Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  +374-10-517163
Fax:  +374-10-517301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
April 12, 2009

Message of His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ
12 April 2009, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 `YET NOW HE HAS BEEN RECONCILED IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH,
TO PRESENT YOU HOLY AND BLAMELESS, AND ABOVE REPROACH IN HIS SIGHT –
IF INDEED YOU CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, GROUNDED AND STEADFAST,
AND ARE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL WHICH YOU HEARD,
WHICH WAS PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE UNDER HEAVEN.’
COLOSSIANS 1:22-23

Dear pious faithful,

The tiding of the glorious and holy resurrection of our Lord and Savior is
proclaimed to us from the holy altars of our churches today.  The
incomparable news of the grace of mankind’s salvation once more resounds
within our faithful souls:  Our Lord Jesus Christ reconciled us with God in
the body of His flesh through His death, to present us before the Father as
holy, spotless and immaculate, if we remain grounded and steadfast in faith
and unshaken from the hope of the Gospel, which we heard and was preached to
all creation under heaven.

Indeed, who can present men before God as holy and immaculate, if not the
Son of God alone?  He Who paid the ransom for the sins of mankind with his
righteous and honorable blood; and through His resurrection, saved us from
death and granted us the path to eternal life.  Today we once again praise
and glorify Christ with exultation; we are renewed with faith and hope,
which is the message of the Gospel, since the Savior of the world is Risen
and we are hopeful for the grace of salvation He grants us.

The belief in God is not merely the comprehension that He exists.  Rather,
it is the love for God, the acceptance of His message, as our fathers have
taught us, and to be guided by that life-giving message.  Faith is the most
precious legacy, the light and vitality of the soul, which must be
protected, cared for, sustained and nurtured, so that no thought, word or
deed may cause it to be harmed or damaged within our soul.

Faith in Christ, Who is the `true image of the invisible God’, is the
recognition and praise of divine love and mercy toward men, and to live life
with that love.  During the course of His earthly mission, our Lord Jesus
Christ frequently spoke about the importance of faith.  He preached and
performed miracles primarily in those places where He found faith; and was
saddened and grieved when He could not find souls with faith and hope in God
– finding instead merely the external appearance of worshipping God.  Our
Lord is always with us, if we are with Him with an undoubting soul.  And
there where the Lord is, is freedom, truth, justice, love and peace.  Where
the Lord is, is the grace of salvation, healing, consolation, resurrected
spirit, hope and faith.

The miracle of faith lives in the pages of the Holy Bible.  The blind see,
the lame walk, the lepers are healed, and the dead are resurrected.  Seeing
all this and hearing the life-sustaining words of our Lord, men followed
Him, believing that the prophecies about the Savior of mankind had come
true.  Faith was shaken and hopelessness enveloped men following the
crucifixion.  Fear overtook even the disciples of Jesus, who were confused
and filled with doubt, when the Risen Christ appeared to them and spoke with
them.  The same Lord Who was crucified and placed in the tomb was now
standing before the Apostles; they were now seeing Him, at last, risen. 
Then, with their minds enlightened, the Apostles understood that the path
toward salvation for man – from death to life – had been opened before
mankind.  If they had been afraid or hopeless until now, they no longer
feared death as they evangelized and spread the Gospel – the good news that
Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, is Risen!

Dear faithful sons and daughters, today and always, the Risen Christ is with
humanity – to renew life, to transfigure the world.  The Risen Christ is
with men to solidify the love of God and the love of humanity within their
souls, so that falsehood, injustice, jealousy and hatred are rejected; so
that disasters and wars, pain, suffering and want are eliminated; and that
the grace and mercy of God multiply in life as the earth receives light from
the heavens, and dew and rain to make it green, flowering and bounteous. 
However, what can we expect, what future can we hope for, if life created by
the Maker is entrenched within the soul that departs from the true love of
God, from the divine light; within a soul that denies God?  What outlook can
there be, if not one `where evil men and imposters will go on from bad to
worse’? 2 Timothy 3:13.  The hope for the future is God, our Lord Jesus
Christ, Who grants mankind the strength to live with resurrected life, to
always progress toward the good, toward a peaceful, prosperous, secure and
just world.

Our people as well believed in their renewal of life and salvation in
Christ, establishing themselves on the solid and unshakeable foundation of
the hope and faith preached in the Gospel.  The Risen Christ walked
throughout our countryside through the faith of the Apostles, through our
pontiff, the Apostle-like Saint Gregory the Illuminator and through many
other saints, and illuminated the life of our people, blessed them with
virtues of the mind and spirit, reinforced and protected them with hope
during trials and tribulations.  With the Savior as our refuge, our people
rose again from the depths of the chasms of death; and their resurrected new
life sprouted again.  They built their homes, kept their native hearths
burning, and although exiled from their homeland and dispersed throughout
the world, stayed unified and united, believed in the victory of justice,
the right of liberty, the renewal of life through goodness and the vision of
a peaceful world.

It is with these aspirations and faith, dear faithful, that today we work to
make our free and native land of Armenia and Artsakh prosperous, and
strengthen our ecclesiastical and national life throughout the world.  For
the realization of our hopes and goals, and the overcoming of the challenges
of our day, let us make God-commanded love, respect, honesty and confidence,
assistance and care for one another our companions, for they are the
foundation and strength of our ecclesiastical and national life, and of our
families, friends, communities and productive cooperation.  These values
nurture and advance state and societal structures, and serve the welfare of
all.  These values will help especially today, during uncertain economic
times, in conditions of present issues and concerns, to find stable and
hopeful ways to bring to life beneficial endeavors in Armenia and in the
Diaspora.  Yes, the true faith and acts flowing from that faith are and
shall be triumphant and fearless.  Seeing the noble results of a faithful
spirit in every sphere, in every step turned into reality, is how our
children will learn to live with them, love family and friend, love homeland
and God.  Therefore, dear ones, clothed with the gifts of the Lord’s
salvation, and always renewing our souls with faith and hope, let us serve
the realization of all our national aspirations and goals with love and with
one mind, one heart and one will.  And the Lord, Who is always with us,
seeing our good works, will reward us with resurrected life.

With the joyful tiding of Christ’s glorious resurrection and with fraternal
love we greet the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of our Holy Apostolic
Church:  His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His
Beatitude Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude
Mesrob Mutafyan, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; and the spiritual
heads of our Sister Churches, asking for countless successes filled with the
grace of the Lord in their spiritual mission.  We convey our Pontifical love
and blessings to all devoted ranks of clergy and our faithful sons and
daughters dispersed throughout the world, and wish them a life of goodness,
fruitful service and manifold accomplishments.

We extend our Pontifical blessings and greetings to the President of the
Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsian; the President of the Republic of
Nagorno Karabagh, Bako Sahakian; and all state officials of the Armenians. 
May the abundant graces of the Lord bestow them with new successes for the
sake of our homeland and Armenian life everywhere.

We greet with wishes for all good things the leaders and representatives of
diplomatic missions accredited to Armenia.  May the Almighty Hand of God
keep and protect you, your countries and state officials, in your
God-pleasing mission of strengthening the friendship among nations and
peoples.

On the Risen Savior’s day of renewal, dear faithful children throughout the
globe, let us offer our united prayer to heaven, asking for the faith and
hope of our Lord’s salvation to be with all men, console those in pain,
reinforce those in difficult situations, and keep us all on paths of divine
love.  May God bless our people, to continue toward peaceful and benevolent
harbors; filled with blessing, grace and mercy.  Let us remain strong and
steadfast in faith, and unshaken in our hope of the Gospel, so that our
Risen Lord and Savior present us before the Father as holy, spotless and
immaculate, alongside all those who rely on Him.

`Glory to Your Almighty Resurrection, O Lord, today and always. Amen.’

CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD
GREAT TIDINGS TO ALL
From: Baghdasarian

Interfax, Russia
April 10 2009

Azerbaijan wants peaceful resolution of Karabakh problem – Armenian
president

YEREVAN April 10

Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev does not want war and supports a peaceful
resolution of the conflict around the self-proclaimed
Nagorno-Karabakh, said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

"I am certain that the Azeri president wishes the conflict to be
resolved and does not want a war," the Armenian president told a press
conference on Friday.

"We will continue talks. Both President Aliyev and myself have agreed
with the co-chairman of the OSCE [Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe] Minsk Group, who suggested that we hold yet
another meeting. Looking at this conflict with Aliyev’s eyes, I can
see that it can be resolved," Sargsian said.

The members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)

did not discuss whether the organization’s collective rapid reaction
forces (CRRF) should be part of the Karabakh settlement process, he
added.

"The question of whether the CSTO CRRF should participate in the
Karabakh conflict resolution was not discussed and, hopefully, will
not be raised," Sargsyan said

"One thing is obvious: any major operation in Nagorno-Karabakh will be
seen as the use of force or the aggression against Armenia, which
means this is where the relevant provision of the CSTO agreement,
whereby the aggression against one member state is regarded as the
aggression against all its members, will apply," the Armenian
president said.

Baku should not show its concerns over the creation of collective
rapid reaction forces, he said.
From: Baghdasarian

MINISTER OF DIASPORA MEETS TO HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS AND ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF MARSEILLES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10, 2009

Marseilles, April 10, Noyan Tapan, The Armenians Today. The official
visit of the Armenia’s minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian to
France continues.

In the fringes of the visit between 4 and 6 of April the minister
stayed in Marseilles, where she had numerous meetings with
representatives of the Armenian community and high-ranking officials.

Ms. Hakobian presented the mission, principles and purposes of the
ministry of Diaspora at the meeting attended by the senior staff of
nearly all Armenian organizations and followed by the discussion. In
the fringes of the visit the minister laid a wreath on the Memorial to
the Victims of the Genocide of 1915 of Beau monde area. The memorial is
a small copy Tsitsernakaberd, Yerevan’s Armenian Genocide Monument. In
the Holy Translators’ Apostolic Church (Srbots Targmanchats) the
minister took part in the Saint liturgy devoted to the celebration
of Tsaghkazard ("Adornment of Flowers"). During the public meeting
the minister answered the questions of the representatives of the
Armenian community gathered at the church hall.

The Armenian delegation also visited the Cultural Center Sahak-Mesrop,
the Armenian Evangelical Church, as well as the cultural and youth
centers.

Singing, dancing, Armenian language and other study groups
are organized at the Youth Center. Once within the wall of the
Center scenes fro m the "Ararat, my love" play were professionally
performed. A number of questions related to the mission and activities
of the ministry of Diaspora, potential development of cooperation
between Armenia and Diaspora, issues concerning Diaspora-based
organizations and Armenians were discussed during the meeting with
the representatives of Marseilles’s Armenian community at the
Armenian General Benevolent Union. The minister H.Hakobian also
visited the "Aram" Documentary Armenological Center, which preserves
historical records of the French-Armenian community, numerous books
and documents. The Armenian delegation visited the Marseilles’s ARF
"Dashnaktsutyun" club and All-national School. Established in 2003
through state support, the school is the only one in France which
has classes at all levels: from pre-school to university.

According to the Information and public relation department of the
ministry of Diaspora, the minister Hakobian met with the mayor of
13-14 municipal arrondissements of Marseilles Karo Hovsepian on
April 6. During the meeting with Roland Blum, First Deputy Mayor
City of Marseilles, and two mayors issues related to France-Armenia
relationship were discussed. Minister also met President of the
General Council of Bouches-du-Rone Jean-NoÃ"l Guerini, who admitted,
that his love to Armenia had no boundaries. Jean-NoÃ"l Guerini told,
that he had been to Armenia many times. By his initiative medical
centers were established in Gyumri and Ejmitsin, and many clinics
were completed with new medical equipment.
From: Baghdasarian

ANC ACTIVIST AUTHORS NOVEL ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

1360_4/10/2009_1
Friday, April 10, 2009

Safe Harbor, Discusses Genocide and Struggle for Karabakh

LOS ANGELES–The Armenian National Committee ‘s Western Region (ANC-WR)
on Friday welcomed the release of the novel, Safe Harbor, a book which
brings alive the story of loss and despair as a result of the Armenian
Genocide. Co-authored by ANC San Diego activist David Deranian, PhD
and Leonard Howard, Safe Harbor explores family life in the aftermath
of the Armenian Genocide and a survivor’s quest for his lost sibling.

"Safe Harbor is a powerful contribution to the soaring collection
of Armenian Genocide literature," stated ANC-WR Executive Director
Andrew Kzirian. "The ANC-WR welcomes Deranian and Howard’s work and
looks forward to supporting community activists throughout the region
in promoting awareness of the Armenian Genocide and the dangers of
denial," he added.

Safe Harbor tells the story of a young boy losing his sister during
the horror of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Despite his later success as a California farmer and financier, the
protagonist remains haunted by the loss of his sister and constantly
wonders whether she survived. As he searches for his sister in
Anatolia, the legacy of that search leads to wealth, intrigue, and
the struggle to liberate Nagorno-Karabakh.

Deranian offered that his motivation for writing Safe Harbor was,
"the intersection of history with Armenian issues ‘s and a personal
reflection of my own family." Howard states, "I wrote Safe Harbor to
let the world know that Armenia exists and that something terrible,
namely genocide, happened to Armenians."

Safe Harbor is currently available at ,
and and bookstores nationwide.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization
in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network
of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United
States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR
promotes awareness of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.
From: Baghdasarian

LSOFT UP THE STAGE OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT

NOYAN TAPAN
YEREVAN
APRIL 7, 2009

LSOFT Ltd has been working in the IT market since 1995. One of the main
tendencies of actions is the developing of software product for the
financial industry, in particular, for Banks, Credit Organizations,
Lombard companies and for State Treasury of the Republic. The company
also integrates and supports its products. Company Director Larisa
Lalayan said in her interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent.

In her words, banking software, developed by LSOFT, provides full
automation of all banks (Credit Organizations, Lombard companies and
the State Treasury) operations and is compatible with software of
other developers that Armenian banks used.

The banks for which LSOFT develops programs are big, with great number
of branches, many of which are situated in the distant regions of
Armenia. With the communication development, the integration of
the program online version becomes possible. The first one among
the company’s clients was UNIBANK CJSC, where online version was
integrated. At present the program is being integrated in VTB Bank
(Armenia) CJSC.

L. Lalayan said that in February 2008, on the requirement of
the Central Bank, LSOFT Management has decided to implement a
Quality Management System (QMS), according to the requirements
of the international standards ISO 9001:2000. Just at that time
raised a question to choose the company for consultations. "By the
results of the market research, the company chooses the consulting
firm ISO Consultant, which is recognized by the BUREAU VERITAS
Certification. The international status and the long experience of
the BUREAU VERITAS Certification have an influence on our decision.",
said the director of LSOFT Ltd, Ms. Larisa Lalayan.

The company director added that from March till October 2008, the
company has carried out the implementation of QMS, which concluded
with the certificate handling according to the international standards
ISO 9001:2000. Over a period of QMS integration, the company makes
sure that Certification Company was chosen right. The staff shows
high professionalism and responsibility toward the work, during the
whole period of collaboration.

L. Lalayan emphasized that the aim of QMS integration was to raise
the quality of the developing programs and providing services. The
integration of management system allows regulating not only the inner
work of the company, but also the interaction with the clients. The
unification of the documents circulation between LSOFT and clients
leaded to shorting of time and financial expenses at the stage of
programs developing and online service. Forms, developed by ISO
standards, give an opportunity to organize the processes of study,
programming, testing and support much more efficiently. The chosen way
of working makes from the customers a participant, not an observer
of the whole process, plus it makes them much more responsible and
interested in fast and qualified realization of the work.

"The presence of certificate gives an advantage in the potential client
opinion and is the guarantee for stable quality of work realization. I
think our QMS is very effective as it takes into consideration the
specificity of the company’s activity, gives us one more advantage
in the market, especially in a crisis period, when business tries
to decrease one’s expenses and not to decrease the quality of the
product and service at the same time," Ms. Lalayan said.

BUREAU VERITAS Head for Regional Development in Armenia Stepan Barakian
noted that BUREAU VERITAS began implementing ISO 9001:2000 at LSOFT
a year ago and the company has passed this way quite professionally,
understanding the essence of the standard and the opportunities that
the implementation opens. "The current economic atmosphere in the
world and the experience of BUREAU VERITAS show that it is today’s
serious professionals that will get out of the crisis as stronger
companies. LSOFT is one of them, and the economic situation requires
that companies go deeply into the management standards and be more
consistent and flexible in fulfillment of their requirements,"
S. Barakian explained. He believes that the implementation of ISO
9001:2000 standard is the first step for LSOFT. Banks are customers
of the company so it has to deal with many other problems related in
particular with information security of their operational systems and
corporate networks. "If LSOFT intends to advance on the software market
in the future as well, then, in my opinion, it should implement the new
international standard of the information security management system
according to ISO 27001:2005 taking in consideration another part the
more stricter requirements of new version of quality control system
ISO 9001:2008 that has developed on a deeper analytical basis, with a
wider range of quality-affecting factors being taken into account. This
standard also differs from ISO 9001:2000 by deeper validity of the
decision-making requirements. This is a strategic issue. In 2008,
LSOFT moved to an online documents circulation with its customers,
but the company should continue improving the quality of its services
because software, that is, the "heart" of banks is created by LSOFT,
and much depends on the company. The more opportunities that company
gives to the market, the more its efficiency will increase," the
expert of BUREAU VERITAS said.

As regards the development of IT for the banking system, the major
task here is to ensure information security. S. Barakian expressed
an opinion that information security system must be more developed
in Armenia from infrastructures to the rules of services because the
level of financial cyber crimes will rise.

With regards to the issue of software security, developed by LSOFT
Company, Ms. Lalayan said: "We have a specific approach in providing of
information security. In bank’s software putted all the requirements
of the Central Bank concerning the system of the bank information
security. As for the information security of the company’s activity,
we have already putted and applied a number of mechanisms for privacy
protection and information loss prevention. The problem of protection
is always of current importance; in addition the fast development
of IT constantly put new multifarious tasks before the developer,
which demands quick and effective decisions. We hope the QMS will
help us in an improvement of our software security."

Summing up Ms. Lalayan said: "We intend to continue collaboration
with BUREAU VERITAS and during the current year lead the functioning
Quality Management System to the standards 9001:2008. Later on we plan
to implement the standard BS ISO/IEC 27001:2005 (ISMS – Information
Security Management System).
From: Baghdasarian

FOREIGN MINISTERS’ NEXT MEETING TO DEPEND ON CO-CHAIRS

Panorama.am
10:54 08/04/2009

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are not sure when their
next meeting will take place as much depends on the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs’ visit to the region and the aftermaths of their meetings,
said the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamediarov. Note that
the next meeting of the co-chairs is scheduled on 20-21 April. The
co-chairs’ mission to the region is to hold negotiations on the
Presidents’ meeting which will take place either in Prague or in
Brussels.
From: Baghdasarian

"ENTERTAINMENT AND LEISURE EXPO 2009" FOR PROFESSIONALS AND TOURISTS

Panorama.am
17:35 07/04/2009

"Entertainment and leisure EXPO 2009" first international exhibition
will launch in "Moscow House", Yerevan on 2-4 May, LOGOS EXPO Center
reports. International competition puts high demands upon those
companies and organizations which are specialized in tourism. In
this regard the specialists need information and innovative ideas
and experience exchange, and the visitors will have an opportunity
to get detailed information about the tourism organizations, hotels
and entertainment centers in Armenia.
From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY: "IF TURKEY AGREES WITH OBAMA ONLY ARMENIA WILL BENEFIT"

Panorama.am
12:16 07/04/2009

"We are aware that only some part of the negotiations held in Turkey
becomes publicized. But what the U.S. President Barack Obama has
announced in a press conference in Turkey makes it clear that he
will not use "genocide" word in his 24 April message but he is
long to see closed Armenian-Turkish border open," Ganira Pashaeva,
a member of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE. Mrs. Pashaeva said that
they are aware that Obama is one of the senators to sign a record
encouraging the U.S. Congress to recognize Armenian Genocide. But
Obama has been trying to say that he is not going to say "genocide"
word in his message. The deputy said that if Turkey opens the border
with Armenia, only Armenia will have benefits from it.
From: Baghdasarian

9 COUNTRIES LAUNCH ONLINE DICTIONARY FOR DEAF-AND-DUMB

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2009 16:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presentation of unique online dictionary for
deaf-and-dumb took place in Sweden.

"This is the biggest dictionary in the world. It offers translation
of words in several European languages simultaneously," said Thomas
Ludel Ulsen, the initiator of the new communicative system.

The project is a brainchild of nine countries – France, Lithuania,
Portugal, Spain, UK, Czech Republic, Turkey, Germany and Sweden.
From: Baghdasarian

DRAFT MEMORANDUM ON IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION WAS SIGNED IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2009 17:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Mar. 3 in Yerevan a Draft Memorandum of
Understanding on Iran-Armenia railway construction was signed by RA
Transportation Communication Minister Gurgen Sarkissyan and Iran Road
Transportation Minister Hamid Bihbahani. "RA President Serzh Sargsyan
will sign the Memorandum during his visit in Iran this month," RA
Transportation Minister said at the signing ceremony.

According to Suren Sarkissyan, the project is of significant regional
importance. "To all probability, the mainline though Armenian territory
will extend from city of Jermuk in the direction of Sevan lake,"
he said.

Upon signing the memorandum, the Iranian Minister noted that he
railway will be 470 km long, with 410 km of the main line passing
trough Armenia’s territory. "The projects actually repeats the route
of the Silk Road, in its railway edition," he said.

Bihbahani explained that 3-phased construction works are planned,
involving project feasibility studies ( up to 1,5 years) route
determination , map drawing (up to 1,5 years) and, finally, the
construction (3 to 4 years). Thus, Iran-Armenia railway construction
is expected to be completed in 5 years According to him, budget
expenditures will total around $1 billion. "Construction credits are
being actively negotiated with WB and the Asian Bank," said Iranian
Minister adding that Russia takes major interest in the project and
will probably be ready to invest.
From: Baghdasarian