Author: Emil Lazarian

ANDRANIK MANUKYAN REJECTED ARMENTEL AGAIN
A1+
| 21:39:27 | 11-10-2005 | Politics |
ArmenTel company appealed to Minister of transport and communications
Andranik Manukyan with a request to reduce the time of free
conversation from 360 to 120 minutes, raise the subscriber fee from
770 to 1400 and lower the 2250 minutes costing 4 drams to 1700 minutes.
The company proposes to make the minute fee 12 AMD.
The Minister rejected the package of new tariffs.
The tariffs proposed are economically ungrounded. However we will
continue the talks”, Manukyan noted.
To note, if the parties do not come to agreement the monopoly terms
will reduce with 3 years.

RAMIL SAFAROV: ANAR ALIYEV DID NOT SPEND THE LAST NIGHT IN THE ROOM WITH ME
By Ruzan Poghosian
AZG Armenian Daily #183
12/10/2005
Trial in Budapest
Nazeli Vardanian, lawyer of murdered Gurgen Margarian, and Hayk
Demoyan, historian of the Armenian armed forces, told about the
September 15 court session at the Budapest court yesterday.
The lawyer said that the Armenian side’s plea to view the case
as a genocidal act and not as a homicide met the Azeri lawyer’s
objection. The court remained silent. “We tried to make one more plea
though we had no hope that anyone can be charged with such a crime
in present-day Europe”, Vardanian said.
The court disclosed that the Latvian serviceman will not take part
in the sessions any more; his whereabouts are unknown. The court
proceeded from his previous affidavit that basically coincided with
that of Hayk Manucharian.
The latter was exposed to psychological pressure during the session,
in particular, he was asked several times if Safarov “was insane
at that moment”. “I think it’s clear to the court that there is no
contradiction in Hayk Manucharian’s words, there is no doubt also as
to his and Safarov’s sanity”, the lawyer said.
Hayk Demoyan added that Safarov was so deeply moved that his speech
at the session turned into a curious thing. To reject that the crime
was planned he said: “Anar Aliyev did not spend the last night in
the room with me” but the judge retorted saying: “To plan murder
with him you did not need necessarily sleep with him”. The defendant
refused to answer any question as soon as asked about buying an axe
for the murder.
Anar Aliyev did not take part in this session either. The Azeris
promised to the angry judge to bring him to the next session. The
Armenian side made a plea to recognize him as an accomplice that
was also turned down. The forensic experts stated at the end of the
session that Safarov was completely healthy and committed the crime
in his right mind. The second expert pointed out to Safarov’s stories
and dreams considering him partially guilty. Inconsistencies in the
two conclusions of the experts made the judge plea for the third
one. “The first expert simply bore down the second one.
The second expert claimed that Ramil Safarov used Xenex, a medicine
against nervous shock, during army service in Turkey. The first expert
rebuffed that lie at once claiming that there was no such medicine
at that time. Though the second expert tried hard to find ways of
justifying Safarov, his diffidence was obvious”, Demoyan said.
Nazeli Vardanian is sure that the court could easily accept the first
expert’s conclusion and reach a verdict but it chose a third medical
examination that would compare the previous ones. “If there is no
pressure from the Azeri side, I think that inconsistencies will show
up and we’ll hear the last medical conclusion in December”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CITIZENS WHO DIED IN THE 1960S WERE INCLUDED IN THE ELECTORAL LISTS IN 2005
ARMINFO News Agency
October 11, 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11. ARMINFO. The head of “Your Choice” social
organization Harutiun Harutiunian said that during the local government
bodies elections new methods of falsifications were invented.
According to Mr. Harutiunian, the citizens’ right for secret vote
was violated almost everywhere. The bulletins were checked and often
falsified by the electoral committees. Cemetery voting occurred
in Ararat region, where over 220 citizens who died in the 1960’s
were included in the electoral lists. Numerous citizens of Nor Hachn
region, registered in the preliminary lists, were not admitted to the
elections. In that region, in result of falsifications was re-elected
Armen Keshishian, who had murdered the head of local electricity
network. In electoral ditricts 27/7, 27/05, 27/02, 27/03, and in
some regions of Abovian, Biuregavan and Eghednadzor the members
of electoral committees accompanied the electors to the cabins and
intervened in voting. Sometime the voters were conducted to fill two
or more voting bulletins.
The report of the “Your Choice” social organization will be presented
to the Central Electoral Committee. Mr. Harutiunian added that there
is nothing to change in the Electoral Code of Armenia and assured
that the Venice Commission did not comment on it just by chance.
Harutiun Harutiunian also denoted the decision of the Central
Electoral Committee, made on the initiative of Artashes Abovian, a
representative of “Orinats Erkir” party. According to that decision,
in case an electoral committee member violates the Electoral Code, the
violator will be dismissed from the office, and not the organization
he represents, as it was before.
The head of the Electoral Committee, Garegin Azarian, promised Mr.
Harutiunian that the suggestions of the “Your Choice” organization
will be taken into consideration when discussing the amendments to
the Electoral Code at the Parliament.

