Author: Frangulian Shushan

‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ STILL NOT IN U.S. VOCABULARY
by Russ Minick

The Fresno Bee Editorial Opinion Blog, CA
June 19, 2008 Thursday 12:24 PM EST

Jun. 19, 2008 (The Fresno Bee delivered by Newstex) — A new nominee
for the post of American ambassador to Armenia, Mary Yovanovitch,
faces a Senate confirmation hearing today, but she won’t be making
any direct reference to the Armenian genocide. That’s in line with the
longstanding policy of the State Department and several administrations
to give Turkey a rhetorical pass on recognition of the crimes that took
the lives of 1.5 Armenian men, women and children nearly a century
ago. For many years we have joined with Armenian Americans, many
foreign governments and people who care about an honest accounting of
history in criticizing the U.S. reticence, and we did so again today
in this editorial. American officials have been reluctant to upset
the Turks owing to that nation’s strategic value as an ally. But that
kind of realpolitik doesn’t wash with the survivors of the genocide,
nor should it. Acknowledging the past is the best way for Turkey to
move forward, especially with its quest for membership in the European
Union, which is stymied in large part because of Turkey’s failure to
own up to its own history.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION DETERMINED TO HOLD RALLY IN YEREVAN CENTER, DESPITE COURT BAN

Interfax News Agency
June 17 2008

The Armenian opposition says it will not accept a court ruling, which
says that the ban on a Pan-National Movement rally in the center of
Yerevan was lawful, and will hold the rally anyway.

"Our action will take place at the chosen venue and at the chosen
time despite the fabricated and politically motivated court ruling. I
hope police will abide by the law. The organization of rallies is the
constitutional right of every citizens of Armenia," Arman Musinian,
spokesman for the Pan-National Movement, led by ex-President Levon Ter-
Petrosian, told Interfax.

Earlier reports said that the Yerevan authorities on June 12 banned
the Pan National Movement’s rally on the Freedom Square in the center
of Yerevan, set for June 20, and proposed that the rally be moved to
the city limits. The movement appealed the ban with an administrative
court.

On Tuesday, the court upheld the ban, saying that the rally could not
be held simultaneously with a children’s festival on the same square
on the same day.

AZERBAIJANI RULING PARTY OFFERS TO SET UP JOINT COMMISSION FOR ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’

Trend News Agency
June 18 2008
Azerbaijan

TrendNews E. Babayev/ The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP)
believes that there is a need to set up an Azerbaijani-Turkish
commission to study historical facts. "We see a need to establish
this commission. "This commission should be set up to study claims
about the so-called ‘Armenian genocide’," Ali Ahmadov, the deputy
chairman and executive secretary of NAP said to media on 18 June.

Armenians has recently intensified propaganda on the so-called
‘Armenian genocide’ and parliaments of several countries have
recognized it. Armenian historians claim that Armenians were subject
to the massacre by the Turkish army in 1915.

According to Ahmadov, Armenians have committed genocide against
Turks and Azerbaijanis from time to time. The genocide in various
regions of Azerbaijan in 1918 can serve as an example. The place,
where people were buried in large numbers that were revealed in
Guba region of Azerbaijan, is a vivid example of the brutality
against Azerbaijanis by the Armenians. "The study of these facts and
revealing historical facts can be carried out by the joint work of the
Azerbaijani and Turkish experts and the experts from other countries
as well," Ahmadov said. If Turkey takes some measures to set up this
commission, Azerbaijan is ready to join it, he said.

NAP was established by the chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan
Heydar Aliyev in 1992. The current President Ilham Aliyev is the
chairman of the Party, which has been ruling for already 14 years.

TAX POLICY BECOMES MORE RIGID

KarabakhOpen
12-06-2008 11:40:36

Several big grocery stores in Stepanakert are closed. On the doors
is the seal of the Tax Service and the note that the given store
is closed from June 10 to 19 because of breaches of the use of cash
machines. The closure of shops causes inconveniences for the citizens
who now have to go far to buy food.

>From November 2007 132 audits were conducted. 102 revealed
breaches. The sum of fines for breaches of the use of cash machines
is 9 million 825 thousand drams, of which 6 million 125 thousand
drams was paid to the state budget.

Before and during the audit the taxpayers received oral
notifications. So, the fines were not unexpected. During the audit
the activities of a number of companies were suspended.

SYNOPSYS-ARMENIA TO RECEIVE APPLICANTS FOR ADMISSION TO INTERAGENCY DEPARTMENT FROM JULY 2
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ARKA
JUne 12

Synopsys-Armenia will start receiving applicants to the company-based
Interagency Department of the State Engineering (SEUA) University of
Armenia. The applicants must be third-year and four-year SEUA student.

The deadline for registration is July 7. The three-stage exam
includes an interview, as well as foreign language proficiency and
basic knowledge tests, said Hovik Musaelyan, Axecutive Director of
Synopsys-Armenia.

About 270 students have graduated from the Interagency Department
for the past seven years.

According to Musaelyan, senior students will study Synopsys education
programs and get a certificate from the company. "We offer our students
high-quality education thanks to which they will be able to become
good specialists to work on leading IT-companies," the Synopsys
Executive said.

By implementing the education program, the company makes an attempt
to prevent the brain drain, as having good education background,
SEUA students can find a well-paid job without leaving abroad,
according to Musaelyan.

He said about 30% of their graduates are employed in the company.

The State Engineering University of Armenia (Polytechnic) is the
leader of national technological education. Since its foundation
in 1933 SEUA (previous Yerevan Polytechnic Institute) has had over
100.000 graduates.

Today the University has over 11.000 students and 1.000 full-time
faculty members, most of them carrying doctoral degrees. 105 majors
are offered for the Bachelor of Engineering and the diploma Specialist
(5years) degrees, 19 majors offered for the Master of Engineering
Degree, 17 majors offered for Engineers-researchers.

Synopsys, Inc., a world leader in Electronic Design Automation
(EDA) software for semiconductor design, established its presence
in Armenia in 2004, shortly after Armenia’s declaration of IT as a
priority sector.

Since then, the Synopsys Armenia CJSC (closed joint stock company),
has become one of the largest Synopsys sites outside of the United
States providing R&D and product support in the areas of EDA, Design
for Manufacturing and development of semiconductor IP. Currently,
the company employs several hundred qualified Armenian engineers,
and is serving as the industry’s flagship and one of largest IT
employers in Armenia.

ARMENIAN CB TO CONTINUE AMBITIOUS PROJECTS
ARKA
JUne 12

The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) will continue implementing ambitious
projects, CBA Chairman Artur Javadyan told reporters.

"We will continue out policy of inflation control and floating
rate. The CBA will continue all the ambitious projects and launch
new ones," Javadyan told reporters.

He pointed out the importance of cooperation between the CBA and the
RA Government, coordination of the monetary and fiscal policies.

Javadyan added that the CBA will continue its policy of developing
Armenia’s financial system for it to meet the best international
standards. He also pointed out that large international financial
organizations are already working in Armenia.

The HSBC Bank, Rosgosstrakh, Ingosstrakh, NASDAQ OMX are operating
in Armenia. Armenia’s securities market has great potential for
development, Javadyan said.

RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL MEETS WITH DETAINED DEPUTIES
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NO YAN TAPAN
June 12, 2008

Aghvan Hovsepian, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia,
visited the "Yerevan – Kentron" penitentiary office, where he met
with Myasnik Malkhasian, Sasun Mikayelian, Hakob Hakobian, as well
as Gagik Jhangirian and Ararat Zurabian, deputies of the RA National
Assembly detained within the frameworks of the criminal case filed
in connection with the March 1 events.

According to the Press Service of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office,
those detained stated that "they have no complaints concerning the
conditions of the penitentiary office, the attitude of the board of
administration and the body conducting the preliminary investigation,
they did not complain of their health state either."

VARDGES HOVAKIMIAN IS NEW REGIONAL GOVERNOR
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A1+
12 June, 2008

The Government issued a decree on appointing Vardges Hovakimian to
the position of Regional Governor of Ararat Region, RA. Before the
appointment Hovakimian used to work in the RA Realty State Cadastre
as Head of "Marash" regional subdivision.

SENATE AND HOUSE HEARINGS TO FOCUS ON ARMENIA AND CAUCASUS REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.06.2008 14:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The focus of two key Congressional committees will
turn to the Caucasus region next week as Senate Foreign Relations
Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee members will, in an
exercise of their oversight responsibilities, have the opportunity to
question State Department officials on U.S. policy regarding Armenia
and the surrounding area, the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Dan Fried will testify before
the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday June 18th at 10:00am
EDT regarding U.S.

policy toward the Caucasus region. Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) and
his fellow Committee members will be focusing on a wide range of issues
including the ongoing blockade of Armenia, U.S. policy on the Armenian
Genocide, and foreign aid. Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Nabi Sensoy
recently denied the existence of a Turkish blockade, arguing that
there are many Armenians who serve as "nannies" to Turkish children.

The World Bank estimates that Turkey and Azerbaijan’s blockades of
Armenia reduce Armenia’s GDP by up to 38% annually.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) recently introduced the "End the Turkish
Blockade of Armenia" Bill (H.R. 6079), which calls upon Turkey to
end its blockade of Armenia and asks the U.S. Department of State to
report on its efforts towards this end.

On Thursday, June 19th, at 2:15pm, the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee is slated to hold a confirmation hearing for U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia nominee Marie Yovanovitch.

On March 28, 2008, Pres. Bush nominated Amb. Marie L.

Yovanovitch to serve as America’s next Ambassador to Armenia. The
ANCA has spoken to Committee members about the value of carefully
questioning Amb. Yovanovitch on the many issues she will face as the
U.S. envoy in Yerevan, among them the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, Turkey and Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockades of Armenia, and
the need for a balanced U.S. role in helping forge a democratic and
peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. These efforts
have been supported by extensive on-line outreach and a national
postcard campaign to key Senate Foreign Relations Committee members.

President Bush’s previous nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
Richard Hoagland, was subject to two legislative holds by Sen. Bob
Menendez (D-NJ) and was ultimately withdrawn by the Administration,
following the nominee’s statements denying the Armenian Genocide.

The last U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, was fired by
President Bush for speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide. The
ANCA led the Armenian American community campaign opposing Hoagland’s
nomination, stating that a genocide denier could not serve as a
credible and effective U.S.

–Boundary_(ID_4q6dnSJKpuIPRpSMcHz4ug)
Conte nt-type: message/rfc822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-description:

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Senate and House hearings to focus on Armenia and Caucasus Region
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Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: 8BIT

PanARMENIAN.Net

Senate and House hearings to focus on Armenia and
Caucasus Region
11.06.2008 14:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The focus of two key Congressional
committees will turn to the Caucasus region next week
as Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House
Foreign Affairs Committee members will, in an exercise
of their oversight responsibilities, have the
opportunity to question State Department officials on
U.S. policy regarding Armenia and the surrounding
area, the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Dan Fried will
testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on
Wednesday June 18th at 10:00am EDT regarding U.S.
policy toward the Caucasus region. Chairman Howard
Berman (D-CA) and his fellow Committee members will be
focusing on a wide range of issues including the
ongoing blockade of Armenia, U.S. policy on the
Armenian Genocide, and foreign aid. Turkish Ambassador
to the U.S. Nabi Sensoy recently denied the existence
of a Turkish blockade, arguing that there are many
Armenians who serve as "nannies" to Turkish children.
The World Bank estimates that Turkey and Azerbaijan?s
blockades of Armenia reduce Armenia?s GDP by up to 38%
annually.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with Rep. George
Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) recently introduced the "End the
Turkish Blockade of Armenia" Bill (H.R. 6079), which
calls upon
Turkey to end its blockade of Armenia and asks the
U.S. Department of State to report on its efforts
towards this end.

On Thursday, June 19th, at 2:15pm, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee is slated to hold a confirmation
hearing for U.S. Ambassador to Armenia nominee Marie
Yovanovitch.

On March 28, 2008, Pres. Bush nominated Amb. Marie L.
Yovanovitch to serve as
America?s next Ambassador to Armenia. The ANCA has
spoken to Committee members about the value of
carefully questioning Amb. Yovanovitch on the many
issues she will face as the U.S. envoy in Yerevan,
among them the recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
Turkey and Azerbaijan?s ongoing blockades of Armenia,
and the need for a balanced U.S. role in helping forge
a democratic and peaceful resolution to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. These efforts have been supported
by extensive on-line outreach and a national postcard
campaign to key Senate Foreign Relations Committee
members.

President Bush?s previous nominee as U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia, Richard Hoagland, was subject to two
legislative holds by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and was
ultimately withdrawn by the Administration, following
the nominee?s statements denying the Armenian
Genocide.

The last U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall
Evans, was fired by President Bush for speaking
honestly about the Armenian Genocide. The ANCA led the
Armenian American community campaign opposing
Hoagland?s nomination, stating that a genocide denier
could not serve as a credible and effective U.S.
spokesperson in Armenia.

Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address.

–Boundary_(ID_4q 6dnSJKpuIPRpSMcHz4ug)–

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: nian.htm

"IT IS THE CLERGY THAT BRINGS INTO LIFE THE MISSION OF OUR CHURCH"

SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

The two-day General Assembly of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s Brotherhood
ended on June 6 with the concluding remarks of His Holiness Aram I, who
praised the constructive participation of the Brotherhood members in the
discussions that took place and those who delivered the talks, expressing
their viewpoints and concerns on various important issues.

The second day of the Assembly featured some special topics such as "The
multi-faceted service of the Armenian clergy in the present world in the
spiritual, educational, cultural and social fields", "A reassessment of the
Cilician Brotherhood’s mission." Talks were presented on these two themes by
Brotherhood members. Both presentations underlined challenges that needed to
be overcome. Discussion followed to each presentation.

The concerns expressed by the speakers on the challenges Armenian clergy
face, particularly in the Diaspora, in their spiritual, educational,
cultural and social fields of service, became the center of attention of
much debate by the Brotherhood members.

In his concluding remarks, the Pontiff shed light on some of the expressed
concerns and difficulties, giving new impetus to the Brotherhood’s calling
to serve the church. His Holiness called upon the Brotherhood members to
overcome these difficulties and face the identified challenges through
dedicated service, which he considered to be one of the unique
characteristics of the Cilician Brotherhood.

"Service is our glory, our strength, our reputation. However, our
Brotherhood should constantly subject itself to reassessment and renewal. It
is our Brotherhood that brings into life our Holy See’s mission. Therefore,
our strict policy towards spiritual-intellectual formation is essential. In
order to speak with the current world, we need to know the language, the
problems and challenges of the current world," His Holiness emphasized.

Talking about the Church’s true character and its service, Aram I said: "It
is necessary to preserve the specific identity of our church’s mission in
its spiritual, social, educational and cultural aspects. Our church is not
simply a national structure, but a Godly mission in our people’s lives",
reminded His Holiness.

The General Assembly also adopted the Cilician Brotherhood’s By-Laws, which
has been refined through years of practice and trial. The Brotherhood
presented the By-Laws the Pontiff for ratification.

##
View the group photo here:
tos/Photos268.htm
*****
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.