ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM
P.O.Box 14235, Jerusalem, Israel 91141
Office of Ecumenical and Foreign Relations
Contact person: Bishop Aris Shirvanian
Tel: 972-2-628-2331
Fax: 972-2-626-4861
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

COMMUNIQUÉ

The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has heard with great concern
about the false allegations published by the media in Greece regarding
the Holy Fire ceremony, which takes place each year on the Saturday
before Easter in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, according to which:
“the Armenians are demanding that they light the Holy Fire, and it
must be noted that the issue has reached all the way to the Israeli
Knesset. As it is known, this request of the Armenians is persistent,
and many times, during the entrance and exit of the Greek patriarch,
there have occurred serious incidents.”

The position of the Armenian Patriarchate has always been to uphold
the peaceful and centuries-old traditional ceremony of the Holy Fire,
in compliance with the Agreement on the Status Quo in the Holy Places,
according to which: “The Bishop of the Armenian Church, who is to
accompany the [Greek] Patriarch into the Sepulchre, here joins His
Beatitude. The Patriarch now disrobes, and his mitre and vestments
are carried by the attendant clergy to the Altar in the Orthodox
Chapel. The door [of the Edicule] is then opened and the Patriarch
enters the Tomb, accompanied by the Armenian Bishop.”

Unfortunately, since his accession to the throne in 2001, the Greek
Orthodox Patriarch Ireneios I has maintained that the Greeks hold the
exclusive right to light the Holy Fire from the Holy Tomb,
subsequently passing it to the Armenians. Contrary to this assertion,
firmans, hujjats, and other historical and legal documents all state
that the Armenian Bishop and the Greek Patriarch should together light
the Holy Fire from the Tomb of our Lord.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has and will continue to reject
the attempts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem to deny the
right of equal participation by the Armenian Patriarch in the lighting
of the Holy Fire.

#####

Jerusalem, 2 March 2005 DIVAN OF THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE

Assyrian International News Agency – AINA

A Panel on Armenian Genocide With Turkish Intelligentsia

Posted 03-03-2005 11:00:32 GMT 3-3-2005 17:0:32)

A citizen of Germany of Armenian origin Artin Aqyuz sent an email to daily
Azg on February 25. The name of the addresser is the distorted variant of
Armenian name of Harutyun but the last name has no Armenian trace.
Obviously, the addresser is a former citizen of Turkey, a country that does
not bother too much about precisely putting Armenian names in the passports.

In other words, it is almost impossible for a Turkish-Armenian to make a
Turkish official at the Passport Department write his name correctly in the
document, especially when the name is ending in “ian”. However, Artin Aqyuz
attached a notification informing of a seminar in Cologne on March 5.

The name of the seminar is “The 90th anniversary of Armenian Genocide and
social responsibility. A panel with Turkish intelligentsia”. It is organized
by the Central Council of Germany and the Armenian Church Center of Germany
in association with the Church Union of Cologne and TODAY Turkish NGO.

Aqen Birdal, honorable president of the Turkish General Union of Human
Rights, journalist Demir Qyucuqaydn, Ragəp Zaraqolu, publisher and
public figure, writer Recep Maraslə will lecture at the seminar. Dogan
Aqhanlə, vice-president of Union Against Genocide, will preside the
workshop.

The notification informs that the Turkish society having neglected the
processes of the Ottoman military court in 1919, the investigation of the
parliament, numerous documents and studies, as well as the fact that
thousands Armenians escaped Genocide by finding shelter in different
countries of the world, continues denying the Genocide and even places the
blame on the victims of the atrocities 90 ago.

All participants of the seminar are from Turkey alone. It’s an incredible
step given Turkey’s state negationism. The following questions put by
participants for discussion are more than incredible: “Will Turkey be able
to follow Germany’s example in acknowledging Holocaust by 2015? Can it
display ability of reconciling with the genocide it committed instead of
turning deaf ear to just claims? Will it remember that the Armenians and
Assyrians massacred in 1915 were the country’s citizens and not a country
waging war against Turkey? Will it trace links between the crime committed
in the past and the violence in different spheres of social life in today’s
Turkey in order to free the coming generations from bearing moral, jural and
civil responsibility? If negation and threats are no way out, then what will
be the approach and responsibility of Turkish intelligentsia, mass media and
political figures to the genocide issue?”

We think that the coming seminar will contribute to the initiative of
Christian Democrats’ to honor the victims of Genocide in Bundestag and will
be an adequate counteraction to Turkish official circles.

By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
azg.am

© 2005, Assyrian International News Agency

EUbusiness

Caucasus countries move toward closer alignment with EU

03/03/2005

By Ahto Lobjakas

The European Commission has adopted detailed “country reports” describing
progress toward reform in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The reports are
an important step as the three states move toward closer alignment with the
EU. The so-called neighbourhood action plans outline specific reforms the EU
expects of the countries and details the advantages the bloc will offer in
return.
(RFE/RL) — Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have taken another important
step on the road toward closer alignment with the EU.
On 2 March, the European Commission adopted “country reports” on the three
south Caucasus states, as well as Lebanon and Egypt. The reports are a
detailed overview of the countries’ progress toward adopting EU values such
as rule of law, democracy, and a market economy.
Francoise Le Bail, a Commission spokeswoman, said the decision marks the
completion of the first phase the EU’s Neighborhood Policy — the bloc’s
program to reach out to countries on its rim.
Le Bail said that the completion puts the states on the way to obtaining
their own EU neighbourhood action plan. The action plans detail obligations
on both sides for increased cooperation.
“These are measures within the framework of the neighborhood policy, which
is a policy directed at countries to the east of the enlarged European
Union, as well as the Mediterranean countries,” Le Bail said. “We have
already adopted a certain number of ‘country reports’ and ‘action plans’ for
some countries, we’re therefore now completing this action with the ‘country
reports’ on five countries. And it is on the these ‘country reports’ that
the ‘action plans — containing concrete measures for cooperation between
these countries and the EU — will be based.”
The EU neighborhood policy is directed at a ring of countries stretching
from Morocco to Ukraine and Moldova. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were
initially excluded from the policy, but were taken on board largely as a
result of the “Rose revolution” in Georgia that took place in November 2003.
The three south Caucasus countries, together with Lebanon and Egypt, should
have their “action plans” by the end of the year. So far, Israel, Ukraine
and Jordan have already signed theirs, with Morocco, Moldova, the
Palestinian Authority and Tunisia about to do so.
The Commission has in recent months repeatedly stressed the neighborhood
policy does not carry with it an EU commitment to eventually admit any of
the beneficiary countries. The clarifications have been partly sparked by
pressure from Ukraine to be put on a fast track to EU membership.
Another Commission official who asked not to be named explained on 2 March
that the action plans consist of what he called two “baskets.”
The first basket contains conditions set by the EU — that is, reforms aimed
at strengthening the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights, as
well as certain foreign policy commitments, such as non-proliferation and
counter-terrorism measures. These, the official said, are all specific
measures which the EU will closely measure.
The other “basket” contains the EU offer. This could involve participation
in EU programs, policies and agencies, approximation of national law with EU
legislation to make cooperation and trade easier, and opportunities for
people-to-people contacts.
The further countries go with reforms, the greater the degree of cooperation
the EU will offer.
EU officials say that once the three-year action plans have successfully run
their course, new and more extensive cooperation agreements may be offered.
The neighbourhood policy could lead to a near-complete integration in the
EU’s single market.
On 1 March, RFE/RL spoke with Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili.
She welcomed the Commission’s decision regarding her country, but indicated
it had been a long time coming. “[We react] very positively,” Zurabishvili
said. “We’ve been looking forward to that, already for some time since our
versions of the country reports were transmitted to the EU already in the
fall of last year, so we’ve been waiting for quite some time.”
Georgia is seen by the EU as the most advanced nation in the region. It
hosts the only full European Commission mission. There is a smaller
“regional mission” in Yerevan, which reports to the one in Tbilisi. A
similar small-scale mission will be launched this year in Baku.
Georgia’s country report is the least critical, with relatively few problems
identified when in comes to political reforms. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan
are criticized for deficient legislation, breaches of fundamental freedoms
and a general lack of willingness to reform.
The reports note widespread Russian influence on decision-making in both
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The EU has no immediate plans to become directly involved in helping resolve
the region’s so-called frozen conflicts. However, it is currently
considering setting up a border monitoring mission in Georgia and has
contributed funds to the economic rehabilitation of areas affected by
conflict.
Commission officials say they are confident Russia will not react negatively
to EU moves to engage the South Caucasus, though they admit security
cooperation in the ex-Soviet space is one of the most sensitive issues in
EU-Russia attempts to agree a framework for their strategic partnership.
Officials in Brussels say the EU has made it very clear the bloc is not
intent on weakening Russian influence in the region and encourages
governments in the South Caucasus to pursue good relations with Moscow.

