Author: Emil Lazarian

All Headline News
Dec 29 2006

System Of A Down Taking A Break

December 29, 2006 11:11 a.m. EST

Maira Oliveira – All Headline News Reporter
Los Angeles, CA (AHN) – System Of A Down recently said they’re not
going downhill anytime soon but admit they could use a much needed
break.

World Entertainment News Network reports that John Dolmayan, Daron
Malakian, Serj Tankian and Shavo Odadjian recently announced they are
taking a hiatus from the band to pursue other music endeavors. Many
of the band members want to work on solo projects and believe the
time to do so is now.

Lead singer Tankian says he cannot predict the band’s future and will
discuss it with his band mates when the time comes. He also says that
for right now he is focused on taking some time for himself to put
things into perspective and possibly work on a solo album.

According to StarPulse.com, he explained, "I’ve wanted to make my
solo record for years, but I just haven’t had the time. For the last
11 years we’ve all been wedded to this band, and now we want to take
a break.

He added, "I honestly don’t know if System Of A Down are over or no.
Maybe in a few years we’ll want to make another album. It’s
impossible to tell right now. It’ll be later down the line that we’ll
be able to tell what might happen."

The band’s last two albums "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" debuted at No.
1 on the Billboard charts in 2005.

5989698

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TRADE AND ART CENTERS TO BE CREATED FOR INVALIDS IN YEREVAN AND GYUMRI

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The "Pyunik" public organization
being involved in the invalids’ problems will implement starting from
late January, 2007, the program of "Creation of Trade and Art Centers
for Invalids in Yerevan and Gyumri." As organization Chairman Hakob
Abrahamian mentioned at the December 28 press conference, the goal of
the program is to secure creation of working places for more socially
unprotected invalids. About 150 invalids will be involved in the first
stage of the program. They will study 5 specialties: engraving on
stone and wood, pottery, needle-work and fancy-work. For
implementation of the program, the "Viva Cell" company will allocate
39.5 mln drams (about 108 thousand U.S. dollars), "Pyunik" will give
5.5. mln dollars, UN Development Programme – 2.5 mln drams.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Karabakh Parliament Adopts Report on Conflict History, Resolution
ASBAREZ, 12/29/2006

STEPANAKERT (ArmRadio)–The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Parliament on
Tuesday adopted a report following extensive hearings on the Karabakh
conflict and prospects for peace in the region. Entitled "The Karabakh
Question: Prospects of Settlement," assessed the political, social and
military elements of the conflict and provides recommendations.

The Karabakh Parliament adopted this report as an official government
position and considers this Conclusion an official stance and
instructed the Karabakh foreign ministry to present the report to the
UN Secretary General, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, PACE President, the
governments of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, Chairman of
the European Commission, the President of the European Parliament and
the EU Representative to the South Caucasus." Below is the translated
text of the report:

1. The unsettled conflict between the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and
the Republic of Azerbaijan differs from other conflicts on post-Soviet
space with the complete actuality of the right for self-determination
of the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

In 1918-1920 Nagorno Karabakh had a de facto independent status, and
was forcefully annexed to the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan by the
11th army of the Russian armed forces, and in 1923 it was declared the
Autonomous Region of Nagorno Karabakh, the state status of which was
later determined with the USSR Constitution. As of the point of
dissolution of the Soviet Union, the realization of the
self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabakh was based on two
essential arguments.

First, according to Article 3 of the "Law on the procedure of settling
issues connected with seceding from the United Soviet Socialistic
State," in case secession of a Soviet Republic, autonomous
organizations and ethnic minorities had the right to determine their
future status via referendum.

On October 30, 1991 Azerbaijan declared its independence. On September
2 of the same year the Autonomous Region of Nagorno Karabakh was
declared a Republic together with Shahumyan region, and on December 10
a Referendum on Independence was held with participation of
international observers.

Second, on October 18, 1991 Azerbaijan declared invalid the Soviet
agreement and the dominance of the Soviet Constitution as it refers to
points on the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan and became the descendant
of the 1918-1920 Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, of which Nagorno
Karabakh never comprised part either de facto, or de jure. For this
very fact the annexation of Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan was
considered invalid. On the last days of 1991 the Soviet Union
dissolved.

Thus, in compliance with provisions of international law and USSR
legislation, two independent and equal states — the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan — were formed on the
territory of Soviet Azerbaijan.

