Author: Khondkarian Raffi

TWO MEMBERS OF CALCUTTA CHURCH COUNCIL GIVEN "PATRIARCHAL CONSECRATION WRITING"

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 05 2007

CALCUTTA, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The "Patriarchal
Consecration Writing" given by His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of
All Armenians was given on April 1 with great solemnity to two members
of the Calcutta Church Council, Sunil Sobti and Susan Ruben. By it
the Patriarch of All Armenians highly appreciated their services
beneficial for the nation and church building. By it Karekin II also
expressed satisfaction on the occasion of the fact that the Armenian
life is gradually come to life in India, churches are restored and
the Philanthropic Academy of Calcutta functions with success, giving
Armenian education and bringing up to dozens of sons of Armenians.

FAIR ‘HRAZDAN’ IS AT STRIKE

A1+
[07:24 pm] 05 April, 2007

Today workers in ‘ Hrazdan ‘ fair organized demonstration in front
of the Government House and spoke out against the illegal actions
towards them.

The owner of the fair RPA member Ashot Aghababyan gave 3 days for the
employees either to pay taxes or to quit the jobs. ‘The employers hire
only 20-26 year old applicants. The best and experienced teachers
and doctors are dismissed from their jobs. They are not allowed to
do even this job to keep their families,’ the strikers complained.

At present they have to pay 225.000 AMD for a booth.

The administration used to pay the taxes, but now the employees have
to do it. ‘90% of the population is in debts. They are unable to
earn their living. Even the Turk was not able to humiliate Armenians,
but they managed to do it in our country,’ the strikers told.

In fact, a dozen of strikers were regulated by the same amount of
policemen who did not allow them to make a step forward.

Several demonstrators were received by some government employees and
promised to raise the question for consideration at tomorrow’s meeting.

CONSTANTINOPLE ARMENIAN PATRIARCH HOPES THAT DIVINE SERVICE TO BE HELD IN AKHTAMAR SURB KHACH CHURCH AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 03 2007

ISTANBUL, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Constantinople
Armenian Patriarch Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian, Van Governor Cakacak
and Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Atilla Goc made speeches
at the March 29 ceremony of opening the Surb Khach (Saint Cross)
church of the Akhtamar Island of Lake Van as a museum. According to the
Istanbul Marmara daily, the Patriarch expressed his satisfaction with
the re-opening of the church the restoration of which was implemented
with the principle of remaining faithful to the original.

Expressing gratitude to the Turkish Ministry of Culture, Van Governor’s
Office and Gevash Governor, he mentioned that the fact of re-opening
of the church proves the government’s good faith torwads the monuments
of art, and that he is sure that this good faith will tomorrow sprout
with efforst of other well-wishing persons as well. "This building
is finally a church, and this church may be used as a holy place
of belief and tourism," the Patriarch said. He proposed to every
year organize a festival in Akhtamar with different people’s games,
exhibition of handicraft works and other events. In the Patriarch’s
words, such an initiative "will also help that the dialogue which
we still find difficult to create today will be created between the
peoples. I believe that the government will make a decision in future
that a divine service is held here at least once a year," Archbishop
Mesrop summed up his speech. After the Armenian Patriarch’s speech,
the Van Governor made a speech who mentioned that the state of Van
is a crandle of different civilizations. "It is not important to what
civilization the monument belongs, it is necessary that we care of it,"
Ozdemir Cakacak said and invited the whole world to see the natural
and historic beauties of Van. The Minister of Culture of Turkey made
a speech at the end. He reminded all the guests arrived in Van on
the occasion of opening the church that during the long period of
time of the history Eastern and Western values embraced here with
one another and that one of the richest heritages of the world is on
those lands. "The government considers one of its main obligations
to make live the heritages remained from different cultures and pass
them to the next generations. A building was saved and started living
for the next generations," Atilla Goc summed up.

Armenian Assembly Executive Director testifies before Congress

ArmRadio.am
02.04.2007 12:28

Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State,
Foreign Operations Appropriations and Related Programs, which decides
assistance levels to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, Assembly Executive
Director Bryan Ardouny urged the Subcommittee to continue funding for
Armenia at `not less than’ $75 million and to allocate $10 million for
Nagorno Karabakh.

`It is essential that significant assistance to Armenia be maintained
in the face of the fourteen-year blockades by its neighbors, Turkey
and Azerbaijan,’ said Ardouny, and also noted the `compelling
humanitarian and development needs’ in Karabakh. `We also urge the
Subcommittee to institute new report language requiring a full
accounting of the steps the U.S. has taken and the responses therein
to eliminate these blockades,’ he continued.

With respect to regional cooperation, Ardouny stressed that `ongoing
attempts to isolate Armenia, such as the Azeri-proposed rail bypass of
Armenia, run counter to U.S. policy goals,’ and urged the
Subcommittee to build upon legislation (H.R. 3361) introduced last
Congress by Subcommittee Member and Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) to combat such attempts and look for opportunities
to promote regional cooperation. `For example, funding should be made
available to provide for minor repairs needed to open the existing
Kars-Gyumri rail link between Turkey and Armenia.’

Ardouny also expressed the Armenian Assembly’s extreme concern with
the ` inclusion of counterproductive language’ in State Department
reports and noted that language `labeling Armenia as an occupier is
not only patently false, but also directly contradicts the U.S. role
as a mediator and undermines’ U.S. credibility. Ardouny’s testimony
urged that it be `corrected post haste.’

While noting that the Armenian Assembly supports the purpose of the
Millennium Challenge Act (MCA) to improve democracy and good
governance in Armenia, Ardouny shared the concerns raised by many
Members of the Subcommittee, including Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY),
that MCA funds `should not be used as a substitute’ for other funding
priorities. Specifically, it should not be used as a justification to
cut the Freedom Support Act (FSA), which provides critically important
assistance programs to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

Ardouny drew attention to Azerbaijan’s ongoing war rhetoric, `despite
U.S. demands to cease such provocative actions,’ and called on the
Subcommittee to carefully monitor U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan `to
ensure that the principle of military and security parity’ envisioned
with the conditional waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act
`is maintained throughout all funding areas.’ Further, should Baku
continue its anti-Armenian rhetoric, Ardouny urged the Subcommittee
`to suspend the waiver authority it granted and reinstate Section 907′
of the Freedom Support Act.

Ardouny also underscored the importance of Armenia’s energy security
and ` urged the Subcommittee to utilize the tools at its disposal to
pave the way for Armenia’s full inclusion in, and contribution to,
existing and future energy and development projects.’

`We prefer being more concrete when the question of candidates becomes clear’

Anahit Danielyan
02-04-2007 13:26:12 – KarabakhOpen

The pre-election period in Karabakh is unprecedented ` with only six
weeks to go before the nomination of candidates nobody has said to be
likely to ballot for this post. What is the reason? We asked for the
opinion of civil society activists. We talked to Albert Voskanyan,
director of the Center for Civil Initiatives.

Mr. Voskanyan, what is your opinion of the pre-election situation? Are
you aware of the possible candidates?

Albert Voskanyan: I think it is early to analyze the pre-election
situation since the candidates and their programs are not known
yet. Of course, it is possible to analyze and make forecasts and try
in parallel to `prompt’ one’s own vision to the society and `support’
the preferable candidates. However, forecasts are not rewarding. We
prefer being more concrete when the question of candidates becomes
clear.

In your opinion, do we need public debates? Are public debates on the
Karabakh settlement and other issues necessary? And is it realistic
that these debates will affect the government policy?

Albert Voskanyan: Certainly, public debates on different issues are
not only useful but also necessary, for dispute generates truth. This
postulation is applicable to the settlement of the conflict over
Nagorno Karabakh as well, the most urgent issue that worries the
Armenian society. I am sure that these debates would have certain
influence on the government policy.

Where and how do you get information on life in Karabakh? Do you feel
you are informed?

Unfortunately, most of the information and especially analysis comes
from foreign sources, which appear to keep the finger on the pulse of
life in Karabakh with more responsibility and consistency. The
Internet helps feel informed, at least about the main events.

Karabakh authorities provide privileges to resettlers

Arminfo
29 Mar 07

Yerevan, 29 March: Under the 15 April 2003 decision passed by the NKR
[Nagornyy Karabakh republic] on providing privileges to families
resettled in the NKR, a number of privileges have been outlined.

In particular, a resettling family will be given a home or a flat, and
will receive a one-off monetary allowance – the head of the family
will get an amount equal to 20 minimum wages, others will get amounts
equal to five minimum wages. In addition, resettling families are
entitled to compensation for their expenses on moving family members
and property: 5,000 drams [about 14 dollars] for each member of
family, and 15,000 drams [about 42 dollars] to haul the property. To
satisfy their social needs, resettlers will be given long-term (10
years) loans with a 0.5-per-cent APR. Resettlers will not pay utility
bills (home maintenance payment, payments for water and sewerage) for
a period of five years. Conscripts will have their military service
delayed for two years. A number of other privileges also exist.

NKR Prime Minister Anushavan Danielyan said that appropriate
conditions are created for resettlers and "this strategic goal is of
special significance in government programmes."

In 2006, 241 families (872 people, including 395 children) moved to
the NKR for permanent residence.

TSARUKIAN ALLY DISPUTES LOCAL ELECTION DEFEAT
By Astghik Bedevian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
March 30 2007

A political ally of businessman Gagik Tsarukian has asked an Armenian
court to annul the official results of a weekend mayoral election
in the southern town of Armavir that was controversially won by a
candidate of the governing Republican Party (HHK).

Arayik Aghababian, a regional leader of Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia
Party (BHK), was narrowly defeated by Armavir’s incumbent Mayor Ruben
Khlghatian in a first-ever election face-off between Armenia’s two
largest establishment parties.

His defeat came as a serious setback for the BHK and its top leader,
who has spent heavily on Aghababian’s election campaign. It could
also have implications for the party’s performance in the May 12
parliamentary elections.

Aghababian refused to concede defeat, alleging widespread vote
irregularities. However, he failed to lodge any formal complaints to
the local election commission and took legal action instead. "I wasn’t
sure the commission would meet my demands," he explained on Friday.

