Author: Emil Lazarian

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
“Zerkalo”: Wanted Zori Balayan who secretly visited Holland, holds
that Armenians should support Persians
23.06.2006
Yesterday joint meeting of initiative group of Congress of Azerbaijanis
living in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, World Union of
Azerbaijani Political immigrants and society “Friends of Azerbaijan”
was held in Amsterdam. The Union informed APA about it.
During the meeting the issue on recent secret visit of wanted Zori
Balayan to Holland was discussed.
It should be mentioned that Z. Balayan is accused of terrorist
activity. During the meeting it was informed that Z. Balayan stressed
the weakness of activity of Armenian diaspora in Holland during secret
meetings with Armenian community. He also said that if situation is
not changed, organizations of Turks and Azerbaijanis would be stronger
than Armenian diaspora.
Z. Balayan expressed his attitude towards events in Iran. He declared
that these events may cause problems for Armenia that is why Armenians
should support Persians.
–Boundary_(ID_5HwodITDULIi+Q+CruQlAw)- –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Byuzand Street, 375010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Children of Armenia Fund – New York Office
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100,
New York, NY 10111, USA
Contact: Mariam Dilakian
Tel: 212 – 994 – 8201
Fax: 212 – 994 – 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
For immediate release
COAF Celebrates the Grand Opening of the Model Cluster Press Club
& Three Other Cluster Initiatives
Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, June 21, 2006 ¾ Today, the
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) celebrated the grand opening of the
Cluster Press Club in the Model Cluster village of Lernagog. The
event also marked the launch of a number of inter-village projects
in the Model Cluster, including the Waste Management system and the
Inter-Village Transportation system.
Additionally, not far from Lernagog, COAF established today the Center
for Psycho-Social Services in Dalarik. The Center will serve all six
villages of the Model Cluster ¾ namely Argina, Dalarik, Karakert,
Lernagog, Myasnikyan, and Shenik.
Speaking at the event were Dr. Garo H. Armen, COAF Founder and
Chairman, Mr. Vache Terteryan, Deputy Minister of Territorial
Administration, Dr. Artsvik Minasyan, Deputy Minister of Labor and
Social Issues and Dr. Larisa Muradyan, Vice Governor of Armavir. In
their brief addresses at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the speakers
emphasized the utmost importance of strengthening inter-village
relationships, improving communication and ensuring cooperation among
cluster villages. The guests also hailed the initiatives launched
today by COAF.
The projects launched today by COAF in the Model Cluster communities of
Armavir District are integral to its Comprehensive Rural Development
Program, which comprises a) economic development; b) infrastructure
rehabilitation, and c) community development, including health care,
social and educational projects. In each of these program components,
COAF’s efforts focus on resolving the most critical problems that
have the potential for the highest positive impact on the young
generation. The uniqueness of COAF’s clustering approach lies in
the design and implementation of such projects, which ensure lower
costs while benefiting the highest number of villagers. As such, each
cluster project is intended to cover the needs of all six villages
of the Model Cluster and also develop inter-village relationships
and shared services.
The Cluster Press Club based in the Lernagog Municipality aims at
training 13 local youth in journalism for a period of seven months.
The participants will be trained in mass media principles and
legislation, the different genres of journalism, newspaper production,
freedom of speech and responsibility, and computer literacy.
The project will result in the establishment of a self-sustaining
small business that will publish the Cluster Monthly.
The Waste Management System is considered to be an innovative approach
to the collection and disposal of garbage. The systematic management
of waste will eliminate existing sanitary and hygienic issues in
the Model Cluster, thus further improving the lives of the 16,600
cluster residents. The children of these villages will live and play
in a garbage-free healthy environment. Hay Mshak, a Lernagog NGO,
recently established a limited company that aims to serve as the
revenue-generating arm of the NGO for ensuring the sustainability of
public operations, including the long-term maintenance and renovation
of public buildings.
The third Model Cluster project that COAF launched today is the
inter-village transportation system. The thirteen-seat van will
operate in the Model Cluster facilitating the movement of local
residents from one cluster village to another, whether to attend an
inter-village community event, utilize a service available elsewhere,
for personal business reasons, or for leisure. The transportation
timetable is set in a graphic that allows residents to connect with
other operating public transportation systems that connect to major
hubs, Armavir and Yerevan.
The Cluster Psycho-Social Services Center, launched today in Dalarik,
is dedicated to defending the rights of children to give them the
opportunity to live and grow in a safe and supportive environment.
Specifically, it aims at raising public awareness of child’s rights
in the community, with emphasis on training parents and educators
on the rights of socially-disadvantaged or disabled children. By
making psycho-social services available to the cluster communities,
COAF intends to secure the integration of disadvantaged and disabled
children and their families in the larger society. This project is
co-funded by UNICEF.
—————————–
Hay Mshak NGO is a Lernagog-based non-profit organization, which
aims at ensuring a healthy and safe environment for the youth and
at contributing toward the balanced development of children and
adolescents. Recent achievements of Hay Mshak NGO include organization
of various cultural events both in Lernagog and through the Armavir
District of Armenia.
–Boundary_(ID_PwFfMxb53wGcSAwGwV0ynA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

QUAKE IN ARMENIA
Yerevan, June 23. ArmInfo. A 2.5 Magnitude earthquake was registered
20 km south-east from the town of Martuni, Gegharkunik region,
Armenia, at 1:45am local time on June 23. The shake in the epicenter
totaled 3-4 on 12-scale bar. The shake was followed by a 1.8
Magnitude aftershock measuring 2-3. The National Seismic Protection
Service of Armenia told ArmInfo.
Earlier yesterday at 9:36pm local tome, a 3.5 Magnitude earthquake
was recorded 55 km west from the Iranian town of Khoy, on the border
of Turkey and Iran. The shake in the epicenter measured 4-5 on
12-scale bar, the source reports.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+
THE FIRST REVELATIONS OF MATTHEW BRYZA
[01:35 pm] 23 June, 2006
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza who is already the US
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group represented the main
principles or the pack of offers which is to be
considered during the negotiations over the Karabakh
conflict.
“We have a frame agreement which calls on Armenia to
take out the armed forced from the Azeri areas”,
Matthew Bryza announced in an interview to Radio
Station “Azatutyun”. “On the other hand, the agreement
supposes the improvement of the economic and
diplomatic links between Armenia and Azerbaijan. There
are also other provisions like the allocation of
peace-makers, international economic support for the
Karabakh region, and economic development. That is to
say, we have a pack of offers to discuss”.
“And finally we also intend to organize voting in
order to decide the status of Nagorno Karabakh. This
is the main outline of the pack of offers”, the new US
co-chair said.
Factually, the Presidents of Armenia an Azerbaijan are
given a specific offer which they refuse to accept.
The US politician refused to say which provision is
the disputed one.
Matthew Bryza urged the President of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to accept the agreement. “We urge the
Presidents to accept the offer. That required
political courage,” the Minsk group US co-chair
mentioned.

Turkey aspires to military technology
By Selcan Hacaoglu
Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
ANKARA, Turkey – For the first time ever, there are no U.S. bidders
for a major Turkish arms contract, signaling serious snags in one of
the world’s closest military-commercial partnerships.
For more than 50 years, the United States and U.S. firms have been
the main arms suppliers to Turkey, a lynchpin of NATO’s southern
flank during the Cold War. Turkey, in a rough neighborhood that
includes Iran, Iraq, Syria as well as traditional rival Greece, has
also been eager to snatch up weapons to supply its large army, which
is also dealing with a domestic Kurdish insurgency. At the heart of
the problems today are both diplomatic and technical issues rooted
in Turkey’s ambition to gain control over its military technology.
Turkey is going through a low point in defense relations with
Washington following its refusal to host U.S. troops for the invasion
of Iraq in 2003. It has actively sought out other potential arms
suppliers, making Turkey’s business less attractive for U.S.
companies. If they last, the frictions threaten to make U.S arms
companies reluctant to support Turkish lobbying efforts in Washington,
analysts and defense sources say.
Next week, firms from South Africa, Russia, France and Italy are
competing for a US$2 billion (1.6 billion euros) tender to deliver
attack helicopters to Turkey. U.S. makers Bell Helicopter Textron,
Boeing Co. and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. did not even offer proposals
after evaluating tough tender conditions.
The new bidding rules included full access to the aircraft’s specific
software codes – which the United States considers a security risk –
and a written guarantee from the provider’s government that there
will be no political obstacles to the export of the arms. However,
the U.S. government can only seek the consent of Congress for a deal
after the sale is finalized.
It was not clear whether Turks would be satisfied with an initial
letter from the government assuring them there would be no political
problems.
“As far as Boeing is concerned, some of the conditions in the tender
are such that we simply could not agree to (them), and that we felt
would make the program from a Boeing perspective very difficult,”
Greg Pepin, Vice President of Boeing Turkey said in an interview.
Pepin explained that sharing the software was problematic because
it was partly owned by other U.S. suppliers as well as the U.S.
government – and the other owners would likely balk at sharing the
technology even if Boeing were willing.
“We can’t guarantee that the U.S. government will transfer that
technology, we can talk about the technology that we own but we can’t
agree to and sign up to assuring that these other owners of technology
would do the same,” Pepin said. “That was an issue we had, we simply
cannot guarantee that.”
Turkey imposed new bidding rules last year, after it canceled a
previous tender in 2004 when a deal with Bell Helicopter Textron’s
“King Cobra,” a Turkish version of the AH-1Z Super Cobra used by U.S.
Marines, collapsed over price, technology transfer and licensing
problems.
The new rules empower Turkey to substitute alternative, probably
locally manufactured components such as weapon systems, the mission
computer, avionics and electronic warfare suites, and require the
supplier to integrate other systems or equipment built by Turkish
companies.
“The collapse of one deal is not itself a major crisis, but if
Turkey persists in seeking carte blanche from American suppliers to
substitute its own technology for theirs and asks for impossible terms,
U.S. arms suppliers will not, indeed cannot, bid for Turkey’s business,
and they will likely cease their lobbying efforts on Turkey’s behalf
with both the White House and Congress,” said Ian M. Cuthbertson,
an arms sales expert at World Policy Institute. “U.S. industry will
lose business and Turkey would lose powerful allies in Washington.”
U.S. arms companies have been lobbying for Turkey against Armenians –
who are pressing for recognition of killings of Armenians in the early
20th century as a genocide – and Kurds – who complain about Turkey’s
alleged human rights violations. Turkey’s concerns over technological
control of its weaponry increased after it faced arms blockades
from several countries because of human rights problems in its fight
against autonomy-seeking Kurdish guerrillas, while Washington demanded
Turkish progress on human rights as a condition for arms sales. Many
Turkish defense authorities also bitterly remember a U.S. arms embargo
following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974, when Libya provided
Turkey with bombs and spare parts to operate its U.S.-made jets.
Today, Turkey is keen on having a sovereign helicopter to freely use,
mainly against Kurdish guerrillas in the rugged southeast, without
taking on the risk of outside interference in the aircraft’s mission
computer or of political obstacles from Washington to its use.
Turkey’s Defense Executive Committee might opt in its next meeting on
June 27 to choose one of the current bidders from France, Italy, Russia
and South Africa _ which lifted an arms embargo against Turkey in
2005 _ to end a decade-long search for Turkey’s next attack helicopter.
The options are Tiger of the Franco-German company, Eurocopter,
Mangusta of Italy’s Agusta Aerospace, Kamov of Russia and South
African company Denel’s Rooivalk.
“If Turkey wants to have a sovereign helicopter, this is the
opportunity,” said an official of Likom Defense, the representative
of Denel in Turkey, speaking on condition of anonymity because he
was not authorized to speak to the media.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO TAKE PART IN PACE SUMMER SESSION
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. PACE summer session
will open on June 25 in Strasbourg. The Armenian delegation led by
Tigran Torosian, RA National Assembly Speaker, Head of NA delegation
in PACE, will take part in the session. As Noyan Tapan was informed
from RA NA Public Relations Department, Armen Rustamian (ARFD),
Gurgen Arsenian (ULP), Stepan Demirchian (Ardarutiun), Artashes
Geghamian (National Unity) and Hermine Naghdalian (RPA) will leave
for Strasbourg as members of the Armenian delegation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II VISITS HISTORICAL ISLANDS IN THE SEA OF MARMARA
ISTANBUL, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the morning of
June 22, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians; His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of
Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch; and His Beatitude Mesrob
Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, visited Halki Island
in the Sea of Marmara, off the western coast of Turkey. The island
houses the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Monastery and the famous
Theological School of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The metropolitan
abbot of the monastery greeted the three hierarchs as they entered
the grounds and extended his message to His Holiness Karekin II,
noting that it was with great honor, respect and love that the
clergy and population of the island welcomed the Catholicos of All
Armenians to Halki. The abbot stated that the visit of the Pontiff
of All Armenians was a visible manifestation of the brotherly warmth
and love between the Greek and Armenian communities of Istanbul,
and thanked him for honoring them with the visit. His Holiness
expressed his thanks for the warm welcome, noting that he knows
how very important it is to prepare a new generation of young men to
serve the Church and people, and appreciates the wonderful opportunity
given to church leaders to train and educate individuals to dedicate
their lives to God. His Holiness stressed the importance of hope in
the struggle of life and in achieving the mission to which Christ
has called all of us. As the Greek seminary has been closed by the
orders of Turkish authorities since the 1970’s, the Catholicos of
All Armenians specifically noted that he prays for the re-opening of
the Theological Seminary located on the island and that the Armenian
Church stands alongside their sister Church in their difficulties. The
Armenian and Greek delegations then visited the historic library on
the island and toured the grounds of the monastery. According to the
Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, in the
afternoon, the entourage traveled to Kinali, an island with a high
Armenian population, and visited the Armenian church of St. Gregory
the Illuminator. Many Armenians had gathered in the church to greet
the arrival of His Holiness Karekin II, His All Holiness Bartholomew
I and His Beatitude Mesrob and to participate in the joint prayers
of the hierarchs. The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople offered
his kind words of welcome to both the Catholicos of All Armenians and
the Ecumenical Patriarch and expressed his happiness for this first
Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II to Turkey. His Holiness
Karekin II noted that his presence in Turkey was through the joint
invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Armenian Patriarch, and
stressed his happiness for this unique opportunity to pray together and
strengthen the relationship between the Armenian and Greek Churches,
which will lead to greater cooperation and collaboration between
sister Churches. His Holiness extended his pontifical blessings
to the assembled Armenians and offered his prayers for peace and
love in the world. The Catholicos also noted his admiration for the
Armenian community of Istanbul, stating that they are well known
throughout Armenian life for their fidelity to the Mother Church,
to Holy Etchmiadzin, and their steadfast faith and love for national,
cultural and spiritual traditions. His Holiness spoke of the countless
contributions made by the Armenians of Istanbul throughout history,
and that today, they are the ones who help keep the Christian presence
of Istanbul alive. He concluded by exhorting them to remain steadfast
in their faith and hope, on the paths of serving our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Church and Armenian community. The Armenian Pontiff then invited
His All Holiness Bartholomew I to join him and Patriarch Mesrob at
the Holy Altar of the Church of St. Gregory, where they gave their
joint blessings to the faithful. Following the service, a reception
was hosted in the garden on the grounds of the church in honor of
the guests.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LILIAN KESHISHIAN APPOINTED DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM AND SPORTS
OF URUGUAY
MONTEVIDEO, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By a decree of
Tabare Vazquez, the President of Uruguay, Lilian Keshishian, a Deputy
of Armenian origin of the country Parliament was appointed in the
executive power. According to Radio Liberty, Keshishian will occupy
from now on the post of the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports of
Uruguay. According to the legislation of the country, Keshishian must
leave the Deputy’s mandate. Lilian Keshishian has visited Armenia,
participated in the events dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the
Armenian Parliament.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EARTHQUAKE TAKES PLACE IN TURKEY-IRAN BORDER ZONE ON JUNE 22
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. An earthquake of 3.5 magnitude took
place at 21:36, on June 22 in the Turkey-Iran border zone, 55 km
west of the city of Khoy. Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Seismic
Protection National Service that its strength made 4 in the seismic
focus zone.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘Lifelong volunteer’ helped Armenians
By Jim Steinberg
The Fresno Bee
June 23, 2006
Rosemarie Saghdejian of Fresno left Beirut, Lebanon, as a child,
eventually growing up to become a leader in Armenian charity around
the world and in education in Fresno.
Mrs. Saghdejian served as a board member of the international
Armenian Relief Society and the Armenian Community School in Fresno.
She founded the Trinity Adult Day Care Center in Fresno.
Mrs. Saghdejian died Saturday. She was 52.
Tatul Sonentz-Papazian, executive ARS director, said from the agency
headquarters in Massachusetts that Mrs. Saghdejian was dynamic and
committed. She worked with the Armenian Relief Society to raise funds
and involve more people in the organization’s work.
The ARS operates in 23 or 24 countries, Sonentz-Papazian says, and
Mrs. Saghdejian’s work touched people in all of them.
Yeretsgin Sossy Costanian, an ARS assistant coordinator in Fresno who
also left Beirut, came to know Mrs. Saghdejian when the two worked
together in Los Angeles.
“She had a love for humanity,” Costanian says, “and she was adored
by seniors. She was like an angel.”
Mrs. Saghdejian graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a
teaching credential. She moved to Los Angeles to become close to
its growing Armenian community. She received her master’s degree
from UCLA in French culture and arts, and met her husband, Abraham
“Apo” Saghdejian.
Former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson lives around the corner from the
Saghdejians’ home, and recalls Mrs. Saghdejian helping him and,
especially, his wife, Sharon.
“She took Sharon under her wing, and treated her like a daughter,”
Patterson says. “Rose and Abe made us feel we were invited to their
dinners because we were part of the family. I loved her baklava and
humus. A regular plate would show up o-n our doorstep.”
Abraham Saghdejian recalls his wife’s work for others regardless of
national boundaries: “She was generous and helpful to people all over
our community. She was a lifelong volunteer, a leader who had been
to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.”
He referred to a disputed Armenian enclave inside the neighboring
nation of Azerbaijan.
The couple worked together with the ARS o-n a relief telethon for
victims of the 1988 Karabakh earthquake, which killed upward of 25,000
people and left 500,000 homeless.
Mrs. Saghdejian spoke fluent English, Armenian, French and some Arabic,
her husband says.
Apart from her work, Mrs. Saghdejian was an excellent cook and
hostess, he says: “She made beautiful dishes and set beautiful
tables. Congressmen remember her food.”
Mrs. Saghdejian’s accomplishments and contributions could not prepare
her for the tragedy of their lives, Abraham Saghdejian says. o-n
July 14, 2004, their son, Hovig, 23, was killed in a Herndon Avenue
traffic collision.
“She was very hurt,” Saghdejian says.
“She had been such a healthy woman. Then she came up with cancer in
the stomach. Grief can do anything.
“She never complained. She talked with people about their
organizations, and asked what they were doing… She brought life,
joy and happiness to people in pain.”
A funeral service was held Thursday at Holy Trinity Armenian Church
in Fresno, followed by burial in Masis Ararat Cemetery.
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559)
441-6311.