Author: Nahapetian Lilit

EVENTS ON CONTACT LINE WILL NOT ELIMINATE TENSION IN ARMENIA – RULING NEW AZERBAIJAN PARTY

Trend News Agency
March 6 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 6 March / Trend News corr. G.Jabiyev / The ruling
Yeni Azerbaijan Party (YAP) believes that serious internal tension in
Armenia was the reason for the intensive violation of the ceasefire
agreement on the contact line between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "The
Armenian Government wishes to draw the attention of the world community
away from the curent situation in the country which resulted after the
presidentisal elections," Ali Ahmadov, Deputy Chairman and Executive
secretary of YAP, stated.

The Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire regime in various
directions on 4 March.

Ahmadov believes that this move by the Armenian Government cannot draw
away the attention of the world community from Armenia’s internal
problems. The latest events on the contact line cannot remove the
tension that exists in Armenia. "Lives lost and gunfire retaliation
which Armenia faced after the violation of the ceasefire agreement will
become factors which will increase the internal tension in Armenia",
Ahmadov said.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988, due to the Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven neighbouring
districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement which ended the active hostilities. The Co-Chairs of the
OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding
the peaceful negotiations.

FORUM OF FAUE TO BE HELD IN BRATISLAVA

Noyan Tapan
March 5, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, NOYAN TAPAN. A forum of the Forum of Armenian
Unions of Europe (FAUE) will be held in Bratislava (Slovakia) on
May 28 – June 31, the chairman of the FAUE, head of the Armenian
community of Slovakia Ashot Grigorian announced at the March 5 press
conference. According to him, the forum will be dedicated to the
90th anniversary of establishment of the First Republic of Armenia
and 10th anniversary of foundation of the FAUE.

It was stated that the political goals of the FAUE will be discussed
on the first day of the forum, while on the second day the forum
will be conducted in the sections for lawyers and businessmen. The
lawyers section will elect its chairman and hold discussions on
presenting the issue of the Armenian Genocide to the UN and the
Hague court and finding a pro-Armenian solution to the Karabakh
problem. The businessmen section will discuss issues of setting up
a fund on financing Armenian lobbyists and lawyers seeking solutions
to pro-Armenian problems promoted by these lobbyists.

In the words of A. Grigorian, "we intend to make the coordination
work more active because European communities work without programs,
whole some communities – those in France, the UK and Slovakia have
achieved great results. First of all, activities on the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide are underway, all the communities consider
the solution of this problem to be their duty. Work on the Artsakh
problem is weak."

He added that many in the world believe that the Armenian lobbyist
structures are the most powerful. However, Azerbaijani structures
receive considerable funds in order to promote the Artsakh problem’s
solution in favor of Azerbaijan. There are no Azerbaijani communities
in Europe but there are lobbyists who have actively joined Turkish
ones.

The speaker said that the FAUE was founded in Geneva in 1998 by
Swiss Armenian Toros Sakerian. Its activities has become passive in
recent years.

A. Grigorian called on all Armenian organizations of Europe to take
part in the union’s work.

According to him, in particular, an attempt is being made by the
Turkish-Azerbaijani lobbyists abroad to present the so-called Khojalu
genocide and the denial of the Armenian Genocide "in one block".

The Armenian Church eNewsletter

March 6, 2008

Diocese of the
Armenian Church
of America (Eastern)
630 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10016

Contact us <mailto:[email protected]>

Diocesan News

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II ADDRESSES NATION

On March 2, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, addressed the Armenian people on the violent clashes that
followed the recent presidential election in the Republic of Armenia.

"We never would have expected that the inherent sound judgment of our people
would yield to hatred and enmity," His Holiness said. "We believe that
through reliance on God, with a spirit of courage, with hope and optimism,
we shall overcome this grave and difficult situation, we shall once more
find the path of welfare for our lives and our homeland."

Visit <; to read more
or click here <; to view the
video of the address.

_____________________________

REQUIEM SERVICES HELD FOR VICTIMS OF RECENT VIOLENCE IN ARMENIA

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), held a requiem service for the victims of recent riots in Yerevan
during a visit to St. Mary’s Church in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, March 2.
A similar Repose for Souls service was held at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin on Sunday, with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, presiding.

Archbishop Barsamian also held a requiem service at St. Mary’s Church for
the victims of the 1988 Sumgait pogroms, in which hundreds of Armenians were
killed or injured.

To read more, visit <;
.

________ _____________________

PRIMATE ATTENDS MEETING AT HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), is attending the Supreme Spiritual Council meeting at the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin from March 5 to 9.

The Supreme Spiritual Council is the highest executive body of the Armenian
Church and is presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. It was
established in 1924 by His Holiness Gevorg V. Soorenian, Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians.

_____________________________

PRIMATE, DIOCESAN STAFF LEAD WORKSHOP AT ST. MARY’S CHURCH IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), and members of the Diocesan Department of Youth and Education
conducted a Church and Home workshop at St. Mary’s Church in Washington,
D.C., on Saturday, March 1, helping members of the parish leadership work
collectively to set goals and outline action steps to bolster the church’s
presence in the larger Armenian community.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), addresses the parish leadership at St. Mary’s Church in
Washington, D.C.

The daylong workshop was part of a new Diocesan initiative that assists
parishes in coming up with ways to reach out to Armenian families in their
geographic area and to strengthen the ties between church and home. A
similar workshop is scheduled for Saturday, March 22 at St. James Church in
Evanston, Ill.

Church and Home workshop participants at St. Mary’s Church in Washington,
D.C. discuss goals and brainstorm outreach ideas.

To read more, visit <;
.

________ _____________________

FR. KEVORK ARAKELIAN TO SERVE AT HYE POINTE

At the invitation of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), Rev. Fr. Kevork Arakelian will serve as the
interim pastor at the Armenian Church at Hye Pointe, Ward Hill, Mass.,
starting March 11. Fr. Arakelian, who comes to the Eastern Diocese from
California, will serve at Hye Pointe for seven months.

Rev. Fr. Kevork Arakelian will serve as the interim pastor at the Armenian
Church at Hye Pointe in Ward Hill, Mass.

"I am looking forward to coming to Hye Pointe and offering my services to
the community there," he said. "Together we can make the community grow and
prosper in the Holy Spirit."

_____________________________

CHUR CH AND HOME: NEW MATERIALS AVAILABLE ONLINE

We are pleased to announce that a wealth of new Church and Home materials
are now available on our Web site,
<http://www.armenianchur ch.net/> . Click on the "Church and Home" button on
the homepage and you will be directed to a listing of a variety of online
tutorials and programs designed to offer "Back to the Basics" educational
tools that can be used from the comfort of your home. Learn about the
Armenian Church feasts, the calendar, modern and classical Armenian and much
more!

_____________________________

ACYOA CENTRAL COUNCIL TO HOST LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN STONY POINT, N.Y.

The ninth annual Young Adult Leadership Conference is being held this
weekend, March 7-9, at the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Stony Point, N.Y. A
record number of 82 participants from 26 parishes are expected to attend.

This year’s theme is "The Armenian Christian Family." Presentations and
interactive sessions include "Love and Marriage: Scripture Style," "The
Armenian Family: An Historical Perspective," "God, the Church and You:
Three’s Company," and "Home and Hearth: The Tradition of Home Blessing."
Participants will also spend time discussing the ACYOA and its future.

For more information, visit or contact ACYOA Executive
Secretary Nancy Basmajian at [email protected].

______________________ _______

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK BEGINS

On Sunday, March 9, College Ministry will begin this year’s Alternative
Spring Break trips. The first stop is in Charlotte, N.C., where students
will be hosted by St. Sarkis Armenian Church and partner with Cabarrus
County Habitat for Humanity.

College Ministry Facilitator Julie Hoplamazian will lead these trips
immediately following the ACYOA Leadership Conference, where she will give a
presentation on College Ministry and spend time with college students. For
more information on the College Ministry Program, email Hoplamazian at
[email protected].

_____________________________

YOUNG ADULT PILGRIMAGE TO HOLY LAND

This summer, the ACYOA will sponsor a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The trip
runs from June 1-10, and will be led by Rev. Fr. Vasken Kouzouian. Pilgrims
will visit many of the holy sites where Jesus was born, preached, performed
miracles, died and rose. This pilgrimage is open to young adults, ages
18-30. For more information, contact Nancy Basmajian at
[email protected] or Julie Hoplamazian at
[email protected].

__________________ ___________

WOMEN’S GUILD CENTRAL COUNCIL HOLDS LENTEN RETREAT

More than 22 women gathered for a Women’s Guild Central Council Regional
Lenten Retreat at the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church in Wynnewood, Pa. on
Saturday, March 1.

Participants pose for a picture at the Women’s Guild Central Council Lenten
Retreat in Wynnewood, Pa.

Diocesan Vicar Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian led the retreat, which was
held in commemoration of Saintly Women’s Day. Discussion focused on passages
>From Luke 17:20-18:1. The passages teach us to recognize that the Kingdom of
God is within us and remind us to pray persistently, to be humble and to
seek forgiveness.

The daylong event was hosted by Anahid Megerian of the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob
Women’s Guild chapter. Proceeds from Saintly Women’s Day and Regional
Retreats help fund special projects at the Diocese.

Diocesan Vicar Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian and other participants at
the Women’s Guild Central Council Lenten Retreat in Wynnewood, Pa.

_____________________________

RETREAT HELD FOR MIDWEST CLERGY

A Lenten retreat for clergy in the Midwest was held March 3-5 in Mundelein,
Ill. The retreat gave participants an opportunity to pray, discuss
theological questions and share concerns about their ministry.

Clergy focused on the Beatitudes – a series of golden rules pronounced by
Jesus in Matthew 5:3-12 – presenting papers and engaging in dialogue on the
topic. Participants also held peace, rest and sunrise services and spent
time sharing ideas and advice about their ministry. Similar retreats were
held last month for clergy in the mid-Atlantic and New England regions.

_____________________________

LEARNING ARMENIAN AT THE DIOCESAN MESROB MASHDOTS INSTITUTE

A diverse group of students, including Armenians from Baku, Geneva, Paris,
Istanbul, New York and New Jersey, gathered Wednesday, March 6, for adult
Armenian language and literature classes at the Diocesan Mesrob Mashdots
Institute. A number of non-Armenians interested in learning the Armenian
language have also signed up for the program.

The Institute offers 12-week beginner, intermediate, conversation and
Armenian Literature Appreciation courses on Wednesday evenings at the
Diocesan Center. Classes are taught by Gilda Buchakjian, Maro Partamian,
Shakeh Kadehjian and Sirvart Arakelian. For more information, contact
Buchakjian at [email protected].

_____________________________

SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS RAISE LENTEN FUNDS

Every year, for more than half a century, Sunday School children have taken
an active role in supporting important causes for the poor and hungry of the
world through the annual Diocesan Lenten Drive coordinated by the Department
of Youth and Education.

Students, staff and families of our Diocesan Sunday Schools are in full
force again this year. The 2008 Lenten Drive will benefit children of Camp
Tzitzernak in Armenia. Sponsored by the Diocese of Gougark, Camp Tzitzernak
in Vanadzor, Armenia is a brief summer home to children ages 8 to 14 from
villages throughout the Diocese. These children are from poor households and
their experience at the camp is a wonderful respite from an otherwise
difficult life. Funds collected will be used to upgrade sub-standard
sanitation and health facilities at the camp.

For more information, email Christian Education Associate Coordinator Megan
Jendian, [email protected].

_____________________________

NEW ENGLAND ACYOA JUNIORS LENTEN RETREAT

Last weekend, 37 teens gathered for the last of this year’s ACYOA Juniors
Lenten Retreats led by Diocesan Youth Outreach Coordinator Jennifer Morris.
Participants gathered at the St. Methodios Faith and Heritage Center in
Contoocook, N.H., hailing from Holy Translators, Framingham, Mass.; Holy
Trinity Church, Cambridge, Mass.; St. James Church, Watertown, Mass.; and
Sts Sahag and Mesrob Church, Providence, R.I.

On Saturday, Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, director of youth and vocation
at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, led the group in a thought-provoking
discussion about the Holy Spirit. Teens also had plenty of time to enjoy
nature and God’s beauty, as well as play in more than a foot of snow that
fell throughout the weekend. It was a great way for the youth to grow
stronger in their faith, strengthen old friendships and make new ones.

Retreat participants gather for a group photo during this year’s New England
ACYOA Juniors Retreat.

Retreat participants enjoy outdoor fun in the snow.

