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

Crossroads E-Newsletter August 5, 2004

CATHOLICOS ARAM I ISSUES STATEMENT
ON BOMBING OF CHRISTIAN SITES IN IRAQ
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, issued a
statement on the bombing of churches in Iraq on August 1. One of the
churches that was hit was the Armenian Catholic Church in Baghdad. The
Christian population in Iraq is estimated to be about 800,000 of which
approximately 20,000 are Armenians.
His Holiness said:
For centuries Christians and Muslims have lived together in the Middle
East. Centuries of coexistence, interaction and dialogue of life have
created close affinities in different spheres of society life as well as
common values and traditions. Therefore, the Christian-Moslem coexistence is
neither a conceptual notion nor an imposed reality, it is an integral and
inseparable part of the societies in the Middle East. Violence in all its
forms and expressions is against human and religious values and principles.
We have repeatedly stressed the need for dialogue, solidarity, mutual
tolerance, respect and understanding. Neither Islam nor Christianity will
accept violence as a way to solve problems. Bombing of Christian churches in
Iraq is a deep harm against the Christian-Moslem existence. Both Christians
and Moslems with their equal obligations and rights are co-citizens of the
Arab countries. It is my firm expectation that the government of Iraq will
take the necessary measures to protect the rights and the well being of all
citizens. It is also my expectations that Christians and Muslims in Iraq and
in different parts of the Middle East will continue their dialogue and
collaboration based on shared values and aspirations, and strengthen their
commitment to peace and justice.
We pray for peace and understanding in the entire region.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL TRAVEL
TO HOLY SEE OF CILICIA, ANTELIAS, LEBANON
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan will leave for Lebanon on
Wednesday, August 11, where he will meet with the Catholicos, His Holiness
Aram I. The church leaders will discuss various projects for next year
including programs related to the 75th anniversary of the Theological
Seminary of the See of Cilicia.
Archbishop Oshagan will also examine the papers of the late Archbishop
Zareh Aznavourian related to the church and especially the Bible translation
project he and the late Archbishop were collaborating on since the early
1980s. Archbishop Oshagan will also discuss with the Catholicos the ways and
means to continue the translation project. One of the final thoughts
expressed by Zareh Srpazan was his regret that the translation project was
unfinished.

PAN-ARMENIAN CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION IS UNDERWAY IN LEBANON
Initiated by His Holiness Aram I and organized by the Catholicate of
Cilicia, the Diaspora conference on Armenian education began today, August
5, in the main hall of the Theological Seminary in Bikfaya, Lebanon. The
theme of the conference is Armenian education in the Diaspora. Approximately
100 specialists and intellectuals from all communities of the Diaspora are
in attendance and will address this timely issue with their different
perspectives and contexts.
The conference began with a critical and analytical evaluation of the
present state of Armenian education in the Diaspora and will identify
emerging concerns and will endeavor to redefine Armenian education within
the context of new challenges and realities. The conference will continue
through Saturday, August 7.
The Minister of Education, the president of the Cultural and Educational
Commission of the Parliament and the president of the Armenian writers in
Armenia are expected to attend.
His Holiness addressed the opening session of the conference today and
will participate throughout the proceedings.
Ms Gilda Kupelian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Education
Committee (ANEC), Ms Nayiri Balanian, chair of ANEC, and Ms Houry Boyamian,
Principal of St. Stephen Elementary School in Watertown, Massachusetts, are
attending the conference.

75th ANNIVERSARY OF CILICIAN SEMINARY
TO BE COMMEMORATED NEXT YEAR
The year 2005 marks the 75th anniversary of the Theological Seminary of
the Holy See of Cilicia. His Holiness Aram I is expected to issue an
encyclical in January in honor of this occasion asking all dioceses within
the See of Cilicia to mark this occasion with appropriate commemorations.
Also celebrated next year is the 10th anniversary of the election and
consecration of His Holiness Aram I.
The Seminary’s anniversary will be marked at different times during the
entire year beginning in January through to December in all of the dioceses
within the jurisdiction of the Cilician See. His Holiness is expected to
attend the various commemorative events around the world, including the
Eastern Prelacy from October 21 to November 8.

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL PRESIDE
OVER ANDASTAN SERVICE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK
The Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, accompanied by V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan
Tanielian, Vicar General, and Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, Executive Director
of the Armenian Religious Education Council, will travel upstate New York to
the village of Mountaindale in the Catskill Mountains, where they will spend
the day with a large group of Armenian American vacationers this Saturday,
August 7. Archbishop Oshagan together with Hayr Anoushavan and Deacon Shant
will perform the Andastan service (Blessing of the Four Corners) and the
Blessing of Grapes ceremony.

COUNCIL OF EPHESUS REMEMBERED
This Saturday, August 7, the Armenian Church commemorates the Council of
Ephesus (431). The third general council was summoned by Emperor Theodosius
II in 431 to settle the Nestorian heresy. Nestorius was dethroned and exiled
to Egypt. The council affirmed the Nicene Creed and approved Theotokos
(Godbearer) as a title for the Virgin Mary.
Ephesus was the main city of the Roman province of Asia, at the
crossroads of the coastal route between Smyrna and Cyzicus. The temple of
Artemis in the city was one of the great wonders of the ancient world. Paul
took Christianity to Ephesus and stayed there for two years on his third
missionary journey (Acts, chapters 18 and 19).
Ephesus did not satisfy everyone and this led to a lasting schism in the
Church. Theologians attempted to formulate a compromise and met at
Chalcedon, on the eastern shore of the Bosporus across from Constantinople.
The Armenian Church did not attend and refused to accept the decisions of
the Council of Chalcedon on the nature of Christ and continued to abide by
the resolutions of the Council of Ephesus. The Armenian Church accepts the
legitimacy of three Ecumenical Councils: Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381),
and Ephesus (431).
In recent years there has been promising dialogue between the
Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonian churches. In a joint statement issued on
December 13, 1996, Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin I (of blessed
memory) welcomed the great advance that their churches have registered in
their common search for unity in Christ.

FAST OF ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
The Armenian Church celebrates eight feasts of the Holy Mother of God.
This Sunday, August 8, begins the Fast leading to the Feast of the
Assumption of the Holy Mother of God (Asdvadzadzin), which is next Sunday,
August 15.
The Armenian words Dzom and Pahk (fast and abstinence) are used
interchangeably, but actually Dzom means a total fast and Pahk means to
abstain from certain foods. (In Krapar the word Pahk applies for both). In
the Armenian Church Pahk means abstaining from all foods originating from
animals, including dairy products and eggs. There are about 160 days of
abstinence (Pahk) lasting one day, one week, and forty days. The week
before Asdvadzadzin is a week of abstinence. Fasting is always combined with
simple living and spiritual renewal through prayer.

When you fast, do not put on a sad face as the hypocrites do. They neglect
their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting. I assure
you, they have already been paid in full. When you go without food, wash
your face and comb your hair, so that others cannot know that you are
fasting. Only your Father, who is unseen, will know. And your Father, who
sees what you do in private, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18

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Former POWs deprived of state support, says Armenian rights champion

Arminfo
2 Aug 04

YEREVAN

Former POWs and hostages do not receive proper state assistance in
Armenia, the head of the non-government Centre to protect the rights
of POWs, hostages and missing persons, Karine Minasyan, has told
Arminfo. Minasyan is also an Armenian coordinator of the
international working group to release POWs and to trace missing
persons and hostages in the zone of the Karabakh conflict.

“The state renders assistance, although insufficient, to the families
of missing persons, whereas the former POWs and hostages get nothing,”
Minasyan said. She added that these people were forced to experience
the rehabilitation process alone. In addition, she said, there is a
negative attitude by the state structures and the people surrounding
them. “I can call this the Stalin syndrome’. If you have been
captured, this means that you are a spy. That is why, the POWs rarely
manage to return to normal life. I know only a few cases of this
kind,” Minasyan said.

Minasyan stressed that the former disabled POWs are the exception as
they have been registered as disabled and get a small pension. “But if
you are not a serviceman and disabled, do not expect the state’s
assistance,” Minasyan said. She spoke about her plans to appeal to
the Armenian parliament and state structures to propose that a
relevant draft law be prepared. We should note that the Centre was
registered in April last year, operates with the help of volunteers
and closely cooperates with the international working group to release
POWs and to trace missing persons and hostages in the zone of the
Karabakh conflict.

Kyrgyz president hails cooperation within CIS security body

Interfax news agency, Moscow
5 Aug 04

Cholpon Ata, 5 August: Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev is satisfied with the
level of military cooperation within the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO).

“Servicemen implement adopted decisions very quickly in contrast to us,
civilians,” Akayev said during a meeting with the defence ministers of CSTO member
states in Cholpon Ata today.

