Author: Hambardsumian Paul

OSKANIAN: RUSSIA SHOULD TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT XENOPHOBIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.07.2006 16:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During bilateral meetings Armenia always raises the
issue of murders and appliance of violence against Armenians in Russia,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated at a press conference
in Yerevan. In his words, the Russian side also voices concern over
the incidents. "The Russian authorities should take serious measures
to prevent violence and xenophobia, otherwise this can become a threat
for the country. For our part we will continue to pay rapt attention
to the cases of appliance of violence against Armenians in Russia,"
the Armenian FM said.

SUSPECT DETAINED IN MOSCOW ATTACK ON TWO ARMENIANS

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 3 2006

MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti) – Police in Moscow said Monday they
had detained a suspect in connection with the stabbing of two ethnic
Armenians at a subway station in the Russian capital.

Sergei Marchenko, a representative of the Moscow prosecutor’s office,
said the Saturday afternoon attack on the two men, aged 23 and 26,
was "a result of a conflict with a group of 17- and 18-year-olds."

Police said they had taken a resident of central Russia into custody
in connection with the assault. "The detained 24-year-old resident
of Lipetsk is suspected of attacking two Armenians," a spokesman said.

"The suspect was on the wanted list already."

The spokesman said police was checking another group of people
suspected of involvement in the attack.

"Investigators know their names and other details," he said.

Marchenko said the Moscow subway prosecutors had agreed to launch an
inquiry into hooliganism, a charge often brought against suspects in
assaults and similar incidents.

It is still unclear whether the incident was another attack in a
series of race-hate crimes that have recently rocked the country.

The city of Voronezh in central Russia has seen at least seven
apparently racially motivated killings of non-white foreigners over
the past six years, including the murder of a Peruvian student last
October.

St. Petersburg has been suffering from negative publicity over alleged
neo-Nazi attacks and murders, including the killing of a student from
Senegal in April and the stabbing of a nine-year-old girl of mixed
Russian-African origin in early 2006.

In an effort to combat these extremist and xenophobic trends, Russia
set up a nationwide public movement, Our Russia, in late June. The
movement comprises politicians, entrepreneurs, figures from the arts
world and human rights activists, who will work closely with all of
Russia’s religious and cultural communities.

ANELIK BANK AND CZECH AIRLINES JOINTLY ISSUE MASTERCARD PLASTIC CARDS

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The issue of joint MasterCard Standard
and MasterCard Cold plastic cards by Anelik Bank (Armenia) and Czech
Airlines is of current importance in terms of improving the level of
financial mediation by Armenian banks. Chairman of the Central Bank of
Armenia (CBA) Tigran Sargsian stated this at the event to mark the
issue of these cards on June 29. According to him, the CBA welcomes
any international cooperation that creates greater opportunities for
banking service users in Armenia.

Chairman of Anelik Bank’s Board Samvel Chzmachain said that dram,
dollar and euro accounts will be serviced by the cards issued jointly
with Czech Airlines. The holders of these cards will have an
opportunity to make use of services provided by the bank and the
airline at certain discounts.

In his words, Anelik Bank has already issued over 10 thousand plastic
cards. It is expected that their number will reach 14-15 thousand by
late 2006. The bank istalled 11 cash dispensers in Armenia, mainly in
Yerevan, and intends to install another 7-8 by the end of this
year. It is also envisaged to increase the number of POS terminals in
shops and service facilities from current 200 to 250.

Hubert Pikl, Czech Airlines’ Managing and Commercial Director, noted
that issuing joint cards will be conducive to a growth in passenger
turnover between Yerevan and Prague. In 2004, this index made 7
thousand, while in 2005 it increased to 16 thousand passengers.

It is noteworthy that it was the second case in Armenia when a local
bank issued plastic cards jointly with a foreign airline.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FM GRUSHKO TOUCHES ON NK CONFLICT AT PACE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 29 2006

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, chair of the Council of Europe
Committee of Ministers addressed the plenary meeting of the Council
of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) today.

APA’s Europe bureau reports Mr.Grushko responded to the questions asked
by parliamentarians. Azerbaijani parliamentarians Aydin Mirzazadeh,
Rafael Huseynov and Ganira Pashayeva addressed him some questions
regarding the Nagorno Garabagh conflict. Mr.Grushko tried to make
common answers to the questions and said Russia’s presidency of the
Committee of Ministers will have a positive impact on the resolution
of the conflict.

