ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
01/04/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Appeal to Community
2) New OSCE Chairman Headed to South Caucasus
3) Armenian Economy Again Rated Freest in CIS
4) Aliyev Says 2004 Marked Turning Point in Karabagh Negotiations
5) Prelate’s New Year’s and Christmas Message

1) Appeal to Community

ARF West Urges Assistance to Tsunami Victims

The December 26 natural disaster in Southwest Asia recognized no political
frontiers. The resulting death and destruction from that forceful tsunami once
again reveal that all of humanity belongs to one global family.
The entire world has rushed to provide aid to the victims of that disaster.
Approximately 15 years ago, at about the same time of the year, the world over
provided relief to Armenians when tragedy struck Armenia.
We believe that international peace and harmonious coexistence of nations are
permanent values, and mankind can overcome such calamities only through
cooperation.
We, therefore, appeal to all Armenians living in the Western region of the
United States, to follow the initiative taken by the Armenian Relief
Society as
well as the Diocese and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church to provide
necessary assistance to the tsunami victims, and contribute to the
humanitarian
drive to provide comfort to them. As a member of the global family of nations,
we should take the opportunity to convey our gratitude and assist those in
need.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation
US Western Region Central Committee

2) New OSCE Chairman Headed to South Caucasus

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The Azeri press reports that the new head of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Slovenian Foreign
Minister Dimitrij Rupel, will visit the South Caucasus in mid-January.
Rupel, who officially took over the OSCE chairmanship from Bulgaria on
January
1, will formally present the priorities of the new Chairmanship to the OSCE’s
55 participating States at its Permanent Council in Vienna on 13 January.
“The OSCE has always responded well to challenge and adversity,” Rupel
said at
the OSCE Ministerial Council in Sofia in 2004 December. “Its ability to adapt
has, over the years, become one of its greatest virtues and advantages.”
“The responsibility to make it stronger and more visible in the global arena
rests on us. Slovenia is resolute that the OSCE should have a strong role in
sowing the seeds of security and co-operation throughout its area and beyond,”
he said.

3) Armenian Economy Again Rated Freest in CIS

(Heritage Foundation, RFE/RL)–Armenia continues to boast the sole “mostly
free” economy in the ex-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States,
according to
The 2005 Index of Economic Freedom that was released on Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation, a leading Washington, DC
think tank, publish the Index annually, with the most current data
available on
taxes, tariffs, banking regulations, monetary policies and other information
for 161 countries worldwide.
Armenia’s aggregate score of 2.58, measured on a 5-point negative scale,
represents a slight improvement over the previous year, putting it in 42nd
place in the WSJ/Heritage rankings–just ahead of economic powerhouses like
France and South Korea. Armenia was 44th in the 2004 index that covered 155
nations. Its indicator of economic freedom has steadily improved since 2000
when it stood at 3.21.
“The Republic of Armenia remained committed to the gradual pursuit of a
democratic society and free-market economy in 2004,” reads the WSJ/Heritage
report.
“Economic policy continues to be guided by the economic and fiscal policies
and the poverty-reduction strategy developed in cooperation with the World
Bank
and the International Monetary Fund. Reforms should provide improvements in
the
banking sector, transparency, and enforcement of anti-corruption measures.”
The survey primarily takes into account the legal environment for doing
business in a particular country, including tax rates, trade tariffs, and
government impact on prices.
The survey’s assessment of all other CIS countries is far more critical.
Neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan, for example, were ranked 100th and 103rd
respectively, making their economies “mostly unfree.”
The US, for the first time ever, no longer ranks among the top 10 “free”
nations of the world, according to the 2005 Index that puts economic freedoms
in Estonia, Ireland, Chile, Denmark, and Iceland, ahead of those in the United
States.

4) Aliyev Says 2004 Marked Turning Point in Karabagh Negotiations

BAKU (Combined Sources)–President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in his New
Year address to the nation, that 2004 marked a turning point in negotiating a
settlement to the Karabagh conflict, noting that “considerable progress was
made during Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks. . . the international community
approaches the issue more seriously, and the OSCE Minsk Group has intensified
its activities.”
He emphasized that negotiations should be conducted in compliance with
international law, but stressed that Azerbaijan would liberate “native lands”
in any way possible. “I’ve stated more than once that Azerbaijan would never
compromise the issue of territorial integrity; we will never discuss the
issue,” Aliyev said, calling for the development of a strong army so as to
reach that goal.
He stressed that Azerbaijan would be able to resolve many of its economic and
social problems when the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline becomes operational in
2005, and when the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline is
finished.

5) Prelate’s New Year’s and Christmas Message

Following The Footsteps of The Good Shepherds

“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.” (Luke 2:8-9)
On the threshold of the year 2005, as we exchange good wishes, once again the
feast of the Glorious Birth and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ invites us
to renew and reinvigorate our faith and brighten our spirits. During a holy
and
silent night in the open weather, the tidings of the birth of Jesus filled the
spirits of the good and humble shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone
around
them.
“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.” (Luke 2:8-9)
What a blessed divine gift!
The shepherds in their solitude, while they were keeping watch over their
flock by night, they were blessed by the visit of the angel. They were greatly
afraid.

Dear beloved,

Lately, it seems, more and more people find themselves in the same
predicament
as those shepherds. We seem to take upon ourselves serious responsibilities to
keep watch over our families and properties, only to find ourselves exposed to
the open elements of life, oftentimes feeling cold and alone, groping in the
darkness. It begs the very basic question: `What am I doing here, in this
place, cold, alone, and in the dark, and why am I doing it?’
The answer is found in the Revelation of God.
When we take upon our shoulders the heavy responsibility of shepherding,
whether we shepherd our family, or our business, or our school, or our social
organization, or our political party, or our church, we also receive upon our
shoulders the gentle but guiding Arm of the Lord. Be assured, my faithful
flock, that even if you perceive that you are left out in the open, cold,
alone, or in the dark, that the Lord Himself is steadfastly beside you always.
Our Lord came down from heaven and became man so that mankind would never
abide
alone. Our Lord enkindled the flame of truth and righteousness in our
hearts so
that our love for one another might never grow cold. Indeed, the Glory of the
Lord has shone upon us, dispelling the darkness of gloom and directing our
ways
in faith and peace.
As we begin 2005, I wish to engage each and every one of you to be an active,
Christian shepherd.
We are so aware of people in our communities, even within our own families,
who are alone, who are infirm, who are despondent, who are searching for the
Light of God within their lives. I ask each of you: are you able to become a
shepherd to our people? Are you willing to respond to the needs and wants of
our community? Are you ready to join the active mission of the Church, to
serve
with righteousness, and to proffer spiritual and meaningful charity? The
shepherds responded to this same call by saying to one another, “Let us go
over
to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made
known to us.” (Luke 2:15)
Come, now, dear shepherds of the Armenian Church, and let us go to Bethlehem,
and see this thing, this great gift of Grace and Hope and Joy which the Lord
shows us daily in our lives through the Holy Bible, the Holy Badarak, and the
Holy Sacraments.
Let us make a spiritual and charitable commitment to extend our love and
assistance to the Church, to our schools, to our organizations, to our
communities across the globe, and to our family and friends. In so doing, may
the Eternal Light, which pierced the darkness of Christmas night, enlighten
our
minds and enrapture our hearts.
Let the glad tidings to us and for you all be magnified through our joint
commitment to foster good works and to fortify our Christian fellowship. On
the
joyous occasion of the New Year and the Revelation of God, I extend to our
spiritual shepherds, the reverend clergy, and to our community shepherds,
Executive Council, parish boards, the school administrators, teachers, and to
our faithful, benefactors, supporters and the members of our Church, my
fatherly blessings and sincere wishes for the best of health and peace in your
lives, and I thank you for your continued charitable support of our Church,
our
Prelacy, our schools and institutions.
Let Christ be revealed in you, that Christ may be revealed through you.

Happy New Year to you all. Christ is born and revealed.

Prayerfully,
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Prelate of Western Prelacy

All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.