In January 1992 The Parliament of Nagorno Karabakh formed a Government
and applied to all the countries of the world to recognize its
independence.

Thus, the declaration of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and all further
legal acts stemming from it do not contradict the declaration of
Azerbaijan as an independent state, do not restrict its independence
and sovereignty and do not disturb its territorial integrity.

2. From the very beginning the legal steps of Nagorno Karabakh people
met Azerbaijan’s way of settlement of the conflict in a military way,
which led to a bloody war, thousands of victims and hundreds of
thousands of refugees.

Getting convinced that it will not achieve its objectives in a
military way, on May 12, 1994 the leadership of Azerbaijan had to sign
a cease-fire treaty,of which the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is a party.

Thus, as an aggressor country, Azerbaijan carries full responsibility
for the sufferings and material losses of its citizens and the
citizens of Nagorno Karabakh.

3. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is a full-fledged independent
state. It is resolute to continue the further deepening of the process
directed at the reinforcement of democracy in the country and is ready
to cooperate with international organizations interested in the
defense of human rights and freedom of speech, establishment of
democracy and rule of law.

4. Nagorno Karabakh is willing to participate in peace processes. The
success of this process is possible if Azerbaijan respects the right
for self-determination of NKR people, refuses from hostile actions
against theNagorno Karabakh Republic and assuming a corresponding
responsibility before the international community.

5. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic highly appreciates the efforts of
mediator countries and organizations tasked with the finding a
comprehensive settlement and considers that the resolution process
cannot ignore the de facto Nagorno Karabakh Republic established in
the result of realization of the right for self-determination of
peoples

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Iran becomes regional superpower

12:45|27/ 12/ 2006

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Pyotr Goncharov) – Iran may
become one of the top 10 features of the outgoing year for a number of
reasons, including its nuclear dossier and the Holocaust conference,
as well as the anti-Israeli rhetoric of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In short, Iran has made others view it as a regional superpower and
the key player in the Middle East.

Its nuclear program remains the top issue, with good reason, because
it threatens the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

If Iran implements its nuclear program in the proclaimed format,
namely on the basis of its own uranium enrichment technologies, this
will deal a death blow to the NPT. Iran’s program will trigger the
domino effect, encouraging Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan to follow
suit.

The bomb is not the issue, as Iran will most likely decide against
creating it. But it will hover merely one step away from it, forcing
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan to cover the same distance. Tehran
promises to share its nuclear technology with Kuwait and Syria, which,
taken together with Israel’s 200 nuclear charges, will turn the region
into a nuclear powder keg.

There are reasons to suspect that Iran’s nuclear program is neither
peaceful nor civilian. Its Natanz facility will have 54,000 uranium
enrichment centrifuges, and it has already put into operation two
cascades with 164 centrifuges each. Iran intends to turn on all of the
54,000 centrifuges. What for?

Russian nuclear experts say this number will allow Iran to produce its
own nuclear fuel for 20 nuclear power units. So far, Iran plans to
turn on only one unit, at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is
being built with Russia’s technical assistance. The unit is expected
to be put into operation in September 2007 and start generating
electricity in November. The construction of the other 19 units is not
planned so far.

On the other hand, the same experts say, given the political will, the
54,000 centrifuges can be used to create five to seven nuclear charges
within two weeks at the most.

Therefore, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot issue
guarantees of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, although
it cannot prove its military goals either. The IAEA has questions to
Tehran which it has refused to answer so far, keeping the world on
nuclear tenterhooks.

The talks on Iran’s nuclear program, as well as endless debates by
experts, political analysts and other specialists, have turned into a
cliffhanger compounded by Iran’s intricate diplomatic embroidery. More
than three months have passed since the UN’s August 31 deadline, by
which Tehran should have stopped work on its first cascade of 164
uranium enrichment centrifuges. Since then, Iran has put into
operation a second cascade and announced the intention to increase the
number of working centrifuges to 3,000 by March 2007.

It is certainly bluffing, as it does not have the necessary capacity
for this. Yet it has played a joke on the UN Security Council no other
country has dared to play before.

Ahmadinejad’s statements to the effect that "Iran has made a crucial
decision and is moving honorably along its chosen path," and that
Tehran would consider any Security Council resolution on sanctions as
a hostile move are most likely just verbal bravado, which the world
has learned to regard calmly.