European Neighbourhood Policy: Georgia

European Neighbourhood Policy: Armenia

European Neighbourhood Policy: Azerbaijan

European Neighbourhood Policy – further information

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website

Thursday, March 3, 2005

AGBU YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF LOS ANGELES PRESENT DIG ART EXHIBIT

Pasadena, CA – AGBU Young Professionals of Los Angeles (YPLA) hosted
DIG Art, an exhibit of digital artwork, the weekend of January 21st at
AGBU Pasadena Center. The opening night event attracted over 300
guests. DIG Art showcased the works of cutting-edge artists in the
Armenian community who transform traditional two-dimensional artwork
into three-dimensional computer imagery and animation.

Under the direction of YPLA Chairwoman, Cynthia Simonian, the YPLA
Committee curated a striking exhibit by displaying the artwork in an
industrial setting with print work and looping demo reels on plasma
screens set to vibrant sounds. Participating artists included Hovig
Alahaidoyan, Zareh Gorjian, Yvette Khalafian, Roger Kupelian, Michele
Matossian, Mike Yazijian, and Addis Zaryan.

DIG Art was also proud to present the U.S. premiere of “Pencils to
Pixels,” a short documentary chronicling the wide shift from hand
drawn animation to 3-D, computer-generated imagery. The film included
interviews with renowned animation artists, directors, and
producers. “The documentary is a fantastic piece featuring some of the
best artists in animation, from Disney, DreamWorks, Sony, and Rhythm
and Hues. It gives an in-depth look at the transition from the artists
perspective, and it was a great ‘tie-in’ for the exhibit,” commented
Jamie Kezlarian Bolio, “Pencils to Pixels” cast and crew member.

YPLA Chairwoman Cynthia Simonian added, “The exhibit’s main purpose
was to introduce and promote Armenian artists who have excelled in the
field of digital imagery. Our community should know about these
artists who truly are a force in their respective professions of film,
academia, and science.”

Established in 1995, AGBU Young Professionals of Los Angeles has
created an exciting environment that encourages fellow Armenian
professionals to network by cultivating a greater sense of community
through its many philanthropic, cultural, and educational
programs. For more information on YPLA, visit For
more information on AGBU Young Professionals, please visit

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 3 2005

“We’ll be pleased to see Turkey in EU”

French Ambassador in Ankara Paul Poudade said, ”we will be pleased
to see Turkey in EU”.

Poudade visited Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Hikmet Sahin on Thursday.

”We are pleased that Turkey got a date for EU entry talks. It will
be a long path but I believe everything will be good,” said Poudade.

Replying questions of reporters, Poudade said, ”EU entry talks with
Turkey will start on October 3rd. This will be a long negotiation
process for Turkey’s adjustment to the EU. We should wait for the
talks to start. We will be pleased to see Turkey in EU. The result is
up to Turkey.”

Poudade later visited Bursa Governor Oguz Kagan Koksal.

When Koksal asked for the support of France to Turkey for its EU
membership bid, Poudade said, ”the French President clearly
expressed his support to Turkey’s negotiation process.”

There is a strong anti-Turkish lobbying in France. The rightist and
anti-Muslim groups with Armenian lobbies make efforts to prevent
Turkey’s membership. The rightiest political groups claim that there
is no place in Europe to a Muslim state.

(AA and Hurriyet, JTW)

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
March 3 2005

Armenian women share Day of Prayer
Thursday, March 3, 2005

Armenian women from all area Armenian churches will gather for a
special women’s service on the International Day of Prayer, Friday,
March 4, at the Armenian Memorial Church, 32 Bigelow Ave., Watertown.
Held at 11 a.m., the ecumenical service will include an address in
Armenian by Nevart Khederian and one in English by the Rev. Dr.
Shoushan Salibian.

Silva Khoshafian of the First Armenian Church of Belmont,
chairman of the event, reports that women will be observing this Day
of Prayer throughout the world. Serving with her on the committee are
women from seven Armenian churches of all the Armenian faiths. The
Protestant churches are represented by Doris Markarian, Angel
Parseghian and Arpi Boynerian of the Armenian Memorial Church of
Watertown; and Silva Khoshafian and Sossi Haroutunian of the First
Armenian Church of Belmont. Committee members from Armenian Apostolic
churches are Elaine Westermark from Saint James Church of Watertown,
Nevart Khederian of Saint Stephen’s Church of Watertown, Arpi
Kouzouian of Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Cambridge, Liza
Zeytoonian of Metro-West Armenian Church of Framingham, and Margaret
Stepanian of Saint Asdvadzazin Church of Whitinsville. Armenian
Catholics are represented on the committee by Liza Zeytoonian of the
Holy Cross Church of Belmont.

Women from all the Armenian churches are invited to this
inspirational service. This year’s basic worship service was prepared
by the women of Poland and will be repeated in churches all over the
world. Following the service, there will be a Lenten luncheon served
in the Arpen Abrahamian Hall of the church. Reservations for the
luncheon, which will cost $5 per person, may be made by calling Silva
Khoshafian at 781-373-3075.

Photo: Member of the Women’s Day of Prayer Committee: (front row from
left) Nevart Khederian of Arlington, Silva Khoshafian of Waltham;
(back row) Angel Parseghian of Belmont, Margaret Stepanian of
Whitinsville, Sossi Haroutunian of Belmont, and Arpi Boynerian of
Belmont.

Zaman, Turkey
March 3 2005

‘Fatigue’ Sets in between EU Representative and Turkish Foreign
Ministry

By Suleyman Kurt

The debate over a slow down in Turkey’s reform process since December
17th continues between the Turkish Foreign Ministry and European
Union (EU) Commission Ankara Ambassador Hans Jorg Krestchmer.

Spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry Namik Tan noted the
claims that Turkey’s reform process has slowed down do not reflect
the reality and said that Turkey has fulfilled all of its
responsibilities. Tan reminded that the EU also has responsibilities
and called on them to “take action”. Kretschmer, meanwhile, says, “We
keep our idea that Turkey has slowed down its political reforms since
the EU Summit. Moreover, there is a reversal in some areas.” He
showed court cases opened against writers and publishers as examples
of Turkey’s regression. Kretschmer emphasized the fact that there has
been no political reaction to death threats to author Orhan Pamuk
following his statements about Armenians and Kurds.

Reuters, UK
March 3 2005

Killings of journalists in former Soviet Union
03 Mar 2005 12:42:52 GMT

Source: Reuters

BAKU, March 3 (Reuters) – Popular Azerbaijan opposition journalist
Elmar Huseinov was shot dead late on Wednesday at the entrance to his
home. These are some of the most high-profile killings of other
journalists in the former Soviet Union:

*In March 1995, Vladislav Listyev, a popular TV anchorman and
executive with Russia’s Channel 1 television station, shot dead in
Moscow. His killers have never been found.

*In October 1995, Dmitry Kholodov, reporter with Russia’s Moskovsky
Komsomolets paper, blown up in his Moscow office. He had been
investigating alleged defence ministry corruption.

*In Sept 1998, Tajik opposition figure and professional journalist,
Otakhon Latifi, shot dead leaving his home in the capital Dushanbe.

*In September 2000, Ukrainian Internet journalist Georgiy Gongadze
disappeared. His headless body later found in a wood outside Kiev.
Authorities this week said they had arrested his killers.

*In July 2000, Dmitry Zavadsky, cameraman with Russia’s Channel One,
disappeared in Belarus. His body has never been found.

*In July 2001, television journalist Ihor Alexandrov, who reported on
corruption from the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, bludgeoned to
death.

*In July 2001, Georgy Sanai, anchor on Georgia’s Rustavi 2 television
station, shot in the back of the head. Big protests in Tbilisi
followed the killing.

*In December 2002, chairman of the board of Armenian public
television and radio Tigran Naghdalyan shot dead in Yerevan.

*In October 2003, Alexei Sidorov, editor of campaigning Russian
provincial newspaper Togliatti Review, stabbed to death. His
predecessor was killed about 18 months earlier.

*In July 2004, U.S citizen Paul Klebnikov, editor of the Russian
edition of Forbes magazine, shot dead outside his Moscow office.
(Reporting by Reuters bureaux in Moscow, Yerevan, Tbilisi, Baku,
Almaty, Minsk, Kiev)

Hurriyet, Turkey
March 3 2005

TURKEY WARNS GERMANY ABOUT BILL ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

German Ambassador to Ankara Wolf-Ruthart Born was yesterday summoned
to the Turkish Foreign Ministry to convey Ankara’s concerns and
dissatisfaction about a bill on the so-called Armenian genocide
recently submitted to the Federal Parliament by main German
opposition party the Christian Democrat Union (CDU). Deputy Foreign
Ministry Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy also sent a letter to Born
denouncing the bill and expressing Turkey’s sensitivity on the issue.
In addition, Turkey’s Ambassador to Berlin Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik also
sent a letter to the Federal Foreign Ministry, demanding withdrawal
of the bill. /Hurriyet/

EurasiaNet Organization
March 3 2005

ARMENIA WIDENS TIES WITH IRAN AS U.S. ATTACK LOOMS
Emil Danielyan 3/03/05

Seeking to ease its economic isolation, Armenia is expanding trade
contacts with Iran. Work on a variety of infrastructure projects,
including an Armenian-Iranian pipeline, is proceeding amid
uncertainty. Armenian officials’ main worry is that mounting
US-Iranian tension over Tehran’s nuclear program will disrupt the
projects.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian issued guidelines in late
February for the construction of a new highway designed to foster a
rapid expansion of trade between Armenia and Iran. The launch of the
highway project came amid continuing construction of the pipeline, as
well as of yet another power transmission line.

Work on the highway, which will run through Armenia’s mountainous
southeastern Syunik province bordering Iran, is scheduled to start in
April and finish in late 2006. The estimated $20 million cost makes
the highway the largest single infrastructure project undertaken by
the government since the country regained its independence in 1991.

The sole existing road link between Armenia and Iran meanders through
a high-altitude mountain pass in Syunik that is often closed in
winter. Transport and Communications Minister Andranik Manukian says
the new highway will always be passable and will be able to
accommodate heavier trucks.

