram I received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Lebanon Fawzi Salloukh in his office in Antelias on August 23.
The minister briefed His Holiness about the internal situation of
Lebanon in general and talked about the country’s foreign affairs. His
Holiness informed the minister about the international relations of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Armenian communities it represents.
The minister talked with admiration and respect about the Armenian
community of Lebanon, its participation in the political life of
the country and the contribution it has brought to Lebanon’s growth
and progress.
His Holiness stressed that the importance of guaranteeing Lebanon’s
security and stability and pointed out that political leaders should
refrain from making provoking statements.
The Catholicos emphasized that the government should act as a single
unit. He added that new impetus should be given to the relations
between Lebanon’s different communities and international and regional
developments should be closely followed.
The foreign affairs minister gave a brief press conference after
his meeting with His Holiness Aram I. He expressed satisfaction at
meeting with “such spiritual leaders who have wide knowledge about
religious and political issues.”
The minister then spoke about the Armenian community of Lebanon,
considering it an indispensable part of the country’s communities
and acknowledging the important role it has played in the country’s
progress.
He also talked about the Lebanese-Armenians living in different part
of the Diaspora and their “honorable work” for the progress of Lebanon.
##
View picture here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and the 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:
HIS HOLINESS MEETS WITH THE MINISTER OF CULTURE
His Holiness Aram I received the Minister of Culture Tarek Mitri in
Bikfayya on August 21. The minister informed His Holiness about the
reform undertaken in the ministry entrusted to him.
His Holiness outlined the importance that should be given to culture in
Lebanon, pointing out that the field had witnessed a recess during the
politically and economically critical periods the country went through.
Ms. Teni Pirri Simonian, the director of the World Council of Churches’
(WCC) department for church and ecumenical relations, attended the
second part of the meeting. The sides talked about issues related to
the WCC and future plans regarding the Christian-Muslim dialogue.
Mitri is the director of the Inter-Religious Relations and Dialogue
department of WCC. Minister Mitri then had dinner with His Holiness
Aram I and the conversation between the two continued on various
issues related to culture and dialogue between religions.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about
the history and the 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
The Greens Union of Armenia
Contact: Dr. Hakob Sanasarian,
President of The Greens Union
Address: Mamikoniants St. 47-13, Yerevan, Armenia.
Telephone: (374-2) 257 -634.
US Contact: Dr. Anne Shirinian, phone/fax (732) 462-9089
E-mail: [email protected]
A FEW WORDS ABOUT MINING AND PRIVATIZATION OF MINES IN ARMENIA
August, 2005
A government Decree # N 1677-², dated December 12, 2004, privatized
the Copper-Molybdenum mine of Zangezur, by selling its shares to 3
companies. This was done under a private property law/regulation,
violating the fact that the mine was NOT a private property but a public
one – it belonged to the government. No public body or office or entity
was consulted regarding the privatization of the mine and its associated
works, such as the processing plant. By another Decree # N 1768-²,
dated December 16, 2004, the government ordered the proceeds from the
sale of the mine and its works (132 million USD) to be credited to the
extra-budgetary, foreign currency account of the Ministry of Finance and
Economics of Armenia.
Last year, in 2004, the mining works processed 8.5 million tons of raw
material and generated about 130 million USD for the government of
Armenia, according to official sources.
Meanwhile, in the towns of Meghradzor and Sotk, the privatized mines of
gold are producing the raw material, which is then moved to the “Ararat”
gold processing plant (also privatized), where gold is extracted from
the raw material. Work conditions are so inhuman at the mines that the
miners have resorted to a strike resulting in dismissals from employment
in large numbers, even though the miners’ demands were reasonable, such
as access to drinking water and toilet facilities, a certain regard for
worker safety, pay for overtime hours, living wages, compensation for
limbs lost on the job, vacation time, firings should be explained/
justified, etc. Indeed, work conditions are brutal and unsafe at the
mines; miners work at 2370 meters above sea level, where winter-time
temperatures can drop to -40deg Celsius, workers are not given a chance
for a break at the fire to get warmed and are dismissed regularly for
complaining, and, recently, the mining company has lagged in paying them
their monthly wages. Finally, according to mining experts, the company
is exploiting the mine with total disregard to conventional mining
methods, such that after the company leaves, the mines will become
useless for any further exploitation.

News magazine in secular Turkey honors al Qaeda
By Nicholas Birch
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
August 22, 2005
ISTANBUL — A new magazine titled Kaide — Turkish for al Qaeda — praises
terror mastermind Osama bin Laden, glamorizes the July 7 bombings in London
and vividly illustrates that extremism lurks in this secular nation where
Islam is tightly regulated.
Edited in Turkey’s most cosmopolitan city, Istanbul, and available on
newsstands everywhere, the magazine veers between the laughable and the
horrible.
Headlines such as “The Taliban have killed 600 GIs” jostle for space
with proud revelations of yet another jihadist decapitation in Iraq.
U.S.-led forces ousted the hard-line Taliban regime from Afghanistan in late
2001.
The main editorial sets “domination” as its goal and
“Christian-Jewish-Western imperialism” as its main object of hate.
With investigations continuing into a Turkish group that took
responsibility for four suicide bombings in Istanbul in November 2003 that
killed 62 persons, the magazine underscores the continuing appeal of
militant Islam in a nation that seeks to join the European Union.
“Our souls are tied with al Qaeda,” Kaide editor Ali Osman Zor told the
secular weekly Tempo at his magazine’s office in Kasimpasa, a poor Istanbul
district in which Turkey’s prime minister grew up. “We are honored to have
this tie.”
Asked to explain the magazine’s cover headline — “Al-Qaeda is
liberating the world” — he described recent bomb attacks on London and the
Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheik as “payback” for the “100,000 Iraqi
civilians … killed in the name of what [President] Bush calls ‘liberating
Iraq.’?”
“I do not consider those killed in the London attacks as innocent,” he
said, “because [they] paid taxes to the English government … which is
responsible for the killing of thousands of Muslims.”
Barely two years ago, Mr. Zor and his editorial colleagues seemed likely
to spend most of the rest of their lives in jail.
A former spokesman for the Great East Islamic Raiders Front or IBDA-C —
an extremist Salafist group set up in the late 1970s — Mr. Zor was
imprisoned in 1999 for “attempting to overthrow Turkey’s secular state by
force.”
The group’s leader, Salih Izzet Erdis, is still in solitary confinement,
but many of his followers were pardoned last year.
It is a decision the government may have regretted when IBDA-C took
responsibility later last year for the four Istanbul bombings — a claim met
with skepticism within the Turkish intelligence community.
Like another newsletter the group publishes, Aylik, the main aim of
Kaide appears to be to broaden support, but it is difficult to tell whether
it will succeed.
Support for Islamic extremism in Turkey always has been limited and
appears to be diminishing. Seven percent of Turkish respondents to a Pew
poll released last month expressed “some confidence” that bin Laden would
“do the right thing regarding world affairs.”

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 22, 2005, Monday
THE ARMENIAN SIDE DENIES THE FACT OF CAPTURING AN AZERBAIJAN SOLDIER
The information about capturing Azerbaijan soldier, Ramil
Khudaverdyev, was officially proved by the Yerevan branch of Red
Cross International Committee (RCIC). The corresponding information
was sent to the Baku office of RCIC. At the same time, the letter of
Khudaverdyev himself was sent to Baku. That is why, the ascertaining
of Armenian defense ministry representative, Seyran Shakhsuvaryan,
about the fact that Armenians did not capture Khudaverdyev is
disinformation. That was declared by secretary of the State Committee
in charge of prisoners of war, hostages and lost, Shain Sailov,
commenting on today’s declaration of Shakhsuvaryan to ARMINFO agency.
We shall remind you that ensign Ramil Khudaverdyev vanished on the
front line on August 3, of this year.

La Croix , France
23 août 2005
Un été dans La Croix.
Les arméniens de turquie (2/7).
Dossier. A Diyarbakir, la foi des catacombes. Il n’y a presque plus
d’Arméniens à Diyarbakir. Quelques anciens gardent une flamme
vacillante, et un jeune, revenu à la religion de ses grands-parents,
envisage de se rendre rapidement à Istamboul. DIYARBAKIR, reportage
de notre envoyé spécial.
par PLOQUIN Jean-Christophe
L’église Surp Giragos de Diyarbakir est une longue plainte à ciel
ouvert. Un enseignant turc de passage prophétise: “Nous sommes les
enfants de l’Histoire. Si l’Histoire est en ruine, les gens le sont
aussi. J’ai honte, car des étrangers viennent et nous demandent notre
histoire. Et nous ne la savons pas.” Musulman, cet instituteur
s’annonce “socialiste et matérialiste”.
La btisse, qui relevait du culte arménien apostolique, était
imposante, à en juger par les travées conduisant du vaste portique
d’entrée aux cinq autels. Les restes de trois d’entre eux se dressent
encore, fantômes de stuc sur lesquels se découpent quelques angelots
et des motifs floraux ou géométriques teintés d’ocre ou de vert. Le
plafond a disparu. La tribune est effondrée. Les arches sont brisées.
Les chapiteaux posés sur d’élégantes colonnes témoignent seuls d’un
style dépouillé et altier. Rien alentour n’est susceptible de
retracer l’histoire du lieu. Un guide touristique récemment édité par
la municipalité évoque une construction au XVIe siècle. Les pierres,
muettes, renvoient le visiteur à sa propre désolation.
