Author: Nahapetian Lilit

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

“BEI NG CHRISTIAN MEANS CARRYING EACH OTHER’S BURDENS”

SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

His Holiness Aram I met on March 7 with Armenian women who attend the
sessions delivered every Tuesday by members of the Cilician Brotherhood on
spiritual issues and biblical contemplation.

Addressing about 150 women, His Holiness first of all stressed the
importance of giving life to biblical values and principles. “One should not
only study the Bible, one should live it. One should not only read the
Bible, but also follow it. Christianity is life, it is a quality of life; it
is a path and aim of life. This is what Jesus Christ preached,” His Holiness
said.

Citing a section of the Bible where humans are advised to carry each other’s
burdens, His Holiness said: “Jesus-Christ carried the burden of all humans
by being crucified. As followers of Christ, we are obliged to carry each
other’s burdens. Each of us has various burdens. It is essential to help one
another, understand each other and share one another’s pain. This is an
imperative of love, which forms the basis of our Christian life. Instead of
being indifferent to one another, gossiping about each other, we should show
affectionate behaviour towards each other in our families, organisations,
community and national life.”

His Holiness then encouraged participants to ask him questions about issues
related to their everyday lives. The attendants asked a number of questions
about schools, religious and Armenian education, marriage with foreigners,
the youth, sects and the church. His Holiness answered the questions sharing
the concerns of the attendants on the one hand and criticising some negative
aspects of the community’s life on the other hand. His Holiness expressed
his readiness to help Armenians in their problems through the Armenian
National Prelacy and with the help of members of the Cilician Brotherhood.

##
View photos here: tm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
jurisdiction and the Christian Education activities in both the
Catholicosate and the dioceses, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
March 12 2006
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

`Minorities should be made to do the army’
By Jacqueline Theodoulou

MINORITY religious groups of Armenians, Latins and Maronites, should
be made to join the National Guard like everyone else, Ombudswoman
Eliana Nicolaou has ruled.
Nicolaou, who is also head of the Authority against Racism and
Discrimination, acted after a group of Greek Cypriots requested that
she investigate whether the fact that these minority groups were not
made to do military service constituted a form of unfair treatment
and discrimination.

The Ombudswoman’s report ruled in favour of the plaintiffs and was
sent on to the Defence Ministry, with the request that the
appropriate regulations be made and discrimination against Greek
Cypriot youths in favour of the minority groups be lifted.

But Maronite House Antonis Hadjiroussos described Nicolaou’s report
as `superficial and lacking in depth’, and said the matter would be
discussed with representatives from other minority groups.

`We have never refused to join the army. It was the government that
decided that Maronites were not obliged to join the army. I don’t
know why the Ombudswoman is now describing this as discrimination.

`We will discuss the matter with Nicolaou and the other minorities
and will then decide how to react.’

According to Dr Vahakn Atamian, Armenian House Representative, the
groups are planning to meet President Tassos Papadopoulos and discuss
the matter.

`After that, we will see how we will proceed,’ Atamian said
yesterday.

Following a recommendation by the National Guard, almost no members
of the above minorities have served in the National Guard since the
1960s. And due to the small number of their communities’ members,
only a few dozens of Armenian, Maronite and Latin 18-year-olds avoid
the call-up every year.

The Defence Ministry is examining Nicolaou’s report and will be
giving an official response soon.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

STATE DEPARTMENT AGAIN REFUSES TO DIRECTLY
COMMENT ON REPORTS OF AMB. EVANS’ RECALL

— Spokesperson Continues to Evade Journalists’ Questions;
Issues Non-Responsive Answer to Repeated Inquiries

WASHINGTON, DC – For the fourth time in the last week, the State
Department’s official spokesperson has failed to directly respond
to questions raised by journalists during the Department’s daily
press briefing about reports that the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
John Marshall Evans, has been recalled due to his truthful
statements on the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

“It’s certainly disappointing seeing State Department officials
hiding behind their spokesperson to avoid directly answering
questions about whether Ambassador Evans is being recalled because
he had the courage to stand up against what effectively amounts to
a ‘gag-rule’ preventing our nation’s diplomats from speaking
truthfully about the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian.

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in a March 8th letter to Secretary
Rice, wrote that, “If, in fact, the State Department has taken
punitive steps against Ambassador Evans, you should fully and
openly explain your policies and actions to the American people.
If, on the other hand, the Department has not taken any such steps,
you owe it to the American people to affirm that it is not the
policy of the United States of America to punish its diplomats for
speaking the truth about the Armenian Genocide.”

