Author: Chatinian Lara

"GEGHAMIAN WILL LEAD PEOPLE TO JUSTICE"

A1+
21 January, 2008

"Only Artashes Geghamian will lead people to justice," said the
chairman of Geghamian’s pre-election headquarters Alexan Karapetian. He
urged the presidential candidates to debate over political programmes
instead of spreading gossips.

On the first day of the pre-election campaign leader of the
National Unity Party (AMK) and presidential candidate Artashes
Geghamian presented his pre-election programme entitled "Programme
of Creation." The programme consists of 164 pages. The AMK leader
states his programme greatly differs from others due to its uniting
force and reference to interests of all social strata.

"In the preface of his "History of Philosophy" Hegel wrote that
statehood triumphs in countries where the interests of an individual,
entrepreneur and monopolist coincide with the interests of the
nation, and become a common national interest. This is the idea
and philosophical basis of our programme. We tried to explain and
convey that national unity is inevitable in case the interests of
an ordinary Armenian citizen coincide with the interests of small
and medium-sized businessmen, even with that of a monopolist or
a government official. National unity is essential to progressive
development of the state," Artashes Geghamian said while presenting
his programme.

The AMK leader called on the candidates to conduct political debates
over macroeconomics and monetary-credit policy. I am unmatched in
this respect."

Geghamian rules out his support for Levon Ter-Petrossian. He declined
to say whether he would support any other oppositional candidate. "It
is a matter of time," he said.

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
January 17, 2008 Thursday

KARABAKH OFFICIAL HAPPY WITH MILITARY BUILD-UP IN 2007

Yerevan, 17 January: The defence minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh
republic (NKR), Lt-Gen Movses Hakopyan, said at a news conference
today that the year 2007 was an effective defence year for the army
in terms of military build-up

Hakopyan pointed out that the level of combat readiness of the
Karabakh army improved last year. In particular, a lot of work was
carried out to strengthen the front positions and upgrade air defence
hardware which made it possible to improve the Nagornyy Karabakh’s
air defence system.

The minister said that the high command of the NKR defence army will
mainly pay attention to the appliance of contracting services in the
armed forces this year. He said that some military units that have
been formed on the principle of the contracting service are already
successfully operating in Nagornyy Karabakh at the moment.

Akopyan also noted the importance of strengthening relations between
the army and the public, as well as promoting the level of military
knowledge among the young people in the future. In connection with
this, the minister said that the high command of the defence army is
carrying out purposeful work with the republic’s education
organizations on rendering them assistance in establishing the
elementary military training cabinets and on organizing war-game
camps.

Akopyan flatly denied allegations by Azerbaijan that the Karabakh
army frequently violates the cease-fire agreement. At the same time,
the minister said that military unites of the Nagornyy Karabakh
defence army will adequately repeal any attack by Azerbaijan aimed at
destabilizing the situation on the contact line between the opposing
sides. The minister pointed out that the number of violations of the
cease-fire regime has declined dramatically as a result of
appropriate measures taken by the military units of the Nagornyy
Karabakh army.

Turan News Agency, Azerbaijan
January 17, 2008 Thursday

AZERI LEADER SAYS KARABAKH WAR NOT OVER YET

Quzanli, 17 January: The Armenians are wrong if they are thinking
that they won the war [over Nagornyy Karabakh]. It is not over yet.
Only the first stage of the war is over, President Ilham Aliyev said
in his address to residents of Agdam District at the opening ceremony
of an Olympic complex in the village of Quzanli today.

Aliyev noted that the Karabakh peace talks were currently going in a
more favourable situation than before. Thus, if several years ago the
liberation of only four [Armenian-] occupied districts [around
Nagornyy Karabakh] was proposed, then now at issue are all the seven
districts. This is all the result of Baku’s firm position, support
from the international community, and the economic development and
strengthening of the military might of the country. True, this all
does not suit Azerbaijan completely, but the talks are going in the
right direction, Aliyev believes.

