INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO 1600TH ANNIVERSARY OF OPENING OF FIRST
SCHOOL IN ARTSAKH TO BE HELD IN NKR IN 2005

STEPANAKERT, December 6 (Noyan Tapan). A scientific conference
devoted to the 1600th anniversary of the opening of the first school
in Artsakh will be held in Nagorno Karabakh in 2005. According to
Hamlet Grigorian, the Rector of the Artsakh State University, the
conference will be held in the second half of May. The scientists
of a number of countries expressed wish to participate in it. The
conference will held in Stepanakert, Shushi and in the territory of
the ancient Amaras temple, where the first school was opened. According
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the NKR, Amaras temple occupies
special place in a number of historical monuments of Artsakh-Karabakh
as the spread of Christianity in the Armenian Communities of Artsakh
is connected with it. Centuries later this temple became one of the
famous centers of the spiritual and cultural life of Artsakh. It
is well known that Mesrop Mashtots began the first teaching of the
Armenian written language in the territory of Eastern Armenia, in
Amaras, and the first school was established there.

“EURASIA” FOUNDATION IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMS OF 20 MLN DOLLARS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, December 6 (Noyan Tapan). 70 grant programs of a total
of 1.5 mln dollars were completed in Armenia due to the financing
of the “Eurasia” Foundation last year. According to Ara Nazinian,
Director of the Fund’s Yerevan Office, 2/3 of the programs fell on the
share of organizations operating in the regions of the republic. The
financing of 25 new programs of 600,000 dollars were approved, four
program contests were held: “Business Interests Protection”, “Stable
Development of Communal Organizations”, “Regional Business Development”
and “Strengthening of Press Spread System”. V. Nazinian noticed that it
is expected that the funds for the improvement of the sphere of small
and medium enterprises, the establishment of the local self-government
bodies, the introduction of informational communication technologies in
the higher education system will be allocated in 2005. The “Eurasia”
Foundation has unfolded the activities in Armenia since 1995. The
Foundation gave 600 grants to public organizations during the recent
years. Total investments volume made about 20 mln dollars. Most of
them the Foundation received from USAID. The Armenian Diaspora, the
“Lincy” Foundation, Cafesjian and Izmirlian Foundations, the Open
Society Institute and other organizations also supported the fund.

NKR PRESIDENT AWARDED WITH GOLD MEMORABLE MEDAL “LERNAHAYASTANI ARTSIV” OF
“SYUNIATS ARTSIVNER” YOUTH ORGANIZATION

STEPANAKERT, December 6 (Noyan Tapan). NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian
was awarded with the gold memorable medal “Lernahayastani Artsiv”
(“Eagle of Mountainous Armenia”) on December 6. Khachik Asrian,
Chairman of the “Syuniats Artsivner” (“Syunik Eagles”) youth public
organization, handed the award during a meeting with the head of
Nagorno Karabakh in Stepanakert. The NKR President was awarded with
this medal for his exclusive merits in the establishment of the
statehood of Nagorno Karabakh, the strengthening of its security,
the realization of the natianal idea and military-political education
of the youth. Arkady Ghoukassian expressed gratitude for such an
honorable assessment of his work. At the same time, he mentioned
the importance of the role of the youth in the resolution of the
problems put before the Armenian people, as well as the necessity
of the further strengthening and deepening of relations between the
youth organizations of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. According to
the Head Information Department attached to the NKR President, NKR
Minister of Defense Seiran Ohanian participated in the meeting.

The Times (London)
December 4, 2004, Saturday

Stained-glass exhibition illuminates expanding market for medieval
art

by Huon Mallalieu

SAM FOGG, the London medieval art dealer, could have a riot on his
hands if his second exhibition of early stained glass proves as
successful as his first.

In 2002 the Getty Museum bought the show in its entirety. This left a
good number of frustrated would-be collectors, who might not be too
kindly disposed toward Fogg if the same happened again.
Interestingly, a high proportion of the potential collectors are
British -which would not have been conceivable a few years ago.

Medieval is back in fashion, putting Fogg in an enviable position as
the only dealer in London -and perhaps the world -to cover the range
of arts and artefacts, including sculpture, glass, ivories,
metalwork, enamels, manuscripts and miniatures. He goes beyond Europe
to such related fields as Byzantine, Armenian and Ethiopian art, and
even on occasion to Islamic and Indian paintings and manuscripts.

