ARMENIA HOSTS 230,154 TOURISTS IN 2ND Q 2010
/ARKA/
August 5, 2010
YEREVAN
Some 230,154 tourists visited Armenia in the second quarter of 2010
against 206,994 at the same period a year before – 11.2% year-on-year
growth, National Statistical Service reports.
According to the statistical report, 232,058 Armenian tourists traveled
abroad in the 2nd Q 2010 – 14.6% year-on-year growth.
From: A. Papazian
GRAPE HARVEST IN 2010 CAN EXCEED THE INDICATOR OF THE LAST YEAR BY 7 THOUSAND
/ARKA/
August 5, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, August 4. /ARKA/. Grape harvest in 2010 can exceed the
indicator of the last year by 7 thousand tons.
In 2009 grape harvest was about 200-205 thousand tons which is by 20
tons more than the indicator of 2008.
During the meeting of governors of Ararat, Armavir, Aragatsotn, Tavush
and Vayots Dzor regions, Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial
Administration Armen Gevorkyan discussed issues of grape harvest in
Ararat region and organization of procurement process.
Participants presented the income of their communities which were
lower than the last year. Gevorkyan told them to make more efforts
for gaining high indicators.
Governors of the regions, deputy ministers of territorial
administration and communities A.Bakhshyan and S. Galstyan discussed
the issue of grape harvest.
Vice-Prime Minister instructed the participants to use all procurement
opportunities for uninterrupted and efficient organization of sale
of farmers’ harvest.
From: A. Papazian
ARMENIAN FIRE RESCUE TO HELP RUSSIA IN FIRE FIGHTING
/ARKA/
August 5, 2010
YEREVAN
The presidents of Armenia and Russia Serzh Sargsyan and Dmitri Medvedev
agreed on the integration of Armenian fire-fighters and rescuers in
the fight against the disaster in Russia, the press service of the
Armenian state reported.
Natural fires are raging in 17 regions of Russia because of the
heatwave and drought.
In seven regions, including in the Moscow region, state of emergency
has been declared due to a presidential decree.
Forty eight people had already been killed.
According to the Ministry of Regional Development of Russia, fires
destroyed in Russia more than 1,9 thousands of homes were left without
shelter more than 3,5 thousand people.
“The Armenian people know how in such situations it is important
to assist friend-countries,” Serzh Sargsyan said in the course of a
telephone conversation on Wednesday with the Russian leader.
He offered the assistance of Fire and Rescue Service of Armenia in
extinguishing fires and their consequences.
The President of Armenia reiterated his sympathy and regret at the
human and material losses resulting from natural disaster.
From: A. Papazian
DAVID PETROSYAN: PURCHASE OF S-300 COMPLEXES BY AZERBAIJAN WILL VIOLATE MILITARY PARITY IN REGION
PanARMENIAN.Net
August 4, 2010
Political analyst David Petrosyan said that after the war in Karabakh,
an agreement was signed among Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan, at the
initiative of Moscow. Under the agreement, the sides should hold joint
discussions on facts of all military incidents on the contact line
of the Azerbaijani and NKR Armed Forces, Petrosyan told a sitting of
the foreign relations committee of the national parliament, which is
in process of formation at the initiative of Sardarapat movement.
Commenting on information in media that Russia may sell S-300 defense
complexes to Azerbaijan, Petrosyan noted that if Azerbaijan purchases
this type of weapon, the military and political balance will be
violated in the region.
“Russia reasons the possible sale of this defense complex by
the following arguments: Azerbaijan will be using this weapon for
protection of its oil wells from Iran’s possible attack but not against
Armenia. Russian officials also noted that if Russia refrains from
selling S-300 complexes, Azerbaijan will buy them from Israel anyway,”
said Petrosyan. He added that Russia’s arguments are suspect, as Iran
does not intend to attack Azerbaijan, while Israel and the U.S. are
not going to sell such complexes to Azerbaijan.
Petrosyan noted that if Azerbaijan purchases S-300 defense complexes,
it will use them for the purposes of attack. “In case of resumption
of hostilities by Azerbaijan, the efficiency of Armenia’s retaliatory
measures will be sharply lowered,” noted David Petrosyan. He added
that the Armenian leadership should discuss the issue with Russia.
According to Petrosyan, the role of the U.S. is of keen importance in
this situation, as it may restrain Azerbaijan’s ambitions. “Taking
this into consideration, the soonest appointment of a new U.S.
ambassador to Armenia is important – be it Matthew Bryza or someone
else,” the expert said.
Answering the question as to why Moscow decided to sell S-300 defense
complexes to Azerbaijan, being well aware of the possibility of
violation of the military and political balance in the region,
Petrosyan noted that currently Russia is more interested in
Azerbaijan. “Russia’s strategic purpose is to bring its peacekeeping
forces to the Karabakh conflict zone, while Russia can achieve this
through the sale of S-300 complexes to Azerbaijan. However, the
Azerbaijani leadership has not agreed to it yet, and negotiations on
it are held at the highest level,” concluded David Petrosyan.
From: A. Papazian
Argo Tea brews up big NY plans
Backed by big-name Chicago money, Arsen Avakian is flooding Manhattan with tea.
By David Sterrett, ChicagoBusiness.com
August 2, 2010
Sam Zell, Glen Tullman and Oxford Capital are among the investors
funding the first foray outside Chicago by Mr. Avakian’s Argo Tea. He is
set to open his fourth cafe this year in New York on Friday, hoping a
splashy debut in the country’s biggest market will help make Argo the
Apple Inc. to Starbucks’ Microsoft.
“I want to build the Apple of tea, and really create a premier global
brand,” said Mr. Avakian, 34. “We have really reached a growth tipping
point for us and are ready to take growth to the next level.”
Seven years after the Armenian immigrant opened the first Argo Tea store
in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, the chain has 18 locations
and more than $10 million in sales. Mr. Avakian’s two-pronged growth
strategy focuses on opening more cafes and selling a new line of bottled
Argo tea in grocery stores.
The push into Manhattan will test Argo’s appeal outside its home market.
A major challenge for Mr. Avakian is persuading large numbers of
Americans to drink more tea. He’ll also have to woo tea-drinkers away
from bigger rivals like Starbucks and mass-market brands like Lipton
that dominate grocery store tea sales.
The U.S. tea market grew 3% last year to $7.3 billion, according to the
Tea Association of the USA Inc. in New York. That’s a fraction of the
$40-billion coffee market.
“Tea is definitely one of the hot categories, and it’s a very large
category, but coffee is still dominant,” said Harry Balzer, an analyst
at NPD Group in New York.
Mr. Avakian drank tea while growing up in Armenia. After working for
several years in the U.S. as an information technology executive-and
marveling at the success of a Starbucks chain offering what he considers
a bland menu-he became convinced that a chain of high-end tea shops
could succeed here.
“When I started Argo, I had the vision of being the Starbucks of tea,
but in the last few years I realized that is no longer our inspiration,”
he said. “Starbucks is more like PC-it’s old, less healthy and designed
for everyone-and we want to be more like Mac: young, healthy, cool and a
more unique, innovative brand.”
Seattle-based Starbucks did not return calls seeking comment.
Argo specializes in exotic blends, such as white tea with Acai berry and
lemonade, and red tea with pomegranate juice. The chain makes a point of
buying all of its tea leaves directly from farmers in 16 countries.
Darren Tristano, an executive vice-president at Technomic Inc. in
Chicago, says Argo Tea is the largest chain focused on tea. He reckons
the challenge for the company will be to maintain its quality as it
expands to new markets.
Neither Mr. Avakian nor his investors will say how much capital Argo Tea
has raised to finance its expansion. Mr. Zell invested through his
Chicago-based Equity Group Investments, which declines to comment.
Mr. Tullman, chief executive of Chicago-based Allscripts-Misys
Healthcare Solutions Inc., invested after he noticed an Argo Tea cafe
near his home and arranged a meeting with Mr. Avakian at the shop.
“He told me exactly where he bought each tea and how it was brewed, and
in the midst of it he stopped to tuck in a cord he noticed was sticking
out from behind the register in the cafe,” Mr. Tullman said. “I decided
right there that I wanted to invest in this guy because of his passion
and fanatical attention to detail.”
Mr. Avakian won’t disclose specific growth targets but plans to open
another store in New York this year and a licensed location at Saint
Louis University. Next year, he wants to open at least five more stores
in New York and several more in Chicago, as well as prepare launches in
Los Angeles and London.