Aghababian refused to detail the alleged irregularities which he
claims robbed him of victory in the town 30 kilometers southwest
of Yerevan. "We will publicize everything during court hearings,"
he told RFE/RL. "I don’t want to reveal secrets to you right now."

According to the official results, Khlghatian garnered almost 53
percent of the vote, against Aghababian’s 43 percent. The mayor,
who is affiliated with the HHK, insists that he won fair and square.

The HHK and the BHK are seen as the top frontrunners in the unfolding
Armenian parliamentary race. The latter is looking to capitalize on its
wealthy leader’s vast financial resources, while the Republicans, led
by Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian, are expected to make the most of
their control of most local governments. The BHK is increasingly viewed
by commentators as the new power base of President Robert Kocharian.

WAR WITH IRAN MAY START APRIL 6?

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.03.2007 14:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian intelligence has information that the
U.S. Armed Forces have nearly completed preparations for a possible
military operation against Iran, and will be ready to strike April 6,
a security official said. The attack may be explained by the capture
of 15 British sailors.

The source said the U.S. had already compiled a list of possible
targets on Iranian territory and practiced the operation during recent
exercises in the Persian Gulf.

"Russian intelligence has obtained information that the U.S. Armed
Forces stationed in the Persian Gulf have nearly completed preparations
for a missile strike against Iranian territory," the source said.

American commanders will be ready to carry out the attack in early
April, but it will be up to the country’s political leadership to
decide if and when to attack, the source said.

Official data says America’s military presence in the region has
reached the level of March 2003 when the U.S. invaded Iraq.

The U.S. has not excluded the military option in negotiations on
Iran over its refusal to abandon its nuclear program. The UN Security
Council passed a new resolution on Iran Saturday toughening economic
sanctions against the country and accepting the possibility of a
military solution to the crisis.

The source said the Pentagon could decide to conduct ground operations
as well after assessing the damage done to the Iranian forces by its
possible missile strikes and analyzing the political situation in
the country following the attacks.

A senior Russian security official cited military intelligence earlier
as saying U.S. Armed Forces had recently intensified training for
air and ground operations against Iran.

"The Pentagon has drafted a highly effective plan that will allow
the Americans to bring Iran to its knees at minimal cost," the
official said.

The attack is slated to last for 12 hours, from 4 am until 4 pm local
time. Friday is the sabbath in Iran.

In the course of the attack, code named Operation Bite, about 20
targets are marked for bombing; the list includes uranium enrichment
facilities, research centers, and laboratories.

Russian Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of
Geopolitical Sciences, said last week the Pentagon was planning to
deliver a massive air strike on Iran’s military infrastructure in
the near future.

"I have no doubt there will be an operation, or rather an aggressive
action against Iran," Ivashov said, commenting on media reports about
U.S. planned operation against Iran, codenamed Operation Bite.

A new U.S. carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf. The
USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing
aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers,
eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the
Gulf, where a similar group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has
been deployed since December 2006. The U.S. is also sending Patriot
anti-missile systems to the region.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, was rather optimistic
about the situation and said he ruled out a military resolution of
the Iranian nuclear problem.

"We are constantly working on how to resolve the situation around
the Iranian nuclear program and other conflicts peacefully," Lavrov
said. "This policy is unchanged and we will pursue it in the future."

Russia and the U.S. are two of the six negotiators on Iran’s nuclear
program, which Tehran says is aimed at generating energy, RIA Novosti
reports.

TURKEY CALLS ON US TO BE A PART OF A JOINT COMMISSION WITH ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
29.03.2007 18:00

Turkey yesterday called on Armenia to accept its joint historian
commission with the inclusion of third parties, including the United
States. "I hereby extend an invitation to any third country, including
the United States, to contribute to this commission by appointing
scholars who will earnestly work to shed light on this tragedy and
open ways for us to come together," said Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul in his editorial for The Washington Times yesterday titled
"Politicizing the Armenian tragedy," the Turkish Daily News reports.

Turkey’s 2005-dated proposals were rejected by Armenia saying that the
priority should be given to establish political ties where sensitive
issues like genocide claims could also be taken. Criticizing the
Armenian lobby for politicizing the past and imposing their view of
history, Gul said it is "truly regrettable that there is no mention
of Turkish or Muslim lives lost during the same period."

Gul stressed that the only way to find out what happened in 1915 is to
ask scholars who have the ability to evaluate the period objectively,
working with the full range of available primary sources. "Turkey
has no difficulties in facing its past. We eagerly await a positive
response from Armenia, agreeing to establish this joint commission
and declaring its readiness to accept its conclusion," he said. Gul
underlined that the establishment of such a commission will also help
shape an atmosphere conducive to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian
relations.

PM EXTENDS CONDOLENCES OVER ARMENIAN PM’S DEATH

The Vietnam News Agency
March 29, 2007 Thursday

Ha Noi, March 28 (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Mar. 28
sent a message of condolences to Armenian Acting PM Serz Sarkisian
over the sudden death of PM Andranik Markarian.