Author: Jagharian Tania

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:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I CONGRATULATES THE NEW ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER

On April 5, 2007, His Holiness Aram I sent the following congratulatory
letter to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenian, Serj Sarkesian, on
the occasion of his appointment to this position.

Your Excellency
Serj Sarkesian
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
Yerevan

Dear Mr. Sarkesian,

It is with special joy that we greet your appointment as the Prime
Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

We are personally acquainted with you and have seen in you a person
dedicated to Armenia and the Armenian nation. You have carried out all the
official responsibilities trusted to you with an active spirit and an
organized and systematic manner. We are confident that with the same
commitment and dedication you will perform this new mission entrusted to you
in cooperation with the President of the Republic of Armenia, His Excellency
Robert Kocharian.

On this occasion we would like to assure you that the Catholicosate of
Cilicia will continue its full support for the government of Armenian and
the benefit of our homeland and nation.

We pray to God to bestow you with good health and renewed will so you can
serve the Republic of Armenia and to strengthen its position in the
international arena.

With Pontifical blessings and warm greeting,

ARAM I
CATHOLICOS OF CILICIA

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission 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.

DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR REGISTRATION OF 102 CANDIDATES BEFOREHAND NOMINATED FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS BY PROPORTIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEM NOT PRESENTED TO CEC

Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) registered on April 4 electoral lists of the 24 parties and
1 alliance placed orders for participation in the parliamentary
elections by the proportional electoral system. 1314 candidates for
deputy were in total registered by the proportional electoral system,
instead of the 1416 ones nominated beforehand.

The parties did not present the CEC documents necessary for
registration of 102 candidates.

The only not registered candidate of the Republican Party of Armenia
was RA Prime Minister, party Chairman Andranik Margarian, suddenly
died on March 25.

The electoral lists of the Armenian National Movement and Orinats
Yerkir (Country of Law) parties underwent the most number of
changes. The latters nominated but did not present necessary documents
for registration of correspondingly 13 and 11 candidates. Particularly,
Artur Haroutiunian, the Chairman of the Amasia territorial organization
of the party, Armen Zurabian, the Director of the "Hayk" Editorial
Office" LTD remained out of the ANM list, and NA deputy, party member
Gagik Avetian, party Board member Victor Martirosian remained out
of the OYP list. As OYP Deputy Chairwoman Geghine Bisharian informed
the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the mentioned 2 people did not present
the party documents necessary for registration of their candidatures.

ONE FOOTSTEP FOR EVERY FIVE DEAD

Imprint, Canada
University of Waterloo
April 4 2007

UW Genocide Action Group (GAG) held its third annual "Footsteps of
Death" walk for Darfur on Wednesday, March 28 from 2:00p.m.-7:30p.m.

With each foot walked representing about five people killed in Sudan,
students repeatedly lapped around Ring Road, totalling 23 km.

Christopher Tuckwood, president of UWGAG, started the event in 2005
after hearing discusstion about the situation in Darfur, which inspired
him to create "Footsteps of Death."

After doing some simple math, Tuckwood decided to walk nine laps of
Ring Road to raise awareness – one foot for every death in Darfur by
2005, an amount which has multiplied by over five times since then.

In response to criticisms regarding the timing of the event, he
maintains that it is better at the busy end of term than during the
bitter cold of winter.

Tuckwood ran the fledgling event on his own for the first year as UWGAG
had yet to be formed, and the walk functioned solely as an awareness
raiser. Last year Tuckwood realized the potential to fundraise with
the event, with this year’s walk raising a total of $2,500.

All funds raised through the event will go to Oxfam’s Canadian Students
for Darfur Appeal. Tuckwood and UWGAG chose this organization due to
Oxfam’s reputability and the fact that the organization guarantees
100 per cent of the proceeds, minus minimal banking fees, will go
directly to humanitarian aid in Darfur.

Tuckwood advocates donating money as "hunger is as much a weapon
being used against the people of Darfur as weapons or bombs."

Since the inception of UWGAG, its membership – as well as surport
for the walk – has been increasing.

In the fall UWGAG held a conference for Darfur which received 140
attendees. Earlier this month, they hosted a benefit concert with an
attendance of over 200 people. UWGAG are also selling black T-shirts
with "DARFUR" written across the chest in bold green letters for $10
to increase publicity and raise funds.

According to Tuckwood, UWGAG’s aim is to "take history and relate it to
today." They’ve attempted to do so through screenings of movies like
The Pianist and Hotel Rwanda, which feature premises that closely
relate to the situation in Darfur. Although the group is intended
to spread awareness about genocide, its focus is on Darfur because
"that’s what’s happening now."

