Author: Antonian Lara

THERE ARE COUNTRIES INTERESTED IN WORSENING ARMENIA-GEORGIA RELATIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2006 00:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti is
serious. Undoubtedly, it is not so much political, as social and
economic problem, expert, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan stated
in an interview with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words,
social and economic problems of the region will become more acute
against the background of withdrawal of the Russian military base. “I
think there are countries interested in politicization of the problem
and worsening the Armenia-Georgia. Armenians of Javakheti should be
integrated in the political processes in Georgia.
Georgian leaders should not resort to force. E.g. if the education
reform is painful for the Armenian population, its implementation
should be postponed,” Grigoryan remarked. At that he noted that the
Armenian Government should coordinate the work with the Georgian
Government, which should be interested in constant contact with
Armenian ministries and departments.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x128
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, March 8, 2006

AGBU São Paolo Attracts 350 Supporters for Annual Anniversary Event
The well-known Maison France of São Paolo was the venue for AGBU
Brazil’s 41st Anniversary event on December 4, 2005. Supporters
numbering over 350 came together to salute not only the Chapter’s
achievements, but also to pay tribute to Man of the Year Ochin
Mosditchian, who has served the local community through AGBU for over
25 years. Mr. Mosditchian has served as the Chapter’s director and led
many delegations to the organization’s biennial General Assemblies.
Most encouraging was the presence of the community’s youth, who
comprised almost half of the guests. AGBU São Paolo enjoys the
incredible support of the local Armenian community, as it hosts
monthly events, sponsors youth athletics and an annual fashion event
that draws large numbers, including many non-Armenians. The 2005 show,
which displayed the fashions of Claudete & Deca, hosted 500 spectators
and feted Areknaz Kherlakian, who has been a staunch supporter of the
Brazilian chapter for decades.
Founded in 1964, AGBU Sao Paulo is dedicated to preserving and
promoting the Armenian heritage and culture through educational,
cultural and humanitarian programs. For more information, please
contact AGBU Sao Paulo at 55-113-814-9299 (or 9930) or e-mail
[email protected].
For more information on AGBU and its worldwide chapters, please visit

AZERBAïDJAN ET ARMENIE S’ACCUSENT MUTUELLEMENT DE RUPTURE DU CESSEZ-LE-FEU
Agence France Presse
7 mars 2006 mardi 1:59 PM GMT
Bakou
L’Azerbaïdjan a accuse mardi l’Armenie d’avoir viole le cessez-le-feu
au Nagorny Karabakh et provoque la mort d’un soldat azerbaïdjanais,
Erevan reprochant pour sa part a l’armee azerbaïdjanaise d’avoir tue
un soldat armenien le 3 mars.
Les Armeniens ont ouvert le feu mardi a 04h45 (00h45 GMT) depuis la
region de Terter a la limite du Nagorny Karabakh (enclave separatiste
peuplee d’Armeniens en territoire azerbaïdjanais) et du reste de
l’Azerbaïdjan, tuant Parviz Cahangirov, un soldat ne en 1986, a
declare le ministère azerbaïdjanais de la Defense dans un communique.
Le ministère accuse egalement les Armeniens d’avoir blesse un soldat
qui se trouverait “dans un etat grave”.
“Cette information (…) ne correspond pas a la realite. De plus,
nous sommes fatigues des violations periodiques du cessez-le-feu de la
part de l’Azerbaïdjan”, a declare de son côte a l’AFP le responsable
de l’information de l’Armee de defense du Karabakh, Senor Astratian.
Ces derniers jours, le ministère armenien de la Defense a diffuse
des informations faisant etat de violations du cessez-le-feu.
“Le 3 mars, la partie azerbaïdjanaise a ouvert le feu en direction
de la division armee d’Idjevan (nord de l’Armenie) blessant a la tete
l’appele Arsen Zakvossian, âge de 19 ans, qui est decede a l’hôpital”,
a indique le ministère dans un communique.
Le cessez-le-feu a ete viole les 4, 5, 6 et 7 mars par l’Azerbaïdjan,
a affirme le responsable de presse du ministère, Seïran Chakhsouvarian.
Un conflit meurtrier avait eclate au debut des annees 1990 a propos
du Nagorny Karabakh, qui a proclame unilateralement son independance
en 1991. L’Azerbaïdjan veut en reprendre le contrôle.
–Boundary_(ID_kGVUUDsKHPPBH+XVkGcsbA)- –

MURDERER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER TO GET SENTENCE ON APR 13, 2006
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 8 2006
YEREVAN, March 8. /ARKA/. On April 13, 2006, the Budapest court is to
pass a sentence on the Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov, who killed
the Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, the lawyer Nazeni Vardanyan,
who represents the Armenian side, told the RA Public Television.
She reported that the next court sitting is scheduled for April 4,
2006. Vardanyan pointed out that the Azerbaijani side is trying to
delay the trial by submitting numerous petitions to the court.
Specifically, the Azerbaijani side petitioned for a witness to be
summoned and for another psychiatric examination to be made. The court
rejected both the petitions, the reason being that the Azerbaijani side
might have invited the witness during the whole year of court hearings.
According to the results of the latest psychiatric examination, the
murderer is criminally sane, does not suffer from any serious disease,
including mental diseases, and was not in a state of affect at the
moment of murder.
On February 19, 2006, Lieutenant of the RA Armed Forces Gurgen
Margaryan, which was attending English language courses in Budapest
under the Partnership for Peace program, was brutally killed with an
ax while asleep by the Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov. In Baku,
Ramil Safarov was declared a man of the year.

US DOES NOT CONSIDER KOSOVO POSSIBLE INDEPENDENCE PRECEDENT FOR KARABAKH
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 19:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The US thinks that the conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh
and South Ossetia have unique characteristics and need to be dealt with
“as separate issues”, US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said
when commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that
granting independence to Kosovo might set a very dangerous precedent
for settlement of conflicts in the former Soviet Union. “Our position
is that conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia have unique
characteristics that need to be dealt with on their own merits and
that’s how we view the issue,” Sean McCormack remarked.

MATTHEW BRYZA ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO DEEPENING OF DEMOCRACY IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 09 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues concerning
Armenian-American relations were discussed at RA NA Speaker Artur
Baghdasarian’s March 8 meeting with Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. Touching
upon the parliament’s work, Artur Baghdasarian mentioned that
after the adoption of the constitutional amendments 70 new laws and
amendments to laws are envisaged mainly in three directions – local
self-government and territorial government, court and legal systems
and Electoral Code. NA Speaker expressed gratitude to the U.S. for
the assistance rendered to Armenia attaching importance that economic
assistance is accompanied by assistance to democratic reforms. Matthew
Bryza also attached importance to deepening of democracy in Armenia
mentioning that conflicts settlement, energy security and economic
development are within this framework. A special importance was
attached to fighting corruption as ensuring of a possibility of
stable investments. Touching upon energy problems, Matthew Bryza
attached importance to development of alternative possibilities in
the respect of energy security. As Noyan Tapan was informed by NA
Public Relations Department, both of the sides attached importance
to the implementation of the Millennium Challenge program, publicity
in the course of this program’s implementation – ensuring of public
control by means of NGOs. In connection with the Nagorno Karabakh
problem Artur Baghdasarian said that the year 2006 hasn’t exhausted the
possibilities of problem’s peaceful settlement yet and there are still
opportunities of success in the negotiations process. M.Bryza also
attached importance to the problem’s settlement for the development
of the region. Within this framework they also attached importance to
normalization of relations with the neighbors to which the U.S. can
provide assistance. They also attached importance to possibilities
of development of the EU New Neighborhood program and Euroatlantic
cooperation. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans was also present
at the meeting.

ARMENIA INVITED FOR NGOS’ CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON PROJECT OF ROADS RESTORATION IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHK, GEORGIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 9 2006
YEREVAN, March 9. /ARKA/. Armenia is invited to take part in NGOs’
consultative meeting on March 14 in Tbilisi on the project of roads
restoration in Samtskhe-Javakhk, Georgia’s Armenian-populated province,
as part of Millennium Challenges American Corporation program, Caucasus
Environmental NGO Network’s press service told ARKA News Agency.
The press-release says Millennium Challenges Georgian Office’s
conditions on the project are to be discussed at the meeting.
The aim of the meeting is to present the process of the project
implementation to NGOs and people and consider possibility of public
participation in it, the press release says.
Millennium Challenges American Corporation approved five-year program
for Georgia that costs $295.3mln. Tbilisi intends to target some
$130mln for Samtskhe-Javakhk development, of which $110mln will be
spent for new highway construction.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Network of America, Washington Region
P. O. Box 100865
Arlington, VA 22210-9998
Email: [email protected]
Washington, DC. The Armenian Network invites you to a presentation on the
pace of economic development in Armenia hosted by the World Bank.
Armenia’s economy has been roaring at breathtaking double digit rates for
the past five years. What explains this pace of growth, and how likely is
it that it will persist over the foreseeable future? Dr. Saumy Mitra,
World Bank Lead Economist (ECSPE), will explain the various factors
underlying the record growth that Armenia has experienced in recent years,
and discuss policy options to ensure the continuation of such growth.
The presentation is scheduled for Thursday, March 16, 6:30-8:30pm. It will
take place at the World Bank Auditorium J1-050, 701 18th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20433. The auditorium is located between Pennsylvania
Avenue and G Street, one block from the White House. Farragut West is the
nearest metro stop on the blue and orange lines.
The Armenian Network of America, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
membership funded organization dedicated to the advancement of the
Armenian American community.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Library & Museum of America, Inc.
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-926-2562 ext. 3
Fax: 617-926-0175
Website: <; Contact: Mariam Stepanyan March 3, 2006 Contact Person: Mariam Stepanyan Phone: 617.926.2562 , ext. 3; Email: [email protected] REFLECTIONS & EXPRESSIONS BY MEGERDITCH TARAKDJIAN Armenian Library & Museum of America (ALMA) hosts sculptor and painter Megerditch Tarakdjian's exhibit "Reflections & Expressions". After numerous solo and group art exhibits in Canada, Tarakdjian opens his first exhibit in New England area at ALMA's contemporary art gallery. Tarakdjian is originally from Syria, but has been living in Montreal, Canada since 1982. While being a graduate of the Saryan Academy of Arts in Aleppo, Syria, Tarakdjian started his artistic ventures relatively later in life. Tarakdjian finds that his profession as a medical doctor helps him to better understand and later reflect different facets of human condition in his sculptures or painting. His oil paintings are mostly in vibrant and unique combination of colors. The subjects in his paintings are naïve in serene life scenes. Tarakdjian's bronze and fired clay figurines depict the various states of the human condition. His treatment of the eyes of his subjects brings to life the richness of the subject's character in the sculptures: the viewer can see a smile, a tear, or a deep thought in their depth. Arto Tchakmakchian, sculptor and member of The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, finds Tarakdjian's art "original in conception" and with "a unique style of composition". Tarakdjian's sculptures are on permanent display at the College des Médecins du Québec in Montreal and the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Ottawa. The artist reception is scheduled for 4-7pm March 18 at ALMA's contemporary art gallery (in the heart of Watertown Square, 65 Main Street, Watertown MA). It is open to public. The exhibit will last through April 30. Gallery hours are Thursday 6-9pm, Friday and Sunday 1-5pm, and Saturday 10am-2pm. For more information about this and other exhibits on display at the gallery this spring please visit <; or call 617.926.2562. Attached is an image of Tarakdjian's bronze sculpture "Cuddle". About ALMA Founded in 1971, ALMA's mission is to present and preserve the culture, history, art and contributions of the Armenian people to Americans and Armenians alike. Since its inception, ALMA's collection has grown to over 22,000 books and 20,000 artifacts, making it perhaps the largest and most diverse holding of Armenian cultural artifacts outside of Armenia. As a repository for heirlooms, the collection now represents a major resource not only for Armenian studies research, but as well as for preservation and illustration of the Armenian heritage. In 1988, ALMA acquired a 30,000 square foot facility in Watertown, MA - one of North America's oldest and most active Armenian communities. The facility includes exhibition galleries, Library, administrative offices, function hall, climate-controlled vaults and conservation lab. ALMA is the largest ethnic museum in New England and the only independent Armenian Museum in the Diaspora funded solely through contributions of individual supporters. An active Board of Trustees and volunteer base augments the museum's staff. Museum's active schedule of changing exhibits includes the use of the library primarily by researchers and interested general public seeking research materials on Armenians. In addition, the museum sponsors lecture and presentation program on related topics. Hours: Friday and Sunday, from 1-5 P.M., Saturday 10AM-2PM and Thursday evenings from 7-9 P.M. Admission: ALMA members are free/ $5 for non-members. Children under 12 get in are free. For more information please visit our website <; , or call 617.926.ALMA (2562). Directions Driving: Take route 95 to 128 to 90 (Mass Pike East) towards Watertown. Take exit 17- Watertown/Newton. Go North 1 mile towards Watertown Square. As you cross the small bridge, get into the 2 left lanes. Turn left on Main Street. Turn right on Church Street, and then turn right into the municipal parking lot. MBTA: Buses 71, 70/70A, 57, 52, 59, 502, 504. Please visit <; for schedules and maps.

GROWTH IN GAS PRICE TO RAISE BUSINESS COST PRICE IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Ministry of Trade and Economic
Development is studying the possibilities of mitigating the
consequences of growth in price for gas supplied for Armenian
economy. Director General of the Armenian Development Agency
Vahagn Movsisian informed about this at the March 11 press
conference. According to him, the growth in price for gas supplied
to Armenia will raise the cost price of business run in Armenia.