British government proposes paying off portion of poor nations’ debt Associated Press

deseretnews.com
Monday, September 27, 2004

BRIGHTON, England — Britain will provide more debt relief for the
world’s poorest countries and challenge other rich governments to do
the same, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government said Sunday.

Treasury chief Gordon Brown said many developing countries were
crippled by servicing their debt and could not invest in their
infrastructure.

“We will pay our share of the multilateral debt repayments of reforming
low-income countries,” Brown said in a statement, released by the
Department of International Development.

“We will make payments in their stead to the World Bank and African
Development Bank for the portion that relates to Britain’s share
of this debt. We do this alone today but I urge other countries to
follow so that over-indebted countries are relieved of the burden of
servicing all unpayable multilateral debt.”

Britain holds about 10 percent of the total debt owed to the World
Bank and other development banks, or about 7 percent of all the debt
of the world’s poorest nations.

Britain’s Treasury said it had earmarked 100 million pounds ($180
million) per year until 2015 to pay for the initiative.

In a speech to a “Vote for Trade Justice” event at a church in
Brighton, the coastal town where the governing Labour Party is holding
its annual conference, Brown said it was vital to remove damaging
trade barriers, and invest in poor countries so they had the capacity
to trade.

He stressed the need to reform the European Union common agricultural
policy which distorts the global market for farm goods, saying
“we can and must do more to urgently tackle the scandal and waste”
of the subsidies.

Brown told the audience he would urge other countries to back his
proposal for an International Finance Facility through which donors
from richer nations would raise funds on the international markets,
when he attends the annual meetings of the International Monetary
Fund and World Bank.

He also called for debt payments owed to the IMF to be funded through
the more efficient use of IMF gold reserves.

Britain’s Development Secretary Hilary Benn said poor countries needed
“significant additional resources” to “lift people out of poverty,
get children into primary schools and improve basic health.”

“Debt relief is an efficient way of transferring these resources
to countries that can use them most effectively,” he said in
the statement. “We call on other governments, especially our G-8
partners, to join us so that no country is held back by the burden
of unsustainable debt.”

To be eligible for the debt relief, countries must be able to show
the savings will be used to meet the goals of the 2000 Millennium
Summit. Those goals include halving the number of people living in
dire poverty from 2000 levels; ensuring that all children have an
elementary school education; ensuring that all families have clean
water; and halting the AIDS epidemic — all by 2015.

The list of countries will include those that have been through
the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative: Benin, Bolivia,
Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guyana, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique,
Nicaragua, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, as well as a number of
other countries such as Vietnam and Armenia, where the World Bank has
assessed the countries are capable of absorbing direct budget support,
the statement said.

Fair trade campaigners praised Brown’s initiative.

“It is an incredibly bold step,” said Brendan Cox of Oxfam. “This
really piles pressure on the United States, France, Japan, Germany,
Canada and other countries. If he can get the other countries to
follow suit this really is the end of the debt crisis as we know it.”

UNITED ARMENIAN FUND
1101 N. Pacific Avenue # 301
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel: 818.241.8900
Fax: 818.241.6900

For Immediate Release

27 September 2004

UAF’s 130th Airlift Delivers $3.7 Million of Aid to Armenia

Glendale, CA – The United Armenian Fund’s 130th airlift arrived in
Yerevan on September 25, delivering $3.7 million of humanitarian
assistance.

The UAF itself collected $3.2 million of medicines and medical
supplies for this flight, most of which were donated by AmeriCares
($1.7 million); the Catholic Medical Mission Board ($935,000) and
MAP International ($542,000). Other organizations which contributed
goods for this airlift were: Nork Marash Medical Center ($150,000);
Dr. Stephen Kashian of Illinois ($53,000); Fondation Semra of
Switzerland ($38,000); Armenian Missionary Association of America
($28,000); Harut Chantikian of New Jersey ($27,000); and the Armenian
American Medical Society of California ($24,000).

Also contributing to this airlift were: Gil Harootunian of New York
($21,000); Women’s Guild Central Council ($21,000); Armenian Relief
Society ($18,000); Helmer Labs ($15,000); and the Armenian American
Health Association of Greater Washington ($11,000).

Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $391 million of
humanitarian assistance to Armenia on board 130 airlifts and 1,103
sea containers. The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian
Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the
Armenian Missionary Association of America, the Armenian Relief
Society, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, the Prelacy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and the Lincy Foundation.

For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific
Avenue, Suite 301, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.

###

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

Mid-Atlantic Regional Adult Seminar
Focuses on Current Ethical and Moral Issues

NEW YORK, NY – The bucolic St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson,
Pennsylvania, was the setting for a gathering of over 20 people who
attended the first of three regional seminars for adults sponsored
by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) of the Eastern
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America.