"The OSCE Minsk Group remains as main mediator regarding this issue.

First of all, Azerbaijan and Armenia should come to an agreement on
resolution. The Minsk Group is making all efforts to promote to find
a suitable compromise. The parties could not agree on mainly two or
three principles in the negotiations. We welcome the regular meetings
of the heads of state for the resolution of the conflict. Despite
lack of improvement in the negotiations, it is good that none of the
parties step back from the peaceful settlement process," the deputy
foreign minister said.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

June 29, 2006
___________________

SPREADING THE GOSPEL TO OUR YOUNG FAITHFUL

On June 21, 2006, Angela Costello, director of animation and creative
services for the Virginia-based Christian Broadcast Network (CBN), visited
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).

She met with Elise Antreassian, coordinator of Christian education, to
discuss the recent gift by CBN of 800 Christian children’s videos to the
Diocese. The two also spoke about ways to coordinate and cooperate on
upcoming projects to spread Christ’s teachings to young children.

"We’re looking for new and innovative ways to reach children with the
Gospel," Costello said, noting that CBN is looking to create programming for
iPods and cell phones. "Not just to present the Gospel, but we want to do
it in a creative and imaginative way. We want children to be entertained as
they begin to understand the real mission and purpose of these programs:
That Jesus loves them."

The CBN videos were distributed to the Eastern Diocese and other Armenian
Church organizations throughout North America. They are cartoons depicting
Bible stories along with other films exploring Christian themes such as
courage and love.

Antreassian said the videos would be used by the Diocese in its Sunday
School programs. Mission parishes will also be sent some of the videos for
use in their educational efforts.

"These are wonderful ways to bring the Bible to life for today’s children,
who grew up on television and the Internet," Antreassian said. "We’re
grateful to have a partner such as CBN to help us with our Christian
education mission."

Part of the discussion at the Diocesan Center in New York City revolved
around ways CBN and the Armenian Church could work together.

"My big goal is to create effective partnerships," Costello said.
"Scripture reminds us that every child should hear the Gospel message. And
partnerships are necessary to accomplish that goal."

She said organizations like the Diocese have a connection to people and CBN
can provide resources that otherwise wouldn’t be available.

"Partnerships help us all reach people we might not otherwise reach,"
Costello said. "We’re glad to be able to provide you with resources you can
use to help people learn about the gospel."

The partnership can grow in the future, including things such as the Diocese
undertaking an effort to translate CBN videos into Armenian, or new CBN
videos on the specific stories of Armenian Christianity, such as how Armenia
became the first Christian nation.

"We look forward to working with CBN and joining our skills, resources, and
passions to spread a love and appreciation of our Lord," Antreassian said.

— 6/29/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Elise Antreassian, coordinator of Christian education for
the Eastern Diocese, (left) meets with Angela Costello, director of
animation and creative services for the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN),
at the Diocesan Center in New York City on June 21, 2006.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER SAYS ARMENIA SHOULD PRESS FOR MAINTENANCE OF KARABAKH CURRENT STATUS QUO

Armenpress
Jun 28 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, ARMENPRESS: Aram Sarkisian, a parliament member
from the opposition Ardarutyun (Justice) alliance and also head of
a minor Democratic Party, argued today that Armenia must press for
maintenance of the current status quo of Nagorno-Karabakh, because
any other option would lead to further deterioration of the situation.

Speaking to a news conference today Aram Sarkisian said judging from
what was revealed lately by the US cochairman in the OSCE Minsk group,
Mathew Bryza, the only acceptable option for Armenia is holding of
a referendum on Karabakh status, but he added that the people of
Karabakh had already held referendum back in early 1990s.

He said however, Azerbaijan has also expressed its position on it
saying that the referendum can be held only in line with requirements
of its constitution, which means holding referendum in entire
Azerbaijan.

Sarkisian said Nagorno-Karabakh will never agree to it.

He then argued that the USA wants a soonest resolution of the conflict
as it wants to deploy NATO peace-keeping troops in the zone, which
he said would result not only in shattered balance of regional forces
but also in spoiled Iran-Armenia relations.

