Author: Hambardsumian Paul

A1+

APPLICANTS TO TAKE OXFORD TESTS
[07:19 pm] 24 November, 2006

The training program for Armenian teachers has been
declared the best during the conference in Saint
Petersburg in which Ministers of Education of 11
countries participated.

Minister of Education and Science Levon Lazarian
rendered a press conference today in order to inform
the journalists about the radical educational reforms
which have been done and will be done. According to
him, the results will be obvious in 2009-2010. `We
work in two directions: to prepare reforms of
specialized education and to find necessary technical
grounds. At present we are trying to find partners and
sources of financing. We do our best not to trouble
the budget much’. The Minister mentioned that all the
business trips realized lately have that very aim.

In order to secure the objectivity during the
school-leaving exams, the RA Ministry of education has
decided to prepare the tests in Oxford, like the
Ministry of Education of Georgia. `If the printing
houses of Armenia don’t get the tests, no one will
have access to them and it will be impossible to
spread them’, Levon Lazarian mentioned.

RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 23 2006

Armenia’s foreign minister calls for active CIS reforms
15:53 | 23/ 11/ 2006

YEREVAN, November 23 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s foreign minister said
Friday that the loose union of former Soviet republics known as the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) needs reform to become an
effective, integrated structure.

The Russia-led organization was formed following the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991 and comprises 12 former Soviet republics, but it
has been criticized recently by many of its members who complain it
is inefficient and lacking in direction.

"Today, the structure of the CIS lacks the dynamism and determination
to achieve concrete results," Vardan Oskanyan said before a summit of
CIS leaders in the capital of Belarus, Minsk, scheduled for November
28.

"That is why, as a result of the 2005 CIS summit in Kazan, a decision
was made to perfect and reform CIS bodies. It is not an easy
process," Oskanyan said.

The CIS is particularly unpopular with the Georgian leadership, which
would like to strengthen its ties with the West, join NATO and
withdraw from the organization.

As well as Georgia, which is caught up in an ongoing diplomatic row
with Russia, other CIS members, notably Ukraine, have criticized the
organization as being ineffectual, and a vehicle for promoting
Russia’s interests.

Moldova’s leader has questioned the organization’s future, and last
year Turkmenistan ceased to be a full member.

Oskanyan said the organization needs not only to reform its
structure, but its agenda as well, and that first of all it is
necessary to determine a definite direction that takes into account
the actual potential of its member states.

"Only in that case can we count on efficient reforms," the foreign
minister said.

He added that Armenia has been actively involved in the process of
CIS reform, as it wants the organization to be a strong regional
structure.

"Armenia actively participates in the process of CIS reforms, and we
believe that, as a result, relations between member-states will rise
to a new qualitative level, the CIS will transform itself into an
effective, integrated structure, and that consequently the
international authority of the Commonwealth as an influential
regional organization will improve," the minister said.

ARMENIA TO COOPERATE WITH BOTH NATO, CIS DEFENCE BODY – DEFENCE CHIEF

Public TV, Armenia
Nov 22 2006

[Presenter] A delegation headed by Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan
left for Belarus today to attend the sessions of the Defence Ministers
Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization [CSTO] to be
held in Brest on 23 November.

The Armenian delegation will also take part in the gathering of the
Security Council secretaries of the CSTO member states in Minsk on
24-25 November. An agreement on military cooperation in 2007 will be
signed by the Russian, Belarussian and Ukrainian defence ministers.

Before departure Serzh Sarkisyan told journalists at the airport that
Armenia is a member of the CSTO and at the same time is implementing
a partnership plan with NATO.

[Serzh Sarkisyan captioned] I have announced that membership in the
CSTO and cooperation with NATO follow from our policies and do not run
counter to each other. It is high time to realize that all military
and political alliances are created for and not against something. NATO
was not established against something, but for Europe’s security.

The Collective Security Treaty was signed not against NATO, but to
ensure security of the CSTO member countries.

