Mann believes Yerevan and Baku Can both Come out Victors at Talks

PanArmenian.net

Mann believes Yerevan and Baku Can Simultaneously Come out Victors at Talks

15.10.2005 19:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is a lull in the talks on settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict lately, however this is not due to the parliamentary
election in Azerbaijan, US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Steven Mann
stated. In his words, at present the attention of the Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia is drawn to the coming election in those countries.
«We expect the NK talks to continue after the parliamentary election in
Azerbaijan and referendum in Armenia,» he said. In spite the parties have a
firm stands at the talks, the mediators observe a favorable atmosphere in
the negotiation process, S. Mann remarked. «If both parties display more
creativity, we will advance,» he said. As of the peace proposals made by the
International Crisis Group, «various ideas are considered,» the US Co-Chair
said. Noting confidentiality should be observed at the talks, S. Mann added,
«We consider various options of compromise. I believe both Armenia and
Azerbaijan will be able to simultaneously come out victors at the talks.
This is not an easy thing to do. However I suppose it is still possible.» It
should be noted that October 24-25 the OSCE MG US, Russian and French
Co-Chairs will meet in Washington to discuss future plans. Steven Mann also
noted that the cooperation between the Co-Chairs is rather fruitful,
reported RFE/RL.
From: Baghdasarian

W PRELACY: LA Banquet For HH Aram I Attended by 1,200 and LA Mayor

PRESS RELEASE

Western Prelacy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Prelate, Western United States
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
Email: [email protected]

For more information:
Zanku Armenian (818) 243-3557
Mercata Group

Los Angeles Pontifical Banquet Draws Over 1,200 People Including Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa

Inspired by His Holiness, Surprise Donation of $1,000,000 Made to Western
Prelacy

(Los Angeles, CA – October 13, 2005) – The Los Angeles Armenian American
community joyously hosted a Pontifical banquet for His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, on Sunday, October 9, 2005,
drawing a capacity crowd of over 1,200 people from all segments of the
community. In addition to the many prominent members of the Los Angeles
Armenian American community, also in attendance were Gagik Kirakosian,
Consul General of the Republic of Armenia, Charbel Wehbi, Consul General of
Lebanon and several high-level public officials including Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa, State Senator Chuck Poochigian, members of Congress
and other city officials.

In addition to honoring His Holiness, the banquet also served as a forum to
thank the many large church benefactors who have recently made large
donations to the Western Prelacy to advance several large-scale projects
underway, especially the construction of the new Western Prelacy
headquarters building in La Crescenta, California.

Charlie Gailian was the banquet’s Master of Ceremonies and one of the first
words of appreciation were for John and Asdghig Bedrosian who generously
underwrote the cost of the entire banquet as well as making other major
contributions to the Western Prelacy. The welcoming remarks were made by
Ara Bedrosian, a member of the Public Relations Committee for the Pontiff’s
visit who was followed by Khajag Dikijian, from the Western Prelacy
Executive Council, who outlined the themes of the visit and the many
important leadership roles His Holiness plays throughout the world. Hrair
Balian, the chairman of the Executive Council offered a toast to His
Holiness stating that this visit will usher in a new era of expanded
activity for the church in the western United States. Eastern Prelate
Oshagan Choloyan gave brief remarks and said that His Holiness, through his
multi-faceted work beyond the Armenian community, has earned our church a
special place on the world stage. California State Senator Chuck Poochigian
took to the podium to welcome His Holiness and thank him for re-energizing
the community with his visit and offered a special proclamation from the
state senate recognizing his visit on the occasion of his 10th anniversary
of being elected Catholicos.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa briefly addressed the banquet and
expressed his deep appreciation for the opportunity to meet His Holiness and
respect for the important role the church plays in the life of the city.
While the Mayor met privately with His Holiness briefly that evening, Mayor
Villaraigosa said he looked forward to the official meeting he will have
with His Holiness at City Hall on October 14 along with the rest of the City
Council.

His Holiness shared many important thoughts during his remarks at the
banquet. He first recognized the Consul General of Lebanon explaining the
important role the country has played for him while growing up there and
noted that Lebanon is not just a country but a living message of how people
of different cultures and religions must learn to live with each other. He
then directed his remarks to the Consul General of Armenia by stating that
“while we in the diaspora were not born in Armenia, however Armenia was born
inside us and lives in each of our souls.” He said that over the course of
the past many decades, the diaspora kept the hopes of freedom alive for
Armenia and has struggled for the Armenian Cause and a free, independent and
united Armenia. The Great House of Cilicia in Antelias has played its part
in this struggle by keeping the Armenian yerakouyn (tri-color) waving and to
this day works hard to help rebuild Armenia stated His Holiness.