For more information about ACYOA Juniors retreats held in your region,
please e-mail Morris at [email protected].

__________________ ___________

DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE MOTHER CATHEDRAL OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN SCHEDULED
FOR SEPTEMBER

The Eastern Diocese will make a pilgrimage to the Mother Cathedral of Holy
Etchmiadzin this fall to participate in the blessing of the Holy Muron
(Oil). This special ceremony occurs only once every seven years, and dates
back to the days of St. Gregory the Enlightener.

The two-week pilgrimage begins in late September and concludes in early
October. The blessing of the Holy Muron will take place on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Itinerary highlights also include a special audience with His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a private
tour of Holy Etchmiadzin; visits to Khorvirab, Vanadzor, Sevan, and Gumri;
and other excursions.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
blesses the Holy Muron (Oil) with the relic of St. Gregory the Enlightener
in 2001. This special ceremony occurs once every seven years.

There is some flexibility in travel dates: pilgrims can opt to depart from
New York on Friday, Sept. 19 or Saturday, Sept. 20, and return to New York
on Friday, Oct. 3 or Saturday, Oct. 4. The cost per person, which includes
airfare and hotel accommodations, is $2,950.

For more information, please contact your local parish or Arto Vorperian at
the Diocesan Center at (212) 686-0710 ext. 213 or email [email protected].
Please note that the number of spaces is limited. Those interested in the
pilgrimage should make reservations without delay.

_____________________________

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II MEETS WITH HIS EMINENCE TARCISIO CARDINAL BERTONE

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
and His Eminence Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State of the Holy
See, came together in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin with a holy
greeting of peace and offered their fervent prayers to Almighty God in
heaven.

Cardinal Bertone conveyed the warmest greetings of unity in Jesus Christ and
the fraternal love of His Holiness Benedict XVI, the Pope of Rome, to His
Holiness Karekin II. Cardinal Bertone also presented a handwritten letter
to the Catholicos from the Pope with his invitation to visit the See of St.
Peter.

To read more, visit <;
.

________ _____________________

WORLD-FAMOUS GENOCIDE HISTORIAN DIES AT 64

Stephen Feinstein, a genocide historian and an advocate of Armenian Genocide
recognition, died on Tuesday, March 4 in Minnesota. He was 64.

Feinstein was adjunct professor of history and the director of the Center
for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota. He helped
create the Armenian-Turkish Research Project, which focuses on the history
of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian Genocide.

To learn more, click here
< Armenian> .

_____________________________

PARISH NEWS

Junior Choir and Nazeli Dance Group Perform at St. David Church in Florida

Parishioners at St. David Church in Boca Raton, Fla. were treated to an
evening of song and dance on Jan. 19. Some 300 gathered to enjoy a
performance by the Junior Choir and Nazeli Dance Group of Sts. Sahag and
Mesrob Church of Providence, R.I.

The Junior Choir of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, R.I.

At the invitation of the Very Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian, pastor at St. David
Church, and the St. David Parish Council, the group traveled to Florida with
Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, pastor at Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church, and
Maestro Konstantin Petrossian, the group’s cultural and music director.

The Nazeli Dance Group of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, R.I.

The Junior Choir sang several traditional and popular Armenian songs,
including Karoon Yerevan, Shogher Jan by Gomidas Vartabed, Hye Aghchik,
Grounkner and Vartanantz Asbedner by Konstantin Petrossian. Dancers of the
Nazeli Dance Group, under the directorship of Gayanne Avagyan, impressed the
audience with graceful choreography and a spectacular performance. Carol
Norigian spearheaded the exceptionally successful fund-raising efforts and
organization of the concert tour with the help of several volunteers.

For more information on the Junior Choir and Nazeli Dance Group, visit
<; .

SAVE THE DATE: Diocesan Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the
Consecration of St. Vartan Cathedral to Begin in May

This year, the Diocese will host a series of events in celebration of the
40th anniversary of the consecration of St. Vartan Cathedral. The program
kicks off on Sunday, May 18 with a celebration of the Divine Liturgy and a
ceremony honoring the Godfathers of the Cathedral and original committee
members of the Cathedral-building project. A luncheon will follow in the
Kavookjian Auditorium.

Other events planned in the coming months include a Celebration of the Arts
at the Cathedral and the arrival of the Holy Muron (Oil) from Holy
Etchmiadzin. Individual parishes also will have the opportunity to visit the
Cathedral and tour the Diocesan Complex. More details will be forthcoming.

The Diocese would like to recognize everyone who was involved in the
Cathedral project. If you have information on any members of working
committees who helped build the Cathedral, please contact Diocesan staff at
212-686-0710 ext. 160 or e-mail [email protected].

Prayer for the Week

True light, O Christ, do Thou make my soul worthy joyfully to see the light
of Thy glory on the day of my calling, and to rest with the hope of good
things in the abode of the righteous until the day of Thy glorious coming.
Have mercy upon Thy creatures and upon me, a great sinner.
More prayers
< .asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5246&
HS=1 > <;

Scripture for the Week

Lk 21:5-38

Is 66:1-24

Col 2:8-3:17

Mt 22:34-23:39
< hp> More Bible Readings
< s/index.php>

Saints & Feasts

3/8 St. Gregory the Enlightener (commitment to the pit)

3/9 Sunday of the Advent

3/15 Remembrance of the Raising of Lazarus

MEMBER OF PUBLIC COUNCIL FOR SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT MEETS WIT MATTHEW BRYZA

Azeri Press Agency
March 5 2008
Azerbaijan

Members of the Public Council for the Settlement of Karabakh Conflict
met with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza visiting
Azerbaijan, Chief of the Council Arzu Abdullayeva told APA that the
meeting focused on the settlement of Karabakh conflict.

Matthew Bryza said the sides should carry out negotiations within
the framework of civil societies. He also noted that he would
further closely cooperate with the Public Council for the Settlement
of Karabakh Conflict and have discussions with the council on the
solution of the problem during his every visit to Azerbaijan.

PM SERGE SARGSYAN RECEIVED THE SECRETARY OF STATE OF VATICAN

armradio.am
05.03.2008 11:31

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan received the Secretary of State of
Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and the delegation headed by him.

Greeting the Cardinal, the Prime Minister noted that he is glad to
welcome His Holiness in our country. According to the Prime Minister,
the visit of the Pope of Rome John Paul II to Armenia in September
2001 created the best bases for the further development of friendly
relations between Armenia and Vatican, and the demonstration of
Christian solidarity during the celebration of the 1700th anniversary
of adoption of Christianity in Armenia became the best guarantee of
development of these relations. Serge Sargsyan expressed gratitude for
the opening of the Square after St. Gregory the Illuminator in Vatican
on February 22, as well as the warm words of His Holiness Pope Benedict
16th addressed to the Armenian people during the opening ceremony.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone noted that his visit to Armenia is associated
with the love for the Armenian people. "With the Catholicos of All
Armenians we prayed for the peace of Armenia and for solving the
current situation in the country through political dialogue, and I
hope that it will be the case," the State Secretary of Vatican stated.

Serge Sarsgayn thanked the Cardinal and assured that everything is
being done for the establishment of cooperation between the political
forces, tolerance among the society and in the direction of leading
the country along the path of stable development.

During the meeting the parties attached importance to continuing the
efforts targeted at poverty reduction. The Prime Minister presented
to the guest the results of the work done so far and introduced the
future programs, which the Cardinal welcomed.

OSCE URGES ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO LIFT THE STATE OF EMERGENCY

TREND Information
March 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku 4 March / corr TrendNews K.Ramazanova / The OSCE has
urged the Armenian authorities to lift the state of emergency as soon
as possible.

The President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, decreed on 2 March to
impose a State of Emergency for 20 days after demonstrations by the
opposition protesting against the false outcome of the election which
lasted many days and flared into a confrontation with the police.

According to the Health Ministry of Armenia of 3 March, the number of
those injured during the clashes in Yerevan on 1 and 2 March totaled
131 with 8 people having been shot dead.

"The events on Saturday, 1 March, which led to the declaration of a
state of emergency, were very serious and tragic," Heikki Talvitie,
the special representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office, who is
currently visiting Yerevan, told Trend News via E-mail.

According to Talvitie there is a need meaningful political dialogue
involving all actors to find a solution, and such a dialogue is not
possible as long as the state of emergency remains in place.

Lifting the state of emergency is necessary for normal political life
to resume, he said.

The OSCE is ready to support Armenia as it seeks to create conditions
that would enable the situation to become normal, Talvitie said.

ARMENIA: TOP CHALLENGE NOW IS REPAIRING THE RIFT

EurasiaNet
March 3 2008
NY

During a memorial service for victims of the March 1 events, Karekin
II, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, touched
upon the dilemma that now confronts Armenia: Stability in the country
may come at the cost of much-needed unity.

"There is no greater goal in our national life than the solidarity
of our people, the tranquility of their lives, the stability of our
country and the security of our homeland," the official Armenpress
news agency quoted Karekin II as saying March 2. "It pains us that
we were unable to successfully transmit this awareness to our people,
and to restrain them from unwise actions."

Karekin II did not specifically assign blame for the March 1 events in
Yerevan, in which efforts by security troops to disperse opposition
protesters escalated into an armed clash that left at least eight
dead. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Experts outside of Armenia, where state of emergency regulations
are limiting the flow of information, believe that President Robert
Kocharian’s administration and opposition backers of presidential
candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian share responsibility for letting what
was, at its core, a political squabble get out of hand. The permanent
rally in central Yerevan that sparked the tragic chain of events
was convened to protest vote-rigging in the February 19 presidential
election. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The challenge facing the country’s political establishment now is
trying to repair the damage done to national cohesion. A unified
sense of purpose in the post-Soviet era has enabled Armenia to
withstand adverse geopolitical conditions, namely the presence of
two antagonistic states on its borders, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The
strong sense of cohesion has also helped Armenia deal with the economic
isolation arising out of its tense relations with its neighbors. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The extent to which Armenia’s social unity has been damaged by the
March 1 events cannot yet be fully determined. But initial indicators
suggest that the gulf that opened on March 1 cannot be quickly bridged.

Recognizing the potential danger of prolonged domestic instability
in Armenia, European and American diplomats have quickly descended
upon Yerevan, all of them repeating essentially the same message:
political dialogue is needed to bring about a return of lasting
domestic stability. Armenian authorities, however, seem more interested
in punishing their political adversaries than in reconciling with
them. While administration officials voice a desire for political
talks, their actions indicate that they are in no mood for a
compromise. Ter-Petrosian, meanwhile, is similarly in no mood for
cooperation.

Following talks with the European Union’s South Caucasus envoy Peter
Semneby, Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, the officially declared
winner of the February 19 presidential vote, said the administration
was prepared for an "open, straightforward and honest discussion."

According to a report by the Russian Itar-Tass news agency, Sarkisian
added that authorities were "ready to cooperate with all those who
want Armenia to develop."

It would seem, however, that the Kocharian-Sarkisian team does
not believe Ter-Petrosian and his supporters meet the criteria for
dialogue. During discussions with the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe’s diplomatic troubleshooter, Heikki Talvitie,
President Kocharian denied that the March 1 events had any connection
to politics, but instead was a purely criminal matter. He thus
indicated that he did not feel a need to discuss ways to overcome
the March 1 tragedy with Ter-Petrosian.

"Legal issues must be solved within the legal framework, and all
masterminds of the unrest and unlawful actions will be called to
account," Kocharian told Talvitie, according to a report distributed
by Armenpress.

To reinforce Kocharian’s apparent determination to deflect any
blame over his administration’s handling of events, as of March 4
police had arrested at least 30 opposition activists on charges of
inciting the violence, the Prosecutor-General’s office announced in
a statement. In addition, Armenpress reported, parliament, acting
on a request issued by the prosecutor-general, moved to strip four
MPs of their legislative immunity. The MPs – Hakob Hakobian, Myasnik
Malkhasian, Sasoon Mikaelian and Khachatur Sukiasian – are all accused
of helping to stoke the March 1 violence.

Prosecutor General Agvan Ovsepian alleged at a March 4 news conference
that Ter-Petrosian and his supporters conspired to overthrow the
government by force. "In their speeches, the protest organizers said
one thing, but internally, they gave different instructions: to have
clubs, iron sticks, firearms," Ovsepian alleged.

Opposition activists and witnesses assert that authorities initially
tried to plant evidence, especially weapons, on protesters, in order to
justify the initial, pre-dawn attempt to disperse the permanent rally
in central Yerevan. In addition, witnesses reported, before the March
1 restrictions on the dissemination of information went into effect,
that security forces opened fire on opposition protesters.

