Author: Jagharian Tania

HEADQUARTERS FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND GALA TV WAS SET UP

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 12 2007

Gala TV of Gyumri has been undergoing pressure for two months now,
and the City Hall of Gyumri wages a judicial war against Gala TV,
suing the TV company for removing the transmission equipment from the
transmission tower, and would not agree to hire the tower to the TV
company. The Tax Service of Gyumri has also gone to court claiming a
put-up fine of 25 million drams, and the police of Gyumri would not
make up its mind for 36 days whether to bring charges against the
officer of the department of investigations of the state tax service
Hovanes Hovanisyan who had attacked the reporter of Gala TV or not.

Considering these, about 50 free citizens of Gyumri founded the
Headquarters for Freedom of Speech and Gala TV on December 12 at 12
o’clock, the release of the Headquarters runs.

During 2.5 hours of discussion a brief program of protection of Gala
TV was drown up. The program includes the following activities.

Firstly, the headquarters will be present at the hearing of the case
of Gala TV on December 13 and demand that Justice Nahapetyan withdraw
and not participate in this farce and urge the media of Armenia to
cover this and other developments more intensively.

Secondly, they are going to urge the mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasyan
to reject the options of solving this problem through court and let
the transmission tower to the TV company at reasonable conditions and
thereby not participate in the farce against Gala TV. Thirdly, the
headquarters will hold a rally at the Theatrical Square of Gyumri on
December 19 at 4 pm for the protection of freedom of speech and Gala
TV and finally urge the government of Armenia to restrain the judicial
activities of Vardan Ghukasyan and urge him to let the transmission
tower to Gala TV and make efforts for an objective trial, the release
of the Headquarters runs.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN: "DASHNAKTSUTIUN IS FORCE, WHICH SHOULD MANAGE TO ELIMINATE POISON AND HATRED FROM ARMENIAN POLITICAL LIFE WITH OTHERS"

Noyan Tapan
Dec 12 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. "You are a political force if
you have managed to make the authorities take your viewpoint into
consideration, at the same time being opposition. You are a political
force, if you have managed to act the way so as not to be identified
with the authorities and not to become a stranger for your people,
at the same time being among the authorities," Armen Rustamian,
the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee of Foreign Relations,
and the representative of the Supreme Body of the ARF Armenia
organization, mentioned in his speech at the solemn event dedicated
to the 117th anniversary of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
held on December 11.

During the solemn ceremony, which was held in the building of the
Alexander Spendiarian Opera and Ballet National Academic Theater and
which was attended by the representatives of almost all the Armenian
parties, Vahan Hovhannisian, a candidate running for the post of the
RA President, the Speaker of the National Assembly and a member of the
ARF Bureau, made a speech. Touching upon the historical way passed
by the indicated party, he, in particular, mentioned that since its
creation Dashnaktsutiun has managed to re-create the formed political
thought, the Armenian Armed Forces: from the detachments of volunteers
(in Armenian war of liberation against the Turks) up to the regular
Army of the First Republic, it has restored the Armenian statehood
after a 6-century break.

He also mentioned that even "the 70-year break of the ARF
Dashnaktsutiun participation in the Armenian processes did not bring
forth a break in the activities of the party." According to him, after
the 70-year break brought forth as a result of the Soviet years,
a problem arose to restore among the people the sense of general
all-Armenian interest, after which having formed the contents of the
interest to understand the dangers threatening them both from outside
and inside, after which to form a national strategy in order to make
those threats neutral.

Answering the questions of journalists, Vahan Hovhannisian declared
that the Dashnaktsutiun is the force, which together with others
should manage to "eliminate the poison and hatred from the Armenian
political life:" "We cannot let the slogans sounded for destroying
become leading in our society, however, on the other side, we cannot
let the authorities rest either," when the authorities think that
everything is already all right, everybody is smiling, everything
is being restored and therefore we may happily accept what we have
around us with laurels on our heads. That is not that way," Vahan
Hovhannisian said.

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

WCC SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAMME
CONSULTATION IN JORDAN

The WCC Scholarships programme in cooperation with the WCC Middle East Desk
held a consultation in Jordan, Amman from 5 till 8 December in order to
establish the Church Correspondents Network in the Middle East.

The Scholarships programme was established in 1945 in order to be responsive
to the Churches’ needs and promote ecumenical formation. Every year the
programme grants scholarships to all WCC member Churches in theology and
different development studies.

On the first day participants discussed the importance of ecumenism and
ecumenical formation particularly in the Middle East region where the
Christian presence is becoming a critical issue. Then they were introduced
to the different scholarships provided by the WCC and the new methods of
presenting applications. Participants added their inputs and suggestions in
order to make the programme more responsive and relevant to the regions’
needs. They also discussed the specific challenges of applicants from the
region and developed strategies to promote the Programme in their local
churches.

The Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia was represented by
Rev. Massis Zobouyan as Church Correspondent and Ms. Carla Khijoyan as
Programme Consultant for the WCC Middle East desk. Father Massis highlighted
the role of His Holiness Aram I in promoting ecumenical formation on local,
national and international levels.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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.

GEORGIAN FRONTIER GUARDS DETAIN AN ARMENIAN CITIZEN

armradio.am
10.12.2007 14:47

On December 9 Georgian frontier guards of the "Akhaltsikha" Regional
Directorate of the Department of State Border Defense of Georgia
detained an Armenian citizen at "Sameba" checkpoint.

Press Service of the Department of State Border Defense reports that
when passing a passport control, it came out that the arrested had
entered Georgia, bypassing the passport control at "Lower Zaramag"
checkpoint.

Preliminary investigation is underway.

FUTURE OF THE COOPERATION OF "DASHNAKTSUTIUN" WITH THE RULING COALITION DEPENDS ON THE RESULTS OF THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Mediamax
December 7, 2007

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Future of the agreement on cooperation, signed
between "Dashnaktsutiun" and the ruling coalition, depends on the
results of the upcoming presidential elections.

Mediamax reports that the head of "Dashnaktsutiun" parliamentary
faction Hrayr Karapetian said this today. He stressed that their
candidate for the position of the President Vahan Hovhannissian will
take full participation in the elections and will not withdraw his
candidature in favor of any of his rivals.

PanARMENIAN.Net

OSCE/ODIHR to send observation mission to Armenia upon
receipt of formal invitation
06.12.2007 15:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights will send an observation mission to Armenia immediately
after receipt of a formal invitation, ODIHR Director, Ambassador
Christian Strohal said. `Presidential elections in Armenia will follow
elections in Georgia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. This weekend we will
launch short and long-term missions to Georgia. I would like to
mention that the Office receives valuable assistance from individuals
concerned,’ he said, RFE/RL reports.

The Armenian presidential elections are due February 19,
2008. Georgian early elections are scheduled for January 5.

A1+

IS MARCOS FORGOTTEN?
[01:21 pm] 07 December, 2007

As we have already informed our readers the Football Federation of
Armenia has publicized the list of best football players of
Armenia. Levon Pachajian, the half back of Pyunik, was named the best
footballer of the year.

Robert Arzumanian, Pyunik, and Sargis Hovsepian, Pyunik, occupied the
second and third positions respectively.

It turns out that Levon Pachajian went ahead of Arzumanian and
Hovsepian with insignificant points. Pachajian gained 137 points as a
result of a poll conducted among football clubs, referees and
journalists.

Robert Arzumanian gained 136 and Sargis Hovsepian-135 points. Then
comes Ararat Aakelian of Banants, with 65 points, followed by Samvel
Melkonian, Banants, with 48 points.

Surprisingly though it may seem the best shooter of the Armenian
Football Championship 2007 Marcos gained 35 points.

The polling participants, namely the referees, may have forgotten that
the Brazilian footballer scored 22 goals during the championship.

The respondents named 14 footballers: six from Pyunik, three from
Banants and three from Ararat, Mika and Gandzasar.

MUSEUM OF ARMENIAN HISTORY TO TAKE PART IN EXHIBITIONS IN RUSSIA, THE USA AND GREECE IN 2008

arminfo
2007-12-05 14:55:00

ArmInfo. Museum of Armenian history will take part in exhibitions in
Russia, the USA and Greece in 2008.

As director of the museum Anelka Grigoryan told ArmInfo correspondent
two exhibitions are scheduled in Hermitage next year. The museum will
also take part in the exhibitions in New-York and Athens. Relevant
contract have been already made with Hermitage, Metropolitan Museum
and Byzantine Museum.

She also added that in 2007 Museum of Armenian History took part in
11 exhibitions within the frames of the Armenia’s Year in France.

CEC STOPPED ACCEPTING DOCUMENTS: 9 PEOPLE HAVE CLAIMS FOR THE POSITION OF THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

Mediamax
December 6, 2007

Yerevan /Mediamax/. The documents presentation term for nomination
of candidates for the President’s position to the Central Electoral
Commission (CEC) for participation in the elections of February 19
of 2008 expired at 18:00 today.

Mediamax reports that 9 candidates for the position of the President
presented their documents of the Commission: Leader of "Orinats
Yerkir" party Artur Baghdasarian, Leader of "National Unification"
party Artashes Geghamian, Leader of People’s Party Tigran Karapetian,
Leader of "National Democratic Union" Vazgen Manukian, former Councilor
of the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arman Melikian,
member of "Dashnaktsutiun" Bureau, Vice-Speaker of the parliament
Vahan Hovhannissian, Leader of the Republican Party of Armenia,
Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, first President of Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrosian, Leader of "National Consent" Party Aram Harutyunian

In accordance with the established schedule, the registration of
candidates for the position of the President will start on December
31 of 2007 and will be concluded on January 20 of 2008.

The pre-election campaign will last from January 21 up to February
17 of 2008.

RESULTS OF ACTIVITY OF SERVICE OF OBLIGATORY EXECUTION OF JUDICIAL ACTS PRESENTED TO RA PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 6, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 6, RA President Robert
Kocharian had a working meeting with Gagik Ayvazian, the RA Chief
Obligatory Executor of Judicial Acts. The latter presented the work
done by the Service of Obligatory Execution of Judicial Acts in 2007
to the President.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA President’s
Press Office, issues regarding raising efficiency of activity of the
Service of Obligatory Execution of Judicial Acts were also discussed
during the meeting.