Author: Jalatian Sonya

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVED THE NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF MOROCCO

ArmRadio.am
13.04.2006 13:44

Today the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco
Abdeljalil Sobri handed his credentials to RA President Robert
Kocharyan.

Congratulating the Ambassador on his appointment, the President
expressed the hope that certain progress will be registered in the
bilateral relations during his term in office.

According to Ambassador Sobri, he attaches importance to the deepening
of cooperation with South Caucasus countries, considering the great
opportunities of the region. The parties highly appreciated Armenia’s
traditional good relations with the Arab world and expressed readiness
to undertake concrete steps for developing cooperation.

Considering that the experience of collaboration between the European
Union and Morocco is useful for our country, Robert Kocharyan said
that a process has started in EU-Armenia relations, which started in
Morocco years ago.

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:

THOU SANDS OF ARMENIAN CHILDREN CELEBRATE PALM SUNDAY
IN THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA

Thousands of Armenian children gathered with their parents in the St.
Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias on April 9 to celebrate Palm
Sunday.

Holy Mass was held in the Cathedral on this occasion and a special
procession of children walked out of the Cathedral, circulating outside and
returning to the Cathedral.

Bishop Nareg Alemezian performed the Holy Mass. His Holiness Aram I
delivered a special speech from the balcony of the Veharan with the
participants in the Third Pan-Armenian Conference standing beside him.

The Armenian Pontiff greeted all the Armenian children in all the corners of
the globe, relating the significance of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the
Armenian motherland, which is a new Jerusalem for Armenians in the words of
His Holiness.

His Holiness then received the thousand of Armenian children, blessing them
and distributing special Easter gifts to them.

A service for the “opening of the door of heaven” was held in the afternoon.
The service was presided by His Holiness Aram I and conducted by Bishop
Nareg, who delivered a sermon about Jesus Christ’s second coming into the
world.

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View photos here:
es40.htm

ctures41.htm

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

PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIA TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 17:14

Late April or early May President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas
Adamkus will pay an official visit to Armenia. President’s Spokesman
Viktor Soghomonyan informs that the exact date of the visit is still
being corrected.

PRESS RELEASE
ANCA Telethon 2006
Armenian National Committee of America
104 N. Belmont St., Suite 200, Glendale, CA 91206
(818) 500-1918
(818) 246-7353 fax
Email: [email protected]

For more information:
Maral Habeshian
(818) 500-1918

ANCA Launches Nationwide Telethon
Grassroots Advocacy Organization Expanding Operations in Nation’s Capital
and across U.S.

(Washington, DC – March 29, 2006) – The Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) announced today that it will launch its first nationwide
telethon on May 21, 2006 with the theme “Securing our roots. Building for
the future.”

The goal of the telethon, which will air around the United States on
television stations in major Armenian communities and via satellite TV, is
to raise funds to expand its work and programs in service to the Armenian
Cause (Hai Tahd). The ANCA has been stepping up its advocacy efforts over
the last decade on many issues important to the Armenian community and the
telethon will raise the additional financial resources necessary to meet the
growing challenges facing the Armenian people.

As a first step in these expansion plans, in early March the ANCA Endowment
made a historic announcement regarding a state-of-the-art building it
purchased from AOL founder Steve Case, which is located in the heart of the
nation’s capital, Washington, DC. The building, which is equipped with the
latest technology, is located blocks from the White House and near Embassy
Row where most embassies representing countries from around the world are
located.

“Now is the time to build on our successes with a national telethon devoted
to “Hai Tahd” – the Armenian Cause,” said Ken Hachikian, Chairman of the
ANCA. “We look forward to generating the increased political power,
influence and respect that the Armenian American community deserves – and
that the Armenian homeland needs. Purchasing a building in the heart of
Washington, DC’s political establishment gives the Armenian Cause a
permanent home in the U.S. and provides a platform to expand our service to
the Armenian nation.”

The ANCA telethon will be broadcast from 6:00pm to midnight Eastern Standard
Time (EST) and 3:00-9:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) respectively on May
21st and will feature a wide array of engaging programming including
documentaries, prominent political figures, community representatives and
artistic performances, all with an eye toward raising substantial funds to
support the ANCA’s advocacy programs throughout the United States.

“The launch of the ANCA Telethon represents an historic occasion to both
demonstrate the substantial progress and results the ANCA has achieved for
the Armenian Cause and to outline our plans for the future,” said Zanku
Armenian, spokesperson for the ANCA Telethon. “We are at a defining moment
for Hai Tahd and need to expand our infrastructure to meet the increasing
challenges from the many forces arrayed against our nation, our homeland,
and our struggle for justice. The Telethon will provide a unique forum to
unify our community’s strength, foster greater participation, and generate
the resources we need to advance the Armenian Cause.”

The genesis of the ANCA Telethon theme, “Securing our roots. Building for
the future,” reflects the ANCA’s respect for our roots and our aspirations
for the future. “Securing our roots” represents our enduring historic
roots as a people, our grassroots around the country, and our deep roots in
Washington, DC. At its core, grassroots advocacy is the very soul of the
ANCA. While “Building for the future” represents the ANCA’s constant
efforts to expand its effectiveness as a world-class organization,
recognized internationally as the principled and forceful voice of the
Armenian American community.

SCOREBOARD

Thursday, April 6, 2006

SOCCER
UEFA offers to help solve Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute:
UEFA has offered to help settle a dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
which have unable to agree on a match venue for their Euro 2008 qualifiers.
Armenia — which is at odds with its neighbor over Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic
Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan — said it was prepared to host games in the
capital, Yerevan, and travel to Baku. Azerbaijan, however, refused to host
Armenian players and called for a neutral venue. “We understand that there are
problems with security,” UEFA chief executive Lars Olsson said on a visit to
Yerevan. Olsson said the dispute should not be politicized and that soccer’s
European governing body was ready to set up a special commission to investigate
the situation and mediate. The soccer federations in ex-Soviet Moldova and
Georgia have offered to act as hosts.
Plovdiv fan jailed for hooliganism:
A Lokomotiv Plovdiv fan has been jailed for one year for attacking police
before a league match against CSKA Sofia last month, court officials said on
Wednesday. It is the first time a fan has been jailed for soccer hooliganism in
Bulgaria. “Beloslav Hristev hit the policeman on the chest with a stone
after the officer tried to stop a group of Lokomotiv fans attacking CSKA
travelling supporters,” said Plovdiv police colonel Todor Grebenarov. Fifteen Botev
Plovdiv fans were fined and handed a two-year ban from grounds for their part
in a fight with Beroe Stara Zagora supporters on March 11.
BASEBALL
Marlins belt four homers in Astros rout in NL:
Josh Willingham hit a pair of home runs as the Florida Marlins routed Andy
Pettitte and the Houston Astros 11-2 in National League play at Minute Maid
Park. Mike Jacobs added a three-run shot and Miguel Cabrera also homered for
the Marlins, who knocked the veteran Pettitte around for 10 runs on 13 hits.
Seven of the runs off Pettitte were earned in just 4 2/3 innings. He struck
out three, walked three and gave up three of the four Florida homers. In
Milwaukee, Chris Capuano pitched six strong innings and Gabe Gross hit a key
two-run, pinch-hit homer as the Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5. Capuano
allowed two runs on five hits while striking out seven and walking none.
Derrick Turnbow pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save of the young season.
The game scheduled in San Diego between the San Francisco Giants and the
Padres was postponed by rain.
Indian Boone rains on White Sox ring parade in AL:
In the American League, Aaron Boone homered, had four hits and drove in four
runs as the Cleveland Indians downed the Chicago White Sox 8-2 in Chicago.
Boone’s exploits at the plate, backed up by solid pitching from Jake
Westbrook, came on the day the White Sox received their World Series rings. Boone, a
notoriously slow starter, said he would not be getting overly excited by his
performance. In Toronto, Roy Halladay pitched 7 2/3 solid innings as the Blue
Jays won their home opener 6-3 over the Minnesota Twins. Halladay allowed
three runs — two earned — on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks,
out-duelling Johan Santana in a match-up between recent Cy Young winners.
CRICKET
England eager to rediscover winning one-day form:
England is eager to rediscover its winning one-day form as it braces for
today’s must-win, fourth limited-overs international against India. Wilting
under intense weather conditions in the southern Indian coastal city of Cochin
where the mercury is touching 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) and
the humidity is 90 percent, England trails India 3-0 in the seven-match series.
England desperately needs its top-order batsmen to fire against an Indian
lineup that wants to stamp its supremacy after a 1-1 drawn test series. “It’s
been a long, tough tour and we’ve had some key personnel missing,” said
England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones. “One-day cricket is an intense test of skills,
we haven’t performed as we should have,” said Jones, asserting that England’s
cricketers were not lacking passion in limited-overs matches.
BOXING
Former WBC champion Dagge dies:
Former WBC super welterweight champion Eckhard Dagge of Germany has died of
cancer at the age of 58, it was announced by a Hamburg hospital on Tuesday.
Dagge, who had a reputation as the wild boy of German boxing, became only
Germany’s second world champion after the legendary Max Schmeling. After winning
his world title in 1976 he defended it twice before losing it in 1977 to
Italy’s Rocco Matioli. Dagge, who ended his career in 1981 after Britain’s Brian
Anderson sent him crashing to the canvas, was also the European champion in
1975. The German ended his career with 26 victories, five defeats and a draw.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia Ready to Offer All Possible Guarantees to
Azeri Footballers

