Radical group’s picket thwarted by police
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 26 2004
On Thursday morning more than 50 GLO members attempted to hold a
protest action outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel to disrupt the 58th
“Rose Roth” seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in protest
against the planned participation of Armenians in the event.
The action was prevented by the police and some of the protesters were
taken to police precincts in the Sabayel district, but were released
after a warning.*
Armenian opposition parties oppose plans to send troops to Iraq
Associated Press Worldstream
November 25, 2004 Thursday 3:34 PM Eastern Time
YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenia’s opposition parties said Thursday they
would interrupt their boycott of parliamentary sessions to oppose a
government plan to send troops to Iraq during its expected discussion
in parliament.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian pledged 50 troops in September,
but the final decision on sending troops is to be made by the
Constitutional Court and parliament.
The Constitutional Court is expected to rule within the next few
days. In case of the Court’s positive conclusion, it will be up to
parliament to decide whether to dispatch a team of bomb disposal
experts, doctors and transport specialist to Iraq.
Deputy leader of the opposition National Unity party, Aleksan
Karapetian, said Thursday that by sending troops to Iraq, Armenia
would endanger the 25,000-person Armenian community living in the
Middle Eastern country.
Leader of the Justice opposition alliance Viktor Dallakian said
they would break their boycott of parliament sessions and would
“categorically” oppose sending Armenian soldiers to Iraq.
Two dozen opposition deputies have been boycotting parliamentary
sessions since February to protest last year’s re-election of
Kocharian, a vote the opposition charges was marred by widespread
irregularities.
Pro-government parties make up a majority in the 131-member
parliament. However, the leader of one of the pro-government factions,
Galust Saakian, also expressed opposition on Thursday to the plan to
commit troops to Iraq. He said the idea would not be backed by the
Armenian people.
The former Soviet republic has sought to portray the decision to send
troops to Iraq as a way to boost ties with Europe.
Azerbaijan urges UN intervention
tvnz.co.nz
Nov 24, 2004
Azerbaijan urged the UN General Assembly to intervene in a long and
bitter territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia over its breakaway
Nagorno-Karabakh region.
But France, Russia and the United States, which have been trying to
resolve the dispute on behalf of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, asked the assembly to stay on the sidelines
and not interfere with their efforts.
Talks “can only progress in an atmosphere of confidence between
the parties. Anything in the direction of building confidence and
of avoiding a division of the General Assembly is helpful,” said
U.S. envoy Susan Moore, speaking on behalf of the OSCE initiative
led by Paris, Moscow and Washington.
Rival claims have hung for years over tiny, mountainous
Nagorno-Karabakh, a mainly ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan suffered a humiliating defeat in a 1988-94 war with Armenia
over the region after its inhabitants tried to break from Azeri rule.
An estimated 35,000 people were killed and one million refugees fled
to Azerbaijan, where they remain. At the same time, thousands of
ethnic Armenian refugees fled to Armenia.
A cease-fire ended the conflict but the dispute persists despite
international efforts to broker a deal.
Azerbaijan’s foreign minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, said his government
had decided to take the issue to the General Assembly because Armenia
was pursuing an “illegal settlement policy” by flooding the disputed
area with Armenians, with an eye to annexing the enclave.
He called on the assembly to adopt a resolution affirming its
“continued strong support” for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
and the right of Azeri refugees to return to their former homes in
the enclave.
But Armenian Ambassador Armen Martirosyan said Azerbaijan’s proposal
was aimed at torpedoing the OSCE-sponsored negotiations.
The assembly put off a vote on the draft resolution until an
unspecified later date.
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Nov 18 2004
Settlement of Armenians in Garabagh may rekindle conflict – Foreign
Minister
Armenians are being illegally settled in the occupied Azeri lands,
which may provoke a conflict in the future, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said.
“Armenians are being illegally settled in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan. The aggressor regime provides loans and financial aid to
these settlers so that they stay there and official Baku is
well-aware of this.”
The minister also said that after all this lawlessness Azerbaijan has
finally achieved putting the issue on discussion at the United
Nations. However, the extensive settlement of Armenians in Upper
Garabagh signals that another conflict may be in the offing, he
underlined.
“Presume that real results are achieved in peace talks and displaced
persons are returning to their lands, while these areas are populated
by Armenians.”
Mammadyarov added that this represents a threat of rekindling the
conflict.
Transport problems restrict trade with Russia, says Armenian PM
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Moscow
11 Nov 04
The cost and unreliability of road transport are holding back the
expansion of Armenian-Russian trade, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Markaryan has said. Talking about the difficulties caused for Armenia
by Russia’s recent closure of the border crossing to Georgia,
Markaryan said that in negotiations “we got the feeling that Russia’s
leadership had a definite appreciation of this problem”. Markaryan
told Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russian investment was
now present in almost all sectors of the Armenian economy. He noted
that Armenia had met all its obligations to transfer property to
Russia in repayment of its debts, but that “for a number of technical
reasons connected with domestic procedural issues, the Russian side
has to this day not written off Armenia’s indebtedness for the sum of
the transferred property”. The following is the text of Viktoriya
Panfilova’s interview with Andranik Markaryan in Russian newspaper
Nezavisimaya Gazeta on 11 November headlined “Armenia on list of
debtors: Armenia suffers losses due to Russian fight against
terrorism”; subheadings inserted editorially:
In the last few years, Russia has significantly expanded its
investment presence in Armenia. Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan
spoke to NG [Nezavisimaya Gazeta ] about the dividends Yerevan has
seen from collaboration with Moscow.
Transport restrictions hold back Armenian-Russian trade
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] Mr Prime Minister, Iran and Belgium lead in the
volume of trade with Armenia, even though in recent years entire
branches of local industry and major enterprises have become Russian
property. What is the reason for this?
[Markaryan] From my point of view, the problem lies in the market’s
accessibility. Today the only type of transport linking Russia and
Armenia is motor vehicle transport, which is expensive and dependent
upon several subjective factors out of our countries’ control.
As for the volume of trade, Russia is one of Armenia’s leading
partners in its foreign economic activity. In the period 2002-03,
Russia came second after Belgium in the export of Armenian output,
although Russian output continues to account for the largest volume of
imports into Armenia. For example, results from the first nine months
of this year show Russia leading in the total trade between our
countries with 12.6 per cent. And among CIS [Commonwealth of
Independent States] countries, this index was 62 per cent. At the same
time, I would like to note that the Armenian enterprises that have
transferred to Russian ownership are still operating only at a
fraction of their production capacities and cannot have a substantial
influence on the level of foreign trade between Russia and Armenia.
Actually, at a recent meeting of the co-chairmen of the international
economic cooperation commission held in Yerevan in mid-October it was
decided to draw up proposals for so-called urgent measures to ensure
the full functioning of enterprises transferred to Russian ownership.
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] Recently Armenia found itself almost completely
isolated due to the closing of the Russian-Georgian border. And there
are no guarantees that a similar situation won’t recur. Under these
kinds of conditions, can we really talk about prospects for developing
bilateral relations?
[Markaryan] I don’t think we need to draw any far-reaching conclusions
from situations like the closure of the Verkhniy Lars border
crossing. Especially if we bear in mind that the Russian side had not
made a political decision to damage relations with Armenia. We know
that the Russian-Georgian border was closed due to the stepping-up of
the antiterrorist struggle. It remains to be seen how all this will
affect Armenia’s economy and how much the Russian side, having decided
to take this step, took the interests of our republic into
consideration or how the economic losses are being borne and will be
borne by Armenia, which is already under a tough transport
blockade. On this subject I can say that during the negotiations we
got the feeling that Russia’s leadership had a definite appreciation
of this problem. We conducted active negotiations simultaneously with
the Georgian authorities as well as Russia’s leadership in order to
find alternative communication routes. Fortunately, the situation was
settled very quickly and today everything has fallen into place. This
hardly means we are satisfied, though. As we speak, we are continuing
to search, in concert with the region’s states, for mechanisms for
creating new, mutually advantageous, efficient transport schemes.
Conflict settlement key to regional development
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] What needs to happen to establish lasting peace
and stability in the Caucasus?
[Markaryan] First of all, I would say, the peaceful settlement of all
the conflicts in our region, including the one in Nagornyy
Karabakh. It’s no secret that a fair solution to this problem would
create the prerequisites for opening all communications routes and
lifting the transport blockade around Armenia and Nagornyy
Karabakh. This would allow all the states in the region to establish
normal economic relations among themselves so that they can develop
and allow others to develop as well. I’m convinced that the
restoration of peace and stability in the Caucasus would be
facilitated as well by the implementation of regional programmes in
which all the countries of the region participate equally.
Russian capital has most effect in Armenia’s energy sector
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] In what branches of the Armenian economy is the
presence of Russian capital most tangible today? Are there spheres
that Russian business would like to invest in but cannot for various
reasons?
[Markaryan] Today Russian investments in Armenia have a very
diversified structure and are present in virtually every branch of the
economy. It’s noteworthy that as of 1 January 2004 there were 589
companies registered in Armenia that had some Russian capital – nearly
24 per cent of the total number. As for any possible subjective
reasons why investments might not be able to be made in specific
spheres of the economy – there aren’t any. The government has an open
door policy with respect to foreign investments. The legislation of
Armenia offers the most favourable conditions possible for all
investors and also ensures the protection of all forms of property. So
that Russian enterprises, just like the enterprises of other
countries, are free in both their economic activity and the
decisionmaking process.
As for the branches in which the presence of Russian capital is felt
the most, this would be primarily enterprises in the fuel and energy
complex, which is strategic from the standpoint of the republic’s
development. In particular, this is the ArmRosgazprom
[Armenian-Russian gas industry] enterprise and the Razdan heat and
power station. The Armenian nuclear power station has been handed over
to the Russian side for safe operation. There is Russian capital as
well in Armenian industry: Mars, the machine-building enterprise; and
Armenal, which produces aluminium. I would point out that our states
have a mutual interest in rapidly restoring those scientific and
production sites which have been transferred to Russian
ownership. Some of them – the scientific research institute of the
military-industrial complex, for example – are functioning actively
today. The problem is to get them operating at full capacity in the
near future – by attracting much more investment and orders and by
increasing the productive potential of these enterprises. Both Armenia
and Russia stand to gain from this, I’m sure.
Armenia seeking to encourage foreign investment
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] Which Russian financial and economic groups are
most active in Armenia? Do they have problems in their relations with
local authoriti es?
[Markaryan] Through legislation, the government of Armenia is
stimulating foreign investments in all spheres of the country’s
economy, both in the practical and the financial sectors. Thus, of the
20 banks now operating in Armenia, nine involve Russian capital.
As for relations with local authorities, we take a unified approach to
both Armenian and foreign business. Moreover, we are trying to
stimulate foreign investments. In addition, attesting to the
favourable atmosphere for business and the absence of any
differentiated approach is the continuing increase in the presence of
Russian capital in Armenia. In particular, in early 2004, Russia’s
Vneshtorgbank acquired the controlling packet of shares in Armenia’s
Sberbank [Savings Bank]. And if enterprises in their current activity
do run into any problems, then they are the same for everyone,
including Armenian enterprises.
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] Armenia’s economic legislation is considered to
be fairly liberal. How does this affect foreign investments? Does more
money come to the country from Russia or from the West? And which
investments are given preference?
[Markaryan] Indeed, the economic and especially the financial
legislation of our country is one of the most liberal and, even more
important, one of the most stable in the post-Soviet states. True, the
mere presence of liberal legislation is not enough for foreign
investments. I want to point out that the country’s leadership is
working specifically to support political stability in the country,
develop market infrastructures, and reform the structures that operate
directly with entrepreneurs, as well as on several other efforts
included in the strategic programme to combat corruption and reduce
various risks.
We can judge the favourable investment climate from the increase in
investments in the country’s economy. For example, in the first six
months of this year total investments in Armenia’s economy rose by 41
per cent, while direct foreign investments rose by nearly 80 per
cent. If we compare this to previous years (1997-2003), then among the
10 partner countries making investments in Armenia’s economy, nearly
26 per cent came from Russia. As for the issue of preferences, we
welcome all investments that will stimulate the country’s economic
development.
Armenia has met all obligations to transfer property to Russia
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] In 2002, an agreement was signed between our
countries on repaying Armenia’s state debt by transferring shares in
Armenian enterprises to Russian Federation ownership. However, the
Russian draft budget for next year once again includes as Armenia’s
debt the same sum that Armenia already repaid when it transferred
those factories to Russia. How are we to interpret this?
[Markaryan] Indeed, Armenia has met all of its obligations to transfer
property (on 5 August 2003, property worth US 63 million US dollars
was transferred to Russian ownership and in January 2004 property
worth 31 million dollars). However, for a number of technical reasons
connected with domestic procedural issues, the Russian side has to
this day not written off Armenia’s indebtedness for the sum of the
transferred property. Before the end of this year, an
intergovernmental commission is supposed to hold joint consultations
during which this issue should be resolved.
Parliament to decide on sending Armenian contingent to Iraq
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] Recently Yerevan decided to send 50 military
medics and sappers to Iraq to assist the coalition forces. However the
leaders of Iraq’s 20,000-strong Armenian community, concerned that in
that event Armenians would become the next target of international
terrorists, sent an appeal to Yerevan to reject this decision.
[Markaryan] As we know, the final decision on sending an Armenian
military contingent to Iraq will be taken by the National Assembly of
Armenia. The problem is that there was a preliminary agreement with
Poland about our participation in Iraq as part of the military group
of this country. Lately, though, Poland itself seems to have had
doubts about the wisdom of its military presence in Iraq. Naturally,
we will have to keep changes in this and several other conditions in
mind as we make corrections to our position and clarify certain issues
before the matter is submitted to parliament. Of course, in
discussions of this issue, we are also keeping in mind the interests
and security issues of our state and the opinion of Iraq’s Armenian
community of many thousands. In any event, I can say that if such a
decision is taken, then a small number of military drivers, medics and
sappers will be sent to Iraq but will not take part in military
actions.
Cairo ‘Barely’ Held Arafat’s Ceremony
Zaman (Turkey)
11.13.2004
Cumali Onal
CAIRO — Due to a lack of organization, Palestinian leader Yasser
Arafat’s funeral ceremony ended as fiasco in Cairo yesterday.
A Finnish Representative, an Arab Foreign Minister and top levels of a
Turkish delegation including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP) leader Deniz Baykal as well as Organization of Islamic Conference
(OCI) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Islamoglu had trouble entering the
tent set up for the ceremony. After a hustle, the dignitaries were
finally let in. Delegates from Germany, Malaysia and Armenia missed the
ceremony altogether due to heavy airport traffic.
Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan, who was visiting Turkey, was also
included in the Turkish delegation to Cairo. The Palestinian Ambassador
to Ankara, Fuat Yasin, also missed the funeral ceremony. Yasin expressed
his sorrow saying, “This is a big scandal. This is such a bitter thing.”
While Turkish top levels were lucky ones to gain entrance to the
ceremony, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fisher missed the ceremony, as
his plane was kept waiting in the air for an hour. Similarly, Armenian
delegation also missed the ceremony due to airport traffic.
The Finnish Representative, meanwhile, was not permitted to enter the
ceremony since he “did not have an identity tag”.
When the Egyptian protocol, caught unprepared by the funeral, forgot
accreditiation, protocol officials of guest delegations and their chief
bodyguards were not let into the ceremony. World leaders in the
procession who had followed Arafat’s casket for nearly 400 meters were
surprised when they were told, “the ceremony is over here.” Some leaders
waited in the cars while others chatted in groups.
ArmenPress
Nov 15 2004
PARLIAMENT OPENS DEBATE ON 2005 DRAFT BUDGET
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian parliament began
today debates over 2005 draft budget, that has set revenues at 327.9
billion drams, including also official transfers and expenditures at
375.4 billion drams. The budget deficit is projected at 47.5 billion
drams.
The draft budget foresees an 8 percent GDP growth for next year
and a 3 percent GDP deflation and inflation. The exchange rate of one
US Dollar is set at 535 US Dollar.
Presenting the draft budget to lawmakers, prime minister Andranik
Margarian said it did not differ from 2004 budget in terms of its
logic, essence and strategic approaches, being based on the
fundamentals of the Poverty Reduction Plan and approved medium-term
expenditures.
He said the projected volume of the deficit is 3.3 billion less
that the 2004 deficit. “We are working to get rid of the practice to
cover the deficit from foreign credit sources and trying each year to
decrease its volume in view of the GDP growth and domestic
resources,” he said.
He said 55. 4 billion drams are earmarked fro education, which is
a 21.7 percent increase against 2004 funding. In 2005 secondary
school teachers average salary will be around $100. Also 45.4 billion
drams are earmarked for social security sector, a 26.5 percent
increase against 2004. The budget envisages bigger old-age pensions
(around $20) and other social allowances. The health care system is
set to receive 33.3 billion drams, a 31.9 percent increase against
2004.
Margarian said the 2005 draft budget does not include the money
Armenia hopes to get from the Millennium Challenges Account (MCA)
Corporation and also possible funds from the US-based Lincy
Foundation.
He said a team of MCA is in Armenia now working with respective
ministries. Another team is due in a couple of weeks to examine the
projects Armenia is going to submit to MCA. Margarian said by the end
of the year the government may learn how much the US government may
release to Armenia within the frameworks of MCA.
Regarding possible funds from the Lincy Margarian said
negotiations are being held with its managers. “If the Foundation
decides to release new funds to Armenia before the end of the year
they will be included in 2005 budget,’ he said. The 2005 budget
includes a $20 million loan from the World Bank.
Arafat’s Soviet Connection: Another ”Legacy” the Media Will Ignore
Written by Cinnamon Stillwell
ChronWatch, CA
Nov 12 2004
Earlier this year, Frontpage.com interviewed Ion Mihai Pacepa,
former acting chief of Communist Romania’s espionage service. In the
course of the interview, Pacepa elaborated on his previous dealings
with Yassir Arafat and the PLO. It turns out that both were
creations of the Soviet Union, whose classic anti-Semitism combined
with Cold War geopolitical alliances, made them hostile to Israel.
And in Arafat, they found the perfect mouthpiece through which to try
and destroy the Jewish State.
Although ultimately unsuccessful in this goal, the propaganda
offensive did incalculable damage to Israe’s reputation, even to this
day. In particular, the language of anti-Zionism, also created by
the Soviet Union (read more about that here:
), made a lasting impression.
In light of Arafat’s recent demise and the mainstream media’s
collective amnesia about his legacy of tyranny and terrorism, it
seemed fitting to revive the Pacepa interview. The section dealing
with Arafat and the PLO is excerpted below. To read the entire
interview, follow the link at the bottom.
FP: Tell us about the PLO and its connection to the Soviet regime.
Pacepa: The PLO was dreamt up by the KGB, which had a penchant for
”liberation” organizations. There was the National Liberation Army
of Bolivia, created by the KGB in 1964 with help from Ernesto ”Che”
Guevara. Then there was the National Liberation Army of Colombia,
created by the KGB in 1965 with help from Fidel Castro, which was
soon deeply involved in kidnappings, hijackings, bombings, and
guerrilla warfare. In later years the KGB also created the
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which carried out
numerous bombing attacks on the ”Palestinian territories” occupied
by Israel, and the ”Secret Army for Liberation of Armenia,” created
by the KGB in 1975, which organized numerous bombing attacks against
U.S. airline offices in Western Europe.
In 1964 the first PLO Council, consisting of 422 Palestinian
representatives handpicked by the KGB, approved the Palestinian
National Charter–a document that had been drafted in Moscow. The
Palestinian National Covenant and the Palestinian Constitution were
also born in Moscow, with the help of Ahmed Shuqairy, a KGB influence
agent who became the first PLO chairman. (During the Six-Day War he
escaped from Jerusalem disguised as a woman, thereafter becoming such
a symbol within the bloc intelligence community that one of its later
influence operations–aimed at making the West consider Arafat a
moderate–was given the codename ”Shuqairy.”) This new PLO was
headed by a Soviet-style Executive Committee made up of 15 members
who, like their comrades in Moscow, also headed departments. As in
Moscow–and Bucharest–the chairman of the Executive Committee became
the general commander of the armed forces as well. The new PLO also
had a General Assembly, which was the Soviet-inspired name given to
all East European parliaments after World War II.
Based on another ”socialist division of labor,” the Romanian
espionage service (DIE) was responsible for providing the PLO with
logistical support. Except for the arms, which were supplied by the
KGB and the East German Stasi, everything else came from Bucharest.
Even the PLO uniforms and the PLO stationery were manufactured in
Romania free of charge, as a ”comradely help.” During those years,
two Romanian cargo planes filled with goodies for the PLO landed in
Beirut every week, and were unloaded by Arafat’s men.
FP: You have discussed your personal knowledge of how Arafat was
created and cultivated by the KGB and how the Soviets actually
designed him to be the future leader of the PLO. Illuminate this
picture for us please.
Pacepa: ”Tovarishch Mohammed Abd al-Rahman Abd al-Raouf Arafat
al-Qudwa al-Husseini, nom de guerre Abu Ammar,” was built into a
Palestinian leader by the KGB in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day
Arab-Israeli War. In that war Israel humiliated two of the Soviet
Union’s most important allies in the Arab world of that time, Egypt
and Syria, and the Kremlin thought that Arafat could help repair the
Soviet prestige. Arafat had begun his political career as leader of
the Palestinian terrorist organization al-Fatah, whose fedayeen were
being secretly trained in the Soviet Union. In 1969, the KGB managed
to catapult him up as chairman of the PLO executive committee.
Egyptian ruler Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was also a Soviet puppet,
publicly proposed the appointment.
Soon after that, the KGB tasked Arafat to declare war on American
”imperial-Zionism” during the first summit of the Black
International, an organization that was also financed by the KGB.
Arafat claimed to have coined the word ”imperial-Zionism,” but in
fact Moscow had invented this battle cry many years earlier,
combining the traditionally Russian anti-Semitism with the new
Marxist anti-Americanism.
FP: Why has the American and Israeli leadership been deceived so long
about Arafat’s criminal and terrorist activities?
Pacepa: Because Arafat is a master of deceit–and I unfortunately
contributed to that. In March 1978, for instance, I secretly brought
Arafat to Bucharest to involve him in a long-planned Soviet/Romanian
disinformation plot. Its goal was to get the United States to
establish diplomatic relations with him, by having him pretend to
transform the terrorist PLO into a government-in-exile that was
willing to renounce terrorism. Soviet president Leonid Brezhnev
believed that newly elected U.S. president Jimmy Carter would swallow
the bait. Therefore, he told the Romanian dictator that conditions
were ripe for introducing Arafat into the White House. Moscow gave
Ceausescu the job because by 1978 my boss had become Washington’s
most favored tyrant. ”The only thing people in the West care about
is our leaders,” the KGB chairman said, when he enrolled me in the
effort of making Arafat popular in Washington. ”The more they come
to love them, the better they will like us.”
”But we are a revolution,” Arafat exploded, after Ceausescu
explained what the Kremlin wanted from him. ”We were born as a
revolution, and we should remain an unfettered revolution.” Arafat
expostulated that the Palestinians lacked the tradition, unity, and
discipline to become a formal state. That statehood was only
something for a future generation. That all governments, even
Communist ones, were limited by laws and international agreements,
and he was not willing to put any laws or other obstacles in the way
of the Palestinian struggle to eradicate the state of Israel.
My former boss was able to persuade Arafat into tricking President
Carter only by resorting to dialectical materialism, for both were
fanatical Stalinists who knew their Marxism by heart. Ceausescu
sympathetically agreed that ”a war of terror is your only realistic
weapon,” but he also told his guest that, if he would transform the
PLO into a government-in-exile and would pretend to break with
terrorism, the West would shower him with money and glory. ”But you
have to keep on pretending, over and over,” my boss emphasized.
Ceausescu pointed out that political influence, like dialectical
materialism, was built upon the same basic tenet that quantitative
accumulation generates qualitative transformation. Both work like
cocaine, let’s say. If you sniff it once or twice, it may not change
your life. If you use it day after day, though, it will make you
into an addict, a different man. That’s the qualitative
transformation. And in the shadow of your government-in-exile you
can keep as many terrorist groups as you want, as long as they are
not publicly connected with your name.
In April 1978 I accompanied Ceausescu to Washington, where he
convinced President Jimmy Carter that he could persuade Arafat to
transform his PLO into a law-abiding government-in-exile, if the
United States would establish official relations with him.
Thereupon, President Carter publicly hailed Ceausescu as a ”great
national and international leader” who had ”taken on a role of
leadership in the entire international community.”
Three months later I was granted political asylum by the United
States, and Romania’s tyrant lost his dream of getting the Nobel
Peace Prize. A quarter of a century later, however, Arafat remains
in place as the PLO chairman and seems to still be on track with the
Kremlin’s game of deception. In 1994, Arafat was granted the Nobel
Peace Prize because he agreed to transform his terrorist organization
into a kind of government-in-exile (the Palestinian Authority) and
pretended, over and over, that he would abolish the articles in the
1964 PLO Covenant that call for the destruction of the state of
Israel and would eradicate Palestinian terrorism. At the end of the
1998-99 Palestinian school year, however, all one hundred and fifty
new schoolbooks used by Arafat’s Palestinian Authority described
Israel as the ”Zionist enemy” and equated Zionism with Nazism. Two
years after the Oslo Accords were signed, the number of Israelis
killed by Palestinian terrorists rose by 73% compared to the two year
period preceding the agreement.
To read the entire interview, go to:
–Boundary_(ID_pMYD5ATIpSI4gwemSvsh/w)–
PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
November 10, 2004
___________________
THREE NORTH AMERICAN DIOCESES SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO MEETING ORGANIZED
BY ACYOA
They came from every corner of the continent, and it quickly became
apparent that these young Armenians had a lot in common, and together
could take advantage of a number of opportunities.
>>From October 1 to 3, 2004, delegates from each of the three North
American dioceses of the Armenian Church — the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), the Western Diocese, and the Canadian
Diocese — met at the Eastern Diocese’s Ararat Center to discuss common
concerns and challenges related to youth involvement in the church.
“This meeting was an opportunity to unify the youth organizations of our
dioceses,” said Mathew Ash, the youth director for the Western Diocese.
“For the first time I felt as though we were all striving for the same
goals. I feel as though we have a great deal more to discuss. I pray
that we’ll be able to capitalize on this event.”
SHARED OPPORTUNITIES
Each diocese sent four representatives to the meeting. They explored
the possibility of a joint event that would assemble even more young
people from the three dioceses. They also investigated the feasibility
of sponsoring a joint pilgrimage to Armenia and drafted a document to
present to the respective primates and diocesan councils on ways to
involve youth in the life of the church.
The weekend was organized by the Central Council of the Armenian Church
Youth Organization of America (ACYOA) of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern).
“This meeting was something we have wanted to do for several years. By
creating a network of communication, the ACYOA, ACYO-WD (Armenian Church
Youth Organization — Western Diocese), and ACYOC (Armenian Church Youth
Organization of Canada) will be able to work together to strengthen each
of our organizations and fulfill our common mission, bringing the youth
of the Armenian Church closer to God,” said Eastern Diocese
representative Maria Derderian, a member of the ACYOA Central Council.
The weekend was more than talking; it included matins and vespers
services and a presentation on discipleship by Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian,
pastor of the St. Peter Church of Watervliet, NY. That Sunday, the
young participants traveled to Watervliet to attend a Divine Liturgy and
brunch at St. Peter Church. During brunch, a representative from each
of the three Dioceses spoke with the parish gathering about their
respective service programs in Armenia.
“It’s inspiring to see so many dedicated, young members of the Armenian
Church,” Fr. Doudoukjian said. “I pray they will be disciples of the
Lord and witness their faith to others.”
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
After three days of discussion, brainstorming, and sharing past
experiences and future hopes, the group came up with a few goals for the
combined youth of the three dioceses to focus on.
Delegates plan to organize an annual Pan-North American Youth Retreat
for the next three years during late September or early October. They
hope between 75 and 100 young people can attend the sessions, which will
be hosted by the three dioceses on a rotating schedule.
Another proposal they agreed on is to organize a Pan-Armenian youth
gathering in Armenia for 2008.
The group also agreed to more coordination in regard to their respective
service programs in Armenia. ACYOA organizes the Armenia Service
Program (ASP), through which young people work as camp counselors in
Armenia. The ACYO-WD this year inaugurated its Church Youth Mission to
Armenia, which allows participants to spend a month working as an intern
in Armenia.
The group decided to jointly promote the various opportunities for young
people to serve the Armenian homeland. Also, the various trips will be
scheduled so they overlap, allowing participants from each program to
mingle with those of the others.
“It was a pleasure meeting friends from all across North America and
getting their perspectives on the goings on of their respective
Dioceses. Hopefully we can build a brighter and stronger future for
generations to come,” said Talar Chichmanian, a representative of the
ACYOC, which is just getting established.
Attending the meeting as representatives of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern) were: Maria Derderian, ACYOA Central Council
public relations coordinator and member of the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob
Church, Wynnewood, PA; Dn. Diran Jebejian, ACYOA Central Council vice
chair and member of the St. Leon Church, Fair Lawn, NJ; Saro Kalayjian,
former ACYOA Central Council chair and member of the St. Mary Church,
Washington, D.C.; and Karen Khatchadourian, ACYOA Central Council
programming coordinator and member of the St. Thomas Church, Tenafly,
NJ.
Attending the session as representatives of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Canada were: Talar Chichmanian, parishioner at the St. Gregory
Cathedral, Montreal, Quebec; Armen DiMaria, ACYOC member from the Holy
Cross Church, Laval, Quebec; David Kaprielian, ACYOC member from the
Holy Cross Church, Laval, Quebec; and Shogher Menengichian, ACYOC member
from the Holy Trinity Church, Toronto, Ontario.
Attending the session as representatives of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America were: Hovig Artinian, ACYO-WD Central Council
chair and member of St. Paul Church, Fresno, CA; Matthew Ash, Diocesan
youth director and member of the St. James Church, Los Angeles, CA;
Abraham Chilingaryan, ACYO-WD Central Council advisor and member of the
St. John Church, Hollywood, CA; and Ryan Tellalian, ACYO-WD Central
Council secretary and member of the St. Mary Church, Yettem, CA.
Helping organize and leading discussions during the weekend were Fr.
Stepanos Doudoukjian, pastor of the St. Peter Church of Watervliet, NY;
Nancy Basmajian, ACYOA executive secretary; and Jason Demerjian, the
Eastern Diocese’s College Ministry facilitator.
— 11/10/04
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Representatives from the three Armenian Church
dioceses of North America discuss shared opportunities and challenges
during a weekend retreat at the Eastern Diocese’s Ararat Center in
upstate New York on October 1 through 3, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, pastor of the St. Peter
Church of Watervliet, NY, leads a discussion on discipleship and
stewardship during a gathering of young Armenian Church leaders from
throughout North America.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Four representatives from each Armenian Church
diocese in North America gather at the St. Peter Church of Watervliet,
NY, on October 3, 2004, after a weekend of discussions and sharing of
ideas at the Ararat Center in upstate New York.
# # #
A1 Plus | 18:45:48 | 08-11-2004 | Official |
NOMINATED THE HEAD OF NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE
President Robert Kocharyan has today signed a decree on nominating
Gorik Hakobyan as the Head of National Security Service of Government,
relieving him from the post of Vice-head of National Security Service
of the Government.