Month: August 2008

OSCE ENVOY SPEAKS ABOUT KARABAKH, ELECTION IN AZERI CAPITAL

Turan news agency
July 30 2008

Baku, 30 July: "My current visit to Azerbaijan pursues two ends –
to familiarize myself with the state of affairs around the Nagornyy
Karabakh settlement and preparations for the [15 October] presidential
election," the special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Heikki
Talvitie, has told a news conference.

Touching on the first issue, the diplomat expressed his satisfaction
with the ongoing talks between the leaderships of the two countries.

"The foreign ministers of the two countries will meet in Moscow on 31
July and I will be attending the meeting," Talvitie said. He expressed
confidence that after the presidential election, those talks would
become more intense. As far as the resolution of the conflict is
concerned, then it should be settled in view of two principles –
territorial integrity and peoples’ right to self-determination.

"When we speak about people’s right to self-determination, then we
take into account granting Karabakh the highest status," Talvitie
said. Touching on the forthcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan,
the special envoy said that the OSCE monitoring mission would be in
Azerbaijan ahead and after the election.

"We do not hold an election, we just assess it. It is very important
to ensure that the election is democratic. The issue of ensuring
freedom of assembly was discussed at the meetings with the Baku mayor
and the head of the Baku City Main Police Department. Talks between
the authorities and the opposition about choosing a venue for staging
actions will be held through the mediation of the OSCE representative
in Baku, Jose Luis Ferrero," Talvitie said.

Asked about his assessment of the situation in the run-up to the
election, Talvitie declined to answer directly and repeated that he
had discussed a number of issues with the mayor and the head of the
city police. Meanwhile, he outlined the importance of maintaining
regulations of the election law. As for the opposition boycott of
the presidential election, Talvitie said that he regarded the case
"negatively". Asked about the plight of convicted journalists,
Talvitie declined to speak about this in detail as he did not know
the details of the convicted journalists’ cases.

Talvitie also declined to answer specifically while asked about
prospects of the Karabakh settlement. At the same time, he said that
Aland Islands were a good example of resolving territorial conflicts.

ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN CALLS FOR PROBE INTO ALLEGED PRESSURE ON ARRESTED MP

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
July 30 2008
Armenia

Armenian Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan has told top police officials that
MP Myasnik Malkhasyan, who was arrested following post-election riots
in early March, has signed testimony under physical and psychological
pressure, Arminfo news agency reported on 30 July.

Malkasyan has been charged with attempting to seize power and
organizing mass riots. Malkhasyan said he wrote the testimony under
duress, according to Arminfo.

The MP was also deprived of the right to contact a lawyer and inform
his family about his whereabouts, the agency said. The ombudsman’s
letter said that officers of the Police department to fight organized
crime arrested Malkhasyan on the night of 1-2 March and kept him in
the department for the following 24 hours.

Harutyunyan sent the open letter to the chief of the Police, Maj-Gen
Alik Sargsyan, and the head of the Special Investigation Service,
Andranik Mirzoyan, asking them "to carry out a line-of-duty
investigation and to hold the guilty officials accountable in
connection with the stated facts".

The ombudsman also sent a letter to Prosecutor-General Aghvan
Hovsepyan asking him to consider moving Malkhasyan to a hospital or a
penitentiary department appropriate for receiving medical treatment,
as a recent medical examination has revealed a high level of sugar
in Malkhasyan’s blood, Arminfo said.

SIX PRISONERS RELEASED DUE TO SIT-IN IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL – OPPOSITION

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
July 30 2008
Armenia

Six "political prisoners" have been released in Armenia since the
start of a sit-in in the capital Yerevan on 4 July, an opposition
member told reporters on 31 July.

Levon Zurabyan, who represents the opposition Popular Movement, was
quoted by Arminfo news agency as saying that the ongoing protest was
reflective of the public anger and also the people’s determination
to fight for their rights and freedoms.

On the whole, police treat the protesters "normally" but they "become
hysterical when the protesters do something that does not fit into
their mentality", Zurabyan said, according to Arminfo. He suggested
that police officers should receive political education and gradually
change their mentality in order to comply with Armenian law.

KEVORKIAN TO HOLD FIRST TOWN HALL MEETING

Livingston Daily
July 31 2008
MI

Congressional candidate Jack Kevorkian, who gained fame in the 1990s
after being convicted of second-degree murder for his role in an
assisted suicide, will hold his first town hall meeting Friday.

Kevorkian is running as an independent in the 9th Congressional
District against U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Township, and
Democrat Gary Peters, a former state senator and lottery commissioner.

At the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at the Birmingham Community
House, 380 South Bates in Birmingham, Kevorkian will discuss his
philosophy on foreign and domestic affairs, the economy and what he
plans to do if elected.

