Author: Harutyunian Christine

NBC4.TV, CA
Nov 12 2004

Fugitive Wanted For Road Rage Slaying In Custody

Man Arrested In Armenia

LOS ANGELES — Authorities say that a fugitive wanted for allegedly
running down a man in a road-rage slaying in Universal City, Calif.,
in 2000 is in custody in downtown Los Angeles Friday morning following
his arrest in Armenia.

Shahen Keshishian, 32, was wanted for the murder of freelance film
editor Michael Craven, 44, of Canoga Park, Calif., on the southbound
Hollywood Freeway on April 29, 2000.

Authorities said the arrest in Armenia on Saturday climaxed an effort
by the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Glendale Police
Department.

Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc.
State Department
November 10, 2004

NATO’s De Hoop Scheffer Stresses Cooperation with Caucasus;
Secretary-general visits Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan

TEXT: NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan November 4-5 to demonstrate the alliance’s
commitment to expanding cooperation with the region, according to a
NATO press release.

The secretary-general stressed that in the face of terrorism and the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, developing a network
for international cooperation was “a strategic necessity.” The
Caucasus region is a crucial part of that network, he said.

Following is a NATO press release:

(begin text)

NATO Update

10 November 2004

CAUCASUS VISIT FOCUSES ON PARTNERSHIP

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer visited Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan from 4-5 November, to demonstrate the Alliance’s
commitment to expanding cooperation with the region.

The visit came as NATO is seeking to deepen cooperation with its
partner countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

The Secretary General was accompanied by NATO’s newly-appointed
Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Ambassador
Robert Simmons.

A lot on offer

Mr. De Hoop Scheffer and Ambassador Simmons met with the Heads of
State and top officials in the three countries to discuss how
co-operation could be expanded in key areas such as defence and
military reform.

“There is a lot on offer, as well in areas that many people would not
immediately associate with NATO. Partnership projects range from
disaster preparedness, to defence conversion, to scientific and
technical cooperation,” Mr. De Hoop Scheffer said in a speech at the
Yerevan State University in Armenia.

The Secretary General stressed that in the face of terrorism and the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, developing a network
for international cooperation was “a strategic necessity”. The
Caucasus region is a crucial part of that network, he said.

Mr. De Hoop Scheffer called on the countries to show political will
and good faith and find solutions to the conflicts in the region. He
stressed that NATO had no direct role in these negotiations, but
fully supported the work of the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other actors involved.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs,
U.S. Department of State.)

ArmenPress
Nov. 2, 2004

ARMENIAN PUBLISHERS SHOWCASED THEIR BOOKS AT ISTANBUL FAIR

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: For the first time Armenian
publishers showcased some 300 titles of their books at an international
book fair in the Turkish Istanbul from October 23 to October 30. Vahagn
Khachatrian, the chairman of the Armenian Publishers’ Association, told
Armenpress that some fifty Armenian publishers took their books,
ranging from Turkish-Armenian and vice versa conversation booklets,
dictionaries, works of Armenian classical and modern writers and also
textbooks and illustrated albums to Istanbul.
“We decided against taking historical novels to Turkey because of
our concerns that they may be perceived wrongly and cause problems,
taking instead only fiction, culture and art books,” he said, adding
also that their other concern was about whether Armenian publishers had
to participate in the book fair at all.
“But I have to admit that the Turkish society is taking great
interest in books and literature in general and our participation did
not go unnoticed by the Turkish readers and members of the local
Armenian community. Our participation was covered, apart from local
Armenian papers, also by influential Turkish newspapers Hurriyet and
others,” he said.
Khachatrian said the Turkish side promised to provide next year
Armenian publishers with 50 square meters of space instead of 12 meters
this year, free of charge. Turks also invited Armenian painters to
exhibit their works at the next fair at 100 square meters of space to
be given also free, not counting pledges to cover the traveling and
other expenses of the head of Armenian painters’ delegation.
Khachatrian drew parallels between book fairs in Istanbul, Berlin,
Frankfurt and the fair held in Yerevan saying publishers in these
countries enjoy the support and assistance of the govenrment, which is
not the case with Armenia.
He also said Armenian books may sell well only in Moscow, where
three is a strong Armenian community. “Out of 70,000 strong Armenian
community of Turkey few people can read in Armenian,” he said.
Armenian publishers were invited to participate in the fair by the
Association of Turkish Publishers and the fair’s management. Also local
community and Armenian-language newspapers assisted the delegation.

