Michael's List - Haiti's clean water; Cyprus talks; Russia stealth jet; Abkhazia blast; Greece-FYROM; Kosovo, Res 1244; Church backs Serb EU bid, Pope

I. IOCC - Haiti: Quake Survivors Receive Clean Water

Survivors of Haiti's devastating January 12 earthquake living in temporary shelters in the Belair neighborhood of Port-au-Prince access clean drinking water provided by International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in partnership with fellow ACT Alliance member Norwegian Church AID (NCA). Water purification and sanitation equipment for 10,000 Haitians and 500 family tents valued at more than $600,000 was airlifted to Haiti on January 18. The water system provides homeless families in the ravaged neighborhood with piped in water points.

II. FINANCIALMIRROR - Leaders in Cyprus have unprecedented opportunity for reunification

UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Cyprus Taye-Brook Zerihoun has expressed the belief that the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus have an unprecedented opportunity to embark on the path of the reunification of Cyprus. In his address Thursday at the UNFICYP Winter medal parade, Zerihoun said that the “leaders of Cyprus have an unprecedented opportunity today, should they bring the process we are facilitating to fruition, to embark on a path of reunification and healing that should unlock the tremendous energy, ingenuity and potential of Greek and Turkish Cypriots towards a more stable, prosperous and bright future together”. The United Nations, he added, “will be steadfast in our support and assistance to the leaders and their communities as they work to bridge the distance between them”. “Ours is a supporting role, not a starring one, and we shall play it as long as there is an evident will to close the division between the two communities that would otherwise threaten to grow wider over time”, he stressed. Referring to the event, he said “it is fitting that we gather here today to pay tribute to our peacekeepers – the men and women before you who come from various parts of the world under the United Nations flag to contribute to efforts to promote peace and stability in Cyprus”. “It is easy enough to feel a sense of security here, to avert one’s eyes from the obvious and enduring division. The reality, however, will not allow us to look away from the troubling facts of the island’s history, or from the still open wounds inherited from the not so distant and tragic past”, he added. Her concluded by saying that “the men and women receiving their recognition today play a pivotal role in the overall United Nations support and facilitation of the talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots”. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

III. ANA - Greek, FYROM Foreign Ministers meet

A meeting between Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas and the foreign minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM), Antonio Milososki, concluded here on Thursday evening. According to reports, a brief review of bilateral issues and of the nagging "name dispute" took place during the meeting. The Greek side reportedly again pointed to the UN framework as the process for resolving the difference, while noting that Athens is expected "substantive and constructive participation" by Skopje on the issue. Milososki, whose office requested the meeting, presented a proposal on the upgrading of diplomatic missions of the two countries, which are currently at the liaison level, while the prospects for the signing of an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation were also discussed. The Greek alternate minister again reiterated that Athens wants and is working towards the improvement of bilateral relations, something that has also been confirmed by the contacts that have been held at the highest political level, and following a Greek initiative. Within this framework, the possibility of a visit by Droutsas to the neighbouring country and a Milososki visit to Greece were also discussed. Droutsas added that the Greek side is already examining, with a positive spirit, the promotion of a double tax avoidance agreement, "on the basis of real needs". However, he cautioned that the Skopje government's proposal for the upgrading of diplomatic missions "is not compatible with the negative rhetoric against Greece that is being encouraged in Skopje, a stance that aggravates relations of the two countries and does not assist the prospect of solving the issue of the name." Finally, Droutsas expressed Greece's readiness to examine such a step positively when conditions permit, again reminding of Greece's steadfast commitment for an improvement of bilateral relations and a will to achieve a "mutually acceptable solution on a name with a geographical qualifier towards all (erga omnes), within the framework of the negotiations taking place under the auspices of the UN."

IV. RT - Blast kills five in Abkhazia

An explosion, believed to be a terrorist attack, occurred in the republic of Abkhazia on Friday. At least five people, including one police officer, have been killed and seven more have been injured. During an investigation of suspected criminal activity in the village of Saberio of the Gal region, the servicemen hit a land mine. The wounded were hospitalized in Sukhumi in serious conditions. Coordinator of the Abkhaz law enforcement agencies, Lavrentiy Mikvabiya, shared some background with Interfax. “A woman came to the Gal region's interior affairs department in the morning and said a local's family had been attacked. A police unit composed of criminal search officers went to the scene. When the policemen examined the area around the house of the attacked man, they triggered a mine set up by the criminals,” Mikvabiya said.

V. RIANOVOSTI - Russia successfully tests Sukhoi T-50 Stealth fighter jet

On December 29, 2010, a prototype Sukhoi T-50 fifth-generation fighter took off on its maiden flight at 11.19 a.m. in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia's Far East. This is the first warplane completely designed and built in Russia since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Only the United States currently operates Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor Stealth air-superiority fighters. Curtailed defense spending in the late 1980s and the subsequent break-up of the Soviet Union stopped the MFI program in its tracks. Flight tests planned for 1991 -1992 did not take place. Consequently, the MFI first took to the skies in 2000. A prototype Sukhoi S-37/Su-47 Berkut fifth-generation fighter had been developed by then. In 1998, the Russian Air Force issued a new request for proposal (RFP) for a fifth-generation fighter. As a concept it had remained unchanged since the MFI program got underway. The new fighter's basic specifications included: greater agility, sustained supersonic-flight capability in non-afterburning mode, low radar visibility, low heat signature, as well as enhanced take-off and landing performance. The old designs were scrapped, and it was decided to develop an entirely new warplane fully taking into account the F-22's capabilities, merits and drawbacks. In 2002, the Sukhoi Design Bureau won the pilot-project contest, after proposing a full-size and twin-engined fighter with a take-off weight of up to 35 metric tons under its Prospective/Promising Frontline Aviation System program (PAK FA program). Although the new aircraft was expected to take off in 2007, the maiden flight deadline was delayed until 2008, 2009 and January 2010. The latest test flight reaffirms Russia's status as a leading aviation power. Only Russia and the United States currently have their own fifth-generation fighters, as well as aircraft industries capable of manufacturing all types of military and civilian aircraft ranging from light-weight aerobatic planes to strategic bombers.

VI. B92 - Russia: Strategy for northern Kosovo violates UN Res 1244

Moscow believes that the so-called strategy for northern Kosovo violates the Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council. It also generates tensions in the province, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko stated on Friday. “We believe that, under the existing circumstances, we should effectively prevent any attempt to implement decisions that may harm Kosovo,” Nesterenko said. “By this I refer to the so-called strategy for the northern Kosovo, which violates UN SC Resolution 1244 and generates tensions in the province.” The Russian official also said that Moscow insists on the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, to fulfill its obligations in representing Kosovo in regional and international institutions. “There must be no changes in this respect,” Nesterenko underlined at a regular briefing at the Russian Foreign Ministry. “We believe that the reduction of UNMIK staff is unacceptable as this would undoubtedly limit the body's capacities in implementing the authorizations granted by the UN Security Council,” Nesterenko also said. According to him, Russia is confident that no one has the right to prevent UNMIK from fulfilling its tasks, including those referring to enforcement of democratic standards established by the international community.

VII. KATHIMERINI - Church backs Serb EU bid, welcomes Pope to talks

The traditionally conservative Serbian Orthodox Church will back the country’s bid to join the European Union, but remains opposed to the independence of Kosovo, the church’s new leader said yesterday. The Orthodox Church is an important moral force in Serbian society and politicians often seek its support, including on issues such as the EU accession bid. Irinej, 80, was elected last week as patriarch of the church with an estimated 11 million people of Orthodox background in Serbia, neighboring countries, the United States, Australia and Western Europe. “We hope that Europe will respect our identity, our cultural heritage, our Orthodox faith and, if that’s the case, there’s no reason for skepticism about the European community,” Irinej told a news conference, the first ever by a patriarch. “Historically Serbia is Europe. We belong to that family of nations,” said the elderly church leader, who appeared at ease taking questions from dozens of reporters. Serbia applied to join the EU in December, nine years after the ouster of autocratic leader Slobodan Milosevic whose nationalist policies, backed by conservatives in the Orthodox Church, stoked the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Irinej said his church would remain opposed to the independence of Kosovo which seceded from Serbia two years ago, but also called for reconciliation. “Over the centuries that land was soaked with Serbian, with Christian, blood but we must seek cohabitation and common destiny with other nations there,” he said. The Serbian Orthodox Church cherishes Kosovo as the cradle of its medieval civilization, although ethnic Albanians, most of Muslim heritage, are the overwhelming majority there today. The Serbian Orthodox Church has dozens of monasteries and churches there. Although Irenej took over immediately after the election last week, his official enthronement is scheduled for April 25 in the medieval Pec Patriarchate in Kosovo. In a break with past church policy, Irinej said that the Serbian Orthodox Church would welcome Pope Benedict XVI in 2013 to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, a document that promoted religious tolerance and legalized Christianity in what was then the Roman Empire.

Michael's List - Obama, Supreme Court; Islamic Religious Liberty; Turk, Top Euro job; FYROM-EU; Priština nervous, ICJ; Russia-NATO; Christian Unity

I. WORLDMAG - Obama blasts Supreme Court

President Obama has already made it known that he strongly opposes the Supreme Court’s recent Citizens United decision which allows corporations to spend money on campaigns. Last night during his State of the Union address, he hammered the court again for its decision, with six of the nine justices sitting within spitting distance. Here’s what the president said: With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests –- including foreign corporations –- to spend without limit in our elections. I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people. And I’d urge Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to correct some of these problems. Justice Sam Alito, who was part of the majority ruling in the decision, shook his head and mouthed, “That’s not true,” when Obama stated that it would allow spending by foreign entities. Foreign corporations are still forbidden by law not just from contributing to campaigns but also from spending any money on behalf of campaigns, and the majority’s opinion in this case specifically did not overturn that law. The presidential scolding of the high court is almost without precedent (coupled with his call for Congress to overturn the court’s ruling). While he made his point, it may not serve members of his party well in the next election. Democrats surrounding the justices in the House chamber stood and applauded – Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY even leaned closer to the justices to clap – video that Republicans can play on campaign ads for the next Democratic candidate who accepts any donation or support from a corporate interest. And they all do.

II. PROJECTSYNDICATE - The Islamic Case for Religious Liberty

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Orthodox Church recently said on American TV that he feels “crucified” in Turkey, upsetting many Turks. Sadly, his Holiness is right. Yet his complaint is not with Islam but with the secular Turkish Republic. The Turkish state has kept the Halki Seminary, the only institution able to train Orthodox priests, closed since 1971. Even the Patriarch’s title “ecumenical” is lashed out at by some Turkish authorities and their nationalist supporters. Every year, international reports on religious freedom point to such pressures on the Patriarchate with concern, and they are right to do so. But why does Turkey do all this? What is the source of the problem? Things were better long ago. The first Turkish ruler to reign over the Ecumenical Patriarchate was Mehmed II, the Ottoman Sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453. In line with the Islamic tradition of accepting the “People of the Book,” the young sultan granted amnesty to the patriarchate. He also gave the institution many privileges and authorities, no less than that which existed under the Byzantine emperors. Armenians and Jews later enjoyed the same autonomies. In the 19th century, the non-Muslim peoples of the empire also achieved the rights of equal citizenship with Muslims. That’s why the late Ottoman bureaucracy and the Ottoman Parliament included a great number of Greeks, Armenians and Jews — something you never see in republican Turkey. The Halki Seminary, opened in 1844, is a relic from that bygone age of pluralism. Nationalism is what destroyed this Pax Ottomana. It affected the peoples of the empire one by one, including, towards the end, the Turks. Many conflicts took place between the latter and the rest, and the great empire’s colossal collapse left a bitter taste in the mouths of all. The Armenians, who suffered the worst tragedy in 1915, never forgot nor forgave. When Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founded the Republic in 1923, he defined the Patriarchate as “a center of perfidy.” As an alternative, he promoted a rival “Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate,” which became a bastion of ultra-nationalist ideology. Over the years, Atatürk’s ideas evolved into an official ideology called “Kemalism,” which had two main pillars: A self-styled secularism that bans anything but “the secular way of life,” and a fierce nationalism that defies anything it deems “non-Turkish.” The Ecumenical Patriarchate, as both a religious and “non-Turkish” institution, fits in neither category. Hence, throughout the Republican regime, and especially at times of military dominance, it faced official pressure and confiscation of property, as did all other non-Muslim and Muslim religious institutions. So part of the problem is the curse of history. But you can either trap yourself inside history or take lessons from it and move on. To date, unfortunately, Turkey’s nationalists, within both state and society, have opted for the former option. If one cause of the repression of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is nationalism, though, the other one is the other pillar of the Kemalist ideology: secularism. Turkey’ draconian laws on “national education” ban any sort of religious education unless it is strictly controlled by the state. The real motive behind this is the regime’s distaste for Islam. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, as a foreign observer observes, only receives “collateral damage.” A telling manifestation of this was seen recently in a live discussion on CNNTurk, the Turkish counterpart of the international news channel. A deputy from the CHP, the staunchly Kemalist People’s Republican Party, Muharrem İnce, who opposed the reopening of the Halki Seminary became angry. “Do you know who most wants to open the seminary in this country,” he loudly asked. “The Islamists! They want this, because they want to open Islamic schools as well.” This more liberal approach to non-Muslims can be observed in today’s AKP (Justice and Development Party) government, in power since 2002. The Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom makes this point nicely: “In November 2006, the [AKP dominated] Turkish parliament, as part of the reforms related to possible EU accession, passed a new law governing Lausanne religious minority foundations, easing procedures to establish foundations and allowing non-Turkish citizens in Turkey to open them… Then President Ahmet Necdet Sezer [a staunch Kemalist], however, vetoed the legislation. In February 2008, the parliament passed a similar law on the return of property confiscated from non-Muslim minorities... President Gül signed the legislation, which was also supported by Prime Minister Erdogan, but was vehemently opposed by Turkish nationalists on the grounds that the law granted too many rights to minority communities.” The Ecumenical Patriarch himself acknowledged in a recent interview that the AKP has shown goodwill on this issue. His All Holiness also said that the real obstacle is probably “the deep state” — a reference to Turkey’s Kemalist state establishment that considers itself above any elected government and democratic law.

III. EURACTIV - Eyebrows raised as Turk gets top European job

The election of a Turkish member of parliament as president of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly (PACE) triggered nervous reactions from the Kurdish, Armenian and Cypriot sides, a round-up of the international press shows. On 25 January, the 318-member PACE elected Mevlüt Çavuşoglu as its new president at the opening of its plenary session in Strasbourg (25-29 January). Çavuşoglu is the first Turk to hold the office since Turkey's accession to the Council of Europe in August 1949. In his statement, Çavuşoglu emphasised his ambition to fight discrimination, fear and hatred. No matter how appeasing the statements, Çavuşoglu's election raised eyebrows, apparently due to his nationality. Leaders of the main pro-Kurdish party DTP questioned Çavuşoglu's suitability for the job, saying the ruling AK Party of which he is a founding member has violated the constitutional rights of the DTP's successor, the Peace and Democracy Party, by blocking its membership of parliamentary commissions. Also, Cypriot members of PACE signed a declaration expressing their strong concern over the election of Çavuşoglu. "This position is not aimed at Mr. Cavusoglu personally, but his country, Turkey. A country which for over 35 years has militarily occupied the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus, and demonstrates utter contempt to international law and order and the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots," the MPs from Cyprus state. As for Armenia, a country with which Turkey has a long-standing history of animosity stemming from the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the First World War, the local press appears to have misquoted Cavusoglu, prompting MPs in Yerevan to ask for the suspension of Armenia's activities in PACE. Apparently, the national agency APA cited an interview from Cavusoglu conveying the message that he had presented biased views on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which opposes Armenia and Azebaijan, a traditional Muslim ally of Turkey.

IV. KATHIMERINI - FYROM edging closer to joining EU

The European Parliament yesterday boosted the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s (FYROM) hopes of joining the European Union just two days before face-to-face talks between Skopje and Athens. The Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament approved the amendments to FYROM’s progress report, clearing the way for Skopje to receive an accession date in March, when EU foreign ministers are due to hold their next summit. The European Parliament asked Athens and Skopje “to double their efforts at the highest possible level to reach a mutually acceptable solution.” FYROM’s progress report was approved by 76 Euro MPs, with five voting against and five abstaining. The figures suggest that few of the deputies share Greece’s concern about allowing FYROM to join the EU. MEPs gave their approval just 24 hours after FYROM’s Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki proposed steps to improve relations with Greece, which has threatened to block Skopje’s EU bid over the long-running name dispute between the two countries. Speaking in Slovenia on Tuesday, Milososki suggested that FYROM and Greece could open embassies on each other’s territory and that a new border crossing between the two countries be opened to facilitate trade and travel. “We have these initiatives and we want to stimulate Greece,” he said. “We want to make a step forward regarding the name issue.” Milososki is due to meet with Greece’s Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas tomorrow on the sidelines of a conference on Afghanistan in London. FYROM has been pushing for talks between the two countries at a prime ministerial level.

V. B92 - Priština getting nervous over ICJ

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić says it is more than obvious that Priština is getting increasingly nervous. This is caused, by the expected result of the process before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The UN top court is considering whether the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence, made two years ago, was in accordance with international law. “The most important thing is to keep our composure and not react thoughtlessly to attempted provocation,” Jeremić said, commenting on the recent incidents when Serbs and high state officials in Kosovo were arrested and harassed in the province. According to him, what Serbia can do diplomatically is to protest strongly in a relevant international forum each time UNSCR 1244 is violated. The minister also said that, considering that the EU had made its position known explicitly, there is no danger of an attempted implementation of the International Civilian Office (ICO) plan to integrate northern Kosovo, “since KFOR is not behind it either. We will continue with our close cooperation with international organizations that operate in Kosovo in line with UN Security Council decisions. The International Civilian Office is not one of them,” said Jeremić. He added that Serbia is now “most likely only a few months away from the ICJ opinion” in the Kosovo case. “We have reason to be optimistic, and when the position has been announced, I think that a quality, a new reality will open up, in the political sense. I believe that after that, the number of countries that are recognizing Kosovo will not be increasing.” According to Jeremić, after the ICJ ruling, it will be “relatively easy” to prevent any possible application of Kosovo for membership in international organizations. “It will have become obvious that a solution acceptable to all sides must be found,” said the minister. Jeremić also stated that Serbia has the goal of using the court’s opinion, along with a degree of diplomatic effort, to achieve creating such circumstances where it will become obvious that there is no alternative to continued dialog.

