Author: Kanayan Tamar

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:
THE PRESIDENT OF KARAPAGH PRAISES THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE
CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA IN THE STRENGTHENING OF KARAPAGH
Antelias, Lebanon – His Holiness Aram I recently donated about 100
thousand dollars for the construction of a Church in Sdepanagerd, the
capital of the Republic of Nagorno Karapagh. On this occasion, the president
of the republic, Argati Ghougassian, sent the following letter to the
Pontiff.
“His Holiness Aram I
Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia
On behalf of the people of Nagorno Karapagh and myself I would like to
express warm words of gratitude to the Catholicosate of Cilicia and to
yourself for your contribution to the construction of a church in the
capital of Karapagh, Sdepanagerd.
Your initiative, an act which is appealing to God and profitable for the
nation, is an invaluable contribution to guaranteeing the spiritual security
of the people of Karapagh. The church to be constructed will become a
spiritual and tangible witness and symbol of the unity of the three sectors
of the Armenian nation: Armenia, the Diaspora and Karapagh.
Grabbing this opportunity, I would like to reaffirm the readiness of the
people of Karapagh to welcome you in this small corner of our historic
homeland.
With respect and warm greetings,
Arkati Ghougassian”
##
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.

PRESENTATION OF THE “TRAFFICKING: URGENT ISSUES” MANUAL TO BE HELD AT UN OFFICE
ArmRadio.am
30.06.2006 10:50
Presentation of the “Trafficking: Urgent Issues” manual will be held
today at UN Office in Yerevan. The edition is meant for employees of
consulates and consular departments of diplomatic representations.

THE OPPOSITION CANNOT GET ANGRY WITH BRYZA
ArmRadio.am
29.06.2006 17:35
“The disclosures of the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and later
the joint statements of the Co-Chairs about the details of the talks
over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement mean that Armenia goes
for unilateral concessions,” said MP Grigor Harutyunyan, representing
the “Justice block.
Although the opposition Deputy considers the situation inadmissable,
he doesn ‘t imagine what they should do in this case and in response
to the journalists’ question why the opposition does not get angry,
he says, “With whom? Bryza?”
Judging from the recent statements of the representatives of
international structures, MP Grigor Harutyunyan infers that serious
processes are expected in the region and these will occur at an
accelerated pace. Today’s statement of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs,
which actually discloses the details of the negotiations over the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict, was unexpected and very harsh
for Grigor Harutyunyan.
The uncertainity of the referendum is also concerning: will it
be a referendum on the territory of Karabakh, as we imagine or a
pan-Azerbaijani voting?
According to Grigor Harutyunyan, the uncertainity connected with the
referendum allows to infer that the document under consideration is
not that pro-Armenian.
There are several ways out of the situation: to agree with the document
if we do not agree to change the format of the mediators or go to an
inevitable war.

PRESENTATION OF “INTERNAL AND INDIVIDUAL LEGAL ACTS OF EMPLOYER” BOOK HELD TODAY IN YEREVAN
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 27. /ARKA/. The presentation of “Internal and Individual
Legal Acts of Employer” was held in Yerevan today.
According to the co-author of the book Hovsep Poghosyan, the
publication contains those legal acts of the employer that immediately
proceed from the requirements of the Labor Code of Armenia. In
particular, according to him, the point is about mandatory legal acts,
particularly internal disciplinary rules.
The book also contains examples of canceling job contracts, job
descriptions, contracts on full material responsibility, orders of
announcing contests for filling vacant positions, holding of qualified
exams for eligibility for a position, and also governmental acts,
provided by the Labor Coder of Armenia.
“According to the new Labor Code, a new culture of interrelations
between employers and employees that require clear-cut and
understandable rules of the game is established,” Poghosyan said.
He reported that this book is the second publication of the series of
four books concerning the Armenian Labor Code. The first publication,
issued in 2005, was devoted to job contracts and was out of print
for a month. “The third book will be devoted to the issues of
social partnership and activity of the public labor inspection,”
Poghosyan said.
Besides this, a decision was made to publish a periodical with its
website that will contain problems of employers and employees and
suggestions for solutions to these problems.
The book’s edition consists of 600 copies. It costs AMD 3000 (about
$7). The authors are Hovsep Poghosyan, Sedrak Asatryan and Olga
Hovhannisyan.

THEATER: FLORA, THE RED MENACE
By Rick Reed
Windy City Times, IL
June 28 2006
Music and Lyrics: John Kander, Fred Ebb;
book: David Thompson
At: Theo Ubique at No Exit Cafe, 6970 N. Glenwood
Phone: 773-743-3355; $20-$22
Runs through: July 30
While this early, career-launching effort is not the first play that
comes to mind when one thinks of the musical legacy of Kander and Ebb
( Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, etc. ) , Flora, the Red
Menace does have the prescient feel of greatness…and the richness
of history: the 1965 Broadway production of Flora boasted the debut
performance of Liza Minnelli in the lead ( and she won the Tony that
year ) .
The story of Flora, the Red Menace ( nice, plucky Hungarian immigrant
gets mixed up with the Communist party through her association with
a charming man in depression-era New York and finds she has to make a
choice between love, party alliance and her own independence ) is not
the kind of thing big, show-stopping musicals are made of-and that’s
a good thing. The tiny storefront No Exit Cafe is an ideal venue for
this story of a group of down-on-their-luck artists and revolutionaries
struggling for meaning and recognition during hard times.
Under Fred Anzevino and Beverle Bloch’s deft direction, Flora, the
Red Menace comes to rousing, romantic and engaging life, transporting
audience members into a world that’s in the past, but a world we
can all identify with. Who hasn’t been young and idealistic, hungry
to fulfill a dream or two? Anzevino and Block are blessed with a
talented young ensemble to flesh out the story and characters one
can easily love. Jeremy Trager shines here. Trager is a veteran of
several Theo Ubique productions and while I’ve found his work a tad
hammy in the past, he really delivers here. He makes his stammering
Armenian immigrant, Harry Toukarian, a memorable and believable young
man; we see his conviction, his fervor and, most importantly, his
hunger for love and acceptance. It’s a standout performance, and it’s
great to see this kind of growth in a performer. As Flora, newcomer
Elizabeth Lesinski sparkles; brassy and bigger than life, this Flora
charms and captivates, and Lesinski makes it easy to imagine a life
filled with love and success for this character. Danielle Brothers,
as the staid Communist revolutionary Charlotte, steals the show in
whatever scene she’s in, with perfect comic timing and verve.
It doesn’t seem possible that there should be so much talent and
charm in a little storefront production such as this one. But don’t
question it. There it is. Get yourself a ticket. You won’t be sorry.

L’EMOTION ARMENIE: “LE VOYAGE EN ARMENIE”, UN FILM TRèS EMOUVANT DE ROBERT GUEDIGUIAN
Noël Tinazzi
La Tribune
28 juin 2006
Ariane Ascaride joue magnifiquement le rôle d’une fille de la diaspora
marseillaise conquise, malgre elle, par la chaleur des Armeniens.
L’identite, ca ne m’interesse pas!” C’est ce que repond, categorique,
Anna quand on la titille sur ses origines armeniennes. Pour cette
femme mûre, cardiologue marseillaise, qui fut autrefois communiste
et est restee farouchement athee, bref pour cette femme qui ne
se reconnaît dans aucun cliche – fût-il celui du mont Ararat -,
etre fille d’Armenien ne cree pas de vibration particulière. Ni de
difference notoire. Cette femme de tete, formidablement incarnee par
Ariane Ascaride (laquelle actrice n’est pas d’origine armenienne mais
napolitaine), va pourtant etre amenee a reviser quelques-unes de ses
certitudes. Surtout, elle va etre emue par ce qu’elle va vivre sur
place, en Armenie. De meme, quelles que soient ses origines, tout
spectateur sera emu par ce film porte par un grand souffle, qui passe
avec agilite de la chronique realiste au polar, du documentaire a la
fiction, du drame au conte sentimental. Avec juste la petite goutte
de melo en trop qui est la marque de fabrique de Robert Guediguian.
Sous un jour inattendu. Pour le public, jusqu’a ce film, le cineaste
de Marius et Jeannette n’avait d’armenien que le nom. Comme son
heroïne. Or voici qu’a mesure que le Voyage en Armenie progresse
et qu’Anna se laisse gagner par le sortilège du mythe commun,
le realisateur marseillais ex-communiste se revèle sous un jour
inattendu. Non pas en proselyte de l’armenite, comme beaucoup de ses
compatriotes de la diaspora qui peuvent etre aussi exasperants que
tous les autres chantres communautaires. Mais en artiste sensible,
a l’ecoute de ce qui fait vibrer ses semblables, les humains. Et en
observateur lucide d’un pays ex-sovietique où règne la loi du business
sauvage, où la ferveur religieuse le dispute a l’emprise mafieuse. Et
que tous les jeunes gens revent de fuir.
Les vieux, eux, revent de mourir au pays. C’est le cas du père
d’Anna, beau vieillard tetu (joue par Marcel Bluwal), chez qui elle
a diagnostique un problème cardiaque grave necessitant une operation
urgente. Mais le veuf a une autre solution pour finir ses jours en
beaute. C’est de quitter Marseille où il a fait racine et de gagner
l’Armenie natale, comme l’indiquent quelques indices laisses a son
domicile. Pour où exactement? Mystère. Et sa fille de decouvrir
soudain que de son père elle ne sait pratiquement rien, pas meme son
lieu de naissance. Germe alors dans l’esprit de cette fille non moins
tetue que son geniteur l’idee de le rattraper pour le convaincre de
revenir en France et se faire soigner. Aussitôt dit aussitôt fait,
voila notre heroïne envolee pour Erevan. La, quantite de surprises
et de rencontres l’attendent. Quelques bonnes et beaucoup de mauvaises.
À commencer par le businessman franco-armenien qui etait cense la
cornaquer et qui s’avère très vite un mafieux dangereux.
Fatalisme decourageant. Anna, qui n’a qu’une semaine a consacrer a la
recherche du paternel, ne met pas longtemps a s’apercevoir que ce pays
incarne tout ce qu’elle deteste: le machisme persistant, le fatalisme
decourageant, les palabres incessantes, les retards systematiques,
la religiosite proche du fanatisme, le sentimentalisme kitsch, la
prostitution degradante, le pouvoir conjugue des armes et de l’argent,
les trafics en tout genre, y compris celui des medicaments… Mais elle
decouvre aussi la realite d’un pays en ruines, la beaute des eglises,
la grandeur du paysage, la chaleur des gens qui l’habitent, la force
de leurs reves… En un mot, tout ce qui fonde une culture. Et qui
vaut d’etre partage.
–Boundary_(ID_gKVqaSjkBz1gRHiVRc88Og)–

ISA GAMBAR: BAKU GAVE OK ON REFERENDUM IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.06.2006 17:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The latest statements by OSCE Minsk Group
U.S. Co-chair Matthew J. Bryza prove that the Azerbaijani authorities
gave ok on conduction of referendum in Nagorno Karabakh, Musavat party
leader Isa Gambar stated in Baku. In his words, every time before
elections the ruling power promises international organizations to
agree with the proposes on the conflict settlement, which “damage
national interests of Azerbaijan.” “However after the elections the
authorities understand that they cannot keep the promises and try to
change their position and justifying themselves to the international
organizations,” Isa Gambar.
He also stressed that the statements that 2006 will be the decisive
year for the settlement in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict prove that
some promises were received from the Azerbaijani leadership. “Now
the experts are disappointed and urge the authorities to fulfill the
obligations. They anchor hopes with the meeting of the Presidents
likely to be held within the framework of G8 summit in Saint
Petersburg,” Isa Gambar said.

SEVAN DEPRIVED OF DRINKING WATER
A1+
[03:24 pm] 26 June, 2006
The town of Sevan has been deprived of drinking water for the last
four days. We tried to find out the reason in the local office of the
“Armenian Water Pipes” LTD but the director was out. We called him
several hours later, but Mr. Avetisyan avoided our questions and said
that he will render a press conference this week and will answer all
the questions.
It is noteworthy that district “Dzuktrest” of Sevan has been deprived
of water for a whole month.

JAVAKHETI DOCTORS MAY LOSE LICENSES
Lragir.am
26 June 06
On the decision of the Georgian Ministry of Employment, Health and
Social Security the doctors of the district hospitals of Akhalkalaki
and Ninotsminda need to pass a qualification test, reports the news
agency A-Info. The doctors are going to pass tests in Georgian,
and it is possible that the Armenian doctors will not get a license
because they do not speak Georgian, which they do need strongly
in treating the Armenians of Javakheti. Testing will start July 1,
when submission of applications is over.

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 24/06/2006
Armenian Church
PONTIFF OF ALL ARMENIANS WELCOMED IN THE CATHEDRAL OF
THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD IN ISTANBUL
On the evening of June 22, having concluded the Fraternal Visit to
the Ecumenical Patriarchate and His All Holiness Bartholomew I, the
Catholicos of All Armenians officially began the Pontifical Visit to
the Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian community of Istanbul. His
Holiness and the pontifical entourage visited the Mother Cathedral of
St. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) in Kumkapi, Istanbul, and were
greeted by a “Hrashapar” service welcoming the Pontiff. In attendance
were high-ranking clergy of the Armenian Patriarchate, representatives
of Sister Churches, Mr. Karen Mirzoyan (Representative of the Republic
of Armenia in Turkey), and countless Armenian faithful, many who had
come to see the Catholicos of All Armenians for the first time.
Following the traditional service of greeting a hierarch, His Beatitude
Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople,
warmly greeted the Catholicos of All Armenians and welcomed him
to Istanbul on behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate, the clergy and
faithful. His Beatitude then invited His Holiness to offer his words
of blessing to the assembled.
His Holiness addressed his message of blessing and love, stating
in part, “…We are with you now with our prayers of thanksgiving
and praise. At this historic and emotional moment, we turn our gaze
to heaven with the prayer of our holy forefathers: ‘King of Peace,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, keep and protect Your people under Your holy
and revered Cross in peace’.
“This cherished prayer has resounded throughout the halls of this
sanctuary for centuries as well. It has been uttered from the lips
of many courageous and glorious clergymen, who became martyrs of the
faith; the good shepherds who devoted their lives to God for the flock
entrusted to them, and with the life-giving light of faith, led them to
creativity, loyalty and fidelity. Five Patriarchs of Constantinople,
by the will of God and the nation, were called to become Catholicos
of All Armenians – the first servant of our Holy Church. Only after
kneeling down before this Holy Altar and asking for the intercession
of the Holy Mother of God on behalf of the Armenian nation, did they
depart to sit on the Throne of the Illuminator. In difficult times,
our luminous and brave-hearted Pontiffs protected our people and
kept them gathered around Holy Etchmiadzin with the hope and belief
in salvation. And now from the Throne of the Illuminator – the holy
cradle of our faith – Holy Etchmiadzin, we have come to see you, our
dearly beloved sons and daughters, to extend our blessings and love
to you all. We have come so that Pontiff and flock can be united once
again with the same oath of our holy fathers, and unite our prayers to
their appeals for the peace of mankind and for keeping all Armenians
dispersed throughout the world reinforced in faith and unified.
“…For six hundred years, the churches of the Armenian Patriarchate
kept the belief in Christ and hope of salvation alive and vibrant in
the souls of our people. For six hundred years, our mother tongue was
proclaimed undefiled in our schools, where our national traditions
transformed into the spirit of our people. Connected with the Armenian
Patriarchate of Constantinople are the brightest achievements of our
culture – in literature, art, music and architecture…
“It is with these emotions that we have come to visit you, to see our
ancient, incense-filled churches, which remain vibrant through your
presence. We came to see our educational and cultural institutions,
which continue to remain alight through your vigilant efforts. We came
to bless your lives, to encourage your devoted spirits, your resolute
will and selfless allegiance, through which you are firmly standing
on the foundation-stone established by Saint Gregory our Illuminator,
keeping the light of Holy Etchmiadzin sparkling in your souls, which
has always shined and glowed in the monasteries and churches of the
Patriarchate.
“We have brought the boundless yearning and love of the Mother
See of All Armenians to you, dear faithful, and greetings from
your brothers and sisters in Armenia, Artsakh and the Dispersion,
who are always with you in their warmest of prayers. We have also
brought the optimism of the reborn new life of our homeland, and our
people’s hopes for strengthening our unified spiritual and cultural
life. Our Church is strong and alive with all of her children, and
steadfast in the path of her mission, which is the same yesterday,
today and always – to lead the small flock of the Armenians toward the
life-giving and saving light of faith, toward God Who makes peace and
creates beneficence. Let us stay loyal to the Holy Gospel of our Lord,
loyal to our Holy Church, and loyal to our inherited appeal for peace.”
In his remarks, His Holiness also offered prayers to heaven, asking
for God to grant rest to the souls of the Armenian Patriarchs of
Constantinople of blessed memory, as well as long years of health
and fruitful reign to His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian.
At the conclusion of the service, the special Pontifical Encyclical
of the Catholicos of All Armenians was read, wherein His Grace Bishop
Aram Ateshian, a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and
the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, was elevated to the
rank of “Archbishop” by His Holiness Karekin II. Archbishop Ateshian
was commended by the Pontiff of All Armenians for his devotion and
efforts as Chairman of the Religious Council and Sacristan of the
Armenian Patriarchate.