Armenian defence minister meets new Russian military commander

Mediamax news agency
4 Mar 05

YEREVAN

The chief of staff of the North Caucasus Military District, Lt-Gen
Aleksandr Postnikov-Streltsov, today introduced the new commander of
the Group of Russian Troops in the Transcaucasus [GRTT], Maj-Gen
Nikolay Bespalov, to Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.

Sarkisyan thanked the former commander of the GRTT, Aleksandr
Studenkin, for his diligent service, the press secretary of the
Armenian Defence Ministry, Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, reported.

The Armenian defence minister and the chief of staff of the North
Caucasus Military District discussed issues pertaining to
Armenian-Russian military cooperation, which, Sarkisyan said, is
developing “well and dynamically”.

Armenian minister denies power grid being sold to Russians

Arminfo
3 Mar 05

YEREVAN

The British company Midland Resources Holding Ltd, which owns the
Armenian power grid company, has not applied to the Armenian
government to sell the company, Armenian Energy Minister Armen
Movsisyan told a news conference on 3 March, commenting on the
intention of Unified Energy System of Russia to buy the grid.

Movsisyan said that no official letter or notification had been
received from the British company with such a proposal, though
negotiations on the sale of the Armenian power grid have been
conducted since the time of the privatization.

Movsisyan said that under the privatization agreement Midland
Resources has the right to sell the power grid to a third party only
with the Armenian government’s permission.

ISSUE OF NORASHEN SURB NSHAN CHURCH TO TOP ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN CHURCH
LEADERS’ MEETING AGENDA

Azg/arm
5 March 05

The Armenian diocese of Georgia issued a press release yesterday in
regard to the incident with the Armenians Surb Astvatsatsin church of
Norashen in Tbilisi. Daily Azg’s March 4 issue highlighted the issue
of this 15th century Armenian church in Leselidze Str in Tbilisi that
the Georgian Church attempts to appropriate. It must be noted before
turning to the release itself that during the last 15 years the
Georgian clergy, spearheaded by Iliad II Patriarch, took hold of and
consecrated few Armenian churches in Tbilisi including Kusanats Surb
Stepanos church, Surb Bethlehem, church of Khikho and others.

The Armenian Diocese blessed the Armenian and Georgian youth and hopes
to resolve the conflict surrounding Norashen during high level
negotiations

On 3.3.2005 a peaceful action planned by the Armenian-Georgian Youth
organization, which assembled more than 200 youth, took place in the
Centreof Tbilisi. The youths set out at the Cathedral Sioni located
near Norashen, then moved on to the latter and ended at the Armenian
Church Surp Gevorg. The Georgian youth joined the Armenians in this
peaceful action to express their disagreement with the actions of
Georgian priests aimed at the appropriation of Armenian Churches and
to underline the fact that not all Georgians support this position. At
Surp Gevorg they lit candles and received blessings from Father
Abgar. In his address to the youth, Father Abgar remembered former
times, when both nations observed mutual pilgrimages, with faithful
Georgians visiting Holy Etchmiadzin to take part in the liturgy with
Armenians and Armenians in turn came to Svetiskhoveli. He mentioned
this tradition was surprisingly kept alive even during Soviet times,
when religion was suffering suppression.

Unfortunately, despite the goodwill of the Georgian youth who had come
to express their solidarity with the local Armenians, many of them
refused to enter the Armenian Church Surp Gevorg and stayed outside in
the courtyard. Some of the Armenian youth decided then to continue
their action by planting their tents in front of Norashen and were on
the verge of declaring a hunger strike.

After the prayers and an appeasing sermon by Father Abgar, the tense
situation among the youth was defused and some of the Georgian youth
came forward to receive Father Abgar’s blessing. The Georgian and
Armenian youth then peacefully ended their action.

The Armenian Diocese hopes to be able to solve the tensions
surrounding Norashen and Surp Neshan on a high level during future
negotiations betweenKarekin II, the Catholicos of all Armenians and
Iliad II, the Patriarch of Georgia.

For recollection, tensions relating to the 17 years old conflict
around Norashen had arisen again after the obvious attempt by Georgian
priests to change historical facts. The Armenian Diocese had already
communicated these factsin a former Press Release of February 28.