VI. RIANOVOSTI - Hurdles remain in Russia-NATO cooperation

Italian Admiral Giampaolo di Paola, the current Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, met with General Nikolai Makarov, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces' General Staff, in Brussels and announced after the meeting that Russia was going to help NATO in Afghanistan. Makarov and di Paola approved a framework agreement on Russia-NATO military cooperation. At their upcoming meeting, scheduled for May 6, 2010, the chiefs of general staffs plan to approve this document and a detailed program of bilateral cooperation. What format can this cooperation have, and how will it benefit both sides? Russia and NATO have many common interests, including counter-terrorist operations, control over the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against illicit drug trafficking, promoting navigation safety, etc. At the same time, Moscow and Brussels remain divided on some issues. Such disagreements primarily concern NATO's eastward expansion and the overall European security system. For instance, the sides have still failed to reach agreement on the Georgian issue, which remains a bone of contention. Rasmussen's visit to Moscow in December 2009 confirmed persisting Russia-NATO disagreements. The NATO Secretary General said the alliance would not meet Moscow halfway on the Georgian issue and would not stop discussions on the possible admission of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO. At the same time, NATO needs Russian assistance in important spheres, including the Afghan conflict. Rasmussen called on Moscow to expand its involvement in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operations in Afghanistan and to provide ISAF with helicopters, fuel and pilots. He also said Russia could undertake to train Afghan police officers on its territory. Moscow agreed to provide such assistance and to handle additional NATO transits via Russian territory. Russia will help the Afghan army to maintain its helicopter fleet mostly comprising Soviet/Russian helicopters. Russia-NATO relations will remain in an uncertain and neutral state if NATO leaders stick to their current strategy. This uncertainty will be determined by the fact that neither side wants direct confrontation or is capable of it. Consequently, various summits and seminars will remain the main format of Russia-NATO cooperation. The sides will exchange polite statements, without resolving any specific issues. Mutual arguments will sometimes give way to simulated humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. Expanded bilateral cooperation will be further complicated by NATO's extremely cumbersome bureaucratic bodies which have long taken over its command and staff departments and by the tough anti-Russian stance of many new NATO countries supported by some major members of the alliance. Nevertheless, Russia and NATO will strive to settle important issues. Consequently, Moscow must establish direct relations with NATO countries, primarily the most powerful members of the alliance. Russia's ties with Germany, France, Italy and now Turkey are particularly promising in this respect. Direct negotiations with these countries make it possible to effectively resolve a broader range of issues than talks with NATO's overly bureaucratic system. The development of relations between Moscow and Washington is another factor that will determine Russia-NATO relations in the next few years. In this connection, the new strategic arms reduction treaty (START), currently being discussed by Russian and U.S. diplomats, has great significance. Its clauses will largely determine the format of Russian-U.S. military relations and those between Moscow and NATO as a whole.

VII. WASHINGTONPOST - Serbia's new patriarch urges Christian dialogue

The new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Thursday urged dialogue to overcome long-standing divisions with Roman Catholics. Patriarch Irinej said that a 2013 anniversary important to Christians would be a "good opportunity ... to meet and talk." He added that "with God's help this (dialogue) would continue to overcome what had happened in history and take a new, Christian road." The year 2013 marks 1700 years since Roman emperor Constantine the Great signed the Edict of Milan to establish religious tolerance for Christians. Serbia's patriarch has suggested that the ceremony to mark the anniversary could be held in the Serbian city of Nis, emperor Constantine's birthplace, and include Pope Benedict XVI as well as key Orthodox Christian leaders. That would be the first ever visit by a pope to Serbia, a rare European country not visited by the Roman Catholic Pope. The Serbian Orthodox Church had opposed the visit in the past because of the schism between the two churches, but also over the Balkan wars of the 1990s, which pitted Serbs against Croats, who are mostly Roman Catholics. Irinej acknowledged that the war period "was not the right moment (for the papal visit) and we decided to postpone it for more peaceful times." He added, however, that no concrete arrangements for the visit have been made so far. The 80-year-old Irinej was elected last week to become the 45th Serbian patriarch. He is considered to be a moderate in the influential church which is viewed as hardline conservative. Irinej has retained firm opposition to the Western-backed opposition in Kosovo, the historic heartland of the Serbian church which split in 2008. He said Thursday that "Kosovo is soaked with Serbian blood" and "belongs to us."

Michael's List - The Holocaust; Greece, her neighbors, the Balkans; NATO & Russia boost ties; Schwarzenneger & Russian Fort; Serbian Patriarch

I. JTA - Teaching Holocaust common denominator in Israel

The teaching of the Holocaust is one of the most meaningful and unifying areas of study in the Israeli school system, a survey found. A national survey of Israeli principals, teachers and students released Tuesday found that the Holocaust is a common denominator among students of diverse backgrounds, and that there are no major differences between students from different demographic groups in terms of their perceptions of the Holocaust. The study, headed by Erik Cohen of Bar-Ilan University's School of Education, interviewed 307 principals, 519 teachers and 2,540 ninth- and 12th-grade students from Israeli religious and non-religious schools. It was presented Tuesday to the Knesset Education Committee. A majority of students, 77 percent, said that the Holocaust affects their worldview and 94 percent said they are committed to preserving its memory. Some 83 percent said they are interested in learning more about the Holocaust. Some 99 percent of students who participated in a journey to Poland said it was an effective means of learning about the Holocaust. Strengthening students' commitment to the existence of an independent State of Israel is an important goal of Holocaust education for 100 percent of principals and 92 percent of teachers, the study found. More than half of the teachers received training in Holocaust education through a professional enrichment course during the past two years. The study was conducted from 2007 to 2009 with the support of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

II. KATHIMERINI - Greece seeks progress with neighbors

As Prime Minister George Papandreou declared yesterday that the time is right for progress in a range of bilateral disputes involving Greece and its neighbors, a spokesperson for the leader of the Turkish community on Cyprus called on Greece to provide “strong support” for talks aimed at breaking the deadlock on the divided island. Speaking during an official visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Papandreou reiterated appeals that he had made in a letter sent on Monday to his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for closer cooperation between Athens and Ankara to scale down tensions in the Aegean and resolve outstanding disputes. The Greek premier stressed that Turkey’s aggressive behavior in the Aegean, with Turkish jets continuing to violate Greek air space, had to stop if relations are to improve. Papandreou also emphasized the importance of a settlement being found to the Cyprus problem. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish-Cypriot leader, called on the Greek government to take a more active stance in promoting the process of ongoing peace talks on the island. “If Greece does not undertake its responsibilities, it will not be part of the process toward finding a solution,” said Hasan Ercakica. The spokesperson added that Greek authorities should show “the necessary courage.” In a related development, Erdogan reportedly welcomed the letter he received from Papandreou – proposing a bilateral initiative to improve ties – and described it as “a promise of hope for a solution to our problems.” Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the letter indicated “good intentions and political will,” but he added that “both sides have political will and points of convergence... the point is to be able to discuss these issues.”

III. IRISHTIMES - Macedonia tries to allay Greek objections to its name

Macedonia will propose steps to improve relations with Greece and help solve a dispute over the former Yugoslav republic’s name, Macedonian foreign minister Antonio Milososki said yesterday. Greece has blocked Macedonia’s efforts to join the Nato defence alliance and the European Union because of the dispute, saying the Balkan state’s name implies territorial claims to a Greek province called Macedonia. Mr Milososki, who expects to meet Greek foreign minister George Papandreou on Friday, said he would propose that Macedonia and Greece open embassies on each other’s territory and that a new border crossing between them be opened to make travel easier. He said he would also propose the two states sign an accord preventing double taxation as a sign of Macedonian support to Greece, which faces debt and deficit problems. “We have these initiatives and we want to stimulate Greece. We want to make a step forward regarding this [name] question,” Mr Milososki told a news conference during a visit to Ljubljana, Slovenia. Skopje declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and took the name of Macedonia, the same as Greece’s northernmost province. Slovenian foreign minister Samuel Zbogar said there were expectations in the EU that the name dispute could be solved by the end of June, but gave no details. Slovenia is the only former Yugoslav republic that has managed so far to join the EU. It acceded to the union in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2007.

IV. B92 - Athens, Vienna in Balkan integration plan

Austria and Greece have started an initiative for getting all Western Balkan countries into the European Union by 2014. These two countries submitted a letter to EU Foreign and Security Policies Chief Catherine Ashton and EU member-state foreign ministers, stating that it is their goal to get all the countries of the region into the EU by 2014, the 100-year anniversary of the start of World War I. Austria’s Foreign Ministry told Tanjug that the initiative is based on an agreement made last week in Athens between the Austrian and Greek Foreign Ministries on a concrete initiative for speeding up the integration of the Western Balkans. The letter states that the two countries support the fast ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia. It also recommends that the EU should take steps regarding Belgrade candidacy status, for which Serbia submitted a request in late 2009.

V. FORBES - NATO, Russia boost military ties in Afghan war

NATO's top officer said Wednesday that Russia had agreed to boost cooperation with the alliance in Afghanistan, including opening more transit routes for supplies to international troops and helping service Soviet-built helicopters used by the security forces. Italian Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola, who heads the alliance's military committee, said Russian Chief of Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov had told his allied counterparts that Moscow was extrememly interested in helping the war effort in Afghanistan. "He said Russia had an even greater interest than the alliance in a successful outcome there," Di Paola told reporters. Tuesday's meeting of the military chiefs of NATO's 28 countries with Makarov marked the resumption of military-to-military ties between the alliance and Russia, which were frozen in the aftermath of the war with Georgia in 2008. Diplomatic relations were normalized last year, but vital military links had remained blocked. Agreements included giving NATO access to more supply corridors, and Russian help in maintaining the transport and gunship helicopters in use by allied and Afghan forces. These accords will be reviewed at a follow-up meeting with Makarov, Di Paola said. NATO also confirmed it had finalized an agreement with Kazakhstan to open the last leg on the overland route to Afghanistan from Europe via Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It will offer an alternative to the alliance's main logistics chain through Pakistan, which has come under repeated militant attack in the past.

VI. RT - Schwarzenegger saves historical Russian fort in the US

One of the earliest Russian settlements in the US, deemed a National Historic Landmark and under threat of shut down due to budget cuts in 2009, has been saved thanks to a reprieve by the Californian government. Fort Ross was established by Ivan Kuskov – a Russian Vologda Region native – in 1812 as a pelt processing community. Situated 80 kilometers north of San Francisco, it was the easternmost Russian settlement in history. After losing its industrial significance in the mid-19th Century, in 1903 Fort Ross was bought by the California Landmarks League, and despite suffering from an earthquake and a fire, was opened to the public in the 1970s. In September 2009, in the wake of the recent crisis, California’s government decided to cut its budget spending on local landmarks. Fort Ross, which requires $300,000-$800,000 annually, was among the landmarks earmarked for closure. The measure sparked reaction in Russia from Vologda Region Governor Vyachelav Pozgalyov, who wrote to Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the issue, and from Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who called on Russo-American businessmen to intervene and ensure the Fort’s survival. Both politicians stressed Fort Ross’s significance as a symbol of cooperation between Russia and the US. In early 2010, Schwarzenegger responded to Pozgalyov, thanking him for his attention and promising that the Fort will continue to work. Later, Californian authorities published a plan on keeping the state’s historical heritage, including Fort Ross.

VII. OCA - Fraternal greetings being sent to newly elected Serbian Patriarch

Fraternal greetings are being sent by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, to His Holiness, the newly elected Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, who was enthroned in Belgrade on Saturday, January 23, 2010, one day after his election by the Serbian Church's Assembly of Bishops. Patriarch Irinej succeeds His Holiness, the late Patriarch Pavle, who fell asleep in the Lord after an extended illness at the age of 95 on November 15, 2009. According to Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, OCA Director of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations, additional celebrations, in which representatives of the sister Orthodox Churches will participate, will be held at the ancient Patriarchal See in Pec after Pascha. The Patriarch of Serbia also bears the title of "Archbishop of Pec" and "Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovac." Representatives of the Serbian government and the region's Roman Catholic and Muslim communities attended the Synodal enthronement Divine Liturgy at the Belgrade cathedral. Following the Liturgy, Patriarch Irinej was presented the patriarchal insignia by His Eminence, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, who wished him a blessed ministry as "a worthy successor to Saint Sava and his worthy and honorable predecessors." "Now my thoughts are directed toward God, our Savior, the Great Shepherd of the Church, Who has granted me His grace and goodness," Patriarch Irinej responded in his first sermon as Patriarch. He went on to note that the day was a great one, not only him personally, but also for the Serbian Church and people, adding that the Patriarchal Office has always represented, before God and in history, the fullness of the Serbian people, whose tragedies and joys it shares. Patriarch Irinej was born Miroslav Gavrilovic in the village of Vidova, near Cacak, in 1930. After completing high school, he enrolled in and graduated from seminary in Prizren, He pursued advanced theological studies at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade. Upon graduation, he served in the army. Following his return from the army, he served as a professor at the Prizren seminary. He was tonsured to monastic rank with the given name Irinej at the Rakovica Monastery by His Holiness, Patriarch German and ordained to the priesthood in October 1959. While teaching at the Prizren seminary, he undertook additional postgraduate theological studies in Athens. In 1969, he was appointed head of the monastic school at the Ostrog Monastery, after which he returned to the Prizren seminary as rector. He was elected and consecrated Bishop of Moravica, vicar to the Patriarch of Serbia, in 1974. The following year, he was elected to the See of Nis, where he served until his election to the Patriarchal See.A detailed account and photos of Patriarch Irinej's election may be found here, while information on the ancient Patriarchal See of Pec may be found here.

Michael's List - Israel on Iran; Cyprus talks; Turkish coups; FYROM & Greece; NATO & Russia; Orthodox monestary in Illinois & Patriarch in Kosovo

I. AP - Netanyahu Says World Must Face Iranian Evil

Israel's prime minister has called on the international community to band together against enemies calling for the destruction of the Jewish state, in comment direct towards Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Monday at a ceremony at Israel's National Holocaust Memorialwhere the blueprints of the notorious Auschwitz death camp were unveiled. Netanyahu said the lesson of the Holocaust is to "stop bad things when they are small." "There is new Jew-hatred in our midst. There are new calls for the extermination of the Jewish state," Netanyahu said. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly questioned the Holocaust and once called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." Israel also fears Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

II. FINANCIALMIRROR - Second round of intensive talks in Cyprus begins today

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will begin today the second round of intensive talks in the context of the ongoing UN-led negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem. The intensive round is being held at the official residence of UNFICYP Chief of Mission in the UN Protected Area. The first round of meetings took place 11, 12 and 13 January. The second phase will take place 25th, 26th and 27th of January. In statements to the press on his return to the Presidential Palace after the conclusion of the first round of intensive talks, during which the leaders discussed the chapter of governance and power sharing, President Christofias had said he was very cautious to speak about convergences. Speaking to the press on the same day, UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer, had noted that the first round of intensive talks was held in a very positive atmosphere and urged everyone to wait until the conclusion of the second round in order to be able to say if there has been any progress. President Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat have been engaged in direct negotiations since September 2008 with a view to solve the problem of Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.

III. KATHIMERINI - Turkish military chief insists coups are a "thing of the past"

Turkey’s chief of general staff said yesterday the army was committed to democracy, stressing that military coups were now a “thing of the past.” General Ilker Basbug’s remarks followed fresh allegations last week that army members planned political chaos to discredit the ruling Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) and pave the way for a military coup. “The Turkish army’s patience also has limits... We are extremely disturbed by these allegations,” an angry Basbug told reporters. “The Turkish army’s position is clear... Those [coups] are now a thing of the past,” he said. “We believe that the most important aspect of democracy is that power should change hands through elections and democratic means.” The daily Taraf, which routinely targets the military, reported last week that army members planned to bomb two Istanbul mosques and escalate tensions with Greece in a bid to force Greek jets to down a Turkish plane over the Aegean. The general staff denied the report, saying “it is impossible for anyone with reason and conscience to accept the allegations.” Basbug said the army would soon make a detailed statement on the issue.

IV. PEOPLE'SDAILY - Macedonia mulls concession to Greece in name dispute

Skopje would give up the so-called double name formula if Athens stops disputing Macedonian identity and asking for constitutional changes to verify that, it is reported Tuesday. This will be the message that Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki will convey to his Greek counterpart, Dimitris Droutsas, if they meet as planned on Thursday in London, the Vreme daily reported. The Greek Foreign Ministry has said it has yet to respond to Skopje's invitation to such a meeting. But Skopje was reassured by Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, who are trying to mediate in the 19-year-long name dispute, that the meeting will happen. The current gridlock in the name talks lingers on as neither side is unwilling to make concessions. While Skopje holds on to a double name formula, which envisages Macedonia changing its name only in correspondence with Greece, Athens insists on a one composite Macedonia name that would be used by all countries. Athens and Skopje are locked in a 19-year-long name dispute. Athens claims that Macedonia's constitutional name -- the Republic of Macedonia -- implies territorial claims against Greece's own northern province, also called Macedonia. In December last year, the European Union (EU) postponed a decision on opening accession talks with Macedonia due to the name dispute. Greece also vetoed Macedonia's NATO aspirations over the row in 2008. NATO says it will accept Macedonia as soon as the issue is out of the way while the EU has pledged to reassess the question of issuing a start date during the first six month of this year.

V. CANADIANPRESS - NATO, Russia formally resume military ties

Russia and NATO formally resumed military ties Tuesday in the latest sign of improving relations between the Cold War rivals as they move to boost co-operation in the fight against insurgents in Afghanistan. It was the first meeting between NATO and Russia military officials since relations broke down in the wake of Russia's war with Georgia in August 2008. Russian Chief of Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov held talks with NATO's top officer, Italian Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola, before a formal meeting with the defence chiefs of NATO's 27 member states, said Col. Massimo Panizzi, spokesman for NATO's military committee. Officials said that meeting was expected to focus on furthering co-operation in areas of common interest such as Afghanistan, and anti-piracy and counterterrorism operations. No specific decisions were expected Tuesday, but the talks were expected to pave the way for closer technical co-operation. Foreign ministers met in June on the Greek island of Corfu, and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen held talks in Moscow last month with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Moscow has repeatedly expressed its willingness to help the war effort in Afghanistan because of fears that any return to power by Taliban extremists would destabilize Central Asia and endanger Russia's own security. It has allowed NATO nations to use its territory and air corridors for the transport of supplies to Afghanistan as routes through Pakistan have come under repeated Taliban attack. Russia also has trained hundreds of Afghan government anti-narcotics officers. But Fogh Rasmussen and NATO's military commander, U.S. Adm. James Stavridis, have indicated they would like co-operation to be expanded to include items such as Russian military help in maintaining the large fleet of Soviet-built military helicopters being used by both the alliance and the Afghan army and police.

VI. MYSUBURBANLIFE - Russian Orthodox cathedral to become monastery

The doors aren’t closing at 103-year-old Holy Dormition Cathedral -- they’re opening to new possibilities, says the church’s pastor, the Rev. Paul Waters. Mindful of Holy Dormition’s rich history, Russian Orthodox officials have decided to convert the Macoupin County church and surrounding structures into a monastery. “Services will still be held at the church, but the property will be a monastery operated by the community of nuns,” Waters said. The monastery also could serve as a site for retreats, community outreach programs and other activities. Built by Russian and other Eastern European immigrants attracted to Benld-area mining jobs in the early 1900s, Holy Dormition is a Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. As Macoupin County officials look to increase tourism and economic development, they hope to generate a new awareness of local historic treasures such as Holy Dormition, according to Shari Albrecht, executive director of the Macoupin County Economic Development Partnership. In 2007, Holy Dormition received an Illinois Centennial Parish award from the Illinois State Historical Society. The award, which included a dinner at the Executive Mansion in Springfield, nationwide publicity and presentation of a plaque, recognizes 100-year-old churches. Exactly when the monastery will open is uncertain. Some, perhaps all, of the nuns could come from Russia, Israel or other countries. With the site being open for retreats and public activities, the monastery could be a boost to economic development. Orthodox belief holds that the Orthodox Church is Christianity’s true, holy and apostolic church, tracing its origin directly to the institution established by Jesus Christ. Orthodox beliefs are based on the Bible and on tradition as defined by seven ecumenical councils held by church authorities between A.D. 325 and 787. Orthodox teachings include the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the inseparable but distinguishable union of the two natures of Jesus Christ — one divine, the other human. Among saints, Mary has a special place as the Mother of God. Russian Orthodox services, noted for their pageantry, involve the congregation directly by using only the vernacular form of the liturgy. The liturgy itself includes elaborate symbols meant to convey the content of the faith to believers. Many liturgical forms remain from the earliest days of Orthodoxy. Icons, sacred images often illuminated by candles, adorn the churches as well as the homes of most Orthodox faithful. The church also places a heavy emphasis on monasticism. Many of the numerous monasteries that dotted the forests and remote regions of tsarist Russia are in the process of restoration. The Russian Orthodox Church, like other churches that make up Eastern Orthodoxy, is self-governing. The highest church official is the patriarch. Matters relating to faith are decided by ecumenical councils in which all member churches of Eastern Orthodoxy participate. Followers of the church regard the councils’ decisions as infallible.

VII. B92 - Patriarch to be enthroned in Kosovo

Serbian Patriarch Irinej said on Tuesday that his enthronement in the Patriarchate of Peć, in Kosovo, will be held on April 25. The newly-elected head of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) has the title of Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, Serbian Patriarch Irinej. “The enthronement will be on April 25, and that will also mark the beginning of work of the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The assembly will start there, and continue in Belgrade. That will be a chance for our guests to attend, and I hope they will see for themselves the situation in Kosovo,” Irinej told reporters in Niš, southern Serbia. In an interview for the Frankfurt-based Serbian language daily Vesti, the patriarch said that “never in the history of Kosovo have the Serbs suffered like they do now”. “In Croatia the centuries-old problems of the Serb people continue, and in Montenegro an unjustifiable division has occurred,” said Irinej. “Unfortunately, with this new situation, Kosovo finds itself in the hardest position in its history. The Serbs who stayed in Kosovo have endured more pain, suffering and destruction than ever before,” said the Serbian Patriarch, pointing out that the “tragedy is that the great powers are aware of this but pretend not to see it”. The patriarch told the newspaper that the division that occurred between Serbia and Montenegro is “senseless and unreasonable” because, as he said, the Serbs and the Montenegrins are one people with common roots. Irinej said that he does not know if the Montenegrins will realize how “senseless and unreasonable” the division is, and that this probably depends on a few powerful people. The door of the SPC is open to “our Macedonian brothers” and to “true contact, primarily through liturgy,” the patriarch said. Noting that the problems with the Macedonian Church are now much graver than before, the Patriarch said that the door of the SPC is open for talks and that every problem can be solved as long as both sides are willing. Speaking of the suffering of the Serb people in Croatia, the patriarch assessed that it is “unfortunately continuing”. The head of SPC said that he believes that “the Republic of Srpska is led by intelligent people who will find the best path in these troubled times, both for our people and for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina”. He also expressed his wish that the head of the Roman Catholic Church visits Niš, because, according to him, the Edict of Milan involves the Church and Christianity as a whole, and therefore all Christian countries, history and culture. The patriarch said he believed that Serbia will hold its central ceremony celebrating the anniversary of the Edict of Milan in 2013 in Niš, but he did not rule out the possibility that the town – the birthplace of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great – would also host the central ceremony for other European churches and countries. “Pope Bendict XVI's visit to Niš is up to the Roman Catholic Church, but it would be welcomed by the SPC,” Irinej said.

Michael's List - International Aid to Haiti Continues; IOCC; Pirates; Pope Benedict message to His Holiness; "Kosovo is our Jerusalem"; St. Vladimir's

I. THE FINANCIAL - International Haiti rebuilding talks to open in Montreal

Foreign ministers from all over the world will gather in Canada's second-largest city of Montreal on January 25 to discuss the rebuilding of Haiti, where a devastating January 12 earthquake claimed up to 150,000 lives. Delegations from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, the U.S., Spain, France, and Japan, as well as representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the World Bank , and the International Monetary Fund are to take part in the talks, officially known as the Ministerial Preparatory Conference of the Group of Friends of Haiti. Canada has allocated more than 100 million Canadian dollars ($94.7 million U.S.) in aid for the quake-hit nation, of which 67 million Canadian dollars ($63.4 million U.S.) were provided by Canadian citizens. The country's government has pledged to allocate some an additional 17 million Canadian dollars ($16 million U.S.) to help Haiti recover from the quake. The summit will take place less than two weeks after the 7.0-magnitude quake struck the impoverished Caribbean nation, with the final death toll estimated to range up to 200,000.

II. IOCC - IOCC and MTI Deliver Critical Medical Aid to Suffering Haitians

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) has responded to the urgent need for medical supplies and basic medications to treat the injured and sick in Haiti with a shipment of critically-needed medicines and hospital supplies expected to assist over 45,000 Haitians. The assistance, delivered today to King's Hospital in Port-au-Prince, is worth more than $1.2 million and was provided by IOCC's long standing partner, Medical Teams International (MTI). The supplies will help to meet some of the urgent demand for antibiotics, anesthesia medications for surgery and pain medications. "It has been a heart-rending week of loss and suffering for the people of Haiti," said IOCC Executive Director and CEO, Constantine M. Triantafilou. "We pray that the shipment of these medicines will help stem the further loss of life from injuries and will provide comfort to the suffering." Providing medical supplies and medical care remains one of the highest priorities in Haiti where people's lives are now threatened because there is not enough surgical or trauma care. Last weekend, IOCC participated in an airlift that included water purification and sanitation equipment for 10,000 people and 500 family tents. IOCC, the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and member of the ACT Alliance, is continuing to work with partners to identify unmet needs for emergency aid that will sustain survivors of the January 12 earthquake. You can help the victims of disasters around the world, like the Haiti Earthquake, by visiting http://www.iocc.org.

III. RIANOVOSTI - Putin orders free education for all Haitian students in Russia

All students from quake-hit Haiti at Russian universities will receive state funding to continue their studies, the Russian premier said on Monday. "We have decided that all those who are studying on a paid basis will study at the expense of the Russian federal budget," Putin said, addressing students at the state university in the central Russian republic of Chuvashia. The premier said that currently 75 Haitian students are enlisted in Russian higher education establishments. Many of them had been left without funds after a devastating 7.0-magnitude quake struck the impoverished Caribbean nation on January 12, almost leveling the capital of Port-au-Prince and claiming up to 150,000 lives.

IV. FINANCIAL MIRROR - Governments must do more to combat Somali piracy

The Cyprus Shipping Chamber has expressed its deepening frustration at the seeming impotence of the international community to address the continuing piracy crisis in the Indian Ocean, with around 1,500 seafarers and 50 ships having so far been taken hostage for ransom, often for months at a time, in spite of the comprehensive measures that ship operators have taken to defend their crews. The unacceptable situation prevailing now, with seafarers’ lives being threatened on a daily basis – and Somali pirates still operating with impunity – cannot be allowed to continue. If a similar number of aircraft passengers had been taken hostage there would undoubtedly have been a more robust response. However, many governments seem oblivious to the fact that ships carry around 90% of world trade, and that security of major seaways is strategically vital to the functioning of the global economy. There is growing concern that the international community is not actively seeking to eliminate piracy and is instead treating the current level of attacks against shipping as somehow ‘tolerable’. In effect, pirates are being given a message that their criminal activity carries very few risks in comparison to the millions of dollars that can be made from extorting ransom payments. As a result, the number of pirates is growing, and there is real danger that, in the absence of a firm response, their methods of hijack and violent kidnapping will be successfully emulated by others elsewhere. In cases where attacks occur hundreds of miles off the Somali coast then the skiffs must have been deployed from mother ships. The skiffs simply do not have the endurance for operations deep into the Indian Ocean. Why are the ‘mother ships’ not being intercepted and detained? While we support efforts to establish a stable government in Somalia that can enforce the rule of law, it is widely accepted that this could take years, if not decades. It is, therefore, urgent that governments consider what additional steps should be taken now, and not later. We cannot continue to allow crews to be taken hostage, a situation which is simply unacceptable. The protection of shipping from piracy – regardless of flag, or the nationality of the crew – is a clear and legitimate responsibility for governments under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Historically, as now embodied in international law, the primary role of navies has always been to protect merchant shipping and to keep the sea lanes open to trade. It is extraordinary that governments today seem less able to protect shipping than they were almost 200 years ago.

V. CNA - Benedict XVI welcomes new Serbian Patriarch

Pope Benedict XVI welcomed the election of the new Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church in a letter on January 22. In it, the Holy Father expressed his prayer that the new leader have the "inner strength to consolidate the unity and spiritual growth of the Serbian Orthodox Church." The Pope began his letter by praying that the Lord grant the new Patriarch “abundant gifts of grace and wisdom for the fulfillment of (his) high responsibilities in the service of the Church” and the people entrusted to him. The 80-year-old Irinej Gavrilovica, previously Bishop of Nis, became the 45th Serbian Patriarch when he was enthroned on Saturday in Belgrade in the first act of a two-part ceremony, the second is to take place in Pec, Kosovo. On his first day as the leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church he reaffirmed the Church's rejection of a divided Serbia and Kosovo. Serbia and Kosovo have been at odds since the latter declared independence in 2008. According to a BBC report, upon his installment he said "Our first duty as a Church is to safeguard our Kosovo, a holy and martyred land, to help our state to defend it from those who wish to seize it... Kosovo is our holy land, our Jerusalem." He asked if they would be allowed to visit the relics of the Church as they completed the ceremony in Pec. "Without them, Serbia is not Serbia, without Kosovo it is deprived of its heart and soul." In his letter, the Pope remembered fondly the previous leader of the Serbian Church, Patriarch Pavle, whom he called "a great pastor and spiritual father," in maintaining the unity of the Church and making "many gestures of openness to the Catholic Church." Patriarch Pavle had died in November of 2009 at the age of 95. The Pope finished his message to the new Patriarch with a prayer "that the Lord will grant Your Holiness the inner strength to consolidate the unity and spiritual growth of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as to build up the fraternal bonds with other Churches and ecclesial communities."

VI. KATHIMERINI - "Kosovo is our Jerusalem"

The new head of the Serbian Orthodox church, Patriarch Irinej, vowed on Saturday to defend Serbia’s claim on Kosovo, signaling that the influential church will retain its firm opposition to the region’s Western-backed independence. Patriarch Irinej, the 45th Serbian patriarch who was chosen to the post Friday, said in a speech after the enthronement that the primary goal of the church was to “help our state, which is doing all it can to save Kosovo from those who want to grab it away. If we forget Kosovo, Kosovo will forget us,” he said. “Kosovo is our Holy Land, our Jerusalem.” Kosovo is the former Serbian province that most people here consider their historic heartland but which is mostly populated by ethnic Albanians who declared independence in 2008 with the backing of the United States and its European Union allies. Serbia has refused to recognize the split. The government position has enjoyed backing from the church, which is very influential among Serbs. The Serbian church considers Kosovo its seat, where hundreds of its churches and monasteries are located, some dating back to the 13th century. The new patriarch, who is 80, has served in Kosovo in the past as did his predecessor, Pavle, who died in November at the age of 95. Irinej, who is considered a moderate despite his tough position on Kosovo, was elected in a lottery-like draw among three candidates initially chosen in a secret ballot by 45 Serbian bishops. His election was seen as a compromise in a power struggle between hardliners and liberals in the church. The new patriarch is also widely viewed as a “man of dialogue” who is ready to improve ties with the Roman Catholic church and others. He has said in a recent interview that he would not oppose a visit by the pope to Serbia – one of the rare European countries the pontiff has never visited. The hard-liners have opposed the visit because of a historic schism between the two churches. With Irinej at its helm, the church is also not expected to oppose Serbia’s efforts to join the EU. The enthronement ceremony for Patriarch Irinej was held at Belgrade’s cathedral. It was attended by church elders, state officials, representatives of other religious groups and dozens of believers.

VII. OCA - St. Vladimir's Seminary receives international award

His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, presented the “Unity of Orthodox Peoples Award” to Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary [SVOTS], Crestwood, NY, at a special ceremony in Moscow on Thursday, January 21, 2010. The seminary was selected to receive the award by the International Foundation for Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations for its activity “aimed at strengthening the unity of Orthodox nations through theological education.” Patriarch Kirill chairs the foundation's board of trustees. Accepting the award on behalf of the seminary were Archpriest John Behr, dean, who was accompanied by the school’s chancellor and associate chancellor for advancement, Archpriest Chad Hatfield and Mr. Theodore Bazil. Also present at the award ceremony was Archimandrite Zacchaeus, representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate. Following the ceremony, the seminary representatives met with Patriarch Kirill at his working residence, at which time he spoke of his respect and love for the former deans of the seminary, Archpriest Georges Florovsky and Protopresbyters Alexander Schmemann, John Meyendorff, and Thomas Hopko, whom he knew personally. He also commended the seminary for bringing the richness of Orthodox theology to the New World while maintaining a proper place within the Church’s Tradition.

Michael's List - Cyprus; Alexander the Great; Greek initiative, Balkans; Serbia, Croatia; Poland missiles near Russia; Orthodoxy, March for Life

I. TAIWAN NEWS - Cyprus president asks EU for help in peace talks

Cyprus' president says he has asked the new head of the European Union for help in ongoing talks on reunifying the ethnically divided island. Dimitris Christofias says he asked EU President Herman van Rompuy to ensure that any deal is based on European law and the bloc's "principles and values." Van Rompuy says the time is ripe for "courageous and forward-looking decisions." Both spoke after talks in Nicosia on Thursday. Christofias, a Greek Cypriot, and breakaway Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have made limited progress in more than 60 meetings over the past 16 months. Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, 30 years after Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece.

II. STV - Alexander the Great's ring stolen from "theft" show

Organisers of the "Antiquities Theft in Israel" exhibition could not have chosen a more fitting name for their display. Burglars on Wednesday broke into the Ashdod Museum where hundreds of artefacts recovered from the black-market were on show and snatched several valuable items, including a silver ring belonging to Alexander the Great and gold earrings. The Israel Antiquities Authority said the popular exhibition had been running for four years.

III. B92 - Spanish PM on Greek initiative for W. Balkans

Spanish PM and EU Chairman Jose Luis Zapatero said in Strasbourg that “attention should be given” to a Greek initiative regarding Western Balkans. The initiative envisages the EU accession of the countries in the region in 2014. Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou has always advocated the positions which deserved to be heard. We will therefore give our attention to the initiative, Socialist Prime Minister Zapatero said after visiting the European Parliament in the eastern French town. Zapatero, whose country will head the EU until July 1, also said that he wants to resolve quickly the dispute between the authorities in Skopje and Greece regarding the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

IV. EARTHTIMES - Serbian president calls Croatian leader a warmonger

Serbian President Boris Tadic accused Wednesday Croatian President Stjepan Mesic of warmongering, two days after Mesic said that he would intervene militarily if Bosnia's Serbian entity made a move to secede. Mesic's statement is a security threat and a war incitement, Tadic told Beta news agency, adding that he would inform the UN Security Council about it. Mesic on Monday commented on recent threats by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik to hold a referendum on the secession from Bosnia of the Serb Republic - one of two Bosnia's entities. The other is Muslim-Croat Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ties between Serbia and Croatia have been strained ever since the 1990s break-up of the former Yugoslavia. Zagreb sued Belgrade in 1991 before the International Court of Justice and Belgrade responded with a counter suit last month. Mesic strained the ties even worse earlier this month after he reduced a sentence for a convicted war criminal and then visited Kosovo, a separatist region Serbia claims as its own. Analysts say Mesic appears to be stepping up the pressure in making matters difficult for Serbia's new president-elect Ivo Josipovic who will take power on February 18.

V. RIANOVOSTI - Poland says basing Patriot missiles nearer Russia not political

Poland's decision to deploy a battery of U.S. Patriot missiles just 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the Russian border is neither political nor strategic, the Polish defense minister said Wednesday. Bogdan Klich stressed that the base's proximity to Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad had nothing to do with the decision to station the missiles near the town of Morag rather than outside Warsaw. "It did not have any significance — neither political nor strategic. The only reason was the good infrastructure," Klich told journalists on Wednesday evening. Polish media reported earlier Wednesday that Defense Ministry experts came to the conclusion that Morag was the best place for the deployment of the Patriot missiles. "In Morag we could offer the best conditions for American soldiers and the best technical base for the equipment," Klich said on Polish Radio. Poland and the United States signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) last December laying out the conditions for the deployment of U.S. troops on Polish soil. According to the SOFA, U.S. troops will service Patriot missiles that are to be integrated into Poland's national security system. The Patriot unit will be manned by some 100 U.S. soldiers, and will comprise up to eight missile launchers. The first U.S. troop rotation is expected to arrive in Poland by the end of March. Russia has strongly opposed the previous U.S. administration's plans to place 10 long-range ground-based interceptor missiles in Poland and a fixed-site radar station in the Czech Republic. When agreeing to host the missile site, Warsaw demanded the Patriots' deployment to improve its defensive capabilities. Moscow's opposition to the missile defense system went as far as a threat to deploy Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles in the Kaliningrad exclave, but last September U.S. President Barack Obama shelved the proposed Central European missile shield and Russia said it would not place its missiles near the Polish border. However, Warsaw has insisted that the Patriot systems be placed in Poland under a bilateral security pact regardless of whether plans for a U.S. interceptor missile base in the country go ahead or not. Russia has not yet commented on the Polish decision to move the location of the Patriot site closer to its borders. Patriot (MIM-104) is a theater air-defense system designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. As well as the U.S., the Patriot is in service in Egypt, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. Patriot missile systems were successfully deployed by U.S. forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

VI. OCA - Preparations finalized for Orthodox Christian participation in Friday's March for Life

Orthodox Christians from across the country will gather here on Friday, January 22, 2010, for the annual March for Life. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will lead hundreds of Orthodox Christians in proclaiming life as a precious gift from God. Services and events surrounding the March include the following. On Thursday, January 21, the eve of the March, the faithful are invited to join Metropolitan Jonah and other members of the Holy Synod of Bishops for Vespers at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, 3500 Massachusetts Ave. NW, at 7:00 p.m. A reception and fellowship will follow in the cathedral hall. On Friday morning, January 22, Metropolitan Jonah and members of the Holy Synod will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy at the cathedral at 8:00 a.m. Students from Saint Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY and Saint Tikhon's Seminary, South Canaan, PA, will form a combined choir to render the liturgical responses. At noon on Friday, marchers are asked to gather under the "Orthodox Christians for Life" banner on the Mall at 7th Street near the Smithsonian Castle. Metropolitan Jonah will be the first of several speakers to address the public at the pre-March program. At the conclusion of the March, he will offer prayers for the victims of abortion. On Friday evening, Metropolitan Jonah will offer the invocation at the annual Rose Dinner at DC's Hyatt Regency Hotel.

VII. PRAVMIR - Orthodoxy: The Quiet Cradle

As a cradle Orthodox Christian, for most of my life I’ve been quiet about my faith. My silence did not stem from apathy or ignorance, but rather from peace. There was never any reason to break my silence, until now when others want to listen. In the 1980s, a small group of Evangelical Christians began their search for the New Testament Church, and they found the Orthodox Church. But the Orthodox Church was never lost, it was quiet. Hearing stories of an Orthodox Christian’s moment of revelation about the existence of the Orthodox faith puzzles me, since I never understand how our existence is a surprise. Although I’ve heard we were hidden away in ethnic communities, I never felt hidden at all. My family lived, and continues to live, an Orthodox life right out in the open world. We do live a quiet Orthodox life, and if you aren’t listening you may mistake our quiet for silence. Explaining my Orthodox faith to others was always complicated for me. My friends growing up were Roman Catholic and all attended the same church in our small town. I on the other hand, was Antiochian Orthodox and went to a church sixty miles away in Los Angeles. We were different, and few people showed interest in learning about our unfamiliar faith. We weren’t trying to convert them, and they weren’t trying to convert us. My family has strong roots in Orthodox Christianity: three of my grandparents are from the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and my fourth grandparent is from Jordan. My parents were both born and raised in the United States as Orthodox Christians, and neither ever shopped for another faith. Now I am an adult with an impressive lack of knowledge about other Christian faiths, which never ceases to amaze my convert friends. My family never lost the Orthodox Church, and we weren’t silent, we were quiet. When I left my small town for college, I needed to provide others with a clear, concise explanation of my faith, a log line for Orthodox Christianity. I developed my log line after realizing I had only thirty seconds to explain my faith before a person’s eyes glazed over. And as Campus Crusade for Christ and Evangelical Christians gained ground on college campuses, I was tired of my mumbled, “I’m Eastern Orthodox,” met by a blank stare. My new log line was for the simple: “Eastern Orthodox. It’s like Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox, only it’s from the Middle East.” And it saved me from the blank stare about sixty percent of the time. I admit to still using my log line, only today after years of practice my success rate is much higher, and I owe part of that success to the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. (But if I include the large word Antiochian, my success rate sinks.) Then the hurried glazed eyes sometimes smile and say in response, “Jesus just wants to get to know you better.” Perhaps they even suggest He wants to be my friend. Then I politely rely on my familiar friend, not silence, but quiet. How do you explain your personal reverence for God to someone who isn’t listening? We humans are all different, and some Christians are bigger and louder than others about their faith. I was never a big, loud Orthodox Christian. There was never a need for me to be big and loud about my faith because my family was Orthodox, my family’s friends were Orthodox and anyone I didn’t know who was Orthodox, knew my family or my family’s friends. Although I lived over sixty miles from the nearest Antiochian Orthodox Church, I was raised in an Orthodox community. A common link was our ethnicity, but we shared our Faith and lived our lives within an Orthodox community. Outside the Orthodox community, any discussion of my faith prompted a blank stare and glazed eyes. I knew other Christians didn’t understand Orthodoxy, but I was never armed to explain my faith to those who seemed disinterested. When I was baptized as an infant in the same Orthodox Church where my parents married, my journey as an Orthodox Christian began. There was never any doubt I would be raised Orthodox, marry Orthodox, baptize my children Orthodox, and then die Orthodox. No confusion and no shopping for another faith, I was on the Orthodox Christian path for life…and I wasn’t lost. Intertwined with my Orthodox path for life was a sense of peace. I’ve never felt I needed to rush my faith, or needed to scurry around looking for others to travel with me on my journey. My fellow travelers were those in the larger Orthodox community. Christians of other faiths were on their own journey, of which I confess, I knew little. The most difficult of these Christian journeys for me to understand was the path of Protestants. I admit my understanding of Protestants never progressed much farther than knowing their faith was a newer form of Christianity. With the concept of new (sixteenth century) and Christianity linked, I lost interest in learning more. Where was the relevance to my Orthodox faith in anything from the Protestant Reformation? I was on my journey with fellow Orthodox travelers, and the Protestants and other Christians were on their own separate paths. Or so I thought until the paths began crossing. Now I attend an Orthodox Christian Church with a mix of convert and cradle Orthodox. My view of the larger Orthodox community has broadened, and within this broader Orthodox community I meet other Christians who have found Orthodoxy after their travels along another path. I ponder their surprise at my ignorance of these other Christian paths, and it’s clear my lumbering travel along an unwavering road confuses them. The problem is, for years we all lived in the same neighborhood, but we never spoke. We each kept to ourselves and if we did speak together, our attention span was short. I wasn’t looking for those of another faith to bring with me on my journey, and I was discouraged by blank stares and glazed eyes. My faith felt personal, and sharing it beyond the Orthodox community was always awkward for me. Now our ancient Faith is on firmer footing in America as more Christians seek the Orthodox Church. With the new converts come their friends and family, and the Orthodox community is blending into a broader community. Some converts, with a collection of souvenirs from their former Christian paths are committed to a fast paced, high energy Orthodox journey. They glance at my ease and comfort with the Orthodox faith and ponder the lumbering pace of my journey, perhaps forgetting the length of time I’ve spent traveling. Since birth, my travel has never detoured away from the Orthodox Christian path for life. I haven’t collected souvenirs from any other path, and my slow lumbering pace reflects my peace with Orthodoxy. Our journeys may have begun differently, but now our Orthodox paths have crossed. I was never hidden, or lost. I was quiet. But when you listen closely, aren’t you surprised by what you hear? Wearing the garments of the Orthodox faith which I’ve acquired over time, I lumber along the Orthodox path with this broadening mix of fellow travelers. As I glance around, I see those beside me on the path with souvenirs filling their pockets, and I watch as they ponder which souvenirs to lay aside and which to hold onto for this Orthodox journey. Choosing to lay aside familiar souvenirs is difficult and many hesitate. But the garments of the Orthodox faith are well fitting, have only limited pocket space, and are worn with a quiet sense of faith. When the small group of Evangelical Christians found the Orthodox Church in the 1980s, the Church was here, preserved by those who brought their faith with them to the United States as immigrants. These Orthodox immigrants maintained the Church with a sense of quiet, which suited their personal reverence for God. Within the Orthodox faith quiet is a component, or a garment, of the traditions of peace and humility. The well fitting garments of Orthodox Christianity do not change over time, even over centuries, but Orthodoxy does adapt to maintain its place within contemporary society. Our current challenge is adapting a broadening Orthodox community to the present, while preserving the quiet reverence for traditions of the ancient Orthodox Faith.

Michael's List - Help Haiti Now; Balkan Burger; Serbia, Kosovo; Cyprus Coin; Greece, FYROM, ICJ; Russia, NATO; OCA Holy Synod in DC

I. IOCC - Haiti: Resources for How You Can Help

Here’s how you and your parish can speed relief to the people of Haiti today. The suffering of the people of Haiti following this week’s earthquake is beyond words – tens of thousands have perished, untold numbers are homeless, without water, shelter or life-saving medical care. The first few days of a humanitarian crisis of this magnitude are absolutely critical. IOCC NEEDS YOUR HELP. 1) Pray for the people of Haiti and those who have lost loved ones in this disaster and for the safety of those who are working to assist them. See www.iocc.org/prayers. 2) Send a gift to assist the victims of disasters around the world, like the Haiti Earthquake, by giving to the IOCC International Emergency Response Fund, at www.iocc.org or by sending them to IOCC, P.O. Box 630225, Baltimore, MD 21263-0225. 3) Assemble hygiene kits and emergency clean-up buckets to be shipped to places like Haiti – or wherever disasters strike. There is a critical shortage of these supplies and we need your help to provide this aid. For information on hygiene kits, go to www.iocc.org/kits. 4) Alert your fellow parishioners on the important work of IOCC in Haiti by downloading this Sunday bulletin insert. Thank you for providing this critical support for thousands who are waiting for our response now.

II. NYT - The Balkan Burger Unites All Factions

Americans might think themselves masters of the all-beef patty, and Germans may claim bragging rights for its point of origin. But there is no burger passion greater than the one for pljeskavica. Pronounced PLYESS-ka-vee-tsa, this burger as wide as a birthday cake is beloved in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Montenegro; and more recently in Italy, Germany, Chicago as well as Queens. Throughout the western Balkan region, ground meat is raised to an art form. Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is famous for sausage-shaped cevapi, the size of a fat pinky finger, served piled on bread or eaten by hand. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, many young people from the region have arrived in New York seeking work, education and adventure. Charcoal-grilled pljeskavica and cevapi, pronounced chay-VOP-ee, have become common in neighborhoods like Astoria and Ridgewood in Queens, where Bosnians and Croatians, Serbs and Montenegrins now open businesses side by side. For pljeskavica and cevapi, the entire animal is fair game. Formulas including beef, veal, lamb and — except for Muslims — pork are part of the butcher’s mystique. Even in New York, each butcher harbors secrets, like adding fat from around the beef kidneys, grinding in a little pork neck, or adding baking soda or mineral water to lighten the mix. Pljeskavica are formed from ground meat and minced onion, pounded thin, then grilled on both sides to a smoky brown. The word pljeskavica comes from pljesak, a regional word for clapping the hands, the motion used to press the burger into a thin round. They were originally served flopped onto a plate, but as the American burger assumed global dominance, it became standard to sandwich pljeskavica between the two halves of a fluffy, spongy pita-style bread called lepinja. These days, in Belgrade, the capital of the pljeskavica cult, the burger itself might be stuffed with mushrooms and mozzarella, or ham and cheese. Depending on where you are in the Balkans, and the taste of the locals, the meat mixtures might be ruddy with paprika and served with fresh minced onions or cucumbers for crunch. When all the elements are put together, the perfect pljeskavica tastes like the wholesome Mediterranean ancestor of a Big Mac.

III. B92 - Serbian President to address UN Security Council on Kosovo

President Boris Tadić will be in New York on January 22 where he will attend a UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo. This is according to a report in Belgrade daily Politika, which says that Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić will also attend the debate. Tadić will address the Security Council, according to the newspaper. Politika says that “while awaiting the decision of the International Court of Justice on the legal validity of the decision to unilaterally declare independence of Kosovo, clearly confrontation is gearing up”. The newspaper concludes that Tadić’s decision to travel to New York for the session should be seen in this context.

IV. BALKANS BUSINESS NEWS - Cyprus coin wins first prize in world numismatics competition

The Cyprus 2-euro coin won the Best Trade Coin 2010 award in a competition organised by the publication World Coin News. “This year's trade coin category winner is a bimetallic 2-euro coin issued by the Central Bank of Cyprus . The coin depicts an ancient statue cross,” World Coin News said in a statement. “Our aim was to create a coin which showed the character of Cyprus as a whole, rather than focus on one town or location,” Tatiana Soteropoulos, who co-designed the image, told Balkans.com Business News. The annual competition, whose awards will be presented at the World Money Fair in Berlin Jan.30, was judged by international experts and online public voting. World Coin News (www.worldcoinnews.net) is part of the US-based F+ W Media group (www.fwmedia.com) which operates in print, digital and video media.

V. MFA - Greece submits its counter-memorial in the case of FYROM’s application against Greece before the ICJ

Greece’s counter-memorial in the case of FYROM’s application against Greece was filed today with the International Court of Justice in The Hague, within the time-limit fixed by the Court. The counter-memorial of Greece was submitted by Greece’s Agents in this case, Ambassador Mr. George Savvaides and the Legal Advisor and Head of the Public International Law Section of the Legal Department, Ms. Maria Telalian, both senior officials at the Foreign Ministry, with rich experience in these issues, both from the political and legal aspect, and who were appointed as Greece’s Agents in November 2008. Four eminent foreign Professors specialized in International Law and with wide experience in defending cases before the ICJ have also been appointed as Greece’s legal advisers in the present case. Furthermore the support team also includes Greek Professors of Public International Law and Historians. It should be recalled that our country has appointed as Ad Hoc judge in this case Professor and Member of the Academy of Athens, Mr. Emmanuel Roucounas, presently President of the Institute of International Law. As is well known on 17 November 2008, FYROM instituted proceedings against Greece before the ICJ alleging violation by Greece of article 11 of the interim Accord of 1995, due to Greece’s supposed objection to FYROM’s invitation for accession to NATO. Greece’s counter-memorial, which sets out in a detailed manner and with corresponding documentation Greece’s legal argumentation in this case, is the result of painstaking collaboration between the Greek and foreign Counsels for over a year. The Greek counter-memorial dismisses in toto the arguments submitted by FYROM in its memorial and develops in a thorough and substantiated manner the legal, political and historic arguments of the Greek side in this case. Following the submission of our counter-memorial, the follow up to this case will be determined by the Court and, at a second phase, there will be an oral hearing during which both parties will expose orally their arguments before the Court. According to the ICJ’s Rules of Procedure FYROM’s memorial and Greece’s counter-memorial will remain confidential and may not be released until the oral hearing before the Court.

VI. RIANOVOSTI - Russia, NATO top generals to meet in Brussels on January 26

Russian and NATO Chiefs of Staffs will meet in Brussels on January 26 for the first time since the improvement in ties between Russia and the alliance, Russia's envoy to NATO said on Wednesday. "Head of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, First Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Makarov will participate," Dmitry Rogozin said. NATO froze ties with Russia following the brief armed conflict with Georgia and the recognition by Moscow of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but relations have improved in recent months. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed hope in December that the alliance and Russia would establish a joint missile defense system by 2020. Addressing students at the Moscow State University of International Relations, Rasmussen said the joint shield would unite Russia and NATO politically and ensure nuclear security between the two parties. Earlier in December, Rogozin said that the military alliance and Russia had formed a working group on missile defense issues and the first meeting would be held in January.

VII. OCA - Holy Synod members to discuss Chambésy, meet with congressional reps, in US capital

Members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America will meet at Saint Nicholas Cathedral here on Wednesday, January 20, 2010. The purpose of the special session will be to review the deliberations and decisions of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambésy-Geneva, Switzerland, June 6-12, 2009 and the forthcoming North American Episcopal Assembly, slated to convene in mid-2010. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will chair the special, day-long session. The Pan-Orthodox Conference was held in response to the Synaxis of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches convened by His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in October 2008. During that meeting, the Primates expressed their "desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements, such as the so-called Orthodox diaspora, with a view to overcoming every possible influence that is foreign to Orthodox ecclesiology." In observations shared at the annual Conference on Missions and Evangelism held at Antiochian Village in the fall of 2009, Metropolitan Jonah commented that the processes outlined in the statement issued at the conclusion of the Chambésy meeting were "a way to spur us to unity.... If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, it will come together in a way that will honor God and be in accordance with His will." [A detailed report on Metropolitan Jonah's presentations on unity and mission is posted at www.oca.org.] In order to share the Orthodox Church in America’s positions on a variety of human rights and related issues, the hierarchs will meet with Congressman Christopher “Chris” Smith [R-NJ] and other members of Congress on Thursday, January 21. Among the topics to be discussed are the situation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey in light of Patriarch Bartholomew’s widely acclaimed recent interview on "60 Minutes"; the plight of Orthodox Christians in Kosovo; growing concerns for Egypt’s Coptic Christians; pro-life concerns; and related issues, including human trafficking, that affect traditionally Orthodox Christian and other lands. Congressman Smith, widely known for his pro-life and pro-human rights positions, chairs the House International Relations Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations Subcommittee and serves as vice-chair of the Committee on International Relations and as co-chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (also known as the US Helsinki Commission), which works to promote and foster democracy, human rights, and stability in Eastern and Central Europe.