Author: Badalian Vardan

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont-Quebec H2V 3H2
Contact: Deacon Hagop Arslanian,
Tel: 514-276-9479
Fax: 514-276-9960
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Sat, Jan 16 2010

Canadian Armenian Diocese Aid to Haiti
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada is deeply saddened to learn
of the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010=2E

His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of Canada, conveys deepest condolences on behalf of the
Diocesan Council, the clergy and the faithful of the Armenian community of
Canada. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti and the
families of the victims and all who are suffering through these difficult
early days of the deadly tragedy. We extend our heartfelt compassion and
sympathy to everyone who is touched by this disaster as we pray God to
bless all the souls and continue to strengthen and give hope to its entire
people to go on in their lives and rebuild their homes=2E

Armenians throughout the world remember the anguish and sorrow of the
earthquake of December 7, 1988 in Armenia that claimed more than 20,000
lives and devastated our homeland. Canada and the international community
responded to provide immediate help to Armenia and aid to our brothers and
sisters=2E

Let us now show our compassion and care, and participate in the relief
effort, with our contributions. We encourage the faithful of the Armenian
community throughout the Canadian parishes to make their donations for
Haiti, through the humanitarian arm of the Diocese, the Children?Ts
Fund for Armenia (CFFA.) The Diocese will in turn forward all funds
earmarked for Haiti, to the Canadian Red Cross, in the name of the
Armenian Community of Canada=2E

16 Jan 2010 by Press Office

©2004 Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada. All rights reserved=2E
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UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL CALLS FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE TO HAITI

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.01.2010 19:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Now more than ever the world needs international
solidarity. I appeal to all stakeholders: governments, foundations
and other donors, to everyone individually: Haiti needs an immediate,
broad and purposeful assistance," Director General of UNESCO Irina
Bokova said.

UNESCO has already started developing an action plan to provide
operational assistance for the rehabilitation of educational
infrastructures in Haiti. The devastative earthquake on Tuesday
destroyed numerous educational facilities, including primary and
secondary schools, carried away an infinite number of people, becoming
a catastrophe, set back the country, previousely suffered from other
disasters, press office of UNESCO reported.

The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova sends Bernard Hajjaj as
her special representative to assess the most urgent needs of Haiti.

UNESCO – Established on November 16, 1945, United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization is headquartered in Paris. The
aim of UNESCO’s Constitution reads: to promote peace and security by
collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in
order to ensure universal respect for justice, law and human rights
and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the UN Charter for all peoples
without distinction of race, sex, language or religion. The main
functions of the organization: international cooperation, exchange of
knowledge, based on scientific achievements and research, development
of education, science, culture, information and communication.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF INTELLIGENTSIA

president.am
Jan 14 2010
Armenia

President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan met today with over
250 representatives of intelligentsia at the Komitas Chamber Music
Hall. They were invited here at the initiative of the Ministry of
Culture to celebrate Old Style New Year.

At the Chamber Music Hall, which has been totally renovated through the
state budget allocations, the President of Armenia and representatives
of intelligentsia attended also the concert of the newly established
children’s chamber music orchestra. This exceptional group was
created on November 20 – the international Day of the Convention on
the Protection of Child’s Rights, under the auspices of UNESCO. The
youngest member of the orchestra is only 8 years old, while the
concertmaster and the first violinist is an eleven years old girl. The
orchestra comprises also children from the regions of Armenia.

At the conclusion of the concert, the representatives of intelligentsia
conversed with the President, told him about their problems and came
up with suggestions.

NEW TIMES PARTY BACKS VARDAN OSKANIAN’S VIEW

Aysor
Jan 14 2010
Armenia

"Through its positive decision on Armenian-Turkish protocols, Armenia’s
Constitutional Court clearly showed that there were preconditions in
documents and it concerns over this. Otherwise, its report wouldn’t
be logged on 7 pages," said at the press conference leader of the
New Times Party Aram Karapetyan.

He said after his close learning court’s decision he agreed with
ex-foreign-minister Vartan Oskanian that "there never such a loose
document was designed".

Armenian-Turkish protocols shouldn’t be ratified, said Aram Karapetyan,
or they must be ratified with some disclaimers.

MONEYGRAM CONSIDERS ARDSHININVESBANK LIKE THE MOST RELIABLE ARMENIAN BANK

ArmInfo
14.01.2010

ArmInfo. Ardshininvestbank has been given a certificate of
the international money transfer system MoneyGram like the most
reliable Armenian bank As press-service of Ardshininvestbank reported,
cooperating with the MoneyGram from the very beginning of its activity
the bank has been offering various actions to its clients, during
which the clients were given bonus, plastic cards and tourist visas.

"The certificate given by the MoneyGram obliges to continue remaining
a reliable bank not only for our foreign partners but for all our
clients as well. I am sure that cooperation with MoneyGram will be
stable and mutually beneficial", – Chairman of Ardshininvestbank
Board Nerses Karamanukyan said.

To note, circulation of private transfers of Ardshininvestbank
amounted to $150 mln in 2009. Today the bank also works in the
following international money transfer systems like: Contact, Migom,
IntelExpress, RIA, "Fast post", and is also cooperating in this sphere
with the Russian Promsvyazbank, Fora Bank and Sberbank. At present
Ardshininvestbank has 55 offices in Armenia, 13 of which in Yerevan,
36 – in the regions and 6 in the NKR. The bank also has its office
in Paris.

WILL NA CONSIDER?

Lragir.am
14/01/10

The member of the ARF Bureau Vahan Hovhannisyan on January 14 said
that if the Armenian National Assembly ratifies the Armenian and
Turkish protocols without taking into account the circumstances set
by the decision of the Constitutional Court, so the CC decision will
lose its sense because it will become an internal document and will
not get international legal force. Though Vahan Hovhannisyan is not
satisfied with the CC decision, but the fact that while making its
decision the CC took into account the arguments of the forces being
against the protocols in particular those of the ARF is welcoming. "Of
course, the fact that after all, the CC decided the protocols are in
accord with the RA Constitution is negative", says Vahan Hovhannisyan
adding that nevertheless the CC slowly tries to show independence.

Vahan Hovhannisyan says the opinions of "some political forces and
others who consider them such ones" when they say that the court did
not have to take into account others’ opinions dealing with politics
are idiotic. Vahan Hovhannisyan notes the CC acted in accordance
with the law. As to whether the CC decision will be considered at
the National Assembly, Vahan Hovhannisyan says when the ratification
process starts they will not let the NA to wash its hands up and ignore
the CC decision. According to Vahan Hovhannisyan the NA is obliged
to consider the CC decision. Hovhannisyan thinks now each citizen
has to find out who the parliamentary member of their constituency
is and to influence them for the NA voting to include the CC decision.

EXPERT SAYS NKR CONFLICT RESOLUTION WON’T BE SOLVED THROUGH MILITARY ACTIVITIES

Panorama.am
17:23 12/01/2010

Famous political expert Alexander Rar made his observations over
the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "I don’t think military
activities would be resumed," the expert told 1news.az. Expert says if
the situation gets tougher the West in the frames of the European Union
will send expert groups and committees to support the Minsk Group. It’s
supposed that the military activities will threaten energy provision
to Europe, hence Europe is watchful to any negative developments.

DEFENSE MINISTRY INVESTIGATES REPORTS ABOUT ARMENIAN FAMILY’S CROSSING AZERBAIJANI BORDER

APA
Jan 11 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan is investigating the
reports spread by the Armenian sources about the Armenian family’s
crossing the Azerbaijani border and entering the territory of
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Spokesman for the Defense Ministry
Eldar Sabiroglu told APA.Armenian citizen, 58-year old Yegishe
Petrosovich Gevorkyan entered the Azerbaijani territory in the
evening on January 10 in his car with his wife and three children,
said Armenian defense ministry, APA reports quoting Panarmenian.net.

Gevorkyan ignored the Armenian border servicemen’s warning and crossed
the border from Yeraskh region of Armenia and entered the territory
of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani soldiers
reportedly opened warning shot. Armenian side said international
humanitarian organizations were informed about the incident.

Azerbaijan State Commission for Captives, Hostages and Missing People
said it has not received any information about that.

Gevorkyan was sentenced for eight times for robbery, carjacking and
other crimes.

ARMENIAN YOUTH UNION OF UKRAINE ORGANIZES BEAUTY CONTEST ON THE INTERNET

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.01.2010 17:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Youth Union of Ukraine held two Ukrainian
Beauty Contests . According to Analitika.at.ua, the first beauty
contest was held in 2006 in Kherson, and the second competition was
organized in the city of Sumy. Taking into account economic problems
of 2009, it was decided to hold a contest on the web. The Beauty
contest is conducted in three phases, vote will take place between
January 10 and 30. The results will be published in the Armenian
Vestnik newspaper.

Sofia Echo, Bulgaria
Jan 7 2010

Is Turkey’s EU bid blocked by prejudice?

Thu, Jan 07 2010 11:39 CET by Gabriel Hershman

David Cronin, writing in the Guardian, says that Turkey’s longstanding
bid to join the European Union seems further away than ever in the
wake of human rights concerns, what he calls "subtle anti-Islamic
prejudice" and Bulgaria’s recent threat to block its neighbour’s entry
unless Ankara pays compensation for its expulsion of Thracians in the
early 20th century.

Cronin agress that Turkey’s record of suppression of dissent merits a
rebuke. He cites the prosecution of Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk who
gave an interview in 2005 in which he discussed the genocide
perpetrated by Ottoman forces against 1.5 million Armenians nine
decades earlier.

The article maintains that that darker forces may be at work in
Turkey’s difficulty in entering the EU club. Cronin refers to the
stance of both French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor
Angela Merkel and claims that their views represent a hidden
prejudice.

"This anti-Turkish bias is tantamount to racism. Even though the EU
institutions officially claim to cherish diversity, there is a tacit
agreement among some of their most powerful leaders that the union
must remain predominantly Christian."

He notes comments made by the EU’s new president Herman Van Rompuy,
albeit before he assumed his current high office, when he said, in
2004, that "the universal values which are in force in Europe, and
which are also fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigour
with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey".

Cronin concludes his piece by wondering whether this attitude should
be tolerated. "The EU is nominally a club of democracies; why is it
allowed to discriminate on religious grounds?"

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