CBA RAISES INTEREST RATE OF REFINANCING BY 0.25% TO 7.75%
Noyan Tapan
Se p 3, 2008
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. At the September 2 sitting,
the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Board made a decision to raise
the interest rate of refinancing by 0.25% and to fix it at 7.75%,
NT was informed by the PR Service of the CBA.
US VP CHENEY ASSURES AZERBAIJAN OF U.S ‘INTEREST’
By Aida Sultanova
Associated Press
Sept 3 2008
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney assured
Azerbaijan on Wednesday of America’s "abiding interest" in the
region’s stability. It was the first stop on a tour of three ex-Soviet
republics that are wary of Russia’s intentions after its war with
Georgia last month.
Russia was watching the trip with suspicion, and a top Russian security
official accused Cheney of an ulterior motive: seeking to secure
energy supplies in the South Caucasus in exchange for U.S. support.
Cheney met with U.S. Embassy officials and international oil executives
before going to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev’s residence on the
Caspian Sea.
Cheney said the principle of territorial integrity was endangered
today, noting that they were meeting "in the shadow of the Russian
invasion of Georgia."
He added that U.S. President George W. Bush had sent him with a clear
message that the United States had a "deep and abiding interest"
in the stability and security of countries in the region.
Azerbaijan has some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the former
Soviet Union.
The U.S. vice president later was to go to neighboring Georgia,
where Washington is trying strengthen support for President Mikhail
Saakashvili’s U.S.-allied government, battered by last month’s short
war with Russia. The U.S. administration was to announce a US$1
billion economic aid package to help Georgia rebuild.
Cheney also planned to visit Ukraine, whose Western-leaning governing
coalition has been plagued in infighting and growing wariness about
Russia’s intentions.
The head of Russia’s powerful presidential Security Council criticized
Cheney’s planned tour, saying his real goal was to trade U.S. support
for energy supplies in the region, and to make sure these countries
had governments sympathetic to Washington.
"Cheney, during his visits to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine, will
try to instill in them confidence that they will receive support
of the U.S., and (he) will do it in such a way that the U.S. will
continue to wield influence on them," Nikolai Patrushev said during
a visit to neighboring Armenia.
Russia’s relations with Washington have become increasingly
tense. Since the war in Georgia, Russia has boldly asserted its right
to exert clout over what it says is its historic sphere of influence —
including many former Soviet republics.
Russia has also objected strongly to U.S. plans to place components
of a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic —
both former Soviet satellites — as well as to Western support for
Kosovo’s independence from traditional ally Serbia.
Both Georgia and Ukraine have sought to pull themselves out from
under Russia’s shadow, pushing for membership in Western structures
such as the European Union and NATO — much to Moscow’s consternation.
Washington also has courted Azerbaijan, trying to ensure its oil
wealth is exported to the West bypassing Russia. Many European capitals
are wary of Russia and its vast oil and gas wealth after disruptions
in European-bound Russian gas and oil shipments exported via other
former Soviet republics.
The U.S. Embassy in Baku said in a statement that Cheney on Wednesday
met with local representatives of British Petroleum and Chevron
who briefed him on their "assessments of the energy situation in
Azerbaijan and the broader Caspian region — especially in light of
Russia’s recent military actions in Georgia."
Azerbaijan’s government has often been criticized by rights groups
for heavy-handed treatment of independent media and opposition
groups. International observers have said past elections were flawed.
THE AMERICAN PROMISE ‘OBAMA’
By Mustafa Gokcek
Today’s Zaman
Sept 3 2008
Turkey
It was set to be a historic speech long ago. The Democratic Party’s
nomination acceptance speech was scheduled to be on the 45th
anniversary of Martin Luther King’s famous "I have a dream" speech.
When it became clear that Barack Obama would be chosen as the first
black presidential nominee of a major party in American history, it was
in the minds of many that Obama was King’s dream coming true. However,
rather than associating himself closely with King and the black rights
movements, Obama rightly chose to appeal to all Americans and picked
the overarching theme of his speech as "the American promise."
The four-day Democratic National Convention was organized
as a festival, much like a concert, as well as a political
event. Performances by famous singers, old and new, and speeches by
established Democratic leaders, including Ted Kennedy, the Clintons,
Al Gore and the Kings were accompanied by testimonies from people
on the street. Each speaker made sure to emphasize Democratic unity,
show strong support for and confidence in Obama and harshly attack the
Bush administration and McCain. Obama took the stage on the last day
as the last speaker, and his speech was as inspiring and as powerful
as any other Obama speech. Despite the live coverage on 10 commercial
networks reaching over 40 million viewers, almost 85,000 people
gathered in Mile High Stadium (all these numbers setting records in
US political history) as proof of their eagerness to support Obama,
and many among them burst into tears of joy and excitement as they
witnessed this momentous event.
The enthusiasm of Democratic voters and their appeal to the larger
public reached its peak.
The convention aimed to accomplish several goals. One of the primary
goals was to unite the Democratic Party, which was torn apart during
the long nomination contest between Hillary Clinton and Obama. Just
as the Clintons fought hard and long against Obama, now it was their
duty to put the house in order. More influential than Hillary Clinton’s
acclamation was Bill Clinton’s excellently laid out declaration that
"Obama is ready to lead!" These speeches ended any remaining doubts
about the Democratic Party’s unity behind Obama. The convention did
end the clash between Obama and Clinton, not only officially, but in
reality as well.
Attacking and discrediting McCain was another goal throughout the
convention. The main and common point of criticism directed at McCain
was that his presidency would be "more of the same." He was equated
with Bush in every way possible and his presidency with the third
term of George W. Bush. Considering the low popularity of the Bush
administration it was an effective approach in attacking McCain. The
newly chosen vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden mentioned McCain’s
wrong foreign policy choices, such as his support for the war in Iraq,
and repeated relentlessly, "McCain was wrong, Obama was right." Obama,
giving in to the criticism that he was not harsh enough on his opponent
and compromising his pledge not to lead a negative campaign, bashed
McCain openly, clearly and severely. He sarcastically exposed McCain’s
disconnectedness from the ordinary citizen, brought up the fact
that McCain voted with Bush 90 percent of the time and successfully
connected it to his motto of change: "I don’t know about you, but I
am not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change."
Another major goal that dominated the convention program was the
appeal to non-Democrats. In order to accomplish this goal the Democrats
invited ordinary people to speak at the convention, who brought up the
difficulties they faced in their daily lives and how they believed
Obama to be their hope for change toward a better future. These
real life stories touched on the shortcomings of the health insurance
system, jobs moving overseas and increasing unemployment, difficulty in
finding scholarships and loans for education and the lack of government
support for the needy. Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s
daughter made a speech titled "Not as a Democrat or Republican, but
as an Independent," and stressed the unity of the American people,
behind Obama, of course. More important than the others were several
converts from the Republican line to the Democratic who made a strong
case of why a Republican, too, can support Obama.
>>From the very beginning of the campaign Obama consistently endeavored
to go beyond the party lines and reach out to the independents and
Republicans that are neither pleased with the current administration
nor hopeful of a McCain leadership. Obama rightly learned from
historical experience where crossing party lines increased the
chances of winning and brought long-lasting strength to the party
and the president. "Reagan Democrats" and Clinton’s concept of
"new Democrat" with a Republican flavor refer to the efforts by the
former nominees to find and emphasize common ground between the two
party policies and appeal to the followers of the rival party. Obama,
modeling his speech on Reagan’s 1980 and especially Bill Clinton’s
1992 acceptance speeches, made sure to focus his criticism on McCain’s
personal approach rather than despising long-time Republicans. This
is one reason why, despite his several references to King’s speech,
the central theme of Obama’s speech was not one on King’s dream
coming true, but a phrase that emphasized Obama’s attempt to unite
all Americans: the American promise.
Obama and Turkey
The US presidential race is reflected in the Turkish media almost
solely on the basis of the candidates’ views on the Armenian
allegations. Turkey’s perspective of the US and the presidential
elections should not be hijacked by the Armenian issue. Regardless of
whom the president of the US is or will be, the Armenian question and
its influence on US-Turkey relations is an issue that Turkey has had to
deal with over a long period of time and at various levels, including
political, historical, social and cultural. Thus, independent of the
presidential elections or the US government’s closeness to Turkey,
Turkey has to develop a long-term strategy to first contain and then
remove the effects of Armenian allegations involving Turkey in the
international arena. Furthermore, US-Turkey relations are based on
stronger pillars of mutual interest that from both Turkish and US
perspectives should reduce the centrality of the Armenian issue in the
perception and evaluation of each other. Therefore, when evaluating
the US presidential elections, the Turkish perspective should be more
concerned with the role of the US in international politics in an
increasingly multi-polar world, the US involvement in the Middle East
and the economic stability in the US rather than what each candidate
says on the Armenian issue.
Republican campaigns to discredit Obama with false accusations have
influenced the Turkish public as well. One question should be made
clear: While Obama’s father is a Muslim from Kenya, Obama himself is
not a Muslim. He was raised Christian and has expressed his faith quite
explicitly on numerous occasions. However, there is no indication to
support the speculation that he will discriminate against Muslims or
foreigners living in the US. Quite the contrary, historically, the
Republicans have been more hawkish in foreign policy, especially as a
result of their intimate relations with the big arms and oil companies.
In 1961, at the end of his tenure as president, Eisenhower addressed
the American nation and warned them of a possible future threat to
the freedoms in the US: "In the councils of government, we must guard
against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or
unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. Only
an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing
of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our
peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper
together." Eisenhower’s historic Farewell Address points out the
ever increasing influence of the military-industrial complex on the
American policy-making processes.
The Republican idealism to "fight evil" and expand democracy, combined
with support for big corporations including the arms industry have
traditionally led to aggressive foreign policy moves. During the Cold
War this worked better for Turkey, which gained higher strategic
significance against the Soviet Union. However, as the perception
of threat moved away from communism and focused more on the Middle
East, an aggressive US foreign policy has proven to create serious
complexities for Turkey.
The direct implication of Obama’s stance in foreign policy is what
he defended from very early on: pull out of Iraq and refocus on
Afghanistan. In an attempt to avoid criticisms that a quick withdrawal
might cause the collapse of the Iraqi government and embarrass the
US, he added the word "responsibly" and assured his audience that he
would do whatever necessary for the security of the US. However the
starting point and most significant aspect of his stance is still to
put diplomacy first and not hesitate to talk with the enemy, something
which the Bush administration has refused to do with Iran until very
recently. In his acceptance speech, too, Obama made it clear that
he will "renew tough and direct diplomacy with Iran and Russia" and
"build new partnerships." This perspective is certainly more in line
with the recent Turkish foreign policy initiatives, which indicate
an active diplomatic involvement in regional issues.
It is true that there is a chance Obama’s actions might not follow
his words. But when his alternative, McCain, promises a continued
and expanded war in the Middle East, why can’t we hope for the change
Obama promises?
UNTIL NOW ONLY ONE CANDIDATE NOMINATED TO RUN IN SEPTEMBER 28 ELECTION OF YEREVAN’S KENTRON COMMUNITY HEAD
Noyan Tapan
Se p 1, 2008
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. As of 6 pm of September 1st, only
one candidate – the current head of Yerevan’s Kentron community,
member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Gagik Beglarian
was nominated to run in the September 28 election of head of the
indicated community. 14 candidates were nominated for 15 seats of the
community council of aldermen. No bid of nomination for the election
of the council of aldermen in Nork-Marash community to be held on the
same day has been submitted so far, NT correspondent was informed by
Silva Markosian, chairwoman of dictrict electoral commission No 10
that organizes the elections to local self-government bodies in the
two indicated communities. The deadline for candidate nomination is
September 3rd, 6 pm.
NOVELIST PAMUK: ERGENEKON WANTED TO KILL ME
Today’s Zaman
Sept 2 2008
Turkey
Nobel Prize-winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk has said he was
targeted for assassination by Ergenekon, a political crime gang that
had allegedly been making preparations to topple the government and was
readying to perpetrate bloody attacks on several high-profile figures.
In an interview with the Sabah daily to promote his latest novel,
"Masumiyet Muzesi" (The Museum of Innocence), Pamuk said he believes
there are murderers in Ergenekon and that they wanted to kill him.
"It is unethical to protect those murderers for political reasons. This
is not an ethical country if mafia leaders and retired generals plan
to have people murdered and they do it over and over again, and they
blackmail people in this way. I have to say that protecting Ergenekon
members is unethical," he was quoted as saying yesterday by Sabah.
In response to a question as to whether or not he believes the
judiciary will follow through to see that the Ergenekon gang members
receive just punishment, Pamuk said he could not comment on the
subject. "You should ask this question to the politicians. It seems
believable to me that a murderer cooperated with another and that this
other one made a phone call with another, and so on, but I don’t read
about Ergenekon every day. This is not how I live my life," he said.
He noted that Ergenekon has been politicized and criticized this. "It
is not important whether they are Ataturkist, Islamist, liberal,
conservative or leftist. This is an ethical issue for me. I am
convinced that there are murderers," he stated.
The indictment against Ergenekon, made public on July 25, said
the organization incited the perpetrators of deadly attacks on
important public figures. The planned victims allegedly included
Pamuk, Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor Hrant Dink, journalist Ugur
Mumcu, businessman Ozdemir Sabancı and writer and scientist Necip
Hablemitoglu. The gang was also planning to launch bloody assaults
on several high-profile personalities, including Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, former Chief of General Staff Gen. YaÅ~_ar Buyukanıt
and journalist Fehmi Koru.
–Boundary_(ID_EPmASkk20rc45SH573bhwQ)–
BAKO SAHAKIAN IS EMPOWERED
A1+
[02:14 pm] 01 September, 2008
The Refugees and International Law civil society network has sent
the recurrent portion of applications to NKR President Bako Sahakian.
"Armenians of Azerbaijan are hopeful that NKR authorities will
restore the violated rights of over 500 thousand people who underwent
displacement, will pursue adequate compensation for the moral damage
inflicted on them by the Republic of Azerbaijan, to bring into
being their claim to regain their Homeland and the country of their
citizenship," says the letter addressed to NKR President Bako Sahakian.
"Hereby Armenians of Azerbaijan reassert their confidence in the
legitimate government of NKR and authorize it to act on their
behalf. The Refugees and International Law civil society network
already has tens of thousands of applications addressed to you,
and their number increases."
The Civilitas Foundation
One Northern Ave. Suite 30
Yerevan, Armenia
Telephones: +37410.500119, +37494.800754
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Mr. Vartan Oskanian, founder of the Civilitas Foundation, and former
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, spoke to BBC World Service’s Owen
Bennett Jones on Wednesday, August 27, 2008, about the Caucasus region in
the wake of Russia’s recognition of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Below, Mr. Oskanian’s responses.
What do you think NATO should do?
I think there’s a big responsibility here. I believe NATO at least publicly
but more so through diplomatic channels should talk to Russia and consider
reviewing their policy vis-à-vis the Caucasus, Ukraine. I’m not suggesting
that they change anything, but at least they should be prepared at this
stage to sit down and talk with Russia and express the willingness to review
things, to see if they can come up with an option that will be viable and
also acceptable to all parties.
So you’re suggesting NATO should back down on their positions on membership?
That has to be mutually agreed upon. I understand NATO’s position, that they
don’t want to be dictated to by anybody as they decide what they will do
with membership issues, but given the circumstances and what we have seen
in these past three weeks and particularly after Russia’s recognition of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia, I think it would be worthwhile to put that
=8Cpride’ aside and sit down for the benefit of global harmony and also for
the benefit of the Caucasus, sit down and talk with each other and come up
with a viable option that will be beneficial for all.