A few months ago, hundred year old Georgian grave stones, carrying
Georgian inscriptions, suddenly appeared in the courtyard of the
Armenian Church Norashen. Rather, they were transported here. Our
photographer and cameraman had filmed these stones still wrapped in
their iron wires, thrown randomly intothe church’s courtyard. In the
meantime these stones have been neatly lined up and safely installed
along the church’s wall. The reasoning behind is crystal clear: these
actions serve to “prove” that the church is in fact a Georgian
orthodox one, as according to the words of the Georgian priest, Father
Tariel, “The Armenians would have never let the Georgians bury in
their dead in front of their own church”. At the same time as the
Georgian stones were brought from an unknown cemetery to Tbilisi, the
Armenian ones, located on the other side of the church were found
vandalised – the Armenian inscriptions had been destroyed.

Armenian Diocese in Georgia

ARCHBISHOP MUTAFIAN IN MISCHIEF

Azg/arm
5 March 05

Ever since exterminating 1.5 million Armenians and depopulating
historic Armenia, successive regimes in Turkey have been hard at work,
in an obsessive determination to wipe out all traces of Armenian
heritage in our ancestral land.

However, since Ataturk’s Europeanization, the traditional Turkish
scimitar has been replaced by more sophisticated methods with the very
same ultimate goal to drive the original inhabitants of the land into
oblivion.

Recognizing fully the role of the Armenian Church in preserving the
Armenian culture and identity, the Turks have turned it into a prime
target of destruction. Thousands of houses of worship have been
reduced to ruins. Additionally, the Turks have resorted to every ruse,
any kind of Byzantine law to emasculate the remaining Armenian
community in Istanbul, especially decapitating its spiritual
leadership.

Contrary to Lausanne Treaty (1923) provisions, the Turkish government
has shut down the Holy Cross Armenian Seminary, the only center where
young generations of clergy could be trained. When Armenians resorted
to other creative means to replenish the dwindling pool clergymen by
emoting aspiring clergymen at the Jerusalem Seminary, the Turkish
government acted swiftly to ban that route as wail, accusing Armenians
of training terrorists in that seminary. One of those returning
seminarians, Father Manuel Yergatian, ended up in jail with ludicrous
accusations and he suffered most of his 14 years verdict in the
Turkish dungeons.

While denying all venues to train young clergy, the Turkish government
has devised another trap: thus the Turkish law prohibits anyone from
being elected as the Armenian Patriarch who is not born in Turkey.
These restrictions severely curtail the number of potential
candidates, only to eliminate all the candidates in a matter of
several years.

Under these devilish Turkish schemes, clergymen of dubious reputation
will ascend the Patriarchal throne default. The current Patriarch,
Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, is the product of that default.

His predecessors, Archbishop Karekin Khachadourian, Archbishop Shnork
Kalousdian, and even Archbishop Kazanjian, have served the
Patriarchate with extreme prudence, cognizant of the limitations and
restrictions imposed by the Turkish government. Thanks to their
prudence, wisdom and inspiring personalities, the great traditions of
the Istanbul Armenian community have been preserved, the creative
impulse of the intellectual life has remained productive, and the
institutions have survived.

The emergence of Archbishop Mutafian has altered the scene
dramatically. Traditionally united, the Istanbul Armenian community
has been severely divided. He has bullied intellectuals, journalists
and benefactors by his unorthodox behavior; however, thanks to the
wisdom of the injured parties not to react, eccentric behavior of this
young clergyman continues its damage.

Since Archbishop Mutafian was easily elected to the Patriarchal
throne, with Turkish government crutches, he was intoxicated with his
instant success and he used the Patriarchal throne as a launching pad
to try his luck as the Supreme head of the Armenian Church – where he
discovered that Turkish tentacles were not long enough to help him in
his outlandish design. He was frustrated and he turned against the
Holy See of Etchmiadzin; used every opportunity to demonstrate his
disrespect and he broke away from the traditional hierarchal
relations, which the former Patriarchs had established and cherished
sacredly.

All his predecessors had been coerced by the Turkish government to get
involved politically to promote its dubious agenda to the detriment of
the Armenian cause, but they had wisely shied away from engaging in
any such adventure. Yet Archbishop Mutafian gleefully engaged in that
adventure at the first advance of the Turkish authorities. He allowed
himself to be used as a political tool when he took a tour of Europe
last year to promote Turkey’s admission into the European Union, while
the world Armenian political leadership was opposing the move
vehemently.

