Author: Dabaghian Diana

VARDAN OSKANIAN: KARABAGH SETTLEMENT SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON DECISIONS RENDERED ON OTHER CONFLICTS’ SETTLEMENT

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 4 2007

Karabagh conflict settlement should not depend on the decisions
rendered on other conflicts’ settlement, RA Acting FM Vardan Oskanian
stated at a press conference held in Yerevan April 3, commenting on
the situation around Kosovo settlement.

According to Vardan Oskanian, any conflict should be considered from
the viewpoint of its specific features. "Sure, precedents are of some
importance in the international relations; however, I think we’ll
consider each conflict in its context. The Nagorno-Karabagh conflict
has its specific nature, the Kosovo conflict has its own specific
features", he noted. Vardan Oskanian underscored the Nagorno-Karabagh
was going along the road of self-determination.

ACRA CREDIT BUREAU STARTS PROVIDING INFORMATION TO BANKS AND CREDIT ORGANIZATIONS

Arminfo
2007-04-02 20:51:00

The national credit bureau ACRA has started providing credit references
to commercial banks and credit organizations, the president of the
Central Bank of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan said during the presentation
of ACRA on Monday.

He said that the information provided by ACRA will allow commercial
banks to score the solvency of their borrowers. Sargsyan expressed
hop that in just a few months the Armenian banks will start crediting
exclusively on the basis of ACRA references.

The Head of the Central Bank stressed the importance of the Bureau
activity as an institutional structure during reformation of the
country’s financial system. According to him, the enterprises and
companies should be interested in the formation of their positive and
successful credit history that will allow them to attract comparatively
cheaper financial resources. This will also become a serious stimulus
for withdrawal of these enterprises from the shadow sector and passing
to an adequate financial accountancy and its transparency.

As the Executive Director of ACRA Arat Arzoyan noted, the Bureau’s
activity is distinguished by a high degree of security, efficiency and
accuracy of the information given. Asked by ArmInfo about the terms
of information gathering from organizations, that render the public
services, A. Arzoyan said that the relevant agreements have already
been signed with the most of them, however, it will possible to give
this information only after passing a Law about Credit Bureaus in
the country in view of the necessity of protecting the relevant civil
rights. According to him, one of the share-holders of the Bureau, a
world-known American Dun and Bradstreet International LTD had played an
great role in assurance of high technical opportunities of ACRA. The
Bureau’s shareholders also include the Central Bank that owns 10%
of shares, the HBM Service CJSC, created by the Union of Banks of
Armenia, the Credential Inc.

Corporation, that had come out with an ACRA creation initiative three
years ago, the Armeconombank, the Conversebank, the First Hypothec
Company, the "Smart Tech" and "Alfa Plus Consulting" Companies.

Presently, starting from 2003, the ACRA’s data bank comprises about
half a million credit histories and 200,000 borrowers registered.

INDIA LOSES OUT TO ARMENIA IN NUMBER OF SUPER GROWTH COMPANIES

Asia Pulse
April 2, 2007 Monday 3:06 PM EST

Amid domestic firms’ growing appetite for merger and acquisitions and
a robust economic expansion, India has surprisingly lost its place
as the world’s second largest home to "super growth" companies to a
relatively unknown Armenia.

According to a new study released on Friday by global consultancy major
Grant Thornton, there was a huge 56 per cent plunge in the number
of super growth companies in India. These are the companies with
significant above-average growth in areas like turnover and employment.

While the US has retained its top position on Grant Thornton
International’s Super Growth Index for third year in a row, India
suffered a dramatic drop to 14th position as the country’s proportion
of super growth companies halved from 34 per cent to 15 per cent.

India has been replaced by a newcomer Armenia in second position with
38 per cent proportion of super growth companies there, as against
44 per cent in the US.

The other top five countries in the league include Ireland (third),
the UK (fourth) and South Africa (fifth), all of which have improved
their rankings.

Other major climbers on the index include Russia,Philippines, Argentina
and Italy.

However, Hong Kong — another strong performer in 2006 at third
place, has also dropped out of the top ten list to 11th position
this year. Other major fallers in the chart include Malaysia and
New Zealand.

According to Grant Thornton International’s Alex MacBeath, fall of
last year’s two strongest performers India and Hong Kong was the most
significant finding in the survey.

GATES: RHETORIC HARMS TURKEY, U.S. RELATIONS
By William H. McMichael – Staff writer

AirForceTimes.com, VA
March 28 2007

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Tuesday said Turkish anger over
proposed U.S. congressional resolutions could have a negative effect
on that country’s support for the U.S. military conflicts in Iraq
and Afghanistan.

"Our two nations should oppose measures and rhetoric that needlessly
and destructively antagonize each other," Gates said in a speech
before the American-Turkish Council in Washington, D.C. "That includes
symbolic resolutions by the United States Congress, as well as the
type of anti-American and extremist rhetoric that sometimes finds a
home in Turkish political discourse."

Two recently introduced bipartisan congressional resolutions condemn
the 1915-1917 mass killings of 1.5 Armenians as "genocide" – something
long acknowledged by historians but that Turkey denies.

Gates said that, partly as a result of that tension, the war in Iraq
is "one of the most difficult matters we have had to work through
as allies."

Turkey, a NATO ally, would like to wipe out the Kurdish militant group
popularly known by its old initials – PKK, for Kurdistan Workers’
Party – that is based in northern Iraq. More than 20 years of Turkish
conflict with the separatist group has produced some 30,000 total
casualties, according to the U.S. State Department.

The U.S. wants to maintain the relative stability that much of northern
Iraq enjoys.

"We recognize that every Turkish citizen killed by the PKK is a setback
for success in Iraq, and a setback in our relationship with Turkey,"
Gates said. "As President Bush has underscored, the United States
is committed to the stability and territorial integrity of Iraq,
and opposes policies or groups that would undermine that integrity
in any way."

Gates said that the strategic relationship between the U.S. and
Turkey "has undergone some turbulence in recent years," later adding,
"All relationships need work to remains strong."

But ties remain strong, Gates said, noting that Turkey has provided
access to Iraq from its Incirlik Air Base, has commanded two security
force rotations in Afghanistan and is a partner in the Joint Strike
Fighter project. Gates also said 16 U.S. Navy ships made port calls
in Turkey last year.

Turkey, as well as other NATO members, has a vital interest in a
successful outcome in Iraq, Gates said.

"Whatever disagreements we might have over how we got to this point
in Iraq, the consequences of a failed state in Iraq, of chaos there,
will adversely affect every member of the Atlantic alliance, and none
more so than Turkey," Gates said.

Yet while Turkey will continue to play a role in that effort, the
U.S. needs other countries in the region to do their parts to help
stabilize Iraq, Gates said.

"Iraq’s neighbors will have to play a constructive role going forward,
even if they haven’t done so in the past," Gates said.

"Especially in encouraging political reconciliation and reduction of
violence within Iraq. This is certainly the case with Syria and Iran,
who have not been helpful." Gates has voiced similar thoughts since
becoming defense secretary.

Gates has previously called for greater dialogue with Iran. But in
his speech, he seemed to express some pessimism over the efforts.

"In dealing with a regime like Iran’s, one has to be realistic,"
Gates said. "The American search for elusive Iranian moderates is a
recurring and mostly fruitless theme since the revolution in 1979."

But he said the recent regional talks in Baghdad "were a good start"
and that the U.S. is open to higher-level exchanges.

"We should have no illusions about the nature of this regime," Gates
said of Iran. "Or about their designs for their nuclear program,
their intentions for Iraq, or their ambitions in the Gulf region."

007/03/military_gates_turkey_070327/

Regnum, Russia
March 27 2007

Turkey presents condolences to Armenian people with death of prime
minister

Condolence messages are still coming to Armenia following death of
Armenia’s Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan.

As REGNUM was told at the Armenian foreign ministry press office,
they received condolence messages from President of the European
Commission José Manuel Barroso, Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik
Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen, Greek President
Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, official
representative of the Armenian community of Cyprus House of
Representatives Vardges Mahtesyan, Chairman of the Palestinian
Autonomy Mahmoud Abbas, CSTO head Nikolai Bordyuzha.

It is worth mentioning, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and his deputy, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, EU foreign policy
chief Javier Solana, Lithuania’s Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas,
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Theodore Kassimis and embassies and
members of the Armenian community in Spain accredited in Armenia.

HRIPSIME JILAVIAN: "RESULTS OF ARMENIAN SWIMMERS SHOWN AT WORLD
CHAMPIOSHIP DO NOT GIVE RISE TO DISPLEASURE"

MELBOURN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Permits for the Berjing Olympic Games
are disputed at the world championship of water kinds of sports
started in the city of Melbourn, Australia. Representative of Armenia
Aram Nazarian took the 95th place in the struggle of 107 participants,
having 1 minute 12.21 seconds result in the 100 metre breast stroke
style of swimming, on March 25. And Mikayel Poloyan overcame the
distance in 200 meter free style of swimming in 1 minute 55.9 seconds
and was recognized the 66th among the 122 participants.

Hovhannes Avtandilian placed order from Armenia in the tower jump
tournament, but he did not enter the field because of
illness. Hripsime Jilavian, the Deputy Chairwoman of the Republican
Federation of this kind of sports informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, that Armenian swimmers displayed all their
possibilities at the world championship and one must not complaint of
the results shown by them.

PanARMENIAN.Net

In fact there is no clearly agreed single issue in Karabakh problem
24.03.2007 14:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the Karabakh problem the conflicting parties
cannot agree on the status, holding referendum and territorial issues,
NKR President Arkadi Ghukassian told a press conference in
Yerevan. `In fact there is no single issue, where we could indicate on
existence of clear agreements and arrangements,’ he said.