Grocery stores represent a potentially more lucrative channel for Mr.
Avakian’s teas. Despite a slowdown because of the recession, sales of
bottled tea grew more than 3% to $3 billion last year, according to the
Tea Association. Argo sells bottled specialty teas at local Whole Foods
and Treasure Island stores. Mr. Avakian hopes to get them into Jewel and
Dominick’s stores in the next year.
“They are selling really well, and people have been excited to see the
Argo brand in our stores,” a Whole Foods spokeswoman said, declining to
provide specific sales numbers.
Argo will have to fight for grocery store shelf space with Unilever
PLC’s Lipton, Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s Snapple and New
York-based Ferolito Vultaggio & Sons’ Arizona teas. The three control
more than 50% of grocery store tea sales, according to SymphonyIRI
Group, a Chicago-based market research firm.
Mr. Avakian says in the next year he expects to open a large bottling
facility in Chicago, which will require more financing. He says every
store is profitable but declined to provide specifics on the company’s
finances or what type of funding it would seek to expand.
“I believe Arsen will continue to be able to raise the capital he needs
to continue to build this into a global brand,” said John Rutledge, CEO
of Chicago-based Oxford Capital Group, which has $3.5 billion in
investments, including Potbelly Sandwich Works and Argo. “Arsen is a
hungry first-generation immigrant and a very savvy, well-educated
executive-that is a very powerful combination.”
From: A. Papazian
PRIVATE REMITTANCES TO ARMENIA TOTALED $616.9MLN IN JANUARY-JUNE 2010
PanARMENIAN.Net
August 5, 2010 – 17:56 AMT 12:56 GMT
$616.9mln was transferred to individuals through the Armenian banking
system in January-June 2010. According to the RA Central Bank’s
monthly bulletin, 3% or $17.7mln growth was recorded as compared with
the same period of last year.
Meanwhile, Russia keeps the biggest share of remittances to Armenia –
$402.7mln, followed by the U.S. – $61.8mln and Germany – $10.1mln. The
amount of remittances from Turkey totaled $1.12mln.
Besides, the amount of remittances from Armenia totaled $311.7mln
in January-June 2010 that is 20.3% higher as compared with the same
period of last year.
During the reporting period, the net cash inflow decreased by 10.2%
amounting to $305.2mln against $340mln in January-June 2009.
From: A. Papazian
Armenian National Committee of America-Orange County Chapter
5035 West McFadden Avenue
Santa Ana, California 92704
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
August 5, 2010
Contact: Razmig Khayalian
NORTH ORANGE COUNTY, CA ANCA ACTIVISTS MEET WITH CONGRESSMAN GARY MILLER
BREA, CA—Local ANCA activists met with US Representative Gary Miller
(CA-42-R) this past Tuesday in his Brea, CA district office. Leading the
meeting were Razmig Khayalian, a board member with the ANCA Orange County
Chapter as well as Mr. Serouj Aprahamian and Mr. John Havoonjian,
constituents of the Congressman. Joining them for the meeting were Jennifer
Movsessian and Haig Hovsepian from the Armenian National Committee of
America-Western Region office.
Aprahamian and his fellow north county activists covered a range of issues
including US-Armenia relations, recent developments in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, and US recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Aprahamian reminded the Congressman of Nagorno Karabakh’s continued fight
for self-determination and strong democratic credentials. He also noted
that the Azerbaijani government continued its threats of war and recently
launched a military attack against Nagorno Karabakh which was rebuffed. The
Azeri war mongering comes in spite of international calls for and Nagorno
Karabakh’s steadfast commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The meeting attendees also discussed the destruction of the medieval
Armenian cemetery in Julfa. The cemetery was home to over a thousand
intricately carved stone crosses and is considered a cultural landmark.
Azerbaijani troops were filmed destroying and removing the pieces of the
crosses on flatbed transports starting in the late 1980s and culminating in
2006. To date, Azerbaijan has denied the existence of the cemetery or that
there was ever an Armenian presence in the area. The government of
Azerbaijan refuses to let the European Parliament inspect the site.
