Author: Kalashian Nyrie

APPOINTMENTS

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
June 18, 2009

Today, the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan has signed decrees on
new appointments. Valeri Balayan was dismissed of his post of Head
of the Department of Industrial Infrastructures and was appointed
Director of "Artsakhenergo" CJSC. Karlen Petrosyan, being dismissed
of his post of Head of the NKR Prime Minister’s Control Service,
was appointed Head of the Department of Industrial Infrastructures.

The same day Head of the Government met with the former and newly
appointed heads of the Department of Industrial Infrastructures
and executive officials of its subdivisions. Clarifying the aim and
expediency of the appointments, A.Haroutyunyan emphasized that the
Executive anticipates serious improvements especially in the energetic
system. During the past two years appreciable progress was recorded
in this sphere, however, these achievements are not satisfying and
there are still many tasks to be carried out,- the Prime Minister
noted. He demanded from the Executives of the sphere to implement
necessary structural and organizational improvements within short
time-limits, to pass to modern methods of the system management. "I
will personally control the improvements implemented in the system",-
A.Haroutyunyan stated.

K.Petrosyan, newly appointed Head of the Industrial Infrastructures,
was instructed by the Prime Minister to continue improvements also
in the spheres of transport and communication service, where changes
for the better were recorded as well, however, development rates are
not sufficient.

K.Petrosyan assured that every effort will be exerted for the
successful implementation of the working and the anticipated new
programmes.

June 18, 2009

UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
WILL VISIT PRELACY ON JUNE
23
Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, the United States ambassador to the
Republic of Armenia, will visit
the Prelacy Tuesday, June 23. The ambassador will meet privately with
the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, prior to a reception where
representatives of area Prelacy parishes and affiliate organizations
will hear the Ambassadors presentation and have the opportunity to
participate in a question and answer session. The reception, which
begins at 7:30 pm, is open to the public. Please RSVP, 212-689-7810.

VARTAN OSKANIAN TO SPEAK TONIGHT
A public
lecture by Armenias former Foreign Minister, Vartan Oskanian, titled,
Roadmap to Where? Armenian Turkish Relations: Pitfalls and
Possibilities, will take place at the Fordham Law School Amphitheater
(140 W. 62nd Street, New York) tonight, Thursday, June 18, at
7:30. The
event, which is organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and
co-sponsored by various Armenian American organizations, is open to
the public
and is free of charge.
Oskanian, who served as Armenias foreign minister for a decade before
leaving
office last year, has just issued a volume of his speeches, Speaking
to be Heard: A Decade of Speeches, will be on sale and available
for signing this evening.
Oskanian holds a masters degree in international law and diplomacy
from Tuft
Universitys Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy, as
well as a masters degree in structural engineering from
Tufts.
Co-sponsors of the event include: Armenian Catholic Exarchate,
Armenian Club of Fordham University,
Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian National
Committee of America, Armenian Students Association, Armenian Youth
Federation,
Knights and Daughters of Vartan, and the Eastern Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America.
PRELATE AND VICAR IN
MONTREAL
Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan, having recently returned
from meetings in Lebanon,
are in Montreal this week where they and Archbishop Khajag Hagopian
are continuing their Bible translation project. The Prelate and Vicar
will return
to New York tomorrow.

PRELATE AND VICAR AT ST. SARKIS (NY) ON
SUNDAY
This Sunday, June 21, Archbishop Oshagan and Bishop Anoushavan will be
at St. Sarkis Armenian
Church, Douglaston, New York for the Divine Liturgy and the Fathers
Day luncheon that will follow. The well-known conductor Raffi Svadjian
will be honored as the Father of the Year.

