Author: Boshkezenian Garik

latimes.com
October 7, 2005
Flocks Turn Out to See Armenian Church Leader on Visit to Los Angeles
His Holiness Aram I will be in area for two weeks, then will go to Fresno,
San Francisco.
By K. Connie Kang, Times Staff Writer

Members of the Armenian American community in Southern California are
turning out in large numbers to welcome His Holiness Aram I, the spiritual
head of one of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s two branches, as the pontiff
starts a two-week trip to the area.

The visit of the Catholicos formally began Wednesday night in Little Armenia
in Hollywood, where members of St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church rolled
out a red carpet sprinkled with rose petals for his entrance. An estimated
1,000 people from various parts of the Los Angeles area and beyond packed
the sanctuary and spilled out to the street.

Resplendent in a red cape with gold clasp over a traditional black robe and
hood, the imposing Catholicos gave a ringing message in Armenian during the
90-minute service. Aram also spoke briefly in English for the benefit of the
non-Armenian-speaking visitors, including representatives of Roman Catholic,
Coptic and other churches who came to pay their respects.

“Your presence in this church of God with us is indeed an eloquent
manifestation of our togetherness in our common Lord Jesus Christ,” he said
in a booming voice. “We may have differences of dogmatic positions. We may
have different theologies. But, we all belong to the one church of God, and
we are all committed to having Jesus Christ as our common Lord. We need to
come together and have the cross of Christ as a living message of love, of
togetherness, of service, of sacrifice, and through that, manifest our
unity.”

Aram has served for the last 15 years as moderator of the World Council of
Churches, a group of more than 300 Christian denominations that promotes
understanding among them.

Long after the service in Hollywood, Aram remained inside the ornate
sanctuary to bless a long line of congregants, who kissed his right hand.

“We were overwhelmed,” said Janet Aidaharian, a ninth-grader at Rose and
Alex Pilibos Armenian School, after the blessing.

“We felt very much honored to see a pope – especially [one of] our
nationality,” said Mary Setepanyan, another ninth-grader at the school,
located across from the church.

George Terzian, a retired truck driver from Miami, said he drove all the way
from Florida to pay “my respect.”

“I am so proud to be here,” he said. “I am only sorry that my wife could not
be here because she is ill.”

Aram has a busy schedule in the area, including meetings with congregants,
students, government leaders and clergy.

This morning, Aram is scheduled to meet with students at Glendale High
School. Tonight, he will speak at Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church in
Encino. On Saturday, Aram will visit the Armenian Genocide Monument in
Montebello. Next Friday, he is scheduled to attend a Los Angeles City Hall
reception in his honor and speak to the World Affairs Council of Los
Angeles. On Oct. 15, the pontiff will participate in a USC symposium,
“Christian Response to Violence.”

After his Southern California visit, the pontiff will go to Fresno and San
Francisco before heading to the East Coast and then back to Lebanon.

Aram was elected in 1995 as head of the Great House of Cilicia, the diaspora
branch of the church, which is based in Lebanon. The other branch, the
Catholicosate of Echmiadzin (the Catholicosate of All Armenians) is
headquartered in Armenia. Its pontiff, His Holiness Karekin II, visited
California in June.

The church became divided administratively more than 50 years ago as the
former Soviet Union, of which Armenia was part, curbed religious freedom.
Some Armenian Apostolic churches abroad broke with the mother church and
switched allegiance to the Lebanon-based side. Others remained loyal to
church headquarters in Armenia. Though the two branches offer the same
liturgy and creed, more U.S. Armenians are believed to be affiliated with
Karekin’s Armenia-based church.

In an interview Thursday at his hotel suite in Universal City, Aram said he
believes the existence of two Catholicosates has turned out to be a
blessing. He said he hopes for more collaboration between the two on
important issues.

“Two-headed eagle is stronger,” he said, pointing to a gold seal with a
double-headed eagle on a gold chain around his neck.

“The church, being the church of the people, kept pace with the changing
times and circumstances,” he said.

He said it is important that Armenians living abroad integrate and become
part of the communities where they live, but that they should not forget
their heritage. While being part of U.S. life, Armenian Americans must
“preserve our particulars, being faithful to our roots,” he said.

He said he believes the United States has a significant role to play in
promoting its values and working for peace with justice. “This has been a
society of values, of basic human principles and aspirations,” he said.
“This country has been a source of freedom, liberty and justice.”

KOCHARIAN AND ITALIAN MINISTER DISCUSS BOOSTING TIES

Armenpress
Oct 6, 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, ARMENPRESS: President Kocharian received today
Italian minister for external trade Adolpho Urso and underscored
boosting multi-lateral cooperation, saying holding of Armenian-Italian
Friendship Days is another good chances to enhance these ties.

Kocharian was reported by his press office as saying he was satisfied
with the dynamic of bilateral cooperation development, singling
out also stepped up political contacts. Kocharian said virtually
all Italian investments in Armenia have proved successful. Adolpho
Urso was quoted as saying that the level of bilateral relations was
‘excellent.’ He said a large group of businessmen have arrived with him
in Armenia to explore possibilities for starting new joint businesses.

A special focus in the meeting was on boosting small and medium-sized
businesses. Kocharian also received today Goran Lenmarker, OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on Nagorno-Karabakh and briefed
him on the latest developments in the conflict regulation process
and outlined also prospects for its resolution.

MEDIATORS TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

A1+
| 16:00:10 | 04-10-2005 | Politics |

According to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov the
recurrent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs will take
place in Ljubljana December 4-5 . He also informed that the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs are expected to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia,
ANS TV Company reported.

During the visit to be paid early November the mediators will meet
with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leadership. To note, OSCE Minsk
Group U.S. Co-Chair Steven Mann is expected to visit Baku late October.

TURKEY CHALLENGES EU TO BE “WORLD PLAYER”

Deutsche Welle, Germany
Oct 2 2005

Turkey’s prime minister challenged the European Union on Sunday
to be a “world player” rather than a “Christian club,” as the bloc
deliberated whether to open formal membership talks with the largely
Muslim country.

“The picture … will be very telling, not just for the future of
Turkey but also for that of the EU,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a
conference of his Justice and Development Party in the northwestern
spa resort of Kizilcahamam.

“Either the EU will decide to become a world force and a world player,
which would show its political maturity, or it will limit itself
to a Christian club,” Erdogan added, in an address broadcast by the
CNN Turkey TV station. The prime minister described the decision on
opening formal accession talks as a “test” of the bloc’s commitment
to the values of pluralism and democracy.

EU foreign ministers met in Luxembourg on Sunday night in an 11th hour
bid to agree a negotiating framework, which has so far been blocked
by Austria’s objection to full membership for Turkey. Vienna favors
the alternative of a “privileged partnership” with Turkey, an option
rejected by Ankara, which threatened this week to not attend Monday’s
negotiations if such a plan was on the table.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, arriving for the emergency
meeting, warned that the 25-member bloc stands at a key moment in
its history as it prepares to start membership talks with Turkey.

“This is a crucial meeting for the future of the European Union,”
he said, underlining that failure to start the talks “would represent
a failure for the European Union.”

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana voiced optimism about the
talks. “I think we will find a deal tonight,” he said.

But France’s foreign minister said that the starting of talks doesn’t
guarantee eventual membership. Many top French politicians favor the
“privileged partnership” option.

“To make believe that negotiations mean entry, that’s a lie, Philippe
Douste-Blazy said in a radio and television interview.

Now or never

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned Sunday that Turkey was
unlikely to reopen membership negotiations if official entry talks
did not begin as scheduled on Monday.

“I cannot see them happening again,” he said in an interview with the
Yeni Safak newspaper. Saying that he considered Oct. 3 as nothing
more than an “implementation date” for decisions already taken by
the bloc in December, Gul reiterated that Turkey was not prepared to
“begin negotiations whatever the price.”

The bloc approved Monday’s planned accession talks on Dec. 17,
providing that Turkey implemented certain legal reforms and broadened
a customs union to take in 10 new member states, including the disputed
island of Cyprus.

Turkey has met these obligations, although concerns were raised at the
European Parliament in Strasbourg last week over Ankara’s refusal to
let Cypriot ships and planes use its ports and airports, as required
by the customs deal.

Relations with the bloc have also been strained by Turkey’s declaration
in July reaffirming its refusal to recognize the government of Cyprus
and by Ankara’s refusal to recognize a genocide” against Armenians
under the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, a highly sensitive
issue for Turkey.

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005

HEIKKI TALVITIE: NEGOTIATIONS ON COOPERATION OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN
COUNTRIES WITH EUROPEAN UNION POSTPONED FOR ONE MONTH BECAUSE OF
AZERBAIJAN

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Negotiations on cooperation of the
South Caucasian countries with the European Union within the program
of European Neighbourhood have been postponed for one month because
of Azerbaijan, EU Special Representative to South Caucasus Heikki
Talvitie told journalists. He said that the negotiations were
expected to start in September, 2005; but Azerbaijan has certain
problems with one of EU countries. “We can not start negotiations
until these problems are solved as the EU pursues balanced policy
regarding the three countries of the South Caucasus”, Talvitie said.
He said that Azerbaijan has one month to solve these problems, after
that parallel negotiations can start. If not the EU will apply
differential approach and will start negotiations with those who are
ready. “Surely, Armenia is ready and will be the first in this list”,
he said. Talvitie also pointed out that the EU-South Caucasus
cooperation should start, and development of these relations depends
on progress the certain country registers. “The role of the South
Caucasus in international policy has increased and it is beneficial
for all countries”, he said. Talvitie pointed out that neighbourhood
program will give opportunity for regional cooperation, and this is
an important factor for region’s development. In this context he
pointed to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict as well. A.A.
-0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON TURKEY POSITIVE, NATURAL: VARTAN
OSKANYAN

YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan
considers the resolution on Turkey concerning the admission of the
Armenian Genocide adopted by the European Parliament to be positive
and natural. At his press conference on the upcoming visit of the
Special Representative of the European Parliament to the South
Caucasus, Minister Oskanyan said that if Turkey wants to be admitted
to the EU, it must meet the standards of European countries.
Therefore, it has to re-open the border with Armenia, take a sober
view of its past and make an appropriate assessment of the 1915
events.
EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie
shared Minister Oskanyan’s opinion, pointing out that the European
Parliament’s resolution means that the issues of Armenian-Turkish
relations will be settled during negotiations for Turkey’s admission
to the EU. On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted for
negotiations with Turkey. On the other hand, it adopted a resolution
recommending Turkey to admit mass murders of Armenians. In his turn,
Turkish Premier Recep Tayip stated that Turkey will not admit the
Armenian Genocide during WWI. P.T. -0–

A1+

| 16:52:53 | 30-09-2005 | Official |

HE PROMISED TO TAKE CARE

Today Robert Kocharyan received the Georgian Prime Minister Zourab Nogaideli
who has arrived in Armenia to participate in the works of the Economic
Cooperation Armenian-Georgian inter Governmental Committee forth session.

Besides the discussion of economic issues, the sides have also referred to
the social-economic condition in Javakhq. The Georgian Prime Minister said
that the Government intends to realize a 5-year program of road
reconstruction in Javakhq with the means allotted by the «Millennium
Challenges» Fund and the state budget.

The Georgian Government also intends to realize educations programs for the
Armenian-speaking citizens and actively participate in the
school-construction in Javakhq.

TALKS ON TURKISH EU MEMBERSHIP FACE NEW HURDLES
By Eva Cahen
CNSNews.com Correspondent

CNSNews.com, VA
Sept 29 2005

Paris (CNSNews.com) – Just days before the European Union is due to
open accession talks with Turkey, the process is facing new hurdles
and concerns.

Some E.U. governments, unconvinced of the wisdom of allowing membership
to a large Muslim nation straddling Europe and Asia, are pressing
for some form of “partnership” instead.

The European Parliament raised further problems by voting not to
ratify a customs union with Turkey, and also insisting that Turkey
acknowledge as genocide the killing of some 1.5 million Armenian
Christians at the end of the Ottoman Empire.

The talks are due to begin in Luxembourg on Monday, but as of Thursday,
it was still unclear whether the Turkish foreign minister would even
attend, unless Ankara was satisfied with the negotiating criteria
set down by the E.U. over the next several days.

Although the eventual negotiations could take more than a decade,
Britain has made launching the talks a priority of its current
E.U. presidency.

Polls show that public opinion in Europe is generally opposed to
Turkish membership, a development that would substantially increase
the Muslim population in traditionally Christian Europe, bringing
it to 20 percent. Turkey would also become the largest and poorest
country in the bloc, which currently has 25 members.

Another fear is that cheap labor from Turkey would take away jobs
from Europeans who already face high unemployment rates.

Those favoring Turkey’s entry into the EU, including the British and
Italian governments, believe that the Muslim nation of 72 million
people could act as a bridge between Islam and Christianity. Its
adhesion to Europe would create a positive image of a Muslim democracy
and help to block the tide of Islamic fundamentalism.

The United States also is a firm supporter of E.U. membership for
Turkey, which is already a member of NATO and strategically situated
between Europe and the Middle East.

The Washington-based Center for Security Policy, which generally
supports Bush administration policies, has warned against opening
E.U. membership for Turkey.

In a brief, the center said billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia
and other Gulf countries were being laundered in Turkey to finance
terrorism.

Secular education was increasingly being transformed into religious
education, and this could in future years result in the transformation
of the population from a modern secular one to one that is more
radically Islamist, it said.

“Prime Minister [Recep] Erdogan is systematically turning his country
from a Muslim secular democracy into an Islamofascist state governed
by an ideology anathema to European values and freedoms,” the center
argued.

Turkey’s bid for membership dates back to 1960, but before its
application could be considered, it had to satisfy E.U. requirements
on democracy, human rights and justice.

Turkey has carried out reforms including changing the penal code,
abolishing capital punishment, reducing corruption and torture, and
improving the economy. Supporters argue that it has come a long way
and should not be turned away now.

“It would now be a huge betrayal of the hopes and expectations of
the Turkish people and of Prime Minister Erdogan’s reform program if,
at this crucial time, we turned our back on Turkey,” British Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw told the ruling Labor Party’s annual conference
on Wednesday.

“The Turkey of two years ago is not the same Turkey as you see today,”
said Amanda Akcakoca, a policy analyst at the European Policy Center
in Brussels.

However, many obstacles remain and will play a major role in the
accession talks. These include a need for Turkey to reduce corruption
and the role of the black market, normalizing relations with the
Greek Cypriot government (Turkey occupies northern Cyprus), opening
the border with Armenia, and granting the Kurdish minority more rights.

“The reform process won’t be easy,” said Akcakoca. “Both economic and
political changes are going to have to take place, but also a change
in mentality, where Turkey will have to stop seeing things in terms
of bargaining and will have to understand that they have to do what
they have to do and they can’t turn everything into a carpet sale.”

During the period of the accession talks the Turkish government
itself will need to maintain domestic public opinion in favor of EU
membership, despite the sometimes difficult reform requirements.

Some European governments are aware of the sensitivity of the issue,
and how it could impact their own political standing.

In France, for instance, President Jacques Chirac says he is in favor
of Turkish membership but the man thought in a strong position to
succeed him as president in 2007 elections, Interior Minister Nicolas
Sarkozy, is opposed. France has promised a referendum on the issue.

Austria opposes Turkish membership and has demanded that negotiations
should be for a “privileged partnership” instead.

According to a senior French diplomat, many European leaders are
hoping that the accession talks will in the end lead to that type of
partnership, rather than full membership.

“The negotiations cannot be started on that premise but they could
conclude with an agreement for Turkey to become a privileged partner,”
he said.

Turkey has so far rejected any formula short of full membership.

Akcakoca said she believed the accession talks would in the end result
in membership.

“History has shown that any country that has started [E.U.] accession
talks has finished them [successfully]. Personally, I think that Turkey
will finish and become a member of the EU in 15 to 20 years,” she said.

(CNSNews International Editor Patrick Goodenough contributed to
this report.)

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Sept 27 2005

ALONG WITH ARMENIA FINLAND GRIEVES OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS:
FINNISH PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27. ARMINFO. Along with Armenia Finland grieves
over victims of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915, stated
Finnish President Tarja Halonen after laying a wreath to
Tsitsernakaberd, the Memorial of Armenian Genocide victims.

In her words, Armenia and Finland try to build their future together.
Halonen expressed hope that Armenia can resolve its contradictions
with Turkey. She noted that every year they commemorate in Finland
the Day of all Genocides victims.

Director of the Genocide Museum-Institute, doctor of history Lavrenty
Barseghyan presented Halonen some monographs dedicated to the history
of Armenian issue and Armenian Genocide in 1915.

FINNISH PRESIDENT HALONEN REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Sept 28 2005

Kezban TUNCOVA, YEREVAN (JTW) During her visit to Armenia on Tuesday,
Finland President Tarja Halonen found herself in the middle of
a discussion on the sensitive issue of the so-called Armenian
massacres. Armenians argue that the 1915 Relocation Decision of the
Ottoman Empire was a genocide and Turkey should admit it. However
Turkey has never accepted the allegations. Turkish historians say the
1915 Relocation Campaign was a measure to prevent Armenian attacks
against the Ottoman Army. The Armenians rioted against the Istanbul
Government in order tyo establish their own state. More than 520,000
Turkish people were massacred by the Armenian armed groups during
the First World War.

The discussion took place soon after the Finnish President had laid a
wreath at a monument to the victims of the 1915 events in the Armenian
capital Yerevan. Armenian journalists asked the Finnish President if
she would publicly recognise the 1915 events as a genocide.

Finnish President Halonen avoided a direct response to the questions,
saying instead “We are building a common future with Armenia”.

According to the President, Finland is not in the habit of giving
recognition to historical events. She said that every generation has
the right to re-examine history, and every country has a right to its
own history. She added that countries should not become prisoners of
history. Similarly Turkish prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had called the
Armenian side to establish a joint committee to discuss the historical
disputes between Turkey and Armenia. However the Armenian FM Oskanian
rejected the offer. Turkey also says both countries should focus on
today and current problems instead of obsessively focusing on the
past. Dr. Sedat Laciner from Ankara based Turkish think-tank USAK –
ISRO (International Strategic Research Organization) said “we should
not sacrifice today for the past. Both sides made mistakes in the
past and we cannot change the history. But we can construct the
future together”.

Finnish package tours to Armenia have already begun this year.

Currently, a fifth fairly small group of Finnish tourists are in
Yerevan.

On Tuesday President Halonen held talks with Armenian President Robert
Kochharian and other politicians on trade, Armenian-Turkish relations,
the dispute over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as Turkey’s
possible membership in the European Union.

The same issues came up when Halonen, who received an honorary
doctorate, spoke to students at Yerevan State University. The Finnish
President defended Turkish EU membership, which Armenia opposes,
because of Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. She said that Turkish EU membership would benefit the whole
region, including Armenia. On the question of Nagorno-Karabakh – an
ethnically Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan – Halonen offered the
autonomous status of Finland’s Åland Islands as a model. A fiery-eyed
student responded: “Azerbaijan is not Sweden”.

Armenia has occupied almost 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories
for more than a decade and the EU and the OSCE named Armenia as
‘occupier’ in the Karabakh. Armenia also does not recognize Turkey’s
and Azerbaijan’s national borders.

Dr. Davut Sahiner from ISRO told to the JTW that Turkey’s EU membership
will be very usefull in solving the regional problems in the region:

“The old order has to be changed in the Caucasus. The economical
and political structure of the Caucaus should be integrated into the
European and Western systems. And an EU member-Turkey could play a
vital role in doing so. Armenia right now has border problems and the
irredentist Armenian groups manipulate the Armenian politics. Turkey,
Georgia, Azerbaijain and Armenia should integrate their economies.

However the Karabakh issue prevent any development. As the EU and
the US urge the Yerevan, Armenia should withdraw from the occupied
territories.”

–Boundary_(ID_YIjAZCKDOJbJwGinXZfn9Q)–