Questions concerning Ambassador Evans were raised on March 8th and
March 10th and again on March 13th and 14th. Each time journalists
asked for official comments about Ambassador Evans’ reported
recall. Reflecting the growing frustration among journalists over
the lack of a clear response to their inquiries, a member of the
State Department press corps publicly described the answers
provided by the official spokesperson as “a bit of a dodge.”

The growing controversy surrounding reports of Amb. Evans’ recall
has resulted in separate letters being sent to Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice from ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian and Rep. Frank
Pallone (D-NJ), the Co-Chairman of the Armenian Issues Caucus, as
well as formal Congressional inquiries by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
and Grace Napolitano (D-CA).

Speaking last year to an Armenian American gathering at the
University of California at Berkeley, Amb. Evans said, “I will
today call it the Armenian Genocide. . . I informed myself in depth
about it. I think we, the U.S. government, owe you, our fellow
citizens, a more frank and honest way of discussing this problem.
Today, as someone who has studied it~E there’s no doubt in my mind
[as to] what happened . . . I think it is unbecoming of us, as
Americans, to play word games here. I believe in calling things by
their name.” Referring to the Armenian Genocide as “the first
genocide of the 20th century,” he said: “I pledge to you, we are
going to do a better job at addressing this issue.” Amb. Evans also
disclosed that he had consulted with a legal advisor at the State
Department who had confirmed that the events of 1915 were “genocide
by definition.”

Within days after his remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour
of Armenian American communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently
forced to issue a statement clarifying that his references to the
Armenian Genocide were his personal views and did not represent a
change in U.S. policy. He subsequently issued a correction to this
statement, replacing a reference to the Genocide with the word
“tragedy.”

Later last year, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA),
in recognition of his honesty and commitment to principle, decided
to honor Ambassador Evans with the “Christian A. Herter Award,”
recognizing creative thinking and intellectual courage within the
Foreign Service. AFSA states, “The purpose of the [award] is to
encourage Foreign Service career employees to speak out frankly and
honestly.” Sadly, as Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler
revealed on June 9th, AFSA withdrew its award following pressure
from “very serious people from the State Department” just days
before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to
Washington, D.C. to meet with President George W. Bush.

The full text of the four exchanges are provided below:

#####

1) MARCH 8, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
SEAN MCCORMACK, SPOKESMAN

QUESTION: [. . .] Why did you recall your Ambassador to Armenia,
Mr. John Evans? Are you going to replace him?

MR. MCCORMACK: I’m not aware that we have recalled anybody — our
Ambassador to Armenia.

QUESTION: Not in Germany, in Armenia.

MR. MCCORMACK: What’s that? I’m not aware that – I believe that
he’s still serving as Ambassador in Armenia.

2) MARCH 10, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
TOM CASEY, ACTING SPOKESMAN

QUESTION: Is the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia having his time there
cut short, maybe his career? A couple of Congressmen have asked
Secretary Rice about it and apparently have not gotten an answer.
He’s supposed to have suggested that Armenians were the victims of
genocide, which doesn’t happen to be Bush Administration policy.

MR. CASEY: I think Sean addressed this a couple of days ago.

QUESTION: I think it’s been brought up — further up to date. If
you could —

MR. CASEY: I don’t have anything beyond what he said on it. I’ll
look into it for you and see if there’s any changes in —

QUESTION: He said that ambassadors serve at the privilege of the
President

MR. CASEY: Yeah. And as far as I know, he’s . . . still ambassador.
I’m not aware that anything’s changed that situation.

QUESTION: You can’t — well, all right, if you don’t have anything
further. (Inaudible.)

MR. CASEY: I think, Barry, I will — yeah, I’ll look into it for
you. I haven’t gotten an update on it, but I’ll try and see if
there’s something and we’ll post an answer for you.

QUESTION: And also if somebody ghosted an answer from the Secretary
to Mr. Schiff and the other Congressmen.

MR. CASEY: Okay. I’ll let you know. Let’s go back here. Oh, to you
guys first and then we’ll come over to this side.

3) MARCH 13, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
TOM CASEY, ACTING SPOKESMAN

QUESTION: Is the Ambassador of Armenia being — having his career
shortened because he spoke out against genocide in Armenia?

MR. CASEY: Barry, I know we promised you an answer on that one on
Friday. Still don’t have it and I’ll get something for you this
afternoon.

QUESTION: You mean his future hasn’t been decided yet?

MR. CASEY: Not that I’m aware of.

QUESTION: I think it has.

MR. CASEY: I believe you think it does.

QUESTION: No, I do believe it does and so do — and I have reason
to believe it does and I know there are at least two members of
Congress who believe it does. No, I just think the State Department
is having difficulty finding words to announce his premature
retirement.

MR. CASEY: No. We owe you an answer on that.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. CASEY: I’ll get it for you. Yes, Saul.

[. . .]

QUESTION: And one on Armenia. Representative Frank Pallone in a
strong statement expressed his extreme disappointment with regards
of the Department of State decision to rid finally Ambassador John
Evans from Armenia as a retaliation for statements he made in
recognition of the Armenian genocide in Los Angeles by Ottoman
Turks. And it was reported that already you have decided to replace
him. Could you please clarify for us what is going on exactly this
particular moment of this issue?

MR. CASEY: That was the question Barry asked. We owe you an answer
and we’ll get you one.

QUESTION: Is the same answer.

MR. CASEY: Yeah. It’s the same issue; it will be the same answer.

QUESTION: Is there an ambassador on post in Armenia right now?

MR. CASEY: Yes, there is.

QUESTION: Is his name Evans?

MR. CASEY: Yes, it is.

QUESTION: Does he have suitcase packed?

MR. CASEY: Not that I’m aware of.

QUESTION: But when you do announce this, would you kindly tell us
the difference between what happened and genocide?

MR. CASEY: I think —

QUESTION: Because U.S. policy is there was no genocide.

MR. CASEY: Our policy on this issue is well known. It was reported
in a presidential statement and, yeah, I don’t have anything to add
to it.

4) MARCH 14, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
ADAM ERELI, SPOKESMAN

QUESTION: Mr. Ereli, on the DOS [Department of State] Web site,
regarding yesterday’s taken question about U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia John Evans’ status, you have put quote, “genocide,”
unquote, in quotes. I’m wondering why, if you can say so.

MR. ERELI: I think because it was referring to remarks that
somebody made.

QUESTION: Do you know whether John Evans was recalled or whether
he’s been recalled due to his speech on Armenian genocide?

MR. ERELI: I think the question was answered in the – that was
answered in the question posted.

QUESTION: Should DOS [Department of State] employees have been
advised not to use the term, quote, “genocide,” unquote, when
discussing the extermination of the (inaudible)?

MR. ERELI: No, I think our guidance on that is the same. And we
posted that guidance last week.

QUESTION: Is it not true that Mr. Evans’ 35-year diplomatic career
will be shortened because of the remarks he made, saying that …
… genocide?

MR. ERELI: I think the question was answered in the – that was
answered in the question posted.

QUESTION: Had DOS [Department of State] employees been advised not
to use the term, quote, “genocide,” unquote, when discussing the
extermination of the 1 ~V1/2 million . . .

MR. ERELI: No, I think our guidance on that is the same. And we
posted that guidance last week.

QUESTION: Is it not true that Mr. Evans’ 35-year diplomatic career
will be shortened because of the remarks he made, saying that
Armenians were the victims of genocide, since the U.S. government
or the State Department doesn’t believe what happened was genocide?
It doesn’t fit the definition of genocide?

MR. ERELI: I really don’t have anything more to add to what we
posted.

QUESTION: Well, what you posted yesterday was a bit of a dodge.

MR. ERELI: No. I think it’s the situation as it is. (CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: There is very strong reason to believe, in Congress and
elsewhere, that this man is going to lose out; he’s going to be
brought home early because of what he said.

MR. ERELI: Look, I’d like to be able to — Ambassador Evans is our
ambassador and he continues to exercise that honor and privilege.
And he takes it seriously; we take it seriously. And I really don’t
have any more to add to that.

RA PRESIDENT AND CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL DISCUSS MAIN PROBLEMS ORGANIZATION IS FACED WITH

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The main problems the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is faced with, the ways of their
solution and issues connected with improvement of organization’s
activity and raising its efficiency were discussed at RA President
Robert Kocharian’s March 14 meeting with CSTO Secretary General
Nikolay Bordyuzha.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by President’s Press Service, the sides
also touched upon preparation of the Collective Security Council
sitting to be held in June in Minsk.

