Author: Chakrian Hovsep

POLES HAVE FEELING OF SPIRITUAL CONTACT AND HISTORICAL SIMILARITY WITH ARMENIAN PEOPLE, SENATE MARSHAL CONSIDERS
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 7 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, NOVEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II expressed gratitude to the authorities of the Republic of
Poland for recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2005 in the Polish
Seimas, as well as for honest and kind attitude constantly shown
towards the Armenian community. Receiving the official delegation
led by Polish Senate Marshal Bodgan Borusevich, accompanied by
representatives of RA NA and the Ambassadors of the two countries on
November 7 in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, his Holiness the
Patriarch congratulated B.Borusevich on the occasion of Poland’s
Independence Day to be marked November 11 wishing peaceful and
prosperous life to the godly Polish people.
“Such visits come to contribute to deepening of relations between our
two peoples and countries,” His Holiness emphasized touching upon
the ancient-old friendship between the two peoples and cooperation
formed between the two peoples.
B.Borusevich speaking about Polish-Armenian centuries-old relations,
mentioned the important contribution of Armenians to Poland’s
history. “True, currently our relations are not so close as in the
past, but sympathy towards Armenia and Armenians preserves… We feel
spiritual contact with the Armenian people, we also have a feeling
of historical similarity,” the Senate Marshal said.
During the meeting, the Catholicos of All Armenians touched upon the
issue of organization of the spiritual and church life of the Armenian
community in Poland. B.Borusevich said that soon the Polish authorities
will officially register the Armenian Apostolic Church and community.
They also spoke about the important mission of the church in the life
of the two peoples.

COOPERATION OF NKR MFA AND CONSORTIUM INITIATIVE DISCUSSED IN STEPANAKERT
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 8 2006
The issues referring to the interrelations between the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic MFA and Consortium Initiative organization were discussed at
a meeting of the NKR MFA Political Department Head Irina Beglarian
and an independent consultant, Consortium Initiative Consultant for
Strategic Issues Catherine Barns.
In the course of the meeting the parties considered the organization’s
current projects and long-term programs. The interlocutors also
touched on the civil society’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement, the NKR MFA Press Centre reports.

TURKISH COSMETICS COMPANY CHANGES FRENCH NAME IN PROTEST
By Yasin Kilic, Istanbul
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 7 2006
A Turkish cosmetics company, which has been using a French name for
24 years, has changed its name out of anger over France’s passing a
bill in parliament that would make it a punishable crime to deny an
Armenian genocide.
CEO of the Yildirimlar Group, Hasan Yildirim explained that the
Armenian bill was an attack on the history and values of the Turkish
republic and announced that they would no longer use the “Francois
Patrick” trademark for their cosmetic products.
The group will begin to use the “MW” name for its products from now on.
“We could have established a medium-scale cosmetics company with the
money we spent on changing our name,” explained Yildirim.
“We were operating with the brand name ‘Francois Patrick’ in the
Turkish market but we couldn’t remain indifferent to the Armenian
bill passed in the French parliament. So, we decided to change our
name. We will market our new perfumes with the MW name within 10 days,”
clarified Yildirim.
Yildirim claimed that they made a courageous decision and noted that
they exchanged views with all their employees before doing so.
“This was a family decision,” said Yildirim.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 3 2006
Armenian General causes scandal in meeting
[ 03 Nov. 2006 14:38 ]
A scandal happened in the meeting of Staff Generals chiefs of
Collective Security Treaty Organisation member countries in Moscow,
APA reports.
The first Deputy Armenia Defense Minister Mikhail Arutunyan accused
Tajikistan of allying with the enemies of its allies. This issue covers
military-technical cooperation treaty signed between Azerbaijan and
Tajikistan. Arutunyan caviled at not only Dushanbe but also Moscow.
“It is evident that Azerbaijan is Armenia’s enemy. But some Collective
Security Treaty Organisation member countries founds the cooperation
with Azerbaijan possible,” he said.
Russia also cooperates with Azerbaijan on Military-technical sphere.
Arutunyan said that these kinds of relations are not accepted
positively in Armenia. /APA/

UN NEW SECRETARY GENERAL MET WITH PRESIDENT OF WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 2 2006
The elected Secretary General of UN, Ban Ki-moon, has met with the
President of the World Armenian Congress, Ara Abramyan, who is also a
good will ambassador in UNESCO, the day before in Moscow. As ITAR-TASS
reports, an interested opinion exchange took place about the role of
UN and its organizations in keeping the cultural heritage of peoples,
the development of education and science.

JOYCE N. PARSEGHIAN, ATTORNEY: CAMPAIGNED FOR REOPENING OF CLOSTER SCHOOL
By Jay Levin, Staff Writer, North Jersey Media Group
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
November 2, 2006 Thursday
All Editions
Joyce N. Parseghian, an immigration attorney and a lifelong Closter
resident who was active in an unsuccessful effort to preserve and
reuse the borough’s century-old Village School, died Monday.
Ms. Parseghian, 53, had brain cancer, her family said.
In 2001, Ms. Parseghian served on a citizens committee advocating the
renewal of the Village School, which the Board of Education closed
in 1996, deeming it obsolete. Ms. Parseghian attended the school as
a child.
The preservationists contended that the school’s flaws were mostly
cosmetic, and that reopening it would alleviate school district
crowding. The Village School stands empty today.
Linda Parseghian of Demarest said her sister was committed to Closter
and its schools. Joyce Parseghian unsuccessfully ran for the borough’s
school board in 2000.
Ms. Parseghian shared an Englewood law office with a high school
classmate, Richard Abrahamsen. He called her a passionate attorney
who, in representing immigrants, “connected well with people from
all walks of life.”
Ms. Parseghian, a Rutgers Law School graduate, also did pro bono work
for the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, her sister said.
Ms. Parseghian additionally is survived by her son, Michael Doerr of
Closter; her parents, Arax Parseghian of Closter and George Parseghian
of Hackensack; and a brother, George Parseghian Jr. of Closter.
Visitation is 5 to 9 tonight at St. Leon Armenian Church, 12-61 Saddle
River Road, Fair Lawn. The funeral is 10 a.m. Friday at the church,
with interment at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
William G. Basralian Funeral Service in Oradell is handling
arrangements.
The family suggests donations to the church.

RUSSIAN GAS MONOPOLY TO DOUBLE PRICE OF GAS FOR GEORGIA AMID POLITICAL TENSIONS
China Post, Taiwan
Nov 2 2006
Russia’s state-controlled natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom said
Thursday it would more than double the gas price for neighboring
Georgia.
The announcement signals Moscow’s continuing recalcitrant stance in its
conflict with its small ex-Soviet neighbor even as Georgia’s foreign
minister is visiting Moscow in the hope of easing spiraling tensions.
Gazprom _ which has been criticized in the past as a tool of Kremlin
policy _ said in a statement it plans to charge Tbilisi US$230
(€180) per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, compared with the US$110
(€86) that it pays now.
The statement came as Georgia’s Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili
visited Moscow in a bid to defuse tensions that peaked after Georgia
briefly detained four purported Russian spies in late September.
Moscow responded with a sweeping transport and postal blockade on
Georgia and a crackdown on Georgian migrants living in Russia.
Relations between Moscow and Tbilisi have steadily deteriorated
since the 2004 election of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili,
who has sought to take the Caucasus nation out of the Russian orbit,
bolster ties with the West and join NATO in 2008 _ a course that has
angered Moscow.
Moscow has shrugged off Western calls for lifting the sanctions
against Georgia, saying it was acting because the Georgian government
is plotting to bring its breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia back into the fold by force _ allegations Georgia denies.
Gazprom has consistently argued that price increases for former
Soviet neighbors are a long-overdue recalibration toward market
pricing. However, they have been widely seen in the West as part of
the Kremlin’s attempts to put pressure on ex-Soviet neighbors.
Gazprom temporarily switched off the gas it supplies to Ukraine at the
start of the year after Kiev refused to accept an abrupt price hike
that was seen as a calculated blow to its Western-leaning government.
Since the appointment of Kremlin-friendly Prime Minister Viktor
Yanukovych, however, Ukraine has been able to negotiate a much more
gentle price rise for 2007.
Any dispute leading to cuts for Georgia could hit the nation’s
struggling economy hard. Tbilisi already was left freezing for a week
early this year after a pipeline explosion in southern Russia cut
supplies. Saakashvili blamed Moscow for the interruption, charges
Russian officials angrily denied.
Cuts would also deal a blow to Georgia’s landlocked neighbor, Armenia,
which receives its gas from Russia via Georgia. Armenian businesses
already have been forced to organize costly new export routes to
Russia due to the transport blockade.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DECLINES BY 1.6% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2006 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Nov 01 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-September 2006, idustrial
production made 468 bln 10.6 mln drams (about 1 bln 88 mln USD)
in Armenia.
Production of 477 bln 570.5 mln drams was sold, including sales of
production of 39 bln 540.3 mln drams in CIS countries and that of
126 bln 221.7 mln drams in other countries. According to the RA
National Statistical Service, the industrial production declined
by 1.6% compared with January-September 2005, idustrial production
without production and distribution of electricity, gas and water –
by 1.3%. Industrial organizations of Yerevan accounted for nearly 44%
of Armenia’s industrial production. 13.2% of the total industrial
production was manufactured by very small and small organizations
making up 88.4% of the organizations included in the statistical
monitoring, whereas large organizations that made up 8% of the
total number of organizations manufactured 84% of the industrial
production. The production level of January-September 2005 was
maintained or exceeded with respect to 73 out of 123 main goods
produced in January-September 2006, including 44 out of 70 production
and technical goods and 29 out of 53 consumer goods.

THIRD FORUM ON “MASS MEDIA AS BUSINESS” TO BE HELD IN TBILISI
ArmRadio.am
31.10.2006 14:36
November 2 the third forum of South Caucasian mass media on “Mass
media as business” will be held in the “Sheraton Metechi Palace”
Hotel of Tbilisi. It has been organized by the OSCE representation
in Georgia. Editors and media managers from Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Armenia will participate in the conference.

TURKEY’S JOINING EU UNREAL IN FORESEEABLE FUTURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 16:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s joining the EU is unreal in foreseeable
future, Chief of the Department of CIS Countries of the Russian
Institute of Strategic Research, Candidate of Historical Sciences
Alexander Skakov said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his
opinion, the EU can choke in the enlargement. “No organization can
develop eternally. Besides, enlargement at expense of admitting a
major Islamic state can change the EU image and its ideology. At
the same time rejection to accept Turkey may have unpredictable
consequences. The European Union has entrapped itself by keeping
Turkey on a short lead and giving uncertain promises,” Skakov
said. He also considers that national processes ripen within the
Turkish public. “Disappointment in Europe is growing over Brussels’
duplicity. Turkey insists on its own policy proceeding from its
national interests but not the European solidarity. There will come a
moment when the indignation of the Turkish public will dominate and
the elite will understand that they are being deceived. Turkey will
itself turn its back on the European Union. This scenario provides with
new dangers and possibilities. It’s easier to deal with a sovereign
states than with a satellite,” the expert said.