Month: March 2007

PRELATE PARTAKES IN PRESENTATION AT MONTREAL DIOCESAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 11:11

His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of the Armenian
Prelacy of Canada, presented Armenian office of morning prayers
to students from the three McGill Theological colleges: Anglican,
Presbyterian, and United Church.

His Eminence Archbishop Hagopian was accompanied by Archdeacons Noubar
Krikorian and Garo Telfayan of the Sourp Hagop Armenian Cathedral.

The students from McGill’s three Theological Colleges also had the
opportunity of viewing a slide show similar to the one presented by
the Prelacy at the Sourp Hagop Armenian Cathedral by Very Reverend
Walter Raymond OGS of the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in
Quebec City about his experiences during an Ecumenical Pilgrimage
among the Armenian Orthodox of the Middle East.

The service was concluded by the Anglican Church Theological College
Dean, Rev. Canon John Simons, who thanked His Eminence for his time
and willingness to take part in the event.

US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HOLDS DISCUSSION ON DRAFT NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY CONCEPT

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 11:20

On March 13, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) held a roundtable
discussion on a draft national food safety concept.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Caucasus Agricultural
Development Initiative (USDA/CADI) has embarked on a long term
"Armenian Food Safety Technical Assistance" project. The Project
Mission is to establish a viable, effective and sustainable food
safety system in the Republic of Armenia.

One of the many components in establishing a successful food safety
program in Armenia is to open a workshop with key stakeholders. USDA
is holding a half-day workshop concerning the Armenian National
Food Safety Concept. More than 50 key stakeholders are invited to
participate in the discussion, including representatives of Ministry
or Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade and Economic
Development, processors, consumer organizations, universities, and
donor organizations.

The objective of the round table discussion is to establish an
internationally recognized food safety policy and enforcement
system. The ultimate goal is that the Concept be legalized in Armenia
and become an official part of the regulatory framework.

CBA PRESIDENT OFF TO UFA

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 12:45

President of the Central Bank of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan left for
Ufa today to participate in the forth "Banks, Processes, Standards,
Quality" forum, Mediamax reports.

The forum is dedicated to the memory of the First Deputy President
of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation Andrey Kozlov.

Issues related to banking activity standards, implementation of the
" procedural" approach in the bank management, implementation of
standards for providing the information security of the organizations
involved in the banking system will be discussed at the conference
initiated by the Central Bank of Armenia, the Union of Banks of Russia,
the National Bank of Bashkiria and the Union of Credit Organizations
of Bashkiria.

ANCA CHAIRMAN SENDS A LETTER TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 13:13

Chairman of the Armenian National committee of Americ Ken Hachikian
has sent a letter to the editor of "The Wall Street Journal," printed
March 12, 2007, exposing earlier misleading assertions by former US
Ambassador to Turkey Mark Parris regarding Congressional reaffirmation
of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian National committee of America
(ANCA) reports.

The letter reads in part: "In his March 3 editorial-page commentary
"Don’t Go Cold on Turkey," former US Ambassador to Turkey Mark Parris
opposes US recognition of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. His
main contention is that this will result in a "train wreck" with an
important, long-standing American ally.

Amb. Parris and the other opponents of honestly recognizing this crime
are once again crying wolf. "Train wrecks" were loudly but falsely
predicted before President Reagan’s 1981 public affirmation of the
Armenian genocide, the 1984 designation by the House of April 24 as
a day for its remembrance, as well as before the amendments passed
by the House in 1996 and 2004 restricting US aid to Turkey based on
its denial of this crime against humanity.

Despite threats of retribution, Turkey has taken only token steps
against the European Parliament, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Belgium, Argentina, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden,
Switzerland and other states and international bodies that have
recognized the Armenian genocide," ANCA Chairman wrote in the letter.

THREE ARMENIANS TO PARTAKE IN THE INTERNATIONAL CYBER GAMES

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 13:40

The Armenian cyber-sportsmen will participate in the international
cyber games to be held March 15-17 in the German city of Hanover.

President of the Armenian Cyber League Edgar Sahakyan told Armenpress
that Armen Orduyan will play in the "FIFA Soccer" program, Arsen
yurburyan and Hayk Hakobyan will play in the "Need for Speed, Warcraft
and Frozen Throne" programs.

