Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIAN DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER IN KOSOVO

Pan Armenian News
31.05.2005 08:49

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General
Artur Aghabekian is in Kosovo to inspect the Armenian peacekeepers,
who serve within the Greek battalion. In the course of the visit to
Kosovo, A. Aghabekian met with representatives of the American command
of the East international battalion located in Kosovo and the Greek
battalion command. It should be noted that Artur Aghabekian is the
first representative of the Armenian Armed Forces visiting Kosovo,
where Armenian peacekeepers serve since 2004, Mediamax reported.

ARMENIA, RUSSIA CONSIDER CUSTOMS STATIONS NECESSARY FOR OPERATION OF FERRY SERVICE

YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense, Co-Chairman of the
Armenian-Russian Economic Cooperation Commission Serge Sargsyan
has held a meeting with Head of the RF Presidential Staff Dmitry
Medvedev. The Information and Propaganda Department, RA Ministry
of Defense, reports that the sides emphasized that the Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s visit was an impetus to more effective
settlement of a number of issues. Speaking of the current level of
Armenian-Russian economic cooperation, Sargsyan pointed out that about
160 intergovernmental, and interagency agreements are currently in
effect. The sides pointed out main directions that require specific
steps. In particular, the sides pointed out the necessity of putting
into operation a ferry service, which is of vital importance for
Armenia.

Pointing out a high level of bilateral relations in the defense
sphere, the sides stressed the importance of intensifying traditional
Armenian-Russia cultural and humanitarian ties. P.T. -0–

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:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE AMBASSADOR OF EGYPT

His Holiness Aram I received the ambassador of Egypt to Lebanon,
Hussein Darrar on May 27. The two held a long meeting, during
which the ambassador informed His Holiness about the political and
electoral developments in the Middle East in general and Lebanon
in particular. The two also talked about the participation of the
Armenian community in the elections.

His Holiness stressed the need to change the 2000 electoral law,
saying that the latter has cause inter and intra confessional
sensitivities. He said that after the elections are over, the
new government should make the changing of this law one of its
priorities. His Holiness pointed out that Lebanon’s sovereignty is
being re-established and that democracy is moving towards the right
direction in the country.

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Picture here:

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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

WORKSHOP “TASKS OF MODERNIZATION OF STRATEGY AND POLICY OF DEVELOPMENT
OF SMALL AND MIDDLE-SIZED ENTERPRISES OF ARMENIA” HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 30. ARMINFO. Workshop “Tasks of modernization of strategy
and policy of development of small and middle-sized enterprises of
Armenia” was held in Yerevan on May 27.

ARMINFO was informed in the press office of Ministry of trade and
economic development of Armenia, reports on issues of perfection of
the legislative field of the mentioned sector, as well as on problems
of availability of financial resources and technical assistance were
presented during the seminar. The ministry of trade and economic
development plans to organize a number of discussions of the
aforementioned issues, which are very important for the development
of the market of small and middle-sized enterprises in the republic.
representatives of government structures, business circles of Armenia
and foreign countries will take part in the discussions.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF RA FOREIGN MINISTRY’S CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION
AND ARMENIAN DIPLOMATES ACCREDITED ABROAD TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Annual conference of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry’s central administration and heads of the RA diplomatic and
consular representations accredited abroad took place on May 30 in
Yerevan. A number of issues, including issues concerning Armenia’s
bilateral cooperation with Iran, Turkey, CIS countries, European
countries, as well as a number of issues connected with international
organizations were discussed at the meeting.

Conflicting signals from Russia on the start of its withdrawal from Georgia

ITAR-TASS news agency
30 May 05

Moscow, 30 May: Russia will begin the process of removing its military
bases from Georgia in August this year, the deputy commanding officer
of the Group of Russian Forces in the Caucasus, Vladimir Kuparadze,
said today.

He was commenting on the joint declaration on the withdrawal, adopted
in Moscow by the Russian and Georgian foreign ministers.

“We will begin the process of withdrawal in August, since this applies
to both our bases in Akhalkalaki and Batumi. By agreement with Georgia,
between summer and autumn this year we will remove 40 pieces of armour
including at least 20 tanks by sea to the port of Novorossiysk,”
he said. “The withdrawal of servicemen from Georgia will begin later
because a lot of other equipment, weaponry and various assets remain
at the bases.”

“A timetable for withdrawing the remaining assets and also personnel
will be negotiated later,” Kuparadze added. [Passage omitted]

[The bases in Akhalkalaki and Batumi are “ceasing to perform their
designated functions and will operate in withdrawal mode from the
moment this declaration is signed”, Interfax news agency reported at
1345 gmt, quoting from the text of the declaration.]

[Russian and Georgian experts will start working out the technical
aspects of implementing the Declaration from Tuesday 31 May, ITAR-TASS
reported at 1211 gmt.]

[However, in another Interfax report at 1242 gmt, a source at the
Ministry of Defence in Moscow said the withdrawal would not start
before 2006. “Given that the federal budget for this year contains no
provision for removing the bases from Georgia, the process can begin in
2006,” a “senior Russian military officer” told the agency. “We have
to withdraw not only personnel but also all movable assets including
military hardware,” he said. “One option is to temporarily move some of
this equipment to Russian military base No 102 in Gyumri (Armenia). Let
me point out that handing this equipment to the Armenians is not
under consideration; it will be stationed solely at base No 102.”]

Azeri official warns Russia against redeployment of troops to Armenia

MPA news agency
30 May 05

Baku, 30 May: “All countries of our region have to give up actions
that may cause tension or whip up the spirit of militarism. This is
the position of Azerbaijan,” Deputy Foreign Minister Xalaf Xalafov
said when commenting on the redeployment of Russian military bases
from Georgia to Armenia.

By arming the aggressor, Russia not only hampers a negotiated
settlement to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Its actions also
affect stability and security in the region as a whole. All countries
of the region have to realize their responsibility, Xalafov stressed.

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia are also members of the conventional
forces in Europe treaty. Azerbaijan is unequivocally opposed to the
presence of foreign military bases on the territory of a state which
poses a threat to the republic.

[Passage omitted: background information]

ABOUT 60% OF PLANNED AREA SOWN WITH CROPS BY LATE MAY

YEREVAN, MAY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the recent reports, as of
May 20, 89,890 ha or about 60% of the planned area was sown with crops
in Armenia. According to the Plant Growing Department of the RA
Ministry of Agriculture, 56.7 thousand ha (64% of the planned area)
was sown with grain crops, 23,280 ha (65.7%) with potato, and 9,910 ha
(44%) with vegetables.

PETER BALAKIAN DELIVERS LECTURES DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN LIBYA

BEIRUT, MAY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of the 90th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide and the 50th foundation anniversary of the
Libya Haykazian University, lectures about the Armenian Genocide of
Peter Balakian, an American Armenian writer and researcher, took place
on May 23 and 24 by the joint organization of the Haykazian University
and the US Embassy in Libya. Areg Hovhannisian, the RA Ambassador to
Libya and the US Acting Charge d’Affaires were present at the lecture
which took place in the hall of the first Evangelic Church of Beirut
on May 24. As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Press Center of the
State Commision on organizing events dedicated to the 90th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide, the next day, on May 25, Peter Balakian
visited the Embassy of Armenia in Libya accompanied by representatives
of the Haykazian University’s lecturers’ and professors’ staff. At the
end of the meeting, Ambassador Areg Hovhannisian presented Peter
Balakian a souvenir.

Pan Armenian News

TURKEY INTRODUCES SANCTIONS FOR MENTIONING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

27.05.2005 05:51

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has initiated a number of serious changes to its
Criminal Code that in fact limit the freedom of speech, reported the Yerkir
newspaper referring to Noticias Info Spanish agency. According to the
report, the matter specifically concerns banning and introducing criminal
responsibility for mentioning the Armenian Genocide.