Author: Ekmekjian Janet

RIFAT HISARCHIGOGLU: “WE WON’T CHANGE OUR STANCE UNTIL ARMENIA
PULLS OUT ITS TROOPS FROM AZERBAIJANI LANDS”
Today, Azerbaijan
Aug 3, 2006
“Why should we change our position while Armenia have not pulled out
its troops from the Azerbaijani territories and give up it claims
against Turkey?” Rifat Hisarchigoglu, president of Chambers and
Exchanges Union of Turkey told.
Half a year ago he said the Union Turkish member companies would not
establish trade relations with Armenia, APA reports.
“Why change our position? Did Armenia give up its groundless
territorial claims against Turkey? Since Armenia has not made any
changes to its stances regarding such urgent problems, why should
we change ours? First of all, they should unconditionally pull
out their troops from the occupied Azerbaijani regions in order to
provide internally displaced persons return their native lands,”
Mr.Hisarchigoglu said.
The Chambers and Exchanges Union of Turkey is the biggest NGO in the
country, which unites 1 million companies. It has a strong influence
on the government’s domestic and foreign policy and remarked for its
active lobbying efforts for Turkey’s EU membership.
URL:

SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST THE VISION OF PERSONAL HAPPINESS
Lragir.am
01 Aug 06
Perhaps the Republican Party has not realized yet what favor it did
to the public by holding an early conference on July 22. Not only did
the Republican Party display its face, but it also revealed the faces
of others. Perhaps this premonition made some political parties reveal
their own faces long before the conference, although it would be more
precise to tell that they hurried to take the step of covering their
own face more safely. Dashnak Alvard Petrosyan announced that over
70 percent of the intellect in the political sphere of Armenia is in
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. The answer of the Republicans
did not make wait long. Certainly, they did not announce that the
godfather of the most intellectual victory of Armenia, the “king of
Torino” Serge Sargsyan is a Republican.
But young Republican Armen Ashotyan announced before the conference of
the Republican Party that let Dashnaktsutiun mind their own business
until the parliamentary election.
It is difficult to tell what business Armen Ashotyan hinted at, but
he is a rather smart young man and he must have known something when
he spoke or at least he had been told what to say. It goes without
saying that responsibility for 70 percent of the intellect is really a
hard job. They require care. Intellect does not grow in the field to
go and pick up. They have hardly come, so one needs to take care of
them. And perhaps the Republican Party knows how difficult it is for
Dashnaktsutiun to take care for its intellectuals, therefore it advises
to mind their own business instead of one aspiration or another. In
order to sponsor intellect one needs to be at least a defense minister,
whereas the only defense minister is in the Republican Party. And to
become convinced of this, the Republicans had invited representatives
of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun) to come
and see and get down to minding their own business.
And the Dashnaks went and saw. It is not clear, however, what they
thought. Other’s “good luck” makes remember one’s own problems but
everything is different when this other implies by their behavior
at several ways of getting over problems. For instance, how Dashnaks
can get rid of problems. It is clear: one gets rid of Dashnaktsutiun
and one is free from the problem of the ARF. However, such a simple
solution would not occur to everyone, of course. The intellect is
not good at simple solutions. For this, one needs to be a genius or
lack intellect, at least a little. Certainly, Dashnaktsutiun would
not have a problem of genius if there was at least one genius in our
political sphere. Therefore, the most simple solution of getting rid
of problems would occur to those whom others would prompt.
And it is not accidental that the Republicans prompted Dashnaks about
the problems before the early conference and invited them to the
conference to prompt the simple way of getting rid of problems. They
pointed to the “happiness of the criminal” and forgot about the
“problem of the intellect”. Certainly, only for those who saw
the happiness of the criminal. And among Dashnaks the members of
parliament Armen Rustamyan and Spartak Seyranyan were “lucky” to see
the “happiness of the criminal”. And they even say that witnessing did
its “evil job” and it even occurred to Armen Rustamyan to tell his
party friends and persuade them that the percentage of intellect is
not as important in life as the percentage of votes, which guarantees
seats in the parliament and the government.
And they even say that Rustamyan has already acquired supporters
inside the political party. In other words, he managed to persuade
some people. In case of failure they have the vision of “personal
happiness”, however. In other words, the simplest way of getting rid
of the problem of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
HAKOB BADALYAN