When asked about what he believes to be the major hindrance to
international involvement in Darfur, Tuckwood emphasized China’s
influence as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and its
interests in Darfur, which he concedes "get harped on a lot." Sudan
gets a percentage of its national income from China’s purchases
of their oil; in turn, 70 per cent of this goes into the Sudanese
military which helps perpetrate the current genocide.

Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir has continually resisted the
deployment of UN peacekeeping troops to Darfur with the argument that
they must be more pre-dominantly African. However, there are already
African Union forces in Darfur which are not achieving much success as
they are "undermanned, underequipped, underfunded, and undertrained,"
to use Tuckwood’s words for a seemingly general consensus.

Tuckwood advocates that there is need for more western involvement in
Darfur; otherwise the same problems of improperly trained forces will
persist. He believes that the "world community must act together"
and has a "moral responsibility" to intervene. He also propounds
that military intervention is "absolutely the only thing that ends
genocide" because it is impossible to reason with people committed
to killing others, citing the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, and
the Cambodian genocide as historical examples where violence was the
only action capable of ending the conflict.

Media coverage of the Darfur genocide has been limited, so Tuckwood
urges students to contact the media and inform them that they want
more news on Darfur. UWGAG checked the KW Record’s archives and
discovered that while 7,000 articles have been written on Iraq in the
past year and 3,000 on the Israel/Palestine conflict, they have only
printed 301 on Darfur. Meanwhile, 317 articles have been published
on Britney Spears. The Record declined to comment on this discovery
but did print UWGAG’s letter to the editor regarding this information.

Those who wish to be notified about future UWGAG events can e-mail
them at [email protected].

dex.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13 29&Itemid=55&issuedate=2007-03-30

TURKISH FM GUL MEETS HIS GERMAN COUNTERPART STEINMEIER

Turkish Press
April 4 2007

BERLIN – "Turkey always appreciated support of Germany, one of Europe`s
engine countries, when Turkey-EU relations are in question," Turkish
Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, on Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint news conference following his tete-a-tete meeting
with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Gul
said negotiations between Turkey and the EU started to be launched
under a second chapter heading, indicating that, "we hope several
other chapters will be opened within this year."

Emphasizing that relations between Turkey and Germany were rooted and
multilateral, Gul pointed to the political, security, economic and
cultural dimensions of the relations. Gul said foreign trade volume
between the two parties reached 20 billion Euro.

Gul said Turkey and Germany have similar views on regional and
international matters as well as many other topics, and stated that
both countries favored resolution of the problems through peaceful
and diplomatic ways.

Responding to a question asking about the role Turkey assumed in
release of 15 British soldiers kept in Iran, Gul said, "as you
know Turkey is a neighbor of Iran. We attach importance to this
neighborhood relationship. Britain is also an ally country. We are
closely interested in the matter in this respect. Recent developments
are positive. This is what I can say at the time being."

When asked about Upper Karabakh problem, Gul said, "We have said
Turkey may cooperate for the solution of the problem."

On the other hand Steinmeier recalled that another chapter heading
was opened in Turkish-EU relations, "We have made a rationalistic
decision in Turkish-EU relations. Negotiations continue although
Ankara protocol was not implemented."

Steinmeier said not only enlargement process was discussed within
the scope of Turkey-EU relations, but at the same time international
matters were in question, and thanked to Turkey`s efforts for the
release of British soldiers in Iran.

"Germany and Turkey support solution of the crisis through diplomatic
ways," he added.

Expressing pleasure over making cooperation with Turkey on Lebanon
and the Middle East issues, Steinmeier said hopes increased that the
Middle East process would be enlivened following the decision made
by Arab League.

"There are approximately 2 million Turks living in Germany, and 65
thousand Turkish enterprises. That is why Turkey is the guest country
of the Hannover Industrial Fair, which is considered the biggest
industry fair in the world," said Steinmeier in the press conference.

German FM said they would like to develop not only political and
economic relations but also cultural relations between Turkey and
Germany. He continued saying that is why Turkey will also be the
guest country of the Frankfurt Book Fair next year.

Upon a question on why Turkey was not invited to EU`s celebrations
for 50th anniversary of its foundation, German FM said this was not
a decision taken against one candidate country. He continued saying,
candidate countries were not invited because this was the celebration
of the 50 year long past of EU member countries.

The German minister stressed the importance of Central Asian countries,
saying these countries are close to regions of crisis, and stability
should be established in these countries so that the crises (around
them) would not affect them.

Prior to his contacts with Steinmeier, Turkish FM Gul had interviews
with journalists from Financial Times Deutschland and Suddeutsche
Zeitung newspapers.

Gul attended to a dinner in his honor following the joint press
conference.

Tomorrow Turkish FM will visit the new consulate general building
in Berlin and move to Cologne. There he will inform the new "e –
consulate general" service of the Ministry and will contact with
representatives of Turkish institutions in the city.

Gul will leave for Turkey tomorrow.

SERGEI LAVROV CHARACTERIZES NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT AS UNIQUE IN RESPECT OF UNITY OF POSITIONS OF OSCE MG COUNTRY-CO-CHAIRS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. "We highly estimate the role and
position of Russia in the issue of peaceful settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

Russia is not only ready to support consent of sides, but is also
ready to come up as a guarantor of achieved agreements." Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated this at the April 3 joint press
conference of Russian and Armenian Foreign Ministers. In the words of
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
more than any other conflict pretends on the status of a unique one and
not because principles different from those laid in the international
law are used to Nagorno Karabakh, but because in the practical respect
this is maybe the only conflict where the interests of Russia, U.S. and
EU do not contradict one another at all and do not contradict the
interests of the conflict parties themselves. S. Lavrov said that
within the framework of the operating mechanism of OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs, "such a concrete package was worked out, which permits to
untie that knot, that the participants of any other negotiations on
settlement of any other conflict may only envy it." At the same time,
he added that it’s up to the leaderships of Armenia and Azerbaijan to
say the last word. "We highly estimate the efforts of both Baku and
Yerevan on advancement of negotiations, first of all at the level of
Presidents, as well as at the level of Foreign Ministers. The Co-chairs
very carefully treat their functions. We understand that we should not
decide instead of the sides, but we should only help. I am very hopeful
that this unique unity not only in principles, but also in details
existing among the Co-chairs will help our friends both in Yerevan
and in Baku to find mutually acceptable agreements. Russia will be
ready to completely be a guarantor of these agreements side by side
with another countries. As regards the Kosovo prpblem, he mentioned
that it should be solved the way so as not to create threats to the
architecture of security, which was formed in Europe on the basis of
the Helsinki concluding act.

ARMENIAN MAYOR ATTACKED

AP
The Moscow Times, Russia
April 4 2007

YEREVAN, Armenia — Gunmen wounded the mayor of Armenia’s
second-largest city in an attack that killed his deputy, his driver
and two bodyguards Monday, a police official said.

The attack occurred around 10 p.m. between the capital, Yerevan,
and Gyumri, a city of 150,000 located about 125 kilometers north of
the capital, Armenian police spokesman Sayap Shirinyan said.

Vardan Gukasyan, who was returning home after a party conference in
Yerevan, was hospitalized and in serious but stable condition after
the attack on his two-car convoy, Shirinyan said. Gukasyan’s driver
and two bodyguards died on the scene and the mayor’s deputy died
later from his wounds.

DEFENCE SIDE IN MATAGHIS CASE TO CONTINUE DISPUTING DECISION TO REJECT THEIR CHALLENGE OF MILITARY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 02 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The court of first instance of Yerevan’s
Kentron and Nork-Marash communities (Chairman – Judge Gor Hakobian)
on April 2 rejected the application of the defence side in the Mataghis
case. The defence disputed the decision of the RA Prosecutor General’s
Office to reject their challenge of the Military Prosecutor’s Office
conducting an investigation into the Mataghis case. According to
the court, the issue is not subject to dispute. The defence lawyer
Zaruhi Postanjian told NT correspondent that they intend to appeal
against the decision of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office in the
RA Court of Appeal, the RA Cassation Court, and the European Court
of Human Rights. To recap, the defendants in the Mataghis case –
Razmik Sargsian, Musa Serobian and Arayik Zalian are charged with
murder of two fellow servicemen.

The court of first instance of Syunik marz sentenced them to 15-year
imprisonment, while the court of criminal and military cases – to
life imprisonment.

The chamber of criminal and military cases of the Cassation Court
granted the aggrieved party’s petition to conduct an additional
investigation.

INTL JOURNALISTS GROUP CONDEMNS EXTREME-RIGHTIST TIT

The New Anatolian, Turkey
April 2 2007

The international journalist group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF),
over the weekend wrote out a bitter statement on Turkey condemning the
death threats made against a radio broadcaster while several Turkish
intellectuals offered solidarity with the radio against threats by
a mysterious extreme right group.

The employees of Istanbul-based Ozgur Radyo received death threats late
on Friday from the Turkish Vengeance Brigade (TIT), an establishment
gained considerable reputation due to its self-proclaimed war against
Kurdish people, in the form of an email.

The RSF also called on the government to take the safety of journalists
more seriously. "In the light of previous tragic events in Turkey,
especially the murder of newspaper editor Hrant Dink, it is vital
that the authorities take measures to protect Ôzgur Radyo’s staff,"
the organisation said on Saturday.

"Stop broadcasting separatist programmes," the email reportedly said.

"We are watching you and we know where your homes are. This message
is our last warning. The Turk has reawakened and the Turk’s rage
will annihilate those who aim to divide the motherland. If you do not
stop betraying Turkey, your end will be the same as the others. Your
destiny will be the same as that of the other traitors."

The TIT made threats against the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos the day
after Dink, its editor, was gunned down outside its offices. The group
was responsible for the May 1998 attack on Akin Birdal, the former
head of the Human Rights Association (IHD), and for death threats
against lawyer Eren Keskin and singer Ferhat Tunc.

A TIT member, Semih Tufan Gunaltay, received a 19-year prison sentence
from an Ankara assizes court in 1999 for the attempted murder of
Birdal, who was shot eight times but survived. After serving four and a
half years of the sentence, Gunaltay was released under an amnesty law.

Five journalists were give police protection on the orders of Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after Dink’s murder. They are Etyen
Mahcupyan (Agos’ new managing editor and a columnist for the daily
Zaman), Ahmet Hakan Coskun (Hurriyet), Soli Ozel (Sabah), Fehmi Koru
(Yeni Safak) and Ismet Berkan, the managing editor of the daily
Radikal.

Nobel literature laureate Orhan Pamuk and fellow author Elif Safak,
who was acquitted on a charge of "insulting national identity" in his
novel "The Bastard of Istanbul," have also been placed under police
protection. But threats have continued to me made against academics,
editors and reporters, some of who are still without protection.

–Boundary_(ID_VQyxuIuVX8JecSASzH3lUQ )–

Sergey Lavrov to arrive in Yerevan tomorrow

ArmRadio.am
02.04.2007 13:41

On April 3 the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov will arrive in
Yerevan on an official visit.

Meetings with RA President Robert Kocharyan, the Catholicos of All
Armenians Garegin II and Acting Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian are
envisaged in the framework of the visit.

During the stay in Armenian the Russian delegation will visit
Tsitsernakaberd to lay a wreath of flowers at the memorial to the
Armenian Genocide victims.

On April 4 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit the
Yerevan State University, where he is expected to deliver a speech.

PRESS RELEASE
March 30, 2007

American University of Armenia
40 Marshal Baghramian
Yerevan 0019, Armenia
Telephone: (37410) 512-522
Fax: (37410) 512-523

United Nations Development Programme
Armenia Country Office
14 Petros Adamian Str., Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Telephone: (37410) 56 60 73, 54 34 26
Fax: (374 10) 54 38 11, [email protected]

Contact: Diana Manukyan
E-mail: [email protected]

Conference on Rural Development in Armenia

Yerevan — More than 150 people participated in a conference on March 30,
2007, focused on rural development in Armenia. The conference was jointly
convened by the United Nations Development Programme Armenia Country Office
and the American University of Armenia Turpanjian Rural Development Program.

The conference discussed rural development with an emphasis on approaches
that work and problems that must be overcome in order to establish
successful projects and programs.

The conference opened with four keynote speakers: Ms. Consuelo Vidal,
Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in
Armenia, Dr. Haroutune Armenian, President of the American University of
Armenia, Mr. Vartan Oskanian, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Hrach
Tspnetsyan, Head of the Agriculture and Village Social Development
Department of the RA Ministry of Agriculture.

Eleven organizations presented papers on rural development, including the
World Bank, USDA Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development, Armenian
Social Investment Fund, Jinishian Memorial Foundation, Small and Medium
Entrepreneurship Development National Center of Armenia, Aregak microfinance
organization, Oxfam Great Britain, Armenian Caritas, Children of Armenia
Fund, Shen NGO, and Youth and Community Action Program of the U.S. Academy
for Educational Development.

More than 60 Armenian organizations and international agencies directly
engaged in rural development projects in Armenia participated in the
conference sessions and discussions along with representatives of the
Republic of Armenia Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Territorial
Administration, and Education and Science.

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The American University of Armenia Corporation (AUAC) is registered as a
non-profit organization in the United States and the American University of
Armenia Fund (AUAF) in Armenia. The American University of Armenia (AUA) is
affiliated through AUAC with the Regents of the University of California.
Receiving major support from the AGBU, USAID and private donors, AUA offers
instruction leading to the Master’s degree in eight graduate programs. For
more information about AUA visit <;

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change in 166
countries
and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help
people build a better life. UNDP Country Office in Armenia was established
in 1993. UNDP’s Mandate is poverty reduction and its priorities are
expressed through the Millennium Development Goals approved by the World
leaders in 2000. As in other countries, UNDP in Armenia supports the
government to accomplish the millennial development agenda.