Month: October 2006

Armenians Protest Turkish Peacekeepers In Lebanon

October 13, 2006 10:45 a.m. EST

Joseph S. Mayton – All Headline News Middle East Correspondent Beirut,
Lebanon (AHN) – Thousands of Lebanese of Armenian descent demonstrated
against Turkish involvement in the revamped United Nations
peacekeeping force in the country on Thursday. The rally was held at
Martyr’s Square in downtown Beirut.

"We, the Armenian community, are against the deployment of Turkish
troops in South Lebanon, because of their history as a violent state,"
Hagop Havatian, a spokesman for the ARFTashnak Party, said at the
protest.

"Last week we sent letters to every member of the Lebanese parliament
asking them to reconsider the issue. We also sent a letter to
[U.N. Secretary General] Kofi Annan but until now, there has been no
reply," Havatian continued. Armenians argue that up to 1.5 million of
their ancestors were killed in orchestrated killings by Ottoman Turks
during the first World War. Most historians say this was genocide.

"We will continue our refusal in democratic ways," Havatian
added. "This act ignores one of the biggest groups in Lebanon. We feel
hurt and feel humiliated and hope the Lebanese government will
reconsider this issue and our feelings," he said.

October 12, 2006

As American as Vartan, Luis and Na
By CINDY CHANG

LOS ANGELES

TO the people who suggest it might be easier if he calls himself
Victor, Vartan Zhamkochyan has a simple answer: no way. And though his
last name ismore of a tongue twister than his first name, that, too,
is nonnegotiable.

Mr. Zhamkochyan and his wife, Naira Mnatsakanyan, shunned the
time-honored immigrant tradition of anglicizing their names when they
became United States citizens last month. Both are determined to keep
using their full Armenian names, despite the obvious inconveniences.

`They can’t say my first name or my last name,’ said Ms. Mnatsakanyan
(whose full name is pronounced NIGH-rah meh-naht-sah-KHAN-yahn), 35,
an accounting student from Burbank, outside Los Angeles. `It’s really
hard for them. But I love for them to try and say it, since it’s my
name, it’s my father’s name.’

Hayedeh or Heidi? Estuardo or Steve? Simhe Kohnovalsky or Sam Cohn?
>From the ragtag Polish farmer at Ellis Island to the wealthy
businessman who arrives on a first-class flight from Tehran,
immigrants with names likely to trip up the average American have to
confront questions about one of the most defining pieces of a person’s
identity.

Plenty of immigrants still change their names to something easier for
their new compatriots to pronounce. But unlike their Ellis Island
predecessors, modern immigrants live in a multicultural society where
assimilation no longer means having to sever all ties to where they
are from.

Today’s anglicizations are less likely to be forced by bosses or
teachers and more likely to be the product of careful consideration
about the tradeoff between fitting in and giving up a part of one’s
heritage, immigrants and cultural experts say.

Increasing acceptance of nonmainstream names seems an inevitable next
step, as immigrant pride finds a prominent place on the national stage
– witness the millions of Spanish speakers chanting `SÃ-, se puede’
(`Yes, we can’) in the streets last spring – and new Americans
maintain a firm grip on their native languages, foods and customs.

Only 16 percent of the nearly 700,000 people who became naturalized
citizens in the last year requested a name change, according to
statistics from the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services. The rest decided to stick with given names like Quirino,
Takero, Wenyi and Erendira.

`Obviously, early in the 20th century, with the whole Americanization
movement, people were encouraging the immigrant community to be more
American,’ said Marian Smith, the _immigration_
( ence/timestopics/subjects/i/immigration_and_refuge es/index.html?inline=3Dnyt-classifier)
services historian. `If you fast forward 50 years, you find an America
where people say that’s something you really have to think about, how
much of your identity is your name. To even suggest to someone that
they change their name is to suggest there’s something wrong with
their name as it is.’ While many choose American first names for
their offspring, that is also changing. Angel was the most popular
name for Hispanic boys born in New York City in 2005, according to its
Health and Mental Hygiene Department, with José and Luis also among
the top 20. There were 162 Carloses, 95 Giovannis, 41 Guadalupes, 25
Anjalis and 17 Yukis born to New Yorkers last year.