DISCUSSION ON GENOCIDES OF THE 20TH CENTURY TO BE HELD IN HAGUE

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 14:28

On March 15 in Hague a discussion on "The genocide has no statute
of limitation" will be organized by "Gladzor" and "Mesopotamia"
Armenian Student Unions. It will be dedicated to the genocides of
the 20th century, among which special attention will be paid to the
Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust.

Armenpress was told from the "Abovyan" culture union of the Netherlands
that reports will be made by ex-Minister of Cooperation Development of
Holland Jean Pronk, member of the "Other Jewish voice" organization
Hayo Meyer,Associate Professor at the Amsterdam University Ton Zwan
and Presidnet of the Dutch "Amnesty International" organization Lars
van Trust.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN HAD A FAREWELL MEETING WITH IMF CHIEF OF MISSION

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 14:45

President Robert Kocharyan today had a farewell meeting with Chief of
Mission of the International Monetary Fund in Armenia Hasan Al-Atrash.

The parties highly assessed the current level of cooperation, noting
that it proceeds in a normal and effective course.

The interlocutors dwelt on the programs already accomplished and to
be accomplished in future. In particular, reference was made to the
tax-custom reforms, development of the securities market, progress
of the banking and insurance systems.

ARAZ AZIMOV: THE GENEVA MEETING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS MAY LEAD TO A POSITIVE RESULT

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 14:50

"If Armenia does not take unforeseen steps, the Geneva meeting of the
Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan may lead to a positive
result, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told Lider TV.

In his opinion, the successful continuation of the negotiation
process the conflicting sides should demonstrate political will and
constructiveness. "The political ways of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict have not been exhausted yet. The work in this
direction must be continued, many times Azerbaijan has declared about
its commitment to the peaceful resolution of the issue, the Azeri
diplomat noted.

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVED ARARAT MARZPET

ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 15:55

The achievements and problems of Ararat marz were discussed during
President Robert Kocharyan’s working meeting Marzpet Alik Sargsyan. The
Marzpet informed that the marz has accomplished its obligations
before the state budget with 104%, the collection of own revenues
reached 105%.

Reference was made to the new branch of industry developing in
Ararat marz – mining and fish-breeding. The Marzpet said due to
state subsidies fertilizers and corn seeds will be distributed in
the settlements that suffered because of draught at prices lower than
the market ones.

As a primary problem the parties stressed the necessity of enlarging
the sale opportunities of greengrocery products.

OPPOSITION OR PROTESTING ELECTORATE?
Naira Hayrumyan

KarabakhOpen
13-03-2007 14:55:46

In Karabakh the election campaign set out strangely with accusations
against the opposition. Тhe opposition is constantly accused
of venality, scandals, and even anti-democracy. However, nobody
has stated yet who is opposition in Karabakh. The opposition is
an organized political force which disagrees with the policy of
the government and wants to come to power to conduct a different
policy. It follows from this classic definition that there is no
opposition in Karabakh. There is not an organized force (party) or
separate people who do not trust the government and desire to come
to power. There are political parties which are dissatisfied with
something. For instance, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is dissatisfied
with the internal policies, namely the manpower policy and the
policy of re-settlement. However, this organized force apparently
does not desire power. This is the only item on the list of the
dissatisfied politicians. There is a considerable mass of people
in the country, however, who are not organized politically and
do not aspire to power but are dissatisfied with the government’s
policies. They are the protesting electorate. These people do not
have political ambitions, they are interested in politics to the
degree it affects their lives. Businessmen who are stifled with
taxes and bureaucracy, pensioners whose retirement benefit is not
enough to buy food, people who suffered from legal arbitrariness,
in short the protesting electorate. In most cases the government has
levers to pressure on them, therefore they do not become an actively
protesting electorate. On the other hand, they are a major force and
every candidate will be fighting for the votes of these people in
the upcoming election.

For a number of reasons the protesting electorate in Karabakh is not
organized. First, this electorate does not have a leader. Second,
the government has isolated the society for such a long time from
governance playing politics with itself that the society has already
forgotten the rules. Third, the electorate does not have access to
the mass media, especially television. Fourth, the electorate has
not had an opportunity to voice protest: the elections did not have
an alternative so that it is hard to call them election.

This time everything may be different. And the protesting electorate
may have a deciding role.

–Boundary_(ID_VIHosj4mbuTMOr1XlT+gFQ)–