Dans la cour attenante, une famille kurde garde les clés. La jeune
femme, menue et vive, ouvre la porte d’une toute petite btisse qui
ne contient qu’une pièce aux murs bleu ple. Un autel en bois,
quelques bancs et une étroite tribune forment le seul mobilier. Un
décor grossièrement sculpté porte la date du 20 mars 1949. Là se
déroulait la liturgie, dans les années 1950 et jusqu’aux années 1960,
lorsque Diyarbakir comptait, selon certains témoins se rappelant leur
jeunesse, quelques milliers d’Arméniens. Aujourd’hui, ils sont moins
d’une dizaine, huit, selon le patriarcat à Istamboul.
Le trousseau de clés réapparaît et une nouvelle porte s’ouvre, sur
l’ancien bureau de l’évêque, peint lui aussi en bleu ple. Le
fauteuil du prélat en impose encore. Un portrait d’Atatürk surplombe
celui d’un patriarche. Sur l’armoire en fer, un petit drapeau turc,
rouge vif, est le seul élément de décor récent. À l’intérieur, de
vieux livres en arménien s’entassent. Missels, registres de la
communauté, livres de prière…
“Ici, je me sens chez moi.” Garabed, un électricien de 24 ans à la
chevelure de jais et au sourire généreux, semble familier des lieux.
Il y a trois ans, il a été baptisé et a abandonné son prénom
d’origine, Farouk. Depuis, ses amis l’appellent Gavour, “l’infidèle”,
sur un registre mi-léger, mi-grinçant. En 1915, c’est au son de cette
insulte que des centaines de milliers d’Arméniens et de chrétiens
d’autres traditions ont été massacrés en Anatolie. Selon certaines
estimations, il y avait avant les tueries 120 000 chrétiens dans le
département de Diyarbakir, dont une moitié d’Arméniens.
Garabed explique que ses quatre grands-parents étaient d’origine
arménienne, mais qu’ils ont été élevés comme musulmans à Silvan, à
une heure de route à l’est de Diyarbakir, sur la route de Batman. En
1915, ils auraient survécu à la déportation, puis seraient revenus
dans leur village d’origine. Ils ont vécu dans un entre-deux culturel
et religieux, manifestant les signes extérieurs nécessaires à leur
tranquillité. Les parents du jeune homme ne pratiquaient pas mais
“savaient d’où ils venaient”, poursuit-il. Leurs voisins aussi, sans
doute. Il y a une trentaine d’années, “ces esprits faibles, des
imbéciles”, les ont chassés de leur domicile. “Pour eux, si on tue un
chrétien, on va au paradis.” Ses parents et ses soeurs sont
aujourd’hui établis dans des villes de l’Ouest. Garabed explique son
itinéraire personnel avec simplicité. “Je me suis dit que si
j’oubliais mes racines, je ne serais pas un homme d’honneur. Or, sans
honneur, un homme ne peut pas vivre. C’est quelque chose que vous
devez ressentir. Je l’ai ressenti, donc je l’ai fait.”
Pendant un an, il a vécu à Istamboul pour y suivre son catéchuménat.
Puis il est revenu à Diyarbakir, mais la vie lui paraît ici trop
dure, trop dangereuse aussi. L’isolement lui pèse. Il connaît un
fonctionnaire qui voudrait, comme lui, revenir à sa culture
d’origine, mais qui ne pourrait le faire sans être licencié. Idem
pour un commerçant qui perdrait à coup sûr ses clients. “Je veux
partir, soupire-t-il. Je ne sais pas de quoi demain sera fait.” Une
personne qui le suit depuis Istamboul ne cache pas son inquiétude et
son indignation envers le patriarcat arménien “qui l’a laissé
repartir alors qu’il aurait fallu l’aider à rester” sur les bords du
Bosphore.
Son seul réconfort, Garabed le trouve près de la petite communauté
chrétienne qui vit aux abords de l’église de la Vierge-Marie, une
belle btisse de rite syriaque dont la restauration a été commémorée
le 22 mai dernier. Au XIXe siècle, un patriarche était venu s’établir
ici, et y avait fait btir, derrière de hauts murs, un petit complexe
religieux constitué d’écoles et d’habitations autour de quatre
courettes. Sept à huit familles chrétiennes y vivent aujourd’hui,
dont celle du prêtre, le P. Yusuf Akbulut.
Ce matin-là, des enfants jouent avec l’eau de la fontaine. Légèrement
à l’écart, sur une terrasse, deux vieilles femmes, deux soeurs,
brodent en silence, assises sur un banc sommaire garni de coussins
rouges. Un homme s’active dans la soupente. Sitki et Bayzar Eken,
couple sans enfant, représentent, avec Victoria, la soeur, la face
visible des Arméniens de Diyarbakirý. Ils ont respectivement 75, 78
et 68 ans. “Tous les autres sont partis. Je suis le dernier. Ne me
demandez pas pourquoi”, lche le vieil homme.
