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News, 30 Mar, 2007.
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Virtually all newspapers and television stations cover the ceremony marking the opening of Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van. Shant and Yerkir Media television stations broadcast the ceremony live.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR, HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN, AZG, and HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK report that an Armenian delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Gagik Gyurjyan participated in the ceremony.
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK reports that, after the official ceremony marking the reopening of the church, Armenian Patriarch Mesrop II Mutafyan of Constantinople stated that the reopening of the church was evidence of the good will of the Turkish side. The newspaper reported that, during the ceremony, many Turkish flags and a portrait of Ataturk were on and around the church.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR published an article entitled, “Different Approaches.” The article says that, according to Ashot Melkonian, Director of the Institute of History at the Armenian National Academy, in Turkey there are different approaches toward churches in "western Armenia" and in Turkey in general. Regarding the invitation of an Armenian delegation, Melikian said that Echmiadzin's decision to refuse the invitation was more acceptable than the government's decision to accept the invitation. He also said that the fact that church was restored by Turkish and Kurdish architects was unacceptable.
HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTIUN published an article on the ceremony entitled, "A Gesture for Armenia or for the West? Is Akhtamar a PR Exercise or the Beginning of a New Turkish Policy?" The article states, "It's a fact that Turkey's relations with the EU and United States are not blooming. In addition to numerous problems, the issue of Armenian genocide recognition is hung over Turkey like the sword of Damocles, first by the EU, represented by France, and then by the United States. To do away with these threats, Turkey is making every effort to convince everyone that Turkey will address the issue with Armenia without any third-party involvement....[A]s President Kocharian pointed out to journalists (Armenian, French, and Turkish) at a joint pres conference with President Chirac, bilateral relations can be improved through diplomatic and official relations. No response to this came from Ankara. Ankara is busy knocking on the doors of Paris and Washington, and not of Yerevan."
Virtually all media outlets report on the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement on the reopening of Holy Cross Church. The statement says, in part, "We are pleased that the Armenian Church of Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island, a jewel of world architecture, has been beautifully resorted and renovated, albeit without a cross, and as a museum. This is a positive move and holds the potential of a reversal of the policy of negligence and destruction....Unfortunately, this opening was not transformed to a new opportunity in Armenia-Turkish relations, because the Turkish government has not found it expedient to do so." The statement continues, "Turkey's announcements about the opening of this renovated church do not include the word 'Armenian' anywhere. Names of kings and regions from medieval times are evoked, but no mention is made of its Armenian and Apostolic belonging....It is no coincidence that this opening is being held just as the U.S. Congress is considering a resolution on affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide."
HAYOTS ASHKHAR published a lengthy article entitled, “Great Powers, Small Revenge.” The article says that the long chain of refutations and clarification concerning to the U.S. State Department Human Rights Report harmed Armenian-American relations. The author says that there is a third side in U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations, and that side could be Russia, Iran, or Turkey. The article also says that the United States could use little “misunderstandings” as a tool of “small revenge.”
AZG, ARAVOT, and HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN report that on Wednesday the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a resolution that condemns the assassination of Hrant Dink, and urges Turkey to establish relations with Armenia and abolish Article 301.
HAYOTS ASHKHAR and HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN published a statement released by Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, and Cargill that says that they did not participated in any actions against recognition of the "Armenian Genocide."
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK published an interview with Ertan Tezgor, the Turkish ambassador to Georgia, who arrived in Yerevan to attend the prime minister's funeral. The newspaper says that he met with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.
HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTY and HAYOTS ASHKHAR report that the prosecutor generals of Russia and Armenia, Yuri Chaika and Aghvan Hovsepian, signed a cooperation agreement for 2007-2009.
HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN reports that yesterday the Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan told RIA Novosti that opening the border between Armenia and Turkey is impossible and that the issue is not on the agenda.
AZG reports that, for the first time, Azerbaijan will display military hardware that it purchased from Turkey.
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK and IRAVUNK report that Arayik Aghababian, a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party running for mayor in Armavir, has filed a lawsuit accusing his rival of falsifying the voter list.
HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK says that the Republican Party of Armenia will hold on to the position of prime minister, and states that the only likely candidate is Serzh Sargsian. The newspaper also says that Sargsian visited Grigor Lusavorish Medical Center for a check-up. ARAVOT compares Sargsian with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov. AZG reports that National Unity Party leader Artashes Geghamyan said that the situation in the country was not determined by the prime minister, but by the real leaders of the country--President Kocharian and Defense Minister Sargsian. IRAVUNK says that Vahan Hovhanisyan, deputy chairman of the Armenian Parliament, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Serzh Sargsian was appointed as acting Prime Minister of Armenia. |
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