The issue remains a sticking point and is one of many actions highlighting
Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to ethnically cleanse its Armenian population
and cultural heritage. The Julfa cemetery issue was also recently the
subject of Senate hearing questions posed to Matthew Bryza, the nominee to
serve as the next US Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
Khayalian noted Armenia’s continued support of coalition efforts including
its deployment of troops to peacekeeping missions in Kosovo, Iraq, and
Afghanistan. He and Havoonjian also called on the Congressman to urge
members of his own party, especially its leadership to stand strong for US
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
“It was great meeting with Congressman Miller and his District Director, Mr.
Thornton to update him on Armenian American issues,” noted Aprahamian. “It
was important that we had this opportunity to remind him that his
constituents look to him to continue to be at the forefront of issues of
concern to the community.”
The Armenian National Committee of America-Orange County Chapter is a
grassroots, advocacy organization advancing issues of concern to the area’s
Armenian American community as well as promoting the community’s civic
engagement at the local, state, and federal level
From: A. Papazian
PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:
August 5, 2010
40th DAY REQUIEM SERVICE
FOR HAROUTUNE KESHISHIAN
By order of the Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, all
Prelacy churches will offer 40th day requiem services for the soul of
Haroutune Keshishian, father of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia, this Sunday, August 8.
We pray that Almighty and Benevolent God will grant peace and
tranquility to the soul of Haroutune Keshishian.
PRELATE WILL TRAVEL TO CAMP HAIASTAN
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over the annual picnic sponsored by
Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island, which will take
place at Camp Haiastan in Franklin, Massachusetts, this Sunday, August
8, beginning at noon until 6 pm.
His Eminence will preside over the Blessing of the Grapes and
Blessing of Madagh with the participation of clergy from New England
area parishes. The ceremony will begin at 4 pm.
DATEV IMPRESSIONS.
We continue this week with more impressions from students who attended
the 2010 St. Gregory of Datev Summer Institute. An article about this
years Datev Institute and photographs are on the Prelacy web page
().
This was my fourth year at Datev; each year I come back it got better
and better. I meet new people every time. The classes and general
sessions this year were all very interesting and caused me to think
more about myself as a person both physical and spiritual. The
activities this year were also fun. During the retreat there was a
soccer game that many of the participants played in, and on Wednesday
the entire institute went canoeing. We have morning and evening
services every day along with Badarak on Sundays. I like seeing the
complete Badarak during Datev because I usually dont see it as much
during the year. Compared to other years I have attended Datev, I
think that this year was one of the best. Everyone was friendly to
each other and I learned a lot.
Jason Pjojian, 4th year
My first year as a post graduate at the Datev Institute was
great. Datev is a place where you can relax, have fun, and most
importantly, learn about our Christian faith. At Datev you meet many
new people and experience amazing fellowship. The week is well
organized and structured so that there is not one minute of
dullness. The worship services in the mornings and evenings are
beautiful. I am definitely looking forward to returning next year.
Levon Zobian, PostGrad
I knew a lot of people from previous years and met new friends that
were at the Datev Institute for the first time. Im really looking
forward to next years Datev.
Antranig Gharibian, 3rd year
I learned a lot and I had a great time. I cant wait until next years
Datev.
Daniel Megerian, 1st year
LINKED IN WEEKEND IN OCTOBER
The Prelacys annual LinkedIn gathering has become a popular
educational and social weekend for young professionals and college
students. Beginning Friday evening and continuing to Sunday, the
weekend provides education through informative and thought-provoking
lectures, spiritual enrichment through Bible studies, meditations, and
liturgical services, and bonding with peers through discussion groups
and fellowship hours.
This years gathering will take place October 8-10 at the Holy
Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard in Charlton, Massachusetts. The general
theme for 2010 is The Multi-
Dimensional Aspects of Relationships.
For details about the weekend program and registration form click here
(
).
BIBLE READING
Bible readings for Sunday, August 8, Fifth Sunday of Transfiguration
(Eve of the Fast of the Assumption, are: Isaiah 7:1-9; 1 Corinthians
13:11-14:5; Mark 2:1-12.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a
child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end
to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will
see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully,
even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide,
these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially
that you may prophesy. For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to
other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are
speaking mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, those who
prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement
and consolation. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but
those who prophesy build up the church. Now I would like all of you to
speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is
greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so
that the church may be built up. (1 Corinthians 13:11-14:5)
For a listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click here (
).