After studying history of art at the Courtauld Institute, Fogg set
out to be a painter, but rather than starve picturesquely in a garret
he also sold secondhand art books in Portobello Road. This led him to
become a bookseller -until he lost most of his stock in a flood. He
then joined the art-reference booksellers Sims Reed, and in 1986 he
reopened on his own on a Bond Street upper floor, specialising in his
first love, Western medieval manuscripts.

The sideways expansion into related fields has been a natural
progression, and now his staff of nine includes specialists in
medieval artefacts and Middle Eastern art as well as manuscripts. His
exhibitions and catalogues have won unstinting praise. In 1991 The
Bookseller noted that his Medieval Manuscripts was “widely regarded
as the most sumptuous catalogue in the history of the British book
trade”. In 2001 he was able to seize the opportunity of a saddlery
business disappearing with its rent unpaid to take a prime site on
the corner of Clifford and Cork streets. It comes as a slight
surprise to find that he has no languages himself, but for him the
aesthetic properties of a manuscript are even more important than its
content or context. His eye for quality and rarity is greatly
respected among fellow dealers and collectors.

Eighty years ago there was a flourishing market for early stained
glass, although it was largely limited to such omnivorous
accumulators of works of art as William Randolph Hearst and Pierpont
Morgan in America and Sir William Burrell in Scotland. Thereafter,
though, the medieval generally fell out of fashion, particularly in
Britain where a residual puritanism was uncomfortable with “popish”
artefacts. With the exception of Wolseley in Buckingham Gate, which
closed around 1980, the nearest dealers were probably in Paris, and
British museums showed no interest in stained glass.

A number of factors have contributed to the revival of interest.
There is a surprising amount of good continental and English glass
about, often at quite reasonable prices by comparison with other
collecting fields. The worries about provenance which have created
difficulties in the antiquities market are not a great problem,
especially with English glass, which has often been divorced from its
original setting since the iconoclasms of Reformation and civil war
or the equally destructive period of Victorian restoration. Much that
is now available also has the Hearst provenance, since his vast
holdings were sold off half a century ago.

The secularisation of British culture has sparked new enthusiasm for
medieval arts, and so too has the realisation that they can sit very
happily with modern art in contemporary settings. There have also
been great advantages in glass scholarship and in lighting
technology. It is now far easier to display windows and fragments to
full effect using light boxes.

Among the 40 examples of work is a newly discovered Austrian double
panel of the Baptism of Christ and the Adoration of the Magi, dating
from around 1300, for which the price is “on request”. Other prices
range from about Pounds 10,000 each for shields of the de Vere and
Horne arms, to £300,000 for a Burgundian panel of the execution of St
John the Baptist, circa 1235.

Illuminating the Past: Stained Glass 1200-1550 will be at Sam Fogg,
15d Clifford Street, W1 (020-7534 2100) until January 15

–Boundary_(ID_ZfTXKqwliEeeIUCpl1Ehqg)–

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

“THE YEAR OF FAMILY” LAUNCHED BY HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

IS CONCLUDED BY A MUSICAL FUNCTION

ANTELIAS, LEBANON – The year 2004 was formally launched by His Holiness Aram
I Catholicos of Cilicia as the “year of family”. Throughout the year many
activities took place in the worldwide Armenian Dioceses under the
jurisdiction of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the heart of
Christian Church and the Nation, the preservation of the Christian Armenian
identity of family was considered to be a high priority for the church. This
was also an occasion to underscore the vital importance of education for
Christian formation of the family. In his massage to the nation, Catholicos
Aram has outlined the centrality of family for the life and witness of the
church and the importance of responding to the challenges facing the
Armenian family.

To bring to a conclusion the activities organized on the occasion of the
“year of family”, the “SHNORHALY” choir of the Catholicosate, organized a
public concert under the auspicious of His Holiness Aram I. Through songs,
hymns and melodies dedicated to family their concert came once again to
remind our people the unique importance of family for our church and people.