Don’t you feel vulnerable to Russian expansion?
We’ve never felt that. We do not have any particular problem with Russia.
What concerns us today is that our room to maneuver will be extremely
limited given the fact that Russia and Georgia, for Armenia, are vital
neighbors. If Russia is our strategic partner, then Georgia is our natural
partner. Our trade goes thru Georgia, historically we have had excellent
ties. So this tension between Russia and Georgia, and I would even go a step
further to qualify this as tension between the West and Russia, by proxy,
will put Armenia in a difficult situation. For a decade, when I was foreign
minister, we implemented a policy of complementarity clearly saying to
everybody that we will not choose between Russia and the U.S. Armenia can
not afford to choose. I think that whole issue now has come closer to home
and Armenia should even enhance that complementarity by clearly telling
everybody that choosing is not an option for Armenia.
Why not? Russia is expanding, why not choose against Russia?
We shouldn’t rush to the conclusion that Russia is expanding. Maybe what
Russia has done is a consequence of a sequence of steps and missteps by both
sides. I’m not putting blame on any one side, or, maybe I’m putting the
blame on everybody. This is the time when cool heads should prevail, not
just in Russia and Georgia but also the West. In the heat of things, lots of
resentments are being expressed. I think there is a moment there. There is
an opportunity so that we sit down and talk – all of us, Brussels, Moscow
and Washington should sit down with Yerevan, Tbilisi and Baku =8B and come up
with a viable option for this region, so that we turn the Caucasus into a
non-aligned Caucasus. Because the Caucasus is too small to accommodate
several security alliances especially when they are exclusionary.
So, keep the Russians out, keep the Americans out, make the Caucasus a
non-aligned neutral area.
I think that will be a viable option. I don’t see how we can proceed with
this kind of tension. It’s not just detrimental for our region but also for
global politics. I don’t think the world these days can afford this kind of
tension, this Cold War redux, because there are more pressing issues before
Russia, the US and the international community. Our focus should be on those
issues rather than fighting proxy wars in different regions.
But it has to be said that with Russia in its current mood and the US in its
current mood, this is not going to happen, is it?
Let’s look at the reasons for those moods. There’s lots of resentment there
that have accumulated since the collapse of the USSR. There has been a
sequence of misunderstandings that have led to this kind of situation. In
the past 400 years, the world has gone through at least four, five major
transformations. After each major war and conflict, a new system has
emerged, at each new mechanisms and new institutions have emerged to
constitute a new world order to regulate state relationships. The end of the
Cold War is the exception. The very institutions that contributed to the
defeat of the USSR remained as the main pillars of the so-called new world
order. That was natural back then when Russia and China were weak. Today’s
Russia and China are not the same. Insisting on those institutions
particularly the security ones, to operate the way they used to, is not
sustainable.
CONFLICT AFFECTS RUSSIAN, GEORGIAN ECONOMIES
Financial Express
Aug 27 2008
India
In international conflicts economic levers are sometimes more
effective than military moves. Blockading supplies of strategic raw
materials, freezing money transfers, and strikes at the businesses of
the national diaspora may deal as much damage as tank attacks and air
strikes. Since coming to power Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili
has repeatedly complained about Russian economic pressure, and has
done much to separate the economies of the two countries.
Today, economic relations between Russia and Georgia have been reduced
to the minimum. In conditions of tough confrontation, not to mention
armed conflict, this situation is in many respects favorable to
Georgia because it reduces the threat of economic pressure.
Georgia needs about 1.8 billion cubic metres of gas per year, but
unlike many countries in the region it does not depend on Russia for
it. It receives almost all of its oil and gas from Azerbaijan. However,
a pipeline pumping Russian gas to Armenia passes through Georgian
territory. This year, Armenia is to receive 2.1 billion cubic metres of
gas. Georgia gets 10%, or 210 million cubic meters, as a transit fee.
Despite the recent conflict the supplies have not been
stopped. Georgian minister of energy Alexander Khetaguri said recently
that there was no threat to the pipeline at all. However, on August
11, Georgian gas workers reduced supplies by 30%, later explaining
that this was because they needed to conduct some tests.
Armenia, meanwhile, has no grievances against either side. The
reductions do not affect its consumption, and the deficit can be
compensated by gas from its underground depot. If the conflict
escalates, however, Georgia may lose 210 cubic metres of gas,
which amounts to 11.6% of its consumption. The Armenian economy
would lose much more. There have been no reports of fuel shortages
in Georgia. After Georgia reported a bombing in the vicinity of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Azerbaijan’s state oil company
announced it would suspend oil imports through sea ports.
Until the end of the last year, Russia was the main supplier of
electricity to Georgia, which received 100 megawatts of electricity
per year via the Kavkasioni transmission lines. But after the electric
power station in Inguri reached capacity last November, deputy minister
of Energy Archil Nikoleishvili reported that Georgia would not need
supplies from Russia anymore. Nonetheless, Saakashvili has failed to
break all links between the two economies. Like most former Soviet
republics, Georgia is overpopulated, and estimates…
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
THE "RICHARD AND TINA CAROLAN FUND" CONTINUES FINANCING
NEW PUBLICATIONS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
The "Richard and Tina Carolan" Publishing Fund unveiled its most recent
publication- Manuel Keshishian’s "Mokagan Hayeliner" (Magic Mirrors), a
series of plays- during a meeting of its jury on August 26.
The "Richard and Tina Carolan" Fund has been established under the auspices
of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the members of the jury are assigned by
His Holiness Aram I. The Fund provides an opportunity to Diaspora Armenian
intellectuals and writers, particularly from the new generation, to publish
their works.
The members of the Fund’s jury include Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, V.
Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian (Secretary), Dr. Zaven Meserlian (Chairman),
Barour Aghbashian and Sarkis Giragosian.
The Fund has thus far financed the publication of four volumes: Vartan
Mateossian’s "Haravayin Goghmn Ashkhari" (The Southern Side of the World);
Hagop Tcholakian’s "Andioki Mertsaga Roudgi Hovidi Hayere" (The Armenians of
the Valley of Roudge near Antioch; Dr. Saleh Zahreddine’s "Hayots
Yegeghetsvo Teragadaroutyoune 1915-I Tcharteroun" (The Role of the Armenian
Church in the Massacres of 1915); and the most recent volume mentioned
above.
His Holiness Aram I chaired the meeting of the Jury, which expressed its
commitment to fund new publications in order to encourage the intellectuals
of the new generation.
All works submitted are discussed by the Jury. Upon the Jury’s approval, the
works are published as the new volumes of the "Richard and Tina Carolan"
Fund.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the books
published in the Printing House 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.
COAF REPAIRS AMBULANCE STATION AND KINDERGARTEN IN LERNAGOG VILLAGE OF ARMAVIR PROVINCE
ARMENPRESS
Aug 25, 2008
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS: The ambulance station and the
kindergarten of the village of Lernagog in the province of Armavir
were reopened on Sunday after major repairs, funded by the Children
of Armenia Fund (COAF) within the frameworks of its Comprehensive
Development Inclusive Program.
The repairs were made to comply with all construction standards. The
ambulance station and the kindergarten are provided with all necessary
equipment and furniture. The COAF donors, friends and members of its
board of trustees were yesterday in the province to see the status
of all projects, both implemented and in the process.
Karo Armen, the American-Armenian businessman and chairman of the
COAF board, said a great job was done and that he was happy to see
both facilities repaired.
The COAF provided funds for repair of 11 buildings in the province
of Armavir. Karo Armen highlighted their proper maintenance. Governor
Ashot Ghahramanian said he gave special instructions to community heads
to that end. He expressed hope that other provincial communities will
be encompassed by such projects too.
Larry Fineberg and Gregory Ekizian, two of COAF donors, were awarded
by the village community leadership the title of honorable citizens
of Lernagog.