The Catholicos then focused on the theme of values and community service.
He said, “people come and go, but values remain” and for that reason it is
important that we live life with high moral values always seeking to unite
together to build our communities and build bridges of understanding and
trust. “Positions don’t elevate people but rather people elevate
positions,” he said. In that context he also noted that the Great House of
Cilicia always seeks close collaboration with the Holy See in Etchmiadzin to
reinforce our national values and faithfulness by serving the people.
“While we are physically in Antelias, we live outside Antelias,” stated His
Holiness. “Antelias is alive in each of us.”

Inspired by His Holiness, one of the highlights of the evening was the
surprise donation of $1,000,000 by Khachik and Elo Mouradian to establish an
endowment fund for the Western Prelacy. This added to the generosity of the
many other major benefactors who were recognized during the evening by the
Catholicos for their major contributions including Mr. and Mrs. John and
Asdghig Bedrosian and Carolan Family for contributing $250,000 each; Mr. and
Mrs. Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian, Mrs.Ashkhen Pilavjian, Mrs. Rose
Kasimian, Forest Lawn Memorial Parks, Mr. and Mrs. Osko and Yeran
Karghossian and Mr. and Mrs. Krikor and Kohar Sulahian all of whom made
donations in excess of $100,000 each.

To honor some of the benefactors for their exemplary contributions to the
Western Prelacy building fund and to various schools and community centers,
His Holiness presented special medals of honor including the “Cilician
Eeshkhan (Prince)” medal to Mrs. Ashkhen Pilavjian for her sponsorship of
the ARS preschool at Holy Martyrs in addition to recent contribution to the
Western Prelacy building; and “Cilician Asbed (Knight)” medals to Mr. and
Mrs. Sarkis and Susan Kitsinian for their contribution to the Pasadena St.
Sarkis Church, Mr. and Mrs. Krikor and Kohar Sulahian, Mr. and Mrs. Tony and
Eileen Keusseyan, Mr. and Mrs. Osko and Yeran Karaghossian and Mr. and Mrs.
Varant and Houri Melkonian all for their various contributions to the
Western Prelacy building fund and other endeavors. His Holiness also
presented a special cross to Father Nareg Shrikian for his more than 50
years of service to the church and community.

Representatives from many of the major organizations in the Armenian
community of Los Angeles were in attendance including the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Central Committee and Bureau, the Armenian Relief
Society, the Homenetmen, Armenian General Benevolent Union, the Board of
Regents of Armenian Schools, National Representative Assembly of the Church
and the Executive Council of the Western Prelacy. Also present were clergy
from various churches including a representative of the Diocese. Other
officials in the audience included various Armenian American judges and city
officials including Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian and City Councilman Ara
Najarian.
From: Baghdasarian

Man `confessed killing to me’

Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, UK
Oct 15 2005

Man `confessed killing to me’

15 October 2005 07:00

A woman told a jury at Norwich Crown Court yesterday a relative
confessed to her he had killed a man whose body was found burnt in a
field.

Detectives spent almost a year trying to identify the body of
42-year-old Armenian Hovanhannes Amirian, whose body was found at
Upton, near Peterborough in December 2002.

Armenians Nishan Bakunts, 28, and his father-in-law Misha
Chatsjatrjan, 44, allegedly killed their countryman Amirian – also
known as Sako – over a ‘family quarrel’, then sought to destroy
evidence linking them to him.

Sako was said to have been shot and stabbed in the medical room at
the Cooper Roller Bearings factory at King’s Lynn, where Bakunts was
a security officer. His body was then taken to the field and set on
fire.

Giving evidence yesterday, Bakunts’s sister, Irina Aroustamian, who
is seeking asylum to live in Belgium, said when she spoke to
Chatsjatrjan – her brother’s father-in-law – he had confessed to
putting eight bullets into Sako’s head.

She said he made his confession as at the time he thought he had
liver cancer and had three months to live.

Speaking through an interpreter, Ms Aroustamian said Chatsjatrjan
told her Sako had gone on his knees and pleaded to him: “Don’t kill
me, I have children”.

She said after the killing her brother helped Chatsjatrjan clean up
the room.

Cross-examined by Nigel Lithman, QC, defending Chatsjatrjan, she
denied she had been telling a “pack of lies.”

The jury also heard more details about the dead man Sako being wanted
for questioning about the murder of Pogosian Ernait, who was killed
on November 30, 2000 at Ostend, in Belgium.

Det Chief Inspector Kurt Devilder, of the Belgian police, told the
jury that he had helped with the identification of Sako by obtaining
DNA samples from the dead man’s child.

He said Bakunts was originally linked to the murder of Mr Ernait but
further investigations eliminated him from the inquiry and it was
found that references to him had been made maliciously.

He agreed that Sako was now suspected of being the culprit.

Det Chief Insp Devilder also said that Sako was known for extorting
money from members of the Armenian community and was a
“self-confessed Mafia man” who was feared within the Armenian
community in Belgium.

Bakunts, of Lichfield Road, Yarmouth, and Chatsjatrjan, who was
living in Holland, have both denied murdering Sako, who was the
Godfather of Bakunts and his wife Arpine Karapetian, 24.

The trial continues.

‘Grand Holding’ Presents Modern Equipment for Ophthalmologic Clinic

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 15/10/2005

Healthcare

‘GRAND HOLDING’ PRESENTS MODERN EQUIPMENT FOR OPHTHALMOLOGIC CLINIC

Aleksander Malayan, head of Malayan Ophthalmologic Clinic, and Hrant
Vardanian, director of “Grand Holding” signed a cooperation contract on
October 13. According to the contract, Hrant Vardanian will provide the
clinic with equipment that gives the digital image of retina. This is the
last word of ophthalmology. In exchange for the equipment the clinic will
provide the whole staff of “Grant Holding” with medical services free of
charge until the financial sources the company invested will be redeemed.
The cooperation contract is for 30 years. “Grant Holding” will continue
providing the clinic with various medical equipments under the same
conditions. “This contract is in the interests of both the clinic and our
staff and our people,” Hrant Vardanian said. “When I was undergoing
treatment in this clinic I had to leave for Moscow for further treatment at
Fyodorov’s clinic, as we didn’t have that equipment here. Today this problem
is solved,” he said.

According to Mr. Malian, today we should pay more attention to our health,
when each second a man becomes blind and each moment a child loses his
sight. 15 thousand people apply to the ocular clinic and 4 thousand of them
undergo operations annually. If years ago people had problems with eyesight
in the age of 60-65, now the patients apply to the clinic from the age of
50-55. Mr. Malayan conditioned this fact by ecological problems and the fact
that our society is not health conscious.

Mr. Malian said that there are many patients with diabetes and high blood
pressure. This instrument will greatly help in diagnosis of retina even in
the stage when the patient feels no changes in the organism. This example of
cooperation with “Grand Holding” is very important for the fact that the
clinic would be able to purchase the instrument on its on sources only many
years after. Mr. Vardanian assured that he will continue this cooperation,
realizing that the most important wealth of our nation is the health.

By Tamar Minasian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assistant of U.S Secretary of State to Arrive in Yerevan

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 15/10/2005

Visit

ASSISTANT OF US SECRETARY OF STATE TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

Daniel Freed, assistant US secretary of state, will arrive in Yerevan on
October 18, Madiamax informs referring to its sources at the US embassy.
Freed will meet Armenian President Robert Kocharian during his visit. Freed
used to be director for European and Eurasian Affairs at the National
Security Council before appointment as assistant state secretary.

Daniel Freed is the first high-ranking US official of that caliber who will
visit Armenia since George Bush’s election in 2004. In March of 2004 US
deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage visited Armenia. In August of
2001 Elizabeth Jones, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian
affairs, arrived in Yerevan and deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott
from Clinton’s administration was in Armenia in 1999.

Only once a US secretary of state landed in Armenia. It was James Baker in
1992.

French Insurance Company AXA Operates in Turkey Too

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 15/10/2005

Turkey

FRENCH INSURANCE COMPANY AXA OPERATES IN TURKEY TOO

On October 4 and 6, daily Azg informed that the French Axa Insurance Company
will pay $ 17 million to descendants of policyholders who perished during
the Armenian Genocide. The descendants had earlier filed a class action
lawsuit in California against Axa demanding compensation. The company then
agreed to pay by the end of the proceedings. The sides signed an agreement.

In accordance with the agreement, Axa is going not only to pay the owing $17
million but also provide aid of several millions to Armenian charity
organizations in France. Allegedly, the court of California will make a
decision in November based on the sides’ agreement.

On October 13, Turkish Public TV aired about this agreement; Zaman paper’s
response came on 14th. As it transpired from Turkish response, Axa has a
branch in Turkey called Axa-Oyak.

Founded in 1961 as Aid Union for Servicemen, Oyak is currently one of the
key companies with more than 40 plants, including machine-building ones.
Acquiring 11 percent of the company’s shares, Axa joined with Oyak and later
became co-shareholder raising the number of shares to 50 percent.

By Hakob Chakrian

Is the Caliphate Threat a Real One?

sp?aid=17326
ChronWatch, CA
Oct 15 2005

Is the Caliphate Threat a Real One?
Written by David Litvak
Saturday, October 15, 2005

Editor, The San Francisco Chronicle

Your dismissal of President Bush’s ascertation that our adversaries
intend to create a `radical Islamic empire that spans from Spain to
Indonesia’ is not surprising. Whether you approve of President
Bush’s handling of the present conflict in Iraq or not, that
statement is a matter of fact. No sane person would want to see the
religious wars that tore Europe to pieces in the 16th and 17th
centuries reenacted today but this is precisely what is happening in
Western Europe, in the Russian Federation, in Indonesia, in China in
Thailand, in the Philippines, in Nigeria, in the Sudan and other
points. Our enemies, and we are their enemies, have time and time
again stated in clear and precise terms that this is a holy war and
they mean to win it.

These past 60 odd years the West has been on the defensive trying
(ineffectually) to keep Islam at bay and Islam has been on the
offensive their declared aim being to convert by armed force the
infidels except the Jews whose eradication from this planet has been
(with Europe’s quiet acquiescence) pronounced, save young Jewish
maidens destined to be parceled out to the harems of the faithful.

It was in 1915 that the Caliphate (aka the Ottoman Empire) decided to
exterminate her Christian-Armeni – an subjects (1.6 million by
conservative estimate) and incidentally, showed their Germans allies
the proper way to conduct genocide; and on Sept 9th, 1922 in the port
of Smyrna they butchered Armenians, Greeks and Jews, sparing neither
age or sex, to the tune of 100,000 plus..

It was shortly after – wards that Turkey, now a secular republic
expelled all the Greeks from Anatolia where they had been living
since the days of the Greek city-states.

War does indeed make strange bedfellows. The Caliphate’s allies,
Germany, Austro-Hungary & Bulgaria, Christian nations all, made no
attempt whatsoever to help their co-religionists. In 1915, Germany
had several division stationed in Mesopotamia who could easily have
stopped that slaughter, but the only nation to protest that holocaust
was the United States but as she was, military speaking a nullity,
the protest was simply ignored.

As an aside, when the Turks had finished butchering the Armenians and
were about to start on the Jews (thanks to the Balfour declaration),
the Germans stopped them. Go figure.

But Islam as a whole went on the offensive in 1947 when Britain (then
still Great) abandoned her imperial responsibilities when she allowed
India to slide into anarchy, 700,000(?) of her subjects brutally
mur – dered and tens of millions driven from their homes in a state of
beggary, a calamity for which Mahatma (“give us chaos”) Gandhi that
apostle of non-violence, must share the moral responsibility together
with Lord Louis Mountbatten of Britain & Mohammed Ali Jinnah of the
Muslim League and, incidentally, helping to usher in the first of the
religious wars that are even now raging all over this planet and
which finally came to these shore on Feb. 26th, 1993.

In all these religious wars, with the exception of Northern Ireland,
Islam has been the aggressor.

One item amongst dozens should suffice. In the 1960s Islam exploded
in both Indonesia as well as Malaysia in righteous wrath against the
Zionist-Imperial Infidel, but as there were no Jews and very few
Westerners to kill, the Chinese had to play the role of the victims
and butchered they were in the tens of thousands, and now that the
U.S. once again has moved against Jihadistan, the Chinese may very
well be called upon to act again as victims.

In the Western world new mosques are going up every day; everywhere
where Islam rules, the syna – gogues, some dating back to Babylonian
times have already been shut down and such churches that are still
open are on sufferance.

Equally, wherever Islam has seized power all the Jews have been
expelled from territories where they have been living since
Babylonian, in some cases Assyrian times, and such Westerners that
are still there are either diplomats, journalists or Western
renegades selling their expertise to Islam.

In the West, every major and many a minor university has at least one
chair devoted to Islamic studies every one of which are staffed by
Islamic scholars. How many Islamic universities have departments of
Western studies? And how many (if any) of them are staffed with
Western scholars?

On September 11th, 2001, when New York & Washington were successfully
attacked, (Islam 19, Infidels 2,977), the Arab Street went delirious
with joy and not just in the Middle East but also in all Islamic
enclaves in Europe. And how did the West respond? The opinion- &
decision-makers fell all over themselves in their haste to explain
Islam to the infidels, to the point that His Holiness, the Pope, the
President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Britain went
to the Mosques, and assured us and more important, themselves, that
this is not a religious war. Unfortunately, the other side insists
that this is a religious war and that they mean to win it.

Islam tried three times, Poitiers, 732, Vienna 1588 & 1683, to
conquer Western Europe by force of arms and each time they were
turned back – just. But now, there is no need for Islam to march for
the third time on Vienna, nor burst once more across the Pyrenees for
the enemy (is there a more appropriate term?) is already within the
gates. Europe is and continues to be inundated by a tidal wave of
asylum-demanders & illegal immigrants none of whom bother even for an
instant to hide their venomous hatred of the West and all it stands
for; and the governments of Europe are paralyzed by
political-correctness, inertia or sheer moral cowardice to stop that
invasion.

In France, a junior minister admitted, that the government was afraid
that their local Muslim population might have gone on a jihad should
France have decided to join the United States in going to war with
Iraq or any other Muslim nation. For the time being, the French
government tries to deflect the jihadists by throwing them their
Jewish citizens as a sop, but it is only a matter of time before the
holy warriors get tired of torching synagogues and kosher shops and
turn their attention to churches (as happened once already in
England) and wine & pork shops. (Anybody noticed how ‘quiet’ the
Arab Street has become since Jonathan put on his hobnailed boots and
kicked butt?)

In Holland Islam has achieved that critical mass of 10%–and a 10%
minority full of passionate intensity & burning with fervor to spread
the word can always achieve mastery over the apathetic 90% who have
lost faith in their institutions and traditions; aided and abetted by
Islam’s useful idiots, the European intelligentsia (God, what a
hateful Russian word) who in their relentless culture war against the
West are doing invaluable service to ensure Islam’s victory by making
the West lose trust in their institutions, denigrating her
accomplishments and making them ashamed of their past. (Treason of
the intellectuals?)

I In Britain, what the Spanish, French & Germans tried to
do and failed; Islam succeeded and did so with – out firing a shot.
There are now places in Britain where the Queen’s writ no longer runs
but Sharia rules. This loss of sovereignty was amply demonstrated in
1988 when the ruling Ayatollah of Iran issued a death sentence
against one Salmon Rushdie the author of the Satanic Verses. The
Muslims of Britain made it quite clear that the pronouncement of an
Iranian cleric took precedence over the laws of Britain (which goes
some length to explain why Britain had to drop the ‘Great’ from its
title). Then, of course there is the bombing of the London subway
system on July 7th & 21st of this year to which the local press
responded in its usual fashion of spending more ink agonizing over
the fact of a possible backlash by the dhimmitudes against the
faithful (none yet recorded) then on the victims of that foul deed.

In Spain a government was dismissed from office and the
reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula is well on its way.

And how has Europe responded to these and other threats? The
European Parliament has recently passed legislation that will make a
letter like this a criminal offence both to the writer as well as to
the re – cipient should the latter fail to alert the authorities. In
Germany, the dominant power of the European Union, this is known as
Anmeldepflicht.

Postscripts

-o- What would have happened had Islam won the battle of Poitiers
(and it was a dammed close thing)? Let Edward Gibbons (1737-1794
author of The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire tell it in his own
inimitable way:

A victorious line of march had been prolonged above a thousand miles
from the rock of Gibraltar to the banks of the Loire; the repetition
of an equal space would have carried the Saracens to the confines of
Poland and the Highlands of Scotland: the Rhine is not more
impassable than the Nile or Euphrates, and the Arabian fleet might
have sailed without a naval combat into the mouth of the Thames.
Perhaps the interpretation of the Koran would now be taught in the
schools of Oxford, and her pulpits might demonstrate to a circumcised
people the sanctity and truth of the revelation of Mahomet.

-o- Although Islam was stopped cold at Poitiers and Vienna, she
conquered and held in subjugation for several hundred years present
day: Albania / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Crete / Cyprus /
Greece / Hungary / Montenegro / Portugal/ Romania / Serbia / Spain /
and that’s just in Europe.

-o- Although Islam promises every hour on the hour to slaughter Jews
wherever they can be found, the principal victims of their righteous
rage to date have been: Christians (2 millions minimum) / Buddhists /
Hindus (700,000?) / Sikhs / Muslim (Shiites vs. Sunnis) Jainists /
Parsis / Pagans / Animists / etc. etc. etc. with Jews at the end of
the line. Islam does not discriminate; it is an equal opportunity
killer.

-o- It is a perfect indicator of the time we live in that the leaders
of the West: political, scholastic, ecclesiastic, and above all, the
pontificators of the Fourth Estate simply cannot bring themselves to
face, let alone to state the obvious fact that the West is
immeasurably superior to Islam. Harmony in music / perspective in
painting / painless surgery / the eradication of many diseases that
had plagued mankind throughout the ages / the abolishment of slavery
/ the harnessing of electricity, of steam and oil / the principles of
flight, including into outer space / of photography / household
plumbing (let us pay homage to the lowly Western plumber for it was
he, not the medical profession, who banished cholera, dysentery &
typhoid) / telephone, television & the computer/ the list goes on and
on. Further, the universal languages of the arts & sciences are:
English, French, Italian & German all Western tongues. The proof of
the pudding is in the eating. Islamic students go to Western
universities in their tens of thousands, very few Westerners attend
Islamic universities save for religious studies.

http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.a

ALIYEV: Azerbaijan’s patience on Nagorno-Karabakh limited

President: Azerbaijan’s patience on Nagorno-Karabakh limited

.c The Associated Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) – Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev said Friday
that the ex-Soviet nation still hopes to settle the long-running
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through talks, but added that its patience
was running out and called for a military buildup.

“Our patience has limits,” Aliev said in a speech to youth
organizations in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. “I am absolutely
convinced that if we want to get our lands back on the basis of a fair
peace, we need to pay big attention to building up our military.”

Aliev previously has made similar statements while campaigning for the
ruling New Azerbaijan party in the run-up to the Nov. 6 parliamentary
elections. The statements are an apparent response to the
opposition’s claim that a change in government is necessary to win
back control over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed enclave that has been
under the control of Armenian separatists since the early 1990s.

Oil-rich Azerbaijan budgeted over US$300 million (euro248 million) for
defense this year and is set to double its defense spending next
year. In comparison, Armenia’s defense budget for next year is
equivalent to US$150 million (euro124 million).

Aliev on Friday pledged to make Azerbaijan’s defense budget equivalent
to the entire Armenian state budget, adding that it will help regain
control over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains high more than a decade
after a 1994 cease-fire ended a six-year war that left
Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenian hands. Some 30,000 people were killed and
1 million displaced. The lack of a resolution of the enclave’s status
has impeded economic development in the region.

10/14/05 15:08 EDT

Armenian Class at a School in Kiev

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 15/10/2005

Diaspora

ARMENIAN CLASS AT A SCHOOL IN KIEV

A press release from the RA Foreign Ministry informs that an Armenian class
opened at the 85th secondary school of Kiev. The opening ceremony drew the
Armenian ambassador to Ukraine, clergies from the Ukrainian diocese of the
Armenian Church and members of the Armenian community. Ambassador Armen
Khachatrian and head of the Ukrainian diocese Archbishop Grigoris Buniatian
spoke about Armenia’s past and present, its culture and Armenian-Ukrainian
friendship. The newly opened Armenian class will teach Armenian language,
history and geography to 35 pupils. The graduation documents will include
grades on these subjects.

The Armenian embassy in Kiev handed the class Armenian textbooks and the
Armenian community presented a TV and a videocassette recorder.

By Gohar Gevorgian

Draft Budget 2006 Under Discussion

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 15/10/2005

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DRAFT BUDGET 2006 UNDER DISCUSSION

Draft law “On RA State Budget 2006” envisages AMD 1,9 billion for RA
President’s Administration which surpasses budget allocations in 2005 by AMD
62 million. Artashes Tumanian, head of President’s Administration, stated
yesterday

He said that, in fact, the expenses made in 2006 remained unchanged as
compared with those in 2005. Unessential growth of allocations is
conditioned by the growth of salaries and transportation expenses. Besides,
it is envisaged to allocate AMD 346 million for renovation works instead of
AMD 220 million. In fact, A. Tumanian didn’t answer a journalist’s question
about purchasing new vehicles for RA President’s garage, which means that
the number of vehicles will increase from 40 to 60.