Author: Kalantarian Kevo

THE CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS KAREKIN II TO CONSECRATE THE HAGIGADAR ARMENIAN MONASTERY IN ROMANIA

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: On August 12, the Hagigadar Armenian
Monastery’s 500th anniversary will be celebrated with the Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II traveling from Armenia for the first time
to Romania to consecrate it, reports Armenpress citing The Armenian
Mirror Spectator.

The Hagigadar Armenian Monastery built in 1512 on a hill outside of
this Romanian town has been called a “church of miracles,” known for
its power of granting the wishes of believers, who over the centuries
have come from all over the world to pray there. It is being completely
restored through Romanian-born benefactors Hagop and Ica Kouyoumdjian
of New York. “This church is a place of pilgrimage, like Lourdes
in France. It’s a place for all Christians, not just Armenians who
ascend the hill on their knees and circle the church three times as
they pray,” stated Romania’s Primate Bishop Datev Hagopian, in an
exclusive interview recently at the Armenian Diocese in New York.

“Every day, at least 100 people come from places like the Ukraine,
Poland, Hungary, Moldova, and of course, Romania. In 500 years, this
monastery of pilgrimage (oughtavayr) has never been closed for prayers,
with Badarak celebrated every week. In the diaspora, it is the only
vank [cathedral], except for Jerusalem, Antelias and Bolis,” he noted.

The Kouyoumdjians who were born in Romania, returned five years ago to
visit the Armenian monasteries there. They visited the two Armenian
monasteries in Suceava, and finding them in dilapidated condition,
decided to renovate them “This is the only place of pilgrimage, and
we felt that we had to do something,” said Ica Kouyoumdjian. After
receiving a “go ahead” from Karekin II, the plan was put into motion.

Revealing the origins of the Sucheava Vank, Hagopian related that
more than 500 years ago, the Donavag brothers who were Armenian
businessmen, traveling to Vienna, rested on a hill and in a dream
saw angels singing. They pledged that if they succeeded in Vienna,
they would build a monastery on that hill outside of Suceava, which
was the capital of Moldovia until 1564, as well as an important
trading center with a large Armenian population, and seven Armenian
churches. The vank was built and became a residence for nuns. “To
make a strong connection between Armenia and the vank, a bell made
in 1288 was brought to the church in 1512 from the Datev monastery.”

The whole church is filled with frescoes and there are three icons of
Mother Mary, he continued. “We don’t know which one of the icons is
the one of miracles, but those worshippers whose wishes are granted
have donated gifts of silver and bronze, some of which are hung on
the altar icon. Others are kept in a safe, along with hundreds of
archival materials about the Romanian Armenian community.”

This community dates from the 10th century when Armenians traveled
from Ani to the Ukraine, to Moldova and finally settled in Romania,
he related. “It became a small Ani.” In 1401, the archbishop’s chair
was established, becoming the oldest tem in the western diaspora. In
the 1800s, there were as many as 80,000 Armenians in Romania, mostly
wealthy businessmen. By the late 1940s, many sold their possessions
and left when the Communists took over, a good number going to Armenia,
and others emigrating to the US, Canada, Australia and Argentina.

Today, there are 18 Armenian churches and approximately 5,000 Armenians
in Romania, mostly in the fields of art and culture. One of the most
revered individuals in Romania has been Levon Garabed Baljian who
was born in Bucharest in 1908, became the Catholicos of All Armenians
Vasken I in 1955.

Hagopian who was appointed Primate of Romania in 2010 and elevated
to the rank of bishop during the 60th birthday ceremonies for Karekin
II in 2011, was born in Mosul, Iraq in 1966, and ordained a celibate
priest by Archbishop Avak Assadourian in 1993.

He has served in Iraq, Echmiadzin, Geneva, the Netherlands, Loire
and Lyon in France.

His trip to New York and Los Angeles recently was for the purpose of
making the connection with the Romanian-Armenians in America and to
invite them for the August 12 500th anniversary celebrations of this
revered Sucheava monastery, “a beacon on a hill.”

AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT IS ADMIRED BY SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL TREASURES OF ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

President of Austria Heinz Fischer with his wife Margit Fischer on
June 27 visited pagan temple of Garni. They were accompanied by the
head of Kotayk region Kovalenko Shahgeldyan. Armenpress reports that
the history of the only pagan temple of Armenia which have been kept,
its architectural features.

High ranked guests visited Saint Mary Church of Geghard where they
heard parts from Armenian spiritual songs. “We today saw the cultural
treasures of Armenia which are not only the treasures of Armenia
but also international cultural civilization. I am more impressed
by the wonderful voice of young singers which were heavenly for me”
told the President of Austria during the briefing.

Speaking about his visit to brandy factory Fischer mentioned
that it was pleasure for him ti be in a place where 25-30 other
presidents had already been. “I do not find words to speak about the
hostility of Armenians. Their hostility is great, even too great,
and the journalists are smiling a lot which does not happen in Vienna
frequently” mentioned Fischer. He informed that before leaving Armenia
he would meet and speak with His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians.

ARMENIAN-SWISS MODERN MUSIC TO BE PERFORMED AT “1900+” CONCERT SERIES

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS: Komitas Chamber Music Hall will host
concert series dedicated to Armenian -Swiss 20 century music on June
28. ” Twenty century modern composers works, Armenian composers’
works, living in Swede inclusive are scheduled to be performed at
the course of the event “Hayk Melikyan stated at the briefing with
the journalists on June 27 , Armenpress reports.

The interlocutor noted that Armenian audience is more priggish,
demanding and is inclined to listen something new from the performer.

Swiss Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Konstantin Obolensky
stated that a few ago when hosting Hayk Melkonyan in Embassy, he
approved and agreed to implement the program submitted by the pianist.

“The concert is very interesting, it is exclusive in its nature ”
Obolensky noted. In the words of the top diplomat the concert list
does not comprise pop music but modern classic works .Surely it
has targeted audience. Yerevan is considered music tradition place,
where similar concerts are welcomed” Ambassador underscored.

OFFICER OF AZERBAIJANI ARMY DIES

News.Az
Wed 27 June 2012 07:14 GMT | 8:14 Local Time

An officer of Azerbaijani army died.

The incident was recorded at the Central Military Clinical Hospital
of Armed Forces.

Major Aliyev Ehtiram Seyfaddin died from heart and lung failure at
the hospital the day before. The officer, born in 1968, was drafted
from Zardab region.

Press service of the Defense Ministry confirmed the fact to APA.

ARMENIA FUND TORONTO WILL BUILD TWO VILLAGE LIFE CENTERS IN ARTSAKH

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: On Sunday, June 24, Mr. Vahe Jazmadarian,
the General Controller and the Chairman of the Audit Committee of
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Board, as the key-note speaker at the
annual banquet of Armenia Fund Toronto, kicked off the fundraising
for the construction of two “village life centre”s in Artsakh.

Armenpress was informed from the fund that The MC of the evening
was Tenny Nighogossian, who conducted the proceedings in front of a
capacity audience, in a very charming and professional manner.The
entire program was dedicated to the 20th Anniversaries of the
liberation of Shushi as well as of the Armenia Fund.In his remarks,
H.E. Armen Yeganian, the Ambassador of Armenia, in Canada, emphasized
the key role that Armenia Fund had played during its 20 years of work,
both in Armenia and Artsakh, in general, and Toronto Chapter’s projects
during the same period, in particular.

Migirdic Migirdician, the Chairman of Toronto Chapter, started his
presentation with major good-news stories from Artsakh and Armenia,
including the growing birthrate in Artsakh as well as the Tumo Centre
and Fruitful-Armenia, in Armenia. Then continued his presentation
with the five different projects that were realized by the Toronto
Chapter over the last 12 months.

Vahe Jazmadarian, the key-note speaker of the banquet, who had come
specifically for this event from Cannes, France, gave a very eloquent
and all encompassing speech about All-Armenia Fund’s work over the
last 20 years. Mr. Jazmadarian, being the general Controller and the
chair of the Audit Committee of the Board, emphasized the absolute
transparency of the Fund’s finances as well as of the projects,
by having two separate audits one for the finances and the other
for the physical aspects of the projects during the many phases of
the construction. Mr. Jazmadarian ended his presentation with the
formidable statistics of the very large number of projects realized
over the 20 years by the Fund’s chapters worldwide, which was welcomed
by an standing ovation of the audience.

The fund raising drive, which included the lighting of the 20th
Anniversary candles, the donation of the Toronto students and the
auctioning of a tuxedo by a world-famous tailor, was run by Giro
Chahinian, in a very energetic manner.

The banquet ended at a very high note with $135,000 raised from
all the activities of the day, plus a single donation of $180,000,
a total of $315,000 was raised, towards two “Village Life Centre”s,
in Artsakh. One of those centres will be in the village of Drakhtig,
in Artsakh, which will be financed by a single anonymous donor. These
centres will include a medical and maternity room, a computer centre,
a library, a small auditorium and the mayor’s office.

MOODY’S RELEVE LA NOTE DE LA TURQUIE
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 27 juin 2012

L’agence de notation financière Moody’s relève d’un cran, a “Ba1”
contre “Ba2” precedemment, la note de solidite financière de la
Turquie, et pourrait la remonter encore a court terme. Moody’s a en
effet maintenu la perspective de cette note a “positive”, estimant
que les deux facteurs qui l’ont conduite a la relever – la volonte
politique et la solidite des indicateurs economiques -vont continuer
a s’ameliorer.

L’agence insiste sur la volonte du gouvernement islamo-conservateur
turc d’assainir les finances publiques et sur la capacite de l’economie
turque a absorber les “chocs”, notamment les consequences de la
crise de la dette de la zone euro. “La Turquie dispose de puissances
economiques considerables, telle sa taille, son dynamisme et son
influence economique aussi bien en Europe qu’au Moyen-Orient”,
explique l’agence, encourageant Ankara a continuer d’avancer vers
une equilibre de son deficit des comptes courants.

La Turquie, 17e economie mondiale, a effectue un retablissement
spectaculaire après la crise economique et financière mondiale, avec
une croissance de 8,9% en 2010 et 8,5% en 2011. Mais la croissance
attendue cette annee n’est que de 4%, du fait notamment de la crise
en Europe qui affecte les exportations turques.

MEHMET BORA PERINCEK ADMET SES LIENS AVEC VELI KUCUK
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 28 juin 2012

Mehmet Bora Perincek, le fils du president du parti des Ouvriers (IP)
Dogu Perincek suspecte d’appartenir au gang Ergenekon, a admis dans
une audience qu’il connaissait le general a la retraite Veli Kucuk,
un des personnages-cles dans le procès Ergenekon.

Mehmet Bora Perincek fait face aux charges d’inciter l’organisation
terroriste en employant les medias.

Il a admis qu’il avait rencontre le general Kucuk avant une
manifestation qui avait ete conjointement organisee par le parti
IP et le parti du Mouvement Nationaliste (MHP) pour discuter de la
question de Chypre en 2003.

” Je lui ai donne un fichier qui comprenait mon travail sur la
question armenienne. Je lui ai donne le document de 18 pages, qui
a ete plus tard saisi par la police dans la maison de Kucuk dans le
cadre de l’enquete Ergenekon ” a dit Mehmet Bora Perincek aux juges
de la 13ème Haute Cour Criminelle d’Istanbul pour sa defense.

En août d’annee dernière, les unites du contreterrorisme ont fait
une incursion dans les bureaux du parti IP et dans les locaux de la
chaîne de television Ulusal Kanal dans le cadre d’une enquete contre
le gang Ergenekon. Quatorze suspects, dont Mehmet Bora Perincek,
ont ete arretes lors de l’operation.