Tehran Times, Iran
Nov. 2, 2004

Mutu left out of Romania squad for Armenia qualifier

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Disgraced striker Adrian Mutu was left out of
Romania’s squad on Tuesday to face Armenia in a European World Cup
qualifier later this month.

Mutu faces an English FA hearing on Thursday after being sacked by
Chelsea last month following a positive test for cocaine. He could be
banned for up to two years from soccer.

The player said through a lawyer’s statement on Monday that he would
accept whatever punishment the FA gave him. Coach Anghel Iordanescu did
not comment on Mutu.

Romania skipper Cristian Chivu, meanwhile, has been recalled by
Iordanescu for the Group One match in Yerevan on November 17 after
recovering from toe surgery.

The Roma player missed his country’s last four qualifying matches after
he broke a bone in his left foot while playing beach soccer.

The coach only named eight overseas-based players on Tuesday and he
will complete the squad with players from Romania’s first division
later this month.

Iordanescu’s selection process has also been hit with the absences of
defender Adrian Iencsi and midfielder Daniel Pancu through suspension,
while keeper Bogdan Lobont, defender Razvan Rat and striker Ionel Ganea
are out injured.

Midfielder Florin Soava of Spartak Moskow quit the national team
following sharp criticism from media, fans and officials after Romania
were beaten 1-0 by the Czech Republic in their previous match.

Romania lead their group with nine points from four matches.

Finland, who have played one more match, are second on goal difference,
while Armenia are rooted to the bottom without a point. Overseas-based
players in squad: Defenders: Flavius Stoican, Cosmin Barcauan (both
Shakhtar Donetsk), Cristian Chivu (AS Roma), Cristian Dancia (Torpedo
Moscow) Midfielders: Paul Codrea (Torino), Mihai Tararache (FC Zurich),
Florin Cernat (Dynamo Kiev)

British MPs’ visit to Upper Garabagh sparks protest action

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
28 Oct. 2004

A delegation of members of the British House of Lords comprising
Vice Speaker, Baroness Caroline Cox and four members of the House
visited Upper Garabagh through Yerevan without prior permission from
the Azeri government last week.

Shortly before the visit, several representatives of the Garabagh
Liberation Organization (GLO) put a black wreath in front of the
British embassy in Baku in protest.

GLO chairman Akif Naghi and his deputy, Garabagh war veteran Firuddin
Mammadov entered the embassy to meet with British Ambassador Laurie
Bristow. They forwarded the organization’s appeal to the embassy’s
spokesman for administrative issues instead, as Ambassador Bristow
was out for dinner.

In the document, the GLO representatives requested the ambassador to
raise the issue related to the illegal visit by British parliament
members to Upper Garabagh with the UK government.

“This hurts the self-esteem of the Azerbaijani people. The British
government must respect Azerbaijan’s national interests and sovereign
rights. Otherwise, there will be no need for the British embassy
in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan-UK cooperation in general,” the
appeal says.

On Wednesday, unidentified individuals wrote “Baroness Cox” in black
letters on the memorial to the British military men in Baku.

Commenting on the matter, Foreign Ministry spokesman Matin Mirza said
that the Azeri Embassy in Great Britain, on an instruction of the
Ministry, has appealed to the British Foreign Office and parliament
for an explanation. The British side said in reply that the visit took
place on the personal initiative of Baroness Cox and does not reflect
the position of London, as Great Britain recognizes the territorial
integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

ESTONIAN PRESIDENT TO MAKE VISIT TO ARMENIA

Baltic News Service
October 26, 2004

TALLINN, Oct 26 — Estonian President Arnold Ruutel is scheduled to
pay an official visit to Armenia in mid-November.

During the Nov. 13-16 visit the Estonian head of state is going to
meet with his opposite number, Robert Kocharyan, at whose invitation
the visit will take place.

The president’s office invited members of parliament to accompany
the president but the standing Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday
decided that parliamentarians accompany the head of state only on
state visits but do not take part in official trips.

“A state visit is on a higher level, representing the state of Estonia,
and it’s not just the president’s visit,” the head of the parliament
panel, Marko Mihkelson, told BNS.

Estonia’s Ambassador to Armenia is Andres Unga, who resides in Athens.
The Armenian ambassador to Estonia resides in Warsaw.

The Armenian head of state made an official visit to this Baltic state
in June 2002, but neither Ruutel nor his predecessor Lennart Meri has
visited the Caucasus state. In April 2001 the then foreign minister,
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and in December 1997 a parliamentary delegation
headed by Toomas Savi visited the Caucasus state.

Former Foreign Minister Siim Kallas was in Armenia in July 1996 at
the head of a delegation of the Council of Europe.

PRESS RELEASE

ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE
JERUSALEM
Office of the Ecumenical and Foreign Relations
Contact person: Bishop Aris Shirvanian
Tel: 972-2-628-2331
Fax: 972-2-626-4861
E-mail: [email protected]

COMMUNIQUÉ

ORDINATIONS AT ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL

Last weekend were days of spiritual joy for St. James Brotherhood and the
Armenian Community of Jerusalem. On the occasion of the Feast of the Holy
Translators (by Julian Calendar) graduate students of the Armenian Seminary
and the Theological Faculty received the grace of ordination by the
Patriarch of our Holy See, His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, at
St. James Cathedral. The Presenter was the Grand Sacristan His Eminence
Archbishop Nourhan Manougian who along with Very Rev. Father Baret
Yeretzian, the Dean of the Seminary, and Rev. Fathers Theodoros Zakarian and
Pakrad Bourjekian led the ordinands to the ordaining Patriarch.

On Thursday, 21 October 2004, during the Evening Service, His Beatitude
bestowed stoles upon four seminarians of the Class IV, Nareg
Megerdichian, Bavel Garabedian, Sahag Hovagimian and Samuel Safarian. At the
same time he ordained subdeacons the stole-bearers of the Class I of the
Theological Faculty, Ardag Hagopian, Hovhannes Kevorkian, Bavel Tavtian, as
well as the stole-bearer of the St. Yeghia Church of Haifa, Avedis
Shahinian.

On Friday, 22 October, His Beatitude ordained the subdeacons Ardak
Hagopian, Hovhannes Kevorkian,, Pavel Tavtian and Avedis Shahinian as
deacons during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

In the afternoon, during the celebration of the Eve of the Feast of the Holy
Translators, the Service of the Call to Priesthood of Deacon Haroutiun
Yeghiayan, who graduated from the Theological Faculty, was conducted.

On Saturday, 23 October, on the Feast of the Holy Translators, His Beatitude
the Patriarch ordained Deacon Haroutiun Yeghiayan as celibate priest in a
moving ceremony during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and re-named
him Father Haygazoun. Then in the same afternoon during the Evening Service
he donned the newly ordained priest the traditional hood(Veghar) , the
symbol of celibacy.

A formal dinner in honor of the newly ordained priest Father Haygazoun, the
deacons and the stole-bearers was served at the refectory of the Brotherhood
where His Beatitude and Members of the clergy made toasts and congratulated
them all.
Father Haygazoun will spend his traditional forty days of fasting period and
of preparation for his new spiritual career at our Convent of Nativity in
Bethlehem.

On this happy occasion we would like to announce that presently there are 43
students studying at our Seminary and the Theological Faculty, one of them
is a special student from the USA, another from Bulgaria and all the rest
are from Armenia. The Seminary consists of five classes and the Theological
Faculty of three classes.

The Dean announces that candidates who would like to study at our Seminary
and the Theological Faculty may submit their applications for the academic
year 2005-2006 during the current year. Applicants will be accepted from
Armenia and from different Armenian communities in the Diaspora. Applicants
should be 14 years of age and over. Special students may also be admitted.

For further information inquiries should be addressed to the Dean Very
Reverend Father Baret Yeretzian at the following address:

Armenian Seminary, P.O.Box 14001,
Old City Jerusalem 91141, Israel.
Tel: (972-2)628-2331.