Touching upon the possible option of [conflict] resolution, Aliyev
said that if Armenians were prudent, then one could talk about
granting autonomy [to Karabakh Armenians], but independence is out of
the question. "I want to think that the Armenian authorities will
show prudence. Otherwise, the lands will be liberated using all
opportunities available," Aliyev said.

[BBM note: A total of 70 per cent of Agdam District is under Armenian
control; the district executive office is based in Quzanli village as
the district centre is also under occupation]

Robert Kocharyan: Yerevan Municipality urged political parties not to
organize processions in city center just to protect interests of
Yerevan citizens

2008-01-18 18:57:00

ArmInfo. Yerevan Municipality urged political parties not to organize
processions in the city center just to protect the interests of Yerevan
citizens, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said at a briefing at
Yerevan Municipality, Friday.

He said the call applies, first of al, to presidential contenders. The
concern is explained by rush hours in the city streets. ‘I demanded
explanation of such a call from the city administration today and
received quite a logical answer. No one bans processions, but it is
desirable to organize them not in central streets in order not to
create problems for dozens of thousands of citizens. I demand my
security service to organize my travel inside the city not via central
streets and especially Mashtots Avenue. For instance, I go to the
Government via Demirchyan and Proshyan streets not to create
inconveniences to citizens. Let’s imagine that 9 candidates for
president organize processions from 4:30pm to 7:00pm along Sayat Nova,
Mashtots and Nalbandyan streets at least twice in a week. What will
happen to the city within these 18 days? The municipality will have to
block these streets and the dissatisfaction of citizens will be
directed just against them. There is no categorical ban on it’, the
president said.

"FORWARD, ARMENIA!" SLOGAN MEANS THAT CITIZENS SHOULD NO LONGER LOOK
BACK, EDUARD SHARMAZANOV EXPLAINS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The slogan "Forward, Armenia!" of
Prime Minister Serge Sargsian, a candidate for presidency nominated by
the Republican Party of Armenia, means that henceforth the country
should go ahead and the citizens should no longer look back. Eduard
Sharmazanov, the RPA Spokesperson, stated at the January 18 press
conference. "If the political processes go on this way, S. Sargsian
will win in the very first tour," E. Sharmazanov assured.

Touching upon the statement of Aram Manukian, a member of Board of the
Armenian National Movement (ANM) party, that first Armenian President
Levon Ter-Petrosian will win the elections, E. Sharmazanov said that he
highly evaluates A. Manukian’s sense of humor. This conviction,
according to the RPA Spokesperson, is ridiculous, as the very first
President said a few months ago that no candidate will succeed in the
elections without the consolidation of all opposition forces. And the
fact is that, as E. Sharmazanov added, the opposition is not united
today.

"As an RA citizen I am disappointed that the first RA President names
the country a "robber state." He has no moral right to make such a
statement," the speaker said.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2008

Azerbaijan and Armenia Need Time to Value Situation – French Co-chairman
18.01.08 12:15

Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 January / Trend corr. Ê.Ramazanova / Bernard
Fassier, the France Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, stated that the
time is necessary for both sides to value the proposals submitted to
the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministries in December 2007.

`We explained the details of the proposals and listened to the first
reactions from both sides,’ Fassier said during his visit to Baku
from Yerevan. According to Fassier, the discussions in Yerevan and
Khankandi were very constructive. `We are confident that there is a
good possibility to continue our work,’ Fassier added.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988, due to the Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
Since 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of
Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
neighbouring districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a
ceasefire agreement which ended the active hostilities. The Co-Chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently
holding the peaceful negotiations.

HOLDING LEGITIMATE AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL IS A PRIORITY FOR RPA

armradio.am
18.01.2008 16:25

Holding legitimate and democratic presidential elections on February
19 is the most important task for the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA), Spokesman of RPA Edward Sharmazanov stated in Yerevan
today. Sharmazanov stated that the Republican Party has the political
will for holding such elections.

"Democracy in Armenia does not have an alternative, and we should have
an invulnerable President from the point of view of his legitimate
status," the RPA Spokesman stated.

According to Sharmazanov, Serge Sargsyan has the perquisites to win in
the first round of the presidential elections with obvious superiority
of votes.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE CONFERENCE ON THE CULTURE OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
CONCLUDES IN ANTELIAS

CATHOLICOS ARAM I REASSURES THE DEDICATION OF
THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA TOWARDS ARMENOLOGY

The last four days became historical and enriching days for the
Catholicosate of Cilicia and for the field of Armenian studies. The
international conference on "The Culture of Cilician Armenia" which kicked
off in Antelias on January 14 concluded its activities yesterday with
Catholicos Aram I’s concluding remarks and blessings.

The Catholicos presided over the final session, which was dedicated to
general discussions and the future projects of the participating experts of
Armenology. The session also provided a platform for a general assessment of
the conference. The attendants emphasized the scientific productivity of the
sessions. They agreed that the discussions and exchange of ideas flowing
>From the presentations opened new intellectual horizons.

Having attended all the sessions of the conference and said his concluding
remarks at the end of each, the Catholicos expressed his overall opinion in
his Pontifical address. The Pontiff beautifully compiled and summarized the
main points made during the presentations dedicated to various aspects of
the culture of this rich period in Armenian history.

The director of the Mashdots Library in Yerevan, Hratchia Tamrazian, chaired
the concluding session of the conference. He expressed his gratitude to His
Holiness Aram I for this unique venture. Bishop Nareg Alemezian, who was a
member of the conference’s organizing committee, also thanked all the
participants and his colleagues for their efforts and contribution.

His Holiness once more emphasized the leading role of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia in driving to new levels research on all fields within Armenology
and the Armenian culture. He praised everyone for their contribution and the
efforts of the organizing committee headed by Bishop Alemezian. The
Catholicos also commended the management and staff of the Mashdots Library
in Yerevan. He expressed his great praise for the Armenian Affairs
Department of the Gulbenkian Foundation and its director Dr. Zaven Yegavian,
whose efforts have led to important contributions by the foundation in
spreading Armenian cultural values.

Commending the Armenia-based intellectuals for their active participation,
the Pontiff said: "For us, there is no "you and us". What is yours is also
ours and what is ours is also yours. We should cooperate with the vision of
one entity in researching our nation’s collective richness- our values."

Speaking about the contribution of the Armenian Church to Armenology, the
Catholicos said: "From ancient till present times, Armenology has been an
important field for our church. Our church has considered Armenology as one
of the most basic areas of its mission of faith, because for our church
there are no dividing lines between faith and culture. This is how the
Catholicosate of Cilicia has functioned and continues to function.
Therefore, Armenology continues to be an important field for our Holy See.
This conference came to re-emphasize our obligation in this direction and to
say that we are obliged to continue organizing such meetings. We took a step
further in this respect in the last few days." The Armenian Spiritual Leader
offered special praise to the foreign Armenologists, considering that their
work in this area transforms them to Armenians to a certain extent. "Due to
your interest towards our culture and history, you also are Armenians for
us," he said.

In the last section of his remarks, the Pontiff explained his viewpoints
with respect to future conferences with due attention to the previously
expressed opinions by the participants. The widespread use of technology,
the publication of sources by Armenology institutes and the prospects for
researching the unknown period extending between the fall of the Cilician
Kingdom and the 20th century raised the interest of all.

The last day’s sessions were dedicated to the arts developed in Cilician
Armenia as follows. During the morning session (9:00-10:30 AM), Levon
Tchoukaszian presented the topic "Introduction to the Cilician manuscripts
and miniatures, and decorated initials of Toros Roslin and the art of
Mediterranean area"; Lilit Zakarian’s topic was entitles "Duccio or Roslin
[analysis of a miniature]. Remon Kevorkian chaired this session. Azad
Bozoyian chaired the following session, during which papers were presented
by John Carswell (Toros Roslin and Jerusalem revisited) and Silvia Adjemian
(The Cilician manuscripts in Aleppo).

The first afternoon session featured presentations by Valentino Pace on
"Artistic contacts between Italy and Cilicia in the wider frame of the
Byzantine world" and Vartouhi Pambagian on "A historical Cilician
embroidery." The session was convened by Armen-Claude Moutafian. The final
session included a presentation by Michele Bacci on "Unpublished 14th
century murals in the Armenian church of Famagusta."

The concluding session of the conference indeed became a new beginning. The
gathering of so many Armenian and foreign historians, Armenologists,
philosophers and art experts in the Catholicosate of Cilicia was a
historical event. Through his presence at all the sessions of the
conference, analytical comments and concluding remarks at the end of each
session, Catholicos Aram I became the driving force behind the conference.

##
View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos86.htm
http://www.armenianorthodoxc hurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos87.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

BURBANK CELEBRATES ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS
By David Laurell

Burbank Leader, CA
Jan 16 2007

ON THE TOWN:
Last week, while many Burbankers were packing away the lights,
decorations and other traces of their Christmas celebration, our
community’s Armenian residents were still deeply in the holiday spirit.

Armenian Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 6 in accordance with the
date that had been historically established as the observance of the
birth of Christ by all Christian churches until the fourth century.

Wanting to distance the Christian observance from a pagan celebration,
the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church changed the official date
of Christmas from Jan. 6 to Dec. 25.

While this decree was accepted by most Christians, Armenia had
neither pagan practices nor an affiliation with the Church of Rome
and therefore saw no reason to change the date that they had been
celebrating since 301 AD.

On Jan. 7, the Burbank Chapter of the Armenian National Committee
opened its community center for an evening of holiday cheer. The
organization welcomed guests from a wide range of factions including
elected and appointed officials and representatives from civic,
business and charitable organizations. The evening also included
the presence of members and supporters of Homenetmen, an Armenian
organization devoted to athletics and scouting, the Armenian Relief
Society and the Armenian Cultural Foundation.

Last week’s reception has become an annual tradition in which
the committee’s supporters look back at their previous year’s
accomplishments, and give thanks to Burbank community leaders for
their continued support. Garen Yegparian, co-founder of the Burbank
committee, joined the organization’s chairman, Dr. Arbi Ohanian,
as the evening’s hosts. advertisement

Among those they extended a warm welcome to were Mayor Marsha Ramos,
Councilman David Gordon, City Manager Mary Alvord, City Clerk
Margarita Campos, Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr, Assemblyman Paul
Krekorian’s Chief of Staff Adrin Nazarian, Burbank Unified School
District Supt. Greg Bowman, and school board members Debbie Kukta,
Larry Applebaum and Dave Kemp.

Others who enjoyed the festive evening included the committee’s
Chairman of Governmental Relations Hagop Hergelian, the committee’s
Western Regional Board member Zanku Armenian, Alishan Mansourian, Vicky
Marashlian, Nanik Kopalian, Shoushan Boyadjian, Aghavni Khatchadourian,
Alice and Jeanine Boudakian, Burbank Fire Capt. Jess Talamantes,
Vahe Shahinian, Peter Musurlian, Mike Chapman, Cotton Thompson and
his wife, Joan Patricia "JP" O’Connor and Shanna Warren and Yeva
Aslanyan of the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank.

UNUSUAL COLD CREATES EXTRA TENSION FOR POWER GRID

ARMENPRESS
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, ARMENPRESS: The unusual cold weather that has
swept on Armenia has caused additional tension for the country’s
power grid, energy minister Armen Movsisyan said to president Robert
Kocharian today.

According to the minister, nevertheless, the system did not experience
serious breakdowns He said daily power consumption has grown to over
23 million kilowatt hours.

Kocharian’s press office said the two men also referred to upgrading
the Yerevan thermal power plant which is to have a new steam-gas
electric generating unit. The program launched this year is supposed
to be over in 2 years. The new turbine will have 245 megawatt capacity
and will decreases the amount of gas for electricity production.

The press office said among other things, the two men discussed also
preparations for construction of a hydro power plant on the border
river of Arax that separates Armenia from Iran, Iran-Armenia and
Iran-Georgia electricity lines and some issues regarding plans to
replace the nuclear power plant with a new modern facility.