L’ARMEE ARMENIENNE MET FIN A TROIS JOURS D’EXERCICES MILITAIRES
Laetitia

armenews.com
jeudi 28 juin 2012

Les forces armees armeniennes ont mis fin mercredi 27 juin 2012 a
trois jours d’exercices militaires. ” Le but de ces exercices est
de se preparer a des conditions reelles de guerre “, a declare le
ministère armenien de la defense.

La securite nationale a aussi fait une demande officielle a
l’Organisation du traite de securite collective (OTSC) dirigee par
la Russie pour une assistance militaire.

Le ministre de la defense, Seyran Ohanian, a dit plus tôt ce mois-ci
que les autorites militaires et civiles auront une conduite de
mobilisation et de resistance face a une eventuelle agression. ”
Nous allons placer l’Armenie en etat d’alerte militaire “, a-t-il
dit. Un porte-parole du ministère de la defense a dementi mercredi
tout lien entre ces excercies militaires et les recentes violations du
cessez-le-feu dans la zone de conflit du Haut-Karabakh. S’adressant a
RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am), le fonctionnaire les a lies avec des exercices
militaires de l’OTSC qui auront lieu en Armenie en septembre.

Le secretaire general de l’OTSC, Nikolay Bordyuzha, a discute des
preparatifs pour septembre avec Sarkissian et Ohanian a Erevan en
debut de semaine.

DAVIT HARUTYUNYAN MET WITH PACE PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: President of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Jean-Claude Mignon met with
Davit Harutyunyan, the head of the Armenian delegation to PACE. Mr
Harutyunyan reported to Armenpress from Strasburg that Jean-Claude
Mignon held a separate meeting with head of the Azerbaijani delegation
to PACE Samed Seyidov, whereas there was no meeting in trilateral
format. “A number of issues on how we should move forward in general
were discussed,” noted Mr Harutyunyan. According to him, a number of
issues on Nagorno Karabakh conflict were referred as well. In answer
to Armenpress’ question whether the activity of the Subcommittee on
Nagorno-Karabakh set up under PACE resolution was referred, Davit
Harutyunyan called on to remove the expression “Subcommittee on
Nagorno-Karabakh Issue” from the Armenian lexicon.

NAIRA ZOHRABYAN CALLS FOR PACE TO TAKE STEPS AGAINST SPREAD OF RACISM AND HATRED TOWARDS ARMENIANS IN AZERBAIJAN

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: Discussions were extended in the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe over the topics
of crisis of democracy in Europe, racism, xenophobia and growth of
extremism June 27. In that context member of the Armenian delegation
to PACE Naira Zohrabyan raised from the European chair some issues
exciting the Armenian party, Mrs Zohrabyan reported to Armenpress
from Strasburg. “I presented the report of the European Commission
on racism, xenophobia and intolerance. The report stated that the
Azerbaijani authorities and press consistently propagate hatred
towards Armenians in their country, which can actually have dangerous
consequences in very Azerbaijan in terms of upbringing of their
generations and development of democracy,” stressed Mrs Zohrabyan. The
reports on the issue also read that a high attention should be paid
to the textbooks used in the member states of the Council of Europe:
they must be of appropriate level and should not contain moods of
racism and xenophobia. Naira Zohrabyan presented to PACE a number of
Azerbaijani textbooks, which directly and explicitly spread hatred
towards Armenians, and called for international examination. The
reports also stated that the leaders of member states of the Council
of Europe should serve as an example of tolerance, be moderate and
accurate in their speeches and assessments. In that context Naira
Zohrabyan reminded the speech of the Azerbaijani president delivered
in Baku at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly on April 2, when Ilham
Aliyev called Armenian people fascists in presence of the Armenian
delegation, saying that Armenians have contaminated the tombs of their
grandfathers. “If the president of the given country himself propagates
xenophobia and takes a leading role in that issue, then what can we
expect from that country and its citizens? Here the Council of Europe
has actual tasks to fulfill, if we do not want that structure to turn
into a chair of announcement of kind wishes,” Naira Zohrabyan stressed.