ARMAN BABAJANYAN WILL BE IN CUSTODY FOR TWO MONTHS

A1+
[09:06 pm] 27 June, 2006

Today the Court of First Instance of Kentron Nork-Marash communities
decided to keep Armen Babajanyan, editor-in-chief of "Zhamanak
Yerevan" newspaper in custody as a prevention means. Judge Gajane
Karakhanyan refused advocate Robert Grigoryan’s mediation to use pawn
as prevention means.

The judge didn’t find the advocates’ arguments that Babajanyan
confessed and regretted for his action and his promises that he
doesn’t avoid and won’t hamper the implementation of the preliminary
investigation convincing. She supported the Prosecuracy’s mediation
and sentenced Arman Babajanyan to two months imprisonment.

Advocate Robert Grigoryan informed "A1+" that he will turn to the Court
of Appeal within 10 days as the Court of First Instance didn’t have
enough grounds to refuse their mediation. And in case there mediation
is rejected their either they will qualify it as a political approach.

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 24/06/2006

Karabakh issue

VARTAN OSKANIAN: TO SUGGEST AUTONOMY TO NAGORNO
KARABAKH IS SELF-DECEPTION

Armenia has supported and still supports all the international measures
directed to aversion and condemnation of genocides, ethnic purges
of people in their historical lands and the attempts to deny these
events. Vartan Oskanian, RA Foreign Minister, said this in the course
of the sitting of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, on June 21.

In his speech, Oskanian touched upon the destruction of 2000 Middle
Aged Armenian cross stones in Nor Jugha, Nakhijevan, when the Armenians
had nothing to do but to watch how the Azeris were destroying their
cultural and spiritual heritage. Oskanian stated that this brutal
attitude to the Armenian spirit and culture lasts for already centuries
and is very cynical and dangerous. "2000 marvelous medieval cross
stones were totally destroyed few months ago," he said. Mr. Oskanian
stated that the Armenians and the international community are quite
concerned that the intentions of the Azeri authorities to settle
the peace are not serious. He emphasized that the cross stones
were destroyed in a place where not a single Armenian lives at
present. Mr. Oskanian said that this factor testifies to the real
intentions and methods of Azerbaijan. He stated that such a brutal
annihilation of a nation’s culture and history leads to mistrust and
loss of peace.

As for the current stage of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
process, he said that Azerbaijan’s approach "one step forward, one step
back" applied in the negotiations was concerning, while the suggestion
of autonomy to NKR testify to Azerbaijan’s retreat and decline from the
essence of the negotiations and from the international trends. "It’s
a mere self-deception to suggest autonomy to people who manage their
life in their own historical land for about two decades already,"
Mr. Oskanian said.

Anyway, Mr. Oskanian expressed hope that the negotiations will be
held in the direction that will lead to long lasting peace for all
sides in conflict.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

ARMENIAN SAILORS SCORE IN ANOTHER VICTORY
By Tamar Minasian

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 24/06/2006

Moushegh Barseghian and Vahagn Matevosian, sailors of "Cilicia" sailing
vessel, were awarded with "steersman of long lasting expedition"
title. Zori Balayan, writer and member of the crew, informed that
the young sailors passed quite a difficult exam at one of the German
ports and received the abovementioned certificate. The sailors of
"Cilicia" celebrated the victory by drinking toast of Artsakh vodka.

Athens News Agency, Greece
June 23 2006

Protest demonstrations in Halki against the Armenian Patriarch
ISTANBUL 6/23/2006 (ANA-MPA/A.Kourkoulas)

The protest demonstrations held upon the arrival of Catholicos and
Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians Karekin II in Istanbul, Turkey on
June 20 were repeated in Halki at the Prince’s Islands, off the coasts
of Istanbul, where he visited the closed Halki Seminary on Thursday
as the guest of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The Ecumenical
Patriarch is the host of Patriarch Karekin II and Constantinople
Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Mesrop who are
also scheduled to visit the Armenian summer camps at the Prince’s
Islands on board the patriarchal yacht "Halki".

Increased security measures went into effect around the yacht which
was escorted by two Turkish Coastguard speedboats after information
that nationalists had gathered to protest against the visit.

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II is on a formal pastoral
visit to Istanbul at the joint invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew and Constantinople Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic
Church Archbishop Mesrop.