******

View printable pictures 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

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

OUTLINES BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL

CONFERNECE THE CHALLENGES FACING

ECUMENISM IN 21st CENTURY

ANTELIAS, LEBANON – The implications to the ecumenical movement of
tremendous changes taking place in the world have prompted the World Council
of Churches to initiate a common process of reflection. The first meeting of
this process aimed at redefinition of ecumenical vision and reconfiguration
of ecumenical structures was convened at the Armenian Catholicosate in
Antelias, Lebanon, from 17-21 November 2003. As part of the same process the
WCC organized an international conference in Geneva, from 13 November to 3
December 2004, with the participation of representatives from Vatican,
member churches of the Council, the ecumenical partners and organizations.

As Moderator of the Central Committee of the WCC, His Holiness Aram I in his
keynote address described the process as “ecumenism in transformation”. He
said: “The ecumenical movement is called to renew and redefine its nature,
its goals and vision through a self-critical approach and in response to the
global changes and challenges. If this is not done, the ecumenical movement
may soon find itself stalemated”. Catholicos Aram outlined the challenges
facing the ecumenical movement in seven points: a balanced approach to
“movement” and “institution”; is the “oneness” of the ecumenical movement in
jeopardy? fellowship-oriented ecumenism facing challenges; broadening the
ecumenical partnership is a must; towards people’s ecumenism: strategy and
vision; a responsive and prophetic ecumenical vision; “being church”: a
central ecumenical issue.

As conclusion to his lecture, His Holiness Aram I posed a critical question:
“What kind of church do we want to have for 21st century: a church that
lives within its established walls, self-contained and self-content, or a
church engaged in the daily struggle of its people, in critical and creative
interaction with the society, and bold enough to face the challenges of new
times? Then His Holiness went on to say: “These developments call the
churches and the actors in the ecumenical movement to reconsider the
ecclesiological and missiological perceptions that have defined the churches
‘ doctrinal positions and their attitudes towards each other and towards the
society at large. In fact, new ways of “being church” will help us to
discover new ways of working together ecumenically, and vice versa. The
ecumenical movement must constantly grapple with these issues and assist the
churches in their struggle of “being church” in a new context”.

##

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

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

ENGAGES IN DIALOGUE WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

ANTELIAS, LEBANON – From the very outset of his pontificate His Holiness
Aram I has given a priority attention to the youth in general and to the
college and university students in particular, considering them a vital
dimension of the life of the Armenian Church and Nation. Through his
lectures and messages His Holiness has always advocated the importance of
engaging in dialogue with the Youth and students. In fact, the annual
meetings, organized by Armenian Church University Student Association, gives
His Holiness an opportunity to share with the young people his concerns,
perspectives and expectations. He also carefully listens to them.

“Dialogue is talking and listening, giving and taking. It is mutually
enriching and challenging process. A life of monologue is a source of
stagnation. A life of dialogue is a source of creativity and progress”. With
this pertinent remark His Holiness started his talk with the university
students in his residence at the Catholicosate in Antelias. The main topic
of the reflection of His Holiness was the correct perception of “value”. He
said: “what we mean by value? How should we define it? What should be the
role of value in the life of a person or a religion or a community? What is
the connection between value and criterion? What kind of value system should
we have in our society?”

In answering to these questions, His Holiness provided a broader definition
of value; he identified different categories of values then he focused his
reflection on moral values, regarding them the basis of all kinds of values,
including religious. Catholicos Aram paid a special attention to the way the
moral values are perceived and implemented in the Armenian life. According
to him, there is a growing decay of moral values in all spheres of Armenian
life, in Armenia and in the worldwide Armenian Diaspora. He said that we
cannot have healthy society without moral values. In this context His
Holiness emphasized the role of the church which must become not only the
preacher and the reminder of the crucial importance of moral values, but it
must live out the imperatives and challenges of moral values in its own life
and witness.

The gathering with youth and students started with the greeting of V.Rev.
Keghart Kusbekian, the Youth director of the Catholicosate. He was followed
by Mr. Alexander Belopopsky the Communication Director of the WCC, who was
attending an ecumenical conference taking place at the Catholicosate.

##

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the youth
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

ANTELIAS HOSTS THE MEETING OF THE WCC COMMISSION ON COMMUNICATION

ANTELIAS, LEBANON – On Sunday 5 December 2004 the World Council of Churches’
Commission on Communication started its meeting at the headquarters of the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. The commission
includes experts in the area of communication and information, who come from
different parts of the world. The Commission is chaired by Ms Manoushag
Boyajian, who is the Dean of the Yeghishe Manougian College and the
Chairperson of the Ecumenical Committee of the Cathilocosate. The meeting of
Antelias is also attended by the director and the staff of the WCC
Communication department.

The participants of this meeting attended the Holy Mass at the Cathedral of
the Catholicosate, then they took part in the dialogue-encounter of His
Holiness Aram I with the Armenian University students, where Mr. Alexander
Belepopsky, the director of the communication department of the WCC, and
some members of the commission shared their thoughts with the students. The
ecumenical guests also attended a musical function organized by the choir of
the Catholicosate.

##

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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

New museum an example of ethnic harmony

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Dec 6 2004

The Prime Minister said that every artefact on display showed the
unity of the society.

December 6 – A new museum in Istanbul shows how everyone in Turkish
society had co-existed in peace, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said on Sunday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony for the Surp Pirgic Armenian Hospital
Museum in the Istanbul suburb of Yedikule, Erdogan said that museum
was a symbol of the harmony in Turkish society.

“As the children of this country, we have co-existed in peace for
centuries. Our literature, architecture, humanitarian values, trade,
songs and cuisines have intermingled,” Erdogan said.

The hospital, established by the Armenian community 172 years ago,
during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, had been renovated by the
Armenian Foundation as a museum after closing its doors as a medical
facility.

The Prime Minister thanked the Armenian citizens for their
contributions to Turkey, saying that the Armenian community was an
indispensable part of the society.

“Let us see how the message given here will be reflected to the world,”
he said. “We will continue developing humanitarian values in the
light of universal criteria. Long live our unity in these territories.”

Sofia News Agency, Bulgaria
Dec 6 2004

Opening Address to the OSCE Forum Participants

“The scourge of terrorism is emerging as a most dangerous threat for
all of us,” Minister Passy said in his OSCE meeting opening speech.
Photo by Bulgarian Foreign Ministry

For the Record: 6 December 2004, Monday.

S T A T E M E N T

by Mr. Solomon Passy, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Bulgaria and Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE

Time of Change: Towards a transformed OSCE for the 21st century

12th Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the OSCE
Sofia, 6 December 2004

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

As I look back in time, I recall with emotion that 15 years ago – in
1989, a CSCE Meeting on the Protection of the Environment was held in
this same building. The event focused world attention on the
totalitarian regime’s record of repressing environmental activists.
It stimulated open demonstrations by human rights advocates and the
Bulgarian Ecoglasnost environmental group, to which I then belonged.
That was a clear manifestation of the influence of the Helsinki
process on the democratic emancipation of my generation. And this
CSCE meeting in Sofia was the strongest catalyst of the democratic
processes in Bulgaria. A week later the communist regime collapsed.
In October 1989 many of my friends were outside this building. Today
they are here in this hall assisting the Bulgarian Chairmanship to
fulfil its duties. And I see the finger of destiny in that metaphor.
Today I am proud that my country is chairing the OSCE and we are
discussing in the same venue the future and way ahead for this great
Organization.

For thirty years the CSCE and OSCE have worked hard to overcome
divisions that have separated people in Europe. United by shared
values, today we have come to the conviction that security
increasingly transcends national borders. Present-day geopolitical
realities, related to NATO and EU enlargements, along with the
dialogue and co-operation between the countries to the East and West
of the Black Sea, stress the importance of the OSCE as a bridge of
mutual confidence.

The OSCE has a rich history, innovative missions and institutions, an
inclusive membership and a dedicated staff. However, if it is to have
an impact on the lives of citizens from Vancouver to Vladivostock, it
has to stand firmly by its principles and ensure that its
institutions and review mechanisms provide implementation of OSCE
commitments. Guided by this vision, the Bulgarian Chairmanship has
focused on implementation as a main priority this year.

We have also kept continuity with the priorities and work of previous
Chairmanships. I was privileged to have the invaluable support of
Minister Scheffer and Minister Bot in the OSCE Troika and to draw on
their rich experience.