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:
CHRI STIAN EDUCATION
ANTELIAS PUBLISHES NEW RELIGION TEXTBOOKS
The Catholicosate of Cilicia recently published new textbooks in religion
and the history of the Armenian Church, fulfilling the long standing need of
Armenian schools in this respect.
The need for modern and contemporary religion textbooks has always been an
important issue on the agenda of the Religious Council. An initiative for
special courses in the history of the Armenian Church for more senior
students has also featured with high importance during the Council’s
discussions.
As such, the Christian Education Department of the Catholicosate of Cilicia
worked on publishing these textbooks under the high sponsorship of His
Holiness Aram I.
The first two volumes of modern religion textbooks for Armenian schools have
already been published. Prepared specially for the students of fifth and
sixth classes, these textbooks include pictures, activities, exercises and
detailed explanations on the Armenian Church’s traditions.
Although these books are considered for the students of the fifth and sixth
classes, they can be used for students of lower or higher classes according
to the corresponding literacy in Armenian language in the schools of various
dioceses.
Each pair of textbooks also has a teacher’s guidebook, which explains the
teacher’s room in the classroom and the lively method by which these topics
should be taught. The textbooks of the seventh and eighth classes and their
teacher’s guidebooks are also in the course of preparation and will be
published soon in the Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
A brief record of the history of the Armenian Church, its rites and rituals,
its traditions and its differences in principle and ritual from other
churches, has been prepared by the late Ms. Manoushag Boyadjian, with the
aim of introducing the senior students of Armenian Schools to the history of
their church.
This volume is published today following the decision of the Armenian
Pontiff and with the funding of the Department of Armenian Affairs of the
Gulbenkian Foundation, both as an appreciation of Ms. Boyadjian’s dedication
to the Holy See of Cilicia and as a fulfillment of the need for such
textbooks in Armenian schools.
In addition to these projects, a special Bible for teenagers is underway in
cooperation with the Bible Society. The Bible will be published soon,
filling yet another need in the Christian education of the new Armenian
generation. A special Bible for kindergarten students is also being prepared
to encourage the students of Sunday schools.
The Catholicosate’s Christian Education Department has formed a special
committee to embark on publishing, educational and musical activities to
achieve the projects of Sunday Schools and their corresponding bodies.
##
View the book covers here:
es88.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
jurisdiction and the Christian Education activities in both the
Catholicosate and the dioceses, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

LEVEL OF INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES OF ARMENIAN COMMERCIAL BANKS GROWS BY
10% AND MAKES 83,12% AS OF JUNE 30
Yerevan, July 29. ArmInfo. The level of investment activities grew by
5,6% in the first half of 2006, by 10% in a year and made 83,12% as
of June 30.
According to ArmInfo ranking of the Armenian commercial banks, this
indicator grew by 12,89 % in the course of the last three years.
In the period under review, the volume of the sources attracted by the
commercial banks made AMD 267.9 billion. Besides, taking into account
the total obligations of the commercial banks, the sources they
allocated made 70,9% and the grater part of these sources were
directed to crediting the physical entities. According to the experts,
in fact, the commercial banks finance the development of the Armenian
economy, including the agricultural spheres.
According to the level of investment activities, ACBA Bank occupies
the leading position securing 194,21% or AMD 13.8 billion as of June
30, 2006. The bank made AMD 26.9 billion of crediting investments,
including 63,2% for crediting the economy and 36,1% for crediting
physical entities. ACBA Bank manages to effectively allocate the
sources in the given spheres, securing profits for many years
already. According to the level of investment activities, the five
leading Armenian commercial banks are as follows: ArmSwissBank(174,7%
or AMD 1.5 billion), “Ararat” Bank(173,5% or AMD 1.5 and 2.7 billion),
Artsakhbank(165,1% or AMD 9.8 and 16.1 billion) and “Prometey” Bank
(122,3% or AMD 2.7 and 3.3 billion). BTA Investbank secured the
highest level of investment activities that made 982,6%. This great
difference is conditioned by the fact that “BTA Investbank” entered
the Armenian commercial bank in the second quarter of 2005 by
purchasing the 48,9% of the Mezhinvestbank shares. The lowest level of
investment activities was secured by “HSBC Bank Armenia” (39,0% or AMD
23 billion).

Boston Herald, MA
July 28, 2006
One chapter ends as another begins
By Boston Herald editorial staff
Friday, July 28, 2006
Had Matt Amorello resigned from the Turnpike Authority on July 11 he
might have been seen as a martyr – willing to quit for the simple
reason that a woman died in a tunnel he was charged with ensuring was
safe. He wouldn’t have emerged unscathed, but after the requisite
apology tour he might have stitched together his tattered reputation.
With Amorello, though, it was never about doing the right or
obvious thing. It was about lawyers and liability, politics and yes,
paychecks. It took two weeks and careful negotiations but he finally
agreed to step aside, and we can’t say we’ve shed a tear. The focus
now is rightly and solely on the investigation into the ceiling
collapse that killed Milena Del Valle and the safety of the entire
tunnel system.

But as the saying goes, when the door slams shut on Amorello’s
rear end, a window opens – an opportunity to view both the bricks and
mortar of the Big Dig infrastructure and the stalled `development’
along the Rose Kennedy Greenway with a whole new perspective.

The Greenway was supposed to be our reward for putting up with
nearly two decades of inconvenience. Among Amorello’s greatest
contributions – planting trees and doing the bidding of friends in
the Legislature by granting one of the precious few parcels to a
group that plans a memorial to victims of the Armenian genocide.
Let’s just say Amorello never quite got the `vision thing.’

It’s a little late, but Amorello’s departure still presents an
opportunity to shake the old-school politics plaguing this project
and to ensure that the promise of the Greenway is fulfilled. Gov.
Mitt Romney will select a third new board member to replace Amorello
and the new MTA board will have its first meeting on Aug. 16. Their
work is cut out for them.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
28-07-2006
Acting Press Secretary Vladimir Karapetian Replies to
Question by Panorama.am Electronic Newspaper
Question: What is the situation with the Armenian citizens gathered at the
Ergnet border crossing point in Georgia? What news do you have?
Mr. Karapetian: We were informed tonight that the Georgian authorities have
decided as an exception to allow the citizens of Armenia to pass the border
crossing point near Egnet. We would like to reiterate our gratitude for this
step taken by a good neighbour.
During the coming hours, a string of cars accompanied by the representatives
of the Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi and the OSCE office in Georgia will be
headed for Armenia.
I take this opportunity to once again appeal to those citizens of the
Republic of Armenia who travel from Russia to Armenia via Georgia not to
take the road passing through South Ossetia. Georgia. The South Ossetia
administrative border crossing point is not functioning. The only possible
way to reach Armenia from Russia today is by means of the Poti –
Novorossiysk ferry.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY FORCES DISCUSS AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED BY OPPOSITION PARTIES
AZG Armenian Daily #140, 27/07/2006
Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosian and the leaders of
Parliament factions discussed the amendments to the Electoral Code
suggested by the opposition. The opposition suggests adoption of 100%
proportional electoral system and forming of electoral committees
exclusively from members of political parties. The participants of
the meeting did not come to consensus on these questions. Before late
august a parliamentary workgroup is to be created in order to consider
the notes by the Venice Commission and the opposition suggestions.

SECURITY EXERCISES TO BE HELD AT THE ARMENIAN ATOMIC POWER PLANT ON JULY 25
Yerevan, July 25. ArmInfo. Security exercises on emergency prevention
at the Atomic Power Plant will be held in Yerevan and Armavir region
on July 26-27. The head of the information center of the Emergency
Department Nikolay Grigorian aims to enhance the prevention and
the populations’ protection from atomic and radiation emergencies.
Representatives of 13 ministries and departments will take part in
the exercises.

KOCHARYAN AND SEMNEBI DISCUSS ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 25, 2006
YEREVAN, July 25. /ARKA/. On July 24, President of Armenia Robert
Kocharyan and Peter Semnebi, the EU Special Representative for
South Caucasus, discussed relations between Armenia and the European
Union in Yerevan. According to the Press Service of the President,
interlocutors touched upon issues of coordination and adoption of the
activities’ program on Armenia within the scope of “New Neighborhood”
EU policy. During the meeting Kocharyan and Semnebi also turned to
the Karabakh conflict and regional developments. Peter Semnebi was
appointed the EU Special Representative for South Caucasus on March 1,
2006. S.P.–0–
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PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
24 July 2006
SAFE ARRIVAL HOME FOR SYDNEY-BASED DANCE GROUP
Sydney, Australia – The last of the 80 plus group of the Hamazkaine
Sevan Dance Group caught up in the bombings in Lebanon touched down
in Sydney on Saturday evening after a harrowing ordeal.
The 45 person dance troupe, mostly made up of teenage youth, with their
minders had been on a concert tour of Armenia, Syria and Lebanon and
were due to fly out of Beirut the same day the airport was first
bombed. The group was part of the first convoy organised by the
Australian Government to evacuate from Beirut, enduring a 17-hour
road trip which saw them enter Syria through a northern border and
onto Amman, Jordan. The evacuation operation, considered high risk,
was kept secret for security reasons until word was received that
the group had arrived safely in Damascus, Syria.
Thereon in, evacuees and their loved ones back home took some comfort
as the group spent anxious but safer days in Amman awaiting a flight
back to Sydney. The group finally made its safe passage in three
waves with the first arrivals on Thursday evening.
His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of Australia and New Zealand joined contingents
of family, friends and concerned community members to welcome the
evacuees each day.
As they made their way into the arrivals hall of Sydney International
Airport there was much cheering and overwhelming emotions among
the commotion of ‘welcome home’ banners, balloons, well-wishers and
media frenzy.
As the members of the group arrived, reunited families gathered in
the arrival area altogether to receive the blessing of Archbishop
Baliozian, offering prayers of thanksgiving to the Almighty for guiding
the children of our community back to the safety of their loved ones
and homes.
Over the past two weeks, prayer services resonated at the Armenian
Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection, initially requesting of our
Heavenly Father His guidance in delivering our faithful safely out of
the dangers of the conflict region. On Sunday, prayers of thanksgiving
were offered for His careful delivery of the troupe to Australia as
well as prayers for peace to reign and protection of the thousands
of people affected in the region.
In appreciation of the Australian Government’s efforts and vigilant
care of the Armenian dance group in securing their safe passage home,
the Primate sent letters of gratitude to both the Prime Minister and
Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia.