Author: Antonian Lara

Science Letter
January 6, 2009

HYE BOOKS;
New Book Promotes End to 75-year Split: Armenians Talk Peace, Unity
After 1933 Christmas Eve Murder

A new book by veteran CBS News correspondent Terry Phillips is
sparking grassroots peace talks 75 years after a brutal assassination
split the Armenian Apostolic Church in the United States (see also Hye
Books).

Murder at the Altar, a historical novel published by Hye Books
(), investigates the Depression-era killing of
Archbishop Ghevont Tourian in New York City. On Christmas Eve 1933,
the spiritual leader of this ancient Christian denomination was
stabbed to death as he led a Sunday morning procession down the center
aisle of Holy Cross Church. The vicious crime was reported on the
front page of every Manhattan daily newspaper.

"For three-quarters of a century, Armenians have treated the murder as
a taboo subject," says author Terry Phillips. "To this day, the church
remains divided along political lines. But people are finally willing
to talk about that painful event, understand why it happened and move
toward possible reconciliation."

Since the book was published earlier this year, Phillips has been
leading unprecedented, coast-to-coast discussions about the Tourian
assassination.

"I am extremely gratified by the overwhelming public interest," he
says. "Except for a few fringe extremists, the book has been very well
received. Everywhere I go, people say it’s about time that someone
told this story."

Based on fact, Murder at the Altar is a dramatized account of the
Archbishop’s killing. It grew out of a dispute over the Armenian
movement for independence from the Soviet Union. Tourian was attacked
for refusing to take sides in the conflict. After his slaying, the
church separated into two factions, identical in every way except for
partisan politics.

"Seventy-five years later," Phillips notes, "church officials remain
divided by past animosities. Today, there is no Soviet Union. Armenia
is independent. Why stay split? Why stay silent?"

Phillips covered the fall of the Soviet Empire and reported conflicts
throughout the USSR as well as Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia and Haiti.

Murder at the Altar is available through retail bookstores and
websites.

Keywords: Hye Books.

This article was prepared by Science Letter editors from staff and
other reports.

The Community Journal, MA
Dec 31 2008

Local missionary departs for Armenia again

"God is giving me the opportunity to use all these lessons and
experiences in His service." ‘ KAARINA A. HAM

Kaarina A. Ham

Dr. Kaarina A. Ham is spending the next weeks or so getting ready for
her new term of service in Armenia.

Ham, a native of South Ashburnham, is focused on extending youth and
young adult ministry programs to schools and churches in both the
urban and outlying areas of Armenia. Ham has ministered in the
Republic of Armenia since 2004.

"It’s a matter of diplomacy. ¦ With proper respect for the leaders,
they’re welcoming," she said in a 2006 interview with the Journal.

Ham said there is great openness to learning the basics of the
Christian faith in Armenia. She has served as a missionary to the
former Soviet Union since 1979. She worked with the Slavic Gospel
Association, first, and then worked with Youth for Christ
International.

In 2006, she became the founder and general director of HOPE Armenia
Ministries. This new mission focuses on youth evangelism and young
adult discipleship in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia; and on biblical
training seminars at the Lighthouse Training Center near Lake Sevan,
in North Central Armenia.

"God is giving me the opportunity to use all these lessons and
experiences in His service," she said in the 2006
interview. "Pioneering, directing, teaching, training, evangelizing,
discipling. He’s even adding a few: establishing, administering,
renovating. Isn’t this just like the Lord?"

Once an empire extending from the Black to Caspian Seas, the present
Republic of Armenia is a semi-arid, land-locked, mountainous nation in
the lower Caucasus region comparable in size to Maryland in the United
States.

Today Armenia is bordered to the west by Turkey; to the north by the
former Soviet Republic of Georgia; to the east by the former Soviet
Republic of Azerbaijan, and to the south by Iran.

Over the last 30 years, she has focused her efforts first in the
Soviet "satellite" nations of East Central Europe, then in Moscow and
Samara in Central Russia, to provide Christian discipleship and
leadership training for teenagers and young adults.

Like each of the 15 former Soviet Republics since the demise of the
Communist system, Armenia has struggled to move forward politically
and economically, according to Ham.

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, thousands of Armenians of the
Diaspora (primarily the U.S., Canada, France, Russia, Lebanon, Syria,
and Iran) have flocked to the homeland each year to assist in
religious and cultural philanthropic ventures.

In the wake of the failed Soviet experiment, with its Marxist-Leninist
atheistic ideology, Ham noticed a great interest in Christian faith
among young people, who are eager to learn more about their historic
status as the first Christian nation, according to Ham.

In 301 A.D., King Tiridates III declared the Armenian Apostolic
Orthodox Church to be the national religion. 1,700 years of Armenian
Christian faith were celebrated recently in 2001, according to Ham.

Ham graduated from Oakmont Regional High School and then went on to
educate herself at Eastern Nazarene College and Fuller Seminary, in
Pasadena. She earned three Master degrees and a Ph.D., steeping
herself in theology, counseling, adolescent psychology and cultural
anthropology. Her foctoral thesis explored the way Protestants are
perceived in Eastern Orthodox lands, a fitting study for her future
endeavors.

Ham is also the daughter of the former pastor of the Peoples Church in
Ashburnham.

A service of dedication will be held on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 10:30
a.m. at Peoples Evangelical Congregational Church, 56 South Main
Street in South Ashburnham, to which the public is invited.

GLOBAL CRISIS, TENSE POLITICAL SITUATION HIT ARMENIA’S MORTGAGE MARKET

ARKA
Dec 29, 2008

YEREVAN, December 29. /ARKA/. The global financial crisis, the tense
political situation in Armenia and the Georgian war hit the country’s
mortgage market in 2008, said Manuk Vardanyan, chairman of the RA
State Committee of Real Estate Cadastre (SCREC).

"The mortgage market is sensitive and any political process and
global developments influence the mortgage market," Vardanyan said,
adding 2008 was a hard year for Armenia. "The presidential election
in Armenia, the post-election conflict, the global financial crisis
and the war in our neighbor country have hit the local mortgage market
hard," he continued.

According to the SCREC chairman, prices of property alienation deals
hit a ten-year low in 2008. The local mortgage market has seen a
setback since August 2008, with 35% of total transactions being
effected in Yerevan, compared to 45% in the same period last year.

"This does not mean invigoration of mortgage business in Armenia’s
regions," Vardanyan said, pointing out a considerable decline in
property business in Yerevan.

At the same time, the SCREC chairman said Armenia did not see a
decrease in property transactions this year, with 160,000 deals being
made this year, compared to 155,000 in 2007.

ARMENIA LAYS CLAIM TO OVER 20 CHURCHES IN GEORGIA

Hayots Ashkharh
Dec 20 2008
Armenia

"Armenia protests"

Negotiations with the Georgian side are under way and they [the
Georgian side] promised to solve the issue of six churches of the
Armenian Apostolic Church’s Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The churches
are considered to be "disputed" and are not under the diocese’s
subordination.

According to the head of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, bishop
Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the Armenian side has clearly stated its
approach that it is against setting up any committee in connection
with the issue of six closed Armenian churches (Norashen, Saint
Nshan, Shamkhoretsots Saint Astvatsatsin, Mughni Saint Gevorg and
Saint Minas in Tbilisi, and Saint Nshan in Akhaltsikhe [predominantly
Armenian-populated town in southwestern Georgia]). These [churches]
are Armenian, the evidence is Armenian records, and these churches
cannot be disputable. The Armenian side can only discuss the issue
of over 20 already Georgianized Armenian churches. Seven of them are
in Tbilisi alone.

EU REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOUTH CAUCASUS MEETS WITH AZERBAIJANI FM

Trend
Dec 23 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 23 /Trend News/ Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov received today the European Union Special
Representative for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby.

They held extensive discussions on the EU-Azerbaijan relations, new
East Partnership program, regional and international cooperation and
other issues of mutual interest.

As to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the
Minister noted impossibility of adopting status quo, and brought
to the attention of European guests the importance of restoring the
territorial integrity of the country as soon as possible on the basis
of international law.

MOSCOW, TBILISI HOLDING SECRET TALKS?

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2008 14:33 GMT+04:00

Georgia has had secret talks through intermediaries with Russian
officials about restoring direct flights and diplomatic ties after
the August war, the Kommersant daily reported Tuesday.

The newspaper said that the key intermediary in the talks has been
Mikheil Khubutia, the head of the Union of Georgians in Russia, who
the paper said met Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on November
21 in Munich.

"I spoke recently to Saakashvili," Khubutia told the newspaper, without
confirming the date of his meeting with the president or that he had
met Russian officials.

"We discussed restoring flights between Georgia and Russia and
restoring diplomatic relations," he said. "He seems disappointed
that Georgia has not been given an action plan for NATO membership
and that he has not received the due support from Europe," he added.

However talks on a resumption of ties would be a major turnaround amid
the current war of words between Moscow and Tbilisi in the aftermath
of their August conflict over Georgian pro-Russian breakaway regions.

Kommersant also quoted sources close to the Russian presidency as
saying that there was no hope for a solution as long as the pro-Western
Saakashvili remained in power.

"He understands that himself. He needs to vacate his post rather than
trying to find a way out of this dead end."

E. NALBANDIAN PRESENTS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OF KARABAKH CONFLICT REGULATION IN STEPANAKERT

ARMENPRESS
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian paid a one-day visit to
Stepanakert on December 19. Press service of Armenian Foreign Ministry
told Armenpress that in the evening December 19 President of Nagorno
Karabakh Bako Sahakian received Edward Nalbandian.

During the meeting the latest developments in the regulation of
Karabakh issue have been discussed. Minister E. Nalbandian presented
to the Karabakh president the results of the Helsinki meeting of OSCE
Foreign Ministers as well as the details of his Helsinki meeting
with OSCE Minsk group co-chairs and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammedyarov.

The sides highly assessed the statements of foreign ministers of OSCE
Minsk group co-chairing countries and the council of OSCE Foreign
Ministers over the Karabakh issue regulation.

In the morning December 20, Edward Nalbandian visited Artsakh
State University, where he first put flowers on the memory-stone
of university members who were killed during the war. Afterwards
the Armenian Foreign Minister delivered a speech in front of the
professors and students of the University presenting the prospects
of the negotiation process of Karabakh conflict regulation.

Edward Nalbandian also answered a number of questions of the
students. Referring to the issue of participation of Karabakh
authorities in the process of conflict regulation E. Nalbandian
stressed that no agreement can be reached without a full participation
of the Artsakh side in the negotiation process.

The Foreign Minister also had a briefing with the local journalists
in the Artsakh State University.

Edward Nalbandian also met with the Speaker of Karabakh parliament
Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister Georgi Petrosian. On the same day
he returned to Yerevan.

ARMENIAN SIDE EXPRESSES DISAGREEMENT

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
20 Dec 2008
Armenia

The Georgian authorities continue the talks and have promised to
provide a solution to the problem of the six Armenian churches which
are considered "disputable" and are not under the jurisdiction of
the Georgian-Armenian diocese.

According to Archbishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, primate of the
Georgian-Armenian diocese, the Armenian side has clearly expressed
its approach, saying that it is against the idea of forming a
commission which will deal with the problem of the six Armenian
churches (Norashen, Sourb Nshan, Shamkhoretsots St. Astvatsatsin,
St. Gevorg of Moughni and St. Minas churches in Tbilisi and St. Nshan
church of Akhalskhe)

Those are Armenian churches, and the evidence is the Armenian
records. So those churches cannot be subject to dispute. The Armenian
side can only discuss the issue of the more than 20 Armenian Churches
which have become Georgianized. Seven of them are situated in Tbilisi.

Interfax, Russia
Dec 20 2008

Two people convicted for March unrest in Yerevan appeal for pardon

YEREVAN Dec 20

Two people convicted for involvement in the March 1, 2008 unrest in
Yerevan have appealed to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan for pardon,
Armen Khachatrian, a coordinator of the Service of Legal Support for
Political Prisoners, said on Radio Liberty on Saturday.

"One of the convicts, Karen Tarkhanian, has been sentenced to four
years in prison for organizing mass unrest. He almost lost his vision
behind bars and has serious problems with his health. The other
convict, Avetik Grechian, is serving his sentence for illegal carrying
of weapons. The circumstances that have prompted him to appeal to the
president have yet to be clarified," Khachatrian said.

The Armenian president amnestied three convicts serving their terms
for involvement in the March events in Yerevan on December 8.

"They were sentenced to three to three and a half years for resisting
police and taking violent actions," presidential press secretary
Samvel Farmanian said.

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ARMENIA INSTALLS ADVANCED CONTROL SYSTEM IN CITY ON TURKISH BORDER

Armenian Public TV
Dec 16 2008

[Correspondent speaking over video of an airport building] An advanced
border control information system, which aims at strengthening
border control in our country, has been put into operation in Gyumri
[Armenia’s second largest city on the Turkish border]. The system is
aimed at combating drug, medicines and arms smuggling and trafficking,
and also fully controls migrants’ movements, ruling out the entrance to
Armenia of people with forged documents and those on wanted lists. The
US Department of State provided 476,000 dollars out of about 1m dollars
of the cost of this system at Armenia’s seven border checkpoints,
and the remaining 0.5m were provided by the Armenian government and
the Avia Infotel company, which founded the system. The US ambassador
to Armenia, Marie Yovanovitch, was present at the ceremony.

[Yovanovitch, speaking at the event in English with overlaid
Armenian translation] I would like to emphasize the fact that this
event takes place in Gyumri. I believe that everybody here believes
that Armenia and its neighbour Turkey will open borders and restore
relations. Gyumri can become the centre of all this in the issue
of trade and economic relations and simply direct contacts between
the people of Armenia and Turkey. The progress that we mark here is
another step towards further progress.