Month: June 2005

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
AROUND 20 CLERICS AND DEACONS ARE ORDAINED IN THE ST. GREGORY THE
ILLUMINATOR CATHEDRAL
Around 20 seminary students were ordained as clerics and deacons
in the service of the Armenian Apostolic Church on June 12 in the
St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral.
Rev. Fr. Tatoul Anoushian, a member of the brotherhood of the
Constantinople Patriarchate conducted the holy mass. The sermon
was delivered by Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, primate of the Diocese
of Lebanon.
The primate highlighted the character traits of people determined
to dedicate themselves to the service of the church. He stressed the
importance of the coupling of one’s rights with one’s obligations.
“Every one of you was granted the right of service to the church on a
certain level. But each right assumes an obligation. That obligation
will be your dedicated service to the holy church of God. Today you
climb the first stairs of this service, so you can reach higher levels
through your work in the future,” said the bishop.
After the mass, a procession of the newly ordained clerics and deacons
headed towards the Veharan, where they kneeled in front oh His Holiness
Aram I and received his blessings.
His Holiness advised them to prepare and self-educate themselves
for higher services. “Your study years at the seminary open up our
church’s and nations ‘ treasury. You will have to gain so much from
these years, so you can enrich our people in the near future on both
ecclesiastical and national levels through the riches you acquired,”
said His Holiness.
His Holiness also commended the dean of the seminary, its staff,
the students and their parents, for their encouragement and support
of the students throughout their study.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

BEFORE TAKING UP THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PRESIDENT
A1plus
| 18:20:31 | 13-06-2005 | Official |
Sir Brian Fall (United Kingdom Representative to the South Caucasus)
and Simon Smith (Head of Eastern Department in the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office in London) will visit Yerevan from 12-14 June. The
visit is the first part of a preparatory tour of countries in the
South Caucasus before the United Kingdom assumes the Presidency of
the European Union on 1 July. It will include calls on President
Robert Kocharian, Defence Minister Serge Sarkissyan, Trade Minister
Karen Chshmaritian and Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanyan,
as well as members of the opposition and NGOs working in the fields
of democracy and governance.
The objective is to have an exchange of views on issues which will
be discussed between Armenia and the European Union during the course
of the British Presidency. These are likely to include in particular
efforts to reach a lasting solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
and developments following the extension of the European Neighbourhood
Policy to Armenia.
Sir Brian Fall was previously the United Kingdom Special Representative
to Georgia. His remit was extended in 2002 to cover the South
Caucasus. His appointment underlines the commitment of the British
Government to play an active part in the efforts of the international
community to prevent or resolve conflict, and to establish a stable
basis for peace and prosperity in each of the three countries and in
the region as a whole.
Simon Smith was appointed Head of Eastern Department in the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office in 2004.

OSKANYAN TO RETURN WITH A GRANT
A1plus
| 17:51:35 | 13-06-2005 | Official |
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan who is in China on an official
visit met CPR Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.
The discussion went on during the official banquet. The Ministers spoke
about the Armenian-Chinese relations and stated with content that for
the first three months of this year the commercial-economic balance
has risen for 73%. They found the enhancing of cooperation in the
scientific-technical and educational fields extremely important. They
also spoke about the inter-university student exchange and about the
programs giving the Armenian scientists the possibility to realize
investigations in the Chinese universities.
Taking into account the firm political bonds between Armenia and
China, the sides have also discussed the possibilities of efficient
consultation and cooperation in the international structures,
including the UN. Ideas have also been exchanged about the Nagorno
Karabakh and Taiwan conflicts.
At the end of the meeting the Ministers signed an agreement between
the Republic of Armenia and the Chinese People~Rs Republic about the
mutual allotting of lands for the Embassies of both countries. They
also exchanged letters about the Chinese grant of 5 million juans
(800 000 USD) to be given to Armenia as technical support.
Then the RA Foreign Minister visited the new building of the RA
Embassy. On the same day Vardan Oskanyan met the Chinese Prime Minister
Vyen Dsiabao.
Tomorrow, on June 14, Minister Oskanyan will meet Van Xiaru, head of
the Chinese Communist Party International Administration. Furthermore,
the RA Minister will leave Peking for London, where that very day
he will make a speech in the Genocide Memorial event which will take
place in the Great Britain House of Lords.

CHANGED LAWS
A1plus
| 16:59:43 | 13-06-2005 | Official |
On June 11 Robert Kocharyan signed the laws on amending the RA Laws
on the budget system, Local governing, and Value Added Tax.

LET’S BE READY FOR EMERGENCIES
A1plus
| 16:57:44 | 13-06-2005 | Social |
The International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) is
in Armenia. On the initiative of different international and other
Rescue Advisory Groups which took part in the Spitak earthquake rescue
works in 1991 this structure was formed within the UN.
As Nikolay Grigoryan, head of the Emergency Administration information
service informs, the main aim is the efficient organization of the
international rescue advisory works, regulation of the works of
emergency services of different countries, processing of a general
methodology, and establishing cooperation between international
rescuers and local disaster eliminating structures.
On June 11-15 INSARAG will carry out the usual training in Armenia.
Representatives from 16 countries will take part in the training ~V
Armenia, France, USA, Sweden, Austria, Belarus, Japan, Turkey, Estonia,
Greece, Lebanon, Cyprus, Tunisia, South Africa, Jordan, and Iceland.

DUE TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES, 12 CHILDREN IN ARMENIA TO GIVE OPPORTUNITY
TO HEAR
YEREVAN, JUNE 13. ARMINFO. In 2005, 12 Armenian children will be
able to hear. It will be possible owing to the cochlear implantation
method, Executive Director of “Erebuni” Medical center (Yerevan)
Artur Ristomyan says journalists today.
He says that 6 children will be made surgical operation in a few days,
the rests – in 2005 autumn. Rostomyan noted that such operations
were made only in Russia (amongst CIS countries) before. To remind,
Armenia’s Health-Care Ministry organizes the Open Day for those having
problems with hearing. All comers may pass free consultations in
“Erebuni”, “Armenia” and “Arabkir” Medical centers.
According to Armenia’s Health-Care Ministry, 11.374 adults (4.106
are registered in the dispensary), 7.247 children under 14 (1.782
dispensary) and 1.397 15-17-years-old teenagers (523 dispensary)
have problems with hearing. -r-

6 WITNESSES INTERROGATED DURING TRIAL OF SPY FOR AZERI SPECIAL SERVIcES
YEREVAN, JUNE 13. ARMINFO. 6 witnesses were interrogated during today’s
court hearing of the case of Andrey Maziev who is accused of spying
for the Azeri special serviCes.
Maziev is facing charges of high treason, terrorist act and murder
political plotting.
The court has found out that Maziev tried to establish contacts
with the president of the Ashur Assyrian youth organization of
Armenia Irina Gasparyan who has taken part in many international
events in Tbilisi and Baku and has consequently had contacts with
Azeri representatives. In the spring 2002 she went to Baku to take
part in a conference of the South Caucasian ethnic minorities. Some
Zaur Hasan and Mahmud (the latter Azeri national security agent) met
her on the Georgian-Azeri border. At first they were very aggressive
but then calmed down. The men refused to be photographed. Gasparyan
says that during her visit she as not offered to move to Azerbaijan
pointblank but some hints were made – moreover the question was not
only about her personally but about the whole Assyrian community.
The employee of Yerevan Project Petros Sogomonyan says that he has also
been a target of such offers. In 1964-1972 he worked in Nakhichevan
for Soviet-Iranian expedition and for many years had business contacts
with Azeri KGB agents. Sogomonyan says that the Azeri special services
may be interested in him as an specialist.
Witness Artur Haroutyunyan says that Maziev asked him to help him to
get a job at Drmbon mining group but his father dissuaded him from
so doing. Witness Armenak Sirakanyan (class mate of Maziev, Defence
Ministry employee) says that Maziev was a constant bother for his
friends and relatives but he never said he contacted with the Azeri
special services.
The court has also found out that the Azeri special services instructed
Maziev to join the Communist Party of Armenia which he did in Apr 2000.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 17.

POLICE REPORT: MACHINE-GUN “AKM” FOUND IN A CAR TAKEN TO PENALTY AREA
YEREVAN, JUNE 13. ARMINFO. According to the police report, 5 motor-road
accidents were recorded in Armenia and one killed as a result June
10-11.
The Armenian Police informs ARMINFO of the main incidents. On June
10 the police officers arrested the two person wanted. A car run over
the pedestrian and injured a person, who was then hospitalized.
On June 11 Ararat Police Department was informed that a car BAZ2103
belonging to Samvel G. Was taken to penalty area. A machine gun “AKM”
was confiscated from the car, including, 60 cartridges of 7.62 caliber
belonging to Mkrtich O. Investigation is underway.
To person wanted for various crimes, including for premeditated damage
to health and evasion of military service were detained on June
11. The same day, 3 road accidents were registered, which resulted
in hospitalization of 4 persons.

BODY OF 18-YEAR AZGANUSH HAROUTIUNYAN FOUND IN A HOLE WITH RAINWATER
IN SHIRAK REGION
YEREVAN, JUNE 13. ARMINFO. A body of a 18-year resident of the village
of Agin, Shirak region, Azganush Haroutiunyan was found in a hole with
rainwater in the same region. A criminal case has been initiated on
the case, the press-service of the Emergency Situations Department
informs ARMINFO.

A1plus
| 18:39:21 | 13-06-2005 | Social |
JAVAKHQ WITHOUT ELECTRIC POWER
The residents of Samtskhe-Javakh express their concern over the
decision of the Georgian United Power Company to take the payment for
the used electric power in a new way. The information is provided by
the agency “A-Info”.
If before now every family paid for the power used by them, from now
on they will pay according to the indices of the special calculators
installed in villages and cities (the sum of the index is divided by
the quality of the families).
The Georgian United Power Company explains the fact by the desire to
avoid losses. But on the other hand the population suffers as the
families who have not used much energy will have to pay more than
they have used.
Several towns have already been deprived of electric power because
of refusing to accept this way of paying.