YEAR END HANTES AT ST. ILLUMINATORS
SCHOOL
St. Illuminators Armenian Day School held its year-end
Hantes/Graduation on May 28, in
Woodside, New York. Pupils in Nursery-Kindergarden performed songs and
recitations under the direction of Tamar Lakissian (Nursery/Pre-K
teacher) and
Marie Yaralian (Kindergarden teacher). Students in grades 1 to 4
performed Armenian recitations and Armenian and English songs under
the direction of
Zmroukhd Markarian. Hasmig Mekinedjian was the pianist for the evening
and stage decorations were prepared by the schools art teacher, Ani
Nercessian. The principal Christine Reiglehoff, spoke about the
successful school year. Mardo Anastasian spoke on behalf of the
schools Board
of Trustees and Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian and V. Rev. Fr. Vaghinag
Meloian addressed parents and friends. Archpriest Fr. Moushegh Der
Kaloustian
offered the benediction.
Kindergarten graduates are: Alex, Mikayel and Nicholas Mkryan, Salpy
Ketchelian,
Narine Samuelian, Hayk Shahvertyan, and Emmy Veselinov.

CATHOLICOS ARAM ADDRESSES PREPARATORY G8
SUMMIT
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, arrived
in Rome this week to
participate in the preparatory meetings for the G8 Summit. Italy will
host the G8 Summit in the fall of the worlds major industrialized
nations. For the preparatory meetings, the Italian government invited
a small group of religious leaders representing the worlds religions
to
address the agenda of the Summit. His Holiness Aram I was the only
religious leader from the Middle East invited to
speak.
Speaking as a Christian religious leader to the opening plenary, His
Holiness welcomed this initiative
and urged all religions to work together in overcoming the current
economic crisis and its repercussions on people and the environment.

CILICIAN SEMINARY CONCLUDES ACADEMIC YEAR

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, met
with faculty and students on Friday, June 12, at the conclusion of the
2008-2009
academic year. The Dean of the Seminary, Bishop Shahe Panossian,
welcomed His Holiness and thanked him for his care and attention to
the Seminary. He
particularly thanked him for teaching theology courses during the
academic year despite his busy schedule.
His
Holiness told the faculty and students that, The seminary is not just
any school. In addition to imparting knowledge, the seminary builds
the
soul of the students and prepares them for service to the church and
nation. Referring to the Armenian community and its needs, he said
that
today the words of the Gospel, The harvest is plenty the workers are
few, (Mark 4:26-28) are very relevant. The nation needs visionary
and devoted spiritual leaders and the seminary is the place for such
formation. Therefore, to be a student in the seminary is a privilege
and
different from being a student in any other educational institution,
the Catholicos said.

KHATCHIK BABIKIAN FOUNDATION LAUNCHES FIRST
VOLUME
The first publication to be sponsored by the Khatchik Babikian
Foundation was presented
recently in Antelias. The book is titled Ethnographic Study of the
Religious and Cultural Achievements of Armenians within the Turkish
Republic (1923-2005), by Garin Khantarian.
After the presentation, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I
thanked the members of the foundations board for their choice of the
first volume to be published because he noted political science was
the
preferred academic disciple of the late Khatchik
Babikian. Mr. Babikian bequeathed the Fund to the Catholicate in order
to promote research on the
Armenian people in this field.
2009 PRELACY LINKED IN WEEKEND
The 2009 Prelacy LINKED
IN weekend for young adults will take place September 25-27, at the
Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard, Charlton, Massachusetts.
For more
information click here (
4882/goto: 9.htm
).

YEAR OF THE YOUTH
His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has designated the year 2009
as the Year of The Youth.
To read His Holiness message in Armenian click here (
4882/goto: 4/doc/Pontifical%20Messages/messages68.htm
).
To
read His Holiness message in English click
here (
4882/goto: lical.pdf
).

DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM
The 23rd annual St.
Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program, for youth ages 13-18, is
rapidly approaching. As in previous years it will take place at the
St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, from June 28 to July 5,
2009, preceded by a weekend retreat (optional) from June 26-28,
2009. The Program
is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC).
For more information click here (
4882/goto:
).

ONE DAY ADULT SEMINAR
A one-day seminar for
adults will take place Saturday, June 27, at St. Mary of Providence
Retreat Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, prior to the beginning of
the St.
Gregory of Datev Institute summer studies program. The seminar is
organized by the Christian Education Committee of St. Gregory the
Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia. Guest lecturers Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian,
Vicar of the Prelacy, and Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian, pastor of
St. Gregory
Church, Philadelphia, will discuss spirituality in the Armenian
Church.
For more information click here (
4882/goto: SeminarFlyer.pdf
) and for a registration form
click here (
4882/goto: SeminarForm.pdf
).

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for
today, Thursday, June 18, are: Proverbs 6:1-5; Isaiah 33:5-8; Romans
8:18-27; Luke 21:12-19,
I
consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation
waits with eager
longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was
subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one
who
subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from
its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the
children of
God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains
until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the
first
fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the
redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is
seen is not
hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do
not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in
our
weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very
Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches
the heart,
knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes
for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:18-27)

For listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click
here ().

S T. NERSES THE GREAT
This
Saturday, June 20, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Nerses the
Great, who is remembered for his many benevolent
accomplishments. Perhaps one of
his greatest was the Council of Ashdishad (364) where canons were
drawn up concerning the sanctity of family life, improvement of social
conditions,
establishment of various social institutions such as hospitals and
inns for pilgrims, and the establishment of monasteries and
convents.
St. Nerses truly fulfilled the words of our Lord as recorded in the
Gospel of Matthew: I was
hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something
to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you
gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you
visited me.
It is no wonder that
the Prelacys charitable agency in Armenia was named Saint Nerses the
Great Charitable Organization, in honor of this saint
whose deeds to improve the condition of the common people earned him
the honorific, Great, by a grateful
nation.
One of the Prelacys most successful charitable programs in Armenia
that is currently
administered by the Saint Nerses Charitable Organization is the Orphan
Sponsorship Program. Wont you please consider sponsoring an orphan
following the example set so long ago by Saint Nerses? For more
information about the Orphan Sponsorship Program click here (
4882/goto: m
).

CONSTANTINE AND HIS MOTHER HELENA
Next
Tuesday, June 23, the Armenian Church remembers Constantine the Great
and his mother, Helena. Constantine was the first Christian emperor of
Rome. In
330 he founded Constantinople as a second Rome and considered himself
to be a servant of God. He was buried amid the apostles in the
basilica he
founded in their honor in Constantinople. Helena followed her son in
becoming a Christian and devoted her life to charitable work. She
built many
churches and monasteries and is believed to have been instrumental in
the recovery of the true cross.

CAST CALL FOR NON-UNION ACTORS
A short
30-minute film based on a one-act play by William Saroyan, Hello Out
There, will be casting this Saturday, June 20, 3 pm at the Armenian
Church of Holy Martyrs, Bayside, New York. The story takes place
during the 1940s in Texas. Filming will begin the last week of
June. Actors should be
available on weekends and some evenings. For information contact
Marge, 718-428-5650.

SUNDAY IS FATHERS DAY
This Sunday,
June 21, is Fathers Day. The United States is one of the few countries
in the world that has an official Fathers Day. The first
fathers day was observed on June 19, 1910, in Spokane,
Washington. States began lobbying Congress to declare an official
annual
Fathers Day. President Woodrow Wilson approved the idea in 1916 as did
President Calvin Coolidge who in 1924 suggested that it be a national
event. It did not become an official holiday until 1966 when President
Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation declaring the third Sunday of
June as
Fathers Day.

SUMMER BEGINS ON SUNDAY
Summer officially
begins on Sunday, June 21, at 1:45 a.m. (EDT). In the Northern
Hemisphere the longest day and shortest night of the year occur on the
summer solstice,
marking the beginning of summer. The word solstice come from the Latin
words sol meaning sun and sistit meaning stands. For several
days before and after each solstice, the sun appears to stand still in
the skythat is to say, its noontime elevation does not seem to change.

FROM THE BOOKSTORE.

THIS WEEK WE OFFER FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOUR BOOKS FOR CHILDREN.

NOR TARVAH HANDES (NEW YEARS CELEBRATION)
Compiled by Sarine
Ghevontian (Amirkhanian)
Poetry for children in celebration of the New Year season. Lavishly
and colorfully illustrated by Lala Minassian. Eastern
Armenian.
Soft cover, 24 pages. $9.00 plus shipping and handling.

GRIR YEV NERKIR (WRITE AND COLOR)
Compiled and illustrated by Lala
Minassian
An alphabet book to write in and color. Makes learning the alphabet
lots of fun.
Soft cover, 40 pages, $7, plus shipping and
handling.

ARMENIAN COLORING BOOK FOR CHILDREN
Created and designed by Taline
Najarian
Illustrated by Suzanne Anoushian Froundjian
Introduces children to the Armenian alphabet as well as to words and
pronunciation and
usage in sentences. Western Armenian.
Soft cover, 68 pages, $14.00 plus shipping and handling.

MANGOOTYAN HOOSHERUS (REFLECTIONS OF MY CHILDHOOD)
BOOK AND CD
By Houry
Yapoujian Schmeizl
A collection of traditional Armenian childrens songs, rhymes, and
poetry in Western Armenian. The accompanying CD has 26
selections.
Soft cover, 28 pages, $29.95 plus shipping and handling. Price
includes book and CD.

TO ORDER THESE OR OTHER BOOKS, OR FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT THE
BOOKSTORE BY E-MAIL AT [email protected]
(mailto:BOOKS@ARMENIANPR ELACY.ORG) OF BY TELEPHONE AT 212-689-7810.

CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
June 20Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian and the Young Adults
Bible Study Group of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, invite
you to attend a Seminar on Marriage and Family from 10 am to 4
pm. Presentations
by Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian and Professor Joann C. Heaney-Hunter from
St. Johns University. Group discussions on topics of interest for
young
Armenian couples and families. Lunch and refreshments will be
served. Registration fee: $25 per couple. Contact church office,
718-224-2275.

June 28Annual Madagh Picnic, St. Hagop Church (Racine),
at Johnson Park Picnic Grounds, 6200 Northwestern Ave., Racine,
Wisconsin, 10:30 to 7 pm.

June 29 July 5St. Gregory of Datev Summer
Institute, St. Mary of Providence Center, Elverson, Pennsylvania.

July 18Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode
Island, Ladies Guild/ARS Chapter present a Hye Summer Night 4 Dance at
The Annunciation Greek Church, Cranston, Rhode Island. For information
401-434-4467.

July 22Gathering of North American youth in Los
Angeles, organized by the Western Prelacy with the participation of
the Eastern and Canadian Prelacies.

August 2Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode
Island, Annual Picnic and Blessing of Madagh and Grapes at Camp
Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts, 12 noon to 6 pm, rain or
shine. Music by John
Berberian and Ensemble.

August 8National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG)
religious seminary hosted by the Ladies Guild of St. Gregory Churchy
of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts. For information:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or 781-762-4253.

August 9St. Stephens Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, annual picnic and blessing of madagh and grapes at Camp
Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts. Starts at 12 noon, rain or
shine. Live
music.

August 9Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts, annual picnic and blessing of the grapes.

August 16Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New
Jersey, annual picnic and Blessing of the Grapes.

August 16St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts, picnic and Blessing of the Grapes.

September 13Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts, 75th anniversary Holy Mass and banquet,
under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan.

September 21St. Stephens (Watertown, MA)
Armenian School/ACEC 14th annual Golf Outing at Framingham Country
Club. $165 includes golf, lunch, dinner, and contests. For information
contact
Astor at 781-326-5764.

September 24Sts. Vartanantz Church (New Jersey),
presents 7th annual Golf Outing at River Vale Country Club, River
Vale, New Jersey. $175 includes lunch, dinner, golf and contests. Come
out and enjoy
a great day and support the church. For information contact Mark,
201-483-3200.

September 25-26-27Prelacy Linked In, gathering of the
youth. Details will follow.

October 10National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG)
annual conference at the Prelacy offices in New York City. Details
will follow.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the
source.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their
major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

USA SUPPORTS NKR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT WITHIN SHORTEST TERMS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.06.2009 17:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "USA strives to help Armenia in security and
proliferation strengthening, NKR conflict settlement and normalization
of Armenian-Turkish ties," Assistant Secretary of State for Europe
and Eurasian Affairs, Phillip Gordon said in his statement.

According to him, NKR conflict settlement and Turkish-Armenian ties
normalization are processes to be conducted separately, yet along
parallel lines.

"On April 22 Armenia and Turkey announced about an agreement to
normalize bilateral relations. The agreement offers a historical
possibility for both countries, which are closer than ever to
establishment of ties. The US helped to achieve progress in NKR
conflict settlement issue within the framework of their activities in
MG OCSE Co-Chair capacity. The meeting between RA and Azeri Presidents,
Sargsyan and Aliev on May 7 in Prague and June 4 in St. Petersburg
opened a way towards activisation of efforts for framework agreement
completion by the end of 2009. We also strive to promote democratic
and market reforms in Armenia," Gordon emphasized

RA EMBASSY IN IRAN REMAINS ON NORMAL WORKING SCHEDULE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.06.2009 14:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA Embassy in Iran remains on normal working
schedule, RA MFA Acting Secretary Tigran Balayan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. According to him, all RA Embassy employees are currently in
Tehran It’s been already a week since the beginning of mass protest
rallies against presidential election results in Iran. Over a million
people rallied in support of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi.

According to official results, provided by Iran CEC, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad won presidential elections of June 12, with 62,6% of
votes, followed by Mir Hossein Mousavi – 33,7%, Mohsen Rezaee- 1,7%
and Mehdi Karroubi – 0,85%.

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

"THE SEMINARY WILL CONTINUE ITS UNIQUE MISSION OF CULTIVATING MINDS AND
SOULS"

SAID ARAM I TO THE SEMINARY STUDENTS

On the occasion of the end of the school year of the Seminary, His Holiness
Aram I met with the faculty and students on Friday 12 June 2009, in the
evening. The Dean Bishop Shahé Panossian welcomed His Holiness and thanked
him for his care and attention. He particularly thanked him for teaching
theology courses during the school year despite his busy schedule.

At the end of the gathering Catholicos Aram I addressed the faculty and the
students. He said: "The seminary is not any school. In addition to imparting
knowledge, the seminary builds the soul of the students and prepares them
for service to the church and nation". Referring to the Armenian community
and its needs, he said that today the words of the Gospel "the Harvest is
Plenty the Workers are Few" (Mark 4:26-28) are most relevant. The nation
needs visionary and devoted spiritual leaders and the seminary is the place
for such formation. Therefore, to be a student in the seminary is different
from being a student in any other educational institution and a privilege.

His Holiness concluded the evening by thanking the faculty, the students,
the friends and sponsors of the seminary. He expressed his special thanks to
the Armenian Affairs Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for
its continual support over the years.

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

CSTO MEMBER COUNTRIES’ FOREIGN MINISTERS HIGHLY ASSESS RESULTS RECORDED IN ORGANIZATION DURING ARMENIA’S CHAIRMANSHIP
X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true
X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: AioBABD6NkpAyqUOmGdsb2JhbACOMIknegEBAQEBCAkMBxO5RI QNBYhb
X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="4.42,227,1243839600";
d="scan’208";a="137369188"
X-X -Sender: [email protected]
X-Listprocessor -Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 15, 2009
MOSCOW

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who is in Moscow on a working
visit, participated in the sitting of CSTO Foreign Ministers’ Council,
during which issues regarding organization’s various spheres were
discussed, a number of decisions on steps to be undertaken in the
direction of organization’s further strengthening and perfection
were made.

At the sitting E. Nalbandian made a report summarizing the work done
in the direction of confronting CSTO member states’ foreign policy
during Armenia’s chairmanship in CSTO. He touched upon work done
since 2008 September: CSTO Foreign Ministers’ meetings held in New
York and Helsinki on the initiative of Armenia, consultations of CSTO
member countries’ Ambassadors in third countries, other events aimed
at confronting the foreign policy.

According to the report of the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, CSTO member countries’ Foreign Ministers highly
assessed the results recorded in the period of Armenia’s chairmanship
in CSTO emphasizing the efficiency of realization of mechanisms in
the sphere of foreign policy confrontation.

Issues of expanding cooperation between CSTO and international
organizations were touched upon at the sitting.

A joint sitting of CSTO member countries’ Foreign Ministers’ Council
and Defence Ministers’ Council took place after the sitting of Foreign
Ministers’ Council, during which a number of documents to be submitted
to the Collective Security Council session were discussed and approved.

The same day E. Nalbandian in the delegation led by the RA President
took part in the Collective Security Council sitting.

ARMENIA VOWS TO BOOST COOPERATION WITH EURASEC, BUT ABSTAINS FROM BECOMING MEMBER

ARKA
June 15, 2009

YEREVAN, June 15. /ARKA/. Armenia is interested in boosting
multilateral cooperation with EurAsEc, RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan said.

"With bilateral cooperation developing dynamically, we can establish
new institutes and enroll in them, as well cerate new instruments as
part of EurAsEC, without being its full-fledged member," the premier
said, summing up the Moscow meeting of the EurAsEC Intergovernmental
Council.

He pointed out the Customs Union issue, stressing its importance
for Armenia.

Russian, Kazakh and Belarus prime ministers made a joint statement
on their intention to join WTO as a single customs area. The customs
union is to launch activities on January 1, 2010 when the three states
will implement a uniform customs tariff. On July 1, 2010, a uniform
customs code will enter into force. All integration procedures are
to be completed by mid-2011.

According to the Armenian premier, Armenia’s partners are to pass
a considerable path, as they have made a political statement on
continuing talks with WTO as a union.

He did not rule out revision of customs tariffs as part of EurAsEC and,
if the countries join WTO, the obstacles will be removed.

EurAsEC is an international economic organization aimed at drawing
up common customs borders in between the member states (Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzst an, Russia and Tajikistan). The organization’s
mission is to work out a uniform foreign trade policy, common tariffs
and prices. Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia have monitored EurAsEC in
the past years.

U.S. ready to cooperate with Iran irrespectively of outcomes of
elections
13.06.2009 18:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. is ready to cooperate with the new
administration of Iran irrespectively of outcomes of
elections. However, the Washington’s position remains unchanged: Iran
must stop its nuclear program, said American foreign policy advisor
and United States Ambassador to the United Nation Susan
Rice. `Politics of the U.S. towards Iran and its nuclear program does
not depend on the government of that country. Our position is Teheran
is obliged to stop elaboration of military nuclear program and our
position will not change against elections results.
In its turn, the U.S. president Barack Obama stated, that he is amazed
by the activity voter shown during the presidential elections in
Iran. He stressed, that he relies on the result, which could help Iran
to lead to democracy.

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIAN RAILWAYS ASSURED

LRAGIR.AM
17:44:53 – 12/06/2009

Today, Serge Sargsyan met with the president of the Russian Railways
Vladimir Yakunin, which manages the Armenian Railways on concessionary
basis.

Underscoring the Armenian and Russian strategic relations, Serge
Sargsyan stated, "We consider Russia our most reliable ally and
we attach great importance to the strengthening of bilateral
links". Vladimir Yakunin stated that the work made in the recent
period satisfies him on the whole, there have been taken serious steps
on bettering the effectiveness of the administration. The president
of the Russian Railways assured that their investments duties will
completely be implemented; the press office of the president reports.

ICRC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT RAFIG HASANOV

ArmInfo
2009-06-11 17:38:00

ArmInfo. Representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross
Delegation in Armenia visited Azerbaijani captive Rafig Hasanov,
Thursday.

The ICRC Delegation in Armenia told ArmInfo it was a regular visit
procedure. ‘Hasanov wrote a letter to his family which will be handed
over through the ICRC’, the Delegation reported. Since R. Hasanov
does not speak Russian he needs a translator from the Azerbaijani. The
ICRC employee ensured the communication and translation. ‘It was not
a representative of the ICRC Delegation in Azerbaijan’, the source
specified.

The Azerbaijani soldier R. Hasanov voluntarily crossed the border
and passed to the Armenian party on October 8 2008.