Tehran fears sanctions, or else why did Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s
Supreme National Security Council, rush to Moscow shortly before the
planned stopover in Moscow by U.S. President George W. Bush? Tehran
thought President Bush and Vladimir Putin would discuss the Iranian
nuclear dossier, and feared that Bush would convince Putin to vote for
harsh sanctions against Iran. Tehran needed Russia’s support, and
Larijani received it. But nothing lasts forever.

Putin later said that Russia’s support to Tehran was aimed at
encouraging it to maintain relations with the IAEA so as to clarify
the nuclear watchdog’s questions and restore the world’s trust in the
peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programs. But it appears that Tehran
is not willing to resume talks, at least not now.

On December 23, the UN Security Council voted on the Iranian
resolution. The permanent members of the council, who form, together
with Germany, a six-country group on Iran, have coordinated sanctions
against Iran. The resolution proposed by the European Trio, which is
negotiating with Iran on behalf of the European Union, differed
radically from Russia’s stand.

Moscow argued that the sanctions should cover only the areas that
worry the IAEA – enrichment-related and reprocessing activities and
work on all heavy water-related projects, and the development of
nuclear weapon delivery systems.

The Security Council heeded the Kremlin’s arguments, but future
developments are almost impossible to predict, especially considering
the "Persian motifs" in Tehran’s foreign policy. One way or another,
Russia’s neighbor, Iran, will continue to play a key role in the
region, and this is the main result of the story with its nuclear
dossier.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and may
not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 28 2006

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AWARDS MEDALS TO CIVIL SERVANTS

YEREVAN, December 28. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan awarded
"Anania Shirakatsi" medals to a number of workers of the state
government system: Vice-Chief of the RA Taxation Service Armen
Alaverdyan, RA Deputy Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan, RA
Deputy Minister of Energy Levon Shahverdyan and First Deputy Minister
of Labor and Social Security Araik Petrosyan. P.T. -0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Office of Public Information
25 Columbia Heights
Brooklyn NY 11201
Contact: David Semonian
Tel: 718-560-5600
Fax: 718-560-5619
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
December 29, 2006

Four foreign nationals still held in Azerbaijan, one "deported"
BAKU, Azerbaijan-Five days after the December 24 police raid of a
Jehovah’s Witness religious meeting, four of the foreign nationals who
were illegally detained are still held and have not been presented with
any protocol or official charges. The detainees have been deprived not
only of their liberty but also of access to justice-attempts to reach
the authorities and reconcile the situation are met with claims that no
one is available because of the holiday season. The four remain
effectively under arrest, and merely for the reason that they were
attending a religious service of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Sunday’s raid disrupted a religious service of an officially registered
religious organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which approximately 200
persons were attending. The police officers broke down the door to the
auditorium and escorted all those in attendance out of the building. In
the same building there are also offices and living quarters. Without
producing any court order, the police also forced their way into these
areas and began carrying out a search and seizure. Six foreign nationals
were among those forcibly put on a bus and taken to a police station.
Georgian citizen Manuchar Tsimintia was detained while carrying out his
professional duties as a lawyer, although he was not even in attendance
at the religious event. He has since been released. On December 28,
2006, Giorgi Gogichashvili, a visiting minister, was "released" when
friends bought him a train ticket to return to Georgia. However, his
passport was not returned to him until he crossed the border into
Georgia; he was, in effect, deported. The remaining four foreign
nationals have been held for five days, and there is little prospect of
their release over the holiday season.
Back in 1999, referring to an incident in which foreign nationals were
deported from Azerbaijan on religious grounds, then-president Heydar
Aliyev is reported to have stated publicly that "our Constitution
guarantees freedom of conscience and religion, and all rights will be
defended . . . These events will not be repeated." (Translated from
newspaper Azadlyg, of November 10, 1999.)
Media contact: Matthew Kelly +7 812 432 9550

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 29 2006

ARMENIA INTENDS TO BUY A BUILDING IN MINSK FOR ITS EMBASSY IN BELARUS

YEREVAN. December 29. /ARKA/. Armenia intends to buy a building in
Minsk for its embassy in Belarus, Armenian government’s press office
reports.
For that purpose, Armenian government has decided to enlarge the
state revenue and expenditure by AMD 6.3mln ($17.3thnd). M.V.-0—

Armenpress

AUTHORITIES IN KARABAKH RAISE PUBLIC SECTOR WAGES AND PENSIONS

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: Authorities
of Nagorno-Karabakh will raise public wages from
January 1, 2007. Thus, the minimum wage will grow from
the current 15,000 drams to 20,000 on January 1, 2007.

Secondary school teachers will get 71,000 drams, a
significant rise from the current 56,100 drams.
Salaries of health employees will grow 10 percent.
Librarians will have a 20 percent salary rise. Also
will grow old-age and retirement pensions, the average
pension will be 14,350 drams.
Unemployment benefits will also grow 33 percent to
12,000 drams against 9,000 drams now.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

International Herald Tribune, France
Dec 29 2006

Man detained in connection with alleged coup plot probe in Armenia
The Associated PressPublished: December 29, 2006

YEREVAN, Armenia: Security officers in Armenia have detained a man in
connection with an alleged coup plot by opposition activists,
officials said Friday.

Vaan Aronian was arrested at his home in the village of Lusatar in
western Armenia, where security officers found weapons and ammunition
including guns, grenade launchers and a shoulder-fired missile
launcher, the National Security Service said in a statement.

It said the detention was linked to a probe that led to the arrest
earlier this month of Zhirair Sefilian, a Lebanese citizen who heads
the Association of Armenian Volunteers, and another activist of the
group, Vadan Malkhasian.

The two are accused of plotting a coup, making public demands for the
government’s ouster, and possessing illegal weapons – charges they
have denied. A court in mid-December ordered them to be held in jail
for two months as the investigation continues.

Members of the Association of Armenian Volunteers have said the
arrests were part of an attempt by the authorities to stifle dissent
in the run-up to parliamentary elections next year.

Sefilian is a veteran of the 1988-1994 war in the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended when Armenia-backed separatists drove
out Azerbaijan’s government forces.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GIBRAHAYER
e-magazinehttp://gibrahayer.cyprusnewsl etter.com
The largest circulation Armenian e-magazine
Circulates every Wednesday
Established in 1999

AGBU FREE TO SELL OFF MELKONIAN?

Nicosia (Gibrahayer – December 28, 2006) – Separate reports in the local
press suggested that the lawyers for the AGBU had succeeded in their appeal to
overturn the government decision that declared most of the Melkonian Estate as
a national heritage site.
Phileleftheros & Politis newspapers – that only reported the views of two
AGBU lawyers and not of the Attorney General or the Town Planning Dept., – said
that the Appeals Court ruled that there was "insufficient justification" to
declare the property as a protected site.
The protection order included the historical school buildings and the
Parerars villa, built in 1925, as well as the wide strip of forest along Limassol
Ave.
"This is what they wanted from the beginning. They fooled the Cyprus
government and the Armenian Cypriot community with their lies, claiming that the
school ‘no longer served its purpose’ and other tall stories about ‘continuing
the legacy of the Melkonian brothers’ in Armenia or elsewhere," Melkonian
activist Massis Der Partogh told the Gibrahayer.
"The bulldozers can now move in and the trees can be chopped down. The AGBU
can now proceed with its initial plans to sell off the lands and part of this
money will end up in the pockets of some greedy people who helped them in
Cyprus," he said.
"However, we will not give up the fight. We still have a long way to go. We
all know they are waiting for the opportunity to put up a sign saying ‘Luxury
Plots For Sale’. I am only sorry that people in government in Nicosia and
Yerevan, even ministers and MPs, were naive to believe the AGBU lies and
continue to support their actions today by giving permits to their illegal
operations," Der Partogh added.
The Ecologists Movement, that has supported the struggle to save the
Melkonian from the beginning, issued a harsh criticism blaming the State for the
closure of the school and the loss of the property, including the forest. The
Movement, headed by its controversial General Secretary Yiorgos Perdikis,
called on the Armenian community to mobilise and stop further exploitation of the
land and save the only piece of green left in the capital.
Other news

ARCHBISHOP MUTAFIAN RESPONDS TO DECISION TO OPEN RECONSTRUCTED AGHTAMAR
CHURCH ON APRIL 24, 2007

CONSTANTINOPLE DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Archbishop Mesrop
Mutafian, the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, responded the statement made by
Turkish Minister of Culture Atilla Goc on the previous day, according to
which "the reconstructed Aghtamar church must be opened on April 24." The
Patriarch mentioned that it is nothing else but to speculate people’s pains for a
political purpose, even, to mock. In his words, opening of the reconstructed
church on that day will completely
liquidate the positive influence of the opening.
"The weak relations between the two countries will be done more damage than
they were done by the decision made by the French Parliament, Turkey will be
criticised on the international scene with the accusation of impudence. Such
an approach towards the Armenians’ pains is as wrong, as the ones using the
genocide as a source for profit
are wrong. I can say at the moment that no Armenian, including me, will take
part in the opening of the church," Patriarch Mutafian said, adding that
such an impudent attitude towards another’s suffering is not admissible either
from religious viewpoint or from the viewpoint of conscience.
Patriarch Mutafian also expressed perplexity on the occasion of turning
"Ani" place name into "An." "The issue that Armenians are native inhabitants of
Anatolia is a reality which may not be renounced. Though names of some cities,
regions, monuments having a historic value can be changed in the way they
change names of cities and villages, but it is a blame against the heritage of
the world history, insult against the historic heritage. Such a change of
names means self-deception, and it puts our country and our scientists into a
funny situation. The Ani ruins are a historic heritage left for our country,
and I want to believe that Turkey, with outline of state ripeness, would not
want to be engaged in such a wrong policy of changing the names," the Armenian
Patriarch of Turkey said.

STALLONE & MUSA DAGH

By Michael Booth – Denver Post Staff Writer – DenverPost.com –
Final part of the article Dec. 12

… … Facing the barbs of the insatiable media, Sylvester Stallone is as
gracious and imperturbable in answering all questions as Rocky was deflecting
the insults of classless opponents.
Stallone acknowledges he also has considered making another "Rambo" picture,
the money-dangles from producers too lucrative to ignore. But his better
self pushes him to spots behind the cameras for the remainder of his career.
"I would like to spend it in writing and directing, less in the public eye
but providing something for the public."
So what is the Stallone Surprise, the project he’s always wanted to write or
direct?
For years Stallone’s wanted to create an epic, and the book that intrigues
him is Franz Werfel’s "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh," detailing the Turkish
genocide of its Armenian community in 1915. (After futile attempts to turn the
novel into a movie, filmmakers finally succeeded in 1982, but it was a
low-profile production.)
French ships eventually rescued some Armenians, and Stallone has his
favourite scene memorised: "The French ships come, and they’ve dropped the ladders
and everybody has climbed up the side. The ships sail. The hero, the one who
set up the rescue, has fallen asleep, exhausted, behind a rock on the slope
above. The camera pulls back, and the ships and the sea are on one side, and
there’s one lonely figure at the top of the mountain, and the Turks are coming
up the mountain by the thousands on the far side."
A pretty great shot.
The movie would be "an epic about the complete destruction of a
civilisation," Stallone said. Then he laughed at the ambition. "Talk about a political
hot potato. The Turks have been killing that subject for 85 years."

CYPRIOT FM: WE MAY STILL VETO EU-TURKEY TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net – 18.12.2006 – Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas said
on Sunday that the Greek Cypriot administration may still veto opening of
chapters with Turkey in its EU accession talks. ‘We cannot close our eyes to the
behaviour of Turkey vetoing our membership to the international
organisations. Under these conditions nobody should expect opening of any chapter in
Turkey’s accession talks," Lillikas said. The Cypriot foreign minister was
referring to Ankara’s veto of Cypriot membership to several international
organisations and activities including OECD and participation in strategic EU-NATO
discussions.

AYMA BALL A GREAT SUCCESS

With the participation of 350 Armenian Cypriots, the annual traditional
AYMA/HMEM Ball took place at the Cyprus Hilton on December 25, 2006.
After the welcoming remarks and words of thanks of AYMA President Dr.Antranik
Ashdjian, Armenian representative Vartkes Mahdessian in his brief remarks
stated that in these last days of the year, we should all put ourselves under
self-criticism and if we want to move forward as a community we should work in
unity for the benefit of all members of our community and the enhancement of
community life.
The glamorous night of fun and dancing was brightened by Lebanese Armenian
singer Saro Panossian and his band, comprising of Seto Baghdasarian and
singer/wife Shake and Vahe Simonian.

News in Brief – by Sevag Devledian

Iran will start piping gas to Armenia starting January 2007 according to a
contract previously signed between the two states.
Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, has signed orders on opening
an embassy of Kazakhstan in Armenia.
Armenia’s vibrant print media are struggling to remain afloat due to a
serious shortage of newsprint which government officials and private publishers
blame on external factors such as Russia’s continuing transport blockade of
Georgia. Some newspaper editors, however, wonder whether the shortage is, in
fact, politically motivated.
30 bids have been already received for Armenia’s participation in the
Eurovision-2007 contest, not only from Armenia, but from the Diaspora. Public
selection by tele-voting will be held by the Public Television from January 15 to
February 15 to determine the singer to represent Armenia at the
Eurovision-2007.
The advertising of medicines and methods of treatment was prohibited in
Armenia on December 16, 2006. The order specifically prohibits the advertising of
methods of treatment not approved by modern medical science.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met with EU Special Representative for
the South Caucasus Peter Semneby. The parties discussed the EU-Armenia
relations, specifically the Action Plan within the European Neighbourhood Policy.
Robert Kocharian emphasised that relations with the EU will be transformed to a
more coordinated level next year. Also they referred to the latest
developments within the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and conduction of the
constitutional referendum in Karabakh. Additionally, they touched upon the
forthcoming parliamentary election.

in Nareg last week – click on the below image or link to view all images

The Amanori Nareg Hantes took place over two days on Wednesday 20 and Friday
22 December, 2006. To view the pictures copy & paste the following link on a
new browser
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8A bMWTdwzaNWQ_
then click on "View pictures", then on the right hand side click on "view as
a slide-show"
Sports – by Sevag Devledian
Armenian grand master Levon Aronyan was recognised as the best Armenian
sportsman of 2006. Aronyan got 389 points in his favour during the poll initiated
by the Sports Journalists’ Federation.Karen Mnatsakanyan, a Roman-Greek
style wrestler, took second place and and Roman Amoyan took third place.
AGBU Ararat’s next match will be on the 29th of December against APOK.
AYMA/HMEM’s next match will be on Christmas Day 6th of January against
Ethniki.

85th Anniversary of Ramgavar party in Athens

On Sunday, December the 3rd the 85th Anniversary of the foundation of the
Ramkavar Armenian Democratic Liberal Party was celebrated in Athens, Greece.
The function, which took place in the AGBU school auditorium was attended by
the Ambassador of Armenia to Greece and Cyprus, Vahram Kazhoyan, Primate Vosgan
Archbishop Kalpakian, the Armenian Catholic and Protestant spiritual leaders
and numerous Athenians. The keynote speaker was Armenian Cypriot, Assadour
Devledian who is the Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Ramkavar
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party.
Meanwhile in Armenia, two unknown people attacked and beat the leader of the
Ramgavar Azadagan party Haroutune Arakelyan. The party representative Artur
Gevorgyan informed that Arakelyan was beaten near the office of his party and
his house at 19/6 Yervand Kochar Street. Neighbours say that the two
attackers had waited for Arakelyan since the morning and as soon as he appeared
attacked him, put his coat over his head and began beating him. When the
neighbours came out the attackers got into a BMW and drove away. The police are
investigating the case. Gevorgyan said that it was a political act as Arakelyan
has no personal enemies. The party has issued an announcement in which it
condemns the attack and called it "a shameful act towards the individual, our
motherland and its government."

g i b r a h a y c a l e n d a r & e v e n t s

Thursday 28 December, 2006, from 6-9 pm – Christmas Youth Party at AYMA for
Juniors 6 -13 years old. Entrance £2.00. Contact Kevork Keoshkerian on
99817806
Friday 29 December, 2006 from 9pm – 1am – Christmas Youth Party at AYMA for
teenagers 13-20 years old. Entrance £3.00. Contact Kevork Keoshkerian on
99817806
Sunday 31 December, 2006 at 12 midnight – Welcome the New Year with prayers
at Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church in Nicosia
Monday January 1 at 4:30 pm – Santa Clause will visit AYMA for the children
of the Armenian community. Fun, games and presents for everyone attending
Friday 5 January, 2006 Christmas Eve at 5:00 pm – Jamerkoutiun and Divine
Liturgy in Armenian Churches in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol
Saturday 6 January, 2006 Christmas Day at 10:00 am – Divine Liturgy in
Armenian Churches in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol

Zaruhi Harutyunyan – California appeal for accommodation near Weil Academy

Zaruhi Harutyunyan is looking for accommodation that is close to the Weil
Academy in California. We urge our readers – specially in the California area –
to assist us in our quest by contacting us by email.
In a recent evaluation by Head Coaches of the Academy, Zaruhi Harutyunyan
has passed her "exams" in flying colours. We now need to organise her
accommodation, tour travel and Academy funding who have agreed to sponsoring her by
50% .