Upon his return to Istanbul he believed that he had earned Brownie
points with the Turkish government. When he approached the Turkish
authorities with problems plaguing the Armenian community, he
discovered that nothing had been changed, and that the same
authorities continued their discrimination policies. They continued
usurping community assets and controlling the Armenian schools to
eradicate any ethnic tradition left there.

As the Turkish heavy hand was relentlessly working to disrupt
community life, instead of complaining to the International Court, or
declaring a hunger strike at UN Headquarters to draw attention to the
plight of the Armenian community, he dared to show up at the Turkish
TV to say what the Turks waited to hear and what they wanted the world
to hear – that Armenian community had been living freely and
peacefully and that no other Armenians from abroad had to meddle im
their affairs.

When the European Union representatives visited Turkey to contact the
community leaders, Greeks, Kurds and Jews courageously cited their
grievances, yet Archbishop Mutafian disappeared on a Greek island.

During President Bush’s visit he spoke of humanitarian values and
complained about Abu Ghreib Prison in Iraq, instead of complaining
about Midnight Express style Turkish prisons.

As the world Armenian community struggles for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, Archbishop Mutafian plays the Turkish tunes: that
history has to be left to the historians, as if there was anything
left to be said about the genocide.

The Armenian Mirror Spectator

`NORTH ARTSAKH’ RECEIVED YEGHISHEH PRIZE

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
04March 05

`Azat Artsakh’ regularly published about the activity of the
organization ` Research on Armenian Architecture’. Our interview is
with the director of the Armenia branch of the organization, historian
and archaeologist Samvel Karapetian. By the way, his book `North
Artsakh’ won the Yeghisheh Prize of the NKR government in 2004. The
book is about the Armenians of North Artsakh abandoned on the eve of
repression in 1988, no more able to struggle for living in their
fatherland. For the first time in the history of the region inhabited
by Armenians for thousands of years the Armenian life faded away. A
great number of historical monuments forming an indivisible part of
Armenian culture were orphaned. The aim of this book is to save from
oblivion the cultural valueswhich already fell victims to destruction
and pass them on to generations. According to the author, the book
`North Artsakh’ is another weapon in the arsenal of the war of
propaganda. Samvel Karapetian: `More than 11 years have passed since
the armistice in 1994. The guns have been silent for 11 years already
giving place to the weapon of propaganda. In Karvachar the English
version of the third volume of the book was presented to the OSCE
fact-finding group which visited the liberated territories. So, why
anything else was not presented to them?’ asks the author and answers
himself, `because this is the weapon used in the war of propaganda,
and we will try to fight with that weapon. And now the book `North
Artsakh’ which we have published only in Armenian, unfortunately,
cannot fulfill its political mission until the English version is not
ready.’ Christine Mnatsakanian: `Research on Armenian Architecture’
has, in fact, set an aim to fulfill several missions simultaneously:
search, research and reconstruct monuments and later record them
hoping, as you said, to save them from destruction at least on the
paper. To what extent are you a success?’ S.K.: ` The organization
founded 30 years ago continuously includes a far larger area than
merely the territory of the Republic of Armenia having only the
devotion of several individuals who believe that the work cannot be
delayed. In the months of March and April of 2004 we studied several
archaeological sites in the region of Martakert: the monasteries of In
Masats, Eghisheh Apostle and Yerits Mankants, Jraberd, Kaghakateghi,
etc. A lot of photos and measurements were taken. Since 1996 we have
been restoring the cloistral complex of Dadi Vankwhich consists of
more than 25 buildings. And reconstruction of a monument requires
funds. Our organization gradually reconstructs the buildings of Dadi
Vank. For example, last year we finished the church Catoghikeh owing
to Emil Hovnanian from America. Last year sponsored by Edik Abrahamian
living in Tehran we began the repair of the porch of the chapel and
then we shall pass to the belfry; the work was stopped in winter and
will be resumed soon. We start work mainly in spring because the
majority of monuments are in thick forests. If we go in summer, it
will be impossible to notice, for example, such a famous monument as
Khatravank from 15 meters, moreover take pictures of it as a work of
architecture.’ C.M.: `How do you coordinate your work, by areas or do
you take into account the state of the monument?’ S.K.: `We try to
renderhelp to those buildings which are in an extremely bad state. For
example, the chapel was in such a state. By the way, the chapel is an
exclusive monument. It still stands but it has decayed terribly. In
three-four years it could not be recognized.

The walls simply melted, fell to pieces. They reached us but in their
last breath. ‘ C.M.: `As you said, reconstruction of monuments
requires means. How do you manage to solve the problem of funding?’
S.K.: `Yes, the more work there is, the less means there are. As you
know, mainly Armenians of the Diaspora help us but their sponsorship
is not permanent. Nevertheless, the work goes on.’

CHRISTINE MNATSAKANIAN.
04-03-2005

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SUMGAIT WAITS FOR A POLITICAL ASSESSMENT

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
04March 05

In the Azerbaijani town of Sumgait referred to as `international’ at
the beginning of the 20th century a new genocide of Armenians was
committed, instigated by the government of the republic and with the
tacit consent of Moscow. By the crime against the Armenian population
of Sumgait organized at the governmental level on February 26-29, 1988
Azerbaijan actually declared waragainst the Armenians transforming the
peaceful process of settlement of the issue of Nagorni Karabakh into
an armed ethnic conflict. Every year on February 28 in all those parts
of the world where Armenians live, people go on demonstrations address
international organizations claiming a political evaluation of the
Sumgait genocide. On February 28 in Stepanakert people walked to the
Memorial with slogans condemning Sumgait. NKR president Arkady
Ghukassian, NA speaker Oleg Yessayan, prime minister Anoushavan
Danielian, the archbishop of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church Parghev Martirossian, members of parliament and
government, the city hall of Stepanakert and different organizations
paid homage to the innocent victims of the genocide and laid wreaths
at the memorial statue. Archbishop Parghev conducted a commemoration
service.

ARKADY GHUKASSIAN, president of NKR: `Sumgait is one of the most
tragic events in our history. After Sumgait everybody understood that
it would be difficult to solve the problems existing between
Azerbaijan and us in a peaceful way. This proved once again that the
Armenians cannot live in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani state is a
threat for the Armenian nation. Sumgait was the beginning; then Baku,
Kirovabad, Maragha followed â’ Life showed that our choice wasright,
that the Soviet country was collapsing, and that there was no place
for the Armenians in independent Azerbaijan. We were to build a
history and defend our fatherland, and we did itâ’I am sure that after
Sumgait all the variants suggested by Azerbaijan are unreal, absurd
for Sumgait is the vivid example of the fact that it was not an
incident but a state policy. Azerbaijan opposes to Sumgait the events
of Khojalu, exaggerating and placing it against a political
background. The Armenian party seems not to take necessary steps in
this directionâ’ I am sorry that a country where Sumgait took place
speaks about Khojalu. Everybody knows the events of Khojalu. The
victims of Khojalu were near Aghdam. The world knows that we provided
corridor to Azerbaijanis. The interviews of Mutalibov open the
brackets. Everybody knows it was an act of provocation directed
against the authorities of Azerbaijan where a political struggle was
going on. The Popular Front was trying to discredit the present
government of Azerbaijan, oust them using the events in Khojalu. In my
opinion, the noise made by the present authorities of Azerbaijan does
not favour the settlement of the problem of Nagorni Karabakh, as well
as the creation of an atmosphere of mutual confidence without which
the settlement of the Nagorni Karabakh issue is impossible.’

LAURA GRIGORIAN.
04-03-2005

OFFICIAL ANKARA THREATENS GERMANY WITH DISRUPTION OF EXCELLENT
TURKISH- GERMAN RELATIONS

YEREVAN, MARCH 4. ARMINFO. Necessary measures to prevent adoption of
draft resolution ”Commemoration of Armenians on the 90th anniversary
of their relocation and massacre on April 24th, 1915 – Germany should
contribute to provide peace between Turks and Armenians” were taken
both in Ankara and Belrin. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik
Tan said on Wednesday. He said that Turkey believed that German
governmental party would not support the draft resolution prepared by
the opposition on the so-called Armenian genocide, Turkish press
reports. The question about the draft resolution will be submitted to
the German federal parliament in April, by CDU/CSU group. Recalling
that this was an initiative of the German opposition, Tan said, ”we
believe this will not be advocated by governmental party.”

