US STATE SECRETARY ARRIVED IN NEAR EAST MAY HOLD NEGOTIATIONS WITH ARMENIAN PRIESTS BLOCKED IN BETHLEHEM NATIVITY CHURCH

After hospitalization of sub-dean of the Armenian cloister Armen Sinanian wounded by an Israeli sniper, six Armenian priests remained in the Bethlehem church of the Nativity blocked by the troops. The blockade has already been held for ten days. The confessors do not have any contacts with the Palestinians hiding in the temple. According to Tel-Aviv’s statements terrorists from «Hamas» and «Islamic jihad» groupings involved in organization of explosions in Jerusalem are among those hiding in the church. The Armenian clergymen’s proposals to open a corridor to let the Palestinians out are denied by the Israeli party, which insists upon unconditional arrest of all the Arabs in the temple. Meanwhile there is information that US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who arrived in the Near East with a peace-making mission today, intends to meet with the representatives of Jerusalem altar of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is not known yet whom Powell will have a conversation with – Patriarch Torgom or the dean of the Armenian cloister adjoining the church of the Nativity.