Month: March 2007

ARAM I CATHOLICOS RECEIVES AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 12 2007

ANTELIAS, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Aram I Catholicos
received on March 9 Yoshihisa Kurota, the newly appointed Ambassador
of Japan to Lebanon. Local and international political developments,
especially efforts addressed to overcoming of the Near East crisis,
were discussed during the meeting. His Holiness Patriarch presented
the Ambassador his notions in the sense of re-establishing political
stability in Lebanon, emphasizing the necessity of a dialogue and
imperative need to stop the political debate. His Holiness also
attached importance to inner unification and necessity of strengthening
mutual confidence among communities. At the end of the conversation
His Holiness Patriarch touched upon his visit paid to Japan as well
as importance of dialogue with the Buddhist religion and, in general,
interchurch dialogue and cooperation.

ARFD HAY DAT COMMITTEES CONFERENCE OPENS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The goal of ARFD Hay Dat Committees
conference, which opened on March 12 in Yerevan, is to present
the most important foreign and domestic problems to Committees’
representatives, to touch upon ARFD Hay Dat’s strategy and tasks of its
offices. It is noteworthy that this is the second conference of ARFD
Hay Dat Committees held in Yerevan. Members of Hay Dat Committees,
in total 85 representatives of ARFD bodies, youth and student unions
from 28 countries, including Argentina, U.S., Canada, Belgium,
Cyprus, Uruguay, Great Britain take part in the conference. RA NA
Vice-Speaker, representative of ARFD Bureau Vahan Hovhannisian,
RA Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchian, Chairman of
NA Foreign Relations Committee, representative of ARFD Supreme Body
Armen Rustamian and others made greeting speeches.

ARAM I CATHOLICOS RECEIVES FRENCH HIGH-RANKING DELEGATION

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 12 2007

ANTELIAS, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A high-ranking
delegation representing all the French churches arrived in Beirut on
March 4 to hold meetings concerning the issue of political tension in
Near East. The 5-person delegation formed of clergymen was headed by
Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, the Bordeaux Archbishop, President of the
French Episcopal Conference. Ararm I Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia received the delegation in Antelias. Issues relating to
overcoming Near East crisis were discussed during the meeting. As Noyan
Tapan was informed from the Antelias Cathedral, Aram I Catholicos gave
comprehensive answers to questions the delegation was interested in.

NATO WEEK TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA ON MARCH 12-16

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The NATO week will be held in
Armenia on March 12-16. As Arman Kirakosian, the Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Armenia stated at the March 9 press conference,
NATO high-ranking representatives’ visits, a number of information
and representative events, TV programs, meetings with journalists,
broadcast of films about the NATO-Armenia cooperation by a
number of TV channels of the republic are envisaged for those
days. Yerevan-Kosovo TV bridge will also be organized for servicemen
of the Armenian peace-keeping battalion being there and members of
their families. In A.Kirakosian’s words, during the recent years
Armenia widened its participation in the NATO Partnership for
Peace program what will assist improvement of the defence system of
the country. It was mentioned that Armenia’s participation in the
Individual Parnership Actions Plan (IPAP) involves all the spheres
of cooperation with the NATO. Armenia will use the IPAP mechanisms
to improve its defensive and security systems and raise ability of
mutual cooperation. A.Kirakosian also stated that the Defence and
Foreign Ministers of Armenia will participate in April in Brussels
in the NATO meeting with the 26+1 format (NATO members, partners and
Russia) where estimation for implementation of the program by Armenia
will be presented. In the Deputy Minister’s words, during this period
of time, the NATO information center was opened in Yerevan within
the framework of the program. Foundation of a situation center for
crisis management was also started in Armenia. The Deputy Foreign
Minister mentioned that relations of Armenia with the NATO is one of
directions of the foreign policy of the country and elements of the
security system. He emphasized that relations with the North-Atlantic
Alliance and CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization may not be
observed as competitive ones as Armenia is a CSTO member, but only
cooperates with the NATO. It was mentioned that CSTO Secretary Nikolai
Bordyuzha will also visit Armenia soon. He will have meetings with
the country administration, society representatives, students.

ARTASHES GEGHAMIAN IS SURE THAT REPRESENTATIVE OF "NATIONAL UNITY" TO BECOME COUNTRY PRESIDENT IN 2008

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. "The present authorities will leave
with efforts of the "National Unity" party, and I will become the
god-father of their leaving. We are doomed to victory not only at
these elections, but also in 2008, and a representative of our party
will become the president."

Artashes Geghamian, the Chairman of the "National Unity" ("Azgayin
Miabanutiun") party stated at the March 10 open sitting of the party
active members. He stated that at those majoritarian districts where
"National Unity" members were not nominated the party will support
other representatives of the opposition. "We intend to assist those
people who struggled with us at the night of April 12-13, 2004,"
A. Geghamian stated.