Dear colleagues,

The scourge of terrorism is emerging as a most dangerous threat for
all of us. Terrorist attacks, most recently in Madrid and Beslan
resulted in numerous innocent victims, including children. This evil
needs our joint and firm response. During 2004 we have held numerous
result-oriented events and adopted concrete measures aimed at
countering international terrorism.
This year the OSCE has increased its efforts to achieve a better
balance between the politico-military, the economic and human
dimensions.
In the politico-military dimension, substantial efforts were made on
the OSCE Border Security and Management Concept. The follow up to the
Ohrid Border Conference resulted in a series of workshops for
training border officials from South Eastern Europe. Another
important input was provided by the Border Conference jointly
organized with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which
focused on strengthening the co-ordination between relevant
international organizations in their activities related to border
issues, training and assistance.

It is our conviction that we have to bring the OSCE activities in
these areas much closer to those participating States that need them
most.

The Bulgarian Chairmanship made an effort to bring the OSCE economic
and environmental activities in conformity with the commitments
agreed to in the Maastricht Strategy Document for the Economic and
Environmental Dimension. The Organization provided and mobilized
advice and expertise to develop incentives for small and medium-sized
enterprises, foreign and domestic investment and to improve legal
frameworks. Special attention was paid to facilitating dialogue
between governmental agencies and the business community and to
private and public partnership initiatives. The issues of good
governance, fight against corruption and money laundering stayed high
on the agenda.

The human dimension remained crucial in our work this year, and is
the backbone of the OSCE. Human rights commitments should be strictly
adhered to. One of the priorities of the Bulgarian Chairmanship has
been education, particularly in the context of human rights and
conflict prevention. It is encouraging that many participating States
responded positively to my appeal to support financially the OSCE
Academy in Bishkek and an amount of more than 400 000 Euro has
already been raised.

The three high-profile OSCE events in Berlin, Paris and Brussels this
year on tolerance and non-discrimination reminded us of the danger of
being complacent about racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism,
discrimination against Muslims and other forms of intolerance. We
need to do more to prevent these phenomena from causing divisions
within our societies. I look forward to appointing three Personal
Representatives in this field.

2004 was a busy year for election monitoring. The Organization has
been involved in observing elections throughout its area – in North
America, Europe and Central Asia, which is indicative of the
geographical scope of these activities.

The most recent elections in Ukraine, and the events that followed,
were a clear manifestation of people power and show the maturity of
democracy in this important European country. The victors in Ukraine
should be democracy and the rule of law. I am glad that a “made in
Ukraine” solution to this crisis is emerging and that the OSCE played
a key role in election monitoring and as a facilitator. I hope that
by the end of this Ministerial meeting the response of the OSCE in
supporting the re-running of the second round of the presidential
elections will be clear and generous.

During this year we continued the efforts to finding lasting and
viable political solutions to the existing conflicts in the OSCE
zone.
The Organization rendered essential support for the conduct of the
presidential and parliamentary elections in Georgia. I am glad that
the tensions in and around Ajara were resolved peacefully, with the
involvement of our Organization. We welcome the progress recently
achieved in the dialogue on a peaceful comprehensive resolution of
the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The measures now in hand to secure
the demilitarization of the zone of conflict need to be implemented
as rapidly as possible and the focus has to shift to genuine
political negotiations.

The OSCE follows closely the developments related to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. The Chairmanship actively supported the efforts of
the Co-Chairs of the Minsk group in seeking reinvigoration of the
dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We note with satisfaction
the meetings conducted during this year between the Presidents and
the Foreign Ministers of the two countries and hope that the process
will be moved forward.

The involvement of the Bulgarian Chairmanship in active search for
solutions to the conflicts in the South Caucasus was reconfirmed by
the designation of two prominent Bulgarian statesmen – former
President Zhelju Zhelev and former Prime Minister Philip Dimitrov, as
CiO’s envoys respectively for Georgia and Nagorno Karabakh.

The Bulgarian Chairmanship looked actively for solutions in the
Transdniestrian conflict. The Chairman-in-Office asked former
Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov to act as his envoy for Moldova.
President Stoyanov’s visit to Chisinau and Tiraspol in September
demonstrated the Chairmanship’s commitment to seeking an overall
settlement of the dispute. However, despite the continuing efforts of
the mediators and some positive developments during the first half of
the year, there was lack of progress towards comprehensive political
settlement. The Chairmanship calls upon the parties to the conflict
to establish and strengthen a working dialogue that can lead more
effectively towards a lasting solution. Additional efforts are still
needed to find a formula for a comprehensive settlement on the basis
of strengthening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the
Republic of Moldova while providing a special status for
Transdniestria.