ARMENIA SHOWS INTEREST IN MILITARY COOPERATION WITH BELARUS
National Legal Internet Portal, Belarus
Oct 11 2005
Armenia shows great interest in development of the military and
military-technical cooperation with Belarus, first deputy defense
minister – head of the main staff of the Armenian army Colonel-General
Mikhail Arutiunian stated in Minsk October 10.
Analyzing the talks with head of the general staff of the Armed Forces
of Belarus Lieutenant-General Sergei Gurulev, Mikhail Arutiunian noted
that “the two sides discussed a wide range of issues, especially on
the CSTO military constituent”. “We showed mutual understanding in
many issues”, he underlined.
The Armenian party is interested in training of its military in
Belarus, the record of military reforming, modernization of the
military equipment, in particular, new automated control systems. “As
yet the issue of Karabakh has been unsolved and we cannot curtail the
army and should hone the military skills. As for the acquisition of the
new equipment, it should satisfy us in price, technical characteristics
and ability to operate in mountains”, Mikhail Arutiunian said.
The program of the visit of the Armenian delegation includes trip to
the 120th mechanized brigade and the military academy of Belarus.
According to Mikhail Arutiunian the present day meeting is a
preparation to the visit of the defense minister of Belarus Leonid
Maltsev to Armenia, with is due in the end of 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Emirates
October 3, 2005
U.A.E.: KHALIFA RECEIVES ARMENIAN LEADER’S LETTER
President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has received a
letter from President Robert Kocharian of Armenia, dealing with
bilateral relations and issues of common concern. The letter was
received by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs during his meeting in Abu
Dhabi yesterday with the visiting Armenian Minister of Foreign
Affairs Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian. The meeting discussed
bilateral relations and ways to further enhance them.
(The Emirates News Agency, WAM)

PRESS RELEASE
Fund for Armenian Relief
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Edina N. Bobelian
Tel: (212) 889-5150; Fax: (212) 889-4849
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
October 11, 2005
____________________
EASTERN DIOCESE AND THE FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF HOST WELCOME RECEPTION
FOR ARMENIA’S AMBASSADOR TATOUL MARKARIAN
The Diocese of the Armenian Church of American (Eastern) and the Fund
for Armenian Relief (FAR) hosted a reception to welcome the new Armenian
Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Tatoul Markarian, on
Friday, October 7, 2005, in the Kavookjian Auditorium of the Diocesan
Center in New York City.
Randy Sapah-Gulian, secretary of the FAR Board of Directors, served as
master of ceremonies for the event and, while welcoming the evening’s
guest of honor, shared his enthusiasm for Armenia’s growth since
independence 14 years ago. Summarizing FAR’s humanitarian and
development work, he stressed that FAR and its family of supporters are
dedicated to addressing the needs of the people of Armenia and Karabagh
and guiding them toward a bright future.
FAR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in New York,
with offices in Yerevan, Gyumri, and Stepanakert. For 16 years, FAR has
implemented various relief, development, social, educational, and
cultural projects valued at more than $250 million. It is the
preeminent relief and development organization operating there.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese and
President of FAR, congratulated Ambassador Markarian on his new position
and wished him all the best in his endeavors. Highlighting the link
between the Church and Armenia and stressing the role of the Diaspora,
the Primate said, “from the very first moments of the free Republic of
Armenia, our Diocese has been eager to support and advance our
homeland’s aspirations. We have also tried to stand for the conviction
that the Republic of Armenia is not simply a remote expression of our
Armenian identity. Rather, it is the centerpiece of that identity, in
the modern world. The existence of the Republic of Armenia is not
merely important to us, as members of the Diaspora: it is absolutely
vital to our own continued existence, and our own success or failure
depends on the prosperity of our free and independent Homeland.”
Ambassador Markarian expressed gratitude to everyone for the warm
welcome and said he was happy to begin his tenure with a visit to the
Church.
“It is not surprising to feel at home in the Church,” he said. “Because
during the darkest chapters of Armenian history, when Armenia had lost
its statehood, the Church brought Armenians together and helped the
people to survive.”
OUTLINING HIS VISION
Ambassador Markarian outlined his vision for the Armenian Embassy in
Washington, D.C. and stressed the need to have the strong support the
Armenian-American people and Armenian organizations in the United
States to achieve any plans.
Ambassador Markarian was appointed Armenia’s ambassador to the United
States on March 19, 2005, by President Robert Kocharian. He holds the
diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Prior to assuming this position, Ambassador Markarian served as Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia since 2000. In that capacity, he
was the Armenian coordinator for the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue, as
well as the NATO-Armenia Political-Military Dialogue. In 2002 and 2003,
Ambassador Markarian was the Special Representative of the President of
Armenia for Nagorno Karabagh negotiations.
PROMINENT GUESTS
Along with the Primate, other dignified guests welcoming the new
ambassador at the reception included Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian,
former Pontifical Legate and Primate of the Armenian Church of Great
Britain; Bishop Manuel Batakian, Exarch of the Armenian Catholic Church
of America; Bishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan legate; Fr. Mardiros
Chevian, dean of St. Vartan Cathedral; Haig Yaghoobian, executive
director of the Eastern Diocese; and Vasken Setrakian, owner of
Setrakian Financial Group LLC.
The reception was also attended by Ambassador Armen Martirossyan, the
representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations; and Dr.
Movses Abelian, United Nations Secretary of Administrative and Budgetary
Committee and Committee for Program Coordination and a former Armenian
ambassador to the U.N.
After recognizing the Eastern Diocese and FAR for organizing the
reception, Ambassador Martirossyan reminisced about working with the
recently-appointed ambassador in the past. He also emphasized the
importance of having the Armenian-American community united to help
advance the causes of the Republic of Armenia.
Almost 100 representatives from the Armenian community and various
Armenian organizations were also on hand to meet the new ambassador
during the Diocesan- and Fund for Armenian Relief-sponsored welcome
reception.
— 10/11/05
E-mail photos available upon request.
Caption 1: Newly-appointed Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Tatoul
Markarian (left), Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and President of the Fund for
Armenian Relief (center), and Armenian Ambassador to the U.N. Armen
Martirossyan (right).
Caption 2: Randy Sapah-Gulian, secretary of the FAR Board of Directors,
served as master of ceremonies for the reception welcoming Armenia’s
Ambassador Tatoul Markarian to the U.S. held at the Diocesan Center in
New York City on October 7, 2005.
Caption 3: Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America and President of the Fund for Armenian
Relief, congratulated Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Tatoul Markarian
on his recent appointment and extended a warm welcome on behalf of the
Diocese and FAR.

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 10) 517 163
Fax: (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
October 11, 2005
New Appointments in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
October 11, 2005 – By the Pontifical Order of His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the following
appointments have been made:
Very Rev. Fr. Markos Hovhannisian has been assigned as Locum Tenens for the
Diocese of Gegharkunik (Armenia); and Rev. Fr. Abgar Hovakimian has been
assigned to serve in the Diocese of Syunik (Armenia) under the jurisdiction
of the primate of the diocese.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA PRESIDENT DISMISSED FRONTIER TROOPS COMMANDER
A1+
| 13:33:12 | 11-10-2005 | Official |
By Robert Kocharian’s decree of October 10, 2005 Colonel Vyacheslav
Voskanyan was removed from the position of Commander of the frontier
troops of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia.
Details are not revealed.

‘FAMILY DISPUTE ENDED IN DEATH’
Nicki Walker
Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, UK
Oct 11 2005
Two men killed an associate by stabbing and shooting him at a Norfolk
factory before dumping his body in an isolated field, dousing it in
petrol and setting it alight, Norwich Crown Court heard yesterday.
Armenians Nishan Bakunts, 28, and his father-in-law Misha Chatsjatrjan,
44, allegedly killed their countryman Hovahannes Amiran over a ‘family
quarrel’, then sought to destroy evidence linking them to the crime.
But after an exhaustive two-year police investigation to establish
the dead man’s identity and track down his killers, the two defendants
were caught following a breakthrough lead – stemming from a scrap of
memo which was found near the burning body at Upton, near Peterborough,
in December 2002.
Bakunts, of Litchfield Road, Yarmouth, and Chatsjatrjan, who was
living in Holland, appeared at Norwich Crown Court yesterday charged
with the murder of 42-year-old Mr Amiran, alias Sako, who was the
godfather of Bakunts and his wife Arpine Karapetian, 24. Both men
have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor David Farrell QC, told the jury that police believed Sako
was murdered some time around Saturday, December 21, 2002 and the
two defendants then took his body by car to the field at Upton and
set it alight.
The body was discovered at 10am on the Saturday by an off duty fireman
Jake Ellard, who was cycling in the area.
Giving evidence, Mr Ellard told the court that he recognised the smell
of burning flesh and, after going to investigate, he saw that it was
in fact a body on fire and contacted the police.
A post mortem revealed the man had been shot in the face and neck by
home made bullets and stabbed in the trunk of his body. The man’s arms
had been cut and had wounds, indicating he had tried to defend himself.
At the murder scene police found a number of items, which had also
been set on fire.
Among these was a scrap of a medical memo with the names Talbot and
Armstrong on it.
A specialist who examined the body advised police that the dead man
could have been staying in the eastern region prior to his death.
This prompted detectives to send out more than 2000 letters to all
the people with the surnames of Talbot and Armstrong, in the hope it
would give them the breakthrough to identify the dead man and find
his killers.
And in September 2003 police got the vital lead they needed.
Vanessa Armstrong, a secretary at the Cooper Roller Bearings at King’s
Lynn, recognised the memo and contacted the police, the court heard.
Mr Farrell said it emerged memo had been sent out to a Paul Talbot
on December 18, three days before the body was discovered at Upton.
Mr Talbot was contacted and confirmed he had been in the medical room
and had dropped the memo in the bin as he left.
Police and scenes of crime officer visited the medical room and found
some surgical gloves – identical to a pair found at the site where
the body was dumped.
A thorough forensic investigation was then launched and blood matching
the victim was discovered in the medical room. Police had found their
murder scene, but at that stage had still not identified the dead man.
The court was told the investigation was then concentrated on the
Lynn factory and it was discovered Bakunts was working as a security
guard on the weekend of the murder.
A series of investigations showed Bakunts had known the dead man, and
had purchased guns and weapons prior to the murder. On the morning
of the murder, he had bought petrol and a can from a nearby garage
in Lynn.
Bakunts was arrested in October 2003, but was not psychologically
fit for interview until later in 2004.
During police interviews he replied “no comment”, but was later
charged with the murder of the dead man who was subsequently to be
identified as Sako.
Mr Farrell told the court there were a number of factors which linked
Bakunts and his father-in-law to the murder.
This included the identity and relationship between the accused and
the dead man, financial inquiries and purchases made by Bakunts,
forensic evidence, the foreign travel of Chatsjartrjan, and the sale
of Bakunts car, which the prosecution alleges, was used to transport
the body the 40-mile journey from Lynn to Upton.
Mr Farrell told the court it would be proved that on the day before
the murder, Chatsjatrjan travelled to Yarmouth after taking a ferry
to Britain from Holland and booked into a guest house then left the
country on December 22.
There was also forensic evidence found on a lighter to link him to
the murder scene.
Mr Farrell also told the court that a relative had contacted
Chatsjatrjan after hearing of Sako’s death.
He said Chatsjatrjan: “Confessed to her he had killed Sako at Bakunts’s
place of work.”
Mr Farrell added: “He confessed because he believed he only had three
months to live, because he believed he had cancer. He said the reason
was a family quarrel.”
Following the police investigation Chatsjatrjan was extradited in
January this year and charged with the murder of Sako.
Bakunts wife Karapetian, also of Litchfield Road, Yarmouth, was
arrested and charged with perverting the course of justice in
connection with the case.
The court heard although the couple were married in Belgium, their
marriage ceremony was infact invalid.
The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.
;category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED10%20Oct%202005%2022%3A05%3A53%3A967

KERSAN AHARONIAN CLASSROOM IN DICKRANIAN SCHOOL
AZG Armenian Daily #182
11/10/2005
Diaspora
Tekeyan Cultural Association, cognizant of its nation-building mission,
in conjunction with its many chapters and centers worldwide, as well
as educational and publication endeavors, 25 years ago planned and
achieved one of its goals – the establishment of an Armenian Day school
in densely-populated Hollywood, adjacent to St. John Armenian Church.
This educational institution, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade high
school, played a basic and important role because of its visionary
and dedicated leaders, as well as the generous public at large.
Thanks to the princely donation of philanthropists Mrs. Eleanor
and the late Arshag Dickranian, the school was named after them –
The TCA Arshag Dickranian Armenian School.
The School has graduated over 300 students, who have already graduated
from respectable California universities and colleges, specializing in
medicine, law, education, science, business administration and others,
giving pride to their parents, the school and the Armenian community.
A couple of years ago, this educational institution embarked on an
expansion project and completed the construction of a three-story
imposing building this year. The students started to enjoy the new
building with all its facilities.
A few individuals, students and friends of the late Kersan Aharonian –
teacher, editor, historian and civic leader – came together and decided
to raise funds to name a classroom in his name, in the conviction
that the students passing through that classroom, will be inspired
by Kersan Aharonian’s legacy and enthusiasm in pursuing The Armenian
Case until the realization of ” The Great Dream”.
We expect from his friends and others, and specially his students,
who have been educated under his tutelage, to come forward and make
contributions to honor the life and memory of Kersan Aharonian.
The committee is composed of Suzy Bahadrian. Prof. Osheen Keshisian,
Dr.
Minas Kojoyan, Avo Magarian and Harout Yeretsian.
Please send your tax-deductible donation to TCA Arshag Dickranian
School, For Kersan Aharonian classroom, 1700 N, Cahuenga, Hollywood,
CA 90038.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress