Author: Emil Lazarian

RECEPTION ON OCCASION OF 15th ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIA’S INDEPENDENCE ORGANIZED IN LOS ANGELES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 20 2006

LOS ANGELES, DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On December
18, an official reception on the occasion of the 15th anniversary
of Armenia’s independence was organized in Los Angeles by Armenia’s
Consulate General.

Representatives of the Consulate, Armenian community, legislative,
executive and judicial bodies, media, representatives of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Catholic and Evangelical Churches, businessmen took
part in the event. As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry
Press Service, newly appointed Consul of RA Armen Liloyan in his speech
briefly presented Armenia’s achievements in the years of independence,
the process of reforms and the problems faced by the country. Chairman
of RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, Armen Rustamian
expressed gratitude to those being in Los Angeles in those days.

Mrs Lourdes Saab, Deputy Chief of Protocol for the County of Los
Angeles, Consul General of Belize, Head of Los Angeles Consul Corps Roy
Young also made speeches. Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
also sent a message in this occasion. The Governor’s message,
in particular, read: "You enrich our nation, and in particular,
our state, with your diligence, high sense of duty and variety of
cultural traditions. Thank you for your contribution to unique variety
of California." Dance ensemble of Vardan and Siranoush Gevorgians,
Armen Mangasarian’s quartet Hayastan, duduk-player Ruben Haroutiunian
and singer Anahit Nersisian performed at the event.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASSUMING EU PRESIDENCY MERKEL CHANGED HER MIND ON PRESENTING ULTIMATUM TO TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.12.2006 17:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ December 20 in Helsinki during a meeting with
Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen German Chancellor Angela Merkel
officially assumed presidency in the European Union. Less than two
weeks before Germany assumes the EU presidency, the country wants
the ailing EU treaty back on track as some warn that indecision is a
"warning sign that Europe is paralyzed." German Chancellor Angela
Merkel said on Tuesday she hoped the ailing EU constitution would be
put "back on track" and called on members of the bloc to focus on their
common interests. "We hope to get this project (the EU constitution)
back on track, but we know that we must take many factors into
account and we must consider how to proceed between now and 2009
(when European elections are scheduled) so that the European Union
regains its ability to act," Merkel said.

"I would consider it an historical failure if we do not succeed in
working out the substance of the constitutional treaty by the time the
next European elections take place," Merkel said in her speech, which
was meant to set out the aims of Germany’s EU presidency which starts
in January," she said when addressing the Bundestag. The chancellor
added that she and the German government would work "intensively"
during the six-month presidency "so that such a treaty, based on our
common values, can go into force." Merkel acknowledged that the issue
of the constitution would not be settled by the end of Germany’s turn
at the EU helm but said she hoped that with its support the treaty
would be revived and put back on track. "We have the task at the end of
our presidency to set a roadmap" for the future implementation of the
constitution, she said. The constitution was designed to provide the
institutional framework for an EU which will grow to 27 member states
when Bulgaria and Romania join on Jan.1. But it suffered a severe blow
when French and Dutch voters rejected it last year. erkel also urged
EU states to work closer together, saying that a united Europe could
achieve success, but a divided Europe would weaken the strength of the
bloc. On the thorny issue of Turkey’s bid for EU membership, which
is expected to be tackled yet again during the summit in Brussels,
Merkel said that the EU had decided on a "resolute but prudent"
course of action in its standoff with Turkey over Cyprus. "The EU has
reacted (to Turkey), in my opinion, in a way that is both resolute
and prudent…prudent in that it is always made clear to Turkey
that is worth it to continue working on reforms," Merkel said. Thus,
assuming the EU presidency the German chancellor changed her mind to
present an ultimatum to Turkey, reports Deutsche Welle

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

"SECURITY IS ANOTHER ISSUE"

A1+
[08:06 pm] 20 December, 2006

The decision of the Georgian Government to renounce Russian gas
and to import the Azeri one will not hinder the transportation of
the Russian gas to Armenia, thinks leader of the United Labor Party
Gourgen Arsenyan.