Jerusalem, 25 October 2004 DIVAN OF THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE

–Boundary_(ID_cofXCDJjtYjknRVtUNeN/Q)–

PAPER SEES ARMENIAN LEADER’S GEORGIAN VISIT AS BETRAYAL OF RUSSIA

Aravot, Yerevan
23 Oct 04

Text of Tigran Avetisyan’s report entitled “An obvious misfortune” by
the Armenian newspaper Aravot on 23 October

Robert Kocharyan’s official visit to Georgia is a very difficult
one. The reason for that is that during the visit he is forced to
“betray” Moscow a little. But as it is known such things make our
senior “partner” very nervous. For instance, under today’s protocol,
Robert Kocharyan laid wreaths at the grave of the heroes who died
fighting for “Georgia’s territorial integrity “. It is known that a
great majority of these heroes were killed in Abkhazia when they were
fighting against the Abkhaz separatists, that is, against Russia. It
turns out that the Armenian leader showed his respect for the memory
of those who fought against his country’s partner, Russia, and by this
he indirectly recognized Tbilisi’s power over Abkhazia. But there is
yet another aspect of the problem.

A difficult situation can be avoided if one tackles things with
circumspection. It is no secret that different state officials voice
opinions about Armenia’s foreign policy which seldom coincide.

Let us say, a top Foreign Ministry official said that we should have
good relations with all our neighbours and especially with Georgia,
because the main roads connecting Armenia with the outside world go
through this country. Having such a clever diplomat is not enough to
keep us happy. Then one deputy said that it is necessary to restore
the Yerevan-Sukhumi-Tbilisi railway. What do you think Tbilisi’s
attitude to us will be after such a statement from the Armenian top
official? Although such statements complicate relations between
Armenia and Georgia (which are conditioned by a third party) they are
also evidence of the fact that the Armenian political thinking has
depreciated a lot.

Let us try to understand: who is the above mentioned call for the
opening of the railway directed at? Is it Georgia? But even a baby can
see that until relations between Georgia and Abkhazia improve, Tbilisi
will be unable to open the railway irrespective of the statements by
“prominent” Armenian officials.

In that case, was the call directed at Moscow? As awful as this might
sound, that was probably the case. It turns out that the Armenian
parliament demands from Russia that it enter forcefully into Georgia
and via its territory to establish a railway link between Armenia and
Russia. Now imagine the kind of treatment received by Kocharyan in
Tbilisi, if Armenia does not keep in check “deep” political ideas of
some politicians.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 22 2004

Georgia Grants Entry to Armenians Stuck in South Ossetia

22/10/2004 11:22

Georgian authorities gave entry to the dozens of the Armenian
citizens, who have been trapped in breakaway South Ossetia en-route
to Armenia for more than a week already.

A convoy of busses and trucks belonging to the Armenian citizens were
moving from Russia to Armenia via Georgia’s breakaway region of South
Ossetia, as the border checkpoint in Larsi remains closed by the
Russian authorities since early September. The Larsi checkpoint is
the only land border linking Georgia with Russia that is controlled
by the official Tbilisi.
The Georgian authorities blocked the convoy near the village of
Ergneti in the South Ossetian conflict zone and refused to give the
Armenian citizens an entry, as they crossed the border with Georgia
at the Roki Pass, which is out of the Georgia’s control.

Georgian officials say that Tbilisi showed `its good will’ by giving
the Armenian citizens an entry.

Xinhua, China
Oct 19 2004

Armenia, China to boost bilateral ties

ERIVAN, Armenia, Oct. 19 (Xinhuanet) — Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on
Tuesday that Armenia stands ready to further strengthen cooperation
with China.

Meeting Li in the Armenian capital, Kocharyan said his September
visit to China was a success, during which the two sidesreached
consensus on developing bilateral relations. Armenia stoodby China in
its choice of a development path suited to its own conditions and is
impressed by China’s active role in international affairs, he said.

In a separate meeting with the Chinese foreign minister on
Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian echoed
Kocharyan’s remarks on enhancing bilateral ties. He said his
government is working to implement the agreements reached during
Kocharyan’s visit to China.

Cooperation in technology and agriculture between the two
countries had been fruitful and Armenia hopes to see broadened
cooperation between the two countries’ enterprises and more Chinese
investment in Armenia, Margarian said.

Both Kocharyan and Margarian reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment
tothe one-China policy. They reiterated that the Armenian
governmentbelieves there has always been and will be only one China
in the world.

Li told his Armenian hosts China is keen to develop friendly
cooperation with Armenia and his trip is an instance of China’s
concrete actions to implement what has been achieved in the consensus
established by the leaders of both countries. Li said heis optimistic
about further strengthening bilateral ties.

Li arrived in Erivan Monday on an official visit to Armenia. Heis
also to visit Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.