Author: Khondkarian Raffi

PRESS RELEASE
May 23, 2007
Anahid Yeremian
P.O. Box 655, Menlo Park, CA 94026
<mailto:[email protected]>anahi [email protected]
(650) 926 – 4444

India Joins Cosmic Ray Division’s SEVAN Network

Last week India joined SEVAN, the world wide Space Environmental Viewing
and Analysis Network, led by the Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) of Yerevan
Physics Institute. At a May 19 meeting of the International Heliophysical
Year-07 conference in Bad Honnef, Germany which established cooperation
among the IHY-07 participants, CRD’s head Prof. Ashot Chilingarian and
Prof. Saumitra Mukherjee of the School of Environmental Sciences of
Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi signed a memorandum of
understanding for their cooperation.

SEVAN will consist of portable, state-of-the-art space weather detectors
designed by the CRD scientists in Armenia which will be placed in countries
around the earth’s circumference for an extensive program of space weather
observation, analysis, and forecasting. The most technical and sensitive
parts of the detectors will be built in Armenia. The mechanical framework
and heavy support components will be built and assembled in the host
countries. The collected data will flow via the internet to the control
center in Yerevan. Prof. Ashot Chilingarian is the author and Principal
Investigator of the project. SEVAN detectors will also be placed in
several secondary schools in Armenia and Artsakh for a broad coverage of
the region and to allow students to participate is this research.

SEVAN was named the Observatory of the Week, and Professor Chilingarian was
named the Personality of the Week, in IHY07’s weekly newsletter. The IHY07
article may be viewed at:
< shtml> .shtml

Last week in Bad Honnef a second CRD proposal to the IHY committee,
"Research of Highest Energy Solar Cosmic Rays", was approved. The details
of this cooperative effort will be worked out in the coming months.

For more information about the Cosmic Ray Division and the Diaspora
partnership visit
<;http://www .crdfriends.org

LALISH FOR YEZIDS

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 24 2007

A temple for Yezids will be built in the Republic of Armenia. It will
be called "Lalish", by analogy with the Ezid temple complex situated
in the north of Iraq.

RA leadership has granted consent to the construction of Lalish,
leader of the World Yezdi Union Aziz Tamoyan told IAA DE FACTO. The
temple will be built in the suburb of Zovuni village, near Yerevan.

"Lalish is our sacred object. Each Yezid should have the opportunity
to serve our religious ceremonies and pray to our gods. Armenia is
a tolerant country, where Yezids have been granted the opportunities
to preserve ethnical originality and develop national culture", Aziz
Tamoyan said. "We are grateful to RA government for positive response
to our request", he added.

Tamoyan noted over 500 000 Yezids had been killed in Turkey in
1915-1918, while thousands of Yezids living in Armenia had lost their
relatives during the Genocide.

An account has been opened at Ardshininvestbank. The account’s number
is 247010004692/0001. Contact line in Yerevan is 091413855.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian General Benevolent Union Inc.
Rita Kuyumjian MD
Chairperson
805, Manoogian street
Ville St-Laurent, QC H4N 1Z5
Tel: 514-748-2428
Fax: 514-748-6307
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

Montreal, May 18, 2007 – Baroness Caroline Cox arrived this evening to St.
Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Montreal to the thunderous drums of the
AGBU Montreal Scouts’ marching band.  Beavers, cubs, scouts and venturers
were in uniform to greet her and salute her dedication to serve others.  At
the doorstep of the cathedral she was greeted by The Primate of the Armenian
Diocese of Canada, His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan and his entourage.

After the formal entrance into the cathedral, the hundreds of the faithful
present were enthralled by a moving concert of spiritual and folkloric songs
performed by the wonderful Komitas Choir of the cathedral under the
leadership of the talented choirmaster Maestro Varoujan Markarian.

In his welcoming words, Bishop Bagrat greeted the Baroness and said, `You
might be only a baroness in Great Britain, but in the heart of every
Armenian you will always be a queen’.  He subsequently presented her with a
hand carved glass khatchkar by Montreal artist Yeghia Bekmezjian.

Afterwards, everyone moved to the official reception in the Mary Manoogian
Hall of the cathedral.  The MC of the evening, the president of the parish
council, Mr. Levon Afeyan introduced the Baroness who then took the stage. 
She addressed the crowd, and specifically the young members of the scouting
movement with a passionate speech, she recounted her memories of girl
guiding, of her parents and their memories of Lord Baden Powell himself, the
founder of scouting, who was a friend of her father.  She also told stories
of young boys and girls in Artsakh and how they courageously faced the most
difficult hardships during times of war and destruction.  At the end of her
speech, she gave to the AGBU scouts a personal gift, an important historical
archival wedding photograph of her parents, who had chosen to get married in
a chapel in the basement of the humble scouting quarters in East London, in
the presence of Lord Baden Powell.

She was followed by the president of the AGBU Scouts’ Council Ms. Aline
Egoyan-Pederian who gave an emotional speech about the high personal
leadership example that the Baroness Cox has given to all the youth
present.  She then declared the Baroness an honorary member of the worldwide
AGBU scouting movement.  Subsequently, Ms. Sossie Nahabedian-Rezian, Group
Leader, gave the Baroness her honorary neckerchief with the AGBU badge, and
with a silver hand carved woggle by the Montreal artisan jeweler Setrag
Tarakjian.

Then, in recognition of her inspirational role for youth, and for her long
service with the Girl Guides of the UK, the official delegation of the SMM,
of the Association of Scouts of Canada in the person of Mr. Paul Saint
Jacques, the chairman of its board of directors, and Mr. Guy Gauthier, its
vice chairman, presented the Baroness Caroline Cox of Queensbury with the
highest designation of a Knight of the Scouting Honorary Society, and
decorated her with her medal. `My father would have been very proud of me’,
said Lady Cox.

The event concluded with a special song dedicated to the children of
Artsakh, performed by members of the AGBU scouting movement.  Books by and
about the Baroness were on sale and were autographed by her, with all
proceeds going to the Nor Jraberd project.

For further information, please contact the email address
[email protected]. or [email protected], or [email protected]
 Information can also be found at the NKR Nor Jraberd website
, the AGBU website or the Armenian
Diocese at

RA PRIME MINISTER MET WITH INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2007 15:36

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan received the delegation of the
international observers headed by Ambassador Boris Frlec. The head
of the delegation noted that the observation mission headed by
him has already publicized the preliminary conclusions about the
parliamentary elections in Armenia and is now working on the final
document, which will present the detailed overview of the monitoring
results, including the violations registered.

"With this election the Republic of Armenia set a new standard for the
upcoming elections. It was a decisive step towards progress. Steps
follow each other, thus making the progress irreversible," the Head
of the observation mission declared, simultaneously expressing the
hope that this process of democratization will be continuous.

Ambassador Frlec underlined that although Armenia has met many of its
international commitments, there are still certain shortcomings that
should be corrected. In this regard, in the Ambassador’s opinion,
the Republican Party of Armenia having the majority in the National
Assembly can play a major role in implementing necessary changes in
the Electoral Code.

Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan thanked the observation mission for
unbiased and objective evaluation and noted that the, being on
the whole satisfied with the elections, Armenian authorities and
the Republican Party consider that there is still much to do for
holding elections fully corresponding to international standards. He
underlined the three directions in which work should be done in the
future: improvement of the Electoral Code, work in the legal field
and technical assistance to electoral commissions.

At the end of the meeting the head of the international observation
mission said the Prime Minister’s approaches are inspiring and speak
about his political will. Ambassador Frlec wished success to Armenia
on the way of democratization and assured that their mission is to
render support in this process.

7th DAY OF LEVON GULIAN’S DEATH MARKED WITH MOURNING PROCESSION

Noyan Tapan
May 21 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA ombudsman Armen Harutyunian
condemns and considers as inadmissible the police’s behavior
which caused the death of citizen Levon Gulian under unrevealed
circumstances. "This man, who had come to the police of his own free
will, was brought into such a state that he jumped out of the window,"
the ombudsman said at the May 21 press conference. The experts who
made the alternative forensic examination of Levon Gulian’s body –
Markus Rotshild, of Cologne University’s Forensic Medicine Clinic, and
Piter M. Let of the University of Southern Denmark, were to participate
in the press conference but they avoided meeting with reporters.

Karen Hakoian, member of the initiative group composed of
representatives of several NGOs, said that the expert conclusion will
be presented after the histological examination is completed. It is
expected that the conclusion will be ready within a week.

On the same day – the seventh day of Levon Gulian’s death, his
relatives and the public organized a mourning procession from
Yerevan’s Republic Square to the administrative building of the RA
police. Throughout the procession the participants were followed by
policemen. At the administrative building of the police, the policemen
formed a live barrier preventing the procession participants from
putting lit candles and flowers on the pavement near the building.

NO RULING COALITION WILL BE FORMED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.05.2007 15:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No memorandum on ruling coalition will be signed
in Armenia, member of RPA (Republican Party of Armenia) Council,
head of RPA parliamentarian faction Galust Sahakyan stated to a
press conference in Yerevan. "No coalition memorandum will be signed,
since RPA has gathered absolute majority in the parliament," he said,
adding that namely the principle of cooperation between political
parties is important.

Sahakyan stressed RPA is going to cooperate with all parliamentarian
and extra-parliamentarian forces for the welfare of country’s
development, especially with those forces, which approached the
5-percent barrier during the May 12 elections. "From the very beginning
we were talking about cooperation and this is our strategy. Today we
shall try to ensure cooperation with those forces, which will agree
with our programs on coming processes in the country," he added.

The RPA Council member noticed that "the matter is not in distributing
ministerial posts, but in which frames this or that political force
wants to realize itself in the society". Sahakyan underlined such a
cooperation will have positive response, since there already exists
an experience of creating a government of national consent in 1999,
when various forces used to work in the cabinet.

"It will allow any force to partially realize itself in front of its
electorate in the field of campaign promises, and it will significantly
assist both the political and economic developments in the country,"
he said, "Novosti-Armenia" reports.

In the result of the 2003 parliamentarian elections "Orinats Yerkir"
party, ARF Dashnaktsutyun and the Republican Party of Armenia formed
a coalition.

However "Orinats Yerkir" left the ruling coalition in May of 2006
in connection with differences in domestic and foreign policy with
its partners.

According to preliminary results of the Central Electoral Commission of
Armenia five parties passed to the parliament of the 4th convocation –
the Republican Party of Armenia (33.8 %), Prosperous Armenia (15.1 %),
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (13.1 %), "Orinats
Yerkir" (7.04 %) and "Heritage" (5.98 %).

TURKISH ARMENIANS THREATENED IF THEY DO NOT ACCEPT "OFFICIAL VERSION" OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BEGINNING OF 20TH CENTURY

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.05.2007 16:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A letter written in the Turkish language, sent at
schools and to several Istanbul’s Armenian institutions, of death
threat the Armenians which would not conform "to the Turkish official
version" of the facts concerning the Armenian Genocide. "Otherwise
they will be regarded as accomplices and traitors, and will
be eliminated," says the letter, which contains many spelling
mistakes, independent French journalist Jean Eckiyan informed the
PanARMENIAN.Net. "Exclamations "We are all Armenians, we are all
Hrant Dinks" are examples of extreme chauvinism and summons for
revolution. Do not forget that except Armenian citizens of Turkey,
there are also Armenians from Armenia on our land, and they count
over 100 000. Both their addresses and their workplaces are well
known. Henceforth we hope to see our Armenian citizens as advocates of
the truth. The one which does not take a favorable position for this
paradisiacal fatherland must be eliminated," says the letter. And
finally it takes again a Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s formula, which
says, "When it acts of the fatherland, the remainder is only one
detail". This mail is signed by a certain Temel Malatyali.

NEW PASSENGER COMPLEX OF ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT TO OPEN ON MAY 25

Noyan Tapan
May 18 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting from June 1, passengers will
be provided services in the new complex of Zvartnots Airport. NT
correspondent was inforemed from the airport’s press service that
only registration of passengers will be done in the old building of
Zvartnots Airport, while all the other functions will be performed
in the new complex.

The Armenian president Robert Kocharian and the airport manager –
chairman of American International Airports company Eduardo Ernekian
are expected to participate in the complex’s opening ceremony on
May 25.

To recap, construction of the new complex began in June 2004, while
the arrival hall was put into operation in September 2006.

AZERI SOLDIER JAILED AFTER ARMENIAN CAPTIVITY
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
May 16 2007

An Azerbaijani soldier who spent two weeks in Armenian captivity last
December has been sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of high
treason and desertion, reports from Baku said on Wednesday.

Vusal Garajayev was taken prisoner by Karabakh Armenian forces
after crossing the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact east of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to officials in Stepanakert, he willingly surrendered
himself to escape systematic hazing at the hands of fellow Azerbaijani
servicemen. Karabakh President Arkady Ghukasian said on December 18
that the 19-year-old conscript is reluctant to be repatriated for
fear of government retribution.

"But I am sure the Azerbaijani authorities will put pressure on his
parents and relatives, and they will eventually convince him to come
back. And I assure you that this lad will face lengthy imprisonment
in Azerbaijan," Ghukasian told reporters at the time.

Garajayev was handed back to Azerbaijani side with the help of
the International Committee of the Red Cross one week later. He
was immediately detained and prosecuted, despite the Azerbaijani
Defense Ministry’s earlier claims that he had accidentally strayed
into Armenian-controlled territory.

The Azerbaijani media reported that a military court in Baku
convicted the soldier of high treason, desertion, and violation of
army regulations. No further details were reported.

Garajayev was repatriated one day before another Azerbaijani soldier,
Samir Mamedov, was taken prisoner in the westernmost section of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani border under similar circumstances. The
Defense Ministry in Yerevan said he crossed the fortified border
and surrendered to Armenian troops deployed there because of being
mistreated and humiliated by his comrades.

Mamedov is still being kept in Armenia, apparently unwilling to return
to Azerbaijan and face possible prosecution at home. Armenian and Red
Cross officials have said he wants to be granted political asylum in
a European country.

TARIFF FOR DRINKING WATER IN YEREVAN NOT TO RISE TILL 2009

ArmInfo
2007-05-16 13:40:00

Today, the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia approved
the application of "Yerevan Jur" CJSC ("Yerevan Water") according to
which the tariff for drinking water in Yerevan will not rise till 2009.

Taking into account the inflation, the currency rate fluctuations,
the electric energy price changes and the volumes of water small
wholesale in 2006, the "Yerevan Jur" proposed the Commission to
increase the base tariff by 7,6 drams without VAT starting July 1,
2009. However, the Commission specialists have cleared up that the
consumers were supplied not 59,83 mln cub m of water in 2006, as
the Company presented, but by 4,73 mln cub m more. In view of this,
the Commission has revised the application of the "Yerevan Jur" and
resolved to increase the base tariff for drinking water in Yerevan
by 3 drams, without VAT, to 132 drams per 1 cub m, starting July 1,
2009. The base tariff sizes are fixed in a lease signed between the
General des Eaux French Company, that controls the "Yerevan Jur"
CJSC, and the Armenian Government at the end, 2005. The tariff will
gradually reduce, within 10 years, from the present 172,8 drams per
1 cub m of water to 90 drams in 2015.

According to Director of the "Yerevan Jur" Serge Popoff, the Company
decided to increase the base tariff in 2009 as it is high enough
now. He refused to present any financial, investment or technical
indicators of the Company and said all the data will be ashortly
declared. Meanwhile, by estimations of specialists, the drinking
water consumption by Yerevan residents reduced during 2006 because
of the tariff increase last year, the water losses increased, while
the water supply schedule has not been improved.