Author: Emil Lazarian

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 EXPRESSES HIS OPPOSITION TO THE CURRENT ELECTORAL LAW
His Holiness Aram I had a telephone conversation with the president
of the Republic of Lebanon, His Excellency General Emile Lahoud,
and expressed his opposition to the parliamentary electoral law that
was adopted in 2000.
His Holiness stated that the most basic principles of a democracy
are the participation of people in elections and their right to
elect their representatives. He stressed that these principles are
especially important in countries that are based on a confessional
system. President Lahoud shared the Aram I’s concerns and informed
the Catholicos that he has already sent a letter to the parliament
concerning this matter.
His Holiness had met with the American Ambassador to Lebanon a few
days ago and had widely discussed the issue with him.
##
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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Belgian envoy urges Armenia to improve ties with neighbours
Arminfo
4 May 05
Yerevan, 4 May: The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur
Bagdasaryan, today met the special envoy of the Belgian Foreign
Ministry and the permanent representative of Belgium in the OSCE,
Bertrand de Crombrugghe. The meeting was also attended by the head
of the OSCE mission in Yerevan, Vladimir Pryakhin.
The Armenian speaker informed the visitor of the reforms carried out in
the republic and pointed to the role of the OSCE. He also noted that
Armenia is fulfilling its commitments in line with the established
schedule: constitutional reforms are already being discussed in the
parliament and overall accord has been reached with regard to the
Electoral Code.
The sides said that the implementation of the adopted laws was
important to the further democratization of Armenia.
With regard to regional issues, the sides noted the importance of
Armenia’s participation in economic programmes and the establishment
of normal relations with its neighbours.
[Passage omitted: unclear sentence]
Bertrand de Crombrugghe, on behalf of Belgium, a country which will
take over the presidency in the OSCE in 2006, expressed his readiness
to help implement these programmes. He said it was his first visit
to Armenia and added that he had been provided with good conditions
to familiarize himself with the political and economic life of the
country and its development prospects.
[Passage omitted: De Crombrugghe also held meetings with
representatives of parliamentary groups and factions]

FISH RESERVES IN LAKE SEVAN SHORTENED 10 TIMES WITHIN 10 YEARS
YEREVAN, MAY 4. ARMINFO. Scientists plan to start in June 2005
large-scale investigations to evaluate reserves of fish in Lake Sevan.
Deputy director of hydroecology and ichthyology Institute of
Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences Boris Gabrielyan informed
ARMINFO that “Gydrologist” scientific-research vessel equipped with
proper instruments will be used during investigations.
According to scientists’ investigations results, tendency of fall
in number of food fish is observed in Lake Sevan within the last
10 years. Thus, if in 1990’s fish resources totaled 22.000 tons, in
2004 they totaled about 2.000 tons. In Gabrielyan’s words, results
of last investigations prove that there are almost no sexually mature
fish there.
To remind, on recommendation of ichthyologists, a 6-month ban on food
fishing in Lake Sevan is imposed this year for the first time.

German chancellor, Turkish PM discuss relations, EU membership
By Valery Litvinenko
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 4, 2005 Wednesday 3:05 PM Eastern Time
ANKARA, May 4 — Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder have discussed bilateral, political,
economic and cultural relations and the outlook for Turkey’s admission
to the European Union.
Schroeder arrived in the Turkish capital on a two-day working visit
on Tuesday.
The HaberTurk television channel has said Erdogan and Schroeder also
raised the problem of Cyprus and the theme of genocide of Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire. Schroeder supported Turkey’s position on the
issue of settlement in Cyprus and promised that Germany would back
any steps by Ankara aimed at improving relations with Armenia.
The German chancellor spoke highly of Ankara’s efforts geared to
securing its admission in the E.U. He said Turkey had complied with
all of its commitments to the European Union.
Later in the day Schroeder will be received by Turkish President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The schedule of the German chancellor’s visit
also includes participation in the Turkish-German business forum in
Istanbul and a meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew, of Constantinople.

