Author: admin

ARMENIA AGAINST ARMS RACE

news.am
March 11 2010
Armenia

Armenia is against arms race in the region, and countries we must
join their efforts to maintain the limits set by relevant treaties,
RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan stated at the Rose Roth seminar
organized in Yerevan by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

"Armenia will not be involved in arms race, as it is not numerical
strength that is a key factor of its army’s efficiency," Ohanyan said.

According to him, Armenia places emphasis on the quality of its
armed forces.

AFTERWORD TO U.S. CONGRESS’ MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’
H. Hamidov

Today
63742.html
March 11 2010
Azerbaijan

On March 4, the U.S. Congress House of Representatives Foreign Affairs
Committee held a vote on the "Armenian Genocide" resolution, adopting
the legislation 23 votes to 22.

Some hotheads in Armenia have already hastened to christen this
decision as the victory of the century, but official Armenia, contrary
to expectations, is more restrained, which is quite understandable.

To begin with, the committee’s decision does not mean a Congress
decision. Today, one can assume with great probability that Congress
will certainly reject the committee’s decision for definite reasons.

Possibly, the White House, Ankara and Yerevan are aware of this.

The reasons are simple, but substantial at the same time. The
government and the Congress are primarily composed of people with
sound reason who are also patriots of their country and act in line
with the interests of their country. So, today Turkey is not just an
important player in the Middle East, it is also a regional leader.

Furthermore, Turkey’s economic and military potential can no way
be compared with that of Armenia. Large American corporations have
invested in multibillion-dollar projects in Turkey. Nothing like this
is not even in sight in Armenia. Militarily, Turkey is not only a
member of NATO, as the United States, but also is second for level
and size of its arms in Europe after Germany.

The United States needs such an important friend in such an important
region. This country is extremely important especially given latest
events in global politics.

Will in this case the United States ruin relations with Turkey for
the sake of the so-called "genocide"? The answer is obvious. Never.

Adoption of a resolution by the Congress committee has equally
explicable reasons. It is appropriate to recall that the current U.S.

President promised the Armenian Diaspora to recognize the so-called
"Armenian genocide" during the election campaign.

Image and name requires to keep one’s promise. So, after the
committee’s decision it would be easier to explain Armenian voters
that he allegedly did everything he could and the Congress will deal
with it further.

U.S. Congressmen use support of the Armenian lobby during elections.

So, they are obliged to keep their election pledges to their voters
from the Armenian diaspora. But despite this, the adoption of the
"resolution" is the utmost they could do.

Thus, it can be argued that this is nothing more than a game by the
White House and it is quite possible that Turkey is aware of it in
advance. It is appropriate to recall a telephone conversation between
Barack Obama and Abdullah Gul prior to the committee meeting.

Naturally, not to deviate from the pre-agreed scenario, Turkey displays
dissatisfaction publicly, for example, by recalling its ambassador.

Here is another interesting fact. As paradoxical it may sound. Armenia
is the only one who suffers much from the committee’s decision. First,
wise men of the neighboring country understand that they were simply
"divorced". It seems United States have done what they have long
wanted. But what is next? All of what we said above.

Moreover, whatever the present situation in Turkey is, whatever Gul
has agreed with Obama, such a coincidence is always a disappointment
for Turkey. Of course, Ankara is annoyed, and Yerevan feels it even
through the closed border. They understand that technically this is
a stunning opportunity for the Turkish parliament not to ratify the
protocols and not to open border. Today, one can state with full
confidence that this is what will happen.

How hard Armenia warned of non-ratification, it needs the border
opening like a gulp of fresh air. But all hopes were dashed. They also
realize that they are left completely alone, surrounded by countries
with which Armenia has a difficult relationship due to Yerevan’s
destructive policies. In this situation Armenia is looks like a lean
young teenager, shaking of a fear before the strong senior mates.

These explain Armenia’s limited reaction to the committee’s decision,
which actually played a dirty trick on the Sargsyan government.

AZERBAIJANI MP: ARMENIA SEEKS "GENOCIDE" RECOGNITION TO MAKE TERRITORIAL CLAIMS TO TURKEY
Z. Ahmadov

Today
3741.html
March 11 2010
Azerbaijan

"Armenia is seeking "genocide" recognition to make territorial claims
to Turkey," Member of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament) Sabir
Rustamkhanli said.

"European countries began the process of recognizing "Armenian
genocide" in the Ottoman Empire a few decades ago. The situation
similar to the current one in the U.S. Congress has already taken place
earlier. But none of the presidents of the United States responded
to this despicable ploy of Armenians so far. I hope that the current
U.S. president will do the same," the MP said.

"Worthy of note is that majority of deputies, accusing Turkey of
genocide against Armenians, are not aware of the events that occurred
decades ago in the Ottoman Empire. Turkey should partly blame itself
for being blackmailed by adoption of "genocide." This is result of
a policy of compromise with the Western countries which put constant
pressure on it."

‘This is not the same Turkey founded by Ataturk and that forced all
the world forces to reckon with it. Today Turkey is largely dependent
on external forces. Therefore, it is very difficult to say whether
the U.S. Congress will accept or reject the "Armenian genocide"
bill. But this is not the main thing. The main thing is to prove the
whole world that no "Armenian genocide" took place in the Ottoman
Empire," the MP added.

"Armenian claims arose even earlier. For example, they claimed about
10,000 killed during a riot in Erzurum, which was not substantiated
during research of this issue by historians. This is the same with the
"Armenian genocide" in 1915, when the Armenians turned their weapons
against their own state and, in fact, betrayed it," the MP explained.

"In any case, modern Turkey is not obliged to answer for the events
that occurred in the Ottoman Empire. Armenia is seeking recognition of
the "Armenian genocide" in order to make territorial claims to Turkey
and demand financial compensation. Thus, Yerevan wants to extricate
itself from the Khojaly Genocide and to remove Karabakh issue from
the agenda," Rustamkhanli noted.

HOUSE, NOT HISTORIAN

Indiana Daily Student
74407
March 11 2010

The House Foreign Relations Committee’s recent vote to approve a
resolution recognizing the systematic slaughter of 1.5 million ethnic
Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1923 was
inappropriate and unproductive.

Although few Western historians dispute the fact that this slaughter
constituted genocide, we disagree with the notion that the United
States House of Representatives should be the final arbiter of
historical fact.

Not only is doing so obviously outside the scope of Congress’ duties,
but it is also both a distraction from the tangible actions Congress
can and should take to combat genocide and a detriment to U.S. efforts
in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Instead of issuing non-binding resolutions defining historical events
that happened more than 90 years ago, the House (and the federal
government as a whole) would do better to take concrete actions toward
stopping ongoing events of this kind and adopting policies that would
better prevent such events from happening in the future.

Regarding concerns about this resolution’s effects on U.S.-Turkey
relations, fortunately prospects for the resolution’s passage in the
House as a whole appear dim. If that were not the case, U.S. diplomats
would have even more of a problem on their hands.

Given that Turkey has already recalled its ambassador from Washington,
we can only hope that the House realizes the folly of passing such
an ineffectual resolution.

If it does not, it risks jeopardizing one of the United States’
most important relationships in the region.

Turkey allows the United States to operate air bases essential to
ongoing efforts in Iraq and is leading operations in Kabul in its
capacity as one of the few members of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization to provide meaningful support to operations there.

Maintaining amicable relations with Turkey is thus vital to U.S.

military goals in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

For the House to tell the world something it already knows at the price
of harming our relationship with a major ally strikes us as foolish.

DISSENT The House Foreign Affairs Committee was right to recognize
genocide.

Language is key in the way history is recorded and sets a precedent
for what will be tolerated. For this reason, the House Foreign Affairs
Committee’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of
Ottoman Turks during World War I is a vital factor in the way we deal
with genocide.

Some argue that because Congress never declared the Holocaust to be
genocide, the Armenian Genocide does not need recognition either.

While Congress has never passed a resolution labeling the Holocaust
as genocide, the United Nations has designated Jan. 27 to be the
International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the
Holocaust. There are also 25 Holocaust memorial centers across the
United States, but there is only one Armenian Genocide museum, which
is not yet completed.

Others argue that the committee’s resolution will strain our relations
with Turkey and damage our ability to retain our military presence
there. In reality, U.S.-Turkey relations will not be significantly
damaged unless the resolution is passed by the full House, which is
deemed unlikely by analysts.

Twenty nations have already declared the Armenian Genocide as such.

The U.S. has already forgone several opportunities to stop genocide
throughout the past century — so they should do what they can now. .

— Pooja Kansal

GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA PROMISES THAT THE COLLAPSED ARMENIAN CHURCH ST.GRIGOR MUGHNETSOTS WILL BE RESTORED IN TBILISI

ArmInfo
2010-03-11 19:45:00

ArmInfo. At today’s press-conference Georgian Ambassador to Armenia
Grigol Tabatadze promised that the Armenian Church Surb Grigor
Mughnetsots, which collapsed in Tbilisi last year, will be restored.

Touching on the issue of provision of an official status to the
Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, the ambassador said that at the
moment a draft law on religion is being worked out, which will meet
the interests of all the national minorities of the country. "Time
is of much significance in this matter. Georgia is a poly-ethnic
country, and the worked out law should meet the democratic standards
and interests of these ethnical groups living in the country",- said
Tabatadze. He also pointed out that the Armenian Apostolic Church
may receive the status today using the law on public organizations.

ANKARA’S REASONS FOR NON-RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOLS WON’T BE TAKEN NORMALLY

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2010 13:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia-Turkey rapprochement started as an open
process and must be completed in the same manner, lest it should
remind a farce, OSCE PA Special Representative on Nagorno-Karabakh
and Georgia, President Emeritus Goran Lennmarker said.

At 73rd NATO PA Rose-Roth seminar in Yerevan, Goran Lennmarker
urged Armenia and Turkey to expedite Protocols ratification. "We
understand there are many impediments on the way to ratification,
but the process is still very important. I’ve repeatedly told the
Turkish side that one can always find reasons for non- ratification,
still they won’t be taken normally," Goran Lennmarker stressed.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation. On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional
Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to
the country’s Organic Law.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710
Fax: (212) 779-3558
Web:
Email: [email protected]

March 11, 2010
PRELATE AND VICAR WILL BE IN NEW JERSEY
The Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, accompanied by the Vicar, Bishop
Anoushavan, will preside over the Divine Liturgy at St. Vartanantz
Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, this Sunday, March 14.
In the afternoon they will attend a reception honoring Senator
Robert Menendez at the home of Mr. Andreas Roubian in Saddle River,
New Jersey. The event is hosted by Mr. Roubian and the Armenian
National Committee PAC.
PRELATE PRESIDES OVER CONSECRATION
OF MEMORIAL HONORING DER VARTAN KASSABIAN
Archbishop Oshagan presided over the consecration of a memorial
honoring the late Der Vartan Kassabian in the new courtyard beside
St. Gregory Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts,
last Sunday, March 7.
Photo: Archbishop Oshagan consecrates the memorial. In the photo, left
to right, Megerdich Mgo Kassabian, Der Vartans son and a stole bearer
in the church, Der Vazken Bekiarian, the Prelate, and the recently
ordained Rev. Fr. Karekin Bedourian.
PRELATE ATTENDS ARS CENTENNIAL INAUGURAL CELEBRATION
Archbishop Oshagan attended the Armenian Relief Societys inaugural
Centennial event at Carnegie Halls Weill Recital Hall yesterday
evening, March 10. Founded in 1910 in New York, the ARSs Centennial
Year will be marked with many events and celebrations.
VICAR MEETS WITH EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF NEW YORK
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General of the Prelacy, and
Ecumenical Officer in the United States on behalf of the Holy See of
Cilicia, met with the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Bishop
Mark Sisk yesterday, March 10. Prior to his meeting with Bishop Sisk,
the Vicar attended the luncheon meeting of the Episcopal Churchs
Diocesan Ecumenical Commission, where he was invited to briefly
address the Commission.
Bishop Anoushavan conveyed the best wishes of His Holiness
Aram I to the Presiding
Bishop and they discussed the long-standing cordial relationship
between the Episcopal Church and the Armenian Church.
Photo: From left to right, Canon Fr. J. Robert Wright; Bishop Mark
Sisk, Episcopal Bishop of New York; Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian; and
Fr. Paul Clayton, the Ecumenical Chairman of the New York Episcopal
Diocese.
PRELACY LENTEN LECTURE SERIES CONTINUES
The fourth weekly Lenten program, in a series of six, took place last
night at St. Illuminators Cathedral in New York City, a faith-shaping
program that included worship, an educational component, and meal
fellowship (from 7:30-9:30 pm), under the auspices of Archbishop
Oshagan.
The fourth Wednesday of Great Lent, the 24th day, is called
Michink (Mid-Lent)a signpost indicating that we have traveled halfway
through Great Lent. And on this day the Church begins to sing special
hymns during the Husgoom services, on Wednesdays dedicated to
St. Mary, Mother of God. Accordingly, MaryParadigm of Discipleship and
Holiness was the theme of the lecture last night, delivered by
Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York.
Highlighting various episodes from the Gospels where Mary is
one of the key characters, Der Hayr drew a number of conclusions about
discipleship and holiness applicable to all Christians as followers of
Christ, disciples called to live a life of holiness in this world,
reflecting the image of their creator and redeemer God. He said, we
have to learn to submit to the will of God in our lives, particularly
in difficult situations, fully trusting in Gods providence, just as
Mary didHere am I, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me
according to y our word (Luke 1:38). He added, following St. Marys
example, discipleship entails hearing the Word of God and doing
it. While discussing her unique place in Gods plan of salvation, Der
Hayr noted that the Church does not worship St. Mary, but honors her
as the Mother of God, Asdvadzadzin, emulates her dedication to God,
and asks for her intercession.
Next Wednesday, March 17, the lecture will focus on Women as
Charity Workers and will be presented by Mrs. Valentine Berberian.
The Lenten Program is sponsored by the Prelacys Armenian
Religious Education Council (AREC), the Prelacy Ladies Guild (PLG),
and St. Illuminators Cathedral Ladies Guild. For more information
please contact the Prelacy office at 212-689-7810 or
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or the
cathedral at 212-689-5880.
MUSICAL ARMENIA
The 26th Musical Armenia concert will take place on Sunday, March 21,
at 2 pm at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 57th Street and
Seventh Avenue, New York City, featuring Tanya Gabrielian, piano; and
Natalie Aroyan, soprano.
Natalie Aroyan, soprano, participated in the 2009 American
Institute of Musical Studies vocal program in Graz, Austria. Her
achievements at Graz included winning First Place and the Audience
Vote at the prestigious Meistersinger Vocal Competition, in which she
performed under the direction of Edoardo Muller. In 2008 at the Sydney
Conservatorium of Music, she performed the role of Rosalinde in
Matthew Barclays production of Strauss Die Fledermaus, conducted by
Imre Pallo. She is currently a professional studies student at Mannes
College The New School for Music.
Tanya Gabrielian, was described as a pianist of powerful
physical and imaginative muscle, by The Times of London. She was
awarded first prize at the 2004 Scottish International Piano
Competition and the 2003 Aram Khachaturian International Piano
Competition. Ms. Gabrielian has performed with several major
orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New London
Sinfonia, and the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. She toured Scotland
with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She is currently an
artists diploma student at The Juilliard School.
For tickets ($30) contact the Carnegie box office at
212-247-7800 or the Prelacy at 212-689-7810.
ARSHILE GORKY STAMP ISSUED TODAY
The U.S. Postal Service issued the Arshile Gorky postage stamp today,
Thursday, March 11. Gorkys 1944 painting The Liver in a Cocks Comb, is
the first of a series of stamps being issued by the Postal Service
honoring abstract expressionists. Buy and use.
DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM: MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The 24th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program, for
youth ages 13-18, is scheduled to take place at the St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, from June 25-JUuly 4,
2010. The program is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education
Council (AREC). For information contact the AREC office at
212-689-7810, [email protected]
(mailto:arec@armenianprel acy.org).
PILGRIMAGE TO LEBANON AND SYRIA
On the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the
Eastern Prelacys St. Gregory of Datev Institute is organizing a
pilgrimage to Syria and Lebanon, from August 2 to August 16. Watch for
details in a special edition of Crossroads tomorrow.

BIBLE READING
Bible reading for today, Thursday, March 11, is is 1 Corinthians
8:5-9:23.
Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on
earthas in fact there are many gods and many lordsyet for us there is
one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through
whom we exist.
It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some
have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the
food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being
weak, is defiled. Food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse
off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that
this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the
weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the
temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be
encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your
knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But
when you thus sin against members of your family, you sin against
Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never
eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our
Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to
others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship
in the Lord.
This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not
have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be
accompanied by a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the
brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have
no right to refrain from working for a living? Who at any time pays
the expenses for doing military service? Who plants a vineyard and
does not eat any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not get
any of its milk?
Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the
same? For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an
ox while it is treading out the grain. Is it for oxen that God is
concerned? Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed
written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in ho0pe and
whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we
have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your
material benefits? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not
we still more?
Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure
anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of
Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple
service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the
altar share in what is sacrificed on the altar? In the same way, the
Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their
living by the gospel.
But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing
this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather
die than thatno one will deprive me of my ground for boasting! If I
proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an
obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the
gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not
of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my
reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free
of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a
slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became
as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one
under the law (thought I myself am not under the law) so that I might
win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one
outside the law (thought I am not free from Gods law but am under
Christs law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I
became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to
all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the
sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. (1
Corinthians 8:5-9:23)

For a listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010dbr-3.pdf
).
FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTIA
This Saturday, March 13, the Armenian Church honors the Forty Martyrs
of Sebastia. Although the backgrounds and identities of the forty
young soldiers are not certain, it is believed that they came from
Lesser Armenia and served in the Roman army. According to St. Basil of
Caesarea, forty Christian soldiers refused to worship the Roman
emperor while stationed in Sebastia in Armenia in 320. They remained
faithful to their Christian faith. The soldiers were tried and
condemned to death by stoning. Miraculously, when the sentence was
being carried out, the stones would not reach the intended targets,
but rather shot back striking those throwing the stones. The condemned
soldiers were than thrown into a frozen lake and forced to stay there,
unless they renounced their faith. Warm baths were prepared for anyone
who would recant. Of the forty, only one gave in. When he did, another
soldier, moved by the example of the suffering Christians, declared
himself a Ch!
ristian and took the apostates place. Within a short time most of the
forty were dead, those who were not were put to death.
Some of our great church fathers like Basil, Gregory of Nyssa,
Ephraim the Assyrian, and Sisian of Sebastia, wrote panegyrics about
the forty martyrs. Their memory is commemorated each year during Lent
on the Saturday following the Median day of Lent (Meechink), which was
yesterday. The Armenians have built and named churches in memory of
the forty martyrs in various parts of the world.
SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE
We are now more than half-way through Lent. This Sunday, March 14, is
the Sunday of the Judge (Datavori Kiraki). The Gospel reading for this
day is the parable told by Jesus about a widow and a judge (Luke
18:1-8). The judge in this parable is seen as hard-hearted without
principles, fear of God, or regard for people. A widow in the same
town has been ill-treated and she has come to the judge for
justice. Although her cause is just, the judge does not pay attention
to her case. However, she is persistent and she makes the same appeal
again and again, until at last the judge decided to see that she gets
justice. He does this, not because he cares for justice, but because
he wants to be rid of the widow.
The message of this parable is that in life one must persevere
and pursue righteousness and justice relentlessly with the confidence
that perseverance (especially in prayer) will be rewarded.
DONT FORGET.
We return to Daylight Saving Time as of 2 am Sunday, March 14.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
March 13International Food Festival and Auction hosted by the Armenian
Relief Society at Hovnanian School, New Milford, New Jersey, at 5
pm. Food booths of various nations. Silent auction and Tricky
Tray. For information Lucy Keomurjian, 201-567-3318 or
[email protected]
(mailto:lucine [email protected]).
March 13NY Hamazkayin Literary Committee presents Historical Review of
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its Recognition during Soghomon
Tehlirians Trial in 1921, lecture (in English) by Stephan N. Simonian,
MD, 8:05 pm at St. Illuminators Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New
York City. Admission $5.
March 14Ladies Guild annual Lenten Luncheon following church services,
St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts.
March 14Annual membership meeting, St. Stephens Church, New
Britain-Hartford, Connecticut, in Kework Hall immediately after
services.

March 14Annual membership meeting, St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New
York.
March 16The New York Society Library presents Nora Armani and David
Bakamjian in a journey through the spirit of Armenia, 6:30 pm at the
New York Society Library, 53 East 79th Street, New York City. For
information and registration: (
4882/goto:
) or 212-288-6900 Ext. 230
March 17Fifth Prelacy Lenten Service and Lecture at St. Illuminators
Church, New York, 7:30 pm. Women as Charity Workers, presented by
Mrs. Valentine Berberian.
March 21Musical Armenia, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York
City. Featured artists: Tanya Gabrielian, pianist; Natalie Aroyan,
soprano. Tickets $30. Carnegie box office 212-247-7800 or Prelacy
office 212-689-7810.
March 21St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, presentation by
Heather Govern, who will speak on saving money, saving energy, and
saving the planet, at 1 pm following Badarak. Admission is free.

March 21Annual membership meeting, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield,
New Jersey.
March 24Sixth and final Prelacy Lenten Service and Lecture at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, 7:30 pm. Women as Christian
Educators Today, by Yeretzgin Joanna Baghsarian.

March 26 New York Hamazkayin Literary Committee presents, We are not
Ermeni: The Hamshen Armenians, lecturer Avedis Hadjian, 8:05 pm at the
Armenian Center, Woodside, New York.
March 27New England Regional Conference for pastors, boards of
trustees, and delegates, hosted by Holy Trinity Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, 10 am to 4 pm.
April 11ARS Mayr Chapter presents ZULAL, a cappela trio, at the
Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs, 209-15 Horace Harding Expressway,
Bayside, New York, 4 pm. Donation: $50, $30; $15 for children under
12. Contact Sonia, 917-679-6992; Hasmik, 516-330-5290.
April 17St. Stephen s Ladies Guild, Watertown, Massachusetts,
presents jazzy evening featuring Sandi Bedrosian jazz ensemble, 6 pm,
church hall. $35 per person. Contact [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) or Yeretzgin Baljian,
781-209-1915. Reservations only.
April 17Ladies Guild New England Regional Seminar hosted
Sts. Vartanantz Church (Providence) Ladies Guild and the National
Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG), 9 am. Guest speaker: Shakay
Kizirian. Topic: Survival (A Womans Story). For information: Joyce
Bagdasarian, 401-434-4467 or [email protected].
April 18ARS Mayr and Erebouni Chapters sponsor Walk-Armenia to benefit
Camp Haiastan. Registration at St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th Street,
Douglaston, New York, starts at 12 noon, $25 fee. Walk begins 1
pm. For information 516-330-5290 (Hasmik); 516-739-0805 (Nayda).
April 18Health Expo 2010, To Your Health, St. Sarkis Church, 38-65
234th St., Douglaston, New York, 1 pm to 6 pm. Free tests, counseling,
information on medical conditions, mini-lectures on current health
issues. For information: Dr. Arthur Kubikian 718-786-3842.

April 24 Commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, organized by the Eastern Prelacy with the participation of
community organizations, 7 pm at St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York
City. Keynote speaker: Professor Peter Balakian.
May 10Mothers Day luncheon sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild.
May 13 to 16National Representative Assembly hosted by
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, and St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.
May 13-14NALG Annual Conference in conjunction with the NRA, Crowne
Plaza, LaGuardia Airport Hotel. For information Mary Derderian,
781-762-4253, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
June 25-July 424th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer
Program for youth ages 13 to 18, at St. Mary of Providence Center,
Elverson, Pennsylvania.
July 17A Hye Summer Night V, dance hosted by Ladies Guild of
Sts. Vartanantz Church and ARS Ani Chapter, Providence, Rhode
Island. Watch for details.
August 22Annual picnic of St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

PUTIN’S NEW EMPIRE: A NEW EURASIAN UNION WITH ITS OWN CURRENCY?

Tert.am
14:11 ~U 10.03.10

The Soviet Union is gradually being rebuilt as Vladimir Putin eyes
a return to the Kremlin. The man who declared the collapse of the
Communist state to be the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the
century" appears determined to forge a new empire, reports Times
Online.

The latest evidence emerged in a suggestion by Igor Shuvalov, First
Deputy Prime Minister in Mr Putin’s Government, that Russia may abolish
the rouble and create a common currency with Kazakhstan and Belarus.

A common currency (modelled on the euro) would give Putin an economic
lever to challenge the US dollar and the euro by creating a regional
reserve currency.

Other ex-Soviet republics would find it hard to resist the
gravitational pull of a single currency and economic space.

According to the Times Online, Armenia’s economy is almost completely
owned by Russian companies already, and neighbouring Azerbaijan would
risk Russian meddling in the frozen conflict over the Armenian enclave
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Struggling Kyrgyzstan has already accepted a $2.15 billion USD bailout
from Moscow, and Putin was quick to extend an invitation to join
the customs union to Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s new pro-Russian
President, when they met in Moscow on Friday.

Further, Aleksandr Lukashenko’s third term as President of Belarus
ends next year and he will have to show utter loyalty if Putin is to
be the only major international leader to endorse a fourth term.

A willingness to defer to Russia as members of a new Eurasian Union,
with its own currency controlled from Moscow, may be the price some
of these countries will have to pay for nominal independence.

THE BLOOMING FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ISRAEL
BYLINE: By Anna Zamejc

Radio Free Europe
March 9, 2010
Czech Rep

When 13 years ago the late Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev received
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Baku, it was considered
a bold and politically risky decision. No red carpets were rolled out,
and the meeting was purposely kept low-key.

Today, however, no such precautions are needed, as visits of Israeli
leaders to Azerbaijan are no longer matters of domestic controversy.

However, the peculiar relationship of the two countries continues
to elude easy characterizations. Some external observers see it as a
typical marriage of convenience, while others tend to take it as an
alarming threat.

Although Azerbaijan is a predominantly Shi’ite Muslim country and a
majority of ethnic Azeris live in neighboring Iran (a ferocious enemy
of Israel), Baku routinely shares intelligence with the Jewish state,
buys its arms, and considers it trustworthy in security matters,
completely contradicting stereotypes about a "clash of civilizations."

Further, the informal alliance seems to undermine the geopolitical
game that the strongest actors — Russia and Iran — are determined
to play in the region.

Given how advanced bilateral relations are and how strong the mutual
trust appears, it might sound surprising that 18 years of diplomatic
contacts have not produced a single official treaty between Israel and
Azerbaijan. Moreover, Azerbaijani authorities remain vague to this day
about the widely anticipated potential opening of an embassy in Israel.

Why? The answer can be found in Iran.

Thorn In The Side

"Today, everyone understands why Iran wants to block the
Azerbaijani-Israeli rapprochement by any means," Baku-born former
Knesset member Josef Chagall, a major champion of Israeli-Azerbaijani
ties, said in an interview with RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service. "It
is one of the most important strategic priorities of the Islamic
republic. Tehran is perfectly aware of the following: the stronger the
connection between Baku and Jerusalem, the more weakened Iran will be."

Iran, which aspires to be a regional leader, would like to see
Azerbaijan play by its rules. But Azerbaijan, whose secular system is
a thorn in the side of the Islamic regime, not only refuses to conform
to Tehran’s dictates but has also crossed a red line by befriending
the sworn enemy of Iran’s president.

Azerbaijan has always felt threatened and continues to feel threatened
[by Iran] from an ideological, economic, and political point of
view."Very characteristic in this regard is the reaction of Iranian
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to the official visit of Israeli President
Shimon Peres to Azerbaijan in…2009. In hysterical tones, the Iranian
leader demanded that the leadership of Azerbaijan immediately cancel
the visit of ‘the head of the Zionist entity’ and ‘the main enemy of
Muslims,’" Shagal recalls, adding that all Tehran’s efforts proved
counterproductive as Peres was received in Azerbaijan with the
highest honors.

"It is worth noting the dignity and tact with which Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev recommended that his Iranian counterpart
refrain from giving advice to a leader of a sovereign state on to
whom to show hospitality and to whom to refuse it," he added.

Although Iran may not be in a position to keep Israel and Azerbaijan
completely apart, it has been successful in one respect: Despite
numerous calls from the Jewish state, Azerbaijan has still not opened
an embassy in Israel because of pressure from Tehran.

This creates a sort of diplomatic asymmetry as it has been 16 years
since Israel established its embassy in Azerbaijan. However, Baku has
thus far been reluctant to reciprocate. The advanced contacts with
Israel have already put a grave chill on Baku’s relations with Tehran,
and provoking Iran with an embassy in Israel could prove too costly
for Azerbaijan, even triggering a backlash from other Muslim states.

"Repeated efforts by Baku to find out how its southern neighbor
would react to opening an Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel have always
encountered Iranian ultimatums," Shagal says, stressing that it would
not only be Iranian-Azerbaijani relations that would suffer a massive
blow, but Baku would eventually have to pay the price in the area that
is of vital importance for the Caucasus republic: Nagorno-Karabakh.

"If Azerbaijan opens an embassy in Israel, then Iran will declare on
behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) a refusal
to support Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia, and would also
disavow all the efforts of Azerbaijan and its supporters in the OIC
for the restoration of its territorial integrity and the return of
Nagorno-Karabakh," Shagal says.

Influence Stability

Alexander Murinson, an independent researcher and academic writer who
follows developments in Israeli-Azerbaijani relations, is also afraid
that Baku could face difficulties once it decides to open the embassy.

"Iran can cause trouble for authorities in Azerbaijan and influence
the stability of the country. So obviously that’s another way of Iran
trying to influence the diplomatic relationship between Israel and
Azerbaijan," Murinson says.

"Azerbaijan has always felt threatened and continues to feel threatened
[by Iran] from an ideological, economic, and political point of
view. Iran obviously has a religious network in Azerbaijan that could
undermine the secular nature of the current regime in Azerbaijan,"
Murinson adds.

Despite those dangers, the IzRus portal reported last month, quoting
Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Michael Lavon-Lotem, that Baku will
soon open an embassy in Tel Aviv. Murinson warns that this might be
mere posturing, like a similar announcement in 2006. But he believes
that this time it could be for real.

"That development has been expected for many years, because the
relationship is thriving both in terms of economic trade ties and also
in the military field," Murinson says. "It might be an indication that
some agreement has been reached on very deep strategic cooperation
between the two parties that may not have been publicized."

A potential embassy would certainly be a culmination of Israel’s
long-term efforts to persuade Baku to formalize relations and could
boost Israel’s position abroad.

"For Israel, which is now faced by tremendous diplomatic pressure
around the globe for many reasons, when a Muslim country, especially
a Shi’ite country, makes this kind of announcement, it indicates for
Israel that it has a friend in the region. In such an environment,
Azerbaijan making this diplomatic move [would] create a very important,
positive dynamic for the state of Israel," Murinson says.

What’s In It For Baku?

Aran Amnon, an expert on the Middle East who lectures at City
University in London, adds that Israel might be now particularly
interested in strengthening ties with Baku as the threat of Iranian
nuclear capacity takes center stage in Israeli foreign policy.

"Israel has an interest in trying to improve its standing with as many
countries as possible, especially those who may be directly affected
by Iran and might by persuaded to be supportive of Israeli efforts,"
Amnon says.

But in international relations, every nation acts on its own
interests. The gains seem obvious for Israel, but why should Baku be
willing to take the risk? Murinson links the potential switch to the
new dynamics that were created by Turkish-Armenian rapprochement and
the deteriorating relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv.

In fact, Baku has a lot of other reasons for being interested
in deepening ties with Israel. Israel is an important source of
military equipment, and reportedly it was Israel who helped Baku
rebuild its army after the heavy losses it suffered during the war
over Nagorno-Karabakh. The military aspect of the relationship has
been present ever since.

"During the visit of Simon Peres, a very important contract was
signed which included construction of a plant in Azerbaijan that would
produce unmanned aerial vehicles. By doing so, Azerbaijan would become
an important producer of very advanced systems in the region — even
Russia doesn’t have advanced unmanned aerial vehicles," Murinson says,
stressing that the lack of such systems proved problematic during
the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

Israel plays an important role in Azerbaijani security arrangements.

The electronic fence around Baku’s international airport was built by
Israeli companies. Reportedly, Israeli firms are supplying equipment
to ensure the safety of Azerbaijan’s energy infrastructure, and there
were also rumors that Israelis provide security for Azerbaijan’s
president on his foreign visits.

Last but not least, Azerbaijan is the home of an ancient Jewish
community, which remains an important aspect in mutual contacts.

"We estimate that there are approximately 25,000 Jews living
in Azerbaijan," Mark Levin, the executive director of National
Conference of the Soviet Jewry says. "Azeri Jews have lived side
by side with their non-Jewish neighbors for centuries, and they are
treated very well."

Anna Zamejc is a correspondent for RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service. The
views expressed in this commentary are the author’s own and do not
necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF FRANCE NOMINATES CANDIDATES FOR REGIONAL ELECTIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.03.2010 20:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian community of France nominated its candidates
for regional elections due on March 14 and 21. European Armenian
Federation (EAFJD) chairman, deputy chairman of the regional council
and the chairman of Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations