Author: Hambardsumian Paul

Court to look into possible crime in senator’s actions June 30

ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 22, 2006 Thursday 04:48 PM EST

MOSCOW, June 23 — Russia’s Supreme Court postponed, until June 30, the
deliberation of the issue of whether there were hallmarks of crime in
actions by Federation Council senator from Kalmykia Levon Chakhmachian.

The session was postponed because Chakhmachian is now in hospital,
the senator’s lawyer told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

The previous session was postponed for the same reason.

On June 6, acting Prosecutor General Biryukov asked the Supreme Court
to give a qualification of Chakhmachian’s actions which may be covered
by Part 4 of Article 159 of Russia’s Criminal Code /fraud committed
by an organized group or grand fraud/.

Chief accountant of the Association of Russo-Armenian business
cooperation Igor Arushanov and assistant auditor of the Audit Chamber
Armen Oganesyan were detained in Moscow on June 2 on suspicion of
taking a large bribe.

According to investigators, they demanded 1.5 million dollars from
a businessman for taking out negative information from an audit report.

Levon Chakhmachian happened to be in their office when detectives
seized 300,000 of marked dollar bills.

However, as a FC member, he enjoys immunity, so no procedures were
instituted against him. Arushanov and Oganesyan were arrested.

In accordance with the Criminal Code, judges will meet behind closed
doors to consider the Chakhmachian issue. A prosecutor and the
senator’s lawyer will attend.

Meanwhile, Kalmykia’s parliament decided on June 9 to recall its
representative from the Federation Council. The upper house is expected
to decide on termination of his powers at the next meeting on June 23.

Chakhmakhchian was elected senator of the Federation Council from
Kalmykia in 2004. He occupied the post of Deputy Chairman of the
Committee for problems of local governments.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS BEGINS PONTIFICAL VISIT TO ARMENIAN
PATRIARCHATE AND ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the evening
of June 22, having concluded the Fraternal Visit to the Ecumenical
Patriarchate and His All Holiness Bartholomew I, the Catholicos
of All Armenians officially began the Pontifical Visit to the
Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian community of Istanbul. His
Holiness and the pontifical entourage visited the Mother Cathedral of
St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) in Kumkapi, Istanbul, and were
greeted by a "Hrashapar" service welcoming the Pontiff. In attendance
were high-ranking clergy of the Armenian Patriarchate, representatives
of Sister Churches, Mr. Karen Mirzoyan (Representative of the
Republic of Armenia in Turkey), and countless Armenian faithful,
many who had come to see the Catholicos of All Armenians for the
first time. According to the information system of Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, following the traditional service of greeting a hierarch,
His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople, warmly greeted the Catholicos of All Armenians and
welcomed him to Istanbul on behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate, the
clergy and faithful. His Beatitude then invited His Holiness to offer
his words of blessing to the assembled. His Holiness addressed his
message of blessing and love, stating in part, "…We are with you
now with our prayers of thanksgiving and praise. At this historic
and emotional moment, we turn our gaze to heaven with the prayer
of our holy forefathers: ‘King of Peace, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
keep and protect Your people under Your holy and revered Cross in
peace’. "This cherished prayer has resounded throughout the halls of
this sanctuary for centuries as well. It has been uttered from the lips
of many courageous and glorious clergymen, who became martyrs of the
faith; the good shepherds who devoted their lives to God for the flock
entrusted to them, and with the life-giving light of faith, led them to
creativity, loyalty and fidelity. Five Patriarchs of Constantinople,
by the will of God and the nation, were called to become Catholicos
of All Armenians – the first servant of our Holy Church. Only after
kneeling down before this Holy Altar and asking for the intercession
of the Holy Mother of God on behalf of the Armenian nation, did they
depart to sit on the Throne of the Illuminator. In difficult times,
our luminous and brave-hearted Pontiffs protected our people and
kept them gathered around Holy Etchmiadzin with the hope and belief
in salvation. And now from the Throne of the Illuminator – the holy
cradle of our faith – Holy Etchmiadzin, we have come to see you, our
dearly beloved sons and daughters, to extend our blessings and love
to you all. We have come so that Pontiff and flock can be united once
again with the same oath of our holy fathers, and unite our prayers to
their appeals for the peace of mankind and for keeping all Armenians
dispersed throughout the world reinforced in faith and unified. "…For
six hundred years, the churches of the Armenian Patriarchate kept
the belief in Christ and hope of salvation alive and vibrant in the
souls of our people. For six hundred years, our mother tongue was
proclaimed undefiled in our schools, where our national traditions
transformed into the spirit of our people. Connected with the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople are the brightest achievements of
our culture – in literature, art, music and architecture… "It
is with these emotions that we have come to visit you, to see our
ancient, incense-filled churches, which remain vibrant through your
presence. We came to see our educational and cultural institutions,
which continue to remain alight through your vigilant efforts. We came
to bless your lives, to encourage your devoted spirits, your resolute
will and selfless allegiance, through which you are firmly standing
on the foundation-stone established by Saint Gregory our Illuminator,
keeping the light of Holy Etchmiadzin sparkling in your souls, which
has always shined and glowed in the monasteries and churches of the
Patriarchate. "We have brought the boundless yearning and love of the
Mother See of All Armenians to you, dear faithful, and greetings from
your brothers and sisters in Armenia, Artsakh and the Dispersion,
who are always with you in their warmest of prayers. We have also
brought the optimism of the reborn new life of our homeland, and our
people’s hopes for strengthening our unified spiritual and cultural
life. Our Church is strong and alive with all of her children, and
steadfast in the path of her mission, which is the same yesterday,
today and always – to lead the small flock of the Armenians toward
the life-giving and saving light of faith, toward God Who makes peace
and creates beneficence. Let us stay loyal to the Holy Gospel of our
Lord, loyal to our Holy Church, and loyal to our inherited appeal for
peace." In his remarks, His Holiness also offered prayers to heaven,
asking for God to grant rest to the souls of the Armenian Patriarchs
of Constantinople of blessed memory, as well as long years of health
and fruitful reign to His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian. At
the conclusion of the service, the special Pontifical Encyclical of
the Catholicos of All Armenians was read, wherein His Grace Bishop
Aram Ateshian, a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and
the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, was elevated to the
rank of "Archbishop" by His Holiness Karekin II. Archbishop Ateshian
was commended by the Pontiff of All Armenians for his devotion and
efforts as Chairman of the Religious Council and Sacristan of the
Armenian Patriarchate.

NEXT ECHELON WITH RUSSIAN MATERIAL TO LEAVE FOR ARMENIA FROM AJARIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next, fifth echelon with Russian materiel,
owned by 12th Russian military base in Batumi, left Ajaria Thursday
night. The echelon heading for Armenian city of Gyumri is composed
of 18 cars. AMZ-53 automatic machine for pumping oil, MNUG-20 and
MPG-20 machines for pumping fuel, as well as two units of MNUG-14
device for pumping oil, two units of device for pumping oil ZSZh,
17 units of KP-12530 field-kitchens and 24 units of 15- and 4-ton
water containers are in the cars, reports RIA Novosti.

The withdrawal of Russian military bases and equipment takes place
within the agreements between representatives of the Defense Ministries
of Georgia and Russia, concluded in Sochi March 31 this year.

UKRAINE READY TO PROMOTE THE SETLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

ArmRadio.am
20.06.2006 11:43

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko had a meeting with the Foreign
Minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan in the framework of the latter’s
official visit to Ukraine.

Viktor Yushchenko and Vardan Oskanyan discussed a broad circle of
issues of bilateral cooperation and expressed in favor of development
of Armenian-Ukrainian relations. The President underlined that Ukraine
is looking ahead to RA President Robert Kocharyan’s visit. In his
turn Vardan Oskanyan noted that historically there have been good
relations between the two peoples and emphasized the existence of a
broad legal field between the two states.

During the meeting special attention was paid to the maintenance
security and stability in the South Caucasian region, particularly the
prospects of settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Viktor Yushchenko
underlined that Ukraine stands for the peaceful settlement of
the conflict and is ready to suggest its territory for holding
negotiations.

AWARD JEWELLER SHINES
By Dion Teasdale

Upper Yarra Mail, Australia
June 20 2006

A HEALESVILLE jeweller has been honoured with the Healesville Rotary
Club’s annual Pride of Workmanship Award.

Harout Nenejian, a jewellery manufacturer at Healesville Jewellers,
was presented with the award late last month.