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 15/10/2005

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DRAFT BUDGET 2006 UNDER DISCUSSION

Draft law “On RA State Budget 2006” envisages AMD 1,9 billion for RA
President’s Administration which surpasses budget allocations in 2005 by AMD
62 million. Artashes Tumanian, head of President’s Administration, stated
yesterday

He said that, in fact, the expenses made in 2006 remained unchanged as
compared with those in 2005. Unessential growth of allocations is
conditioned by the growth of salaries and transportation expenses. Besides,
it is envisaged to allocate AMD 346 million for renovation works instead of
AMD 220 million. In fact, A. Tumanian didn’t answer a journalist’s question
about purchasing new vehicles for RA President’s garage, which means that
the number of vehicles will increase from 40 to 60.

Le Monde, France
12 octobre 2005

Ankara veut réformer ses manuels d’histoire
LE MONDE | 12.10.05 | 12h58 – Mis à jour le 12.10.05 | 12h58
ISTANBUL correspondance

Professeur à l’université Galatasaray d’Istanbul, l’historien Ahmet
Kuyas n’a pas à chercher loin les sources des rigidités turques sur
la question arménienne : “Moi-même, raconte-t-il, pourtant fils de
vieille famille stambouliote éclairée – et, de plus, ex-petit ami
d’une camarade de lycée arménienne – , j’ai dû attendre d’être
étudiant à Paris pour découvrir ce problème… On n’en parlait tout
simplement jamais !” Surtout pas dans les manuels scolaires, qui
souffrent, comme l’ensemble de l’enseignement en Turquie, d’une
approche sclérosée, figée dans le culte de Mustafa Kemal, Atatürk.

Tous les manuels commencent ainsi par une allocution d’Atatürk
prononcée alors que l’Empire ottoman venait d’être amputé : elle met
en garde la jeunesse contre “des malveillants à l’intérieur du pays
et à l’étranger”, voire des “traîtres” cherchant à prendre le pouvoir
“par la ruse et la force” pour “dévaster” le pays…

Cette forme de paranoïa, qui n’a pas disparu – des historiens parlent
de “syndrome de Sèvres” , inculque aux Turcs depuis des décennies
qu’ils sont entourés d’ennemis qui en veulent à leurs terres. Ce qui
explique la circulaire du ministre turc de l’éducation rappelant que
c’est “dans le cadre de la lutte contre les allégations sur le
prétendu génocide arménien” que “l’étude des allégations arméniennes,
grecques et syriaques” avait été introduite dans les programmes
scolaires.

C’est-à-dire que les manuels d’histoire, après avoir été silencieux
sur ces points polémiques, en donnent depuis deux ans la seule
version officielle – à savoir, en particulier, que des Arméniens ont
certes été tués sur le sol turc pendant la première guerre mondiale,
mais qu’un nombre plus grand de Turcs ont péri de la main d’Arméniens
alliés aux “dépeceurs” de l’Etat ottoman, qui ne serait aucunement
coupable de “génocide”. Toute mise en doute de cette version, est
taboue en Turquie, largement grce à l’ignorance générale, mais aussi
à la faveur des revendications d’une partie des Arméniens qui
veulent, non seulement une “reconnais sance” du génocide, mais aussi
“réparation” et “restitution” de terres.

Ce tabou a cependant commencé à être battu en brèche par les
historiens turcs qui ont réussi, après moult obstacles, à tenir une
conférence sur le sujet en septembre à Istanbul, avec le soutien du
premier ministre Erdogan. “Mais les positions des universitaires
prennent du temps à se frayer un chemin vers les manuels scolaires”,
relève le professeur Kuyas, spécialiste d’histoire ottomane, qui
prépare lui-même un manuel pour l’équivalant des classes de première
– sur la période 1839-1939. Un autre, pour les terminales (l’histoire
de 1939 à nos jours) a été publié il y a deux ans, avec l’aide du
Tüsiad, le “Medef” turc. Traduit en grande partie des manuels
d’Hachette – moins les chapitres sur la France remplacés par ceux sur
la Turquie – , il a connu un succès immédiat et fut réimprimé, puis
copié en CD-ROM.

“Les manuels turcs officiels ne consacrent que 10 % à l’histoire
mondiale et tout le reste à l’histoire des Turcs. Nous, nous faisons
le contraire”, dit M. Kuyas. Mais cette nouvelle production ne peut
être utilisée par les enseignants qu’à titre de “livres
complémentaires” aux manuels officiels. Et leur succès reste très
largement limité aux lycées d’élite, souvent des établissements
privés – mais pas toujours, le critère étant les enseignants
eux-mêmes, selon qu’ils aient voyagé ou non à l’étranger, connu les
systèmes éducatifs modernes, etc.

“Quasiment tous nos parents d’élèves, enseignants et étudiants sont
d’accord sur le fait que nos enfants méritent mieux que le système
actuel. (…) L’idéologie doit céder la place à la connaissance et à
l’éthique” , a cependant reconnu le ministre turc de l’éducation.

Husseyin Celik a précisé que “l’éducation est un point-clé pour
l’entrée dans l’UE”, alors même que l’éducation reste à la discrétion
des Etats membres. Evoquant “l’indispensable révision des programmes
(…) en conformité avec les standards” de ces Etats, il a aussi
annoncé avoir commencé ce travail de révision avec la participation
d’experts européens et en consultant des dizaines d’ONG. Ce qui ne
garantit pas les résultats, mais traduit au minimum la prise de
conscience des changements de taille à opérer.

Sophie Shihab
Article paru dans l’édition du 13.10.05

RUSSIA INTERESTED IN SOONEST LAUNCHING OF ARMENIAN ENTERPRISES CONVEYED TO RF

Pan Armenian
13.10.2005 19:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
Minister of Transport of Russia, Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian
Inter-Governmental Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical
Cooperation Igor Levitin, reported the Press Service of the Armenian
leader.

In R. Kocharian’s words, the Commission is an important mechanism
in the Armenian-Russian relations, that were always marked with
efficiency. The parties discussed bilateral cooperation programs,
paying special attention to issues of development of energy,
transport and communication. As of restoration of communication
via the Abkhaz part of the railway, the state of the rail line
and conditions necessary for its restoration are being examined
at present, the parties said. The conditions include participation
of Russia, Georgia and Armenia as well. The parties also discussed
matters of beginning exploitation of Armenian enterprises, conveyed
to Russia within Property for Debt Program. In Levitin’s words,
Russia is interested in soonest exploitation of these enterprises,
so a special working group is formed to that end.

GIFT TO THE CENTRAL BANK

Panorama
17:56 12/10/05

In the next year budget it is overseen to increase the salaries of
civil servants, judges, CB workers as well. The next year is successful
for the central Bank as in 2006 the government will start to launch
shares. This will help the CB to overcome its problems.

The CB president Tigran Sargsyan offered the government to recount
the draft-budget 2006 in 420 ARMD exchange value.

According to T. Sargsyan the new methodology of the exchange value
has been offered by the International Value fund. /Panorama.am/

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, RUSSIAN OFFICIAL DISCUSS TIES

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005

Yerevan, 12 October: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received
Aleksandr Tkachev, the governor of Russia’s Krasnodar Territory,
in Yerevan today.

Kocharyan said at the meeting that mutually beneficial relations
between Armenia and Russian regions were a good basis for the
development of interstate relations, the presidential press service
told Mediamax news agency.

Aleksandr Tkachev said that the Armenian community of Krasnodar
Territory was playing a great role in strengthening bilateral
relations. He said that Armenians who live in the Territory were
involved practically in all spheres of life there.

The two men also discussed economic relations between Armenia and
Russia. Kocharyan said that thanks to expanded business relations,
the Russian business’ involvement in Armenia’s economy was increasing.

DEFENSE EXPENDITURES IN AZERBAIJANI BUDGET WORTH 65% OF TOTAL ARMENIAN BUDGET

Regnum News Agency, Russia
Oct 12 2005

On October 11, Azerbaijani Parliament discussed the draft law on
the budget-2006. Presenting the document, Chairman of the Parliament
Committee for Economic Policy, Sattar Safarov noted that this year’s
draft differs from the previous budgets by a considerable growth of
revenues and expenses, by 66.7% and 61.9% accordingly.

According to Chairman of the National Bank of Azerbaijan (NBA) Elman
Rustamov, $650 million from this budget will be spent on defense
improvement. That is approximately 65% of the whole Armenian budget
(that is worth $1 billion). In 2007 defense expenditures will be
equal to the Armenian budget.

According to Rustamov, in 2006 inflation rate will stay at 9%, the
rate of manat will rise because of currency flow in the country. The
GDP is forecast to be at 30.5%, but if the price of per barrel of oil
will rise from $40 to $50, the GDP growth would reach 40%. Chairman
of NBA also said that equity market of Azerbaijan is only 0,4% of GDP
(for comparison, in Russia it is 18%, and 26% in Kazakhstan).