In his words, the "National Unity" party connects most of all hopes
with active work of their territorial structures. A. Geghamian
seriously criticised pro-ruling political parties. He mentioned
the two biggest parties: Republican Party of Armenia and "Bargavach
Hayastan" (Prosperous Armenia), "serve to the Karabakh clan." The
first is in service with Serge Sargsian, and the second – with
Robert Kocharian. "We shall not allow the Karabakh clan to come to
power! And though there are many worthy and honest people in lists of
both parties, but they want to make a fortress for Satan from those
people. We shall not allow to build that fortress!" A. Geghamian
stated.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NATO INFORMATION CENTER

armradio.am
12.03.2007 16:10

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian today declared about the important
role of the NATO Information Centre in Yerevan.

"We are very glad to officially open this Center today," Vartan
Oskanian said.

"The Center has already been operating for a certain period of time
and has proven its relevance. Establishment of this Center was one of
the provisions of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), and
I’m very pleased that we realized the project during the first year of
the IPAP implementation. This is an important step, since due to this
Center we shall present correct data about the Alliance, its activity
and cooperation with Armenia," said the Armenian Foreign Minister.

Vartan Oskanian mentioned that "because of understandable reasons
the notion of the Alliance among our society does not completely
correspond to today’s reformed NATO."

"Today NATO is not the alliance that existed during the "cold
war." Many things have changed in the world situation, and the NATO
has managed to adapt to the new reality. However, elements of the
mentality of the "cold war" period still persist in our society, and
that is why there is the necessity of providing correct information,"
said Vartan Oskanian.

In the Foreign Minister’s words, it is of particular importance for
Armenia, which, unlike other ex-Soviet countries, is carrying out a
complementary policy, closely cooperating with Russia in the field of
security, being a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO), and deepening the cooperation with NATO in the framework of
the IPAP.

"Our policy of recent years has proven that there is no contradiction
between all these directions," Vartan Oskanian underlined.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA AND TURKEY CAN DISCUSS THEIR RELATIONS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF NATO?

arminfo
2007-03-12 15:07:00

It turns out that Armenia and Turkey can discuss their relations in
the framework of NATO.

When asked about NATO’s position on the blockade of the Armenian border
by Turkey, NATO Deputy Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Jean
Fournet said today that NATO has lots of mechanisms and instruments
and IPAP is one of them. All this is going on against the background of
Armenia’s dialogue with NATO. This is a good opportunity for discussing
mutual problems and attaining substantial progress, Fournet said.

NO POLITICAL PARTY AND ELECTORAL BLOC SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS TO RA CEC FOR REGISTRATION

arminfo
2007-03-12 14:23:00

"No political party and electoral bloc, having claimed of their
participation in parliamentary elections, submitted a list of documents
for registration as yetÂ", the press-secretary of RA Central Election
Committee Tsovinar Khachatryan told ArmInfo.

To remind, upon March 3 results of nomination of the parliament deputy
candidates per the proportional and majority systems, 27 political
parties and one bloc have submitted the documents for participation
in the election campaign.

The registration of the proportional lists of the deputy candidates
from political parties and blocs will be held by CEC from April 2 to
7. A period from April 8 to May 10 has been allotted for the election
campaign. The Parliamentary elections will be held on May 12, 2007.

–Boundary_(ID_gkn+/lWIaSxupPvSa6WbZQ)–

ISTANBUL GOVERNOR SATISFIES THE REQUEST OF THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE

armradio.am
12.03.2007 16:20

Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler has instructed to satisfy the request
of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Mesrop Archbishop Mutafian
to guarantee the security of Armenian Churches, schools and other
establishments after the assassination of the editor-in-chief of the
Agos weekly Hrant Dink. For this purpose forces from special services
will also be involved.

The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople had applied to the Governor
of Istanbul still on February 1 and 14. As early as October 2006
the Patriarch Mutafian had applied to the Istanbul Governor with the
request to guarantee the security of Armenian Churches, schools and
other establishments, considering the "rather strained political and
social situation."

110th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF YEGHISHE CHARENTS TO BE MARKED ON MARCH 13

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Yeghishe Charents’ 110th birth
anniversary will be marked on March 13. Like every year, on that
day representatives of Armenian intelligentsia, students and
schoolchildren will visit the memorial complex of the great poet,
where Charents readings will be held. As Noyan Tapan correspondent
was informed by Lilit Hakobian, Director of Charents House-Museum,
a solemn event will be organized at the Museum on the occasion of
poet’s 110th birth anniversary. In her words, the Museum and the Union
of Writers of Armenia have announced this year as Year of Charents,
therefore various kinds of events will be held not only in Yerevan,
but also in the Armenian regions and in Artsakh during the whole year.