The road should go into service by the time the Armenian side
completes work on its section of the 120-kilometer gas pipeline. Work
on the pipeline began last November following a high-profile official
ceremony led by Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and
Iranian Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf. The two men also
inaugurated a second high-voltage transmission line connecting their
countries’ power grids. Two days later, Bitaraf and his Armenian
counterpart, Armen Movsisian, signed an agreement in Yerevan on
building a third such line, which they said would have twice the
carrying capacity as the existing lines.

Armenia is financing both the pipeline and electricity projects with
Iranian loans totaling about $64 million. Yerevan will repay them
with electricity supplies. In addition, the two sides have agreed to
look into the possibility of building an Armenian-Iranian railway.

Economic ties with Iran are deemed vital for land-locked Armenia, as
they mitigate the effects of economic blockades maintained by
Azerbaijan and Turkey, as a result of the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Many Azerbaijanis view Iran’s refusal to join those blockades as a
sign that Tehran favors Yerevan. Visiting Iran in January,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev publicly urged the Iranians to
show solidarity with fellow Shi’a Muslims and exert “economic
pressure” on Armenia. [For additional information see the Eurasia
Insight archive].

The Iranian government does not seem inclined to heed Aliyev’s
appeal, however. Analysts in Yerevan have long suggested that
Tehran’s main motive for maintaining close links with its sole
Christian neighbor is to limit the spread of Turkish influence in the
region.

“The relationship between the Armenian and Iranian peoples can serve
as the best example for all those who want to live side by side and
respect each other’s sovereignty,” Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
declared during an official visit to Yerevan last September.

Keeping Armenian-Iranian relations on track may prove difficult for
Kocharian’s government in the light of the recent upsurge in
US-Iranian tension. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
“We very much hope that problems in American-Iranian relations will
be settled by peaceful means,” Armenia’s influential Defense Minister
Serge Sarkisian said after a recent visit to Tehran where he met with
virtually every Iranian leader. Sarkisian was at pains to stress that
the talks focused on economic issues and that “we have no military
cooperation with Iran.”

Tevan Poghosian, director of the International Center for Human
Development, a Yerevan-based think-tank, believes that the Armenian
leadership does have cause for concern. “We will have serious
problems if the Americans fail to find diplomatic solutions [to the
nuclear dispute],” he says. “If they don’t, the Armenian-Iranian
projects will simply be frozen indefinitely.”

Other observers believe the importance of trade ties with Iran should
not be overestimated in Armenia. “They are certainly not a miracle
cure to resolve the Azerbaijani and Turkish blockades,” a senior
member of the Western donor community in Yerevan told EurasiaNet.
“The Iranian economy itself isn’t exactly healthy.”

Indeed, Iran was a leading trading partner of Armenia in the 1990s,
but Tehran’s share of Yerevan’s overall foreign trade activity has
declined dramatically in recent years, standing at a modest 5 percent
in 2004. The volume of bilateral trade totaled almost $100 million.
That figure is roughly the same as the trade volume between Armenia
and Turkey, according to unofficial estimates. Virtually all
Armenian-Turkish trade is conducted via third countries, especially
Georgia, as Yerevan and Ankara have not normalized diplomatic
relations, and Turkey keeps its frontier with Armenia closed. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Growth in Armenian-Iranian trade is hampered by the poor quality of
Iranian consumer goods, as well as prohibitive import tariffs that
hinder Armenian manufacturers from entering Iran’s huge market.
Still, according to Poghosian, Yerevan is keenly interested in the
success of the pipeline project with Iran, hoping that it will reduce
Armenia’s energy and power dependence on Russia. Moscow currently
controls about 80 percent of Armenia’s power-generating facilities
and is its sole supplier of natural gas. “Armenia is looking for an
alternative way of meeting its energy needs,” Poghosian said. “I
don’t think the Russians are happy with this policy.”

Editor’s Note: Emil Danielyan is a Yerevan-based journalist and
political analyst.