Armenian Church News Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church Arrives in Armenia - Welcoming Service Held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

We are very sorry we are not able to publish photographs at this time.

On 24th June 2016, under the theme "Visit to the First Christian Nation" Pope Francis launched a three-day visit to the Republic of Armenia.
The Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church was welcomed by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and Mr. Serzh Sarkisyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, at the Zvartnots International Airport. They were accompanied by their delegations as well as representatives of the Catholic and Armenian Catholic Church.

After the chartered aircraft landed, Pope Francis was greeted at the bottom of the jetway, by the President Sargsyan and First Lady Ms. Rita Sargsyan, after which the Patriarchs of the two churches exchanged a fraternal embrace.
After a brief conversation at the airport with the President of Armenia, His Holiness and Pope Francis, accompanied by their delegations, left for Holy Etchmiadzin.

In this issue:

Pope Francis visits Armenia:
Holy Etchmiadzin
Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial Complex
Gyumri

AGBU Interns visit London

Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate



Diocesan Office
Tel. 0208 127 8364 primatesoffice@ armenianchurch.co.uk

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Armenian Church News

In the Mother See, the two Pontifs were met by the members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and officials. On this occasion, numerous pilgrims, from Armenia and the Diaspora, welcomed the Pope with flags and signs. Amongst them were His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Diocese of the UK and Ireland, accompanied by members of our community, Raffi and Alice Tanielian, and Alan and Nicole Simonian.
The procession of clergymen of the Armenian and Catholic Churches, under the ringing of the bells of the Mother Cathedral and the singing of the hymn “Glorious God”, led the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church to the Mother Cathedral.
At the Cathedral, the Pontiffs bowed in front of the Altar of Descent kissing the Holy Bible and the Holy Cross, then ascended the Main Altar of the Cathedral where a brotherly embrace was exchanged.
Pope Francis through the recitation of the prayer "Preserve us, Christ our God", blessed the pious faithful.
Following the prayer, His Holiness Karekin II welcomed Pope Francis and stated:
“Your Holiness, beloved brother in Christ,
We give glory and thanks to God, as we welcome you, and the delegation accompanying you today, with brotherly love and prayer in this holy cathedral, where the Only-Begotten Son descended. We are deeply touched that per Our invitation You have visited Armenia, to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. This ancient cathedral is the testimony of the covenant set between our people and God. It is on this sacred site that Jesus Christ descended and with His venerable Holy Right Hand establi  Etchmiadzin which is the Holy of Holies of the entire Armenian nation.

By divine providence, through the vision and zealous efforts of the second Enlightener of the Armenians, Catholicos St. Gregory; the lanterns of faith that were lit in the hearts of our people through the preaching of St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, were renewed.
Since that day the light that is emanating from Holy Etchmiadzin binds our people with their history, sacred treasures and homeland – spread around Ark- bearing Mount Ararat.
We are immensely delighted that today in this holy cathedral of Etchmiadzin the prayers of the two pontiffs of the Sees of St. Peter and Sts. Thaddeus and Bartholomew, are united in the glory of God, pleading peace for our faithful and for all the world, calling for a strong spirit of love and brotherhood and fruitful cooperation.



At this moment it is with warm feelings, that we remember the visit of St. John Paul II to Armenia in 2001, on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the State religion in Armenia.
That was the first visit of a Pontiff of the See of St. Peter to our land, which became a new incentive for cooperation in the brotherly relationship between our Churches.
You also have made notable impact in strengthening the brotherly relationships between our Churches, by showing particular kindness towards the Armenian Church and our people on various occasions throughout your ministry.

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The visit of Your Holiness is a renewed testament to the brotherly relationships and collaboration of our Churches and is mutually empowering for the faithful of both the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. Your visit also fills us with optimism that our testimonies of faith, reinforced with Christian love, will be felt more strongly in our lives.
Our people remember with gratitude your solemn Mass celebrated in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Basilica of St. Peter, with your historic sermon condemning the Genocide.
We give thanks to God that today together with Your Holiness, the sons and daughters of the Catholic Church, with our faithful Armenians, including those who have come to Armenia on the occasion of Your visit, can pray and beseech the intercession of the canonized martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, whose bloodshed is a testimonial of victory not only for the Armenians but also for the Christian faith as a whole. As the apostle says, abundance of grace is multiplied through the Glory of God by the thankfulness of many, (2 Corinthians 4:15).
After the destruction caused by the Armenian Genocide and the Godless years of the Soviet era, our church is living a new spiritual awakening by freely realizing the Christ-bestowed mission in the lives of our people in conditions of independent statehood in our Homeland. Our church is also engaging in a greater participation in the life of pan-Christian relations, strongly believing that at a time when the world is filled with deepening spiritual, political, economic, and humanitarian crisis, it is important more than ever for the Sister Churches to jointly pray and cooperate for the fruitfulness of the mission of Christ’s holy Church, for keeping and cherishing Christian ethical values in the world, for strengthening love towards mankind, through which true results of security and prosperity can be actualized.
We extend our prayer for the stability and prosperity of the Holy Church of

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Christ, for the spread of the spirit of love and favour of our Lord, and for increasing peace and life in solidarity in the world.
We call on the Lord to support Your Holiness, and wish you a long and healthy reign, for the sake of prosperity of the Roman Catholic Church and for consolation of the faithful.
Welcome to the Biblical land of Armenia and to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Let the mercy, grace and blessings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ remain with us all, evermore. Amen.”
Pope Francis also delivered a message and it stated:
“Venerable Brother, Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians, Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is very moving for me to have crossed the threshold of this holy place, a witness to the history of your people and the centre from which its spirituality radiates. I consider it a precious gift of God to be able to approach the holy altar from which the light of Christ shone forth in Armenia. I greet the Catholicos of All the Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, with heartfelt thanks for his gracious invitation to visit Holy Etchmiadzin, and all the Archbishops and Bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church. I thank you for your cordial and joyful welcome. Thank you, Your Holiness, for having welcomed me into your home. This sign of love eloquently bespeaks, better than any words can do, the meaning of friendship and fraternal charity.
On this solemn occasion, I give thanks to the Lord for the light of faith kindled in your land, the faith that has given Armenia its particular identity and made it a herald of Christ among the nations. Christ is your glory and

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your light. He is the sun who has illuminated and enlivened you, accompanied and sustained you, especially in times of trial. I bow before the mercy of the Lord, who willed that Armenia should become, in the year 301, the first nation to accept Christianity as its religion, at a time when persecutions still raged throughout the Roman Empire.
For Armenia, faith in Christ has not been like a garment to be donned or doffed as circumstances or convenience dictate, but an essential part of its identity, a gift of immense significance, to be accepted with joy, preserved with great effort and strength, even at the cost of life itself. As Saint John Paul II wrote: “With the ‘baptism’ of the Armenian community... the people acquired a new identity that was to become a constitutive and inseparable part of Armenian life. It would no longer be possible to think that faith did not figure as an essential element among the components of this identity” (Apostolic Letter for the 1700th Anniversary of the Baptism of the Armenian People [2 February 2001], 2). May the Lord bless you for this luminous testimony of faith. It is a shining example of the great efficacy and fruitfulness of the baptism received over seventeen hundred years ago, together with the eloquent and holy sign of martyrdom, which has constantly accompanied the history of your people.
I also thank the Lord for the journey that the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church have undertaken through sincere and fraternal dialogue for the sake of coming to share fully in the Eucharistic banquet. May the Holy Spirit help us to attain the unity for which our Lord prayed, so that his disciples may be one and the world may believe. I gladly recall the decisive impulse given to developing closer relations and strengthening dialogue between our two Churches in recent years by Their Holinesses Vasken I and

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Karekin I, and by Saint John Paul II and by Benedict XVI. As significant stages of this ecumenical engagement, I would mention: the commemoration of the Witnesses to the Faith in the twentieth century during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000; the consignment to Your Holiness of the relic of the Father of Christian Armenia, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, for the new Cathedral of Yerevan; the Joint Declaration of His Holiness John Paul II and Your Holiness, signed here in Holy Etchmiadzin; and the visits which Your Holiness has made to the Vatican for important events and commemorations.
Tragically, our world is marked by divisions and conflicts, as well as by grave forms of material and spiritual poverty, including the exploitation of persons, not least children and the elderly. It expects from Christians a witness of mutual esteem and fraternal cooperation capable of revealing to every conscience the power and truth of Christ’s resurrection. The patient and enduring commitment to full unity, the growth of joint initiatives and cooperation between all the Lord’s disciples in service to the common good: all these are like a radiant light in a dark night and a summons to experience even our differences in an attitude of charity and mutual understanding. The spirit of ecumenism takes on an exemplary value also outside of the visible confines of the ecclesial community; it represents for everyone a forceful appeal to settle divergences with dialogue and appreciation for all that unites us. It also prevents the exploitation and manipulation of faith, for it requires us to rediscover faith’s authentic roots, and to communicate, defend and spread truth with respect for the dignity of every human being and in ways that reveal the presence of the love and salvation we wish to spread. In this way, we offer to the world – which so urgently needs it – a convincing witness that Christ is alive and at work, capable of opening new paths of reconciliation among the nations, civilizations and religions. We offer a credible witness that God is love and mercy.

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Dear brothers and sisters, when our actions are prompted by the power of Christ’s love, understanding and reciprocal esteem grow, a fruitful ecumenical journey becomes possible, and all people of goodwill, and society as a whole, are shown a concrete way to harmonize the conflicts that rend civil life and create divisions that prove hard to heal. May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, “pillar of light for the Holy Church of the Armenians”, and Saint Gregory of Narek, Doctor of the Church, bless all of you and the entire Armenian nation. May he preserve you always in the faith you received from your ancestors, and to which you have borne glorious witness throughout the ages.” Following the offering of a prayer, under the singing of the Pontifical hymn, a procession of clergy led His Holiness and the Pope to the Pontifical Residence. During the visit, the Patriarch of the Roman Catholic Church, hosted by the Catholicos of All Armenians, will stay in the Mother See. The Hrashapar Service was attended by representatives from the dioceses of the Armenian Church, State officials, benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and pilgrims.

Meeting of the Pope and the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On the evening of 24th June, the meeting of Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church and His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; was held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The meeting was attended by the delegation of the Catholic Church; Bishops of the Armenian Church; Diocesan Primates from Armenia and Diaspora and Locum Tenens, including His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan.
During the meeting, His Holiness Karekin II, welcomed Pope Francis to the Biblical land of Armenia and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. He also conveyed his fraternal love and best wishes to the members of the delegation.
“There is joy in our homes and in our souls today, as our beloved brother has visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and as the Armenian nation has a special warm affection for him. The

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clear evidence of this is the presence of the high- ranking priests from our dioceses around the world, who have travelled here together with the faithful of their communities. Our people consider your visit as an opportunity and chance to express their feelings of gratitude for your caring attitude towards our people, the Armenian Church and Nation. In this sacred sanctuary we offer our prayer to heaven, asking Lord to grant you long healthy years to guide the Roman Catholic Church, and implement the mission of Christ’s Church together with the Spiritual Primates of the Sister Churches and the faithful, for the sake of a more peaceful and better world and the happier life of humankind”, stated the Catholicos of All Armenians.
In turn, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church expressed his gratitude to His Holiness for the warm reception and fraternal love, stressing that in Holy Etchmiadzin he feels at home. Emphasizing the importance of united prayer and peace in the remarks of His Holiness, Pope Francis added that as Churches they are called to be the preachers of peace.
At the end of the meeting, a mutual presentation of the delegations of the two churches and an exchange of gifts was made.
On the occasion of the visit, the Catholicos of All Armenians presented a Liturgical Chalice to Pope Francis, on which the St. Peter Basillica of the Vatican and the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin were engraved on the sides of the cup, as well as the holy apostles of the two churches. His Holiness also presented an icon of the Holy Martyr’s of the Armenian Genocide and a miniature sculpture of the Pope. In turn, the Pope gifted to His Holiness a mosaic of the Holy Mother of God.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Pope Francis recorded a message in the Pontifical Memory register. Following the meeting a private meeting between the two Pontiffs was held.

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Pope Francis Visited the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial Complex

On 25th June, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church and His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; visited the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial Complex, where the two Pontiffs were met by Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia and the First Lady Ms. Rita Sargsyan.
A solemn procession of clergy, led by honour guards, walked to the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument. Children with icons of the Armenian Genocide victims were standing on the path to the Memorial Complex. Following a wreath placing in memory of the martyrs, the national anthem of the Vatican was performed.
Under the presidency of His Holiness and Pope Francis, an Intercessional Rite of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide was offered in front of the eternal flame. The choir of Holy Etchmiadzin sang the hymn "Hrashatsan pakutsmamb", which is dedicated to the Saintly Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. Bible passages, psalms and remarks were read by the clergy of the two Churches.
The ceremony ended with a prayer by Pope Francis, through which the Pope of Roman Catholic Church asked for the intercession of the holy martyrs, for the Armenian nation and the whole world.
Following the service, the Armenian duduk was played by renowned artist Mr. Jivan Gasparyan; and honorable artists Mr. Gevork Dabaghyan and

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Mr. Kamo Seyranyan.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the RA President and two Pontiffs visited the Memorial Park in memories of the Genocide victims in Armenia, where the Pope blessed an evergreen tree planted in his name.
At the end of the visit to Tsitsernakaberd, a group of descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors approached Pope Francis, whose ancestors sought shelter in the Papal Castel Gandolfo castle-summerhouse during the years of genocide, by the decision of Pope Pius XI.
Pope Francis also toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute exhibition and wrote a note in the register of memories and it stated in part: “Here I pray with pain in my heart, so that never more will there be tragedies like this, so that humanity does not forget and knows how to overcome the evil with good.
May God grant the beloved Armenian people and the entire world peace and consolation. May God protect the memory of the Armenian people. Memory should not be diluted or forgotten, memory is source of peace and the future”.

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Catholicos of All Armenians and Pope of the Roman Catholic Church Visit Gyumri
On 25th June, after visiting the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial Complex in Yerevan, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church; flew to Gyumri.
Following their official welcoming to Gyumri, His Holiness and Pope Francis traveled to the St. Vartanants central square in Gyumri, where the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church offered a Divine Liturgy. In attendance was His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, along with members of the London Armenian community.
His Holiness and Pope Francis also visited the Armenian Catholic Holy Martyrs Church in Gyumri. They were met by His Eminence Archbishop Rafael Minasyan, clergy and representatives of the Armenian Catholic community at the entrance of the Church.
Following the private prayers of the two Pontiffs, the Catholicos of All Armenian blessed the representatives of the Armenian Catholic community and disabled children through the “Guard Us” prayer. Leaving the Holy Martyrs Church, His Holiness and Pope Francis left Gyumri and returned to Yerevan.

Bishop Hovakim visits Pyunic Centre for the Disabled

Whilst in Yerevan, His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan took the opportunity to visit the Armenian Association for the Disab led “Pyunic Centre,” accompanied by Raffi Tanielian, a sponsor of the centre. This is a centre were many handicapped children get treatment. It has its own sports club, some members of which will attend the Paralympic games in Brazil later this year. There they met with soldiers who were wounded and lost their feet in Kharabakh recently, but are able to walk again with the use of artificial feet.

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Ecumenical Service and Peace Prayer in the Republic Square of Yerevan

On 25th June, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church, an Ecumenical Service and Peace Prayer was held in the Republic Square of Yerevan. The prayer service was attended by around 60,000 Armenians and guests from different countries from around the world.
The entrance of His Holiness and Pope Francis was heralded by the ringing of the bells of the churches in Yerevan. The two Pontiffs, along with 12 high- ranking clergymen of each church, ascended the stage, which had been specially prepared for the Service.
During the joint prayer, passages and prayers from the Holy Bible were read, as well as the Holy Resurrection hymn was sang.
During the Service the Catholicos of All Armenians conveyed his blessings and remarks to the attendees.
Then Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church gave his blessings and remarks, a small extract of which follows:
“I have greatly desired to visit this beloved land, your country, the first to embrace the Christian faith. It is a grace for me to find myself here on these heights where, beneath the gaze of Mount Ararat, the very silence seems to speak. Here the khatchkar – the stone crosses – recount a singular history bound up with rugged faith and immense suffering, a history replete with magnificent testimonies to the Gospel, to which you are heir. I have come as a

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pilgrim from Rome to be with you and to express my heartfelt affection: the affection of your brother and the fraternal embrace of the whole Catholic Church, which esteems you and is close to you.”
At the conclusion of the Service, His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Damascus, also gave a speech:
“I have come to attend this Peace Prayer Service from Syria, a country which continues to suffer from the lack of peace. For many years war and terrorism do not end here, as a result of which numerous innocent people are killed or become refugees; including children, elderly and women. Settlements, churches and mosques, schools and hospitals are destroyed. It was in the recent past, three years ago that the Holy Martyrs Church which housed the relics of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide was blown up in the Syrian desert of Der Zor.
Today, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Armenia and under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II and Pope Francis, through a joint prayer, we offered our prayers for the peace and stability of the world, this region and our beloved Armenia.
Your Holiness, on the occasion of your historic visit to Armenia, which you call a pilgrimage, on behalf of our people You will be handed a symbolic gift - a sculpture of Noah's Ark. Noah's Ark, which descended to the top of Mount Ararat is the enduring symbol of mankind's salvation and rebirth. In the recent years, Armenia became such an ark of salvation for thousands of families who became refugees in the Middle East and who are the descendants of Armenians who survived the Armenian Genocide.
And now, Armenians arrived from Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait and Iran will add one handful of soil brought with them into this Ark where an Armenian grape cutting will be planted. Let this symbolic gift be a lasting memory of the Armenian world in the St. Peter Cathedral, as a remembrance of this soul-stirring Service which was offered for world peace.”
Following the remarks, Ave Maria was performed by jazz artist Gary Kesayn following which, children from the Middle East offered His Holiness and Pope Francis the soil brought from their countries for blessings. Following the blessing, the children dressed in historical Armenia costumes, placed the soil into the miniature of Noah’s Ark and the Armenian grape cutting was planted there.

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Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
On 26th June, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, at the St. Trdat Open Air Altar, His Holiness Karekin II offered a Divine Liturgy, with the prayerful presence of Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Pontifical Divine Liturgy was attended by Mr. Serzh Sarkisyan, President of the Republic of Armenia and First Lady Ms. Rita Sarkisyan; Mr. Galust Sahakyan, RA National Assembly President; Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, RA Prime Minister; Diocesan Primates of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church; Supreme Spiritual Council members; Mr. Berge Setrakian, AGBU President; benefactors of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; delegates from dioceses around the world; social and cultural figures; representatives of the diplomatic missions and international organizations and numerous pilgrims from Armenia and Diaspora.
The Service began with a solemn Pontifical procession, where His Holiness Karekin II and Pope Francis, accompanied by a procession of clergy of the Armenian and Catholic Churches, and under the ringing of the bells of the Mother Cathedral and singing of the hymn Khorhurd Khorin, were led to the St. Trdat Open Air Altar, where the Catholicos of All Armenians offered a Divine Liturgy.

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AGBU Interns from Around the World Visit London

My name is Astghik and I was born in Yerevan, Armenia. At the age of 16 I graduated from high school and moved to Shanghai, China for my further studies, majoring in performing arts, specializing in the violin.
It has been already 7 years since I’ve moved and being from a country which is quite different from China, every day can be quite challenging. It is always sounds quite “exotic” when I tell people that I am ChinaHAY (Armenian from China) because many people could not imagine that in China there are Armenians. Our community in China was officially created couple of years ago and now there are more than 400 Armenians, which is not a large number for China but quite big for us.
Having such a small community there it was always a little bit hard to share and spread my culture towards the Asian people. But I am glad that the profession that I have has no language and can reach every kind of audience. Before learning the language I have used music as a tool to share with them my culture by organizing Armenian themed concerts, where people could hear my music and get to know it from that side. After learning the language it opened new doors which afterwards gave me other opportunities to reach the public by organizing Armenian Themed Lectures where I would introduce them to Armenia, Armenian History and Composers. After couple of years I received an invitation to take part in a Famous Chinese Talk Show on Shanghai TV where, until now, I am representing Armenia and every week together with five other people from different countries we talk about our country’s customs, traditions and people.
Keeping my Armenian origins and my traditions has always been my number one priority. It’s always much easier when you are in a country where there are many Armenians, Armenian Schools, Church, big community....There is always a place for you to go, whenever you feel alone, but in our case, it has been always different, as we don’t have all of that, we find that everything in each other, by talking about our country with strangers, by representing our culture whether

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it’s on TV or in reality, by meeting each other as much as possible and speaking Armenian all night long and spreading it as much as possible. Every time we met another Armenian it really became like a festival. As Saroyan said “wherever they meet and they create a new Armenia”- is exactly what happens when we see each other. So meeting new Armenians and getting to know Armenian communities and having their support is one of the important things to me.
Having and feeling support has always been a key to the success of reaching all those things. Personally for me, every time I talk about the support of my main career achievements, automatically the AGBU comes to mind first. Since 2014 they have supported me with a fellowship for the performing arts which was a great help towards my studies, and also helped me with plans and ideas that I have used to organize events and Armenian activities in China. In 2015 December I was invited by the AGBU Performing Arts Department to New York to take part in the AGBU Performing Artists in Concert which was in the famous Carnegie Hall. Being the Artistic Director of the Concert and playing with the Armenian Young Musicians coming from different parts of the world was an honor and so inspiring. This year, I was one of the 12 lucky Armenian students from whole over the world who have got a chance to spend their summer and do an internship in London (LSIP). We have students from the US, Argentina, Armenia, Greece, Serbia, Canada and of course China. We have met each other here and we became a small family. The whole internship will be 6 weeks and during this period of time all of us have many opportunities to learn, meet people and discover London.
I am working with the organizing committee of the ASF (Armenian Street Festival) which takes place every year in the center of London, where many Armenian people gather together and celebrate. For me it was something new, as I had never heard about it while I was in China and getting to know that there is an actual day where Armenians can celebrate the fact of being an Armenian and gather together and have some fun, while enjoying performances, music, food and dances, it was so exciting. Not being able to meet Armenians every day in China, it is so nice to go to work and just simply enter that Armenian environment, to get to know so many Armenians and feel at home. Thanks go to Srbazan Hovakim, Hrachik Sarian and the others who made me feel at home and welcomed me so nicely.
Every week together with our LSIP group we have many activites. Thanks to Camilio Azzouz and Alex Kazanjian who have orgaznied everything for us. Apart from working, we also have time to get involved in Armenian Community activities. Last Sunday we all went to St. Sarkis Church for Patarag. As in China there is no Armenian Church, for me, personally, it was one of the best moments so far. The minute you enter the church, the smell, the spirit....there is no place on this Earth that you can feel that. There is something magical and holy that happens only in the Armenian Churches. All of us were really excited and happy to be able to take part in it. During the Patarag, Bishop Hovakim welcomed all of us and presented us to the people who were there on that day, they welcomed us so warmly and we received applause from them. It was so touching and nice. Afterwards Bishop Hovakim talked to us and gave us books by St. Grigor Narekatsi. It was one beautiful Sunday.
As we all have different professions; marketing, architecture, engineering, design, journalism, music, it is very interesting when we meet at the end of the day and discuss our day, work, challenges, interesting things that have happened.
We all cannot believe that there is only less than a month left, because during this short period of time we became a small AGBU Family. There are still many things that are going to happen during this month, but this is a one of a kind experience and the memories that the AGBU gave us, I am sure will impact on our future and we will never forget this experience. (Astghik Poghosyan)

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Upcoming Events

DIOCESAN PROGRAMMES
Forthcoming Events in June, July and August 2016
Bible Studies
Every Thursday, at St. Sarkis Church Gulbenkian Hall led by the Primate and the clergy of the Diocese
Next dates: 14th, 21st, 28th July
Bible Studies are an important part of the church’s ministry as they provide opportunities for the faithful and those who are interested and curious to have a deeper understanding of Christianity and to ask questions about their faith, beliefs and concerns. During Bible studies we make observations (what do passages in the Bible say?), provide interpretation (what do they mean?) and ask how applicable these passages are to our lives today. Open to everyone.
Deacons Training Programme
Every Saturday evening at St. Sarkis Church starting from 24th July, 2016
Armenian Street Festival
Sunday, 17th July, 12:00 pm-6:00 pm
Iverna Gardens, W8 6TP
Celebrating the 1st of Navasart, Armenian New Year and Youth Gathering
Thursday, 11th August, 7 pm
Gulbenkian Hall, W8 6TP
Visit to Stratford upon Avon, Home of William Shakespeare
Friday, 12th August
The visit will include visit to Shakespeare’s birthplace, Hall’s Croft, Ann Hathaway’s Cottage. For details, please contact Jeanine Gulvanesian or Karina Gevorgian, e-mails: karinagevorgyan@hotmail.com or jgulvanessian@btinternet.com.
Feast of Assumption of St. Mary (Astvadzazdin) and Blessing of Grapes
Sunday, 14th August
Liturgy at 11:00am St. Yeghiche and St. Sarkis, 11:15 am at Holy Trinity in Manchester
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross
Sunday, 11th September
Liturgy at 11:00am St. Yeghiche and St. Sarkis, 11:15 am at Holy Trinity in Manchester
Feast of Holy Translators
Sunday, 9th October

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Liturgy at 11:00am St. Yeghiche and St. Sarkis, 11:15 am at Holy Trinity in Manchester
Pilgrimage to Holy Land
January 2017

Editorial:
The main objective of the diocesan e- newsletter is to serve and reach out to Armenians throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The community members and organisations are welcome to send their announcements for the e- newsletter, including information not only about public events but also about important family events such as christening, matrimony or passing away.

Prayer Intentions for July:
We invite the faithful to pray for the volunteers who give their time and energy to help the Communities and Churches in their works and duties

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Worship Services in the Armenian Churches
Services are held in the Armenian Churches in London every Sunday starting at 11:00 am. In Manchester, there is a service on the 1st Sunday of the month. For further details, please contact the parish nearest to you:

Holy Trinity Armenian Church
229 Upper Brook Street Manchester, M13 0FY
Tel: 0161 273 1074 www.armenianchurchmanchester.org/

St. Sarkis Church
Iverna Gardens Kensington, London, W8 6TP Tel: 020 7937 0152 http://www.stsarkisparish.co.uk

St. Yeghiche Cathedral
13b Cranley Gardens Kensington, London SW7 3BB Tel: 020 7373 8133 http://www.styeghiche.org.uk/

Other Parishes of our Diocese:
Cardiff - Tel: + 44 771 279 2304, +44 2920779248. john@jagproperties.co.uk
Dublin - Tel: +44 2891 863559. http://www.armenians.ie/
Birmingham – Tel: +44 121 675 1469. St John’s Church, Stratford Road, Birmingham, B11 4EA Oxford - Tel: +44 7810 490242. armenian.society@studentsclub.ox.ac.uk

We invite those who have questions or wish to gain deeper understanding of the faith, moral discernment, teachings and traditions of the Armenian Church to contact the Office of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in United Kingdom and Ireland:
The Primate’s Office
c/o The Armenian Vicarage
Iverna Gardens
London, W8 6TP
or email: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk

Editorial Committee:
His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate
Garen Arevian
Lena Boghossian
Hovik Hovhannisyan Aznive Simon
Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian Sossi Yerissian

23 

Armenian News... A Topalian...Population statement

panarmenian.net
2.994.000 people live in Armenia, UN report says
July 11, 2016 
Armenia had a population of 2.998.000 on January 1.
The figure, however has shrunk by 4000 in Q1 of 2016 to total
2.994.000 residents overall, theUnited Nations Population Fund’s
(UNFPA) Armenia office said Monday, July 11.

Speaking on the World Population Day, UNFPA Armenia representative
Anna Hovhannisyan said that if the same trends are observed next year,
the population will further dwindle by 16.000.

According to Executive Representative of UNFPA in Armenia Garik
Hayrapetyan, if the current decreasing pace continues, an abrupt drop
will be registered in 50 years.

“In 2050, we’ll have 3.100.000 people at best, and some 1.700.000 at
worst,” Hayrapetyan said, according to Tert.am.

“But this is mere prediction. Everything can turn upside down in case
the events of early April recur.”

Azerbaijan unleashed a lar scale offensive against Nagorno karabakh on
April 2, which claimed hundreds of lives on both sides. The parties
agreed on a cessation of hostilities on April 5. 


Daily Sabah, Turkey
July 11 2016
Turkey, 3 other countries claim lavash as common heritage
Lavash, a traditional thin flatbread widely consumed in Armenia, Iran,
Turkey, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, as the latter countries have
disputed UNESCO's recognition of Armenian lavash as an Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity. According to the Turkish daily
Habertürk, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have
prepared and submitted a document to UNESCO regarding lavash, calling
for its recognition as part of the common heritage of these countries.

UNESCO will discuss the document named "Flatbread-making and sharing
culture: Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka, Yufka," and a final decision will be
announced at the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for
the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, to be held
between Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 in Ethiopia. Azerbaijan and Turkey had
previously disputed Armenia's request for recognition of lavash as its
traditional food. The UNESCO document was revised to state "lavash as
an expression of culture in Armenia." Turkish ministerial officers
state that lavash has also a ritual place in Turkish culture,
especially weddings.Mostly prepared by women in villages, lavash is
commonly consumed with cheeses, greens or meats. Throughout Turkey,
lavash bread is usually served as an appetizer in restaurants and used
in all kinds of rolls, with vegetables, beef or chicken.

The UNESCO website describes lavash thus: "A simple dough made of
wheat flour and water is kneaded and formed into balls, which are then
rolled into thin layers and stretched over a special oval cushion that
is then slapped against the wall of a traditional conical clay oven.
After thirty seconds to a minute, the baked bread is pulled from the
oven wall." 

mehrnews.com 

Iran endorses visa-free regime with Armenia
11 Jul 2016

A session of Iran’s Cabinet made decisions on abolition of visa
requirements between Armenia and Iran,Mehr News Agency reports.

Members of Iran’s Cabinet gathered together for a session on Sunday
chaired by President Rouhani.

The meeting made relevant decisions on setting regulations for
abolition of visas for holders of diplomatic and ordinary passports as
well as holders of travel documents (leaf of travel) between the
Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Armenia.

Previously on June 16, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian signed an agreement on
abolishing the visa between the two state.

The agreement, which was approved by the Armenian government aiming to
regulate the mutual visits of the two countries’ citizens, was also
endorsed by the Iranian government during the Sunday session.

Visa-free travels between Iran and Armenia mainly aim to boost
bilateral ties, deepen mutual trade as well as to escalate economic
relations between the two states.

Accordingly, citizens with ordinary or diplomatic passports of Armenia
and Iran are allowed to stay maximum of 90 days in in the other
country without a need to obtain a visa.

armradio.am 

The important messages of Armenian President’s speech at NATO
11 Jul 2016

Armenian President’s speech at NATO summit included three important
messages, Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly, Spokesman for the
Republic Party of Armenia Edward Sharmazanov told reporters today.

First, he said, the President stressed that “Armenia and Artsakh stand
for the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

According to Sharmazanov, another important point was the statement
that “NATO is not the platform for the discussion of the Karabakh
issue.” The President deemed the attempts to move the consideration of
the issue to other platforms inappropriate and contradicting to the
statements of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries.

The third message was the importance of unconditional implementation
of the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg, Sharmazanov
said.

According to him, the reference to the status quo was also essential.
“The status quo will change when the people of Nagorno Karabakh
receive the opportunity to exercise their right of
self-determination,” President Sargsyan stated in Warsaw.

“This means, it’s necessary to eliminate the reasons of the conflict,
not the consequences. President Sargsyan made it clear in Warsaw that
the primary issue is that of Artsakh’s status and the realization of
the people’s right to self-determination, not the territories or
refugees,” Edward Sharmazanov said. 


lragir.am
Sargsyan and Aliyev Revealed Subject of Negotiations
Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
11 July 2016, 11:44
Serzh Sargsyan and Aliyev made speeches at NATO Summit in Warsaw and
met with the U.S. Secretary Kerry. They discussed the peace settlement
of the Karabakh issue, the commitment to the agreements reached in
Vienna and Saint Petersburg.

NATO’s concluding communique dwells on the territorial integrity of
countries, as well as the three basic principles of conflict
resolution, including the right to self-determination.

As always, Aliyev talked about territorial integrity and “occupation”
of 20% of the country. He also said Azerbaijan supports the Minsk
Group statement, which mentions the unacceptability of the status quo.
“A change of status quo means ending the occupation of the territory
of Azerbaijan,” he said.

For his part, Serzh Sargsyan mentioned in his speech that the “status
quo will change if the exercise of the right to self-determination of
the people of Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized.”

Hence, NATO Summit clarified the new stage of Karabakh settlement. The
problem is that Azerbaijan must recognize the status of Karabakh. Baku
insists on the stage-by-stage option: first, return of territories,
and at the end, a discussion of the status. Armenia insists on the
package settlement: first status, then discussion of the other issues.

It should be noted that following Vienna and Saint Petersburg Aliyev
spoke about the possibility of discussing the status of Karabakh but
in the framework of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan for the first
time in the recent years. He said they will not allow a second
Armenian state in the territory of Azerbaijan.

Armenia insists that Karabakh cannot remain within Azerbaijan with any
status, and the people of Karabakh will decide everything.

The April war had bad consequences for Azerbaijan. Both military and
political diplomacy failed, and the mediators are obviously forcing
Baku to recognize the status of Karabakh. If Armenia had conducted a
more staunch and sovereign policy, such pressure on Baku would have
been stronger.

However, in the result of Armenia’s current policy which is only an
annex to the Russian-Azerbaijani plans, Baku has got a chance to
thwart both the main achievement of Vienna, i.e. the introduction of a
mechanism of investigation, which means international recognition of
the status quo, as well the political process itself.

If Armenia continues to implement this policy, the mediators will have
no reason to meet Azerbaijan’s claims.

Armenia must make sovereign decisions, not decisions that stem from
the Russian-Azerbaijani interests. The patience of the mediators is
not endless. And, it must be ready for the next war provoked by
Azerbaijan after which Azerbaijan must speak about the “occupation” of
40%, not 20% of its territory, without a suspicious ceasefire. In this
case, this will be the way to exercising the right to
self-determination. 


arka.am
Armenia’s jewelry industry sees triple rise in five months
YEREVAN, July 11.Armenia’s jewelry industry saw a triple
year-on-year rise in the first five months of 2016 producing a total
of 12.5 billion drams worth products, the National Statistical Service
(NSS) said today.

However, in terms of weight, more products were produced in the first
five months of 2015 -460 kg against 288.5 kg in January-May 2016, it
said.

It also said 44,794 carats of diamond were cut in the first five
months of 2016 against 19,072 carats in January-May 2015.

Also exports of precious and semi-precious stones, precious metals and
products in January-May 2016 amounted to about $127.4 million, an
increase of 81.8% from the year before, while imports of  these same
types of goods increased 2.4 times to $90.6 million. -0- 


RFE/RL Report
Armenian Villages Hit By Hailstorm
July 11, 2016
Ruzanna Gishian

An unusually powerful hailstorm swept through parts of Armenia late on
Sunday, destroying crops in about two dozen villages and stripping
most local residents of their main source of income for this year.

The hailstones were so big that they punctured greenhouses in some of
the villages located in the Aragatsotn and Armavir provinces west of
Yerevan. They were aggravated by violent winds that toppled power
poles and left several communities without electricity.

"I was going to harvest 500 kilograms of grapes this fall. Now I'm not
sure that I will get even one-tenth of that," Sahak Asatrian, farmer
in the Aragatston village of Voskevaz, said as he showed serious
damaged caused to his vineyard.

"I also have a fruit orchard up there," Asatrian told RFE/RL's
Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). "It too was destroyed."

"One year's worth of our income is gone," grimly noted a woman also
residing in Voskevaz.

The damage to agriculture was just as severe in Armavir villages. "It
was like a hurricane," said one farmer in the fruit-growing area. "I
lived in Siberia for seven years and never saw such a thing."

At least some of the affected villages were supposed to be protected
by nearby hail cannons installed by the central and local governments
in recent years. But they proved of little or no use against the hail
for reasons that were not immediately clear.

"If our hail cannons had worked a large part of our harvest would have
been saved," said Gohar Khachatrian, a Voskevaz resident.

The farmers lost the source of not only their income but also money
which they planned to spend on repaying their expensive loans extended
by commercial banks. "They should at least freeze our bank debts,"
said one of them.

Armenian Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetian visited several
hailstorm-hit villages on Monday. Karapetian told local residents that
he will set up a task force that will calculate the damage caused by
the hailstorm and submit compensation proposals to the government

Many villagers were skeptical, however, arguing that government
compensations paid to them have always been very modest in the past.

** FATHER FRANK’S RANTS Rant Number 688 13 July 16 THE STRONGEST THING

WHICH IS THE STRONGEST THING IN THE WORLD? A PARABLE FROM THE BIBLE.



Which is the thing that is strongest? A curious puzzle you find in the Bible. Three young men stood before Persia’s King Darius, each giving reasons why what he chose was the strongest.

The first youth argued it was wine. Why? It brings equality to all. It makes alike the minds of poor and rich, wise and fool, handsome and ugly. All equally and merrily inebriated. Everybody who drinks wine forgets his problems and sorrows and debts and feels jolly and happy. Of course, drunks get quarrelsome and fight but, when they sober up, have forgotten it all. Wine can do all that. Wine is most powerful, see?

‘No, the King is strongest’, the second lad contended. Men rule over other species but the King rules over all men. He can command people to fight and die, so they go out and conquer or are conquered. The King tells them to kill and they kill, to build and they build, to cut down and they cut down. And he tells other people to till the soil or buy and sell and they pay taxes to him. The ruler reclines and sleeps but his guards watch over him. All men obey him. Is it not clear the King is strongest?

Then the third youth spoke up. ‘True, both wine and the King are very strong. But some master both. I mean women. Because it is women who give birth to men. Men come from women, including the King and the very men who plant the vineyards from which wine comes. Men cannot exist without women. Never mind how powerful and wealthy men are, when they see a beautiful woman they drop everything and go crazy. For a female a man is willing to steal, rob and kill and become like a slave. A man loves his woman more than his father and mother who have given him birth. Men have sinned, died, fought wars because of women. Are women not strongest?

Have you not beheld the mighty Darius himself being like a plaything in his concubine Apame’s arms? She takes his crown from his head and laughs and puts it on her own. She slaps his face, she pulls his hair and he smiles and acquiesces. He is so infatuated, she rules him as she wishes. So women can do anything. Women are the strongest.

I figure the youth must have noticed a funny look come over King Darius’ face, so he went on: ‘There is however something even stronger than women. That is truth. Wine, the King, men and women and their works may be unrighteous and they perish because of that but truth endures and is strongest for ever. In truth there is no partiality or bias or preference. Everybody approves of truth and there is nothing vicious or unrighteous in it. To truth belong the strength and the majesty and the kingship and the power of all ages. Blessed be the God of truth!’

The last young man – his name was Zerubbabel – won the contest. Because he had spoken the truth. Truth is indeed the strongest. That women are very strong is also a truth but not the whole truth. True, pretty actress Emma Watson exudes so much sex-appeal that she could turn the most dyed-in-the-wool misogynist into a feminist. And the British PM is now a woman. Although as sexy as an old, discarded can of Lager, she reminds me of Darius’s concubine Apame because she – or the hidden forces propelling her - has ably manipulated and triumphed over effete, ball-less losers. Of course, even a strong person can be wrong, regardless of gender. As Home Secretary May sought to introduce the notorious snoopers’ charter, a bill giving the government unprecedented surveillance over you and me, all citizens. Watch out for Big Sister, chaps!

The first young man also grasped a bit of the truth. Alcohol has a strong pull over men and women. Booze can make people mad. Is there a saddest spectacle than that of a drunk? A person who has forsaken what is essential to man, what elevates human beings over brute beasts: rationality. Not that you need wine to go insane. Society’s rulers are truly mad, drunk with a deluded sense of self-sufficiency. Because they believe they can exist without God. Worse, ungodly Westerners, men and women alike, have the temerity of following ways that contradict the promulgated will of the Creator. As foolish as if they tried to regulate the motions of the stars. Is there a greatest folly? The weak, finite and fallible creature pretending to make laws for the omnipotent, omniscient, all wise and powerful Creator! Sheer lunacy!

The story of the strongest thing is in the biblical Apocrypha, 1 Esdras. God used the charming parable to stir King Darius into helping Prince Zerubbabel to further the divine Will. The lesson is that truth is the strongest. Truth is stronger than falsehood. (Jesus teaches that the enemy of truth is the devil, Beelzebub. Because he is a liar and the father of lies.) The whole earth, the cosmos calls upon truth and Heaven blesses her. The supreme, glorious Truth that, as Dante puts it at the end of his Paradiso, is the strongest because ‘it moves the sun and the other stars’.

Revd Frank Julian Gelli

------------------------------------------------------------

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Armenian Institute Stall at the Street Festival

Armenian News... A Topalian... Armenia wins European Championships!

armradio.am 

Armenia wins one gold two silver medals at the 2016 Men’s 

European Championships
30 May 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Armenian gymnast Harutyun Merdinyan won a gold medal in the pommel
horse competition of the 2016 Men’s European Championships held in
Bern.

The win marked the first ever European title for independent Armenia
and the first for an Armenian gymnast since Albert Azaryan in 1955.

Vahagn Davtyan and Artur Davtyan brought Armenia two silver medals. Armenia wins one gold two silver medals at the 2016 Men’s European Championships

panarmenian.net
Azerbaijan denies entry to 8-year-old boy with Armenian surname
May 30, 2016

An 8-year-old child with an Armenian surname was denied
entry to Azerbaijan at Baku’s Heydar Aliyev international
airport, an Instagram post by a Russia-based family said.

The boy’s name is Luka Vardanyan.

“Both parents are Russians, and they have all the documents testifying
they are Russian citizens. But all the Armenians are viewed as enemies
in Azerbaijan, as is an 8-year-old boy,” the child’s mother wrote.

This isn’t the first case when Azerbaijan denies entry to people with
Armenian surnames irrespective of their citizenship, even deporting
them in some cases. In 2013, a Russian journalist, Anna Sahakyan was
not allowed to enter Azerbaijan, later being even declared a persona
non grata for her Armenian family name.

At various points, Azerbaijan Airlines refused to transport people
with Armenian surnames, citing an order from Baku as a reason behind
such a decision. 

arka.am 

Armenia’s IT sector reports 17% growth in 2015
YEREVAN. Armenia’s bourgeoning IT sector saw a 17%
growth in 2015 and a combined output soaring to about $550 million,
according to economy minister Artsvik Minasyan.
Speaking at the parliament today he said a last year survey revealed
around 400 active IT companies with about 15,000 employees on their
payrolls.

He said due to a string of tax breaks designed to boost the IT sector,
79 startups were founded last year with 329 new jobs.

A government bill approved by the National Assembly last year, exempts
IT startup companies from profit tax until the end of 2019. Besides,
the government lowered income tax rate for their employees to 10
percent of their gross wages as opposed to the minimum payroll tax
rate of 24.4%.

According to official data, the export-oriented sector has been
expanding by more than 20 percent annually from 2008, driven largely
by the subsidiaries of U.S. hi-tech firms such as Synopsys, National
Instruments, Mentor Graphics and VMware, as well as Oracle, D-Link
Corporation and others. 

arka.am 

Armenian minister suggests mulling over legalizing of some 

monopolies
YEREVAN, May 30. In a move to back monopolies Armenia’s
economy minister Artsvik Minasyan said today monopolies can exist in
the country, but only under special circumstances and strict state
control.

"There are some areas where the state may tolerate the dominance of
monopolies, but they must be lawful, transparent and bear the social
burden,’ Minasyan told reporters.

He stressed that this concept should become a subject of public
discussion so that future potential monopolies realize the scale of
heavy burden and responsibility they will have to assume.

"We have a sugar factory that operates at 25-30% of its capacity. The
question is which is better?  Not to allow it to work at its full
capacity or recognize its monopoly by law  and make it operate at
least 90% of its capacity, secure a certain number of jobs, fiscal
revenues and transparent activity, ‘ the minister said.

According to him, in that case, regardless of the factory’s
shareholders, the government may show support to that company in the
organization of exports.  When asked whether this does mean that the
government is trying to legalize what is illegal today, the minister
replied: "No, I'm just saying that these issues should be brought up
for discussion». 

Middle East Eye
May 30 2016
Turkey warns Germany over Armenian 'genocide' vote
Ankara says crucial bilateral ties are at risk over a vote on Thursday
vote that could see Germany officially use contested term

Turkey on Monday strongly warned the German parliament against
adopting a resolution recognising the mass killings of Armenians under
the Ottoman Empire as genocide, saying it could have repercussions for
bilateral ties.

The German lower house of parliament is set to vote on Thursday on the
resolution over the two years of slaughter from 1915, at a crucial
time for German-Turkish relations.

The resolution uses the highly controversial word "genocide" - which
Turkey has long rejected - throughout its text.

"Germany is our friend and our ally, where many citizens of Turkish
origin live," said deputy prime minister and government spokesman
Numan Kurtulmus. "Germany must be careful concerning its relations
with Turkey."

"I do not think that the German parliament will destroy this
relationship for the sake of two or three politicians" who put the
resolution before the Bundestag, he added.

The debate over the resolution also comes at a hugely sensitive time
in Berlin-Ankara relations.

Turkish authorities are angry over the failure to grant citizens
visa-free travel to the EU, while Germany says it is worried by the
worsening rights situation in Turkey.

Germany and other EU members are also keen to keep intact a fragile
deal that sees Turkey accept asylum seekers rejected from Europe and
deported back to Turkey.

Turkish authorities have long lobbied Western allies not to recognise
the killings as genocide and stepped up efforts last year on the 100th
anniversary of the tragedy.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed between 1915 and
1917 in a targeted campaign of genocide by top Ottoman officials to
wipe out their people from Anatolia.

Modern Turkey insists comparable numbers of Armenians and Turks died
in a collective tragedy when Armenians sided with invading Russian
troops in World War I.


Fear The Wall
May 29 2016
International Friendly: Mkhitaryan leads Armenia to historic 

victory
By Dan Shulman

The Dortmund winger netted a hat-trick as Armenia defeated 

Guatemala, 7-1.

ess than 10 minutes into Armenia's first of two international
friendlies at the StubHub Center this week, the outlook was grim. A
seventh minute, free-kick goal by Carlos Ruiz put Armenia in an early
hole. But Borussia Dortmund Henrikh Mkhitaryan and his Armenia side
held their resolve.

After being behind for over a half-hour, Mkhitaryan scored the first
of his three goals on the night to equalize, en route to Armenia's
largest victory ever, 7-1.

Edgar Manucharyan put Armenia ahead just ahead of halftime off an
assist from Mkitaryan, signaling the floodgates were just about to
open. Mkhitaryan scored in the 60th and 70th minute to complete his
hat trick.

It was his second tally that was perhaps one of the best goals
Mkhitaryan has ever scored. Intercepting a long throw from the
Guatemala keeper, Mkhitaryan raced the ball up the left side of the
pitch before sending a chip shot on goal from the left edge of the
18-yard box. The ball, much to Mkhitaryan's surprise, arched over the
keeper and into the net.

Mkhitaryan's speed led to his third goal of the night, beating the
Guatemala keeper to the ball at the edge of the penalty area. He
proceeded to round the keeper and a pair of defenders before slotting
a calm finish into a vacant net.

Two more Armenia goals, both assisted by the Dortmund winger,
solidified a historic victory for Armenia; the largest in history.

Armenia will take on El Salvador on Wednesday in Carson, California.


President Erdogan knows that visa-free travel for Turkey could 

solve his 'Kurdish problem'

Europe’s growing Kurdish diaspora would be vastly increased

if the crushed and war-suffering masses of Diyarbakir could 

find their way to Germany, Denmark and Sweden

Robert Fisk
@indyvoices
29/5/16

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan addresses the audience during a
meeting in Ankara, Turkey

Just why is the Sultan of Turkey so impatient to get hold of that
visa-free EU travel for his people to visit Schengen Europe? If the EU
doesn’t jump to it, he orated last week, the Turkish parliament would
scupper the whole deal and – for this was the implication – let that
army of Arab refugees set sail again across the Aegean for Greece.
And where was the €3bn Turkey was promised?

What few Europeans asked, however, was whether this travel stuff just
might have something more to do with a particular group of Turkish
people: the Kurds.

The Europeans, who are engaged in a massive campaign of bribery to
stop the hordes of Middle Eastern poor arriving in their lands,
fluffed on about Erdogan’s desire to keep his vicious anti-terrorism
laws. Angela Merkel, who drew up this awful deal to avoid a repeat of
her finest hour last year, tut-tutted away in the background. But in
the Arab world – from which so many of the teeming masses are coming –
the great and the good have taken a rather more cynical view.

Turkey: Erdogan cites Hitler's Germany as 'example' of presidential state

Folk from several foreign ministries in the Middle East (the Syrians
excluded, since they would have their own reasons for saying this)
suspect that Sultan Erdogan is keener to clear up a little local
problem, especially in the south-east of his country, by encouraging
his 16 million Kurdish citizens to avail themselves of that precious
visa-free EU travel.

“Do you think Erdogan expects his people to flock to Europe because
they want to go on a shopping spree to Paris?” an Arab diplomat based
in Beirut asked, in an unpleasant and ungenerous spirit.

Of course, the Sultan wishes to join the EU, wants the initial €3bn
payment, and intends to keep his growing dictatorial powers intact.
And Turkish gastarbeiter have been in Europe for decades.

But Schengen Europe’s growing Kurdish diaspora – it’s probably well
over 1.5 million people – would be vastly increased if the crushed and
war-suffering masses of Diyarbakir could find their way to Germany,
Denmark and Sweden.

To touch a live wire for a moment: the Ottoman Empire destroyed most
of its Christian population in the 1915 Armenian genocide of a million
and a half souls, and its Ataturk successors butchered more than
50,000 Kurds and Alevis between 1937 and 1938. Amid another war in
Turkish Kurdistan, caused by our modern Sultan’s refusal to adhere to
a ceasefire, there’s added incentive for another non-Turkic exodus.
Welcome to the EU.

Yes, this is meant to be just “visa-free travel”, but we all know what
that means. And we would tolerate the arrival of even hundreds of
thousands of Kurds in order to avoid another million gaunt faces at
the border wire.

Bingo. The Sultan reduces his Kurdish “problem” with EU generosity,
and further ‘Turkifies’ his nation; and we still keep the hordes at
bay.

History, of course, plays strange tricks amid the embers that still
smoulder from the old Ottoman Empire. Time was (about five years ago)
when the bling-literati told us all that democratic Recep Tayyip
Erdogan was a role model for a future Arab leadership.

The man who had turned his back on Ataturk, the previous role model
for the poor old Arab world, may have been a bit of a Muslim
Brotherhood fellow, but he believed in free elections, free press,
market economy and massive anti-terror campaigns – the latter being an
immediate winner in Washington, London and Paris – and other ‘soft
targets’, provided it was smothered in a veneer of concern for human
rights.

But now the Sultan, in his 1000 room palace with his preposterous
golden chairs of state (just look at how Merkel leaned forward
uncomfortably on hers when she was conducting ‘Operation Bribery’),
looks less of an Ottoman than an Ataturk, the man he was supposed to
despise.

He’s still going through the motions, reintroducing the Ottoman
language – in Arabic script, though presumably many Ottoman archives
on the Armenian genocide will remain closed – and encouraging ladies
to wear the veil. But the Sultan is now beginning to act more like the
Father of His People.

It’s instructive to remember that one nation in Europe had tremendous
admiration for Ataturk and his new land: Nazi Germany. The Turkish
Fuhrer was lauded in the Nazi press for obvious reasons. He had
restored his nation after defeat by France and Germany in the First
World War; he ruled a country freed (by the Ottomans) of a hated
minority group; he ran a largely one-party system, ruthlessly
suppressing opposition, and marginalised religion.

Does that remind you of anyone? The ex-corporal chappie, perhaps? The
one with the moustache?

The most brilliant academic work on these distressing parallels is the
scholar Stefan Ihrig (he would not agree with my conclusions), who has
scrupulously unearthed heaps of Nazi German newspaper clippings in
which Ataturk’s Turkey was virtually deified, its leader obviously
carrying out “the will of the nation”.  A purified Turkey mirrored
back to Germany what the Nazis wanted their own creation to 

become: a Teutonic, purified Germany.
No wonder Hitler asked his generals before they set out on their
genocidal campaign into 1939 Poland:  “Who, after all, is today
speaking of the destruction of the Armenians?” In reality, Ataturk 

was uninvolved in the Armenian genocide and loathed the Ottomans. 

But I’ve watched the newsreel film of Ataturk’s funeral and you can 

clearly see the Nazi German military and civilian dignitaries clustered 

around the front of the horse-drawn cortege. Volkischer Beobachter, 

the party newspaper, dripped obituaries of the great man.

But who is Erdogan today, the man who restarted the Kurdish war and
now wants his visa-free travel to Europe so quickly? Is he the Sultan
in his palace, master of a great if imaginary empire? Or, as one
Turkish journalist bravely put it, “Ataturk’s kid”?  I’m not going to
say a bit of both.

I think Erdogan’s trying to combine the two. Father of the Nation and
Cleanser of the Land, Father Figure of a purified Turkey and a Middle
East Emperor whose voice, from the palace on the Sublime Porte, will
thunder through the halls of Gulf potentates.

And where is that EU visa-free travel by the way? Come along now,
cough it up, Angela. You may get a lot of Kurds in Berlin, but when
you sign up for a Bribery Treaty you can’t complain about the uses to
which the other side puts the deal. That’s called “interference in the
internal affairs of a sovereign state”. 

The Standard Digital News
May 28 2016
Allure of Armenia
By Shamlal Puri

Nature has been generous to landlocked Armenia by bestowing it with
stunning natural beauty which is relatively untouched. Locals say it
is a land where God descended from Heaven.

Surrounded by Georgia in the north, Iran in the south, Azerbaijan in
the east and Turkey in the west, Armenia is a mountainous country in
the southern Caucuses. This is the region between Black and Caspian
Seas, bordering Europe and Asia.

Armenia boasts history which is longer than other European countries
even though it gained its independence from the Soviet Union only in
1991 after the Russians had colonised it in the 1920s. It has one of
the earliest Christian civilisations with churches built in the Fourth
Century.

Choked by a trade blockade by its neighbours Turkey and Azerbaijan due
to historical political differences, Armenia is a relatively poor
country with a high unemployment and poverty levels. It depends on
development of its international tourist industry to beat abject
poverty.

History hangs in the neck of the country and its capital Yerevan. The
city’s claim to fame is its religious heritage because it is dotted
with monasteries going back to centuries. The museum of Matenadaran
houses over 1,500 religious manuscripts going back to ancient times
revealing its past.

Today, Yerevan is a compact metropolis affectionately called the City
of Cafes. It is gaining in popularity as a holiday destination and a
springboard for travel into the rest of the country.

The lack of sea and ocean coasts, except for an inland lake,
compensates with mountains and valleys. Mount Ararat, with its
snow-dusted crown rising above the hazy clouds is a national symbol
offering a tantalising sight from Yerevan city nestling under its
shadow.

Yerevan has many attractions a city can offer but one has to venture
further out to enjoy the thrill of an adventurous holiday. Top of the
list is the Republic Square in the heart of the city. It is a nice
place to wonder around. The large clock on the Government building at
the entrance of the square grabs attention.

This 92-year-old Russian-built majestic square looks like something
out of Walt Disney’s stories! The musical water fountains featuring
computer-controlled displays amid the sounds of jazz, pop, classical,
and rock music are a special attraction in the evening.

This is a beautiful place at night when the lights come on and crowds
turn up to enjoy some unforgettable moments.

Interesting Insight

The square is close to the National Gallery and the History Museum
which houses over 20,000 exhibits of Armenian, Russian and European
paintings. The History Museum is home to more than 400,000 items of
Armenian heritage.

The buildings are largely made of Armenian rose tufa stones. Armenian
architecture also gives an interesting insight into the country’s
history.

Enjoy some tranquillity at The Cascade, an amazingly beautiful place
with fountains and sculptures where you can sit and meditate amid the
sounds of falling water.

Described as a “giant stairway” connecting downtown Kentron with the
Monument neighbourhood, the Cascade stands out on its own making it a
symbol of Yerevan. It has an arts centre, cafes and restaurants.


You have to climb more than 570 steps to get to the top to enjoy
breath-taking views of Yerevan city and Mount Ararat in the distance.
There is also a lift to the top if you do not wish to use the stairs.

The Vernissage Market is a huge street market which captures the
attention of many visitors.

Vendors have a rich display of traditional Armenian handcrafts, silver
jewellery, carpets, souvenirs and paintings. I also saw stalls selling
replica Russian military peaked caps and collectors’ items such as old
cameras and antiquated ribbon typewriters! Haggling is strongly
recommended as vendors can rip you off! Best time to visit is the
weekends when there is a bigger selection of items on sale.

Quality Music

The nearby Blue Mosque is the only place of prayers for Yerevan’s
Muslim community. The ornately-designed mosque, with its beautiful
Persian architecture and art in several shades of blue tiles is an
interesting attraction because of its colourful dome. The Iranian
Government pays for its maintenance.

Classic music lovers should not miss the Opera Hall in the heart of
the city. Enjoy an afternoon of high quality music and dancing.

Though Armenians are not known for binge drinking, the country
produces famously high strength brandies and wines mainly for
alcohol-loving Russians. Most production is concentrated in the Ararat
Valley.

There are many brandy companies that offer guided tours of their
distilleries. However, the Yerevan Brandy Company is more popular and
visitors enjoy their famous Ararat brand vintage cognac with
chocolates and cigars for free. It is a treat to see the huge barrels
of brandy in storage. Interestingly, their building is also built
using brandy coloured stones!

There are plenty of thrills outside Yerevan. Winter sports are very
popular in Armenia and there are several places to enjoy skiing.

Head off to the mountain spa town of Jermuk in the Vyots Dzor
Province, southern Armenia for a fascinating spectacle of fire and
ice.

After walking for a few hours in the deep snow, you come across the
amazing spectacle of a natural hot spring with abundant supply of
mineral water. You will be tempted to spend a few hours soaking in the
hot water!

The beautiful Tatev, Garni and Goris monasteries are among the many
picturesque places worth visiting.

Armenia’s only inland Lake Sevan, with its beaches and scenic
mountains is a powerful attraction. Described as the Pearl of Armenia,
this is one of the largest mountain lakes in the world with rare
beauty. Thousands of holidaymakers descend on this area every year.

Like the rest of Armenia, Yerevan is bound to increase in popularity
among international holiday seekers in coming years.