VARDAN OSKANYAN GAVE THE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC TO THE MOUNTAINEERS
A1plus
| 18:02:30 | 04-05-2005 | Social |
Today Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received the group of Armenian
mountaineers who are going to climb up the Elbrus. Wishing them success
Vardan Oskanyan gave them the Flag of the Republic of Armenia to put
on top of the mountain.
Head of the expedition group Hayk Tonoyan represented the program,
the state of the mountain climbing sport in Armenia and told about
the previous expeditions. The other members of the group are Tigran
Nersisyants and Lev Sarkisov.
They are part of the international expedition group of 500 people
representing about 20 countries which is going to climb Elbrus on
May 9. Let us remind you that Elbrus stands 5621 meters high. The
expedition is devoted to the victory in the second World War and the
60th anniversary of the formation of UN.
The Armenian mountaineers have already climbed the tops of the
mountain-chains Pamir, Tyan-Shan and Alaska twice. Tonoyan himself
has climbed up Ararat twice – in 1991 and in 2001.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS CONCERNED OVER POSSIBLE DISCUSSION OF KARABAKH ISSUE IN PACE
Pan Armenian News
04.05.2005 06:46
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During today’s meeting with Permanent Representative
of Belgium to the OSCE Bertran de CrumbruggeArmenian parliamentarians
said they are concerned over the possible discussion of the Nagorno
Karabakh problem by the international structures, particularly by
PACE, RA NA press service reported. The Armenian deputies gave a high
estimate to the role of OSCE in the establishment of stability and
security in the region and reiterated that despite some discrepancies
available on various issues all the political forces in Armenia
are deeply convinced that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be
settled via peaceful negotiations. The parties also pointed out to the
necessity of discussing the Karabakh problem within the OSCE frames.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

USA/Azerbaijan/Iran: Azeri-language satellite TV observed testing
BBC Monitoring research
4 May 05
A new, US-based Azeri-language satellite TV channel was observed
carrying test transmissions on 28 April.
The channel is called Gunaz TV (Guney Azerbaijan – Southern
Azerbaijan). It is based in Chicago, Illinois, and is controlled by
Ahmad Obali, deputy chairman of the World Azerbaijanis Congress.
Southern Azerbaijan is a reference to the Azeri-speaking areas of
northwestern Iran.
The station’s web site, , is still under construction,
but its home page carries the following announcement in Azeri:
“Dear countrymen!
“For about a century now, the people of Azerbaijan have been benefiting
from television that is widely used all over the world. However, only
our countrymen living in northern Azerbaijan [Azerbaijani Republic]
have capitalized on this modern technology, and consequently, enriched
their cultural outlook even more. Having mastered this technology
earlier than others, they managed to ensure the rapid development of
their civilization. Of course, this development has affected southern
Azerbaijan [Iranian Azerbaijan] too, and this cannot but please us all.
“The fact that the images of the 21 Azar [12 December] event, which
has gone down in history as the Peshavari movement [self-declared
autonomous republic of Iranian Azerbaijan from 1945-46], have reached
the present day proves how efficient television in northern Azerbaijan
is. It is clear to all that television can play a positive role in
boosting the public and political spirit of a nation. The time has
come for southern Azerbaijan, too, to start capitalizing on this modern
technology, which has been used by mankind for almost a century, which
can play an exceptional role in educating people. Fate decreed that
this historic mission should be played by Guney Azarbaycan Television,
Gunaz TV, and its employees.
“Dear patriots!
“These employees are you, us and the 35m Azeri Turks. Let’s join hands
and stand shoulder to shoulder to make this television live. Let’s not
allow Persian, Russian and Armenian chauvinists and other hostile
forces to deprive us of this newly-established television channel.
“This is the first television channel in the history of southern
Azerbaijan to broadcast for 24 hours a day. By taking advantage of
this media outlet, we can show the right direction to our people. We
can overcome Persian chauvinism only using this media outlet. We can
make the voices of our active members heard in the world only in this
way. All the forces working in the interests of Azerbaijan should
join hands and contribute to the successful development of Gunaz TV.
This is the holy duty of all patriotic Azerbaijanis. It is the duty
of every dignified Azerbaijani to mobilize his material and moral
strength to ensure the independent development of this television.
Serious changes are taking place in our region beyond our will,
and the intelligentsia of every nation is anxious to make the best
use of this for the good of their people. We should also be able to
draw the right conclusion from the current atmosphere and have our
say among the nations in the political arena, and television is the
only way to achieve this because by means of television, we should
maintain direct contact with our people and rely on their will.
“May Allah help us all in this path. Gunaz TV.”
The free-to-air channel is broadcasting on the Telstar 12 satellite
located at 15 degrees west on transponder frequency 12608 MHz
horizontal polarization, symbol rate 19279, FEC 2/3, which is part
of the Globecomm package covering Europe and South Africa. Gunaz
TV was also observed on transponder frequency 11494 MHz vertical
polarization, symbol rate 17469, FEC 3/4 on satellite Telstar 12,
part of the Globecomm package covering Europe.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE PARLIAMENT CHANGING THE RA CONSTITUTION
A1plus
| 13:43:24 | 04-05-2005 | Politics |
Today at 12:40 p.m. the discussion of the three draft constitutions
started in the NA. Right away Rafik Petrosyan, head of the NA
Standing Committee on state and legal affairs, is representing the
coalition draft to the delegates. By the way, when Arthur Baghdasaryan
announced while representing the draft that the authors are the three
members of the coalition and the fraction «Democratic Delegate»,
Karen Karapetyan, head of the fraction, announced that they will not
represent the corresponding chapter of the draft. «Do you decline
the draft? », asked Arthur Baghdasaryan. No, we simply are not
co-authors», said Karen Karapetyan.
The discussion of the draft constitutions has special procedure in
the NA. 60 minutes are given to the representation of each draft.
Rafik Petrosyan representing the coalition draft informed that by the
first draft constitution 1 article has bee removed, 25 have been filled
up, and 97 have been improved from the RA present Constitution. Before
representing the changes Rafik Petrosyan informed the delegates with
a long introduction why constitutional amendments are done. «The
Constitutional amendments have perspectives», he announced adding
that they are done not to solve the present problems but to reflect
the internal and foreign policy of the Republic in the Constitution.
At present Rafik Petrosyan has finished his speech and the delegates
are asking him question.
–Boundary_(ID_cc/JccGBSQFsZOPEkSeEvg)–