In a country where falafel and pad thai are now nearly as commonplace
as Chinese takeout, some children of immigrants are even reclaiming
their ethnic names, suddenly announcing that they will no longer use
the American first names their parents gave them but will henceforth
be known as Aiko or Ying-hui.

`We feel much more accepted into American society now,’ said Hongxia
Liu, who came to the United States from Beijing in 1986 and has kept
her Chinese name, which means rainbow. `Why not keep our own identity,
our cultural heritage, including the name, especially the name coming
from your parents?’ Ms. Liu, the director of an international legal
assistance center in Washington, says that friends puzzle over how to
pronounce her name, especially the ` x.’ She tells them to think of it
like the `sh’ sound.

She and her husband, Jianye Wang, named their daughter and son Lumay
and Jayon – derivatives of the Chinese names Lumei and Jiyang. The
Wangchildren, now teenagers, love their names.

`We wanted to keep the Chinese identity but in the meantime make them
easy to pronounce and remember,’ Ms. Liu said.

Tina Cordova, who owns a construction company in Albuquerque, grew up
in an era when many Hispanic parents avoided speaking Spanish at home
in the hope that their children would grow up to be wholly
American. Her father, Anastasio Antonio Cordova, always went by Tony,
and he named his four children Tina, Tammy, Matthew and William.

Now, all of Ms. Cordova’s immigrant employees go by names like
Santiago and Alejandro. Her grandchildren, Marcus Philimon and
Demetrius Anthony, have names that, if not traditionally Mexican, are
a departure from the `Leave It to Beaver’ names of her
generation.

`Everyone was trying back then to fit in, hence me and my brothers and
sister have very American names,’ said Ms. Cordova, 47. `Now there’s a
tendency toward not feeling so uncomfortable naming your children
something that sounds ethnic.’ Based on data compiled from birth
certificates, Stanley Lieberson, a _Harvard_
( /timestopics/organizations/h/harvard_university/in dex.html?inline=3Dnyt-org)
sociology professor, concluded that until the 1980’s, immigrants
quickly conformed to prevailing normsin naming their children. But he
also noticed that African-American names diverged increasingly from
the mainstream in a pattern that correlated with growingsocial status
and racial pride. A similar trend may be developing among immigrants
today.

`Declaring I am whatever it is I am is cool now, where it might
nothave been earlier, partly because of a greater tolerance to
nonassimilation,’ Professor Lieberson said. `There is a shift
over time toward ethnic assertiveness.’ Frank and Na Hong, like many
other Asian immigrants, gave their two children American first names
and Korean middle names. Their son, Timothy Seung-Ho Hong, often
fended off ethnic slurs while growing up in Seattle and New Orleans.

But in college, Mr. Hong took ethnic studies classes and joined
Asian-American advocacy groups. When he moved back to New Orleans six
yearsago, Mr. Hong started going by Seung-Ho, later shortening it to
Seung after people had trouble pronouncing the full name.

The transition has mostly gone smoothly, though his father still slips
up and addresses him as Timmy. People routinely butcher the name,
calling him Shawn or Sang – it is pronounced `Sung’ – and are more
likely to assume that he is a foreigner. But for Mr. Hong the
inconvenience is worth it.

`I wanted to more strongly connect with my history, my culture and
having my name be kind of like a reminder of who I am,’ said Mr. Hong,
30, who is the legislative director for a New Orleans city
councilwoman.

Some Asian-Americans who started out using their ethnic first names
switched to more traditional American names, only to reclaim their
original names as adults. After moving to Indiana from Southern
California, Fumiko China’s parents decided she would have a tough
enough time being half Japanese in the Midwest without having a
foreign-sounding name. From then on, she was known by her middle name,
Catherine.

Ms. Chino is now using her Japanese name again, and three of her four
siblings have also reverted.

`I love the fact that it’s an old Japanese name,’ said Ms. Chino, 29,
who until recently worked in the art department of an anime film
company in Houston. `People who are Fumikos are in their 70’s. It’s
unique, and I like that.

It also helps clarify who I am. I hate getting the question,
`What are you?’ ‘

In Hollywood, too, where name changes are as common as nose jobs, the
tide may be turning, as Asian actresses like Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li
star in big-budget productions.

The actress Ming-Na tried going by Maggie and Doris as a teenager, an
attempt to fit in better at a school in the Pittsburgh area, where she
was the only Asian student. But she said none of those names felt
right, and she stuck with her given name as she tried to forge a
career in Hollywood, even rejecting advice from Wayne Wang, the
director of `The Joy Luck Club,’ that she anglicize it.

She went on to become one of Hollywood’s best-known Asian-American
actresses.

At her suggestion, the Chinese-American doctor she played on `ER’
underwent a name change from Deb to Jing-Mei.

`What’s great is that as you grow up, you have a stronger idea of who
you are and pride about your heritage,’ she said. `It becomes more of,
`No, no, you guys have got to come around to learn how to
pronounce our names.’ NYTimes.com

October 13, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

AT THE ORANGE COUNTY ARMENIAN BOOK FAIR

LET US WALK WITH FAITH AND FOLLOW THE PATH, MISSION, AND TRADITIONS OF OUR
HOLY TRANSLATORS

DECLARED THE PRELATE
On Sunday, October 8, in celebration of Armenian cultural month, the Forty
Martyrs Pastor, Board of Trustees, and the administration of A.G. Minassian
School had organized a book fair, under the auspices of H.E. Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, which took place at `Gugasian’ Hall. On the
morning of the book fair, the Prelate conducted Holy Mass at `Gugasian’ Hall
(due to renovation at the church). Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian and
Parish Pastor Rev. Hrant Yeretsian assisted at the altar.
In his sermon, the Prelate first gave thanks to God for granting
him the opportunity to be with the Orange County parishioners and to jointly
celebrate Armenian cultural month and to preside over the opening of the
book fair. The Prelate commended the combined efforts of the pastor, board
of trustees, and parishioners in the renovation of the church, stating that
alongside the physical renovation of the church, each and every parishioner
must also be renewed spiritually. He emphasized that the community members
must stand together and pursue not only the physical renovation of the
church but also the renewal of themselves, their community, organizations,
and other affiliated bodies. Only by working together with faith for the
fulfillment of a common mission, can we enjoy the fruits of our service,
concluded the Prelate.
Following Mass, the parishioners headed in a procession to the
hall of the `Armenian Center’, where the Prelate conducted the opening of
the book fair.

The Prelate Visits A.G. Minassian School

On Wednesday, October 11, the Prelate paid an official visit to
Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School in Orange County, as part of his
visitations to Prelacy Schools on the occasion of the beginning of the new
academic year. Accompanying the Prelate were Very Rev. Fr. Barthev
Gulumian, Rev. Hrant Yeretsian, and Executive Council Chairman Dr. Garo
Agopian.
At the school, the Prelate was greeted by Principal Mr. Assadour
Assadourian, after which he visited each class where he spoke to the
students about the Armenian language and culture founded by our holy
translators. The students in turn greeted the guests with songs and poetry
dedicated to the Armenian language.
The Prelate then met with the school principal and church board
of trustees, where he received updates on the school’s endeavors and their
future plans. The visit concluded with the Prelate offering his blessings
for a safe year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Edina N. Bobelian
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

October 13, 2006
____________________

RESEARCHERS ENSURING PROSPERITY FOR ARMENIA WITH SUPPORT OF FAR

Armenians have much to be proud of. A strong people, they have survived
countless hardships and disasters. They have created emotionally stirring
works of literature and cultivated a deep and lasting faith. Previous
generations of Armenians were continually recognized for their academic and
scientific achievements.

During the past 100 years, Armenians have been global leaders in fields such
as laser technology, cosmic ray physics, and astrophysics. However, with
the joys of independence came a devastating financial crunch that left many
talented scientists and researchers unable to pursue their studies and
projects in their homeland.

With little economic support from the government and the nation’s scientific
institutions, many of Armenia’s brightest minds began leaving their country
in search of employment opportunities elsewhere. As they continue to
emigrate, the hopes of using Armenia’s academic rigor to create a better
future are diminishing. Now, however, it looks like a brighter dawn will
rise, thanks in part to the efforts of a few ambitious Armenian-American
scientists and the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).

FUNDING GREAT WORKS

In 1999, a group of prominent academic and community leaders founded the
Armenian National Science and Education Fund (ANSEF) under the auspices of
FAR. Their goal was to provide support and guidance to the scientific and
scholarly talent in Armenia.

Brilliant thinkers – such as Edgar Housepian, Vartan Gregorian, Yervant
Terzian, Tavit Najarian, Harut Barsamian, Garabed Eknoyan, Mihran Agbabian,
and Aram Chobanian – founded ANSEF because they knew how vital it was for
the newly independent Republic of Armenia to retain its most educated
citizens.

“It is well recognized that for a nation to survive and be successful it
should have a strong academic and research environment. A nation’s lasting
legacy is reflected in the great works of its people,” said Dr. Yervant
Terzian, a world-renown astrophysicist at Cornell University and one of the
original founders of ANSEF. “We have done so much to help Armenians simply
survive, but by supporting science we are building a solid foundation for a
prosperous, independent Armenia.”

ANSEF provides grants directly to scientists and scholars, funding research
in the fields of engineering, natural sciences, physical sciences, and the
humanities. It only takes $5,000 to fund a project for one year —
providing salaries for several researchers and assistants, along with
computers and equipment. Very often this financial help supports
researchers support their families.

“FAR is grateful to have so many brilliant thinkers working hard to improve
all of Armenia by improving conditions for the nation’s scholars,” said
Kevork Hovnanian, FAR’s Founder and Honorary Life Chairman. “People like
Dr. Terzian could easily do nothing, but instead they give of their time and
talent to make a difference in Armenia. And it takes so little to help a
researcher stay in Armenia.”

Each year FAR is able to offer around 20 ANSEF grants, though it receives
between 200 to 300 quality proposals. Funds are awarded to select proposals
following a peer review and recommendation by distinguished academics in
research institutions such as Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and
others.

BUILDING A CULTURE OF MERIT

This peer-review of projects is unique in Armenia, where Soviet authorities
awarded research funding based on connections and the arbitrary will of the
government rather than skill. By requiring proposals to undergo a
peer-review by international experts, FAR is teaching Armenia’s researchers
how to be competitive in today’s global, knowledge-based marketplace.

“The aim of ANSEF is to assist in maintaining and strengthening the Armenian
intellectual community,” said Dr. Terzian, who chairs the ANSEF Research
Council that coordinates the anonymous refereeing of the proposals to
international experts for review. “This will ensure creating the great
leaders needed for a strong country. We should do our best to promote
excellence and to encourage the young generation to follow the pioneering
scientific and scholarly tradition in Armenia.”

In the six years of its existence, ANSEF has received 1,258 project
proposals. It has been able to provide funding for 144 projects. More than
500 senior and junior researchers have been able to continue their work in
Armenia thanks to ANSEF support. More than 235 articles have been published
in prestigious international scientific journals based on research made
possible by ANSEF grants.

Because the rules governing funding are so stringent, ANSEF grants are
recognized by Armenian researchers as a validation of their work. They
realize the importance of this new system, which has also helped raise the
quality of proposals to meet international standards.

SHAPING THE FUTURE

Another consideration in awarding grants is the inclusion of young
scientists and scholars in the team of researchers who work on the
proposals. By rewarding quality over connections, ANSEF gives vital support
to younger researchers who have good, solid ideas. This helps build the
next generation of Armenian intellectuals.

Dr. Astghik Shahkhatuni, for example, is a junior researcher at the Molecule
Structure Research Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
Dr. Shahkhatuni, 26 years old, has been internationally recognized for her
work in understanding the structure of the human genome, work funded in part
by an ANSEF grant.

With the support of ANSEF, Dr. Shahkhatuni is able to stay in Armenia, while
making incredible scientific advances. By remaining in Armenia she also
serves as a role-model for her peers and the younger generation, encouraging
them to dream of a promising future in Armenian scientific community.

“She is just one of the many researchers we are able to help thanks to ANSEF
and those donors who support its unique mission,” said Randy Sapah-Gulian,
Chairman of the FAR Board of Directors. “It is amazing the level and
quality of research done in Armenia. FAR is proud to be able to support
many of those projects. We need to do more to help develop this talent and
ensure a brighter future for our independent homeland.”

With more outstanding proposals received than ANSEF is able to fund, FAR is
continually looking for donor support to engage Armenia’s top scientists and
scholars.

LOOKING AHEAD

The people of Armenia still require basic humanitarian projects that meet
basic needs, such as food distribution, adequate shelter, and medical
attention. In tandem, the people of Armenia need to be empowered to build
the nation’s future. ANSEF’s mission is forward looking. By supporting
today’s thinkers and scientists, ANSEF aims to create a brighter future for
the entire nation.