He said necessary initiatives were made both in Ankara and Berlin to
prevent the draft resolution be adopted, and noted that decisions
taken in the parliaments of third countries did not help overcoming
problems between Turkey and Armenia.

”We believe that the issue will be assessed by both parties to
prevent disruption of excellent Turkish- German relations.”

EXPOSITIONS DEVOTED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, 60TH
ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY IN GPW AND OPENING OF RUSSIAN YEAR IN ARMENIA
WILL OPEN AT NATIONAL PICTURE GALLERY IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MARCH 3. ARMINFO. An exposition devoted to the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will open at the National Picture
Gallery in Armenia on April 22. Director of the Gallery Faraon
Mirzoyan informs ARMINFO.

He says that the exposition will last 15 days and then it will be open
at the branch of the gallery in the town of Vagharshapat by the end of
the year. Works of Vardges Surenyants, Albert Parsamyan, Zhansem will
be exhibited. He says that early in May an exhibition dedicated to the
60th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War will open
at the gallery. One of the masterpieces of Tretyakov Gallery will be
presented at the gallery during official opening of the Russian Year
in Armenia. What picture is in question is unknown yet but it will
remain in Armenia by the official closing of the Russian Year.

`GENOCIDE ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED NOT WITH DIASPORA BUT WITH ARMENIA’

Azg/arm
5 March 05

On March2, daily Azg informed its readers about a workshop on Armenian
Genocide with the participation of Turkish scientists to launch on
March 5 in Cologne, Germany. Meanwhile we noted that the initiative
will boost few German parties proposal to honor the Genocide victims
in the Bundestag.

Turkish ambassador to Germany, Mehmed Ali Irtemcelik, lashed out at
Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union for the
initiative. Meanwhile, Wolf Ruthart Born, German ambassador to Turkey,
was called to the Foreign Ministry where he was handed in a “notice”
of Ankara. Irtemcelik in his turn passed a document with similar
content on to German Foreign Ministry.

Turkish Hurriet newspaper informed on March 4 about seminar “What will
be the course of negotiations with Turkey?” organized by the Union of
Turkish Democrats of Europe in Cologne during which hot arguments took
place. Hurriet reports that Wolfgang Bosbach, deputy chairman of the
CDU, told that “Turkey cannot deny the genocide”, thus making furious
Zuneyt Zapsu, PM Erdogan’s adviser on foreign policy.

He exclaimed: “You carp at the genocide all the time. We will
certainly put these issues on the agenda and will discuss it to find a
solution in a short while. But the genocide issue will be resolved not
with Diaspora but with Armenia. But there are also such issues as the
Alavi issue waiting to be resolved”.

Bosbach angrily responded to Zapsu’s speech: “What is the other issue
but the Armenian Genocide? What do you mean saying Armenian cause? I
want to know what issues concerning Armenians will be put for
discussion. Do you believethat we would be in the EU if we had
rejected the Holocaust? If we put up with our history, doesn’t it mean
that Turkey should do the same? If you want to be part of the European
family you have to give up your ways”.

By the end of the torrid discussions Zapsu told journalists: “We
should not delay with settling the Armenian cause nor should we
exaggerate it. Germany supports us in our EU bid. We already face
numerous difficulties and there is no point to turn an ally into
enemy. If our forefathers did so, there would beno Christian in East
Europe”.

By Hakob Chakrian

`DO NOT CONSIDER CRIME STATEMENTS THAT A GENOCIDE WAS COMMITTED AGAINST
ARMENIANS’

Azg/arm
5 March 05

In a letter to Turkey’s justice minister, Miklos Haraszti, OSCE
representative of Media Freedom, called for Turkey stop considering
statements about Armenian Genocide criminal, Medimax reports.

The OSCE representative welcomed reform of the Turkish Penal Code. Its
improved version will go into force on 1 April. On the other hand,
Harasztinoted: “Your Penal Code still contains a number of worrying
articles that contradict OSCE standards of freedom of expression and
that makes the office worry”.

The OSCE representative reminded of the “insult of National Interests”
– explanatory document attached to the 305 article in Turkish Penal
Code. This very document leaves room for labeling statements on
Armenian Genocide criminal.