The award recognises the commitment, hard work and pride of an
outstanding individual employee working in the local community.

Mr Nenejian, an Armenian who was born in Syria, came to Australia seven
years ago and has been working in Healesville for the past two years.

He was nominated for the Pride of Workmanship award by his employer,
Sally Browne, who said she was very proud of Mr Nenejian’s work
and attitude.

"Harout is an ambassador for our business, but he is also a role
model in the wider community," she said.

"He is a very skilled employee, but he is also very polite and eager
and he takes great pride in his work and in being a part of the
local community."

Mr Nenejian said he was very surprised to be nominated for the award
and was overwhelmed when it was announced he had won it.

"When they read out my name my jaw dropped, but it is such a good
thing. It is an honour to be recognised in this way," he said.

Mr Nenejian said taking pride in his work was very important to him
and something he learned from his father.

"My father is a jeweller back in Syria and I grew up learning from
him. I learned that it is important to treat your customers like they
are members of your family," he said.

"Making jewellery is my life. It runs in my blood and I love working
in Healesville and working with the people here.

"There is a great community feeling in the town. People are very
welcoming and friendly.

"I feel like I am part of one big happy family and it is easy to take
pride in what I do," he said.

Healesville Rotary Club’s vocational director, Rod Thom, said the
club was very impressed with Mr Nenejian’s participation in the
local community.

"The Pride of Workmanship Award acknowledges an employee who displays
outstanding qualities in all aspects of work performance and Harout
is a very deserving recipient," he said.

"He is a person who takes great pride in what he does and how he goes
about it and that is definitely worth recognising and celebrating."

PRESS RELEASE

"Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund, Toronto
5005 Steeles Avenue East, Suite 208,
Toronto, Ontario, M1V 5K1, Canada
Contact : Migirdic Migirdicyan
Tel: (416) 332 0787
Fax: (416) 332 0736
e-mail : [email protected]

Toronto, Hayastan All-Armenian Fund banquet with Baroness Cox a huge
success.

$300,000 raised to build yet another school in Karabagh.

June 13, 2006 Toronto, ON – On Sunday, June 11, Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund had its annual banquet at the AGBU Manookian Hall, at a capacity
audience. This year’s Guest of Honour was Baroness Caroline Cox, the
Deputy Speaker of the British House of Lords and a great humanitarian,
who is a true friend of Karabagh and its people. The Master of
Ceremonies of the evening was Vahan Kololian, who ran the proceedings
in an impeccable manner. The program started with the national
anthems of Canada, UK, Armenia and Karabagh interpreted by baritone
Garo Nishanian and accomplished pianist Raffi Bedrosyan. The first key
item of the evening was the Letter of Greetings from the Prime Minister
of Canada, Right Honourable Stephen Harper. The letter was presented
and read by Hon. Jason Kenney, the Parliamentary Secretary to the
Prime Minister. After that Ara Boyajian, the treasurer of the Fund’s
Toronto Chapter, gave a detailed presentation of all the projects of
the Fund since its inception. Then, a congratulatory letter from the
NKR Washington, DC, office representative Vardan Parseghian was read.

The highpoint of the evening had arrived. Migirdic Migirdicyan,
the local chairman of the Fund, introduced the key-note speaker
Baroness Caroline Cox who gave a superb presentation, accompanied by
slides, of her experiences in Karabagh during and after its struggle
of independence. The speech was interrupted by several standing
ovations. Inspired by the Baroness’ presentation several patrons
increased their pledges. Thereby, as soon as the construction of the
school in Madaghis finishes, a new school will be built for another
village with the same architectural plan. This school will be named
after Baroness Cox. A total of $300,000 was raised.

At the end of this intellectually and emotionally charged evening, in
appreciation of all of her tireless work for the people of Karabagh,
the Toronto Chapter of the Fund presented Baroness Cox with a life-size
portrait of herself, painted by internationally acclaimed painter
Robert Amirault.

The evening ended with the prayers and the closing remarks of Bishop
Bagrat Galstanian, the Primate of the Canadian Diocese.

For additional information or a sample copy, please contact:

"Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund, Toronto
5005 Steeles Avenue East, Suite 208,
Toronto, Ontario, M1V 5K1, Canada
Contact : Migirdic Migirdicyan
Tel: (416) 332 0787
Fax: (416) 332 0736
e-mail : [email protected]

Hayastan Foundation Canada Inc. – "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund is a
charitable organization, realizing humanitarian projects in Armenia
and Artsakh. During the last thirteen years, it has undertaken and
successfully completed numerous winter heating, water distribution,
gasification and school construction projects.

Ani, a disputed city

Haunted by history

Jun 15th 2006 | ANI
> > From The Economist print edition

The ruins of a contested capital are still hostage to geopolitics

WHATEVER you think about ghosts, it is hard to speak of this desolate
plateau on Turkey’s eastern edge without using the word "haunted". A
millennium ago, Ani rivalled Byzantium as one of the great cities
of the Christian world. At its height, the Armenian capital had
over 100,000 inhabitants. Now all that stands is an impressive wall,
and the gaunt but beautiful remains of churches and mosques randomly
scattered across a vast expanse of grassy earth. On a hot day in early
summer, with flowers blooming and birds swooping through the ruins,
the place is utterly empty.

Ani’s location at one of Eurasia’s nodal points, where rival
civilisations either clash or co-operate, has been both a blessing and
a curse. The "silk route" linking Byzantium with China ran through
it. But less than a century after it became the Armenian capital in
961, the city began falling victim to waves of conquerors, including
Seljuk Turks, Georgians and Mongols. In 1319 it was devastated by
an earthquake.

Even as a ruin, Ani has been a disputed city. In 1921 when most
of the site was ceded to Turkey, the Armenians were dismayed. They
have since accused the Turks of neglecting the place in a spirit of
chauvinism. The Turks retort that Ani’s remains have been shaken by
blasts from a quarry on the Armenian side of the border.

Turkey’s authorities insist that they are doing their best to conserve
and develop the site. "By restoring Ani, we’ll make a contribution
to humanity," says Mehmet Ufuk Erden, the local governor. "We will
start with one church and one mosque, and over time we will include
every single monument." The culture ministry has listed Ani, with
an Armenian church on an island in Lake Van, among the sites it is
keenest to conserve. For a country that was reluctant, until recently,
to accept the cultural heritage of non-Turks, this is a big change.

But some scholars say more is needed. "Piecemeal restoration is no
substitute for a master plan for Ani as a whole," argues Stefaan
Poortman of the Global Heritage Fund, a California-based conservation
group that helps to manage endangered historic sites. And making
a master plan for a site straddling two countries is impossible
unless they co-operate. Could it happen? In September, some 14 Black
Sea countries hope to meet in Istanbul to dicuss their cultural
heritage. So Turks and Armenians will get a chance to talk about Ani,
if history’s ghosts can be exorcised

ARMENIA TO BECOME MEASLES FREE BY 2010

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS: Some 200,000 children in Armenia have
been inoculated against nine infectious disease since 2002-such as
hepatitis B, diphtheria, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis and others as part
of Armenian Children Millennium Inoculation Program, funded by the
World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and some other international
donor organizations.

Among other former Soviet republics Armenian boasts the highest rate
of inoculated children. In 2002 WHO declared Armenia ‘a poliomyelitis
free country."

Sheldon Yet, head of UNICEF Armenia office, unveiled at a news
conference today in Yerevan a program of measles immunization that
will be launched in 2007.

The objective is to eliminate this disease by 2010.

Armenian Children Millennium Inoculation Program will release
$200,000 for purchase of vaccines. The UNICEF plans also a study
to find out the embracement level. Sirak Sukiasian, coordinator of
the immunization program, said recent cases of measles were reported
among grown ups who were not inoculated against the diseases. He said
no child vaccinated since 2002 was reported with measles.

WAGING PEACE: ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAYS
Matt Horton

Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, DC
June 13 2006

Elenora Giddings Ivory, director of the Washington, DC office of the
Presbyterian Church USA (Staff Photo M. Horton).

THOUSANDS OF FAITH-based activists from around the country gathered in
Crystal City, Virginia from March 10 to 13 to discuss and lobby for
social justice. The Saturday conference program featured in-depth
discussion in area- and issue-specific tracks, including Africa,
Asia Pacific, Eco-Justice, Global Security and the Nuclear Weapons
Danger, Jubilee/Economic Justice, Latin America, USA/Domestic and
the Middle East.

The Middle East track, coordinated by Churches for Middle East Peace
(CMEP), featured 10 panel discussions, including "Israeli Political
Culture and Dynamics"; "Jerusalem-Core of the Conflict and Key to
Peace"; "Palestinian Political and Cultural Dynamics"; "Iraq: What
do the Warriors Think?"; "Reconstruction: The Key to True Security";
"In Search of the Rule of Law in Iraq"; and "Iraqis Speak."

"What’s Really Going on in Iraq" featured Iraq-born Washington, DC
businessman and political activist Andy Shallal and Chris Toensing,
executive director of the Middle East Research and Information Project
(MERIP), who gave what panel moderator Simone Campbell, national
coordinator of NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby,
described as "candid and disturbing accounts" of life in Iraq.

"Educating Local Congregations About Bethlehem and the Wall" featured
Charles Lutz, CMEP’s Grassroots Advocacy Project Director in Minnesota,
co-author of Christians and a Land Called Holy, and a participant
in the International Solidarity Movement’s 2002 Olive Harvest
Campaign. Peter Nagle, founder of the Friends of Bethlehem ministry,
screened his film, "Sacred Space Denied: Bethlehem and the Wall."

"Hopes and Fears of Middle East Christians" featured Bishop Vicken
Aykazian, representative of the Armenian Orthodox Church on the CMEP
board and president-elect of the National Council of Churches. "There
will never be peace in the Middle East unless there is a solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Bishop Aykazian said. "That
conflict is the root of every problem."

Painting a bleak future for Christians in Palestine, the bishop noted
that "in 1926, 56 percent of the population [in historic Palestine]
were Christians, now it’s less than 3 percent." Christian Palestinians
have traditionally had greater options for immigration to the West,
he explained, and because of this, "you cannot stop [Christian
immigration] unless you give them freedom and the guarantee of a
safe life."

This situation, he warned, is also bad for Christians throughout the
Arab world, including in Iraq. Bishop Aykazian recalled that, at the
recent World Council of Churches summit in Porto Alegre, Brazil, the
Iraqi delegation challenged the American delegation on the occupation,
stating, "Our life is like hell. What have you done to us?"

Regarding the historic Armenian populations in the Arab world and
refugees from the 1915 Armenian Genocide who found asylum in Arab
Muslim countries, "where they felt at home," the bishop cited similar
drastically decreasing numbers. "In 1967, there were 45,000 Armenians
in Palestine," he said. "Now we have fewer than 3,000. We had 50,000
in Iraq. Today I don’t think we have more than 5,000."

In between the day’s tracked portions, denominations met together
for lunch. The Presbyterian lunch was coordinated by Elenora
Giddings Ivory, Catherine Gordon, and Carolynn B. Race of the
Washington office. Rev. Jean Marie Peacock, vice moderator of the
216th Presbyterian General Assembly and pastor of the Lake View
Presbyterian Church in Louisiana, told her lunchtime audience about
the ongoing struggle to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Rev. Carol
Wickersham of Beloit, Wisconsin spoke about No To Torture, a group
formed following the Abu Ghraib abuses, and likened the social justice
commitment of the PCUSA to Daniel fighting the many-headed dragon. "All
the people in this room are engaged in the same struggle," she said,
"whether we are fighting one head or another."

The Program continued Sunday, training participants to lobby their
elected representatives, with Monday spent on Capitol Hill.

For more information about Ecumenical Advocacy Days, visit their Web
site, <;, or call conference coordinator Michael
Neuroth at (202) 230-2276. For more information about Churches for
Middle East Peace, visit <;.

es/May-June_2006/0605060.html

AIR HOSTESS WHO ONCE ACCOMPANIED JOHN PAUL II WAS AMONG THOSE DIED IN AIR CATASTROPHE NEAR SOCHI

Interfax-Religion, Russia
June 13 2006

Moscow, June 13, Interfax – Marina Asratian who died in the A-320
wreck near Sochi was an air hostess of the Pope of Rome John Paul II.

Five years before the tragedy she accompanied the Pope on his mission
to Armenia as a senior air hostess, Zhizn newspaper wrote on Tuesday.

The head of the Vatican expressed his wish to have a photo with
Marina taken.

He called her his guardian and an angel of heaven, the newspaper wrote.