07.04.2006 23:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is holding talks with the
FIFA and is ready to offer all the possible guarantees
to the Azeri footballers is the match takes place in
Yerevan, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
stated in an interview with Vremya Novostey newspaper.
`I believe it’s possible and hope a similar match can
be held in Baku,’ the Minister remarked. To remind,
Armenia and Azerbaijan fell into the same selection
group of the Championship of Europe to be held in
Germany in 2008.

ic Kent, UK
April 8 2006

BNP row over candidate’s background Apr 8 2006

The British National Party is split over its decision to select the
grandson of an asylum seeker to stand in next month’s local
elections, it was reported.

Sharif Abdel Gawad, whose grandfather was Armenian and grandmother
was Greek, has been selected to stand in a Bradford ward as one of
353 candidates the party is fielding.

The decision has provoked a backlash among BNP hardliners, the
Guardian reports, who believe Mr Gawad should be barred from the
party on race grounds.

BNP spokesman Phil Edwards admitted there had been a number of
complaints from “one or two people on the lunatic fringe” of the
party, who he said had no place in the organisation.

He insisted Mr Gawad fulfilled the BNP criteria of being “a member of
the white European race of people”.

NewKerala.com, India
April 8 2006

Armenia swaps pipeline for cheaper gas

YEREVAN, Armenia: Armenia agreed to surrender a small but crucial
section of a natural gas pipeline to Russia in exchange for
discounted imports of natural gas.

The discounts, which will last until 2009, come in exchange for
letting OAO Gazprom buy a 24-mile stretch of a gas pipeline
connecting Armenia and Iran, the New York Times reported Friday.

Gazprom also was granted a concession to build a larger second
pipeline along the 24-mile route.

Bahrain News Agency
April 8, 2006 Saturday 10:02 AM EST

Assad meets Oskanian

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad met here today with Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian , currently visiting Damascus.

The meeting covered strong bilateral relations and developments in
the region.

IT’S PREFERABLE THAT THE STATE CONTROL ENERGY SECTOR, BUT NATIONAL
INTEREST IS PRIMARY, VICE CHAIRMAN OF ORINATS ERKIR SAYS

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The sale of the 5 unit of Hrazdan
Thermal Power Plant to the Russian side with the aim of mitigating the
effect of the gas tariff increase proceeds from the national interests
of Armenia. Mher Shahgeldian, Chairman of the RA National Assembly
Standing Committee on Defence, Internal Affairs and National Security,
Vice Chairman of the Orinats Erkir Party, made this statement during a
talk with reporters on April 7. In his words, it is preferable that
the state control the energy sector. “But it’s a matter of the
nation’s interests, and our national interests are primary for us,” he
noted. According to him, diversification of electricity sources is
necessary in order to ensure the energy independence, which is the
most important component of the country’s energy security. In this
connection the parliamentary standing committee chairman attached
importance to the construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and
ensuring the Iranian gas supply. M. Shahgeldian considered it
important that the rise in the gas price will not affect a large
section of the population, since it may cause social discontent. He
said that the application of compensation mechanisms against the gas
price increase is important in terms of business development as
well. According to the speaker, the investments to be made by the
Russian side in the 5th power unit will solve the problems related not
only to the generation of extra electricity but also its sale. Asked
by NT correspondent if there are any guarantees that the Hrazdan TPP
5th unit will be put into operation, taking into account the current
idleness of the enterprises which were transferred to the Russian side
5 years ago under the Debt for Equity Program, M. Shageldian said: “As
the legislative power, we raised this issue, are raising and will
continue to raise it.” According to him, the Armenian deputies
repeatedly told their Russian colleagues that these enterprises must
operate, since there are certain expectations connected to them. “In
this case we will try to do everything so that investments will be
made,” M. Shahgeldian assured.