Kevorkian, who served more than eight years in prison before his
release last June, admitted to participating in more than 130 assisted
suicides during the 1990s.

FIRST ARMENIAN OLYMPIC DELEGATION OFF TO BEIJING

armradio.am
01.08.2008 14:56

On July 31 the first Armenian Olympic delegation, comprising the
judoists and rifleman and their coaches left for Beijing on July
31. The other delegations will leave for Beijing on August 1, 2, 4,
5 and 7.

The Armenian Olympic delegation is headed by the President of the
National Olympic Committee of Armenia Gagik Tsarukyan. Te chief
commissioner is the Vice-Presidnet of the Olympic Committee Derenik
Gabrielyan.

The delegation comprises RA Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs,
Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee Armen Grigoryan,
heads of different sports agencies, doctors and journalists.

Triple Olympic Champion, the best Armenian sportsman of the 20th
century Albert Azaryan will bear the Armenian flag at the opening
ceremony.

Twenty-Fife sportsmen will represent Armenia at the 29th Summer
Olympics in Beijing.

Weightlifting – Hripsime Khurshudyan (75 kg), Tigran Martirosyan
(69 kg), Gevorg Davtyan (77 kg), Ara Khachatryan (77 kg), Tigran
V. Martirosyan (85 kg) and Edgar Georgyan (85 kg).

Boxing – Hovhanes Danielyan (48 kg), Hrachik Javakhyan (60 kg),
Edward Hambartsumyan (64 kg), Andranik Hakobyan (75 kg).

Free-style wrestling – Martin Berberyan (60 kg), Suren Markosyan
(66 kg), Harutyun Yenokyan (84 kg).

Greco-Roman style wrestling – Roman Amoyan (55 kg), Karen Mnatsakanyan
(60 kg), Arman Adikyan (66 kg), Arsen Julfalakyan (74 kg), Denis Forov
(84 kg), Yuri Patrikeev (120 kg).

Judo – Hovhannes Davtyan (60 kg), Armen Nazaryan (66 kg).

Ahletics – Melik Janoyan (archer), Ani Khachikyan (runner).

Swimming – Mikhael Koloyan.

Shooting – Norayr Bakhtamyan.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO ADD BUS ROUTES FOR KEEPING PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE UNCHANGED

ARKA
August 1, 2008

YEREVAN, August 1. /ARKA/. Public transport fare should be kept the
same by increasing the number of bus routes and reducing the number
of minibuses, Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan said at the government
meeting on public transport fare.

Currently the public transport fare is 100Drams in Armenia.

The Chairman of Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission Robert
Nazaryan said that, according to monitoring results, Bogdan bus fare
is 130.92Drams with minibus and PAZ bus fares being 76.31Drams and
93.85Drams respectively. According to him, if maximum allowable
error and seasonal ratios are not taken into account, the fares
are 191.3Drams, 100.65Drams and 124Drams respectively. The owners of
transport companies themselves suggest setting the prices at 211Drams,
202Drams and 189Drams respectively.

According to Nazaryan, a number of routes operated by Bodgan buses
are unprofitable now and an appropriate decision should be made on
this. The Premier responded that the strategic decision has been
already made – to increase the number of Bogdan buses and to reduce
the number of minibuses without reviewing the tariffs. According to
the Premier, this will help raising the number of bus passengers and,
consequently, the profitability.

Unprofitable routes are the first ones to be taken off, he said.

The Premier also said that the privat e transport sector
will be requested to provide their opinion on the tariff
calculations. Meanwhile, the Government will consider the concept
of new routes to be introduced in September, the Premier said adding
that another monitoring will be conducted in September to establish
the seasonal difference in passenger traffic.

Currently the public transport fleet includes about 500 buses and
3,500 minibuses. Armenia’s capital ranks the first in the number of
minibuses among CIS countries. ($1=301.03Drams).

ARMENIAN AMBASSADORS’ MEETING TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN IN EARLY SEPT

ARKA
August 1, 2008

YEREVAN, August 1. /ARKA/. The executive staff of Armenia’s Ministry
of Foreign Affairs is to meet with Armenian ambassadors accredited
abroad in Yerevan on September 1-2, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan said.

Ambassadors and the Foreign Ministry executive staff will meet
in educational institutions on September 1 to discuss Armenia
– the outside world relations, the Minister told a press
conference.

REGIONAL COOPERATION CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES ISOLATED

ARKA
August 1, 2008

YEREVAN, August 1. /ARKA/. The regional cooperation cannot be
effective if one or two countries of the region are removed from
the participation in the projects, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan.

The cooperation can be full, effective and promising if all
the countries of the region are embraced, the Minister told a
press conference in answering the question on construction of
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railroad bypassing Armenia.

Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad project provides for construction of
a 105-kilometer Kars (Turkey)-Akhalkalaki (Georgia) railroad and
reconstruction of Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railroad. The project cost
is $422mln and $600mln infrastructures inclusive. Azerbaijan is to
extend a $200mln loan for construction of the Georgian section of
the railroad for 25 years at an annual of 1%.

PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
Mira Yardemian, Public Relations Director
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
01-349230/1

The Leadership of the National Council of Churches, USA Visits Haigazian
University

Dr Michael Kinnamon lectures on "Prophetic Witness and People of Faith"

Beirut, August 1, 2008- On July 30, 2008, Dr Michael Kinnamon, General
Secretary of the National Council of Churches, USA, delivered a lecture
entitled "Prophetic Witness and People of Faith" in the Haigazian
University Auditorium.

The NCC delegation included its President Archbishop Dr. Vicken
Aykazian, the General Secretary, Dr. Kinnamon, and Executive, Middle
East anad Europe Common Global Ministries Board of the United Church of
Christ, Dr. Peter Makari.

The lecture, organized jointly by Haigazian University and the Arab
Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue, was attended by high ranking
clergy, diplomats, and interest groups.

The program opened with the welcoming words of Haigazian University
President, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, who briefed shortly about the NCC
and its activities carried out in the United States, since its founding
in 1950.

He said that the NCC "has been the leading force for ecumeniacal
cooperation among Christians in the United States, and it includes 45
million persons in more than 100 thousands local congregations in
communities across the nation."

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian presented the two main objectives NCC wants
to achieve in the world, namely, Peace and Justice. "The NCC is
committed to that by judging people as human beings, irrespective of
race, gender, and religion," Haykazian elaborated.

Dr. Kinnamon began his lecture by explaining the concept of Prophetic
Witness in the Christian tradition as being "the testimony to one’s
faith in word and in deed."

Kinnamon added that "witness can be called prophetic when it brings to
bear the Gospel on current social injustice, thus giving hope of a
different way of living in social community."

In this respect, Kinnamon talked about the role of the churches, which
he considered "is not simply to focus on spiritual things, and eternal
life only, but to be a credible sign and instrument of social
transformation towards the day God’s will is more fully done". Kinnamon
highlighted the concept of the Social Gospel Movement, which formed the
basics of the Industrial Revolution at the beginning of the 20th
century. "Salvation is not simply an individual quest to be saved out of
the world, but it’s a communal effort in response to God, to build a
better society on Earth," Kinnamon noted.

In his concluding remarks, Kinnamon presented a self-critique of the NCC
itself, and stated the major reasons in which it has failed to be more
prophetic. According to him, the prophetic witness of the mainline
churches in the USA (i.e. the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican, Baptist,
United Churches of Christ), has diminished because of the churches’ loss
of members, financial resources, and public influence. In addition,
there was an evident gap between the leaders of the churches and local
church members, leading to a lack of support to leaders’ initiatives.

Kinnamon noted the issue of polarization in issues of social concern and
the inability to deal constructively with conflict.

Finally, Kinnamon stated his judgment on the biggest problem according
to him, and that is "the US mainline churches generally lack the
biblically grounded vision of social life, and without such a vision the
church will leave the status quo untouched," Kinnamon concluded.

At the end of the lecture, on behalf of the Arab Group for the
Christian-Muslim Dialogue, Judge Abbas Halaby shared with the audience
their document titled "Mutual Respect Among Religions", published by
the Group.

Tokens of appreciation from the NCC were given by Dr. Kinnamon to each
of Haigazian University and the Arab Group for Christian-Muslim
Dialogue.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

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: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I WELCOMES THE
INCLUSION OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCHES OF IRAN IN THE LIST OF UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) this year officially registered the Monastery of Saint Tate in the
Armenian Diocese of Azerbaijan (Iran) in its list of internationally
recognized heritage sites. Included in the same list are the Monastic
complex of Saint Stephanos and the Saint Asdvadzadzine Chapel of Dzor Dzor.
On this occasion His Holiness Aram I in a letter to the President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran welcomed "this great spiritual and cultural
achievement and the important role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in this
respect".

Speaking about the importance of these religious sites, His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I said: "Among these historically valuable religious
structures, the Monastery of Saint Tate has a special importance and meaning
for our people and church. It is where one of the first Apostles that
brought Christianity to the Armenian nation, Saint Tateos, was martyred. The
annual pilgrimage to Saint Tate is a centuries-old tradition for our people.
On three occasions we have personally led the pilgrimage to Saint Tate".

Considering the presence of these religious sites within the borders of the
Islamic Republic of Iran "as a tangible expression of Christian-Muslim
coexistence", His Holiness emphasized the importance of deepening the
dialogue of religions, cultures and civilizations.

##
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.