In 2004 the Western Balkans continued to face complex challenges such
as the break out of violence in Kosovo in March. The parliamentary
and presidential elections in Serbia and the Macedonian referendum on
decentralization were key events in shaping the future development of
these countries. Due to the continuous persistent efforts exerted by
the OSCE, developments in the region have been forward-leaning.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has made progress in achieving interethnic
tolerance, in strengthening state institutions and in resolving the
problems with returnees and their property. We are pleased to note
Albania’s commitment to finalize the overall implementation of the
electoral reform in order to organize free and democratic elections
in 2005. Croatia’s performance in fulfilling OSCE commitments also
deserves our esteem.

In Central Asia the Bulgarian Chairmanship facilitated more
co-operation among the participating States, both from in- and
outside the region, and the specialized international organizations.
All of us in the OSCE welcomed the moratorium on the death penalty
introduced by the Parliament of Tajikistan following a proposal by
the Tajik President.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This has been a challenging year for the Bulgarian Chairmanship. As I
reflect on my time as Chairman-in-Office, I would like to share with
you three convictions:

First, solidarity is more needed than ever. That means no dividing
lines. We should not lose sight of the vision of our predecessors who
agreed three decades ago to improve and intensify relations among
European States and to strive for peace, justice, security,
co-operation and rapprochement. This is the imperative of global and
regional security and, most of all, serves the interests of the
people and their respective countries.

This leads me to my second conviction: the OSCE should reach out.

The OSCE’s experience, capacities and good practices in preventing
inter-ethnic conflicts, election monitoring, confidence-building,
arms control and facilitating dialogue could be applied in other
parts of the world. In this regard I would like to emphasize that by
sending an Election Support Team to Afghanistan for the presidential
elections in October – the first out-of-area operation of the OSCE,
our Organization demonstrated its capacity to go beyond its original
horizons. Mongolia has just become a new Partner for Co-operation. In
my view the Mediterranean dimension deserves particular attention and
I believe that the OSCE example could have a positive impact on the
troubled Middle East. The successful Mediterranean Seminar organized
in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt has highlighted the importance of
fostering co-operation and interaction in this region.

My third conviction is that the OSCE should be of more relevance and
practical benefit to the man in the street and, to that end, try to
overcome tendencies towards bureaucratization. Although the Permanent
Representatives in Vienna are doing an excellent job, this phenomenon
persists, due to insufficient efforts by the respective capitals to
make ordinary people feel that the OSCE has a tangible bearing on
their lives. It is our responsibility – as Ministers – to play a
greater leadership role, to take more initiatives, and to bring
knowledge about the OSCE closer to constituencies.

I am confident that people in Bulgaria and around the world deserve
to know more about the OSCE and its work. 2005 will be an excellent
opportunity to raise our public profile by celebrating the thirtieth
anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and the fifteenth anniversary
of the Charter of Paris.

These three convictions – solidarity, outreach, and relevance – lead
me to the expectation that we will be able to transform this
organization. The OSCE needs to adapt, evolve and further improve its
efficiency. This year witnessed a far-reaching debate on transforming
the OSCE to ensure that it is even better suited to deal with these
present-day challenges. I am confident that the decision on
establishment of a panel of eminent persons on strengthening the
effectiveness of the OSCE will provide additional momentum to this
process and will contribute to improving the overall capacity of the
Organization. The OSCE should be more accessible to its constituents,
and seek to engage parliamentarians more actively in its work.

Dear Colleagues,

On the issue of reform I have tried to test the boundaries this year,
and to challenge some taboos in the OSCE in order to shake things up
for the better. I welcome the fact that others have contributed a
number of thought-provoking views on reform. The future of this
organization is in our hands: it will be as relevant and as effective
as we make it.

I would like to particularly thank the Heads of OSCE Institutions,
the Heads of Field Missions and the OSCE Secretariat for their
relentless and dedicated efforts throughout 2004. Let us build on
this Sofia meeting and work even harder for peace and security. And
let us challenge ourselves and each other to come up with bold
initiatives and a vision for the political space from Vancouver to
Vladivostock.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I wish you a fruitful and successful Ministerial Council Meeting.

Thank you.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress