Author: Dabaghian Diana

Armenian government has new proposals for settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug 1, 2006
Author: A.Mammadov, E.Huseynov
Today, Azerbaijan participates in peaceful negotiations, but it is
not worth to await political will any more, Nizami Bahmanov, the
head of Azerbaijani community in Nagorno-Karabakh, told journalists
on August 1 as a result of the meeting with the American co-chair of
OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza, Trend reports.
“What political will can be described, in case of brutality and crimes,
they agree to present the status of autonomy within the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. This question isn’t clear. The relevant
challenges should be addressed not to the address of Azerbaijan,
but Armenia – an occupant country,” told Bahmanov.
Bahmanov noted that he expressed his dissatisfaction to Bryza in
connection with the negotiations held in Khankendi under the flag of
the separatist and unrecognized regime. According to Bahmanov, it
takes an advertisement character for Armenians. “He accepted these
reproaches, but naturally, deviating from the topic, he said that
within his authorities he should hold meetings. And we explained to
him that the meetings shouldn’t held in official cabinet under flag,
but under other circumstances,” he added.
“During the meeting Bryza noted that within his visit, he studies and
discusses the opinions of sides, as well as possible next meeting of
foreign minister of Azerbaijan and Armenia. He noted that Armenian
side has new proposals, political will to continue peaceful talks,”
Bahmanov said quoting the words of American diplomat.

California Courier Online, August 3, 2006
1 – Commentary
Turkish Troops Shouldn’t Take Part
In Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
2 – Garo H. Armen Named Recipient of Sabin
Vaccine Institute’s Humanitarian Award
3 – Amirian Brothers Host Aug. 5 Mixer
For Special Needs Children in Gavar
4 – Primate Relieves
Deacon Babajanyan
From All Duties
5 – Iran’s Teymourian to Play For
English Premiere League Team
6 – Chief Steve Simonian Honored
By L.A. County Supervisors
************************************** ************************************
1 – Commentary
Turkish Troops Shouldn’t Take Part
In Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
In the past three weeks, hundreds of innocent men, women and children have
been killed and thousands injured on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border.
While the bulk of the blame for the fighting falls on the warring parties, the
United States, as the only superpower, has its share of responsibility in
this bloody affair.
The disastrous situation in the Middle East is about to get even worse,
thanks to officials in Washington who have other agendas than bringing peace to the
region. David Ignatius revealed in his July 21 article in the Washington Post
that the Bush administration was considering the deployment of a
multinational “stabilization force” in southern Lebanon, composed of troopsfrom Turkey
and several other countries. Unlike a traditional United Nations peacekeeping
force, this would be a robust peace-enforcement unit that would be ready to
shoot it out with Hezbollah fighters or anyone else in their way.
The United States and Britain, with their forces bogged down in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and unwelcome in Lebanon due to their tendentious approach to the
Middle East conflict, are looking for others to die in place of their own
soldiers. The Turkish Daily News quoted a Washington analyst stating that sending
Turkish troops to Lebanon “involves a major risk of serious casualties while
doing somebody else’s work.”
Turkish leaders, on the other hand, despite the obvious dangers posed by such
an engagement, are eager to send thousands of their soldiers to the South of
Lebanon, not to bring peace, but to extend their country’s influence far
beyond their borders. Turks know that, up until a century ago, most neighboring
countries were a part of the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately for the Turks and
their Washington cohorts, the population of these countries also remembers that
infamous Empire, but not so fondly. In addition to Armenians, the ancestorsof
the inhabitants of today’s Lebanon, be they Syrians, Lebanese, Palestiniansor
Kurds suffered untold deprivations and outright massacres under the repressive
Ottoman regime.
Of particular concern is the appearance of Turkish troops in a country witha
sizable Armenian population, the direct descendants of the 1.5 million
Armenians massacred and expelled during the 1915 Genocide. In the 1970’s and 80’s
there were scores of attacks by young Lebanese Armenians against Turkish
diplomats in Lebanon and elsewhere. Bringing thousands of Turkish troops inthe
proximity of a large Armenian community for the first time since 1915 contains all
the ingredients of a bloody clash in the making. In the process of trying to
quell one conflict, the Bush administration is sowing the seeds of future new
confrontations.
In addition, most Arabs do not look too kindly at the strategic alliance
between Israel and Turkey. These two countries along with the United States
conduct periodic joint military exercises.
Another complicating factor is that the Turkish soldiers and people in
southern Lebanon belong to two different, often rival Islamic sects. The Turks are
Sunni, while the Hezbollah fighters and their followers are Shia.