The NKR President said, when speaking about return of territories, it
is necessary to take into account the fact that today not only Azeri
territories are under the control of NKR, but also NKR territories are
under the control of Azerbaijan.

`And I think this issue must also be solved. Alongside I must stress
that the issue of returning Armenian and Azeri refugees is
unrealistic. This problem was not discussed during my meeting with
OSCE Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier. Fassier and I fixed
that discussions over this problem are senseless, since we should not
build the house from the roof. It is senseless to discuss a question,
which is unrealistic today,’ Arkadi Ghukassian underscored,
`Novosti-Armenia’ reports.

"JERMUK" INTENDS TO APPEAL TO COURT TO RESTORE ITS PRESTIGE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The statement of the US National
Drug Administration has caused panic among buyers, as a result of
which sales of "Jermik" have declined by 10% in Armenia. At the same
time, as NT correspondent was informed by commercial director of
the company Samvel Arsenian, export to Russia has grown: previously
23-30 containers of mineral water were exported to Russia a month,
whereas starting from April 1, 78 containers will be exported.

According to S. Arsenian, the statement, according to which "Jermuk"
mineral water contains arsenic exceeding the permissible norm, pursues
some political and economic goals and has no relation to the quality
of this water and its content. He said that since 2000, the company
has exported its production to the US, and each shipment undergoes
laboratory examination on the border and is given a respective
certificate, after which it is allowed to be imported into the country.

In the words of S. Arsenian, an attempt is being made to force Armenian
"Jermuk" out of the international market. "This statement is made at
the moment when wagons of Georgian "Borzhomi" mineral water (banned
in Russia) are brought into the US," he noted.

He said that it is not ruled out that the company will try to restore
its prestige in court: the respective documents are being prepared
for this purpose.

The Philadelphia Inquirer & Philadelphia Daily News
3/18/2007

Parunak, Aram Y.

PARUNAK

CAPTAIN ARAM Y., USN Retired, of Pitman, NJ, died on Month February
25, 2007 at age 96. Beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather,
he is survived by four children: Van, Herb, John and Heidi, nine
grandchildren: Gene, Dickran, Ian, Laura, Madigan, Denny Orianna,
Jeremiah, Matthew and four great grand children: Lacey, Carissa,
Michael and Matthew. A service for family and friends will be held at
Kelley Funeral Home, 125 Pitman Ave, Pitman, New Jersey on March 21,
2007 at 4 P.M. Friends may call after 3 P.M. Interment will be March
22 in Arlington National Cemetery at 11 A.M. Gifts in lieu of flowers
may be made to the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation in memory of
Captain Aram.Y. Parunak. For instructions, please call
1-800-327-5002. For additional information on the life of Aram
Y. Parunak Please visit ;. Memorials
shared at

March 20, 2007

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

DURING HOLY MASS ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE REESTABLISHMENT OF
THE LAS VEGAS PARISH AS STEWARDS WE MUST SECURE OUR SPIRITUAL
BLESSINGS THROUGH THE MATERIAL BLESSINGS GOD GRANTS US
DECLARED THE PRELATE

On Friday, March 9th, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, departed for Las Vegas for a two day visit with the parish. The
Prelate was accompanied by Executive Council members and the committee for
distant parishes.

On Sunday, March 11th, the Prelate conducted Holy Mass assisted
at the altar by Religious Council Chair and Christian Education Department
Co-Director Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian, as well as Archdeacon Zohrab
Yaralian from St. Garabed Church.

In his spiritual message, the Prelate congratulated the parish
on the first anniversary of their reestablishment, commended the efforts of
the devoted servants of the parish, and wished them success. In his sermon
on the fourth Sunday of Lent, the Sunday of the Unjust Steward, the Prelate
emphasized the necessity of doing good deeds with the material blessings and
opportunities God grants us. God trusts us to use the earthly, material
blessings He offers us to bring about higher, eternal values, for he who is
faithful in what is least, is also faithful in much. If we, as stewards,
are not faithful and cannot be trusted with earthly riches, how will God
trust us with eternal treasures? The Prelate urged the parishioners to
serve toward the enhancement of the community through their collective
efforts and means, and work together to achieve the plan to build a church.

During the requiem service following Mass, special prayers were
offered for the soul of Hrant Dink on the 40th day after his assassination.

Church services concluded with the singing of "Giligia" and "Mer
Hayrenik" and the "Bahbanich" prayer by the Prelate. A reception organized
by the Ladies Association followed.

On the evening of Saturday, March 10th, a banquet took place
under the auspices of the Prelate with the participation of Executive
Council members. Throughout the two-day visit, the Prelate and Executive
Council members also had the opportunity to meet with the parish council and
the newly established Ladies Association to discuss the actualization of
future endeavors. Taking into consideration the relentless work of the
Parish Council, its commission was extended for another year.