The seminar, entitled “Critical Issues of Life and Faith: An Armenian
Orthodox Perspective,” attracted participants from New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, on the weekend of June 24-26,
2004, and included lectures, Bible studies, mini-group and panel
discussions, and worship services. The eminent Armenian Orthodox
ethicist and theologian, Professor Vigen Guroian, was the main speaker.

The weekend program began with a Bible study on Friday evening
presented by Deacon Shant Kazanjian, Executive Director of
AREC. Setting the tone for the program, Dn. Shant expounded on
St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 6, where the Apostle
underscores the reality that moral and ethical living is predicated
on one’s baptism into Jesus the Christ. Through a close study of the
text, Dn. Shant showed that while baptism in Christ confers new life,
which is a gift, it also imposes a great demand to live and behave
in a manner that corresponds to the Gospel, namely, to live under
the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Saturday’s program centered on current moral and ethical issues ranging
from abortion, reproductive technologies, homosexuality, suicide,
euthanasia, to gay marriage. The keynote speaker was Dr. Vigen Guroian,
Professor of Theology and Ethics at Loyola College in Baltimore,
Maryland.

Before delving into these topics, Dr. Guroian provided the necessary
background to Christian Ethics. He began by reflecting on a number of
scriptural passages, including Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 5:1-12, 2 Peter
1:1-11. Referring to the passage in Romans, Dr. Guroian said, based
on what God has done for us in the person of Jesus Christ, “Christian
ethics is born into the world. We don’t invent it. We don’t create
it. It is given to us, and then it becomes our responsibility, and
it becomes our calling to be in a certain way in the world. And that
certain way is incarnate, it is enfleshed in one man-representative
man-who was without sin, who was holy, who was perfect, just as he
called us to be perfect, ‘Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly
Father is perfect.’ ”

He went on to discuss the Beatitudes as “the constitution of the
Kingdom,” the graces of God communicated to us through the sacraments,
the role and the place of ascetical effort, the link between ethical
living and deification. “We have to be conformed to Christ, we have
to be embossed by Him. Our minds must be remade and our whole nature
must be transformed, and this begins with baptism,” he said.

After receiving a bit of training and background, the group was divided
into five teams of four or five people charged with researching the
Bible passages and discussing modern issues relevant to the topics
of abortion, suicide, reproductive technologies, gay marriage and
cremation. The purpose of this exercise was to enable each group
to research the topic assigned, present its findings and identify
modern issues and discuss these with the larger group. The discussions
brought to light the scriptural teachings of each topic and how the
teachings of the Bible transcend time and guide us even through modern
technological advances.

These topics were further revisited in a lively panel discussion in
the afternoon, which broadened and enriched the perspectives. The
panelists were V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chifjian, Communications Officer
of the Catholicate of Cilicia, Dr. Carlo Bayrakdarian, and Dr. Meline
Karakashian.

The participants were pleased that the Prelacy sponsored this event,
and encouraged the leadership to present the church’s views on these
important topics to a wider audience. The general sentiment was that
more of these seminars should be held, with similar size groups to
promote free discussion, understanding and fellowship.

In order to critique the two-day seminar, evaluation forms were
provided to all of the participants. The evaluations could be signed
or be submitted anonymously. Some of the comments were:

“I really enjoyed the Adult Christian Education program. The lectures
were very insightful, thought provoking and even controversial. It
resembled a Datev post-graduate class with more mature discussions
and experienced perspectives on the critical issues of Armenian
faith. Dr. Guroian is an exceptional lecturer and I learned a lot
from him.”

“The weekend was fulfilling, nourishing, and enlightening. I would
return next year and encourage others to do the same.”

“I learned how to use the Bible, how to use its teachings in my daily
life. And I learned more about our Armenian Church teachings.”

Almost all of the participants suggested that similar seminars should
be organized more than once a year. One participant realized he or she
needed “to start getting serious about reading the Bible.” Some felt
the seminars should be longer and at least one participant suggested
that the topics should focus on issues that the Armenian Church needs
to face as a matter of survival.

Everyone felt that it was a blessing to have a prominent theologian
like Dr. Guroian lead the seminar. Dr. Guroian is the first Armenian
theologian ever elected to the American Theological Society and the
Orthodox Theological Society of America. He has served on the Board of
Directors of the Society of Christian Ethics, has been active in both
the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches,
and is a member of numerous editorial boards. His published works
include nearly 150 articles, and six books with three more scheduled
for publication later this year.

The Prelacy bookstore has most of Professor Guroian’s published books
for sale. For information go to the web page, ,
or telephone the bookstore manager at 212-689-7810.

# # #

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

September 27, 2004

Eastern Prelacy’s Pashalian Fund
Announces Grants for Education

The Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America recently
announced the granting of awards totaling $8,000.00 to various Armenian
Schools and educational programs, from the Pashalian Family Education Fund.
Since the inception of the Fund a total of $73,439 has been distributed to
educational institutions.

The 2004 grants, awarded by the Fund’s Board of Trustees which include
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, Ms. Gloria
Tarsy, Dr. George Dermksian, and Mr. Michael Derian, were as follows:

St. Illuminator’s Day School $2,500.00
St. Sarkis Suzanne & Hovsep Hagopian Saturday School 1,500.00
St. Gregory of Datev Institute 2,000.00
Siamanto Academy 1,000.00
Armenian Sisters Academy (Radnor, PA) 1,000.00

“The Pashalian Family Fund is a model example of the good that can be
accomplished by foresighted individuals. Through their benevolence the
Pashalian Family has left a lasting impact on Armenian education in the
United States while perpetuating the memory of their family,” said
Archbishop Oshagan.

The Pashalian Fund was established in the early 1990s, through the
foresight and benevolence of devoted parishioners of St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral, Mr. Levon Pashalian and his wife Margret. Mr. Pashalian was born
in the historic Armenian village of Palou-Havav. He survived the Genocide,
emigrated to the United States, and like many of his fellow villagers opened
a small grocery store on the east side of Manhattan. With a limited command
of English Levon Pashalian built a successful business. He worked long hours
every day of the week and together with his wife raised a family, a son John
Levon, and a daughter, Siroon. True to his Armenian heritage and the
American dream, he provided both children not only with a college education,
but also post-graduate studies. The family faced a tremendous tragedy when
son John was killed in an accident in 1973.

In spite of the tragedy that befell the family, Mr. Pashalian had the
goodness of heart to provide financial support, in the name of his son and
the Pashalian family, for the Armenian Church, Armenian educational and
relief organizations, and needy Armenian students in the United States and
Canada.

The Pashalian Family Education Fund was established with an initial
contribution of $138,000 with the stipulation that the earned proceeds from
the investments be used to “promote and support Armenian language schools”
and their students in the United States and Canada who were in financial
need. According to the stipulations of the Fund, 50% of the earned income
must be distributed to St. Illuminator’s School, Woodside, New York and St.
Sarkis Saturday School, Douglaston, New York. The remaining 50% can be
distributed to other educational institutions at the discretion of the
Trustees.

This year’s grant recipients are:

St. Illuminator’s Day School

St. Illuminator’s Day School, located in Woodside, New York, provides
elementary bilingual education from Nursery through Grade Six. The students
consistently outperform public school students in New York State
Standardized Tests. “We are grateful to the Pashalian Fund for its
continuing support,” said Dr. Herand Markarian, chairman of the Board of
Trustees. “This grant will help us provide scholarship aid for qualified
students whose families cannot afford a private school education.”

St. Sarkis’ Suzanne and Hovsep Hagopian
Armenian Saturday School

The Suzanne and Hovsep Hagopian Armenian Saturday School, Douglaston,
NY, has grown in attendance and educational excellence in recent years
thanks in part to the support they have received from the Pashalian Fund.
The school is named in honor of its faithful benefactors, the late Suzanne
and Hovsep Hagopian, who believed wholeheartedly in the value of Armenian
education. The support of the Hagopians during their lifetime and after
their death through a generous bequest is another factor in the continuing
challenging and high caliber educational opportunity provided by the school.

St. Gregory of Datev Institute

Now in its 18th year, the St. Gregory of Datev Institute is a weeklong
summer program in a pleasant, nurturing environment where young students
experience worship, learning and fellowship. Promoting healthy minds in
healthy bodies, the Institute provides a faith-based four-year program of
studies for youth ages 13 and older. Many of the teens who complete the
program return for postgraduate studies. The Institute is organized by the
Eastern Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). Natalia
Sadaniantz, a third level Datevatzi from Providence, Rhode Island, noted,
“This is my third year at Datev and each year it has been getting better and
better. I have learned so much and this year I am learning Krapar. I love
learning languages and classical forms of languages.”

Siamanto Academy

The Siamanto Academy is designed for high school students who are
graduates of Armenian schools. The Academy offers accredited, college-level
courses in Armenian studies and history, as well as Christian studies.
Organized by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), the Academy
serves as a gateway to higher cultural awareness, preparing students for
effective leadership. The Academy meets every Saturday during the school
year in Woodside, New York. The Siamanto Academy is a prime example of ANEC’s
mission of maintaining the Armenian language and culture in America. ANEC is
a co-sponsorship of the Eastern Prelacy and the Armenian Relief Society.

Armenian Sisters Academy

For more than 35 years the Armenian Sisters Academy in Radnor,
Pennsylvania, has been providing exceptional Armenian American education to
students in the Philadelphia area. The Academy is a fully accredited
Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade school that teaches Armenian language,
culture, and history as part of its core curriculum. More than half of the
Academy’s seventh and eighth grade students are invited to participate in
the Johns Hopkins University Academic Talent Search each year. A
prerequisite of the search is that the students selected score 97% or better
on National Standardized Testing. The Armenian Sisters Academy team was the
winner of this year’s Jeopardy Tournament sponsored by the Armenian National
Education Council (ANEC).

Donations to the Pashalian Fund, which is part of the Eastern Prelacy’s
Endowment Fund, can be made at any time. For information about this Fund
contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
09/27/2004
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1) Senate Reverses Administration Effort to Break Military Parity Agreement
2) French Deal Blow to Turkey EU Hopes
3) Chinese-Armenian Relations to Enter New Stage, Says Chinese President
4) ARF Lebanon Meets with President Emile Lahoud
5) Armenian Caucus Rallies Congressional Opposition to Increasingly Violent
Anti-Armenian Rhetoric by Azerbaijan

1) Senate Reverses Administration Effort to Break Military Parity Agreement

Joins House in Restoring Parity in Military Aid Allocations to Armenia and
Azerbaijan

WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)Armenian Americans welcomed the adoption by the Senate,
last Friday evening, of a $19.6 billion fiscal year 2005 foreign aid bill that
earmarks at least $75 million in economic aid for Armenia, provides another
$8.75 million in military aid, a $2.5 million appropriation for Mountainous
Karabagh, and reverses the Administration’s efforts to tip the balance of US
military aid toward Azerbaijan.
“We appreciate the leadership of Senator McConnell and the support of all of
our friends on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee in constructively
addressing
the many provisions of the foreign aid bill that hold special meaning for the
Armenian American community,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “In
particular, we welcome the Senate’s reversal of the ill-advised effort to
break
the military aid parity agreement, as well as its decision to increase the aid
level for Armenia beyond the figure in both the Administration’s and the
House’s version of the bill. At the same time, we regret that the Senate, in
failing to include language similar to the Schiff Amendment, missed an
opportunity to send a clear message to Turkey that the US government will not
tolerate its shameful denial of the Armenian Genocide.”
The restoration of military aid parity by the Senate follows similar action
taken by the House earlier this year. In February of 2005, the
Administration’s
budget proposal recommended breaking the agreement struck between the White
House and Congress in late 2001 during discussions over Section 907, to keep
military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan at equal levels. The White House
proposal would have allocated roughly four times more Foreign Military
Financing (FMF) assistance to Azerbaijan ($8 million) than Armenia ($2
million). The House version of the foreign aid bill set the FMF figures at $5
million for each country. The Senate bill adopted last night sets the FMF
level
for both countries at $8 million, with an additional $750,000 to each country
for International Military Education and Training (IMET).
The Senate version of the foreign aid bill did not include Schiff Amendment
language. This provision, adopted unanimously by voice vote in the US House
this July, restricts the government of Turkey from using any of the aid it
receives from this appropriation to lobby against the adoption of the
Congressional Genocide Resolution.
The FY 2005 Foreign Operations bill, which was adopted by voice vote, was $210
million above the House version, and $1.7 billion below the Administration
request. The bill includes $150 million in emergency funds for Global HIV AIDS
and $75 million in emergency funds for peacekeeping in Sudan. The $75 million
hard earmark for Armenia is $10 million more than the figure approved by the
House and $13 million over the Administration’s $62 million budget request. By
contrast, foreign aid levels to neighboring Caucus countries include $38
million to Azerbaijan and $100 million for Georgia.

2) French Deal Blow to Turkey EU Hopes

PARIS (Reuters)Turkey will not join the European Union for at least 15 years
and could only do so once France had held a referendum on the issue, French
Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said on Sunday.
“The membership of Turkey, in the best of cases, will not happen for 15
years,”
he told LCI television. “A decision as important as the membership of
Turkey in
Europe could only be taken after there had been a referendum in France.”
Sarkozy, who plans to quit the Finance Ministry in November to lead France’s
ruling conservative party, said he had reservations about Turkey joining the
25-member bloc.
He was skeptical about the idea “not because it is a Muslim country but
because
Turkey alone represents the membership of the 10 countries [mainly] from
eastern Europe,” he said, referring to the countries that joined the bloc this
year.
Sarkozy made his comments after French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin
voiced misgivings on Thursday about Turkey joining the bloc, asking if Europe
really wanted “the river of Islam to enter the riverbed of secularism.”
Raffarin said Turkey had made progress in adjusting its laws and institutions
to EU standards under Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, but queried the
overwhelmingly Muslim but secular state’s ability to stay the course.
Turkey cleared a hurdle on its path towards EU membership on Sunday when its
parliament approved a new penal code which will boost women’s rights and
punish
police more severely for torture.
The European Commission is due to present an assessment on October 6 of
whether
Turkey has met the political and economic criteria which would enable it to
start negotiations.

3) Chinese-Armenian Relations to Enter New Stage, Says Chinese President

BEIJING (Xinhuanet)China is ready to make joint efforts with Armenia to raise
bilateral relations to a new level, said Chinese President Hu Jintao on
Monday.
Hu made the remark in talks with visiting Armenian President Robert Kocharian,
who is on his first state visit to China as president.
Hu vowed to increase political trust, saying China and Armenia should carry
out
multi-channel and multi-layer exchanges, maintain political and diplomatic
consultations and strengthen communication in such international organizations
as the United Nations.
The two countries should find new ways to expand trade by taking advantage of
their trade cooperation committee, said Hu, adding that China encourages
Chinese companies to step up cooperation with Armenia and to increase their
investment in Armenia’s infrastructural construction.
Hu also advocated further exchanges and cooperation between the two countries
in the fields of culture, education, science and technology, health and
tourism.
Agreeing with the Chinese president, Kocharian said Armenia expects deepening
bilateral relations with China, since the growing relationship is of great
significance to Armenia.
China has accumulated much experience in the process of developing its market
economy and practicing opening-up policy, which provides a vital opportunity
for trade cooperation, said Kocharian.
Armenia recognizes China’s full market economy status, hoping the two sides
strengthen cooperation in such fields as energy, chemical industry,
agriculture
and technology, said Kocharian. The two sides could take proper measures to
help the entrepreneurs enhance exchange and understanding to expand
cooperation.
Hu said China and Armenia have treated each other with mutual respect and
equality since they forged diplomatic ties 12 years ago.
Hu said he appreciates Armenia’s diplomatic policy that puts priority on
relations with China, which was one of the first countries to recognize
Armenia
as an independent nation, and expressed thanks for Armenia’s firm support in
controversial areas such as Taiwan and Tibet.
Kocharian said the two countries have seen sound economic development and have
taken similar stances on international issues with no political problems.
Kocharian also stated that Armenia would continue to adhere to the “One-China
Policy” and support China’s reunification.
After the talks, the two heads of states signed a joint statement and attended
a signing ceremony for three cooperative agreements, including an agreement on
economic and technical cooperation.

4) ARF Lebanon Meets with President Emile Lahoud

BEIRUT (aztagdaily.com)A delegation representing the Central Committee of
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Lebanon met with Lebanese President
Emile Lahoud late last week at the presidential palace in Baabda.
The delegation officially congratulated President Lahoud on the extension of
his office, and conveyed hope that the coming three years would serve to
strengthen internal unity as well as overcome national difficulties.
They reviewed latest developments in Lebanon, the formation of the upcoming
government and Central Committee’s conception of that government.
They also disused the full-fledged participation of the Armenian community in
that cabinet, so as to receive proper representation.
Lahoud conveyed complete understanding of the situation.
ARF Lebanon CC representative Hovig Megerdichian, Lebanon’s Youth and Sports
Minister Sebouh Hovnanian, and Central Committee members Hagop Pakradouni,
Mardig Boghosian and Hovhannes Taslakian participated in the meeting.

5) Armenian Caucus Rallies Congressional Opposition to Increasingly Violent
Anti-Armenian Rhetoric by Azerbaijan

— Co-Chairmen Urge 141 Members of Caucus to Voice their Concerns in a letter
to President Bush

WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)–Congressmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone
(D-NJ) this week called on their colleagues in the Armenian Caucus to ask
President Bush to publicly condemn Azerbaijan’s war rhetoric and other
increasingly bellicose remarks against the Republic of Armenia and Mountainous
Karabagh.
In a “Dear Colleague” letter circulated this week, the Caucus Co-chairs
documented a series of violent threats on the part of senior Azerbaijan
leaders. Citing the dangers of remaining silent in the face of such angry
rhetoric, they urged their House colleagues to “join us in signing the
attached
letter to the President urging him and the Administration to condemn these
remarks and call upon the government of Azerbaijan to desist in making any
further threats against Armenia and Karabagh.” The letter to President Bush
stresses that, “efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict
are in the best interests of the United States and the region.”
The full texts of the Armenian Caucus “Dear Colleague” letter and the actual
letter to be sent to President Bush are provided below.

September 22, 2004

Azerbaijan’s War Rhetoric against Armenia Threatens Stability and
Undermines US Interests

Sign Letter to President Bush

Dear Colleague:

As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, we are writing to
urge you to sign the attached letter to President Bush imploring him to
publicly condemn the ongoing Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other increasingly
bellicose remarks made against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
Left unchecked these dangerous comments threaten stability in the region.
In July, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Azerbaijani
Defense Ministry spokesman called for Azerbaijan’s takeover of Armenia and
removal of its entire population.  He said, “In the next 25-30 years there
will
be no Armenian state in the South Caucasus. This nation has been a nuisance
for
its neighbors and has no right to live in this region. Present-day Armenia was
built on historical Azerbaijani lands. I believe that in 25 to 30 years these
territories will once again come under Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction.”
President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan
could launch a new war in Karabagh. Just two months ago, he stated, “At any
moment we must be able to liberate our territories by military means. To
achieve this we have everything.” Aliyev has directly linked Azerbaijan’s
economic progress to its military “superiority.” “Under these circumstances we
cannot react positively to those calling us to compromise.”
Given the challenges facing the United States following the seminal events of
September 11th and the war in Iraq, these irresponsible statements undermine
our short- and long-term policy goals of security, conflict resolution,
ensuring open borders and commercial corridors and regional cooperation for
the
South Caucasus. Furthermore, the Karabagh peace process will achieve
nothing if
Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war and predict ethnic cleansing with impunity.
To this end, we urge you to join us in signing the attached letter to the
President urging him and the Administration to condemn these remarks and call
upon the government of Azerbaijan to desist in making any further threats
against Armenia and Karabagh. For more information or to co-sign the letter,
please contact Craig Albright (5-5802) with Congressman Knollenberg.

