Author: Tadevosian Garnik

The Messenger, Georgia
Nov. 5, 2004

Great Britain’s MPs show interest in Karabakh

According to the Karabakh newspaper Azat Artsakh, a delegation of
British members of parliament headed by the MP Gordon Marsden recently
visited Karabakh. A total of 5 MPs, including the vice-speaker of the
House of Lords, baroness Caroline Cox, made up the delegation. The
British MPs met with the president of Karabakh, speaker of the region’s
National Assemble and NGO representatives.
Marsden told journalists before leaving the region that they will
evaluate the achievements of Karabakh and will provide assistance to
local citizens, “who have been forced to suffer from the lots of
terrible events in recent years.” He also noted that interesting issues
connected with the issue of how Great Britain can help Karabakh in the
future were also discussed during the meetings.
Asked what result were achieved, Mardsen said that the group will
present its own observations to the governments of Great Britain and
the European Union, which will then decide how they can assist
Karabakh. The head of the delegation highlighted the group’s meetings
with the NGOs, particularly with women’s organizations. “We have
already received lots of new information. More new information can be
gained from face-to-face meetings than from books and official
information,” he said as quoted by the paper.
The paper also writes that “one thing is clear, that interest toward
Karabakh has increased, especially from the side of Great Britain.”
According to the paper, it was specifically British organizations that
entered into an international consortium set up to assist finding ways
for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Several projects have
already been implemented in Karabakh within the framework of this
consortium. However, the paper writes, “time will show whether it is
possible to assess the interest of Great Britain toward Karabakh as a
positive event.”

Results

The Guardian – United Kingdom
Oct 28, 2004

Rugby union

WELSH PREMIERSHIP

Llanelli 24 Bridgend 3

Rugby league

REPRESENTATIVE MATCH

Cumbria 12 Anzac RL 64

Tennis

ATP ST PETERSBURG OPEN (Russia)

First round: K Beck (Slovak) bt J Vanek (Cz) 6-3 6-2; M Kohlmann (Ger) bt G
Carraz (Fr) 4-6 6-3 6-4; M Youzhny (Rus) bt A Ram (Isr) 2-6 7-6 7-6; S Sargsian
(Arm) bt I Labadze (Geo) 4-6 6-1 6-2; M Safin (Rus) bt A Peya (Aut) 7-6 3-1
ret.

Second round: J Benneteau (Fr) bt G Muller (Lux) 6-4 7-5; G Rusedski (GB) bt
R Stepanek (Cz) 7-6 4-6 6-4; C Saulnier (Fr) bt M Fish (US) 6-7 6-4 6-3; K
Beck (Slovak) bt N Davydenko (Rus) 6-1 6-7 6-4.

ATP SWISS INDOORS (Basel)

First round: B Ulihrach (Cz) bt L Horna (Per) 6-1 ret; I Heuberger (Switz) bt
T Dent (US) 6-2 6-3; M Zabaleta (Arg) bt V Hanescu (Rom) 7-6 5-7 7-6; G
Gaudio (Arg) bt D Norman (Bel) 7-6 6-4; J Haehnel (Fr) bt F Gonzalez (Chile) 6-3
6-4; T Henman (GB) bt A Dupuis (Fr) 6-3 6-4; I Ljubicic (Cro) bt J Ignacio Chela
(Arg) 6-3 6-4; D Nalbandian (Arg) bt M Ancic (Cro) 6-4 6-3; W Moodie (SA) bt
P Starace (It) 6-4 6-4; V Spadea (US) bt F Volandri (It) 6-3 4-0 ret; N Massu
(Chile) bt M Kratochvil (Switz) 6-3 6-2.

ATP STOCKHOLM OPEN

First round: J Johansson (Swe) bt A Garcia (Chile) 6-4 6-2; R Soderling (Swe)
bt T Enqvist (Swe) 7-6 6-3; M Tabara (Cz) bt P Kohlschreiber (Ger) 6-0 6-4; M
Ryderstedt (Swe) bt O Hernandez (Sp) 6-4 6-4; R Sluiter (Neth) bt J Frode
Andersen (Nor) 6-3 6-4; J Bjorkman (Swe) bt W Arthurs (Aus) 4-6 6-4 6-4; A Agassi
(US) bt K Vilegen (Bel) 6-2 6-4.

Second round: O Rochus (Bel) bt J Tipsarevic (Ser) 6-4 7-5; A Pavel (Rom) bt
M Tabara (Cz) 6-3 3-6 6-3.

WTA SEAT OPEN (Luxembourg)

First round: T Golovin (Fr) bt A-L Groenefeld (Ger) 6-2 6-3; M Antonia
Sanchez- Lorenzo (Sp) bt V Ruano Pascual (Sp) 6-4 6-3; K Pesche (Cz) bt C Schaul
(Lux) 6-7 6-2 6-0.

Second round: S Farina Elia (It) bt T Pisnik (Sloven) 6-4 6-0; Golovin bt M
Weingartner (Ger) 6-3 6-4; A Ivanovic (Ser) bt S Asagoe (Jpn) 4-6 6-4 6-1; D
Randriantefy (Mad) bt M Pierce (Fr) 6-4 3-6 6-3.

WTA GENERALI (Linz)

First round: A Sugiyama (Japan) bt M Vento-Kabchi (Ven) 6-0 6-0; M
Domachowska (Pol) bt F Zuluaga (Col) 6-1 6-7 6-4; J Jankovic (Ser) bt P Schnyder (Switz)
6-2 6-2; B Schett (Aut) bt M Sucha (Slovak) 6-4 6-4.

Second round: E Bovina (Rus) bt M Bartoli (Fr) 6-3 6-1; A Jidkova (Rus) bt S
Williams (US) 7-6 6-2; N Petrova (Rus) bt E Likhovtseva (Rus) 6-2 5-7 6-3.

LTA SATELLITE (Nottingham)

Second round: J Goodall (GB) bt S Boretti (Nor) 4-6 6-2 6-4; L Childs (GB) bt
R Hutchins (GB) 6-2 6-4; T Rushby (GB) bt S Sadovich (Can) 3-6 6-3 7-6; D
Sherwood (GB) bt M Smith (GB) 6-2 6-2; M Hilton (GB) bt T Burn (GB) 6-4 6-2; A
Banks (GB) bt M Lee (GB) 4-6 6-4 6-1; J Auckland (GB) bt T Sanna (It) 6-0 6-2; J
Baker (GB) bt G Thomas (GB) 7-5 4-6 6-3.

Baseball

WORLD SERIES

Game Three: St Louis Cardinals 1 Boston Red Sox 4. (Boston lead series 3-0).

WOMEN’S MATCHPLAY (New Zealand)

Final: N Stratford (NZ) bt L Trigwell (SA) 9-6 8-8.

Cricket

Bangladesh v New Zealand

Chittagong

NEW ZEALAND: First innings (overnight: 338-3)

*S P Fleming c Mushfiqur Rahman b Rajin Saleh 202

N J Astle lbw b Mohammad Rafique 39

H J H Marshall c Tapash Baisya b Enamul Haque jnr 69

J D P Oram not out 38

*B B McCullum not out 17

Extras (b9, lb11, w2, nb18, pens, 0) 40

Total (for 6 dec, 152 overs) 545

Fall: 49, 61, 265, 364, 447, 517.

Did not bat: D L Vettori, J E C Franklin, P J Wiseman.

Bowling: Tapash Baisya 17-0-82-0; Mushfiqur Rahman 15-1-68-0; Mohammad
Rafique 55-12-130-3; Enamul Haque jnr 42-4-142-2; Rajin Saleh 19-0-81-1; Mohammad
Ashraful 1-0-5-0; Alok Kapali 3-0-17-0.

BANGLADESH: First innings

Nafis Iqbal c Styris b Vettori 13

Javed Omar not out 45

Aftab Ahmed lbw b Vettori 20

Rajin Saleh c Sinclair b Wiseman 2

Extras (w1, nb1, pens, 0) 2

Total (for 3, 32.3 overs) 82

Fall: 34, 66, 82.

To bat: Mohammad Ashraful, Alok Kapali, **Khaled Mashud, Mushfiqur Rahman,
Tapash Baisya, Enamul Haque jnr, Mohammad Rafique.

Bowling: Oram 5-0-20-0; Franklin 3-0-14-0; Vettori 13-7-23-2; Wiseman
11.3-2-25-1.

Umpires: M R Benson and D J Harper.

Chess

36TH OLYMPIAD (Calvia, Spain)

Eleventh round (of 14): Men: Ukraine 3-1 Cuba; Russia 2.5-1.5 US; Switzerland
1.5-2.5 Armenia; Azerbaijan 1-3 Israel; India 3.5-0.5 Canada; Indonesia 1-3
England (M Adams 0.5, N Short 1, J Speelman 0.5, P Wells 1); Spain C 1-3
Scotland; Ireland 1-3 Andorra; Wales 3.5-0.5 Thailand. Leaders: Ukraine 32; Russia
29.5; Armenia 29; Israel 28; India, US 27.5. Also: England 24.5; Scotland 23.5;
Wales 22.5; Ireland 21.5.

Women: Hungary 1.5-1.5 China; India 0.5-2.5 Georgia; Slovakia 1-2 US;
Lithuania 0.5-2.5 France; Mongolia 0-3 England (J Houska 1, H Richards 1, M Buckley
1); Wales 1.5-1.5 Estonia; Ireland 1-2 Tajikistan. Leaders: China 26; Georgia
22; US, Hungary 21.5; France, England 21. Also: Wales 15; Ireland 14.

Ice hockey

ELITE LEAGUE

Challenge Cup: Group B: Nottingham 1 Belfast 2.

Fixtures

(7.45 unless stated)

Football

INTERNATIONAL

Mexico v Ecuador (1.0am).

VICTORY SHIELD

Scotland U-16 v Wales U-16 (7.35).

Cricket

SECOND TEST

*Karachi: Pakistan v Sri Lanka (6.0am).

INTERVIEW-Russia brewer lures exotica-loving foreigners

By Julie Tolkacheva

MOSCOW, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Russian brewer Baltika, the top beer
producer in a land better known for vodka, plans to add Iraq and Cuba
to its export map next year as it continues to attract new overseas
fans, Baltika’s exports head told Reuters.

“There are quite a lot of people who like to taste new brands,”
Baltika Director for Exports Dmitry Kistev said in a telephone
interview late on Thursday.

“They are attracted by the unusual link of ‘beer and Russia’,” Kistev
said of Baltika’s typical customer.

The St Petersburg-based company, jointly owned by Carslberg

and Scottish & Newcastle, plans to raise its export volumes to 180
million litres next year from just 41 million litres in 2001 when it
began shipping abroad.

“Initially, exports were just the acknowledgment of the quality of our
beer,” Kistev said. “But when Russian market growth started to slow in
2001, we had to look for new markets.”

In 2001, export volumes accounted for 1 percent of Baltika’s overall
sales, but the company hopes to raise that to 6.5 percent this year
and 9 percent in 2005.

The ultimate goal is to export 15-18 percent of production, Kistev
said.

EXOTIC COUNTRIES

Russia’s biggest beer exporter, which has recently started deliveries
to New Zealand, sells the amber liquid in 35 countries. It plans to
enter markets in Brazil, Cuba, India and Iraq next year.

“We think that military operations will continue next year,” he said
of Iraq, adding that Baltika hoped mainly to supply coalition forces
with its beer.

“It will be Baltika No. 9, our strongest beer with 8 percent alcohol
content. We already have orders, maybe deliveries will start even this
year.”

Baltika will also sell Baltika No.0, its alcohol-free beer, for the
local Iraqi population.

The United States — Baltika’s biggest market — should consume 1.5
million litres this year and double that next year.

“China should show a similar result next year,” Kistev said.

Brazil will drink 360,000 litres of Baltika beer in 2005.

The only market where Baltika faces major problems is ex-Soviet
Georgia, whose authorities jailed the head of Baltika’s local
distributor for 3 months on accusations that the company had not paid
excise charges. Baltika denies this.

“We have been forced to stop sales to Georgia,” Kistev said. Baltika
used to deliver beer to Armenia via Georgia, but will now have to
consider transportation through Iran, where Baltika also sells
alcohol-free beer.

Baltika also plans to launch production outside Russia, primarily in
the CIS countries.

“There are such plans and we are holding talks,” he said without
elaborating.

10/22/04 03:02 ET

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
October 21, 2004 Thursday

Putin, Kocharyan discuss Russia-Armenia relations

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with
his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan on Wednesday to discuss
bilateral relations.

The conversation was held on Armenia’s initiative, the presidential
press service reported.

A1 Plus | 14:35:04 | 20-10-2004 | Official |

TI SAYS CORRUPTION IS RAMPANT IN 60 COUNTRIES

A total of 106 out of 146 countries score less than 5 against a clean score
of 10, according to the new index, published today by Transparency
International, the leading non-governmental organisation fighting corruption
worldwide. Sixty countries score less than 3 out of 10, indicating rampant
corruption.

Corruption is perceived to be most acute in Bangladesh, Haiti, Nigeria,
Chad, Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Paraguay, all of which have a score of less
than 2. In the 2003 Index, where 133 countries were considered, Armenia was
placed 18th with its 3,0 points. In the 2004 Index Armenia is 82nd with 3.1
points among 146 countries.

The Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 shows, oil-rich Angola, Azerbaijan,
Chad, Ecuador, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Nigeria, Russia,
Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen all have extremely low scores. In these
countries, public contracting in the oil sector is plagued by revenues
vanishing into the pockets of western oil executives, middlemen and local
officials.

TI urges western governments to oblige their oil companies to publish what
they pay in fees, royalties and other payments to host governments and state
oil companies.

The Corruption Perceptions Index is a poll of polls, reflecting the
perceptions of business people and country analysts, both resident and
non-resident. This year’s Corruption Perceptions Index draws on 18 surveys
provided to Transparency International between 2002 and 2004, conducted by
12 independent institutions.

Countries with a score of higher than 9, with very low levels of perceived
corruption, are predominantly rich countries, namely Finland, New Zealand,
Denmark, Iceland, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland.

The index includes only those countries that feature in at least three
surveys. As a result, many countries – including some which could be among
the most corrupt – are missing because there simply is not enough survey
data available.

Itar-Tass, Russia
Oct 19 2004

Russia, Azeri presidents to discuss Caucasus sit, Karabakh

MOSCOW, October 19 (Itar-Tass) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is
to hold a meeting here on Tuesday with his Azeri counterpart Ilkham
Aliyev, who arrived here on Monday for a working visit.

A Kremlin administration official has told Itar-Tass, “Putin and
Aliyev will exchange views on the development of the situation in the
Caucasus area”. In this context, considering the September meetings
of the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia in Astana, Putin
and Aliyev will discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

“Russia welcomes a continuation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian dialogue
at various levels, primarily at top level, and is prepared to render
an active assistance to the sides involved in the conflict in the
search for a way out towards a mutually acceptable solution, both on
a bilateral basis and as a co-chairman of the OSCE (Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk Group (on Nagorno-Karabakh)
and act as guarantor of the prospective accord”, the Russian
presidential administration official pointed out.

Kremlin analysts expect that the two presidents will devote much
attention to a discussion of ways to invigorate the two countries’
anti-terrorist interaction, considering their common attitude towards
the need to intensify the efforts of the world community in the fight
against international terrorism.

“Figuring importantly at the upcoming talks will be matters
concerning a rise in the effectiveness of bilateral
trade-and-economic cooperation, the task of doubling trade turnover
in the coming years, interaction in the fuel-and-energy sector,
machine building, transport, the development of cooperation between
Russia’s regions and Azerbaijan,” the presidential administration
official said.

The Azerbaijani President’s working visit has been timed to coincide
with the holding of the 2nd convention of the All-Russia Azerbaijani
Congress (ARAC) in Moscow. This is the largest and most influential
all-Russia public organisation, which brings together Azerbaijanis
who reside and Russia, and which plays an important role in the
socio-economic and cultural life of Russia, and in the strengthening
of Russo-Azerbaijani versatile cooperation.

Forum organisers have announced that participants in the ARAC
convention will discuss ways to unite Azerbaijanis who live in Russia
still more closely and raise their economic and socio-political
status. Those present at the convention are also to consider problems
being encountered by Azerbaijanis in Russia.

The ARAC was established in March 2001 with the support of the
leadership of the two countries. The first session of the ARAC was
held in October of the same year. The forum has united more than 70
Azerbaijani public organisations, including regional ones instituted
in 54 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The ARAC
activities involve prominent scientists, cultural figures, members of
business circles closely connected with Russia and Azerbaijan. The
ARAC prioritises the preservation of spiritual and historical
traditions of Azeri nationals, and the ensurance of the legal
protection of compatriots from manifestations of discrimination on an
ethnic basis.

The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 18 2004

New Armenia-Russia cargo route bypasses Georgia
By M. Alkhazashvili

The closing of the Larsi checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border
has damaged both Armenia and Georgia, as it has effectively closed
land borders between the two countries and Russia.

The only other land border between Georgia and Russia – the Roki
tunnel which links South and North Ossetia – is currently
inaccessible because Georgia does not allow cargo to enter South
Ossetia.

Larsi was closed on September 3, on the order of Russian President
Putin, following the Beslan tragedy. Although the closure was
explained as a way of preventing further terrorist acts, analysts
believe that it was intended to put pressure on Georgia. Armenia has
been damaged even more, however, and so Moscow is planning to
transport cargo to Armenia via Iran along the Astrakhan-Enzel-Megri
highway.

Larsi checkpoint, which has been reopened twice on a temporary basis,
will now remain permanently closed, except for people who live near
the border.

However, Moscow has decided that the Roki tunnel, which is currently
controlled by the Kokoiti regime, represents no threat and will
remain open. Several days ago, near Ergneti village, Georgian law
enforcers detained two buses coming from Russia to Armenia, which
passed through the Roki tunnel.

According to the newspaper Akhali Taoba, the president’s
representative in Shida Kartli Mikheil Kareli says that the Russian
government’s decision to allow people and cargo to pass through the
Roki tunnel indicates that Russia wants to “enrich” the separatist
government of Tskhinvali.

If the Georgian government permitted it, then the transportation of
both cargo and passengers between Russia and the South Caucasus would
pass through the Roki tunnel, but Kareli says this would allow
Tskhinvali to open new smuggling routes. Akhali Vertsia quotes Kareli
as saying, “the Georgian government will not permit cargo and
passengers to pass through Roki. It is impossible that cargo be
received from territory that is outside Georgia’s control.”

If Russia hoped to open Roki by closing Larsi, this has not worked
out. In the meantime, it was clear that Russia would not blockade its
strategic partner for long, hence the new transportation route.
Russia’s Minister of Telecommunication and Transport Igor Levitin and
Armenia’s Minister of Defense Serzh Raskisian announced the new
Astrakhani (Russia)-Enzeli (Iran)-Megri (Armenia) route after a
meeting held in Yerevan.

Georgian analysts have different opinions about this. Akhali Taoba
cites Sandro Tvalchrelidze as saying that the selection of an
alternative transportation line is connected with Russia’s intention
to bring Iran into its political sphere. In other words Russian,
policy is aimed at securing its geo-strategic interests rather than
being against Georgia.

However, Rezonansi quotes Demur Giorkhelidze as saying that the
alternative transportation line is entirely artificial and is without
doubt against Georgia. He says that the Astrakhan-Enzeli-Megri
transportation line will increase transportation expenses and that
the closing of Larsi will continue to affect Armenia, not least
because this route is very problematic in the winter period because
it crosses mountains in Armenia.

Spitting triggers tension in Jerusalem’s Old City
By Michele Green

Ecumenical News International, Switzerland
Oct 15 2004

Jerusalem (ENI). Tensions in Jerusalem’s Old City have flared following
an incident in which a Jewish seminary student spat at an archbishop
during a procession from the city’s Armenian Quarter to the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre, a site commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion and burial.

Israeli police arrested the seminary student, but Christian clerics
living in the walled Old City say such assaults by ultra-Orthodox
Jews are a frequent occurrence.

“It happens maybe once a week,” Armenian Bishop Aris Shirvanian told
Ecumenical News International. “As soon as they notice a Christian
clergyman they spit. Those who are ‘respectful’ turn their backs to
us or the large cross that we may carry but the ones that are daring
either spit on the ground or on the person without any provocation
on our part.”

In the incident on Sunday, a cross was ripped from the archbishop’s
neck when a scuffle broke out after the Jewish seminary student spat
at the cleric. The seminary student later told police he had done it
because he saw the religious procession as idolatry. Police said the
man had been temporarily banned from visiting the Old City and that
he had been placed on bail pending an indictment.

Bishop Shirvanian said spitting against Christian clergyman had been
going on for years and that the assailants were religious Jews,
sometimes men but also women, teenagers and even children. “This
shows that it is a phenomenon that is prevailing in their religious
education and it should be corrected,” he said.

Daniel Rossing, director of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian
relations, said his organization was collating accounts of spitting
incidents so they could approach rabbis and demand they teach their
congregants to stop such attacks.

“All people are created in the image of God and to spit on another
person is to spit on the image of God,” Rossing said. He said that
usually the assailants were ultra-Orthodox Jews and the victims were
“people wearing liturgical vestments or are wearing a manifest
Christian symbol such as a cross”. Rossing said he believed the
attacks were carried out due to intolerance towards Christians by
ultra-Orthodox Jews as well as to anger from religious persecution
in past centuries.

Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman said few Christians file
complaints with police about such assaults and unless they did it
was impossible to arrest and prosecute the assailants.

“We can only act when we have been informed by a complainant. When
we do know about it we act immediately to arrest the person who did
it and bring them to justice,” Kleiman said.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz said in a 12 October editorial: “It
is intolerable that Christian citizens of Jerusalem suffer from the
shameful spitting at or near a crucifix. Similar behaviour toward Jews
anywhere in the world would immediately prompt vehement responses.”

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2004

Azeri President Returns from Romania; Calls on Azeri People to Unite
on Karabakh Issue

14/10/2004 10:56

The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev returned home from his
official visit to Romania late on Tuesday. Aliyev told journalists at
the Heydar Aliyev Airport that he is satisfied with the results of
the visit.

“The documents signed will be a favorable legal base for future
cooperation between Azerbaijan and Romania,” he stressed.
President Aliyev and his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliyesku discussed
the issue on settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno (Daghliq) Karabakh.

Aliyev regarded Iliyesku’s statement, “Romania backs the solution of
the conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan”, as very
important.

President Aliyev recalled that several heads of states have issued
similar statements over the recent years.

“This once again shows that there should be no double standards. All
issues should be considered only under international legal norms and
certainly, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should be restored. The
earlier Armenia understands this, the better.”

President Aliyev said that a mechanism should be set up for
implementation of the decisions passed by the UN and OSCE. Expressing
his disappointment with the fact that no sanctions have been imposed
on Armenia yet, Aliyev said: “The conflict can be settled soon if
international legal mechanisms are set up and applied.”

Commenting on a report on the Karabakh conflict by Terry Davis, the
former rapporteur on Karabakh of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE), President Aliyev said it was impartial and
contained realities. The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict will be
discussed at the PACE session in January, he noted.

Aliyev voiced his confidence that the report would confirm the
occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and emphasize the need for
imposing sanctions on Armenia.

The President stated that Azerbaijan calls on the Council of Europe
to give a political assessment of the conflict.
“We will achieve our goals when each Azerbaijani citizen – the
President, parliament members and the press, unite to denounce
Armenia as an aggressor,” he added.

Cases of Jews spitting on Christains “repulsive”: Minister

Press Trust of India, India
Oct 13 2004

Jerusalem, Oct 13 (PTI) Calling acts of spitting by Jews on Christian
clergy as “repulsive”, Interior Minister, Avraham Poraz, has condemned
such “repeated attacks” on the religious minority. Expressing dismay
at the recent incident in which a student of Jewish texts spit
on a cross carried by Armenian archbishop Nourhan Manougian in a
procession on Sunday, Poraz said that such acts are “intolerable”,
local media reported.

The interior minister has asked the Public Security Minister Gideon
Ezra to “take all the necessary steps to prevent these incidents in the
future.” In his talks with the heads of the churches in Israel, Poraz
asserted “Israel’s commitment to freedom of religion,” reports said.

The incident led to a fracas during which the archbishop’s medallion,
worn by Armenian archbishops since the 17th century, was damaged,
and the archbishop slapped the student.

The student was later arrested and the Jerusalem District Court
subsequently banned him from approaching the Old City for 75 days,
Daily Ha’aretz reported.

Angered by the latest incident however Armenian officials have charged
that Israeli auThorities were not doing enough.

“When there is an attack against Jews anywhere in the world, the
Israeli government is incensed, so why when our religion and pride
are hurt, don’t they take harsher measures?” Archbishop Manougian
told Haaretz. PTI