Author: Boshkezenian Garik

DAVID NALBANDIAN IS AGAIN THIRD IN LIST OF ATP RATE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 09 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Argentinian tennis
player David Nalbandian who is of Armenian origin, is after last
successful performances again on the 3rd horizontal line with 2845
points in the May 8 rate list of the Association of Professional
Tennis (ATP). According to Radio Liberty, Spanish Rafael Nadal is on
the second place, having 4135 points. And Swiss Roger Federer, having
7160 points, is considered the best tennis player. David Nalbandian
for the first time appeared on April 20 of this year at the third
place of the rate list of the Association of Professional Tennis.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
May 9 2006
Georgia, Armenia Discuss Border Delimitation

The Armenian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Gegam
Garibjanyan is holding talks with Georgian Foreign Ministry officials
in Tbilisi on May 9-10 over border delimitation issues.

This March Georgia created a commission, chaired by Deputy Foreign
Minister Giorgi Manjgaladze, to deal with issues of negotiating
border delimitations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the Armenian Deputy
Foreign Minister will also hold talks with Georgian Foreign Minister
Gela Bezhuashvili and First Deputy Foreign Minister Valeri
Chechelashvili to discuss bilateral cooperation.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF DAMASCUS APPEAL TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS’ MEMORY
DAMASCUS, MAY 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Events dedicated to
the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide were held in the
Armenian community of Damascus. The divine service was celebrated on
April 23 at the Surb Sargis church, wreaths were laid at the April
Martyrs Monument after what Armenian unions of Damascus presented an
artistic program. On behalf of the Damascus cultural unions, Doctor
George Barseghian made a speech. “If Armenia’s independence was a
dream for us and today it has come true, then we are sure that the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is a vision as well
that will become reality,” he particularly said. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the Damascus Armenian Diocese, at the end of the April 24
solemn Surb Liturgy, a private divine ceremony took place in front of
the April Martyrs Monument. Diocese primate Bishop Armash Nalbandian
addressed a commandment at the Surb Liturgy. Bishop Rimon Id, the
primate of the Maronite church of Damascus was present at the
liturgy. He prayed in front of the Martyrs’ Monument, expressing his
support to the martyr Armenian people. After the Surb Liturgy, all
those present went to the national graveyard where a requiem at the
Martyrs’ Monument was also held. Tatev Basmajian, the spiritual pastor
of the Armenian Gospel church of Damascus addressed commandment at the
national graveyard. In the afternoon, His Holiness Armash, the
Armenian diocese primate of Damascus and representatives of Damascus
unions visited the RA Embassy and left a notice in the memorial
register. The Surb Liturgy was celebrated at the Armenian Catholic
Church of Damascus late on April 24, after what a requiem ceremony was
held. A lecture dedicated to the 91st anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide was delivered at the Surb Sargis Church of Damascus on late
April 28. Doctor Tessa Hoffman arrived from Germany spoke on the theme
“Germany and Armenia: Facing Historic Responsibility.” Touching upon
the Genocide reality, Tessa Hoffman made a detailed historic review,
particularly emphasizing Germany’s complicity and participation in the
Genocide as well as Germany’s silence in the process of recognition
and condemnation of the Genocide. At the end of her speech, Tessa
Hoffman apologized for that state which has not recognized the
Armenian Genocide up today.

A-320 CRASH CREATED ATMOSPHERE OF GENERAL PAIN IN ARMENIA: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT:
Yerevan, May 6. ArmInfo. The crash of A-320 has created an atmosphere
of general pain in Armenia, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
said during his meeting with a delegation of Ramkavar Azatakan party
(Liberal Democratic Party).
The leader of the party Mike Kharapyan extended his deep condolences
on behalf of the Armenian Diaspora. He said that this tragedy was as
painful for the Diaspora as it was for Armenia.
The sides also discussed the possibility of more effective use of
the party’s potential in all-Armenian initiatives and particularly
the conduct of Armenia-Diaspora forum in Yerevan Sept 2006.

Nagorno-Karabakh analyst on Vilnius conference: “evidently, they are deluding themselves”
Regnum, Russia
May 7 2006
“The forum on NATO’s Role in Defrosting Frozen Conflicts recently
held in Vilnius is a landmark event revealing a number of trends,”
Karabakh analyst David Babayan commented to a REGNUM reporter. First
of all, the Forum confirms the gravity of NATO’s plan to strengthen
its role in resolving conflicts in South Caucasus.
“We can only welcome participation of such an influential organization
in peaceful conflict settlement in this strategically important South
Caucasian region. However, the conference participants offer NATO
a ready approach, a preset settlement scenario. They behave quite
contradictory in this context,” David Babayan said. He reminded
that in the declaration adopted at the forum it is pointed out that
unsettled conflicts in Transdniestria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and
Nagorno Karabakh corrupt general European well-being: “The existence
of unrecognized states is straightforwardly characterized in the
declaration as aggressive separatism. Meanwhile, another declaration
article proclaims that unsettled European conflicts may be settled
only based on principles of democratic pluralism and respect for human
rights, as well as with the assistance of peacekeeping missions. These
two theses conflict with each other. On the one hand, unrecognized
states are stigmatized as aggressively separatist, which excludes
every chance to recognize their self-determination. On the other
hand, principles of democratic pluralism and respect for human rights
are maintained. What is it really that hinders application of the
abovementioned democratic principles?” David Babayan questions.
The situation, according to Babayan, is rather paradoxical: politicians
are trying to “delude themselves and avoid taking decisions crucial
for the strengthening of democracy itself.”
“Meanwhile, international conflicts are a good test to measure
democracy. It is how states behave in the process of conflict
settlement and how they approach the settlement that indicates most
clearly sincerity of the states’ adherence to democratic values.
Otherwise, lofty democratic ideals merely camouflage aggressive
imperial striving,” analyst stressed. He believes that the threat
of such neo-imperial striving to democratic communities could not
be overemphasized. It is too often underestimated due to the small
size and relative weakness of states who adopt such covert official
ideology. “An analogy with medicine immediately comes to mind.
Generally speaking, the size of viruses is neglectable compared to
the size of organisms which they invade, but the former are able to
parasitize and paralyze the latter, even when these are healthy and
very large organisms,” David Babayan resumed.

EVENTS DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS HELD IN CITIES OF POLAND
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
WARSAW, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Events dedicated to
the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims took place in the city of
Krakow, Poland, on April 29. The liturgy was celebrated to the memory
of innocent victims in the Saint Mikolay church of Krakow. Then the
divine service and lighting of candles took place at the khachkar
(cross stone) placed in the yard of the church. RA Ambassador to
Poland Ashot Galoyan, RP Senate Deputy Piotor Boron, Chairman of the
Armenian Culture Association of Krakow Adam Terketski made speeches
at the event. RA Ambassador A.Galoyan and Senator Boron laid wreaths
to the khachkar. Pupils of the Krakow Sunday school made speeches
in the yard of the Saint Mikolay church. Members of the authorities
of the Malopolska province and Krakow city, society of Poland, press
representatives as well as numerous members of the Armenian community
of Poland were invited to the event. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, events
dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims were held
in Wraslow, Jeshuv, Elblong, Ljublin.

SERVICE FOR CRASH VICTIMS HELD IN CHURCH OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 23:26 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A service for those killed in the A-320 jet crash
was chanted in the Church of Christ The Saviour on Friday. To remind,
all 113 people aboard the Armavia-owned Airbus-320 were killed in
the crash.
Head of the Novo-Nakhichevan and Russian Dioceses of the Armenian
Apostolic Churches, Bishop Yezras (Nersisyan) informed that May 5
mourning liturgies will be chanted in Armenian Churches throughout
the globe. Presidents Robert Kocharian and Vladimir Putin proclaimed
May 5 was the day of mourning in Armenia and Russia, reported Interfax.

HYDROGEN SULPHIDE DECOMPOSES THE BODIES
A1+
[12:46 pm] 05 May, 2006
Special equipment will be transported from Novorossiysk to Sochi in
order to get the record boxes of the plane out of the water. French
specialists have also promised technical support.
RF Minister of Transportation Igor Levitin underlined the importance
of finding the bodies, the record boxes and other parts of the plane
as deep under the sea the bodies are quickly decomposed under the
influence of hydrogen sulphide, and the parts of the plane are damaged.

‘SELF-MADE’ CANDIDATE TO GIVE STUDENTS A STRONGER VOICE
By Mike Norys
Eye on ASI Presidential Candidates
The Poly Post, CA
California State Polytechnic Univ. Pamona
May 2 2006
Photo courtesy of Arno Keshishian
If you ask senior Arno Keshishian what he brings to office in the
upcoming Asssociated Students Incorporated elections, he responds
unflinchingly.
“We think experience and continuity is what we bring,” said Keshishian.
The 22-year-old self-made man has put himself through college
after working the past two years and now has his eyes set on the
ASI presidency.
“I feel like I can make a difference. I am experienced,” said
Keshishian. “I know how stuff works in here. Starting July 1, I don’t
need to associate myself and learn what ASI is. That’s what I did
this year.”
Keshishian has gained valuable experience this year as ASI Treasurer
and the year before as the attorney general of the Elections Committee.
He has also been the president of Cal Poly’s Mock Trial Association
for the past two years and an active member in the Armenian Student
Association since he has attended Cal Poly four years ago.
“I had the opportunity to do whatever I wanted to do,” said
Keshishian. “There was nothing holding me back. I’ve always had a
drive to do what I wanted.”
Keshishian’s stance is simple; students need a voice.
A prime example is with the parking structure where university
committees are making decisions without student voice. “We want to work
on communication between university and the school,” said Keshishian.
If elected, Keshishian wants to develop a relationship with the
chamber of commerce of Pomona.
Cal Poly is a corporation and Keshishian thinks there are networking
opportunities to be sought.
“We know exactly what we want to do and exactly how we want to do
it,” said Keshishian. “We want to make it as a productive year as
possible.” We locked down our goals and we realized how much work it
would take to accomplish these goals.”
All of the incumbents have pushed Keshishian in the direction he is
now going to continue the current cabinet’s legislation on textbook
prices and making free tutoring available to students.
“We’ve done a lot this year, in terms of goals we want to accomplish
that we set forth at the beginning of the year. We haven’t gotten to
those goals yet, but we’ve made leaps and bounds,” said Keshishian.
story=3319

ARMENIA RATED 137 AMONG COUNTRIES WITH FREE MEDIA
AZG Armenian Daily
02/05/2006
New York-based media freedom monitoring Freedom House released its
annual report on freedom of mass media in the world. According to the
report, most serious drawbacks in media freedom in 2005 were registered
in Russia, Uzbekistan and a number of African and Asian countries. A
country is rated based on 3 factor groups: legislation on mass media,
political factors including state supervision over media, censorship
and economic situation, for instance, economic freedom of media,
degree of corruption among journalists.
So, from among 194 rated states 73 have “free” mass media, 54
“partially free” and 67 “not free”. The report placed USA 17 together
with Estonia. Latvia is on the 26th place, Lithuania on 31st,
Ukraine on 113d, Georgia 118th, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan on 137th,
Moldova on 141st, Russia on 158th, Azerbaijan on 161st, Kazakhstan
on 165th, Tajikistan on 167th, Belarus on 185th, Uzbekistan on 187th
and Turkmenistan on 190th.