"It is the right and problem of the Georgian Government. As for
the transit gas pipeline, the Georgian Government has to follow the
international agreements it has signed. There is also a Sea Convention
which says that if several countries do not have direct outlet to
the sea, their neighbors have to provide them with that possibility".

According to Mr. Arsenyan, it is another issue whether the gas pipeline
passing through Georgia is secure enough or not. "When it comes to
security, the corresponding bodies of Armenia are not authorized to
do anything in the territory of Georgia", said Gourgen Arsenyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MR. OSKANIAN TOUCHES UPON ISSUE OF JUGHA CROSS STONES
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
21/12/2006

Recently, the first year of destruction of the cross stones of the
middle age Jugha Armenian graveyard in Nakhijevan accomplished. This
week, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev is going to participate in the
opening ceremony of the monument to his father, former president of
Azerbaijan, in Nakhijevan. In response to our question what steps RA
Foreign Ministry plans to take in this direction, Oskanian said that
the issue of condemning the destruction of the Jugha cross stones
will be included in the agenda of RA Foreign Policy. He stated that
they have already prepared the first exhibition that depicts the
ruins of Jugha cross stones which is currently on in Strasbourg. It
is planned that the exhibition will launch in many capital cities of
the world. "This issue also concerns Karabakh conflict, the safety
of our people and the aspect of mutual trust. Without paying proper
attention to this issue, without any concrete accusations, we will have
additional complications in the Nagorno Karabakh process," he said.

Mr. Oskanian informed that large-scale background works are being
carried out directed to condemnation of this crime. He said he is
constantly touching upon this issue in the course of his meetings. "We
will keep insisting on our position, without making parallels between
historical monuments in Karabakh and in the neighboring regions. We
demand that the international organizations send their monitoring
missions to Nakhijevan," Mr. Oskanian said. At present the biggest
obstacle is that Azerbaijan conditions allocating entry permissions
to the international monitoring missions with their similar visits
to Nagorno Karabakh and its neighboring territories. "In this
case, one can’t make parallels. On one hand, there was a war and
some destructions took place there. But the destructions weren’t
deliberately carried out. As for Jugha, there had been no gunshot.

Azerbaijan merely carried out a destructive policy," he underscored.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO MEET AT THE END OF JANUARY 2007

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.12.2006 13:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next meeting of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs is
scheduled for the end of January or the beginning of February 2007,
said Michael Stivens, the Press Officer of American Co-Chair Mathew
Bryza. In his words, during the meeting the issue of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict will be discussed. The place of the meeting is not
known yet. Besides, the Co-Chairs will decide the date of the next
visit to the conflict region.

It is worth mentioning that the last meeting of OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs took place on December 13 in Madrid. The Co-Chairs informed
the next OSCE Chairman-in-Office Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Morattinos on the negotiation process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
Day.az reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DIVORCES RATE IN ARMENIA ON THE RISE

Armenpress
Dec 21 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: The number of registered marriages
in January-September of 2006 rose only 1.9 percent while the number of
divorces granted in the same time sprang nearly 27 percent. According
to the official figures, there were 179 divorces for every 1,000
registered marriages, by 5 more than last year.

Armenian national statistical committee (Armstat) said the number of
marriages grew 12 percent in the northeaster province of Armavir,
10 percent in Ararat province. The lowest growth rate was in Lori
province-0.2 percent.

The number of divorces grew both in the capital city Yerevan and in
all provinces, except Armavir, Aragatsotn and Lori.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VRAM GALSTYAN WAS KIDNAPPED FROM THE CELL

A1+
[08:09 pm] 19 December, 2006

On December 18, Gurgen Eghiazaryan, former deputy minister of National
Security, was invited to the National Security Service.

The point is that Vram Galstyan, Nairi Hounanyan’s uncle, was found
dead in the NSS isolation cell.

Reminder: Vram Galstyan was accused of Parliamentary carnage of
October 27.

Today, Aram Karapetyan, leader of "New Times" Party announced about
Gurgen Eghiazaryan’s invitation.

In case they do harm to Gurgen Eghiazaryan, Aram Karapetyan promises,
"I shall divulge everything that Gurgen Eghiazaryan gave me in 2001
while we were walking in the street. I think those facts will be
namely threatening for the people occupying high-rank posts in the
president’s residence".

Today Aram Karapetyan didn’t reject that the above-mentioned facts
refer to the carnage of October 27. Asked the question why Gurgen
Eghiazaryan was called to the NSS today after so many years’ silence,
Mr. Karapetyan answered, "He was called in connection with his open
letter (published in "Iravounk" daily) addressed to Gorik Hakobyan,
head of NSS."

Gurgen Eghiazaryan said that Vram Galstyan had been kidnapped from
the cell and forced to give evidence.

Then his dead body was found in the isolation cell.

Mr. Karapetyan says that the fact hasn’t been refuted so far.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN SPECIALISTS PROMISE TO REPAIR GAS PIPELINE DAMAGE BY DECEMBER 20 EVENING

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.12.2006 13:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian specialists promise to repair the damage at
the gas pipeline that supplies Armenia with Russian gas by December
20 evening, ArmRosgazprom’s Spokesperson Shushan Sardaryan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. According to her, if the damage is repaired
on time Armenia will receive full amount of gas in a day. "Presently
Armenia receives Russian gas through a reserve branch 3 times less
than the needed volume," Sardaryan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY EXPANDS DEVELOPMENT & MEMBERSHIP TEAM
NEW ASSOCIATE TO ASSIST WITH 35TH ANNIVERSARY PLANNING

Washington DC — The Armenian Assembly’s Washington Headquarters
recently welcomed Nune Anlian as a Special Projects Associate, working
with the Development Department.

In the early 1990s, Anlian worked in the Assembly’s Washington and
Yerevan Offices where she translated inquiries from those seeking
assistance as a result of the war in Nagorno Karabakh and devastating
earthquake that hit Armenia in 1988.

"During the crucial years of the war in Nagorno Karabakh, the Assembly
was extremely helpful in providing assistance to Armenian refugees from
Azerbaijan. It was a great honor to be part of the important work that
was done," said Anlian. "With the 35th Anniversary of the organization
coming up, I am glad to be back on staff working to ensure a bright
future for Armenia and the Armenian-American community."

Anlian graduated with honors from Yerevan State Brusov Teachers
Institute of Russian and Foreign Languages in Yerevan, Armenia. She
later worked at American University of Armenia’s Center for Business
Research and Development. Anlian is fluent in Armenian, English and
Russian.

"Ms. Anlian is a beneficial addition to our team," said Development
Director Andy Zovko. "Her skills and experiences in Armenia will help us
better serve our members."

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

###

NR#2006-107

Photograph available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:

/2006-107-1.jpg

Caption: Special Projects Associate Nune Anlian, seated, with Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny, left, and Development Director Andy Zovko.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN CSTO DOES NOT CONTRADICT ARMENIA-NATO COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2006 15:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s National Security strategy is a solid and
good document, said Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian to a
news conference in Yerevan. In his words, the strategy is completely
public and open for examination. "It is based on up till now realized
principles and I think the strategy will guide all of us in our future
work," said Oskanian adding that there is no document, which has
been discussed so publicly in Armenia. "Already several months active
discussions are being carried out, the Defense Minister had meetings
with all interested persons, including journalists," said Oskanian.

Speaking on Armenian-Georgian relations in the given contexts, the
Foreign Minister underlined that Tbilisi is a very crucial partner
for Yerevan and it is necessary to build accurate relations with
Georgia. In concern of Russia’s participation in Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline, Oskanian stressed that ArmRosGazprom deals with
gas on the territory of Armenia and the second consortium is just
needless. Continuing the subject of Armenian-Russian relations on
the light of Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO,
the Foreign Minister said that Armenia’s participation in CSTO does
not contradict the Armenia-NATO cooperation.

"They supplement each other, and this is the main point of our
complementary policy," underscored Oskanian.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress