AZG Armenian Daily #143, 16/08/2005

Neighbors

ARMENIAN CHURCH READY TO RESTORE THE MOSQUE OF SHUSHI

Baku labeled “another provocation” the statement by Archbishop
Pargev Martirosian of Artsakh diocese to invite Iranian specialists
to restore the Shiite mosque of Shushi built in 1883.

Turkey allocates $1.5 million for restoration of Surp Khach of Akhtamar

The Turkish government has assigned $1.5 million for restoration of
Surp Khach church of Akhtamar Island. This step largely directed to the
EU, was also interpreted by the authorities in Ankara as a signal to
improve Armenian-Turkish relations. Despite the absence of diplomatic
relations between Armenia and Turkey and the 12-year-old blockade,
contacts between diplomats from both sides never ceased. Turkish
mass media informed that the secrete Armenian-Turkish negotiations
discuss now the issues of Armenian Genocide, Armenian-Turkish border
opening and the withdrawal from neighboring territories of Nagorno
Karabakh. Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul noted on his part
that there is nothing strange in Armenian-Turkish contacts, they
always were there.

By Tatoul Hakobian