MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
1 December 2004
Conference on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the European Cultural
Convention to be held in Vrotslav (Poland) on December 9-11
On December 1st, the bureau of the ministerial envoys of the Council of
Europe nominated the Permanent Representative of Armenia, Ambassador
Christian Ter-Stepanyan, for presidency of the group of rapporteurs of the
Committee of Ministers of the CE on education, culture, sport, youth and
ecology issues. He will present the Committee of Ministers at the
Conference on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of European Cultural
Convention, to be held in Vrotslav, Poland, December 9-11.
Ministers of Culture and Education of the European Cultural Convention
member-states will participate at the Vrotslav conference as well as
representatives from a number of international organizations.
Mr. Sergo Eritsyan, Minister of Education will head the Armenian delegation
at the conference.
A “Vrotslav Declaration” will be approved at the Conference. It will outline
the plan for further cultural cooperation within Europe, as well as for
within the frame of the CE.

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact: Marc A. Mamigonian
LECTURE ON HISTORIC MAPS OF ARMENIA
AT NAASR CENTER AND PROVIDENCE, RI
London-based author and map collector Rouben Galichian presented an
illustrated lecture highlighting the creation and contents of his
recently published book Historic Maps of Armenia: The Cartographic
Heritage on December 2, 2004, to a large and enthusiastic audience
at the Headquarters of the National Association for Armenian Studies
and Research (NAASR) in Belmont, MA.
The lecture was the North American launch of the book and the first
of two New England lectures by Galichian. The second, under the
joint sponsorship of NAASR and the Armenian Historical Association
of Rhode Island, will take place on Thursday, December 9, at 7:30
p.m. at the Armenian Euphrates Evangelical Church, 13 Franklin Street,
Providence, RI.
Inspired by Beauty of Maps
Galichian discussed his early interest in maps and mapmaking which
eventually led to the creation of a substantial map collection
of his own and to the book Historic Maps of Armenia. He spoke of
his awe viewing rare maps in the British Library, which houses an
enormous collection, and of his appreciation for the aesthetics of the
maps themselves, many of which he regards as works of art. Indeed,
as Galichian presented slides of more than one hundred of the maps
that appear in his book, some of which represent geography in a way
scarcely if at all recognizable, it was easy to see how one could
view them as artistic creations first and foremost.
He explained that in addition to being motivated by a desire to share
the beauty of maps he wanted to impart to young people some of his own
enthusiasm for the field of cartography and to enkindle an interest
in them.
Maps As Political Tools
Another major motivation, Galichian explained, was political. Maps have
a political and historical importance as they reflect power relations
among nations and convey an image of the world that reflects the view
of those who produce them. Hence, some Turkish and Azeri mapmakers
exclude Armenia from their maps altogether or else minimize it. Many
of the maps Galichian showed, made by Europeans, Turks, Persians,
and others through the centuries, demonstrate the existence of Armenia
as a geographic entity for at least 2,600 years.
Historic Maps of Armenia: The Cartographic Heritage is for sale in
the NAASR bookstore and will be available for signing by the author
at the Providence lecture on December 9.
Special Saturday Holiday Open House
The NAASR Headquarters, including the Armenian Book Clearing House,
will be open on Saturday, December 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for
a special Holiday Open House. These will be the only weekend hours
for the bookstore during the holiday season.
The NAASR Center and Headquarters is located opposite the First
Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. Ample parking is
available around the building and in adjacent areas.
More information about the lecture in Providence, Historic Maps
of Armenia, or NAASR’s Holiday Open House, is available by calling
617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing
to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

NONE OF TWO PRESIDENTS ABLE TO PUT AN END TO KARABAKH CONFLICT
A1 Plus | 20:25:20 | 06-12-2004 | Politics |
Vox Populi center conducted another phone survey questioning 668
Yerevan residents. The question was about who can better solve
Karabakh problem – current president Robert Kocharyan or former
president Levon Ter-Petrossyan.
53 percent of respondents said “none of them” or “it’s difficult
to answer”. 26% of the questioned believe Kocharyan can solve the
problem and 21% said Ter-Petrossyan.
The second question was “do you think as a result of the conflict
settlement we no longer can reckon on better result than in 1997”.
35% said “yes”, 21% agreed partly, 23% said “no” and 21% gave no
answer.
Most of the respondents found military operations resumption between
Armenia and Azerbaijan unlikely. Only 21% of the questioned think
war can resume.