Fortunately, not everyone in Turkey is as eager as Prime Minister Recep Tayyp
Erdogan to send Turkish soldiers to southern Lebanon. Several opposition
leaders were quoted as saying that Turkey should not enter “such a swamp.”
An international force is probably necessary to maintain the peace on the
Lebanese-Israeli border, but does it have to include a Turkish contingent? There
are plenty of other countries that could send troops to Lebanon without
risking a confrontation with the local population. If the United States andIsrael
are so enamored with Turkish soldiers, they can station them on the Israeli,
rather than the Lebanese side of the border!
As there are several Armenians in the Lebanese cabinet and parliament, they
should ask their government to reject the participation of Turkish troops in
the proposed multinational force. Such a force cannot be sent without the
approval of the Lebanese authorities. When Turkey offered to contribute troops to
the coalition in Iraq, the Iraqi government, despite pressure from Washington,
refused to accept them, in order to avoid clashes between Turkish soldiers and
Iraqi Kurds.
It is simply unacceptable that in the pursuit of their political agendas, the
neo-cons in Washington encourage sending Turkish troops to Lebanon. The
international community should not allow such irresponsible action that would
perpetuate the conflict in the Middle East rather than bring peace and stability to
the region.
****************************************** ********************************
2 – Garo H. Armen Named Recipient of Sabin
Vaccine Institute’s Humanitarian Award
NEW YORK, NY (Science Letter) – Antigenics Inc., Chairman and CEO Garo H.
Armen was named the 2006 recipient of the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s Humanitarian
Award.
The Albert B. Sabin Annual Awards recognize extraordinary figures in
biotechnology, medical research and medical reporting, and were celebrated at a gala,
themed “Celebrating Hope for a Healthier World,” in New York City.
“In each case, these extraordinary individuals didn’t settle for high
achievement in just one area, but they broadened their horizons and multiplied their
effect,” said H. R. Shepherd, DSc, chairman of the Sabin Vaccine Institute.
“They each found new ways to further medical science, reaching out to help a
greater cross-section of humanity.”
Armen cofounded Antigenics in 1994 with Pramod K. Srivastava, PhD. Armen is
also the founder and chairman of the Children of Armenia Fund, a charitable
organization established in 2000 that is dedicated to the positive development of
the children and youth of Armenia.
>From mid-2002 through 2004, Armen also served as chairman of the board of
directors of the pharmaceutical company Elan Corp. He received a PhD in physical
chemistry from the Graduate Center, City University of New York.
************************************************** ***********************
3 – Amirian Brothers Host Aug. 5 Mixer
For Special Needs Children in Gavar
GLENDALE – A wine & cheese mixer will be held Aug. 5 in Glendale, 4 to 7
p.m., to acquaint guests about the Gavar Special School for children in Armenia.
Jason and Tera Sprague, current Peace Corps volunteers living in Gavar will
give a short presentation about the school which was built in 1976. The event
is hosted by brothers Robert and Avo Amirian, of Glendale.
With continued help and support, Gavar Special School hopes to become a
model school for the education and integration of special needs children
throughout Armenia. However, this change and improvement needs a broad base of
involvement from many people.
Special needs children in rural Armenia with physical and mental handicaps
gain access to education through the Gavar Special School, located in the
Gegharkunik region of Armenia, the poorest of the regions in Armenia. Thisvery
rural area, with Lake Sevan at its center, accounts for approximately 40% of
Armenia’s land. The region has been affected by the Karabagh conflict with
Azerbaijan, taking in thousands of refugees. Special needs children, in particular,
face hardship.
Due to social stigma, families with physically or mentally handicapped
children frequently hide these children away. Subsequently, a large percentage of
these children receive no education or social interaction. In Gegharkunik
alone, there are an estimated 650 special needs children of which only 20% are
attending any school.
Gavar Special School has partnered with the Orion Philanthropic Center of
Newport Beach, Calif., which gives donors the ability to give a tax deductible
donation to the school.
A documentary film illustrating the challenges, successes, needs and vision
for special education in Gegharkunik through Gavar Special School has been
produced in Armenian and English with the help of St. James Catholic Churchin
Cazenovia, New York and Mano Handian of Pasadena, Calif. This DVD is free to. To
request a copy, visit GavarSpecialSchool.org.
The improvement of Gavar Special School has two branches. The first branch
is improvement of the physical structure of the school and its grounds. The
second branch is improvement of teaching methods to shift from an outdated
education style to a western model.
Assistance from individuals such as, civic groups, Armenian Diaspora
organizations and international aid organizations, has helped change and improvements
begin to be realized.
Information and RSVP can be given by calling Robert Amirian at 818.482.5516.
************************************ **************************************
4 -. Primate Relieves
Deacon Babajanyan
From All Duties
BURBANK, Calif. – Western Diocese Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian has
relieved Deacon Arman Babajanyan from all duties and privileges associated with
the Diaconate, the Western Diocese announced in a statement released last week.
The Western Diocese announcement explains that the Armenia-born Babajanyan,
had evaded military service in the homeland and “had forged the seal of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, as well as the signature” of Primate Derderian.
“In light of the=80¦dishonorable acts on the past of Mr. Babajanyan which brings
shame to the Diaconate,” the Western Diocese statement noted, the Primate has
relieved Babajanyan from his duties.
********’******************************** *********************************
5 – Iran’s Teymourian to Play For
English Premiere League Team
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
TEHRAN, Iran – Midfielder Andranik Teymourian – the only Christian on an
otherwise Muslim national team – is moving to English Premier League club Bolton
Wanderers, the ISNA news agency reported Wednesday.
The 23-year old Iranian-Armenian, widely known as Ando, will leave the Abu
Moslem club in Mashad, northeastern Iran, and play in England next season, ISNA
said.
Ando was among his side’s best at this year’s World Cup, where Iran lost two
games and drew one, dropping out in the group stage.
ISNA said Abu Moslem president Nasser Shafaq confirmed the transfer and said
that the Bolton manager would come to Iran next week to finalize the contact.
After Karim Baqeri, who played for Charlton Athletic in the 2000- 2001
season, Ando would be the second Iranian to play in the Premier League.
He was the second Iranian-Armenian to play for Iran in a World Cup final
round.
In 1978, defender Andranik Eskandarian played at the World Cup in Argentina.
He was signed by New York Cosmos to play with football legends such as Franz
Beckenbauer and Pele.
******************************************** ******************************
6 – Chief Steve Simonian Honored by L.A. County Supervisors
LOS ANGELES – Retiring as Chief of the Bureau of Investigations for the L.A.
County District Attorney’s Office, Steve Simonian received a scroll from the
L.A. County presented by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich at the Board of
Supervisors meeting on July 25.
Chief Simonian began his career as a police officer for the City of
Montebello in 1966, moving up the ranks until his appointment to Chief of Police in
1989. He retired from the Montebello Police Department in 1998 and continued his
outstanding record of public service in the City of La Habra where he
currently serves as Mayor.
In 2000, Simonian was selected by District Attorney Steve Cooley to serve as
the Chief of the Bureau of Investigations for the Los Angeles County District
Attorney’s Office. In 2006, he received a lifetime achievement award from the
Peace Officers Association of Los Angeles County, the Association of Los
Angeles Deputy Sheriffs Lifetime Achievement Award, and an honorary membership in
the Shomrin Society.
***************************************** *********************************
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PanARMENIAN.Net
Kocharian Met with OSCE MG US Co-Chair
29.07.2006 15:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian today met with
US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict Matthew Bryza, the Press Service of the Armenian
leader told PanARMENIAN.Net. During the meeting the interlocutors
discussed latest developments in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement.

WHAT DEPENDS ON US
Aravot.am
27 July 06
Armenia faces problems and the settlement half of them depends on us,
in particularly our relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey. But there is
a group of problems, which we can’t solve but they have their direct
influence on Armenia Armenians.
Those problems are:
1. Georgian-Russian, Georgian-Abkhazian, Georgian-Osetian,
Georgian-“Kodorian” /Svan/ escalated relations which can turn into
war at any moment. Certainly the main conflict among the above
mentioned is the first one. The Georgian regard both Osetian and
abkhazian separatists and rebel officer in Kodor Ekzar Kvitsiani as
the agents of the Kremlin but the Kremlin does nothing to prove the
opposite. Anyway, both the Abkhazian railway and Upper Lars passage
will still remain closed for a long time.
2. West-Iran conflict, which also can turn into military activities.
Europe wants to punish our neighbors “a little”, the U.S.
wants to punish more, Russia and China don’t want to punish at
all. President of Iran Ahmadinejad sent a long massage to Chancellor of
Germany Merkel last week, where he cast doubt on the right of Israeli
state existence and Holoqost. Armenia won’t have profits from the
further escalations.
3. Israel-Palestine, Israel-Syria, Israel-”Hisballah” relations,
which have already turned into the war. The sides are inclined to
annihilate each other. Condoleeza Rice offers to deploy Turkish and
Egyptian peacekeeping troops in the zone of hostilities. As our
compatriots in Lebanon as well as regional security suffers from
the war.
Armenia has nothing to do in these three conflicts. In favor of our
security we can do what depends on us, both in the relations with
our neighbors and inside the country. But, unfortunately, we don’t
do it, too.
Aram Abrahamian
–Boundary_(ID_pnhjZKi2eT8oU3LAnSa4NQ) —

GORIS BSC TO HOLD PRODEXPO
Armenpress
GORIS, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS: Goris Business Support Center (BSC) NGO
has announced the third regional ProdExpo in Syunik Province. It said
the aim of the event is to introduce local producers’ products and
services to locals and guests. The expo will be hold in the southern
Armenian town of Goris, on July 28-29.
Nairi Shalunts, director of the BSC, said over one hundred regional
Armenian companies will present such products as cheese, juices and
soft drinks, construction materials, meat and fish products, jewellery,
and IT.
The overall program also includes traditional Armenian dancing,
singing, food tasting, artwork, and carpet weaving. Handicrafts,
made of stone, wood, and local ceramics, will also be shown.
The information desk will provide information about the town’s museums,
as well as explain possible tours and visits in the area. Visitors
will have an opportunity to visit the Old Town, the Goris Archeological
and Artists’ museums. The Prod Expo is sponsored by the USAID.

US CITIZENS THANK ARMENIAN EMBASSY IN LEBANON FOR THEIR SAFE TRANSPORTATION FROM LEBANON
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: USA citizens Andrew Lais and Marous Lais
sent a message of gratitude to the Armenian ambassador to Lebanon Vahan
Ter-Ghevondian and second secretary of the embassy Arsen Arakelian for
their assistance in organizing their safe transportation from Beirut
to Aleppo and then to Yerevan from where they flew back to Glendale.
The US citizens of Swiss descent together with their daughter, her
Armenian husband and two grandchildren traveled to Armenia on their
holiday and then decided to pay a four-day visit to Beirut.
After the military actions started in the Middle East they applied
to the USA embassy in Lebanon where they were told to register. As
native Swiss they also applied to the Swiss embassy the officials of
which told they will transport them as soon as possible.
Afterwards they learnt that the Armenian embassy and Armavia company
were transporting native Armenians to Aleppo and then to Yerevan. They
applied to the embassy and were safely transported to Aleppo, then
to Yerevan.
Andrew Lais and Marous Lais also thanked Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian for devoted and professional work of the Armenian
embassy.

FILM ON SEA EXPEDITION OF “CILICIA” VESSEL SHIP TO BE SHOWN IN MOSCOW
Moscow, July 25. ArmInfo. The presentation of “Travel in Seven Seas”
film dedicated to the sea expedition of “Cilicia” vessel ship will
be shown on August 1, 2006, within the framework of Armenia’s year
in Russia, in Moscow based “Rolland” movie-theatre.
“Yerkramas” newspaper informed that the ship is an exact copy of the
Armenian Middle Age ships belonging to the Armenian Cilicia Kingdom.
The vessel ship has already arrived from the Great Britain to St.
Petersbourg to continue its voyage down the Russian rivers.

BARGAVACH HAYASTAN’S PATIENCE IS NOT WEARING THIN
Lragir.am
25 July 06
Two days after the conference of the Republican Party Bargavach
Hayastan Party (Prosperous Armenia) held a meeting of its activists
July 25 at the Gabriel Sundukyan Theater. That this conference
was a counterblow to the Republican is proved by the fact that
the conference was not open. The mass media were not invited, the
entrance was guarded, and people could enter if they had membership
cards. Thus the meeting appears more mysterious and consequently
more influential. Namely, the people gathered at the hall were
furious about the expressions of Republicans addressed to them. The
Republicans do not consider Bargavach Hayastan a political party.
Moreover, they compare this political party with a trade company,
which does not have an ideology. The activists of Bargavach Hayastan
expected a rather tough answer from the leader of the party. The
Lragir has learned that Gagik Tsarukyan gave this rather tough answer
saying that the time would come and they would give a more clear and
adequate answer to statements in their addresses. It is interesting
that on the day of the meeting of activists broadcasting of Kentron
TV, which was to televise this meeting, was stopped.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING COMPLEMENTORY FOREIGN POLICY
Yerevan, July 22. ArmInfo. Armenia conducts balanced foreign policy,
making the integration into Europe and development of the interstate
relations within the framework of CIS, as well as the development of
bilateral relations with several countries are priority course in
its foreign policy of Armenia. RA PM Andranik Margarian, leader of
Republican Party, said at today’s party congress.
“Taking into account our national and state interests, we state that
we are ready to cooperate with the countries in the region both in
the political and economic, and in the military spheres,” he said.
The interstate cooperation should be built on the principles of
equality, Margarian emphasized.

Cedar Crest College’s President, Dorothy Gulbenkian Blaney, Dies
By Melanie Hughes and Genevieve Marshall Of The Morning Call
eyjul11,0,6598481.story?coll=all
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J uly 11, 2006
Dorothy Gulbenkian Blaney, who for 17 years as president of Cedar Crest
College championed the cause of elevating the education of women to
the same rigorous academic achievement once reserved only for men,
died about 5 p.m. Monday in her home on campus, a college spokesman
said. She was 65.
Blaney, who took over the Allentown women’s college in 1989 when it
was struggling and gave it new stature and renewed vigor, had been
battling cervical cancer for two years.
Michael Traupman, director of college relations, and Blaney’s husband,
Joseph, said the family and college will issue a statement about her
death today.
“She was a courageous woman, a visionary leader who accomplished a
tremendous amount for the college she loved so much,” Muhlenberg
College President Randy Helm said. “I will miss her deeply as
a friend.”
During Blaney’s tenure, the college’s enrollment doubled from 700
to more than 1,400 students, the number of honor students rose 35
percent, and the endowment grew fourfold, with annual giving rising
from $1.2 million to $5.7 million. This year’s goal is $3.5 million.
Since the early 1990s, Cedar Crest has consistently ranked in the
top 15 liberal arts colleges in the Northeast in the U.S. News &
World Report annual listing.
For almost all her career at the 139-year-old school, she contributed
opinion columns to The Morning Call, writing on women’s and local
issues. When Playboy magazine sought Cedar Crest students for a
pictorial on the women of women’s colleges in 1990, she wrote that
Cedar Crest’s women are more likely to be leaders than centerfolds.
In the past year, many of Blaney’s columns focused on cancer.
“She was a dynamic woman, a superb president, and she put up a valiant
battle with cancer,” said David V. Voellinger, who is on the executive
committee of the college’s Board of Associates. “It’s quite a loss
for Cedar Crest.”
Blaney had dreamed of changing the world since growing up in
Plainfield, N.J., reading Shakespeare or Dickens aloud on the porch
with her family as a 6-year-old.
After graduating from the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, she completed
her bachelor’s degree with high honors in comparative literature at
Cornell University, where two teachers persuaded her to pursue her goal
as a teacher. She later completed her doctorate in English literature
at the State University of New York, studied at the University of
California at Berkeley and taught at Webster College in Geneva,
Switzerland.
During the ceremony that made her Cedar Crest’s 11th president, she
told the crowd to “transform knowledge into wisdom and wisdom into
action. We need to expand our minds to embrace the diversity of other
cultures and the ideas of the world.”
One of her goals was to more aggressively recruit students from
other countries and have the college become known as a place for
women throughout the world.
On Monday night, Blaney’s office inside the administration and
admissions building, Blaney Hall, was empty, as were most of the
offices in the building.
College security had blocked off an area of parking spaces in front
of Moore Hall, preparing for a possible gathering of mourners. Signs
posted on orange cones in front of the spaces read: “Reserved for
president’s family and friends.”
Traupman said Provost Carol Pulham issued a brief statement via
e-mail about Blaney’s death to students and staff. Pulham will assume
all presidential duties as outlined in the college charter until a
replacement is named.
Blaney was chairwoman of the Women’s Sports Foundation, which was
founded by tennis star Billie Jean King and promotes girls and women
in sports and fitness.
Blaney was diagnosed with cancer in June 2004. She announced in a
Morning Call column three months ago that her outlook on the disease
had taken on new meaning, moving from teariness to triumph, celebrating
the army of people helping to care for her and the spirit of Lance
Armstrong and others like him.
Tom Tenges, president of the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent
Colleges, said, “I knew she was slipping quickly, but it’s been many
months since I’ve last seen her. … Dorothy is someone I had a high
regard for. She was a supporter and believer in our consortium. Her
strength came in finding a valuable focus for Cedar Crest College.
“She made the natural science a very strong, important part of the
curriculum. She was a great conversationalist and had a vast knowledge
of many things beyond education.”
Helm, the Muhlenberg president, said, “I’m very, very grief stricken
to hear about her passing, though it’s not unexpected. … We often
got together and shared our dreams and frustrations. I’m really just
flattened by this. I’ve been expecting to hear this for some time,
but it doesn’t make it any easier.
“She was someone I could turn to for advice and comfort,” Helm
said. “She made health a theme for the campus. She was such a
passionate believer in its mission. My heart goes out to her family
and the school. They’re a wonderful school and wonderful neighbors.”