LITHUANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER WRAPS UP ARMENIAN VISIT

   YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS: Wrapping up a two-day visit to
Armenia, Lithuanian defense minister Gediminas Kirkilas told a news
conference today that his government welcomes Armenia’s drive to
build closer relations with the EU and NATO and its integration with
Euro-Atlantic organizations.
   “Lithuania has always been in favor of good and friendly relations
with the South Caucasus,” he said, adding also that his first
official visit to Armenia made him see that Armenia is moving
gradually towards a clear-cut definition of its strategic objectives.
   He said Armenia’s participation in NATO-sponsored events is very
important and welcomed Armenia’s decision to send a peace-keeping
mission to Iraq.
   His Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian said they had discussed a
wide range of bilateral issues.
   Kirkilas also visited the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to pay
respect to 1.5 million Armenians killed by the government of the
Ottoman Turkey between 1915-1923.
   “Politicians have to work hard so that no genocides happen in
future,” he said, adding that the Armenian genocide must be condemned
by all civilized nations. He also said Lithuania’s foreign ministry
should look into whether his government could recognize it
officially.
   Before leaving Armenia, Kirkilas was also received by prime
minister Andranik Margarian and foreign minister Vartan Oskanian.

–Boundary_(ID_5UQIlhBtfwQlQz9qDvWaWA)–

STATEMENT CALLING TURKEY TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE PUT
TO VOTE NO EARLIER THAN MAY 2005

06.04.2005 05:42

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Chairman of the German-Turkish forum of the
Christian Democratic Union Bulent Arslan refused to participate in
consideration of the statement by the faction of Christian Democratic
Union and Christian Social Union on Armenian Genocide. In his words,
it is a very subtle issue and cannot be really presented in Germany.
“Any interference from outside will impede reconciliation of the
Armenian and Turkish people. It is essential to perceive history
impartially”, he noted. To remind, early March Christian Democratic
Union and Christian Social Union submitted to the consideration of
Bundestag a statement calling Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide. However, the discussion was postponed at the urgent request
of the greens and social democrats, who did not wish to tense relations
with Turkey on the threshold of Gerhard Schroder’s visit to Ankara. The
preliminary hearing of the statement will be held April 21, however
it will be put to the vote in May or June.
From: Baghdasarian

Lithuanian DM believes his country should recognize Armenian Genocide

06.04.2005  17:29    

YEREVAN (YERKIR)- Lithuanian Defense Minister Gedeminas Kirkilas,
accompanied with Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian and top army
officers, visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial of Genocide Victims
to pay his respects, Armenpress reported.

“We the politicians should make sure that genocides are not repeated,”
Kirkilas said, adding that it should be condemned by all. He also noted
that no document on the Armenian Genocide is in official circulation
in Lithuania but as a politician he believes that the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide by Lithuania would be right.

–Boundary_(ID_TblFpWGm3bWWYyA3p3C/IQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Press Review

Turkish Press.com
Published: 4/6/2005

SEZER VETOES BILL ON SECURITY FORCE President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
yesterday vetoed a bill proposing amendments to the Security Force
Organization Law, including the hiring of 10,000 personnel. Sezer
stated that waging effective anti-crime efforts was not possible
using hastily trained policemen with low educational levels. Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on the issue, told reporters
that his government would discuss the bill and then decide how to
proceed. /Star/

ERDOGAN TO ATTEND FUNERAL FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II

Representing Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set
to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II to be held on Friday at
the Vatican. More than 200 world leaders and religious leaders are
expected to attend the funeral for the pontiff, who passed away last
Saturday evening. /Hurriyet/

GUL MEETS WITH UAE OFFICIALS

As part of his visit to the United Arab Emirates, Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul yesterday met with head of state Sheik Caliph Bin Zeyd
El Nahayan and Abu Dabi Crown Prince Sheik Mohammad Bin Zeyd El
Nahayan. Afterwards, speaking to reporters, Gul said Turkey should
boost its ties with Persian Gulf countries. Pointing to the UAEâ’s
importance in world financial circles, Gul said that he hoped Turkish
firms could get positive results from tenders in this country. The
foreign minister stated that his talks with top UAE officials had also
focused on the Cyprus issue, adding that he had asked for their support
to end the Turkish Cypriotsâ’ international isolation. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN: â”OUR GOVTâ’S SUCCESS SHOULD BE ACCEPTED BY EVERYONEâ”

Speaking at his partyâ’s parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that certain circles still could
not stomach the success of the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP) government. Pointing to the recent positive economic figures,
the premier stressed that good developments in the economy were a
result of the governmentâ’s great efforts and stability in political
policies. Yesterday, Erdogan also received 41 new officials for
provincial districts, recent graduates of a training course. Erdogan
called on the new officials to believe in democracy in their hearts and
accept the problems of the nation as if they are their own. /Turkiye/

ALBANIAN PRESIDENT, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISIT TURKEY

Albanian Chief of General Staff Gen. Pellumb Qazimi who is currently
paying an official visit, yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart
Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. The two top officials reportedly discussed bilateral
military ties. In related news, Albanian President Alfred Moisiu also
arrived in Ankara yesterday after participating in a meeting of the
Turkish Atlantic Council in Antalya earlier in the week. /Turkiye/

SYRIAN PRESIDENT: â”SINCE SEZER RESPECTS HIS NATION, HEâ’LL VISIT
SYRIA DESPITE THE USâ’ OBJECTIONSâ”

Appearing on CNN Turk yesterday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said
that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer would pay an official visit to his
country this month despite US objections, adding that Sezer couldnâ’t
visit Syria if he didnâ’t respect the Turkish nation. â”The visit
is important since it will take place despite US objections,â”
he said. â”Turkey, as an independent, sovereign country, didnâ’t
allow the US to interfere in Sezerâ’s decision.â” Al-Assad said
that the nations of both countries became friends following his
historic visit to Ankara last year. Touching on Iraq, al-Assad said
that Damascus wasnâ’t uncomfortable about a Turkish presence in the
country. /Milliyet/

LAGENDIJK CALLS FOR ANKARA TO SIGN EU ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL BEFORE OCT.
3 TO PROVE ITâ’S NOT â”OBSTINATEâ”

Speaking at a conference in Istanbul yesterday, Turkey-European
Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk called
for Ankara to sign the additional protocol of the Ankara Agreement
before Oct. 3, when it is expected to begin its European Union
accession talks. â”Prove to the EU and Greek Cyprus that youâ’re not
obstinate, and surprise them,â” he said. He stressed that signing
the additional protocol would mean greenlighting the recognition
of Greek Cyprus. â”If you begin to formally address a country,
this means that youâ’re beginning to recognize it.â” Touching on
the so-called Armenian genocide, Lagendijk stated that Turkey should
take the initiative on the issue, adding that it would benefit from
the resulting clarification. /Milliyet/

GONUL: â”NEITHER THE DEFENSE MINISTRY NOR THE GENERAL STAFF HAVE
PLANS TO ALLOW SHORTENED MILITARY SERVICE FOR PAYMENTâ”

Speaking to reporters before his partyâ’s group meeting yesterday,
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said that in line with the modernization
of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), someday shortening the period
of compulsory military service in exchange for payment could be
considered. â”But the time being, there are no such plans at our
ministry or the General Staff,â” he added. â”However this is a
technical issue and weâ’ll do whatever modernization requires. If
there is a need to shorten the military service, then weâ’ll do
this.â” In related news, the General Staff yesterday declared that
it was not working on shortening the military service in exchange
for payment, adding that the issue wasnâ’t being explored. /Aksam/

PARLIAMENT DEBATES ARMENIAN PROBLEM

Parliament yesterday debated the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations. Journalists and authors of Armenian origin as well as
retired ambassadors attended a special joint session of the European
Union Harmonization and Foreign Affairs Commissions. The meeting was
closed to the press. â”Some problems start being resolved as soon
as they are discussed,â” Ali Riza Alaboyun, the EU Harmonization
Commissionâ’s acting chairman, told reporters, expressing his belief
in the benefits of such discussions before the meeting began. /Star/

BAYKAL: â”A DECISION ON INCIRLIK AIRBASE EXCLUDING PARLIAMENT
WOULDNâ’T BENEFIT THE NATIONâ”

Addressing his partyâ’s group meeting yesterday, opposition Republican
Peopleâ’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the government
should brief his party and Parliamentâ’s Foreign Affairs Commission on
the US requests concerning Incirlik Airbase. â”A decision excluding
the Parliament wonâ’t benefit the nation,â” he said. While the
Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is reportedly planning
to conclude the issue with a decree, the CHP believes that any decision
needs to be approved by Parliament. /Cumhuriyet/

DUTCH MEP BOZKURT: â”THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT SHOULD HAVE A QUOTA
FOR WOMENâ”

Emine Bozkurt, a Turkish-origin social democrat European
parliamentarian, recently drafted a report on the role of women
in Turkeyâ’s social, economic and political life. In her report,
Bozkurt demanded that womenâ’s rights be given top priority in the
European Unionâ’s membership negotiations with Ankara, and argued that
the issue has long been neglected by Turkey. Bozkurt also urged the
government to implement a quota for women in the Turkish Parliament
to boost their numbers. The European Parliament is due to discuss
her report next month.

–Boundary_(ID_Gh1Mrhl4ebvp1tQMC3G9ow)–

TURKISH SCIENTIST: “WE STATE PUBLICLY: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TOOK PLACE”

06.04.2005 07:38

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish scientist, professor of Michigan University
Geychek, who participated in the scientific conference entitled
“The Consequences of the Armenian Genocide: 90 years later” held in
Los Angeles April 1-3, apologized to the Armenian people during his
speech, Yerkir online reports. In Geychek’s words, Turks do no know
history and they are not told what really happened. That is why the
Turkish people are convinced that there was no genocide. However not
all the Turks are ignorant, he noted. “We are not afraid not arrest
and we state in everyone’s hearing: yes, the Armenian Genocide really
took place”, the scientist stated. Despite the fact that the Turkish
government does not make any steps to reconciliation, the issue of
the Armenian Genocide recognition can be settled within 5-10 years.
From: Baghdasarian

FIRE EXCHANGE AT CONTACT LINE INITIATED BY AZERIS MOSTLY

06.04.2005 07:54

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As PanARMENIAN.Net reporter came to know from
the department of information and propaganda of the Nagorno Karabakh
Defense Ministry, this night units of the Azeri armed forces fired upon
the positions of the Karabakh defense army. According to the source,
such fire exchange is not an extraordinary phenomenon and similar
incidents take place almost every day. As representatives of the NKR
Defense Ministry noted, the firings are usually conducted by snipers
and cannot be considered as the violation of the cease-fire regime

SERGE SARGSIAN: ASPIRED TO INTEGRATE INTO EUROPEAN FAMILY ARMENIA
SHOULD CLOSELY COOPERATE WITH NATO

06.04.2005 08:41

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Purposing the objective to integrate into the
European family Armenia must have close ties with NATO, Secretary
of the Security Council under the RA President, Armenian Defense
Minister Serge Sargsian stated during the joint press conference
with Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Gediminas Kirkilas. “Of
course, we will strengthen relations with NATO, however it should not
damage the relations within the CSTO as well as the Armenian-Russian
relationships”, the RA Defense Minister noted. He added that Armenia
does not discussed the start of military-technical cooperation
either with NATO or separate member-states, the reason being the
member-states’ disinterest in this cooperation. “As it is known our
military equipment is produced either in Russia or in the Soviet
Union. To replace the acting structure would be incorrect both from
economic and political viewpoint”, he noted. In his turn Gediminas
Kirkilas said that Lithuania welcomes the development of Armenia-NATO
relations and Armenia’s decision to participate in peacekeeping
operations in Iraq. “Lithuania will assist Armenia to integrate into
European structures, however the final decision should be made by
the people and government of the republic”, the Lithuanian Minister
of National Defense stated.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATED WOMEN OF REPUBLIC WITH DAY OF
MOTHERHOOD AND BEAUTY

06.04.2005 07:30

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian congratulated
the women of the republic with the Day of Motherhood and Beauty
celebrated in Armenia on April 7, the Presidentâ~@~Ys press service
reported. The congratulation message says in part that sturdy family
is the basis of the soundness of the society and eternal existence
of our nation. â~@~Congratulating you with this spring holiday
I would like to wish you love and warmness in your familiesâ~@~],
the Presidentâ~@~Ys message says.

–Boundary_(ID_Zxc6N1a9PDwHPQLzv0ioMQ)–

ENEMY SILENCED BY A COUNTER FIRE

AzerTag
[April 06, 2005, 17:11:08]

On April 5 between 20:30 and 21:25, Armenian troops positioned 3,2
km east side of the village of Tapgaragoyunlu in Geranboy region
subjected to large-caliber machinegun fire positions of the Azerbaijani
armed forces located in the opposite side of the same village. The
enemy also fired on Azerbaijani positions in Namirli and Ahmedagaly
villages of Aghdam region from 00:10 to 01:35 and from 04.00 till
04.10 respectively on April 6, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan
told. No losses were reported.

ISTANBUL (Lraper Church Bulletin, 6 April 2005) –

His Excellency Archbishop Dirayr Mardigian of
Romania and Bulgaria was hospitalized at the
Surp Prgich Armenian Hospital in Yedikule,
Istanbul, due to dicomfort caused by diabetes,
irregularity of the bladder and prostate
enlargement.

Eight years ago, the 75-year-old Archbishop
received treatment at the same hospital for
a cancerous formation in his left armpit.

His Beatitude Patriarch Mesrob II of Istanbul
& All Turkey visited Archbishop Dirayr in his
room at the Hospital, on 6 April 2005, at 13:00
hours and prayed for his speedy recovery.

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LRAPER Church Bulletin 06/04/2005
Armenian Patriarchate
TR-34130 Kumkapi, Istanbul
Licensee: The Revd. Fr. Drtad Uzunyan
Editors: The Revd.Dr.Krikor Damatyan,
Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
Press Spokesperson: Attorney Luiz Bakar
T: +90 (212) 517-0970
F: +90 (533) 942-7019
E-mail: [email protected]
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