“Education and progress in science and engineering are imperative for a
better future for Armenia. Education is the greatest asset of the country.
Knowledge and pride in the country, these will be the wealth for our
country,” explained Dr. Terzian. “Armenia is a very progressive country
where the sciences flourished, particularly in physics, chemistry and
engineering. I can see new vigor in the youth, especially in these
subjects.”

This passion for academic research and its transformative powers are what
drove Dr. Terzian to be one of the founders of ANSEF. A renowned
astrophysicist, Dr. Terzian is an expert on planetary nebulae, physics of
interstellar medium, galaxies, and radio astronomy. He has led observations
using Arecibo, the largest radio telescope in the world, as well as the
orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.

Since 2002, Dr. Terzian is Chairman of the U.S. Square Kilometer Array (SKA)
consortium, a consortium of universities and research institutes in the
United States that are studying and prototyping technologies under
development for the SKA. The SKA is an international project to build the
largest radio telescope in the world (its collecting array will measure one
square kilometer). Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012 and should be
completed by 2018. The SKA will be one of a suite of new, large telescopes
for the 21st century probing fundamental physics, the origin and evolution
of the Universe, the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the formation
and distribution of planets.

A widely published academic, he is conducting cutting-edge significant
research on dark matter, an important topic in cosmology — the study of the
beginning of the universe and its evolution. Along with his research, he is
also a respected and admired professor on the Cornell University campus,
where he is the David C. Duncan Professor in the Physical Sciences in the
Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences.

Even with his hefty research and teaching schedule, Dr. Terzian finds time
to devote to ANSEF because of its importance in creating the future of
Armenia by supporting its academics today.

“My motivation is to encourage Armenian talent, including the youth, and to
spark their vision of a strong scientific and scholarly Armenia. I feel
happy that, through ANSEF, we have done some good work in Armenia,” he said.

DONORS ASKED TO CREATE ENDOWMENT FUNDS

“FAR is constantly working not just to provide basic support to Armenia, but
to empower its people,” FAR Founder and Life Chairman Kevork Hovnanian said.
“And ANSEF is definitely one of the FAR programs that best reaches to a
bright future for the nation, and one that deserves our support.”

ANSEF has thus far existed thanks to general donations. This, however,
limits the number of grants that can be awarded each year. Countless
deserving proposals go unfunded, with more and more researchers searching
outside of Armenia to find support for their studies.

To ensure future funds are available, ANSEF has begun asking donors to
establish endowment funds. By giving $125,000 for an endowment fund, either
individually or in a group, donors will be able to name the fund and direct
its annual grant to a particular field — for history or chemistry or
astrophysics, for example.

“If someone believes the vitality of Armenia is important, then ANSEF is an
important program for them to support,” FAR Executive Director Garnik
Nanagoulian said. “We are proud of all that FAR has done over the years,
but ANSEF really benefits the productivity and success of Armenia in the
future, because it acts as a springboard, propelling Armenian scientists and
scholars into success in the international marketplace.”

The new named endowment funds can memorialize a loved-one, honor a team of
co-workers, or celebrate the achievements of a specific researcher. The
principal of the endowment will never be touched, with just a portion of the
interest earned used to provide direct financial support to Armenian
researchers in perpetuity. Researchers in America, and non-academics, who
want to see a brighter tomorrow for Armenia, are encouraged to support ANSEF
today.

* * *

Since its founding in response to the 1988 earthquake, FAR has served
millions of people through more than 220 relief and development programs in
Armenia and Karabagh. It has channeled more than $265 million in
humanitarian assistance by implementing a wide range of projects including
emergency relief, construction, education, medical aid, and economic
development.

FAR, one of the preeminent relief and development organizations operating
there, is dedicated to realizing the dream of a free, democratic,
prosperous, and culturally rich Armenia. It works towards a brighter future
by partnering with donors to make life better for our people. By offering
hope and more promising prospects in Armenia, Karabagh, and Javakhk, FAR
binds the Diaspora and the Armenian family together around the globe.

For more information on ANSEF or FAR, or to send donations, contact us at
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016; telephone (212) 889-5150; fax (212)
889-4849; web ; e-mail [email protected].

–10/13/06

E-mail photos available on request.

PHOTO CAPTION 1: Professor Yervant Terzian, ANSEF founder and chairman of
its Research Council, at the Cornell University-operated giant radio
telescope antenna in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Dr. Astghik Shahkhatuni meets and discusses her 2006 ANSEF
project with Dr. Edgar Housepian, FAR Board member and ANSEF founder, during
his recent trip to Armenia.

# # #

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-10) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Statement by H. E. Vartan Oskanian
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
On the French National Assembly vote of October 12, 2006
Yerevan, Armenia

Today’s approval of the bill by the French National Assembly is a natural
continuation of France’s principled and consistent defense of human and
historic rights and values.

This decision is also a natural reaction to the intensive, aggressive and
official denialism of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish state. They have
undertaken a premeditated, planned assault on the truth.

To adopt such a decision is the French Parliament’s sovereign right and is
understandable. What we don’t understand is the Turkish government’s
instigation of extremist public reactions, especially while Turkey itself
has a law that does exactly the same thing and punishes those who even use
the term genocide or venture to discuss those events.

PARLIAMENT TO DECIDE ON THE ARREST OF HHK MEMBER

Panorama.am
16:34 12/10/06

The government approved shortly the mediation submitted by Prosecutor
General Aghvan Hovsepyan to call an extraordinary session of parliament
tomorrow in order to decide on the arrest o Hakob Hakobyan, member of
Armenian Republican Party (HHK) and a member of parliament. A criminal
case is instituted against Hakobyan for hooliganism on October 8 near
Haianist village.

Our sources say NA Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan paid a visit to the
government today probably to deliver the disposition of Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnakcutiun) on the issue.

ARMENIAN POSTAL SERVICE SOLD TO DUTCH ING

Panorama.am
17:02 12/10/06

Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan said he has
no official information from OTE, owner of ArmenTel, as regards to
the sale of the company. He said two Russian and one Arabic companies
ran for the tender but the minister has no information on the price
offers. However, he said OTE is discussing price offers with HSBC
now. "Honestly, I do not know how much each company has offered,"
Manukyan said.

Manukyan once against refuted the rumors that ArmenTel is already
sold saying it cannot be sold without the agreement of the government,
which owns 10% of shares.

On the other hand, minister of transport and communication announced
the owner of the Armenian postal service, Haypost. He said, the
government has decided to grant the right of management of Haypost
to Dutch ING for five years. Haypost was managed by Converse Invest
in the course of the running year.

During that time, the demand for the service largely increased and
the government decided to take the chance. Manukyan said if Converse
Invest has problems it may dispute them in court, also saying it has
made investment only for one year.

LAVROV AND LENMARKER DISCUSS SETTLEMENT OF "FROZEN CONFLICTS" ON OSCE TERRITORY

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 12 2006

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chairman of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly Goran Lenmarker discussed the questions of
settlement of the "frozen conflicts" on OSCE territory, web page of
RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.

The meeting was held in the framework of Lenmarker’s visit to Moscow.

During the meeting reference was made also to issues of reforming
the OSCE in the framework of the decision of "Rising effectiveness
of the OSCE" adopted December 2005 in Lyublyana. The interlocutors
exchanged views on the effective organization of election monitoring
on OSCE territory and coordination of efforts in this direction.

STATE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS: NO ONE EXPELS ARMENIANS FROM MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 15:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No one expels Armenians from Moscow, a reliable
source in the State Department of Internal Affairs of Moscow told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to it, Echo of Moscow radio station report that check-up of
Armenians and Azeris has become stricter in Moscow since the launching
of the search for illegal migrants from Georgia is false. "Moscow
police did not get an order to expel Armenians and Azeris from Moscow,"
the State Department of Internal Affairs said.

TURKISH MFA CRITICIZES FRENCH PARLIAMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ignoring Turkish protests, the French lower house
of parliament approved a bill on Thursday making it a crime to deny
Armenians suffered a Genocide in 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman
Turks.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the vote would hurt ties between the
two NATO allies and analysts warned that it would complicate Turkey’s
efforts to secure European Union membership. "French-Turkish relations,
which have developed over centuries … have been dealt a blow today
as a result of the irresponsible false claims of French politicians
who do not see the political consequences of their actions," the
Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement, reports Reuters.