Turkish local official to be investigated over book-burning

NTV television, Istanbul
5 Apr 05

The Interior Ministry has assigned a civil servant inspector the task
of conducting an investigation into Mustafa Altinpinar, chief district
officer of Isparta’s Sutculer District, who issued a directive saying
that novelist Orhan Pamuk’s [winner of Turkish and international
literary prizes] books should be confiscated and destroyed.

It is reported that the inspector has already started his investigation
in Sutculer. Altinpinar had issued an order to confiscate, burn,
and destroy the books of Orhan Pamuk after a statement he issued on
the Armenian genocide in February.

TURKS AND AZERIS ATTACK ARMENIAN INTERNET WEBSITES

Azg/arm
6 April 05

In connection with the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide the
Turk and Azeri hackers more and more frequently attack the Armenian
Internet sources. The Armenian forums are the main target. Hayk
Asatrian who is the author of several Armenian web sites noticed
the activization of attacks since late February. “They not only
damage our web sites but also change the messages of the forums,”
Asatrian said. For instance, he noticed that at where
various genocides of the world are being discussed the web page of
“The Armenian Genocide” has been recently renamed into “The So-Called
Armenian Genocide. Such A Thing Never Happened.”

In order to protect his web sites form the attacks of the Azeri and
Turk hackers, Asatrian forbade the reception of the messages from the
Turkish and Azeri IPs to his sites. Asatrian receives each message sent
by them and only after having read that he posts them on the Internet.

The hackers have already damaged genocide.ru, forum.hayastan.com,
genocideevents.com web sites. It is almost a week that the forum of
Iravounk web site doesn’t function. Hrachia Khachatrian, designer of
the page found out that the hacker is an Azeri young man who is in
the sphere for almost two years. “He deleted the whole information
of the forum, writing curses instead.” Hrachia Khachatrian said. One
can easily find ways of damaging various programs in Internet. Today,
the forum page of is being updated and a protection
program will be installed.

The experts say that till April 24 the hackers will attack our sites
more intensively. “Hacking is no way of struggle against the attacks
of the Turks and Azeris for us. We need to secure our safety at state
level, i.e. the government should prepare specialist of the sphere,”
Khachatrian said.

By Tamar Minasian

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

April 6, 2005
___________________

FR. BEDROS ORDAINED IN NEW YORK CITY

By Jake Goshert

Tears of joy were visible on the faces of Ara Kadehjian’s family as they
approached to kiss his hand. Their joy was understandable, since in the
past few moments they had seen their son, husband, and brother reborn as
Fr. Bedros.

His ordination to the priesthood on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3,
2005, was the culmination of years of work, study, and devotion. But it
was not the end of his responsibility.

“Fr. Bedros, an important responsibility is now given to you. You are
going to be a leader of the Armenian Church in this new era in this
blessed land of America,” said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, who ordained
Fr. Bedros at New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral. “This ancient but
living Armenian Church is in your hands, in our hands. Now you are one
of the ones with the responsibility for not only preserving our ancient
heritage, but adding something on top of it.”

The son of Papken and Shaken Kadehjian, Fr. Bedros and his wife, Yn.
Tina, recently had their first child: a daughter, Arev. Charles
Pinajian, a parish leader from the St. Leon Church of Fair Lawn, served
as godfather of Fr. Bedros’ ordination, and Fr. Mardiros Chevian, dean
of St. Vartan Cathedral, was the sponsoring priest. Fr. Bedros’
ordination was praised by his family, ordination godfather, and
sponsoring priest, as well as other leaders of the Armenian Church,
under whom Fr. Bedros studied and grew.

“It’s a great joy whenever a young man comes forward and receives the
sweet yoke of the Lord, to serve His church,” said Fr. Daniel Findikyan,
dean of St. Nersess Seminary. “It must be a great sign of the life that
comes from the Easter season when we see a young man who works and
studies so he could serve our church.”

Fr. Bedros is now in his traditional 40-day seclusion at the seminary.
He will celebrate his first Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Cathedral on
May 15.

SHARING A PASSION

During the banquet following his ordination, Fr. Bedros spoke about
clergymen as friends and guides, sharing their love of Christ with those
around him. Quoting a passage from the book “Sleepers” by Lorenzo
Carcaterra, he read about a priest in a tough New York City parish who
loved blues music and comic books, and bought pizza for the poor
children he served.

“This priest was able to share his faith with young people. Young
people do look up to priests and there were many priests who were role
models for me,” Fr. Bedros said, citing Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian and Fr.
Nareg Berberian — both of whom knew Fr. Bedros as a young man growing
up at St. Vartan Cathedral and in Queens — as two priests who showed an
interest in growing the next generation of clergy. “They didn’t make us
feel like they were high and above us. They just opened up my eyes more
to see the possibility of going into the priesthood.”

It was their encouragement, and that of then-dean of St. Nersess
Seminary, Dn. Hratch Tchilingirian, that lead Fr. Bedros to the
priesthood after a trip to Armenia.

“Sometimes priests receive ‘the call’ after something tragic or
extraordinary, or after seeing a vision,” Fr. Bedros said. “But I
believe the Holy Spirit works in many different and mysterious ways. He
can even work through other clergy and lay leaders, and that’s how ‘the
call’ occurred with me — by people taking an interest and encouraging
me to pursue the priesthood.”

DOMELESS CHAPEL

Fr. Bedros recognized the importance and power of the church inside a
run-down, dirty, roofless neighborhood chapel in the small Armenian town
of Abaran. He had traveled to the newly-independent Armenia in 1992 as
part of St. Nersess Seminary’s Mission to Armenia. The group traveled
around the country, cleaning, rehabilitating, and holding services in
churches long-shuttered by the communist authorities.

During the trip, the young participants in the program — seminarians
and altar servers — would stay in the homes of locals. In Abaran, Fr.
Bedros and another altar server from St. Vartan Cathedral stayed in the
home of a woman who had keys to a small neighborhood church. The two
visitors asked the woman to take them inside the long-closed church,
whose dome and cross had been torn down by communist atheists to show
that religion was no longer important.

Word quickly spread through the village and the two altar servers
quickly found themselves surrounded by the villagers, eager to have some
sort of worship service. So they began singing the deacon and choir
parts of the Divine Liturgy.

“When you see the somberness in the room, and you see the way little
kids were standing at attention with candles they ran home to get, it
does something to your heart and soul that I can’t describe in words,”
Fr. Bedros said. “These types of events, they just do something to you.
You can really feel the Holy Spirit when you’re there, surrounded by
people and sharing your faith with them.”

UNITING A COMMUNITY

Building a community and sharing his love for the church is what Fr.
Bedros sees as his mission as a priest. His current work as the interim
coordinator of the Diocese’s Mission Parish Project has brought home to
him that parishes serve different types of people: American-born,
Armenians who have settled in America years ago, more recent immigrants,
and non-Armenians.

“The challenge to clergy is that we have to talk and serve and work with
all these people and become one family,” Fr. Bedros said. “We have to
make the Armenian Church talk to us and become a part of our lives.
Priests have to engage people, to help them feel the same love and
devotion we have for our faith.”

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), puts priestly vestments on
newly ordained Fr. Bedros Kadehjian during his ordination on Sunday,
April 3, 2005, at New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Charles Pinajian, who served as godfather, and Fr.
Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Vartan cathedral and the sponsoring
priest, look on during the ordination of Fr. Bedros Kadehjian.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Barsamian anoints Fr. Bedros Kadehjian
during the second day of his two-day ordination service at St. Vartan
Cathedral in New York.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): The newly-ordained Fr. Bedros Kadehjian addresses
the crowd inside New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral on Sunday, April
3, 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (5): Family and friends line up to kiss the hand of Fr.
Bedros Kadehjian following his priestly ordination by Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian on Sunday, April 3, 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (6): Archbishop Barsamian blesses Yn. Tina Kadehjian
during her husband’s priestly ordination at St. Vartan Cathedral on
Sunday, April 3, 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (7): Yn. Tina Kadehjian and the parents of Fr. Bedros —
Papken and Shaken Kadehjian — watch the ordination ceremony at St.
Vartan Cathedral on Sunday, April 3, 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION (8): Fr. Bedros Kadehjian blesses the crowd at a banquet
honoring him following his ordination to the priesthood by Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, in New York City’s St.
Vartan Cathedral on Sunday, April 3, 2005.

— 4/6/05

# # #

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER, ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH LEADER TO ATTEND
POPE JOHN PAUL II FUNERAL

YEREVAN, April 5. /ARKA/. Armenian governmental delegation headed by
PM Andranik Margaryan will fly to Italy to attend Pope John Paul II
funeral ceremony. According to Armenian Government’s information,
Armenian Ambassador to Italy Ruben Shugaryan, Armenian Ambassador
to France and Vatican Eduard Nalbandyan and Deputy Foreign Minister
Armen Bayburdyan are included in the delegation. Armenian Apostolic
Church leader Garegin II is to attend the funeral with the Armenian
delegation.

Interment in a crypt below the St. Peter’s Basilica is set for Friday.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS GAREGIN THE SECOND SENDS CONDOLENCES ON
THE OCCASION OF THE DECEASE OF POPE OF ROME JOHN PAUL II ON BEHALF OF
SAINT ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC

YEREVAN, April 4. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the
Second sent on behalf of Saint Armenian Apostolic Church condolences on
the occasion of the decease of Pope of Rome John Paul II. According
to St. Etchmiadzin’s Press Department, in his message Catholicos of
All Armenians emphasized that he cherished in his memories meetings
with John Paul II in Vatican, as well as historic visit of the Pope
to Armenia in 2001. “During the last years of the Pope’s disease we
became witnesses of moral firmness and courage of our brother in
Christ, as the best example of belief and hope and rely on Devine
Intent”, as stated in the message. According to Garegin the Second,
during his 26 years on post, John Paul II became a defender of life
and advocate of justice. “Appeal of the Pope for peace between
the nations was based on moral convictions and love in humanity”,
he noted. According to Garegin the Second, for the last years due
to the activity of John Paul II “the spirit of brotherhood and
cooperation between our churches strengthened”. According to the
message, John Paul II was the first Roman high priest, who visited
Armenia. “He also was the first Archipastor of Catholic Church, who
acknowledged the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and condemned that awful
crime”. According to the press-release, after the Saint and Immortal
Liturgy in Sat. Etchmiadzin, the Seat of the Dominat Armenian Apostolic
Church, the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin the Second served the
private mass for John Paul II. According to Garegin the Second, the
death of John Paul II is a bereavement for the whole Christian world,
since he was preacher for peace and advocate of Christian values.
Garegin the Second emphasized that most significant were the visits of
Pope aimed at formation and strengthening of the spirit of solidarity,
cooperation and mutual understanding between the nations, states and
religions. “May God grant comfort to his pious congregation”, he said.

EBRD UPGRADES ITS PRESENCE IN ARMENIA: BANK NAMES A NEW HEAD FOR ITS YEREVAN OFFICE

YEREVAN, Arpil 1. /ARKA/. The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development apoointed a new head for its Yerevan office – EBRD senior
banker Michael Weinstein. As ARKA was informed from the EBRD London
office, his appointment is part of the Bank’s aim to help Armenian
entrepreneurs gain fuller access to global markets and a signal of
the Bank’s intention to find the most positive ways to engage with
a country rich in human capital and potential.

M.Weinstein, a US-trained banker, has a substantial experience of
emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and
the Commonwealth of Independent States. He worked on infrastructure
projects in Russia since joining the EBRD in 2000. The Bank believes
that his knowledge and broad range of contacts will encourage Armenian
and international partners alike to find creative opportunities for
shared business. “I look forward to making a difference in Armenia,
an ancient country with a great potential for the future,” said
M.Weinstein.

Armenia is a key part of the EBRD’s “Early Transition Countries” (ETC)
initiative, launched in 2004 and aims to stimulate market activity in
the Bank’s seven poorest countries of operations. As well as Armenia,
these are Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan. The initiative uses a streamlined approach and greater
financing alternatives to find more and smaller projects, while
also mobilising more grants for technical assistance and encouraging
economic reform. The initiative is part of an international effort to
address poverty in these members of CIS. The Bank will accept higher
risk in the projects it finances in the ETCs, while still respecting
the principles of sound banking.

Among recent deals signed by the EBRD in Armenia is the first direct
investment facility agreement under the ETC programme with Shen
Concern, which will allow the construction-material manufacturer to
upgrade its plant. EBRD has recently signed a direct loan facility
agreement with textile producer Maralik. The bank already invested in
the Armenian Copper Programme, and is looking projects in agribusiness
and mining, has expertise-sharing programmes in sectors as diverse
as information technology and tourism. EBRD has relationships with
the three Armenian banks – Armeconombank, Bank Anelik, and ACBA. In
the week Michael Weinstein takes up his duties in Yerevan, the Bank
will sign a trade facilitation programme agreement with a fourth
bank, Ineco.

The press-conference of M.Weinsteinin Yerevan wil be held in
“Marriott-Armenia” on April 5, 2005 at 17:00.

ARKA reference: Michael Weinstein graduated from the University of
Chicago Business School. He joined Bank of Montreal in New York, where
he focused on corporate lending to Fortune 500 companies in the US. In
1987, he joined Citibank’s Private Banking and Investment department
in New York, where, as Vice President, he worked with entrepreneurs
and small businesses. In 1993, he joined Ernst & Young’s International
Financial Services practice in Washington, DC, where he worked for
seven years, focusing on the emerging markets of Central and Eastern
Europe, CIS, and Latin America. As part of this work, he consulted
on several privatisation and PPP projects in these regions. He joined
the EBRD in 2000, working in the Bank’s Moscow office. His experience
with the Bank to date has been in the infrastructure sector.

“Rosiyskaya Gazeta”, ICJU Holds “Russian World” Contest

YEREVAN, April 4. /ARKA/. The editors of the “Rosiyskaya Gazeta”,
in cooperation with the International Confederation of Journalistic
Unions (ICJU), are holding the “Russian World” context of 2005 for
journalists of the CIS and Baltic countries. The RF Embassy in Armenia
reports that the goal of the contest in supporting the journalists who
provide an impartial and rich coverage of the post-Soviet countries’
relations with Russia, situation of compatriots in the CIS and Baltic
countries, problems of the Russian language and cultural contacts, as
well as the search for talented journalists in the CIS countries for
them to contribute to the “Rosiyskaya Gazeta” on the contractual basis.
Journalists of printed and electronic mass media of the CIS and Baltic
countries may take part in the contest. All the authors that e-mail
their materials to the organizing committee in conformity with the
terms are considered participants. Specifically, a journalist may offer
his best materials (up to 10,000 characters), which has been published
on the “Russian World” subject during the last 12 months, and during
March-May, 2005, he is to e-mail two reports or topical articles (up
to 5,000 characters). The jury will also consider press photographers’
works. The participants’ works will be displayed on the web-site of the
“Rosiyskaya Gazeta”. Topical articles will be selected to be published
in the newspaper. The deadline for materials is May 30, 2005.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SENDS HIS CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH OF POPE JOHN PAUL II

YEREVAN, April 4. /ARKA/. The Armenian President Robert Kocharian
sent his condolences to Secretary of State of Vatican, Cardinal
Angelo Sodano on the death of Pope John Paul II. As the Press Service
of RA President reports, the message says that together with the
whole Christian world, the Armenian people mourn the loss of His
Holiness Pope John Paul II, who won the sympathy and homage of the
whole mankind. The message also says that the history will forever
keep the mission pleasing to God and selfless devotion of John Paul
II for the sake of dissemination of values common to all mankind,
solidarity between the peoples, strengthening of democracy, human
rights and freedoms and for the peace in the world. “The blessed
memory of John Paul II will forever remain in our hearts. We will
never forget the blessing of His Holiness, his respect and warmth to
our people, which were best displayed during the historical visit of
the Pontiff to Armenia, as well as during our last meeting in Vatican
in January of this year”, says the message of the Armenian President.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE RA MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS RECEIVES THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
CHAMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES OF BELGIAN PARLIAMENT

YEREVAN, April 5. /ARKA/. The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan
Oskanian received the Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives of
Belgian Parliament Herman de Croo. According to RA MFA Press Service,
in the course of the meeting they discussed a wide range of issues.
Oskanian introduced him key directions of foreign policy in Armenia.
The sides discussed the issues of development and implementation
of specific programs on development of cooperation with European
structures in regard with inclusion of Armenia in the program of EU
“New Neighborhood” and introduced in general the political course set
to European integration. The sides noted the necessity of consistent
development of democracy in all areas of life in Armenia. Oskanian and
Herman de Croo also discussed the modern stage of negotiations on
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. In the context of Turkey’s
membership in EU, the sides touched upon the issues related to
Armenian-Turkish relations.

Iran, Kuwait to finalize gas export contract soon

Tehran Times Economic Desk
06 April 05

TEHRAN – The supplementary contract of gas export to Kuwait will be
finalized within the next three months, managing director of National
Iranian Gas Export Company, Roknoddin Javadi said on Tuesday.

He added that the volume of contract is 9.5m cu. m per day and it
will be increased depending upon more demand from Kuwait.

“According to the memorandum of understanding recently signed between
Iran and Oman, Iran exports 30m cu. m gas to this sultanate but the
volume will be possibly increased up to 70m cu. m based on the said
contract”, Javadi also said.

He went on to say that Armenia gas export contract is now complete
and the construction operations are underway by the National Iranian
Gas Company (NIGC).

Javadi said that the Gazprom experts operations in this regard have
nothing to do with Iran’s contract for exporting gas to Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress