Author: Kamalian Hagop

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
September 12, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY WELCOMES KNOLLENBERG IN CALIFORNIA

Beverly Hills, CA – The Armenian Assembly’s Western Region Office held a
dinner in honor of Representative Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI), Co-Chair of
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, in Glendale, California on
August 29.

Nearly 30 Assembly supporters and local community leaders, including
Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian former Primate of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church, Very Rev. Father Dajad Yardemian representing
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese and Harutyun Kojoyan,
Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Armenia, attended the event at
the Glendale Hilton Hotel.

Board of Trustees Member and Western Office Chairman Richard Mushegain,
who hosted the dinner with his wife Lauren, thanked Knollenberg for his
unwavering support of Armenia and Armenian-American issues during his
14-year tenure in the House of Representatives.

"Tonight I am pleased to welcome Congressman Knollenberg and his wife
Sandie to this gathering of representatives of the Armenian Assembly
community in Los Angeles," said Mushegain.

Knollenberg, in his remarks, commended the Armenian Assembly and its
leadership for its work to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia and U.S.-Karabakh
relationships. He said he was pleased to report that Washington’s
support for Armenia continues to gain strength and pointed to the recent
signing of a five-year $235 million compact between Armenia and the
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as a positive sign.

However, Knollenberg added that Armenia must continue on the path of
reform, stressing the importance of good governance, economic
development and sound social policy as a requisite for continued MCC
funding. The government grant program, which operates independently of
USAID, focuses on long-term growth and reassesses a country every year
with the expectation of improved performance.

As Subcommittee Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Knollenberg
has consistently worked to ensure robust U.S. economic assistance to
Armenia and humanitarian aid to Karabakh. He told event participants
that despite Armenia’s MCC grant, foreign operations funding continues
to be necessary to Armenia’s development and that he will work to
maintain assistance levels in Congress.

Knollenberg also provided an update on the South Caucasus Integration
and Open Railroads Act – a bill he introduced in the House of
Representatives last year along with fellow Armenian Caucus Co-Chair
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Caucus Member George Radanovich (R-CA).
Knollenberg said the bill, which would prohibit U.S. assistance for the
promotion or development of a railroad that would connect Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan while bypassing Armenia, currently has 96
supporters. He expressed optimism that the bill would pass the House
and urged activists to increase their advocacy on the Senate side.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership organization.

###
NR#2006-076

Photographs available on the Assembly Web site at the following links:

76/2006-076-1.jpg

Caption: Board of Trustees Member and Western Office Chairman Richard
Mushegain presented Congressman Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI) with a book
about Armenia.

076/2006-076-2.JPG

Caption: L to R: Congressman Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI) with Fellow
Trustees Nora Hampar, Savey Tufenkian and Flora Dunaians and Life
Trustee Grace Kay.

MOTHER TEREZA UNITES ALL REGIONS

A1+
[02:03 pm] 11 September, 2006

On September 10 in connection with the 60th anniversary of Mother
Tereza’s inspiration from God an inter-religious prayer was held beside
her tomb with the participation of representatives from Buddhist,
Muslim, Zoroastrian and Jewish communities.

T. Oshakan Gyulgyulyan, clergyman and head of the Humanitarian Lyceum,
and deacon Tigran Baghumyan, administrative head of the Humanitarian
Lyceum and monk of the Echmiadzin Cathedral, presented the Armenian
Church during the ceremony.

The participants of the ceremony referred to Mother Tereza’s work and
activity underlining her boundless love and devotion to the poor and
vulnerable people.

They also mentioned that due to her humanitarian activity Mother
Tereza was loved and adored by everyone as she was a gift by God.

T. Oshakan Gyulgyulyan said a prayer in her memory and spoke of her
close relations with the Armenian Church and people.

Due to her sacred activity, Mother Tereza became God’s envoy on earth
and shared her love with the poor. She made us realize through her own
example that we are all equally created by God and we all resemble him.

"And now looking down at us from heaven she wants to see the same
mission and love inside people," noted Oshakan Gyulgyulyan in his
speech.

The ceremony ended with a united prayer.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT TO VISIT FRANCE IN JANUARY 2007

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2006

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev will pay an official visit to
France in January, 2007 at the invitation of President Jacques Chirac,
Foreign Ministry told the APA.

French President is expected to visit Azerbaijan in the first quarter
of 2007.

The Ministry also informed the relations between France and Azerbaijan
have developed significantly recent years, "The high level political
dialogue continues between Azerbaijan and France. France in conjunction
with Russia and United States is mediating in the settlement of the
Nagorno Garabagh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group.

The exchanges between France and Azerbaijan in the fields of economy,
aviation, energy and infrastructure are increasing dynamically.

French companies have been provided with large opportunities
regarding the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
and construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Arzurum gas pipeline.

The mutual visits will strengthen the relations between our countries
and peoples."

HEADS OF NKR PERMANENT REPRESENTATIONS HELD CONSULTATIONS IN THE MFA

ArmRadio.am
09.09.2006 15:08

One of these days consultations of Heads of NKR Permanent
Representations were held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Nagorno Karabakh.

NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs told "Armenpress" that the
problems Karabakh diplomacy faces were clarified during the
consultations. Participants of the meeting discussed current issues,
which, particularly, refer to the cooperation of the MFA Central
Apparatus and NKR Permanent Representations, dissemination of precise
information on Nagorno Karabakh in the world and prospects of further
development of collaboration between Permanent Representations of
the Republic.

EUROPEAN LEGACY DAYS OPENED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.09.2006 15:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Youth
Affairs of Armenia and the CE Information Office European Legacy Days
opened in the museum reserve of Zvartnots temple in Yerevan.

"The slogan of the event, devoted to medieval art, music and
architecture, is "Insight into Middle Ages."

Within the campaign visits to museums will be free of charge," noted
Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Gagik Gyurjyan.

Special Representative of the CE Secretary General in Armenia Boyan
Urumova noted that the Days aim at stimulating participation of the
society, especially the youth, in realizing their own legacy. "The
initiative also stimulates cultural dialogue. 20 million people took
part in the European Legacy Days in 49 countries since past year. 33
monuments opened.

The spirit of Europe and Armenia, as a European country, is expressed
in their mental legacy and it should be preserved," she underscored.

European Legacy Days will be held in Armenia September 10-11. Outlook
from the Middle Ages exhibition will open at the State Historical
Museum of Armenia, as well as exposition of medieval frescos at the
National Picture Gallery. Medieval manuscripts will be exhibited
at Matenadaran, Yerevan, while Vandalism and Old Jugha film about
destruction of ancient Armenian khachkars in Nakhichevan by Azerbaijan
will be screened at Moscow cinema, reports Novosti-Armenia.

European watchdog calls for clampdown on CIA

· UK is urged to take lead in monitoring agents
· Scathing attack on Bush, ‘the King John of USA’

Nicholas Watt in Brussels and Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Friday September 8, 2006
The Guardian

The head of Europe’s human rights watchdog yesterday called for
monitoring of CIA agents operating in Britain and other European
countries, after President George Bush’s admission that the US had
detained terrorist suspects in secret prisons.

Terry Davis, secretary general of the Council of Europe, said CIA
agents operating in Europe should be subject to the same rules as
British agents working for MI5 and MI6.

"There is a need to deal with the conduct of allied foreign security
services agents active on the territory of a council member state,"
Terry Davis said. "In the UK there is parliamentary scrutiny of
the intelligence services but there is no parliamentary scrutiny of
friendly foreign services. The UK should be in the lead on this issue."

As part of this process, diplomatic immunity should be reviewed.
"Immunity should not mean impunity," he said.

Mr Davis also called for a ban on the transport of suspects in military
aircraft. At the moment the prohibition applies only to civil aircraft.

The former British Labour MP was scathing about President Bush. "Why
does the US need to keep people in secret prisons? I thought that was
settled by Magna Carta. But King John is alive and well and running
the USA.

"There is a smoking gun. We know where it is – it is in the hands of
George Bush. His fingerprints are on the gun."

Mr Davis’s remarks came as the man leading the Council of Europe’s
investigation into the secret CIA prisons dismissed Mr Bush’s admission
as "just one piece of the truth". In an attempt to step up pressure on
the US and European governments to come clean on the prisons, the Swiss
senator Dick Marty said: "There is more, much more, to be revealed."

Mr Bush said on Wednesday he ordered the transfer of 14 al-Qaida
suspects from secret CIA jails to Guantanamo as a step to putting the
men on trial. That revived concerns about torture and mistreatment
of the detainees during their years in CIA custody, and the fairness
of the military tribunals sought by the White House.

Human rights activists expect details of the treatment of Khalid Sheikh
Mohammed, said to have been the mastermind of the September 11 attacks,
and the other al-Qaida suspects held incommunicado will emerge now that
they are at Guantanamo and able to meet their lawyers. Administration
officials said yesterday that Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of
state, had assured the International Committee of the Red Cross it
would have access to the prisoners and that discussions were under
way to arrange meetings.

However, the administration also said yesterday it had no intention of
satisfying European demands for fuller disclosure about the location of
the secret prisons. "If the European countries want to continue to try
to find out where the secret sites are, that is up to the Europeans,"
John Bellinger III, legal adviser to Ms Rice, told reporters.

He also argued, as has Ms Rice, that Europeans were to some extent
complicit with the clandestine detention. "Information derived from
questioning individuals was shared with European countries, and
it was shared in a way that saved European lives." Washington also
wants to use such secret jails in the future, Mr Bellinger said. "The
president believes there needs to be a special programme if we capture
an al-Qaida leader."

Mr Marty said he was not surprised by Mr Bush’s disclosures. "This is
no news for me," said Mr Marty, who claimed earlier this year that 14
European countries colluded with US intelligence in a "spider’s web"
of human rights abuses. "I have always been certain that these prisons
existed, so I am not surprised."

Other senior figures in the Council of Europe, who plan to intensify
their investigations into allegations that Romania and Poland played
host to many of the prisoners, also criticised the US. Rene van der
Linden, president of the Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly,
said: "Our work has helped to flush out the dirty nature of this
secret war which, we learn at last, has been carried out completely
beyond any legal framework.

"Kidnapping people and torturing them in secret, however tempting the
short-term gain may appear to be, is what criminals do, not democratic
governments. In the long term, such practices create more terrorists
and undermine the values we are fighting for."

–Boundary_(ID_z1PG3nrK4vQ/V6YTGsfOCQ) —

MATURE OFFICERS TO INVESTIGATE HOVASAPYAN’S KILLING

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.09.2006 15:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 6 at about 9.15 a.m. local time some
unknown blasted the GAZ-3102 service car of Shahen Hovasapyan,
the head of the operating and investigating department of RA State
Tax Service, says the statement of the Armenian Office of Prosecutor
General. The car exploded with Shahen Hovasapyan, his son Grigor and
driver Andranik Charchuan in it. The Armenian Office of Prosecutor
General has initiated a criminal case in accordance with Article 104.2
(murder with aggravation) of the RA Penal Code. The investigation
will be carried out by a group of mature officers.

3845.3 TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID BROUGHT TO ARMENIA IN JANUARY-JULY

Noyan Tapan
Sept 06 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. 3845.3 tons of goods of total value
of 31.5 mln U.S. dollars were brought to Armenia as humanitarian aid
in January-July of this year. According to data of the RA National
Statistical Service, production of chemistry and industrial branches
connected with it made 45% of the got aid, instruments and apparatus
made 22.6%, machines, equipment and mechanisms made 6.8%, paper and
goods of paper made 3.8%. 73.2% of the humanitarian aid was got from
U.S., 5.7% from China, 4.8% from Japan, 3.4% from Germany and 0.9%
from France.

"PERSIAN ALPHABET" PUBLISHED FOR 3RD TIME IN ARMENIA SERVICE: LITERARY

ISNA, Iran
Iranian Students News Agency
Aug 5 2006

TEHRAN, Sep.05 (ISNA)-"Persian alphabet in a simple language" so be
applied by teacher’s in Armenia’s schools was published for the third
time in this country.

This book has been written under the supervision of an Armenian top
professor and from among its distinctions we can name its specific
referral to the background of the Iranian alphabet.

AEPLAC TO PRESENT THE "ANNUAL ECONOMIC REPORT – 2005"

ArmRadio.am
05.09.2006 10:32

AEPLAC, the Armenian-European Policy and Legal Advice Center, has
published its traditional "Annual Economic Report – 2005."

The "Annual Economic Report – 2005" contains in-depth analyses
of the main macroeconomic developments in Armenia during 2005,
with extensive international comparisons by using a number of
indicators. The analyses consists of various chapters which cast a
light upon key topics such as composition, structure and per capita
levels of the GDP, and a sectored structure of the outputs, which
includes industrial production, agriculture, construction and other
sectors. These are followed by chapters related to inflation, labor
market, financial/banking sectors, the state budget, external debt
and developments in the external sector.

On 6 September 2006, AEPLAC will formally present the Report.

The event will host members of the Government, MPs, representatives
of diplomatic missions, international organizations, businesses,
education and science, and the civil society.

Guest speakers will be Mr. Tigran Sargsyan, Chairman of the Central
Bank of Armenia, and Mr. Roger Robinson, World Bank Country Manager
for Armenia.