“The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces were set up in the region within a
short time. It became possible to create a powerful bastion such as Kant (the
Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan -Interfax-Kazakhstan) within a short period of
time,” the president said.

Commenting on the Rubezh-2004 coalition exercises taking place in Kyrgyzstan,
Akayev emphasized that these manoeuvres were of a large-scale nature. “These
are large-scale exercises, involving aircraft,” he said.

The president said: “The participation of the assault helicopter Black Shark
in them is adding special colour to the manoeuvres.”

He expressed his confidence that “the exercises will be successful since all
problems connected with their preparation have been settled”.

An Interfax-AVN news agency correspondent reports that Akayev met the defence
ministers of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and the
chief of staff of the Armenian armed forces.

The final phase of the Rubezh-2004 exercises will be held at the Kyrgyz
firing range Edelveys Edelweiss on 6 August.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Construction Industry Update for Armenia

BISNIS
August 5, 2004

BISNIS Trades & Tenders Leads:

Company: Comfort R&V

Product: glue for ceramic tiles, doors and windows, accessories for
swimming pools, swimming pool purification chemicals
Location: Yerevan, Armenia

Lead Link:

**********************************************************************
BISNIS Search for Partner Leads:

Company: Comfort R&V

Project Description: The company owns 17,000 sq.m. of land located
near the capital city of Yerevan where it plans to establish a large
trade center specializing in the wholesale and retail distribution of
building materials.

The total project cost is $4 million.

The company seeks a U.S. partner that would co-invest in the project.

Comfort R&V will finance 50% of the total project cost.

Location: Yerevan, Armenia

Lead Link:

**********************************************************************

NOTE: These opportunities are provided solely as an informational
service and do not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of
Commerce. Verification of these leads is the responsibility of the
reader.

BISNIS Programs available to you FREE OF CHARGE:
BISNIS ExpoLink Eurasia
BISNIS Trades & Tenders
BISNIS Search for Partners
BISNIS FinanceLink fm

For industry-specific information, please go to Construction Industry page at

********** Provided by: *********************************************
Irin a C. Mitchell, BISNIS Trade Specialist for Construction Industry
U.S. Department of Commerce
Tel: 202/482-3729, Fax: 202/482-2293
e-mail: [email protected]

Armenia’s ethnic minorities facing difficulties in preserving culture

Noyan Tapan news agency
2 Aug 04

YEREVAN

The Armenian government is currently elaborating a number of concepts
to preserve the cultural originality of the country’s ethnic
minorities. However, the chief of the Armenian government’s department
for ethnic minorities and religion, Granush Kharatyan, has said that
it is difficult for the ethnic minorities of Armenia to preserve their
originality simply because there are no areas predominantly populated
by them. In addition, she said, international experience testifies to
the fact that the preservation of ethnic peculiarities is possible
only if the ethnic minorities comprise at least 15-20 per cent of the
country’s population. Meanwhile, all 11 ethnic minorities living in
Armenia comprise only 2.2 per cent of the country’s population.

However, Kharatyan said, Armenia allocates 3m drams (about 5,500
dollars) every year for the publishing needs of the ethnic minorities,
as well as 20m drams about 35,650 dollars for their educational and
cultural needs.

The chairwoman of Armenia’s Jewish community, Rimma Varzhapetyan, told
our Noyan Tapan correspondent that there is a major need for the
aforesaid funds. She spoke highly about the government’s decision to
allocate premises to the House of Culture of the ethnic minorities. An
exhibition hall, a library, a concert hall, a language laboratory and
a gym will operate on these 800 sq.m.

However, she said, “there is a desire to achieve more”. She
particularly said that it is necessary to set up a joint web site and
a joint almanac of Armenia’s ethnic minorities with the help of the
state. She added that the ethnic minorities need a weekly programme on
Armenian Public TV, which is envisaged by the Council of Europe’s
Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities which
was also signed by Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri pundits assess Iranian leader’s visit differently

Ekspress, Baku
5 Aug 04

Text of Xazar Altay report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 5
August headlined “What does Khatami’s visit promise?”, subheaded
“Politicians think differently”

“One cannot expect any sensational development or turn in
Iranian-Azerbaijani relations in the near future,” ex-presidential
aide and political analyst Vafa Quluzada told Ekspress yesterday 4
August , commenting on Iranian President Mohammad Khatami’s visit to
our country today.

He said that Tehran had always established cooperation with Azerbaijan
on the basis of “mutual principles defined by Tehran” which are
unacceptable to Baku.

“We can never be the country which Iran wishes us to be. Under such
circumstances, Tehran has never accepted us, is not accepting us and
will not do so in the future either,” Quluzada said.

The political analyst, who touched upon the current
Iranian-Azerbaijani ties, said that cooperation in the economic, trade
and transport spheres are good.

“However, the political and military and technical ties have no
prospects. Iran is playing double games with us. We should either
stand this or protect ourselves,” Quluzada said.

He described Khatami’s visit to our country this time as a “tactical
and farsighted move”.

“The Iranian leadership wants to get Azerbaijan’s consent so that
official Baku establishes its relations with the West in line with
Tehran’s interests. In exchange, the mullahs will review their
cooperation with the Armenians,” political analyst Rasim Musabayov
told Ekspress.

He thinks that Khatami agreed to visit Azerbaijan after a long pause
because of “the new realities in the region”.

“Tehran simply wants to restore its presence in the region and counter
the anti-Iranian threats,” he said. Musabayov spoke about “the
existence of multilateral cooperation ties” between Baku and Tehran,
but added that Iran is not capable of compromising on the Caspian
status and cooperation with Armenia. As for the opening of the
Azerbaijani consulate in Tabriz, Musabayov regarded as impossible a
practical solution to the problem in the near future.

AMIP Azarbaycan Milli Istiqlal Party Chairman Etibar Mammadov thinks
that the Iranian president’s visit to our country will play an
important role from the viewpoint of mending bilateral ties. He thinks
that the progress in the resolution of contentious issues between the
two countries will depend on the results of the negotiations. “Iran is
a neighbouring country and it should have normal relations with its
neighbours,” Mammadov said.

Mubariz Qurbanli, an MP from the NAP ruling New Azerbaijan Party ,
described Khatami’s visit as a new stage in bilateral relations. He
added that the documents which are to be signed will strengthen the
political, economic and trade relations with Iran. He expressed the
hope that differences of opinions about some issues will be resolved
as well.

The DPA Democratic Party of Azerbaijan secretary-general, Akif
Sahbazov, said that Azerbaijan and Iran should have normal relations
since they are neighbours.

“I assume that the documents to be signed will have a positive impact
on the development of bilateral ties,” he said.

“President Khatami’s visit to Baku promises no good and this is
because the Iranian leadership is insincere in its relations with the
Republic of Azerbaijan,” according to the statement by the defence
committee of the National Revival Movement of South Azerbaijan NRMSA .

The statement says that the Iranian leadership has been preventing
Azerbaijan from opening its consulate in Tabriz. Turks of South
Azerbaijan northern Iran who are struggling for respect for their
national rights are being arrested, subjected to assimilation and are
not allowed to have schools in their mother tongue.

“This shows that Tehran applies double standards in its relations with
Baku.”

The authors of the statement, who demand an explanation from the
Iranian president over the arrest of the national movement’s activists
and the prominent Azerbaijani figures during their march to Fort Bazz
last month July , also think that Khatami’s intention to visit Azeri
poet Nizami’s grave in Ganca is not desired.

“As his predecessor Rafsanjani, Khatami also wants to gain ground by
saying that he visited ”the grave of the great Persian poet in
Azerbaijan”, the statement by the NRMSA defence committee said.

Armenian war veterans continue sit-in outside government building

Noyan Tapan news agency
5 Aug 04

YEREVAN

A sit-in of 20 azatamartiks freedom fighters – members of nine units
of the Artsakh Armenian name of Nagornyy Karabakh liberation movement,
which started on 3 August at Yerablur monument to martyrs in Yerevan ,
continued outside the Armenian government building at 0900 0400 gmt on
4 August. We should recall that the government is the addressee of
the protesters’ main demand: to allocate funds to provide their
families with flats.

A Noyan Tapan correspondent has learnt from the leader of the Armenian
Aryan Union, Armen Avetisyan, that representatives of the Defence
Ministry visited the protesters on the first day of their action.

Passage omitted: Background details

Armenian fund to restore “historical appearance” of Karabakh town

Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
5 Aug 04

Stepanakert , 4 August: The Shushi Susa fund has started work to
restore the historical appearance of the Armenian town-fortress. A
Noyan Tapan correspondent has learnt from the co-chairman of the fund,
Bakur Karapetyan, that all buildings are being measured. He said that
all 500 historical and cultural monuments are being registered.
According to expert calculations, he added, 100m dollars are necessary
for the restoration of Shushi.
From: Baghdasarian

Azeri, Armenian sociologists conduct joint opinion poll on peace

Ekho, Baku
30 Jul 04

Text of E. Huseynzada report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 30 July
headlined “95 per cent of Azerbaijani and Armenian citizens want
peace” and subheaded “This is the result of joint opinion poll
conducted in two countries”:

The citizens of Azerbaijan and Armenia are ready for inter-ethnic
peace. The results of the opinion poll that was conducted in the two
conflicting countries testify to this. The absolute majority of
respondents on both sides, 95 per cent, said that they were for peace
when answering the questions.

A press conference was held in Tbilisi to announce the results of the
opinion poll that was conducted by the Millennium Association for
Education and Research from Armenia and the Azerbaijani Sociological
Association. It was said at the press conference that the opinion poll
was conducted in the two countries for two months, and 2,400
respondents took part in the survey. In each country, 1,000
respondents from different towns participated. In addition, there were
200 Armenians who reside on the occupied territories in Karabakh and
200 Azeri internally displaced people from Karabakh among the
respondents.

The project was funded by the US-based American University Centre for
Global Peace. University of Texas Department of Sociology Professor
Jeffrey Halley, representative of the university, noted that he was
very surprised by the fact that the both sides of the conflict have so
many things in common. “When asked whether the re-establishment of
relations between the Azeris and the Armenians was desirable, 97 per
cent of Armenian respondents and 93.2 per cent of Azerbaijani
respondents replied in the affirmative,” Halley said. Meanwhile, the
representative of the American university pointed out the fact that 60
per cent of Armenians stipulate the so-called “independence” of
Nagornyy Karabakh as the main condition for “peace”. The release of
the occupied territory was cited as a top condition for 38 per cent of
the respondents from Azerbaijan, and 31.8 per cent deem the return of
the refugees to their land the main condition as published; in actual
report, 31.8 per cent of the respondents from the internally displaced
persons’ group listed the release of the occupied territory as the
condition for re-establishing relations .

According to Sevil Asadova from the Azerbaijani Sociological
Association, the sum of these two indicators (69.8 per cent) means
that the Azeris support the idea of the liberation of the occupied
Azerbaijani territories as published; the 69.8 per cent figure is not
encountered in the survey .

“The survey showed that 23 per cent of the respondents blame the
conflict on a third party, and 28.2 per cent – on the political elite
of Armenia,” Asadova said. President of the Millennium Rubina
Ter-Martirosyan also confirmed that the majority of the respondents
from Armenia blame the conflict on the “internal” forces, and only 14
per cent – on “external” ones. “In Armenia, 70.2 per cent of the
population obtain information about Azerbaijan mainly from TV, which
presents one-sided information. This situation has to be changed.”
figures in the preceding paragraph not present in the survey results
According to her, the idea of the joint study was conceived in 2000,
when she visited Baku and Sevil Asadova visited Yerevan under the
framework of a conference on problems of women. The researchers were
allocated 40,000 US dollars, which was split equally between the two
countries. The organizers intend to translate their reports into
Armenian and Azeri. Similar events will be held in Baku and Yerevan.
The full version of the reports can be read at
http:

ALL YEREVAN STREETS TO HAVE NAMEBOARDS OF NEW PATTERN TILL END OF THIS
YEAR

YEREVAN, August 5 (Noyan Tapan). The names of 160 streets, as well as
gardens, alleys and other units were changed in Yerevan during the
recent 15 years. But there are no boards with names and numbers of
streets not only in the renamed streets, but also in the streets
keeping their old names. It prevents to orient oneself in the city
rightly. Besides, according to Gagik Baghdasarian, Chief of the
Organization and Inspection Department of the Yerevan Mayor’s Office,
the absence of name-boards prevents from the normal work especially
during the elections and census. At the same time, Gagik Baghdasarian
noticed that the new patterns of name-boards, which will be of the
same kind in all the regions, are being elaborated now. He assured
that all Yerevan streets will have the boards of new pattern with
names of streets and numbers of houses till the end of this
year. Though according to the law the name-boards should be in
Armenian, it is possible that they will also include names in English
for tourists’ convenience.