Lui aussi est originaire des environs de Silvan. Son père avait 12
ans en 1915 et a été sauvé par le chef de village qui l’a présenté
comme un musulman. Ses parents sont venus à Diyarbakir quand il avait
un an. Dans un cadre, ramené de la cuisine, cinq photos aux couleurs
fanées témoignent de liens familiaux entretenus aux quatre coins du
monde. Son grand frère était parti au Canada, mais il est mort il y a
deux ans. Son jeune frère vit aux Pays-Bas. Un enfant qui rit sur
l’un des clichés a aujourd’hui 27 ans et vient de se marier du côté
d’Amsterdam. Sitki et Bayzar iront le voir lors de son prochain
passage à Istamboul. Les gens de la diaspora ne viennent jamais
jusqu’à Diyarbakir.
Le vieil homme n’a jamais parlé que le turc, mais sa femme n’a pas
besoin de chercher dans sa mémoire pour que reviennent les formules
de salutations dans sa langue maternelle. “On parlait arménien à la
maison avec mon père et ma mère, mais j’ai beaucoup oublié”,
s’excuse-t-elle. Sa famille a quitté, il y a cinquante ans, la petite
ville de Lice. “Nous avons été les derniers à partir. Mais il restait
beaucoup d’Arméniens d’origine”, raconte-t-elle en secouant la main.
Les tasses de café à la cardamome sont brûlantes. Le silence
s’installe peu à peu. Y aura-t-il encore des Arméniens à Diyarbakir
dans vingt ans? Bayzar Eken fait la moue. “Dieu seul le sait, répond
son mari, mais ce sera difficile. Même si les Arméniens retrouvent
leurs droits, l’économie ici n’est pas bonne.” En attendant, les
trois survivants gardent la flamme.
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE PLOQUIN
Plus de trois mille ans d’histoire
Les Arméniens sont un peuple indo-européen présent en Asie mineure
depuis environ 1150 av. J.-C. Le nom de l’Arménie apparaît pour la
première fois vers 522 av. J.-C. dans la liste des 20 régions
administratives de l’empire perse de Darius. Deux cents ans plus
tard, un royaume d’Arménie est fondé. Le roi Tigrane (95-55) l’étend
des rives de la mer Caspienne jusqu’à Damas et Hamadan (Iran). En 314
apr. J.-C., l’évêque de Césarée de Cappadoce, Grégoire
l’Illuminateur, baptise le roi Tiridate et l’Arménie devient le
premier État officiellement chrétien. Soixante-dix ans plus tard, le
pays est démantelé entre l’empire byzantin et la Perse mais un moine,
Mesrop Machtots, invente l’alphabet arménien vers 405, ce qui sauve
ce peuple d’une assimilation certaine. En 506, dans le contexte des
controverses politico-théologiques nées à la suite du concile de
Chalcédoine (451), le chef spirituel de l’Église arménienne
revendique le titre de catholicos, chef suprême d’une Église
nationale indépendante de Byzance. Depuis lors, la langue et la
religion ont été les deux ciments de la nation arménienne à travers
les épreuves de l’Histoire.
Pour en savoir plus: L’Arménie à l’épreuve des siècles, d’Annie et
Jean-Pierre Mahé, “Découvertes” Gallimard, 160 p., 13,90 Euro.
DEMAIN
Kars veut rouvrir
la frontière avec l’Arménie.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

European group leader says elections will test Azerbaijan’s democracy
AP Worldstream; Aug 23, 2005

The president of a European organization said Tuesday that November
parliamentary elections would test democracy in Azerbaijan, while an
opposition leader accused authorities of seeking to undermine his
campaign by running candidates with the same name.
“The upcoming elections are a test case for your country,” Rene van
der Linden, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe, told a news conference at the end of a two-day visit to the
politically tense Caucasus Mountain nation.
Referring to the Nov. 6 elections in Azerbaijan and a constitutional
referendum in neighboring Armenia, he said that “for both countries
it’s a real opportunity to show the international community that you
are willing and able to fulfill the commitments of free and fair
elections.”
Van der Linden also urged Azerbaijan’s opposition to act responsibly
and “approach the elections in the constructive spirit of democracy,”
and called on law enforcement organizations to solve the March slaying
of opposition magazine editor Elmar Huseinov.
Tensions are high before the vote, with opposition groups fearing
fraud on the part of the government.
A leader of the opposition alliance Yeni Siyaset, Eldar Namazov, said
two candidates who shared his name have been nominated to run in his
district _ one a businessman and the other a prison guard _ in what he
called a bid to draw votes away from him by confusing voters.
Accusations of vote-rigging after the October 2003 presidential
election erupted into violence in the oil-rich former Soviet
republic’s capital, Baku.