Asbarez news Room 07-13-2000

[Guest]

1. Catholicos Aram I to Visit Western Prelacy

LOS ANGELES--Western Prelate Bishop Moushegh Mardirossian, the Religious and Executive Councils of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America recently announced that on the occasion of the festivities planned for the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity in Armenia, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, will be granting a visit to the Prelacy. The Pontiff's blessed presence will surely invigorate the 1700th anniversary celebrations.

 

This Pontifical Visit was scheduled two years ago within the realm of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and our Prelacy's plans for the 1700th anniversary celebrations.

 

His Holiness will arrive in Los Angeles on October 18th. Upon arrival, His Holiness will be welcomed by the general public and will deliver His message to the entire faithful. During the following days, His Holiness will preside over a conference dedicated to "Armenian Cilicia" at the UCLA The itinerary also includes the 100th anniversary celebration of the Holy Trinity Church in Fresno; the inauguration of the new Sunday School building; presiding over a Christian interdenominational meeting; and a visit to the San Francisco Armenian community.

 

Further details of the Pontifical Visit will be forthcoming.

 

Meanwhile, Catholicos Aram I left for Iran Wednesday. According to press office of the Holy See of Cilicia, during the visit the Catholicos will preside at several public events devoted to the 1700th anniversary of Christianity and he will also give his blessing to parishioners.

 

Aram I is visiting Iran upon the invitation of Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Taskhiri, the head of the Islamic Culture and Communications Organization.

 

During the visit, Aram I will meet with the Iranian leader, the Iranian president, parliament speaker as well as ministers of foreign affairs and culture and Islamic guidance. He will also visit the Iranian cities of Tabriz, Isfahan and Urmia and will participate in a pilgrimage to Saint Thaddeus and Stephen's Armenian monasteries.

 

This year's ceremonies will be different since many Christians are coming to Iran from around the world to attend the anniversary celebrations.

 

A seminar on ecumenical coexistence from the viewpoint of Muslim and Christian theologian and academicians will be held in Tehran on July 16-17. Topics to be discussed during the seminar are "Dialogue between Islam and Christianity," "Co-existence between Shia Muslims and Armenian Christians" and "Comparison between Islamic and Christian Ideologies."

 

Some 150,000 Armenian Christians live in Iran.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Academicians Call for Recognition of Sevres Treaty

YEREVAN--A group of influential academicians in Armenia issued a letter to prime minister Andranik Markarian urging him to mark the 80th anniversary of the Treat of Sevres, which became the most important diplomatic victory for Armenians.

 

The treaty, drawn up by US president Woodrow Wilson and signed by the superpowers at the time, envisioned a 162,000 square kilometer area as Armenia, and included almost all of historic Armenia, Artsax, Akhalkalak and Nakhichevan.

 

The treaty was signed by France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Czechoslovakia and Turkey. The document also recognized Armenia's independence.

 

The academicians argued that the Sevres Treaty was not properly recognized under Soviet rule, but now, with an independent Armenia, the political and strategic importance of the treaty can be utilized in a political context for Armenia.

 

"We believe that the government of Armenia must, on a state-sponsored and national level, mark the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Sevres treaty, which aside from its historic significance, has political importance and can benefit our country in strengthening its position internationally," the academicians noted.

 

The group also called for renaming a street in Yerevan after Woodrow Wilson, in addition to marking the anniversary of this diplomatic and political milestone.

 

Lending their signatures to this petition are, among others, Berdj Zeitountsian, Silva Kapoutikian, Sos Sargsyan, Raphael Ghazarian, Hratchia Simonian, Lenser Aghalovian and Edward Mirzoyan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Karekin II, Russian Patriarch Consecrate Church in St. Petersburg.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (RFE/RL)--His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians during a visit to St. Petersburg presided over the re-opening and re-consecration of St. Catherine's Armenian Church which was closed and abandoned during Communist rule.

 

The consecration of the altar and the main church took place on Tuesday and Wednesday during two separate ceremonies. Patriarch Aleksei II of All Russia also arrived in St. Petersburg to participate in the ceremonies. Other dignitaries included the Mayor of St. Petersburg, Vladimir Yakovlev, and many prominent Armenians from other parts of Russia and neighboring countries.

 

The Armenian Primates of Eastern and Western Dioceses of the US, as well as many other Armenian clergymen also participated in the rites of the consecration.

 

Following the ceremonies, Karekin II said that the re-opening of St. Catherine church will further strengthen Russian-Armenian friendship which has withstood the test of times. The Armenian and the Russian church leaders exchanged gifts to mark the occasion. Karekin II presented a silver cross, modeled after a Khachkar (traditional Armenian cross carved on stone), and Aleksei II gave the newly consecrated church a painting of Christ.

 

The Catholicos arrived in St. Petersburg Tuesday and is expected to meet with high-ranking Russian officials, as well as the Armenian community.

 

Bishop Navasard Ktchoyan, Vicar General of Araratian Diocese; Reverend Father Arshak Khachatrian; Rafayel Papayan, a member of the Supreme Spiritual Council, are accompanying Karekin I on his trip, which will conclude Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Assembly Candidate Frommer Gives Pledge To Armenian Community

GLENDALE--Kicking off his campaign to replace Assemblyman Scott Wildman, Dario Frommer on July 7 met with Armenian Community leaders and issued his platform on issues facing the Armenian Community. Below is Frommer's position paper on Armenian issues.

 

Armenian Genocide:

 

I condemn the genocide of the Armenian people perpetrated by the Turkish Government. I will actively promote educational programs that raise awareness about this Genocide. I will also be a leading advocate for the official United States recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

 

Hampig Sassounian:

 

I will be a voice for justice and educate fellow legislators and Governor Davis about Hampig Sassounian's plight and the exculpatory facts that support his case. Our leaders have an obligation to be vigilant against errors in our judicial system which may result in the unjust punishment of any person.

 

Schools and Youth:

 

I was honored to work with the Armenian Relief Society and leaders in the Armenian Community to secure $280,000 in the state budget for counseling and guidance programs aimed at reducing youth violence. This program is a good start, but we need to continue our work to secure more funds. In the Assembly, I will push hard to fund construction of a new park and recreation center in South Glendale. I will also seek funding for studies of the student population in our local schools to assess and address the specific needs of our growing number of Armenian students.

 

Yerevan Trade Office/Business Assistance:

 

I vigorously support current proposals by Californian's Trade and Commerce Agency to execute an official Memorandum of Understanding between California and Armenia as the first step of a long-term strategy to establish a regional California Trade Office in Yerevan, Armenia. I will continue to urge Gov. Davis to support this important effort. I am also strongly supportive of ongoing efforts to establish a position of Small Business Coordinators in the Glendale area to help small businesses grow and prosper and I will work to bring Workforce Investment Funds for job training of residents.

 

District Office and Staffing:

 

If elected, I will maintain a district office in Glendale. I will seek Armenian-American staffers to work in both my district and my Sacramento office.

 

Reapportionment:

 

In 2001, California will re-draw the boundaries of its Congressional, Senatorial, and Assembly Districts. I will ensure that no redistricting is done without the input of Armenian Community leaders to identify way to draw legislative or congressional seats that protect Armenian- American voter strength and enhance Armenian-American representation in Sacramento and Washington, DC

 

State Budget Funding:

 

I will work with the Armenian Community to include in the State Budget funding for projects and programs that benefit residents of the 43rd District.

 

Appointments to Government Positions:

 

I will work to increase the number of Armenian-Americans employed by the State Government and appointed to State Commissions.

 

Democratic Party:

 

Currently Armenian-Americans are not well represented in the Democratic Party. If elected, I will appoint Armenian-Americans to Central Committee, Assembly District, and Regional Committee posts to ensure that the community is represented at all levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Turkey Will Support Pro-Azeri Artsax Settlement

BAKU (Armenpress)--The change of Turkish leadership will not affect the essence of Turkish-Azeri relations, announced Turkish president Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Baku during talks with his Azeri counterpart Haydar Aliyev, Itar-Tass reported.

 

During the more than two-hour meeting the two leaders discussed issues related to development and deepening of bilateral relations, regional security concerns and the resolution of the Nagorno-Artsax conflict.

 

Sezer said his country favors a peaceful resolution of the conflict and would support any option favorable for Azerbaijan.

 

In a related development, the Azeri Bilik Dunyasi agency quoted an Azeri expert as saying that "Washington proposes to recognize Artsax provided that Moscow will succeed in persuading Armenia to resolve the conflict through a territorial swap."

 

"The US is trying to quickly change the distribution of forces in the South Caucasus, which determines the fate of Azeri oil and the region."

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Kim Balayan Election Annulled

YEREVAN (Armenpress)—The Yerevan Electoral Commission annulled the results of a parliamentary by election held Sunday, which garnered a win for Armenian Revolutionary Federation member Kim Balayan.

 

The reason cited for terming the election invalid was the alleged disappearance of 600 sealed electoral ballots. Speaking to Armenpress, Kim Balayan said he was going to file a suit against the Yerevan Electoral Commission for abuse of power. Simultaneously he will appeal to the Constitution Court to validate him as elected parliament deputy.

 

This was the third round of by-elections in this district.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. October 27 Case Sent to Court.

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--After more than eight months of investigation, the probe of the core case of the October 27 terrorist act has ended. The head of the Department of Investigations of the Military Prosecutor's office and of the group of investigators of October 27 case, Artak Harutyunian, informed RFE/RL's Armenian Service the criminal case against 14 defendants will go to the court.

 

The parts of the October 27 case connected with the illegal possession of weapons, with possible involvement in the terrorist act of October 27 and with neglect of duties were separated.

 

According to Artak Harutyuninan, the intelligence operational measures and investigation process connected with the separate parts of the October 27 case will continue. There will be also a decision to allow the victims of the October 27 case to review the whole case.

 

After sending the case to the court, the judge will be given a certain time to review the case. Most probably the court trial will start in late autumn. There are some suggestions that the trial could start as in October 27, the first anniversary of the terrorist act.

 

After dismissing the cases against five people charged with assisting the October 27 case, 14 defendants remain. Twelve people are still in jail, including the five gunmen and the defendants who allegedly had foreknowledge of criminal act, as well as those who were charged with neglect of their duties.

 

However it is not clear how the investigation in the separated cases will proceed. In fact up to now there are no defendants on the charges separated from the core case.

 

The investigators are not excluding that there were supporters and instigators of the terrorist act. But according to the defense lawyer of Nairi Hunanian, Artashes Pahlavuni, his defendant confessed that he has acted alone. Artashes Pahlavuni told RFE/RL that his defendant explained the motives of his crime in a 100-page document, in which he concluded that he decided to do something, because the country was on the verge of collapse.

 

Some officials claim they had prior knowledge of a terrorist act in the offing. Several month ago, the chief of the military police Vladimir Gasparian told "Armenia" TV station he personally warned Vazgen Sargsyan several times that there would be an attempt to assassinate him.

 

Minister of Social Security Razmik Martirossian confirmed Vladimir Gasparian's statement. Martirossian told RFE/RL that Vazgen Sargsyan has been warned at least four times, but the former prime minister didn't pay attention to the warnings and didn't take appropriate measures to check the validity of the reports of an imminent assassination attempt against him.

 

About two months ago, when the spouses of the victims of killings and the mother of Vazgen Sargsyan met President Robert Kocharian, the General Prosecutor and the Military Prosecutor, the wife of Leonard Petrossian stated that her husband had been very nervous. According to Larisa Petrossian, her husband had instructed her to seek Vazgen's help if something happened to him.

 

Many wonder in Yerevan, if these reports are true, then what about the Security Services? Were they informed about the planned terrorist act? And if yes, why didn't they take the necessary actions to prevent it?

 

A Ministry of National Security colonel told RFE/RL that there is a special department in the ministry which should have gathered preliminary information and taken the preventive measures. Certain officials from the security agencies should have been charged for failing to prevent the shootings, the colonel, who wished to remain unnamed, told RFE/RL.

 

The head of the investigation group of military prosecutor office, Artak Harutyunian, declined to comment on the question of whether the investigation of the charges of neglect of professional duties separated from the core case of October 27 will apply to the officials of the Ministry of National Security. He cited the secrecy of preliminary investigation. According to Artak Harutyunian, the investigation of the separated cases will continue as long as necessary.

 

No matter how complicated the case is, many officials, including most members of the investigative group of the Military prosecutor's office, believe that it is impossible for amateurs to commit a crime on the scale of the 27 October shootings.

 

"There are organizers. They are not known today, but they will be eventually exposed in one or several years," says Artashes Pahlavuni, the defense lawyer of Nairi Hunanian, who claims to be the master-mind behind the killings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. External Communication Service Established in Armenia

YEREVAN (Armenpress)—Due to the joint efforts of the Armenian Computer Center, Russian "Rostelecom" and "Mir" radio-television companies and ArmenTel, another communication service has been launched in Armenia.

 

According to Vahram Mkhitarian, the head of the Armenian Computer Center, the satellite communication unit of the Yerevan branch of the Mir was connected with ArmenTel optical digital communication highway by an optical cable, which will reach all the digital units in all of Armenia. And the central unit of Mir was connected with Rostelecom in Moscow, which will reach all the digital units in Russia, along with CIS and foreign countries.

 

In Mkhitarian's words, Armenia still has problems in securing auditory-visible communication with foreign countries, which would give Armenia the opportunity of organizing participation in tele-conferences, teaching courses, medical services and operations. The inter-satellite communication, information nets and electronic trade develop very slowly in Armenia.

 

This system will solve these problems. The first communication center of exchange of information is operating and will soon expand.

 

Mkhitarian said that their first step is the establishment of the system of information exchange, which could be organized by the satellite communication system of Mir by joining the local nets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Kocharian, ICRC Delegation Head Discuss Immediate Tasks

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—President Robert Kocharian met with the Head of the Armenian delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross Liz Budro Tuesday to discuss ways of raising the efficiency of Red Cross activities in Armenia as well as other immediate programs of the Red Cross. The sides reportedly stressed their readiness to continue cooperation.

 

The ICRC has undertaken a series of humanitarian programs in Armenia lately. In this regard, President Kocharian invited Red Cross officials' attention to the public health sector, stressing the importance of raising the efficiency of fighting tuberculosis. Liz Budro, for her part, said that they were ready to launch anti-TB programs.

 

Highly assessing the ICRC programs, Kocharian expressed confidence that the cooperation and good traditions will be successfully maintained in the future as well.