TWO HUNDRED HOLY FATHERS OF THE
ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF EPHESUS
This Saturday, August 7, the Armenian Church commemorates the 200 Holy
Fathers of the Council of Ephesus (431 AD). Ephesus, the third general
council, was convened upon the order of Emperor Theodosius II to
settle the Nestorian heresy. A large number of high-ranking church
leaders attended, headed by Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria. The
principle decision of the Council was the condemnation of
Nestorius. The Council excommunicated Nestorius and condemned the
heresy, affirmed the Nicene Creed, and approved the title of Theotokos
(God-bearer) for the Virgin Mary.
The Armenian Church accepted the canons and decisions of the
Council and designated a day in the liturgical calendar on the
Saturday of the Paregentan of the Assumption. The Armenian Church
recognizes the first three councils: Nicaea (325); Constantinople
(381); and Ephesus (431), with special days in the liturgical calendar
for all three.
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city and later the chief city of
the Roman province of Asia at the crossroads of the coastal route
between Smyrna and Cyzicus. The Temple of Ardemis in the city was one
of the great wonders of the ancient world. St. Paul took Christianity
to Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19). He stayed there for two years during his
third missionary journey.
Ephesus is one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the
Book of Revelation. In Chapter 2 Jesus praises the people of Ephesus
for their perseverance and hard work, however admonishes them for
forgetting their first love. Their Christianity had become a faithful
ritual but not a relationship of love to the Lord.
Ephesus, now located in Turkey in the province of Izmir, is a
popular international tourist attraction.
PAREGENTAN OF THE FAST OF THE
ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
This Sunday, August 8, is the Paregentan or Eve of the Fast of the
Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. This is a five-day period of
fasting (Monday to Friday) that precedes the Feast of the Assumption
of the Holy Mother which is the following Sunday.
Paregentan, which literally means good living, is a day of
enjoyment before the beginning of a fasting period.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
August 8Annual picnic, Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode
Island, at Camp Haiastan, 12 noon to 6 pm. Free games and pony rides
for children. Armenian dinners and pastry available all day. Live
music with Mike Gregian and ensemble. Madagh and Blessing of the
Grapes at 4 pm with New England clergy. For information: 401-831-6399.
August 14-15Armenian Fest/Grape Blessing, All Saints Armenian Church,
Glenview, 1701 N. Greenwood, Glenview, Illinois.
August 15Badarak and annual picnic of St. Stephen Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts (12 noon to 5
pm). For information: 617-924-7562.
August 15Annual picnic and blessing of grapes, Holy Trinity Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts.
August 15Luncheon hosted by Ladies Guild of St. Illuminators
Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, on the occasion of the
Assumption of the Holy Mother of God and the Blessing of the
Grapes. For information: 212-689-5880.
August 15Annual picnic and blessing of grapes, Sts. Vartanantz Church,
Ridgefield, New Jersey, at Dunkerhood Park, Pavillion D, Paramus, New
Jersey. In case of rain, head to Sts. Vartanantz Church hall.
August 15St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church,
Granite City, Illinois, Annual Blessing of Grapes Picnic, St. Gregory
Community Center, 12 noon to 4 pm. Blessing of Grapes begins at 2 pm.
August 15Armenian American Night at Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre,
Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, New York. Free concert under the stars,
featuring Zareh Kasbarian, Nora Armani, Ruthann Turekian, Yeraz Dance
Ensemble and more. Bring your chairs, enjoy the program. Information:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
August 15St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, Feast of the
Assumption of St. Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Blessing of grapes and
Madagh (Herisa). Celebrant V. Rev. Fr. Mesrob Sarkissian, member of
the Brotherhood of the Great House of Cilicia. Morning service at 10
am; Divine Liturgy at 10:45 am; Blessing of Grapes and Madagh
following Badarak.
August 22Annual picnic of St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts. Beginning at 12 noon on the church grounds, following
church services at 10 am. Delicious Armenian food and homemade baked
goods. Live Armenian music by the John Berberian Ensemble. Dance
performance by Siroun Dancers. Traditional Blessing of Grapes
officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, with participation of
New England clergy.