THE BAGGAGE OF WRITER ANDREI BITOV

Russia-InfoCenter, Russia
Nov 22 2006

Andrei Bitov who has been recently granted with the Bunin Award 2006
for his selected prose works "Palace Without a Tsar" is deservedly
considered a classic of Russian literature of the second half of the
20th century. His intellectual prose in a spontaneous and yet exquisite
style takes a special niche in contemporary Russian literature. Bitov’s
works have been translated into a number of European languages such
as English, German, Swedish, French and Italian.

Bitov Andrei Georgievich was born on May 27, 1937 in Leningrad (St.
Petersburg). During the siege of Leningrad in 1942 Andrei and his
mother were evacuated to the Urals and then to Tashkent (Uzbekistan).

In 1955 Andrei entered Leningrad Institute of Mines. In 1957 – 1958
the studies were interrupted by serving the army, in the North of the
country. After graduating from the institute in 1962 Bitov worked as
a foreman having boring duties in geological expeditions.

Bitov started writing in 1956. The first publication took place in
1960, when the almanac Young Leningrad issued his short story Grandma’s
Tea Bowl. His first collection of short stories A Big Ball was
published in 1963. In the 60s the main character of Andrei Bitov was
a person clashing with reality by existential rather than ideological
reasons. In this sense Bitov’s protagonist was different from literary
characters created by the majority of "men of the sixties".

In 1965 Bitov entered the Soviet Writers Union. In 1967 he
graduated from the Higher Courses for scriptwriters at the Union of
Cinematographers in Moscow to start working in the sphere of cinema.

He became the co-author of the script for the Soviet-Japanese film
Malenkiy beglets (aka The Little Runaway) (1966) by Eduard Bocharov
and Teinosuke Kinugasa, and wrote the scenario for V chetverg i
bolshe nikogda (aka On Thursday and Never Again) (1977) by Anatoli
Efros. Bitov even had a small actor experience in the film Chuzhaya
belaya i ryaboy (Wild Pigeon) (1986) by Sergei Solovyov.

Andrei Bitov traveled much around the former Soviet Republic
territories and a number of his books are ingenious travel memoirs,
such as The Lessons of Armenia (1969), and Seven Adventures (1976)
about his experience in Armenia, Georgia, Bashkiria, the Middle Asia,
and the Russian North.

Andrei Bitov provided a deep insight into the history and the present
reality of Russia in his novel Pushkin House published in the USA in
1978. The experimental style of the book made it deservedly considered
one of the first postmodern novels.

After this publication in America and Bitov’s participation in
the compilation of the non-censored almanac Metropol in 1979 the
authorities banned publication of his works in the USSR. He was
also prohibited to leave the country. Nevertheless, his books were
published in Western Europe and the States. And it was only the start
of Perestroika in 1985 that made Bitov’s further publications in
homeland possible. The year 1986 saw the publication of his books
Georgian Album, Man in Landscape, and Articles from the Novel in
Russia. In 1987 Bitov wrote the novel Flying-Away Monakhov, which
made him the laureate of the National Award of the RF in 1992.

In 1992-1993 the Berlin Scientific Board ("Wisshenschafts Kolleg")
provided Bitov with conditions to work on his favorite theme.

Interestingly, such a privilege had been given only to two Russians
before Bitov: Alfred Shnitke and Otar Ioseliani. This resulted in
completing The Empire in Four Dimensionspublished in Russia in 1996.

The Empire… corresponds to the sequence of English-language
publications: Life in Windy Weather, Pushkin House, Captive of the
Caucasus, and The Monkey Link.

Bitov is also a poet: his two books of poetry are The Tree and On
Thursday after the Rain.

Andrei Bitov initiated the creation of the Russian Pen-Club, which
he has been the president of since 1991.

As for his spare time, the writer says that time often turns his
hobbies into professions. Love of cinema gave him the profession of
scriptwriter, love of books brought him to participation in designing
his own books, and love of music resulted in creation of the Pushkin
Jazz project, in which recital of Pushkin’s drafts is accompanied by
jazz improvisations.

In 1998-1999 the Pushkin Jazz toured in New York, Berlin, St.
Petersburg and Moscow.

Bitov’s dislike of monumental sculpture brought him to the idea of
mini-monumentalism (jointly with Revaz Gabriadze): some of the examples
are represented by such works as the monument to Chizhik-Pyzhik in
St.-Petersburg or to Hare in Mikhailovskoye, etc.

The very idea of uniting profession with hobby resulted in creation
of the informal association BaGaGe (Baggage) (Bitov, Akhmadullina,
Zhvanetsky, and others).

As Bitov has once said, all his life is "an entire journey that can
be no longer called a hobby".

Andrei Bitov lives in Moscow and St. Petersburg and teaches in
universities of Europe and the USA.

NGOS NOT READY YET TO MEET WITH GOV’T ON 301
Fulya Ozerkan

Turkish Daily News
Nov 22 2006

‘We’re keeping up with studies, and dialogue is in place despite a
partial lack of reconciliation among the NGOs,’ says Necdet Okcan,
a lawyer for DİSK

Representatives from leading trade unions and nongovernmental
organizations have no plans to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan as long as they remain divided over possible changes to a
controversial article of the penal code that the European Union says
restricts freedom of expression, said a lawyer for one of the NGOs
actively involved in studies to come up with concrete proposals on
the article in question.

"I don’t think that there will be a meeting [with Erdogan] without
reconciliation among the NGOs on how to change Article 301," Necdet
Okcan, lawyer for the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions
(DİSK), told the Turkish Daily News.

"We’re keeping up with studies, and dialogue is in place despite a
partial lack of reconciliation among the NGOs," he added. Okcan also
said a face-to-face meeting with the government was not the only
option, noting that they could submit proposals in written format
after reaching a compromise among themselves.

Turkey is under EU pressure to amend or scrap Article 301, which
has landed a string of intellectuals in court for denigrating Turkish
identity or "Turkishness" and some for comments on the alleged genocide
of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. In its key report
earlier this month, the EU’s executive arm, the commission, clearly
said it was necessary for Turkey to ensure freedom of expression
without delay "by repealing or amending Article 301."

In a move to bring its legislation in line with European standards,
the government has sought support from NGOs to that effect.

Erdogan has recently met with representatives from leading trade
unions and NGOs to hear their opinions on how to change Article 301.

NGOs are expected to introduce a set of proposals and arrangements
to the government in order to make the law more clear and hinder
any misinterpretation.

"Everyone should draw similar conclusions from laws. It’s not correct
to play with major laws such as those in the penal code; they should
have a sound basis," Okcan added.

DİSK, the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions
(Turk-İş), the Labor Confederation (Hak-İş), the
Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Unions (TİSK), the Turkish
Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), the Economic
Development Foundation (İKV), the Turkish Industrialists and
Businessmen’s Association (TUSİAD), the Turkish Agriculturalists’
Union, the Turkish Doctors’ Union (TTB) and the Turkish Television
Broadcasters’ Union are actively studying proposals for possible
changes to Article 301.

Press Council Chairman Oktay Ekşi, meanwhile, had earlier sent
a letter to Erdogan, listing in detail the council’s proposals for
amendments to the article.

======================WESTERN DIOCESE E-NEWSLETTER =========================

Bible Readings
————–
You Keep Him in Perfect Peace (Isaiah 25:9-26:7)
( readings.php?ID=1143)
Greeting (Philippians 1:1-11)
( dings.php?ID=1144)
Who Is the Greatest? (Luke 9:44-50)
( adings.php?ID=1145)

Diocesan News
—————–

PRIMATE DERDERIAN MEETS WITH LOS ANGELES MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA
Informs Mayor of Cathedral progress, and invites him to be Guest of
Honor at 80th Anniversary Banquet

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, and three representatives from
the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America paid an
official visit to the Honorable Mayor Antonio Villairagosa this
morning.
( s/story.php?id=238)

UPCOMING ORDINATIONS
Three Deacons, one sub-deacon, and two acolytes will be ordained in
the coming weeks

Beginning November 26 new ordinations will take place in several
Parishes of Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.
( ry.php?id=239)

15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian delivered closing remarks and
the Benediction at the Gala Banquet celebrating the 15th Anniversary
of the founding of the American University of Armenia.
( ry.php?id=237)

50TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET AND DANCE OF THE ARMENIAN SOCIETY OF LOS ANGELES

On Saturday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m. the Armenian Society of Los
Angeles (Iranian- Armenians) celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a
Banquet and Dance at the Brandview Collection in Glendale
( ry.php?id=240)

EXHIBITION OF ICONS FROM ST. CATHERINE MONASTERY OF SINAI

On Thursday, November 2nd, from 6 to 8 p.m. a pre-reception was held
at the Getty Museum for more than 50 icons which were brought from the
Monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai.
( .php?id=241)

VISITATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND ARMENIAN CHURCH OF ARIZONA

On Friday, November 3rd at 7:30 a.m. a lecture was organized,
dedicated to the `Prayer.’ The lecturer was delivered by Mashdots
Jobanian from the Western Diocese.
( ry.php?id=242)

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF VAGHARSHAG SAHAGIAN

On Sunday, November 5th at 7:00 p.m. a concert was held at the Alex
Theater in Glendale dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of Vagharshag
Sahagian, the father of Nune Avedissian and Hampartsoon Sahagian.
( ory.php?id=243)

VISIT OF ARGADY GHOUKASYAN, PRESIDENT OF KARABAGH
Primate and Diocesan Clergy Attend Banquet

The President of Karabagh, Mr. Argady Ghoukasyan, visited Los Angeles
on Monday, November 3rd at 4:00 p.m. at the Glendale Hilton Hotel for
a welcoming reception organized by the Armenia Fund.
( php?id=244)

VICAR GENERAL OF THE DIOCESE, FR. DAJAD YARDEMIAN RETURNS FROM MISSION IN ARMENIA

His Holiness Karekin II invited Fr. Dajad Yardemian to the Mother See
of Etchmiadzin to give lectures to the religious monks of Etchmiadzin
and Seminarians of both Theological Schools.
( ry.php?id=245)

DEMISE AND FUNERAL SERVICES FOR DEACON HAROUT MEKHJIAN

It is with deep sorrow that we informed our Parish Priests, Parish
Councils, Diocesan Delegates, all subordinate organizations, and the
entire Armenian faithful that Deacon Harout Mekhjian of St. Andrew
Armenian Church in Cupertino was the victim of a fatal motorcycle
accident.
(http://www.armenianchurchwd. com/news/story.php?id=246)

ASSOCIATION OF ARMENIAN CHURCH CHOIRS OF WESTERN DIOCESE HOLD FOURTH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

On November 11, 2006 at the Western Diocese, the Association of
Armenian Church Choirs of the Western Diocese, held their Fourth
Annual Assembly.
( ory.php?id=247)

ST. JOHN GARABED CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO CELEBRATES 29TH ANNIVERSARY

On November 12, 2006 His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian visited
the St. John Garabed Armenian Church of San Diego and was the
celebrant at Church Services on the occasion of its 29th Anniversary.
( /story.php?id=248)

AGBU IN ITS SECOND CENTURY Â` A CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM

Since the inception of the Armenian Church of Whittier for the past
three years, Deacon Vahe Charkhoudian, Parish Council Chairman, has
been rendering dedicated Service to the Armenian Church of Whittier
and its faithful.
( ory.php?id=251)

50TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET AND DANCE OF THE ARMENIAN SOCIETY OF LOS ANGELES

On Saturday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m. the Armenian Society of Los
Angeles (Iranian- Armenians) celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a
Banquet and Dance at the Brandview Collection in Glendale.
( ory.php?id=252)

PERFORMANCE OF LILIA DANCE GROUP

On October 29th, the Lilia Dance Group held a performance at the Alex
Theater in Glendale.
( ory.php?id=253)

Upcoming Events
—————–

11/24: ACYO Convention & General Assembly
( /detail.php?id=30)

============================
T he Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, providing
spiritual guidance and leadership to the Armenian Apostolic community,
is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of 47
churches in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as the
Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire United States
and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was formed to exclusivly serve
the western United States.

3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474 Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

REGIONAL COOPERATION MUST BE CONSIDERED AS MEANS FOR CREATING CONFIDENCE, ROBERT KOCHARIAN MENTIONS

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 17 2006

BERLIN, NOVEMBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia intends to develop the
effective cooperation with the European Commission and strengthen
bilateral ties with the European Union member countries. RA President
Robert Kocharian said about it during his November 16 speech in Berlin,
at the Bertelsmann Foundation. In his words, it will permit to secure
an intensive political dialogue, a bigger volume of trade, activization
of social and public mutual cooperation, greater involvement of mutual
safety. "We expect Germany’s assistance and cooperation within this
new framework," R.Kocharian said.

In the RA President’s words, Armenia’s entering the Council of Europe
5 years ago created basis for legislative reforms and foundation of
institutes. Membership to the World Trade Organization allowed to
have a quicker and more interested transition to liberal economy.

"Thinking about continuing the reforms, we consider the European
Neighbourhood Policy as a new standard. The Actions Plan recently
signed in Brussels, as we see it, is the new guideline of reforms,"
he said.

In the RA President’s words, Armenia has mainly formed its foreign
policy for years based on the idea of deriving benefit from combining
interests and not on speculation of disagreements existing in our
region. "It permitted us to combine wonderful relations with Russia,
the European Union, U.S. and Iran. It is also an important part
of transfiguring of our country and society. For dozens of years,
living in the Soviet Union, we have been tought to see the world as
black and white, enemy and friend," R.Kocharian said, adding that
the complementarity policy relates to our security model as well.

"Armenia is an active member of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization, and at the same time it fixed a considerable progress in
the NATO cooperation sphere. The Individual Partnership Actions Plan
was affirmed, laying down the foundation for long-term institutional
cooperation," he mentioned.

"Our vision of the future of Armenia is a prosperous country in
stable friendly surroundings," the RA President said. He mentioned
with pain that Armenia has no relations with two of its four direct
neighbours. We have kept good-neighbourly relations with Georgia
for centuries, and we hope that the tension started recently between
Russia and Georgia will be settled soon," the RA President said. At
the same time he estimated as active and stable Armenia’s cooperation
with Iran, mentioning that the two countries mutually cooperate in
many spheres and have started significant infrastructure programs.

In contrast to all these, R.Kocharian mentioned that our another
important neighbour, Turkey, keeps the border of Armenia close. "We
even have no diplomatic relations with that country. We think that
being a NATO member and having striving for membership to the European
Union, Turkey must carry out more positive policy in the region." In
the RA President’s words, Armenia proposed to establish diplomatic
relations many times, and that proposal is still in force.

"We believe that neighbouring countries must built their relations
without preconditions, and more, without conditioning them with third
country’s demands," he said.

In R.Kocharian’s words, Armenia attaches great importance to the
regional cooperation. "We believe that settlement of conflicts
must not be considered itself as a precondition for establishing a
dialogue and cooperation. On the contrary, the regional cooperation
must be considered as means for creating confidence which is aimed to
settlement of existing disagreements. It is obvious that unsettled
conflicts hinder from the process of normal development of South
Caucasus," the RA President emphasized in his speech.

ARMENIAN AMERICANS PLAYED VITAL ROLE IN NOVEMBER ELECTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 12:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We are tremendously proud of the vital and
energetic role that Armenian Americans played this election season –
a watershed transition of Congressional power that holds great meaning
for our community’s legislative agenda," ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"On the House side, we certainly welcome the fall from power of Dennis
Hastert – who, as Speaker, prevented a bipartisan majority of his
colleagues from voting for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide –
and his expected replacement by Nancy Pelosi, who has a strong record
in support of Armenian American issues. On the Senate side, even as
we await the final outcome, we are very gratified by the victory in
New Jersey of Senator Bob Menendez – our top electoral priority this
election season. Inspired by his principled stand against the Hoagland
nomination, Armenian Americans throughout the Garden State – led by
the ANC of New Jersey – truly came through for the Menendez campaign,
delivering volunteers, campaign contributions, and, most importantly,
tens of thousands of votes in support of his electoral victory,"
added Hamparian.

NATO SEES NO IMPACT FROM TURK-FRENCH MILITARY FREEZE

Reuters, UK
Nov 16 2006

BRUSSELS, Nov 16 (Reuters) – Turkey has assured NATO its move to
freeze military ties with France in a growing diplomatic row will
have no impact on alliance operations, a spokesman for the Western
defence organisation said on Thursday.

The two NATO allies work side-by-side in the Afghan capital Kabul as
part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF),
which is battling a fierce Taliban insurgency in a mission NATO says
is vital to its credibility.

General Ilker Basbug, head of Turkish land forces, said on Wednesday
that Ankara was suspending military ties with Paris in protest at the
French parliament’s support for a bill making it a crime to deny that
Armenians suffered genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

"Our initial understanding is that the Turkish decision will not affect
NATO. It (the freeze) is focused on bilateral military activities,
not NATO operations," NATO spokesman James Appathurai said.

He said that assessment was based on statements by the Turkish
delegation at NATO and ISAF officials.

The French National Assembly voted last month in favour of the Armenian
bill, triggering threats of a trade boycott in Turkey, which strongly
rejects the claims that Ottoman Turks committed genocide against
Armenians during World War One.

While the French bill is unlikely to make it into law because it
is opposed by President Jacques Chirac, many Turks see it as further
proof that opponents of its bid to join the European Union are gaining
the upper hand.

French defence firms view NATO member Turkey, which has a fast-growing
economy, as a lucrative market for their hardware.

ARF WERE PARTY OF WORD, THE LAW WOULD NOT BE ADOPTED

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 15 2006

The odissey of the bill on expropriation that set out in summer
ended, and on November 15 the parliament majority gave 67 votes for
the bill. Three members of parliament from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
abstained, the opposition did not vote. If the ARF Dashnaktsutiun
remained faithful to its statement and did not vote, the bill would
not be adopted because there would be less then 66 votes. From
the majority only Speaker Tigran Torosyan came off clear. After
cancelling the voting to the bill yesterday he has gone away today,
and the meeting was chaired by Vahan Hovanisyan, who was one of the
members of the ARFD who voted.

In order to adopt this bill the Republicans had declared
"mobilization". There were members of parliament who come to the
National Assembly once a year. Member of Parliament Samvel Alexanyan
entered the hall of the parliament after the voting. You are late,
several members of parliament said. One could notice the Republican
members of parlaiment first enter the office of the faction under
the surveillance of the leader of the faction Galust Sahakyan before
entering the hall. Therefore, it was natural that the people gathered
near the National Assembly swore at him more than at the others.

Unlike the previous days, this time the policemen did not allow the
victims of public needs to go near the gate of the National Assembly.

Then the policemen yielded, however. The demonstrators remembered
how "Galust had robbed the school". Then they remembered and shared
information about the son of which member of parliament had broken
the law and got away with it.