CANCER HAS TURNED INTO AN EPIDEMIC
A1plus
| 15:20:38 | 04-05-2005 | Social |
In Armenia 6174 people have cancer. 3800 of the patient are
women. During the last 10 years the death rate from breast and uterus
cancer has increased for 37%, 50% of women suffer from this illness.
The aim of today’s discussion «The Problem of Women’s Health
Protection in Armenia» was to prevent cancer illnesses, to cure
them and to investigate the reasons of the illnesses. According to
Gagik Bazikyan, head of the «Oncology dispensary after K. Bazikyan»
today the number of the women having cancer of breast and reproduction
organs is like an epidemic.
In Yerevan alone the number of patients has increased for 27.7%,
and in the regions the situation is worse ~V 37%. According to
Mr. Bazikyan, the reasons of the illnesses are the social-economic
situation of the country and the problem that many women do not turn
to doctor on time. According to him, the average age of the patients
if 40-50, and this most important problem must be solved not only
with non-governmental organizations but also with state help.
–Boundary_(ID_IAb4o99EZOJgdpetosFoTQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Halacoglu: Target is not me, it’s Turkey
Journal of Turkish Weekly
May 4 2005
President of the Turkish Historical Society, Prof. Doctor Yusuf
Halacoglu, has said that it is not he who is on trial in Switzerland,
but the Republic of Turkey.
“They tried Galileo, but the world continued to turn,” said Halacoglu,
in reference to the move by a prominent Swiss prosecutor to have him
brought in for questioning for his views on the Armenian allegations.
Said Halacoglu further: “It is not possible to understand how countried
like France, Belgium, and Switzerland could have moves to forbid
the expression of rejection of the Armenian genocide. What sort of
democracy, what sort of freedom of thought is this?”
Halacoglu points out what he sees as the inherent conflict in what
EU countries are doing: while curtailing his research and his right
to express it, they question Turkey’s democracy, freedom of thought,
and human rights situation.
Dr. Nilgun Gulcan said Switzerland has to arrest almost all Turkish
academicians “because all of us support Halocoglyu and all we us
think that Armenians lie” said Dr. Gulcan.
Gulcan further continued:
“This is a dirty game. They try to limit, they try to control our
thought. This is not the Europe we know. They back to the Dark Ages.
They deny the new Europe. I condemn Switzerland. And I declare that I
do dont accept Armenian allegations. They massacred more than 523,000
Muslims in 1915 and they blamed their neigbours.”
Agencies