August 22Lecture at St. Sarkis Church, 38-65 234th Street, Douglaston,
New York, Our Wild Queens. Representative of the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation will speak about local
wildlife and lead hands-on family activities. Free admission, 1 pm
following church services.
August 29Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church, Troy, New York,
Blessing of Grapes picnic from 12 noon to 4 pm, on the church grou8nds
at 255 Spring Avenue, Troy, New York 12180.
September 122nd Annual Picnic-Festival in North Andover,
Massachusetts, jointly sponsored by St. Gregory Armenian Church and
St. Michael Parish, 12 noon to 6 pm. Main Street in front of both
parishes will be closed to traffic. Featuring traditional delicious
Armenian and American picnic food. American and Armenian music, games
and activities.
September 176th Annual Golf Outing, All Saints Armenian Church,
Glenview, Illinois. For information: Armen Kholamian (847) 323-5452;
Hagop Soulakian (847) 858-7685; Sevon Torosian (847) 722-3289.
September 19Annual picnic of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York,
on the church grounds. A relaxing, exciting, joyful, old fashioned
picnic. Good food, best shish kebob, entertainment by FJ-Erevan,
KidZone, special supervised activities for children starting at 1 pm.
September 20St. Stephens Armenian School/ACEC 15TH Annual Golf Outing
at Framingham Country Club. $170 includes golf, lunch, dinner and
contests. For information: Astor at (781) 326-5764.
September 26Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, Providence,
Rhode Island, 70th anniversary of the church and Rev. Fr. Gomidas
Baghsarians elevation to Archpriest, and 10th anniversary of service
to Sts. Vartanantz. Archbishop Oshagan will celebrate the Divine
Liturgy and preside over the celebratory banquet at Crowne Plaza,
Warwick, Rhode Island. For information: Ramon Zorabedian,
401-884-6626.
September 27Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, 7th Annual Golf Outing at Sterling National Country
Club, Sterling, Massachusetts. $140 per person includes golf, cart,
breakfast, dinner and prizes. For information: Kap Kaprielian,
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or 508-872-9629.
October 350th anniversary celebration of Nareg Saturday Armenian
School of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, under the
auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan and presided by His Grace
Bishop Anoushavan.
October 8-10The Eastern Prelacys Linked In workshop weekend for young
adults at Holy Virgin Marys Spiritual Vineyard, Charlton,
Massachusetts.
November 767th anniversary, All Saints Armenian Church, Glenview,
Illinois.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.
To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
your address book.
Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
From: A. Papazian
RUSSIA MOVES ROCKETS AS WILDFIRES SPREAD
JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press
Aug 5, 2010 07:57 AM
MOSCOW (AP) – A Russian military garrison near Moscow moved all its
artillery rockets to a safer location as wildfires advanced in the
region, the government said Thursday.
Col. Alexei Kuznetsov, a Defense Ministry spokesman, told The
Associated Press that the garrison near Naro-Fominsk, 70 kilometers
(45 miles) southwest of Moscow, was not in immediate danger. But the
decision to move the explosive materiel underlined the challenges posed
by the hundreds of fires raging in Russia after weeks of intense heat
and drought.
A wildfire leapt into a Russian naval air base outside Moscow last
week, causing substantial damage; Russian media reported as many as
200 planes may have been destroyed. Kuznetsov did not give details
of where the rockets were moved to, or when the operation occurred.
In neighboring Ukraine, also suffering from heat and lack of rain,
a wildfire on Thursday was within three kilometers (two miles) of a
military base in the Dnirpropetrovsk region, local news reports said.
The regional emergencies ministry said only that a 300-hectare
(750-acre) fire was close to being extinguished. In all, wildfires
in eastern Ukraine have destroyed about 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres).
Almost 600 fires were reported burning in Russia on Thursday, mostly
in the western stretches of the country. The death toll from the
fires stands at 50.
Earlier, a shelter with some 1,800 animals near Moscow reported that
it had been threatened by fires and that one had approached within 150
meters (yards) before being extinguished. But shelter director Daria
Taraskina said late Thursday that there were no blazes nearby, though
concern remained high for the dogs, cats and retired circus animals
at the facility in Khoteichi, 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Moscow.
Thick smog that had blanketed Moscow partially lifted early Thursday
but could return with no end in sight to a record heat wave,
officials warned.
Temperatures up to 100 F (38 C) have exacerbated forest and peat bog
fires across Russia’s central and western regions, destroying close
to 2,000 homes. Officials have suggested the 10,000 firefighters
battling the blazes aren’t enough. The forecast for the week ahead
shows little change in the capital and surrounding regions, where
the average summer temperature is around 23 (75).
In the blaze-ravaged village of Plotava, 35 miles (60 kilometers) east
of Moscow, local official Viktor Sorokin lamented that the number of
fire wardens in woodland and peat bog areas had halved to 150 in the
last few years under new rules.
“There used to be more of them, now there aren’t enough,” he said.
Some locals are taking the initiative to make up the shortfall in
firefighters.
“We woke up several days ago and we couldn’t breathe,” said Alexander
Babayev, a 27-year-old owner of a drive-in theater, before taking a
hose to low rising flames flickering above the smoldering ground.
Babayev assembled a motley team of volunteers using a social networking
website and, after a few instructions from professionals, they began
tending to fires.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised to build new, better
homes before winter, and vowed each victim would receive $6,600 in
compensation. The sum is huge in a country whose average monthly
wage is around $800, and Russian media say some residents may have
deliberately torched their dwellings to qualify.
To the east, firefighters focused on beating flames back from a
top-secret nuclear research facility in the city of Sarov. A Sarov
news website on Thursday cited local officials as saying a wall of
fire had been broken down into several smaller blazes. On Wednesday,
officials said the closest blaze was still several miles (kilometers)
from the main facilities at the Russian Federal Nuclear Research
Center and as a precaution all hazardous materials had been evacuated.
In the capital, President Dmitry Medvedev fired several high-ranking
military officials Wednesday over what he called criminal negligence
in fires that ravaged a military base.
Russia has been sent helicopters and planes to help douse the flames
from Ukraine, Armenia, Italy, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, Emergencies
Minister Sergei Shoigu said in televised comments.
_____
Associated Press writers Mansur Mirovalev in Plotava, Khristina
Narizhnaya and David Nowak in Moscow and Anna Menichuk in Kiev,
Ukraine, contributed to this report.
From: A. Papazian
ARMENIAN PRESS REVIEW
Tigran Avetisian
05.08.2010
Galust Sahakian, a senior member of the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (HHK), tells “Aravot” that the opposition Armenian National
Congress (HAK) has little chance of winning any parliament seats in
the next elections because it is not “understandable to the public.”
“We need an opposition that can debate and engage in dialogue, expose
shortcomings existing within the society, impose and discuss things
with the authorities,” says Sahakian, adding that “the notion of
opposition seems to be forgotten within the society.” Of all the
opposition parties, only the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun) looks like “real opposition,” concludes Sahakian.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” rounds on “professional patriots” that denounce
those who blame Armenia’s military leadership for the latest army
shootings. “According to the logic of those who make such claims,
the only way of not committing high treason is to shut up and come
to terms with facts such as abusive practices in the army, killings
portrayed as suicides, the delivery of decomposing corpses of Armenian
soldiers to their parents,” editorializes the paper. It says few of
the “professional patriots” have sons or other loved ones who fell
victim to army abuse.
“Hraparak” says the bitter rift between the chief of the Armenian
police, Alik Sargsian, and the recently sacked governor of his native
Ararat region, Vardges Hovakimian, “unmasked the reality within
the corridors of power.” “It turns out that people, who work in the
same team, are members of the same government and are supposed to be
like-minded or at least have civilized or positive relations, hate
each other,” writes the paper. “They hate so much that the former
government is ready to emigrate from the country because of the
police chief. That is, as soon as one of them loses his government
post the whole intra-government dirt comes up to the surface. After
this incident, it is not hard to guess what other officials think of
each other and how much hatred and malice they have accumulated.”
Masis Mayilian, a prominent Nagorno-Karabakh politician, tells
“Zhamanak” that the possible sale of Russian S-300 missiles to
Azerbaijan would have a “negative impact on the balance of forces in
the region.” “These [anti-aircraft] systems are classified into the
category of defensive weapons and can limit our ability to strike
back at the enemy,” says Mayilian. “That is, after receiving S-300s
Azerbaijan would be less vulnerable and that self-confidence could
prompt Azerbaijan to take more aggressive actions.”
From: A. Papazian