Turkey’s first Armenian museum opens in Istanbul
Agence France Presse
Dec 6 2004
ISTANBUL, Dec 5 (AFP) – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday
opened the first museum in Turkey dedicated to the country’s Armenian
minority, which he said would help dispel accusations that genocide
was committed against Armenians under Ottoman rule.
“This museum will throw light on history for current and future
generations,” Erdogan said at the opening ceremony of the museum
inside a 175-year-old Armenian hospital in Istanbul.
“Anyone who casts an eye on the pieces in this museum will get a
straight look at our common history,” he said.
Erdogan was referring to Armenian accusations that up to 1.5 million
of their kinsmen were massacred in orchestrated killings nine decades
ago under the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of modern Turkey.
Turkey categorically rejects claims of genocide and says 300,000
Armenians and thousands of Turks were killed in civil strife as the
Ottoman Empire fell apart, with Armenian rebels siding with invading
Russian troops.
“Instead of allowing (museum) pieces such as this to throw light
on history, facts are being distorted through speculation and
disinformation,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish leader said Turks and Armenians had lived peacefully in
the region for centuries and pledged that his government would watch
over the rights of the Armenian minority.
“As the prime minister of this country, I deem it a duty to protect
the rights of these citizens along with others and to stand by them
in good times and bad”, Erdogan said.
Turkey, an aspiring candidate for membership of the European Union,
is under pressure from the 25-nation bloc to enable its recognized
minorities and the Kurds to fully exercise their rights.
Turkey, basing itself on the terms of the Lausanne Treaty of 1923,
recognizes only non-Muslim Turks — Armenians, Greeks and Jews —
as minorities, but not the more than 13 million Kurds living in
the southeast.

OSCE FOREIGN MINISTERS COUNCIL SITTING COMMENCES IN SOFIA
[December 06, 2004, 23:26:24]
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 6 2004
The 12th sitting of the OSCE Foreign Ministers Council has commenced
in Sofia, 6 December. Delegation of Azerbaijan led by foreign
minister Elmar Mammadyarov attends the action.
On the eve, a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia with participation of the OSCE MG co-chairs was held in
Sofia. Discussed were a number of questions connected to settlement
of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, and stressed
necessity of active and efficient continuation of the negotiation
process in the near future. Starting from this, there was reached
agreement to hold next round of meeting in format of Prague meeting
of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia during forthcoming
meeting of the ministers of NATO Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council on
9 December in Brussels. In the Sofia meeting, also was discussed the
question initiated by the Azerbaijan side on sending a fact-finding
mission of OSCE to the region connected to illegal replacement of
population in the occupied territories.
Speaking on the first day of meeting, foreign minister of Azerbaijan
Elmar Mammadyarov attracted attention of participants to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict. He, in particular,
said that Armenia, attempting to strengthen sequences of its military
aggression in the occupied Nagorny Karabakh region of the Azerbaijan
Republic, pursues active policy of replacement of population in the
occupied territories, which is contradicts international humanitarian
law. This especially contradicts the 1949 Geneva Convention. He also
stated that Azerbaijan adheres peaceful settlement of the problem in
the frame of international legal principles and norms, relevant
resolutions of the UN Security Council, and documents of OSCE. He
noted that Azerbaijan stands ready to normalize the relations with
Armenia, but Armenia should observe international legal and
democratic principles and not base on the realities it gained by
force and territorial claims. The Minister, positively assessing the
Prague meetings, expressed his concern with illegal re-settlement of
population in the occupied territories that seriously impedes the
negotiation process and called on the OSCE to make its contribution
in settlement of the problem.
In the frame of sitting, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has held meetings
with the EU commissioner on foreign relations and European
Neighboring Policy Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, OSCE Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights Bureau director Christian Stroghal,
special envoy of the OSCE Chairman-In-Office on Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict Phillip Dmitrov, as well as heads of the delegations of
Turkey, Belgium, Austria and Greece.
The 12th sitting of the OSCE ministerial Council will continue on 7
December.

ERDOGAN OPENS ARMENIAN MUSEUM
Turkiye, Turkey
Dec 6 2004
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday officially opened an
Armenian museum in Istanbul. Speaking at its opening, Erdogan said
that Turks and Armenians had lived together in peace for centuries.
Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II was also present at the gathering.
/Turkiye/

Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Advertiser, Australia
The Mercury, Australia
Dec 7 2004
On this day: 07dec04
1988 – Huge earthquake in Soviet Armenia claims at least 25,000
lives.
1815 – France’s Marshal Ney is shot after a treason trial for aiding
Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo.
1841 – Edward John Eyre arrives in Albany, Western Australia, after
first crossing of the Nullarbor Plain.
1858 – French and Spanish announce blockade of Cochin, China.
1889 – Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera The Gondoliers premieres in
London.
1895 – Ethiopians defeat Italians at Ambia Alagi, Abyssinia.
1901 – England and Italy agree on settling Sudan frontier.
1907 – Commonwealth and South Australia agree on the transfer of
Northern Territory to the Commonwealth.
1921 – Austria and United States resume diplomatic relations.
1922 – Northern Ireland votes for nonalignment in Irish Free State.
1940 – The British attack larger Italian forces in Libya by surprise,
capturing 40,000 prisoners in three days.
1941 – Japanese planes attack the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, destroying many aircraft and ships and precipitating the US
declaration of war on Japan.
1949 – Nationalist government of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek,
fleeing the Communist takeover of mainland China, establishes its
seat of government in Taiwan.
1952 – Riots break out in French Morocco.
1953 – David Ben-Gurion resigns as premier of Israel.
1965 – Pope Paul VI and ecumenical patriarch Athenagoras I of
Istanbul abolish the mutual excommunications of 1054 that split
Christianity into Catholic and Orthodox.
1970 – East Pakistan-based Awami League wins a majority government in
Pakistan’s general elections. In response, President Agha Mohammed
Yahya Khan suspends the government, triggering widespread rioting in
East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Deep divisions between East and West
Pakistan lead to civil war.
1971 – Unmanned Soviet space capsule sends back radio and television
signals from planet Mars.
1972 – Imelda Marcos, wife of Philippines’ President Ferdinand
Marcos, is slashed during public ceremony in Manila by man who is
killed at the scene.
1974 – Archbishop Makarios returns to Cyprus after five months in
exile, and says he will pardon those who plotted his overthrow.
1975 – Indonesia invades East Timor.
1988 – Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, at United Nations,
announces unilateral reduction of his country’s troops, tanks, combat
aircraft and artillery; Huge earthquake in Soviet Armenia claims at
least 25,000 lives.
1989 – Republic of Lithuania abolishes constitutional guarantee of
communist supremacy and legalises multiparty system.
1990 – GATT talks among 107 nations are suspended after failure to
end impasse between US and EC over reductions in farm subsidies.
1992 – The Indian Government announces a ban on fundamentalist groups
after more than 200 Muslim and Hindus are killed and a Muslim shrine
in Ayodhya is demolished.
1993 – Ivory Coast President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Africa’s
longest-serving ruler, dies.
1994 – PLO chairman Yasser Arafat pledges to protect Israelis from
militant Islamic terrorists and insists that all Palestinians on the
West Bank and in Gaza respect his authority as “the law.”
1994 – President Sam Nujoma’s ruling South-West Africa People’s
Organisation wins more than two-thirds of the vote in Namibian
national elections.
1995 – Australian Federal Court finds Aboriginal Affairs Minister
Robert Tickner failed to follow due process in placing a 25-year ban
on the Hindmarsh Island Bridge.
1995 – A probe from the Galileo spacecraft enters the gases of
Jupiter’s atmosphere and sends back 75 minutes of data before it
disintegrates.
1996 – After nearly 18 days aloft, Columbia and its astronauts return
to Earth, ending the longest space shuttle flight ever.
1997 – One Austrian and two American skydivers are killed when their
parachutes fail to open over the South Pole.
1998 – President Boris Yeltsin rouses himself from his sickbed for
three hours, fires several of his top aides and then returns to a
Kremlin hospital where he is recuperating from pneumonia.
1999 – A teenage student apparently bent on revenge opens fire inside
a high school in the Netherlands, wounding a teacher and four
students in the first school shooting in Dutch history.
2000 – Activists protesting near a European Union summit in Nice,
France, set fire to a bank and attack fire services when they arrive
to put out the blaze. Many arriving leaders wipe tears from their
eyes after officials sprayed tear gas at protesters.
2001 – A consortium of philanthropic foundations announces an
initiative to provide treatment for an estimated 2.5 million pregnant
women infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.
2001 – Americans hold services on the 60th anniversary of the Pearl
Harbor attack.
2002 – Iraq turns over to United Nations weapons inspectors a
document detailing its weapons of mass destruction programs and
industries with military applications, as required by a November UN
Security Council resolution.
2002 – Miss Turkey, Azra Akin, wins the Miss World competition
relocated to London from Nigeria. This followed the death of more
than 200 people in violence between Nigerian Christians and Muslims,
sparked by a newspaper article viewed by many Muslims as blasphemous.
2003 – Commonwealth leaders uphold their 18-month suspension of
Zimbabwe after tense debate that threatens to split Western and
developing-world members – and Zimbabwe, snubbed, withdraws from the
bloc of Britain and its former colonies. Commonwealth heads of state
declare Mugabe’s outcast status would stand until he made demanded
human rights and democratic reforms in his increasingly troubled
southern African nation.
–Boundary_(ID_sVlWsWdhg2UMPq3K8Bz18Q)–

Erdogan: All Sectors in Turkey are Essential
Zaman, Turkey
Dec 7 2004
While the critical December 17th European Union (EU) summit quickly
approaches, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a
message to Europe about Turkey’s provisions toward minorities.
Yesterday, Erdogan spoke at the opening ceremony of the Yedikule Surp
Pirgic Armenian Hospital Foundation Museum in Istanbul. “In my heart,
this museum is a humanity museum.”
After voicing that all sectors living in Turkey are essential
elements of Turkey, the Prime Minister added: “We, as being the
children of this country, have lived together in confidence and peace
for centuries. We protect our law with civic consciousness in a
friendship. It will be like that for all eternity.” The Director of
the Hospital, Setrat Tokat, revealed his support for Turkey’s
membership bid to the EU during his remarks.
While commenting about the art the hospital displays, Erdogan said
that no eye surveying the works should look at the history of the two
cultures with crossed eyes.
Erdogan stressed: “We have in our culture, in the words of Yunus
Emre, ‘we love the created because we love the Creator’. Loving all
created things is a task common to both of our beliefs. I am here
because of this.”
After remarking that all around, Anatolian people say, “I have an
Armenian master” Erdogan said, “We cannot separate our trade,
architecture, folk music, and cuisine from each other.”
Erdogan reminded the audience that Sultan II commissioned the
Armenian hospital 172 years ago. Erdogan said that the paintings in
the museum documented a harmonious past while mass information and
speculations distort present attitudes.
12.06.2004
Baran Tas
Istanbul

Armenians Disappointed With Democratic Structures
Centre for Public Opinion and Democracy, Canada
Dec 6 2004
(CPOD) Dec. 6, 2004 – Many residents of Armenia are unhappy with thir
country’s outlook, according to a poll by the International
Foundation for Election Systems (IFES). 69 per cent of respondents
are dissatisfied with the overall situation in their country.
According to a Human Rights Watch report, hundreds of demonstrators
were detained in April and May during a series of protests against
the government. The offices of at least three opposition political
parties were raided.
President Robert Kocharyan was re-elected to a new four-year term in
March 2003 in an election marred by fraud allegations. 52 per cent of
respondents believe Armenia is not a democracy.
The Nagorno-Karabakh region is controlled by ethnic Armenians—who
consider the area an independent republic—but is claimed by
Azerbaijan as part of its territory. A war broke out in the early
1990s between both nations, ending in an unofficial truce negotiated
by Russia in 1994. Kocharyan was born in Nagorno-Karabakh and once
headed its government. Armenia is the only country that recognizes
Nagorno-Karabakh as a sovereign state.
Polling Data
Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the overall situation in the
country?
Satisfied
28%
Dissatisfied
69%
Is Armenia a democracy?
Not a democracy
52%
A democracy
12%
Both
31%
Don’t know
5%
Source: International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES)
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews to 1,606 Armenian adults,
conducted from Aug. 4 to Aug. 19, 2004. Margin of error is 2.4 per
cent.
–Boundary_(ID_cgF5N5x6NtTCm07srHlJrQ)–

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers discuss Karabakh in Sofia
Mediamax news agency
6 Dec 04
Yerevan, 6 December: A meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers, Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov, took place
on the sidelines of a regular meeting of OSCE ministers in Sofia on
Sunday 5 December.
The meeting was attended by the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group,
the Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reported. The foreign
ministers of the two countries discussed issues related to the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict and exchanged views on settlement
prospects.