Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ECHMIADZIN IS READY TO RECEIVE THE RUSSIAN PATRIARCH

hos17023.html
12:26:47 – 03/03/2010

At the invitation of All-Armenian Catholicos Garegin II, the Russian
Patriarch Kiril I will be visiting Armenia on March 16-18.

On March 16, a welcoming ceremony will be held in Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, afterwards an agreement will be signed between the two
Pontiffs to proclaim Sergin Pasad and Echmiadzin sister cities.

On March 17, a visit to the genocide memorial and museum is planned.

On the same day, the Armenian and Russian religious heads will pay a
visit to the Russian Church of Yerevan where they will meet with the
representatives of the Russian community of Armenia. Later in the day,
they will have a meeting with Serge Sargsyan.

On March 18, a joint statement will be signed, a meeting with students
and journalists, as well as a sendoff ceremony of the Russian patriarch
will take place.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER BLAMED FOR ‘CORRUPTION’

Asbarez
-minister-blamed-for-%e2%80%98corruption%e2%80%99/
Mar 4th, 2010

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan publicly
lambasted Agriculture Minister Gerasim Alaverdian on Thursday over
what he called a serious misuse of government funds by senior officials
from the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture.

The minister is affiliated with the Prosperous Armenia Party, a junior
partner in the country’s governing coalition.

The harsh criticism voiced during a weekly cabinet meeting stemmed
from a financial inspection of ministry records that was conducted
by the Armenian parliament’s Audit Chamber last year. According
to Sarkisian, the chamber found that the ministry purchased cattle
medication for farmers across the country from a private supplier at
a grossly inflated price.

"Naturally, we should have ruled out such a practice in 2010,"
Sargsyan told ministers. "But studies show that not only has the
situation not been rectified but that it has actually deteriorated."

Sargsyan claimed that two senior Ministry of Agriculture officials
in charge of procurements, have continued to make sure that supply
tenders are won by the same company. He implied that they have done so
for personal and instructed Alaverdian to ask a state body overseeing
Armenia’s civil service to sanction their dismissal.

The premier went on to declare that he is issuing a "strict reprimand"
to Alaverdian because of the latter’s failure to "properly perform
his duties." "Such a work style must be ruled out," he said.

Alaverdian’s reaction to the embarrassing criticism was not immediately
known.
From: Baghdasarian

US HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE DECISION – A MESSAGE TO TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2010 16:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday’s vote disproved opinion of some experts
who maintained that Armenia-Turkey rapprochement hampers the process
of international recognition of Genocide, said the chairman of RA NA
committee on science, education, culture, youth and sports affairs
Artak Davtyan.

Commenting on US House Foreign Affairs Committee’s passage of Genocide
resolution, he noted that Turkey might use the situation to drag out
Protocols ratification. "US House Foreign Affairs Committee decision
is a message to Turkey," he emphasized, adding that Turkey can’t
become a democratic state until it comes to terms with its past.

He didn’t rule out the possibility of resolution being discussed at
US Congress. "As a democratic state and protector of human rights,
US must recognize the Armenian Genocide," Davtyan stressed, venturing
a supposition that the resolution can be accepted in some 2 years.

On March 4, US House Foreign Affairs Committee’s passed a resolution
recognizing and commemorating the Armenian Genocide. The resolution
was passed by a vote of 23-22.
From: Baghdasarian

FEW DONATE BLOOD ARMENIA

d
06:43 pm | March 03, 2010

Social

Relatives of people diagnosed with aplastic anemia have to find
donors themselves. They either give blood or buy it from the RA Health
Ministry’s Blood Transfusion Center after Professor R. Yolyan. To date,
none of the relatives donating blood to patients has been compensated.

A bag of blood costs 10 000 drams in Armenia. In cases of emergency
a patient receives blood from the centre reserves complied from
volunteer donors.

"Today Armenia lacks blood stocks which enable patients to receive
free blood. The 10 000 drams is taken to purchase blood bags (each
costs 3000 drams) and analyze the blood of permanent donors," says
Professor Smbat Daghbashyan, Director of the Blood Transfusion Center.

The state budget annually allots 135 million drams for in-patient
treatment of patients with blood illnesses. According to Mr.

Daghbashyan the money is spent on medicine.

"The state today allocates finances to prevent infections, analyze
blood, recruit new workers and acquire new techniques," he adds.

To secure blood stocks, 20 of every 1000 individuals should voluntarily
donate blood while today only one or two individuals do it. Surely,
there are people who demand nothing instead but they form 5 percent
of overall donors. Almost 40 percent of donors demand compensation.

The number of individuals with blood illnesses totals 2200 in Armenia,
480 of them are children.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN EVANGELICALS PRAISED FOR HAITI RELIEF EFFORTS

-02-armenian-evangelicals-praised-for-haiti-relief -efforts
Tuesday March 02, 2010

Honorary Consul of Haiti in Philadelphia in a letter dated January 14,
2010 thanked the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA)
for mobilizing Armenian Evangelical Churches worldwide to come to
the aid of Haitians devastated by a tragic earthquake that hit the
impoverished island on January 12, 2010.

"I received a copy of the January 13 communication from AMAA
headquarters to the Armenian Evangelical Churches urging them to pray
for the victims of the Haitian tragedy and to show their solidarity
through their gifts," wrote Mr. Albert Momjian, Esq. who represents
Haiti in Philadelphia. "I commend the AMAA for taking leadership in
their efforts."

Upon hearing about the plight of thousands of victims whose lives were
devastated or lost, the AMAA appealed to the Armenian Evangelical
Churches and its members to show their Christian solidarity and
provide their moral and financial support.

As a result, over $10,000 was raised in the following few days and
was rushed to Haiti through the Wider Church Ministries of the United
Church of Christ and Samaritan’s Purse two church related organizations
heavily involved in Haiti.

Most touching was the response by Evangelical Churches in Armenia.

They raised 250,000 Drams (about $700) – a significant amount
considering their resources.

As he presented their gift, Rev. Samuel Kiragossian said, "we will
never forget how the world community came to our aid in 1988." This was
indeed a thoughtful gesture on behalf of people who had experienced
a similar tragedy twenty years ago and who still feel the pain and
anguish resulting from it. Rev. Kiragossian is the President of the
Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in Armenia.

The fundraising effort continues as it will take many years for
Haitians to recover from this tragedy and rebuild their lives. Those
who wish to participate in the relief efforts can send their gifts
to the AMAA Haiti Earthquake Fund or visit the website, amaa.org.

AMAA is a non-profit charitable organization established in 1918 and
serves mainly the needs of Armenian communities in 24 countries around
the world.
From: Baghdasarian

CEOS WARN AGAINST ARMENIA GENOCIDE BILL SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 4

2010/03/03 | 12:29

world

Reuters reports that the CEO’s of several top aerospace and defense
companies sent a letter to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee
warning that passage of an Armenian Genocide resolution tomorrow
could lead to "a rupture in U.S.-Turkey relations" and put American
jobs at risk.

The chief executives of Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Raytheon Co,
United Technologies Corp and Northrop Grumman Corp sent the February
26 letter to the committee’s Democratic chairman, Representative
Howard Berman.

The industry leaders argued that U.S. defense and aerospace exports
to Turkey topped $7 billion in 2009 and were expected to equal that
this year, providing thousands of American jobs.

Alienating a significant NATO ally and trading partner would have
negative repercussions for U.S. geopolitical interests and efforts to
boost both exports and employments," the CEOs warned Representative
Berman before tomorrow’s resolution hearing.
From: Baghdasarian

U.S. HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS STARTS HEARING ON H.RES.252

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.03.2010 19:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. House Foreign Affairs started hearing on the
Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252).

Opening the hearing, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard
Berman called on his colleagues to vote for adoption of Armenian
Genocide Resolution.

The Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.106) was submitted to the
House of Representatives by Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), on
January 30, 2007, during the 110th United States Congress. It was
a non-binding resolution calling upon the US President to ensure
that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States
record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other purposes. Upon
its introduction it was referred to United States House Committee
on Foreign Affairs where it passed a 27-21 vote and was sent back
for a full house vote. On October 26, 2007, in a letter addressed
to the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, four key sponsors of the bill,
requested a debate on the bill in full House to be postponed.

Another resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian
Genocide (H.Res.252) was formally introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-CA), George Radanovich
(R.-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill) in 2009.

It currently has 137 co-sponsors.
From: Baghdasarian

ANC INITIATED SIGNATURES COLLECTION AGAINST HAYRUSGAZART

News.am
16:00 / 03/03/2010
Armenia

Armenian National Congress continues signature collection for filing
a suit against HayRusGazart LLC new gas rate, ANC spokesman Arman
Musinyan told NEWS.am correspondent.

According to him, oppositionists collect signatures from the population
as co-plaintiffs. Musinyan stated that the collection results will
be publicized shortly.

March 1 ANC meeting declared that the opposition intends to go to the
law to nullify the decision by Public Services Coordinating Committee
on increase of gas price from 96AMD up to 132AMD per 1m3.
From: Baghdasarian

APPOINTMENTS MADE BY MAJORITY VOTE: AOUN’S BLOC VETOED, HIZBULLAH ABSTAINED, TASHNAG APPROVED

NaharNet
March 4 2010
Lebanon

Following a heated debate, 20 Cabinet ministers voted in favor of
a series of appointments and the Council of Ministers is scheduled
to hold an extraordinary session on Thursday to approve other
designations.

Selection of names was not itself shocking, but the way Prime Minister
Saad Hariri handled the issue when he insisted that the appointments
be made by a majority vote of the Cabinet.

Those who voted in favor of the measure where ministers representing
Future Movement, Progressive Socialist Party, AMAL, Lebanese Forces
and Phalange Party.

Three ministers from Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc vetoed the
appointments and two Hizbullah members abstained from voting.

And to complete the surprise, Tashnag Cabinet Minister Abraham Dedeyan,
who is a member of Aoun’s bloc, was the person who tipped the balance
in the voting.

The government on Wednesday named former Cabinet Minister Khaled
Qabbani as head of the Civil Service Council, Judge Aouni Ramadan as
President of the Audit Bureau and Magistrate Ahmad Karam as head the
Judicial Inspection Committee.

Cabinet also agreed to a proposal by Energy and Water Minister Jebran
Bassil to stop subsidizing diesel oil.

"Minister Bassil will submit suggestions in the next session aimed to
help citizens and reduce their fuel expenses," Information Minister
Tareq Mitri said.

Cabinet will meet Thursday to approve appointments for the Banking
Control Committee.
From: Baghdasarian

JOAO SOARES: IT TAKES COURAGE AND POLITICAL WILL TO TAKE THE FINAL STEP TO SOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

armradio.am
04.03.2010 16:28

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict is of course one of the topics the
President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Joao Soares, will
discuss during the visit to the South Caucasus.

"I think it is possible to solve the conflict. A good solution is on
the table. It takes courage and political will to take the final step.

I believe the current Kazakh Chairmanship of the OSCE and the Minsk
Group Co-chairs have a very important role to play in this," Joao
Soares said in an interview with APA ahead of his visit to the region.

Asked whether the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is planning to launch
any initiatives on a parliamentarian level to contribute the peaceful
resolution of the conflict?

"Members of Parliament have a unique role to play in preparing a
solution to conflicts. Of course, Governments are responsible for the
negotiations, but parliamentary dialogue helps enhance understanding.

As you know, the OSCE PA Special Representative on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Mr. Goran Lennmarker, has been engaged in promoting exactly
this type of dialogue for a number of years. He will continue his
efforts," Joao Soares said.
From: Baghdasarian