Sincerely,

Joe Knollenberg
Member of Congress

Frank Pallone, Jr.
Member of Congress

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PRESS RELEASE

September 27, 2004

American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576

Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]

Continuing Zaven O. Kodjayan’s Legacy at AUA

If you ever visited Chicago in the 1970’s, 80’s or 90’s, you are sure to
have dined at Zaven’s Restaurant along Chicago’s prestigious lakefront. His
dining room was like an extension of his home. His guests, whether a young
couple on their first dinner date, an influential politician or religious
dignitary, or a world-known celebrity or athlete, were all treated like
royalty when they sat down for a meal at Zaven’s table. Zaven’s memory
allowed him to retain the names and faces of the countless people who passed
through his door.

What you may not know, is that Zaven Ohannes Kodjayan (1937-2002), was a
self-made man. He was the second of four sons born in Beirut, Lebanon.
Having left high school to work full time during days, and to learn the
hotel business at nights, he helped to provide vital support to his family.
At the age of 21, he left Lebanon to begin his life in the hotel and
restaurant industry at the Carlton Hotel in Kuwait. Thereafter, he moved to
Paris and was promoted to Assistant Manager at the world-renowned Georges –
V Hotel.

In 1968, several prominent businessmen from the United States invited
Mr.Kodjayan to Chicago. He was given the opportunity to open and manage an
exclusive new restaurant and club catering to Chicago’s elite. With nothing
but a suitcase and two carpets, Zaven crossed the Atlantic to begin his new
life in America. Shortly after the restaurant’s opening, Zaven was
introduced to a young Lebanese woman from Chicago. Zaven and Rhonda
married a year-and-half later, in 1970. Over the next several years, their
family grew – Nicole was born in 1972 and Dina in 1974.

By 1975, the motivation and drive that had propelled Zaven since childhood
allowed him to realize his dream. In October of that same year, Zaven’s
Restaurant was established. Over the next 28 years, Zaven opened his heart
to countless charities and causes. He was also devoted to helping the
Armenian people, coordinating humanitarian assistance to Armenia after the
1988 Earthquake. Although he became a great success in his life, Zaven
lived and died with one great regret – he was never afforded the opportunity
to complete his education.

In his memory, his family established the Zaven O. Kodjayan Scholarship Fund
at the American University of Armenia, pledging at least $60,000 over 20
years, to assist qualified students in their pursuit of higher education.
“Zaven would wish for a young person to be given the gift of an education
that he so greatly desired for himself,” stated Mrs. Rhonda Kodjayan. AUA
Public Health Professor, Dr. Ara Tekian, who introduced Mrs. Kodjayan to
AUA, said, “Zaven was a jewel in the Armenian community. His generosity and
dedication to Armenia and Armenian causes is unsurpassed. He was a true
philanthropist working behind the scene. We miss him dearly.” AUA
President Haroutune Armenian gratefully acknowledged the Kodjayan family’s
generosity, “When we visited his restaurant, Mr. Kodjayan always made sure
we were treated well like family. I hope that our AUA students will be
inspired by his entrepreneurial success, spirit of giving and humility.”
—————————————-

The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit

Photo: Mr. & Mrs. Zaven and Rhonda Kodjayan

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Independence of the psyche

Editorial
Yerkir/am
September 24, 2004

The current internal political situation that many people qualify
as a crisis does not have merely political causes and consequently
cannot be resolved by merely political means.

The problem is not political but social. Thus the solutions must
be sought in the domain of social psychology and collective social
consciousness if we want those solutions to be sustainable and not
superficial.

Changes in the collective psyche and consciousness imply measures
directed at the consolidation of collective dignity and self-respect,
self-sufficiency and independence.

The psychology of self-sufficiency and independence must be
consolidated both at the individual and national levels. The feeling
of social unity and conciliation cannot be artificially imported
from abroad unless real foundations for its consolidation are created
within the society. Without the reunification of the society on the
basis of a feeling of self-respect it will not be possible to resolve
the political crisis.

Unfortunately, we have to state that independence has remained a legal
fact without turning into a psychological reality. The independence
and self-sufficiency of the collective consciousness must become the
basis for the formation of a unique Armenian line which must be rooted
in the collective psyche before it can become a political doctrine
and behavioral norm.

The existing situation can be resolved through real social initiative
aimed at the transformation of the social environment. This process
must aim at the formation of the Armenian line, in other words it
must be a social consensus around national interests based on the
psychology of self-sufficiency and independence.

This social process must stimulate confidence in our strength; it must
generate a new wave of patriotism and self-respect. This new wave is
the only force capable of restoring true patriotism. The reunification
of the society is possible only on the basis of a new pathos.

The Armenian line implies a grand vision of the future, a vision of
how the society sees itself in 10, 20, 50 years perspective. It should
not be a theoretical but an idealistic vision. The social pathos must
unite people around this ideal, this dream. The party ideologies must
be pro-Armenian rather than being pro-Russian or pro-Western. They
must be functional tools rather than being an end in themselves.

The political domain must be formed in such a way as to ensure the
necessary flexibility vis a vis the external players. Ideological
differences should never cause hostility. Rather, they should ensure
the flexibility of the society while being united around the same
pathos.

Gazprom’s involvement in Iran-Armenia pipeline to be discussed

The Moscow Times

Hot News

Interfax. Monday, Sep. 27, 2004, 9:36 PM Moscow Time

YEREVAN. Sept 27 (Interfax) – The Russian-Armenian interparliamentary
commission on economic cooperation is planning to discuss the
involvement of Russia’s Gazprom in the construction of the gas
pipeline connecting Iran and Armenia in mid-October, a source in
the Armenian government told Interfax. Gazprom intends to offer its
cooperation on the construction of the 41 km long Armenian section
of the pipeline connecting the town of Megri (located on the Iranian
border) to the town of Kadzharan (320 km southeast of Yerevan) and
also on the reconstruction of the pipeline connecting Kadzharan and
Yerevan (which has a pipe diameter of 500 to 700 mm).

The cost of building the Armenian section of the pipeline exceeds the
$30 million loan provided for this purpose by the Export Development
Bank of Iran, which increases Gazprom’s chances of participating in
the project

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

=================================================

Monday 27 September 2004
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: WHY CAN’T BAPTIST CHURCH FUNCTION?

Masis Mailyan, deputy foreign minister of the unrecognised enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh, has insisted to Forum 18 News Service that, despite the
latest police raid on a Baptist congregation, the enclave follows the
commitments contained in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, telling Forum 18 that “there are no restrictions on believers
and all confessions are equal.” However he contradicted himself by
stating, contrary to Article 18, that, under the martial law that has
operated since 1992, only registered organisations can exist and that
Baptists “cannot hold services.” Mailyan denied that only the
Armenian Apostolic Church is allowed to function, but admitted that it is
the only registered religious community. Other local Protestants have told
Forum 18 that pressure on their work has eased in recent years and their
congregations can function quietly, so it is unclear why the Baptists have
been singled out for the authorities’ continuing hostility.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH: WHY CAN’T BAPTIST CHURCH FUNCTION?

By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service

In the wake of the latest police raid on a Baptist church in the capital
Stepanakert, the deputy foreign minister of the unrecognised
Nagorno-Karabakh republic, Masis Mailyan, has insisted to Forum 18 News
Service that as long as martial law remains, only registered organisations
– religious or otherwise – are allowed to exist. “The
Baptist congregation has not applied for registration with the Justice
Ministry – its meetings are not sanctioned,” he told Forum 18
from Stepanakert on 27 September. “So they cannot hold services.”
He denied suggestions that only the Armenian Apostolic Church is allowed to
function in Nagorno-Karabakh, but admitted it is the only religious
community that has gained registration.

Nagorno-Karabakh has been under martial law since 1992, when bitter
conflict was raging between the local Armenian population and the
Azerbaijani government, a conflict which ended in de facto victory for the
local Armenian forces. The presidential decree imposing martial law –
renewed annually by the parliament in Stepanakert – imposes
restrictions on civil liberties, including banning the activity of
“religious sects and unregistered organisations”, banning
demonstrations and imposing media censorship.

Six police officers and one man in civilian clothes raided the prayer house
in the evening of 20 September, Baptist sources told Forum 18 on 21
September. “Without presenting any documents they immediately began
looking round the premises,” the Baptists complained. “When asked
to present a search warrant they responded that it wasn’t a search but a
look around.” The police were “especially interested” in the
literature published by the Baptist Council of Churches, seizing 32 copies
of the Russian-language Herald of Truth, including a supplement in
Armenian, 100 tracts and other publications.

The Baptists reported that after the first such raid, the police later
returned the confiscated literature, but this has not happened after either
the second or this latest raid.

Church worker Feliks Mamiev was then taken to the police station and
questioned for more than two hours. “They were basically interested in
the life of the church,” the Baptists reported. “They said that
in Nagorno-Karabakh, martial law is in force and therefore no-one apart
from the Armenian Apostolic Church has the right to conduct meetings.”
Police seized Mamiev’s passport and banned him from travelling anywhere.

Mamiev’s church in Stepanakert belongs to the International Council of
Churches of Evangelical Christians/Baptists, which rejects registration on
principle in all the post-Soviet republics where it operates.

Forum 18 was unable to reach Nagorno-Karabakh’s police chief Armen Isagulov
on 27 September to find out why the Baptists cannot meet for worship freely
and keep religious literature, but an official in his office who did not
give his name refused to discuss the police raid on the Baptist prayer
house. “No-one can answer your questions,” he told Forum 18,
before putting the phone down.

The Stepanakert Baptist congregation has faced problems in recent years.
Church member Tigran Nazaretyan was beaten up and threatened in September
last year for running a street library, and police confiscated books from
the church (see F18News 3 November 2003
). In February 2002
police raided meetings, confiscated books and deported 24-year-old Arsen
Teimurov, who had returned to his native Karabakh after becoming a Baptist
while in prison in Ukraine.

Despite the latest pressure on the Baptist congregation, Mailyan insisted
that Nagorno-Karabakh – which as an unrecognised republic cannot sign
up to international human rights agreements – abides by international
religious freedom commitments. “Religious freedom officially exists
here just as it does in other states,” he told Forum 18. “There
are commitments in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
– we follow these. There are no restrictions on believers and all
confessions are equal.”

Other Protestant churches have told Forum 18 that pressure on their work
has eased in recent years and their congregations can function quietly.
“The situation is now open and our church is growing,” one
Protestant told Forum 18 on 27 September. “Within the last month we
held a conference without problems.” It remains unclear why the
Baptist congregation has been singled out for pressure.

A printer-friendly map of the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh is
available at
;Rootmap=azerba
within the map titled ‘Azerbaijan’.
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved.

You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News

Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at

=================================================

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

September 27, 2004

The Life and Work of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian
Will be Memorialized on Friday, October 15

NEW YORK, NY – In just two months the first anniversary of the
passing of His Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian will be marked with
appropriate requiem services in all Prelacy churches. Here in New York,
where he served as the leader of the Eastern Prelacy for twenty years,
his life and work will be remembered in a Memorial Tribute on Friday
evening, October 15. The commemorative program will take place at
St. Peter’s Church, 619 Lexington Avenue (at 54th Street), at 7:30 p.m.

Organized by the Hamazkayin of New York, the tribute is under the
auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of
the Eastern Prelacy. The gathering will hear addresses by Dr. Ashot
Melkonian, Director of the Institute of History of the Academy of
Sciences in Armenia, and the Honorable Judge Sarkis Teshoian, who
served as chairman of the Prelacy’s Executive Council during the
Archbishop’s tenure in New York.

The cultural portion of the evening will feature the well-known singer
Hasmik Mekhanedjian and Janet Marcarian on the organ. The opening
words of welcome will be delivered by Mrs. Arevig Caprielian and
Dr. Herand Markarian will serve as the evening’s master of ceremonies.

Perhaps the most poignant portion of the program will be a video
presentation of the “Life and Work of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian.” The
video presentation was prepared with the use of archival still
photographs and videos. It is narrated in the Archbishop’s own words,
in his own voice.

The late Archbishop, who died unexpectedly on December 2, 2003, during
a visit to the New York area, served the Armenian Church for decades
with passion and fervor. His service in the United States was preceded
by his service as Prelate of New Julfa/Isfahan in Iran. He assumed
the office of Prelate in the United States in January 1978 and for
twenty years he served the community in the United States and Canada,
with great distinction. His tenure was marked with a period of great
growth for the Eastern Prelacy, both in scope and numbers.

As Executive Director of the 1700th commemorative events of Christian
Armenia, he once again manifested his great talent and vision for
events that brought the faithful together and offered educational
benefits not only for Armenians, but also for everyone. He continued to
serve in Armenia after the death of Catholicos Karekin I. He worked
tirelessly to spread Christianity throughout Armenia, supported
countless ways to help the struggling population, and helped publish
dozens of books.

Archbishop Mesrob often spoke and wrote about the importance of
respecting the dead. In one essay he wrote, “Throughout history, it
has been observed that only the great nations of the world have known
how to respect their dead. In contrast, those nations who have severed
ties with their ancestors, have been doomed to extinction.” He often
quoted the late Catholicos Zareh I, who used to enjoy repeating the
words of a famous historian who upon analyzing the reasons for the fall
of Rome said, “Rome fell because Romans lost respect for their dead.”

Archbishop Mesrob will be remembered for time immemorial because of
his extraordinary life and work. New York’s Hamazkayin is honored to
present this memorial tribute in remembrance of a great humanitarian
and clergyman whose greatest joy was working for the benefit and
strength of the Armenian church and nation.

Archbishop Oshagan, a fellow member of the Cilician Brotherhood and
lifelong friend of the late Archbishop, will deliver the evening’s
concluding words and benediction.

Admission is free. Further information is available at 718-459-2757.