Ter-Petrosian, like his political opponents, shows little interest in
listening to the international drumbeat for dialogue. He has insisted
that, as soon as state-of-emergency limitations are lifted, he will
organize fresh protests against the administration’s actions and the
election results. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

"Even if Serzh Sarkisian miraculously becomes president, I can’t
imagine how that president will rule these people," Ter-Petrosian
said March 2. "We will come out. Let them beat us again. Let them
arrest us again."

Given the mutual animosity between administration and opposition,
Talvitie, the OSCE diplomat, could only lament that substantive
discussions between "Ter-Petrosian and the government at the moment
is not possible."

"But let’s not exclude it from the future," Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty quoted an optimistic Talvitie as saying.

While many US and European leaders have been cautious in their
assessment of Armenian developments, Terry Davis, the secretary
general of the Council of Europe, has offered pointed criticism
of the Kocharian administration’s tactics. "I hope that the state
of emergency will be lifted very soon," Davis said in a March
3 statement. "Meanwhile, I call on the authorities to review
the justification for the restrictions imposed – especially on
media, political parties and non-governmental organizations. These
restrictions are an obstacle to political dialogue, which is the only
way to find a political solution to the present situation."

MESSAGE OF CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS KAREKIN II ON OCCASION OF MARCH 1 EVENTS

Noyan Tapan
March 3, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 3, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 3, the Information Services
of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin spread the message of Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II on the occasion of the March 1 events. The
message read:

"Dear Armenian people!

Today our souls are filled with mourning. The Armenian people is
mourning over its perished sons. The spirit of intolerance, which was
shown in the presidential elections, resulted in disorders, in sad and
tragic clashes and confrontation. We had never thought that the natural
commonsense of our people will yield to hatred and hostility. Today
the whole Armenian people is alarmed, seeing that the unity of the
nation, peace, and security of the homeland are endangered.

Let us show commonsense, keep ourselves from the sense of hatred to our
brothers, from steps aggravating alarm. All issues and problems we are
anxious about should be solved in peace, legality, through a dialogue.

We all are responsible before the history and the generations. We
should not endanger the country’s stability with thoughtless steps. We
are sure that pinning our hopes on the God, bravely, with hope and
optimism we should overcome the formed difficult and complicated
situation, restore the well-being of our homeland.

We are praying for the souls of our perished sons and present our
condolences to their mourning families and relatives.

Let God be with us!"

According to the report of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, on
March 2, under the guidance of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II,
a requiem took place over the innocent victims of the Armenian people
as a result of the March 1 events in Yerevan.

His Holiness instructed the leaders of the dioceses to organize visits
and assistance to the families of the victims.

CAPITAL’S DAMAGES SHOULD BE RECOVERED

Panorama.am
16:14 03/03/2008

The president of the Republic of Armenia (RA) Robert Kocharyan gave
orders to the mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakaryan to take measures to
recover the damages of the capital. The information is provided by
the press center of the President’s administration.

Note that the other day, the president and the mayor of Yerevan
visited the square next to the municipality where the main disorders
took place.

US representative to OSCE concerned about the post-election arrests of
opposition politicians

2008-03-01 10:57:00

ArmInfo. ‘We are very concerned about the post-election arrests of
opposition politicians, as well as reports that authorities have
forcibly closed opposition offices. These kinds of actions are not
consistent with democraticprinciples, and we urge the Government
of Armenia to uphold the rule of law and international democratic
standards in proceeding on these cases’, says United States Mission to
the OSCE Statement on the Elections in Armenia delivered by Political
Counselor Sam Laeuchli to the Permanent Council, Vienna.

‘Because of such real and perceived irregularities, we remain
concerned that the level of trust among the Armenian electorate in
their election process remains dangerously low. We encourage the
authorities in Armenia to conduct transparent, rapid investigations
of all complaints as part of the process of ongoing election reform
and to rebuild public trust.

We support the ongoing effort of ODIHR to catalogue the complaints it
has received, and we look forward both to their next interim report
on the elections and to the final report and recommendations. The
United States remains ready here and in Yerevan to work with all the
parties in Armenia to address these problems,’ the statement says.