Author: Khondkarian Raffi

KARABAKH LEADER APPOINTS NEW ADVISOR
Mediamax news agency
4 May 06
Yerevan, 4 May: The president of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR],
Arkadiy Gukasyan, today signed a decree appointing Mavrik Gukasyan
his advisor.
Mavrik Gukasyan was relieved of his post of NKR prosecutor-general
on 6 February 2006 over retirement.
Armen Zalinyan was appointed NKR prosecutor-general. He previously
worked as head of the NKR presidential staff.

POSSIBLE VISIT OF OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO NK CONFLICT REGION TO BE DEFINED AFTER MOSCOW CONSULTATIONS
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND Info, Azerbaijan
May 3 2006
An issue on the forthcoming tour of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
to the region will be defined after the completion of the Moscow
consultations, a group on Nagorno-Karabakh at the Russian Foreign
Ministry told Trend.
The consultations by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, US Ambassador
Steven Mann, Russian Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, and Bernard Fassier
and special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Andjey Casprzyk
started at the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Tuesday morning
(2 May).
Next steps by the co-chairs will be known as a result of consultations
due on 3 May, a group on Nagorno-Karabakh added.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL TEAM TAKES SECOND PLACE IN CHAMPIONSHIP OF DIVISION “B” OF EUROPEAN RUGBY ASSOCIATION
Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006
BUDAPEST, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 29, the Armenian national team
had a match with the Hungarian national team within the framework of
the championship of division “B” of the European Rugby Association
and in a hard struggle gained a victory with a score of 24 to 13
(10 to 6). After this victory the Armenian national team took second
place on the tournament table with 6 points (two victories in two
matches). The Hungarian national team that held 3 games took first
place with 7 points. The national teams of Lithuania, Bulgaria and
Slovenia are also among the rivals of the Armenian rugby-players in
the division. The national team of Armenia will hold its next match
it its field on May 13 with the national team of Slovenia.

VETERAN TEST PILOT SUSPECTS HUMAN ERROR CAUSED A320 PLANE’S CRASH
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 3, 2006 Wednesday
Russia’s veteran test pilot, Magomed Tolboyev, has said he tends to
suspect the role of a human error as the chief factor that led to
last night’s crash of an Armenian airliner near the Russian Black
Sea resort city of Sochi.
Tolboyev, currently the president of the Aviatsia aviation corporation,
has said, the planes of this type have what he described as the “curved
image problem,” and the crew might have lost their bearings. At the
same time Tolboyev did not rule out mistakes by both crew and air
traffic controllers.
Interviewed live on the Ekho Moskvy radio station, Tolboyev said
that the plane’s equipment allowed for making a landing in extremely
bad weather.
Air engineer, expert in civil aviation and flight safety Alexei
Komarov, who edits the Aviatransportnoye Obozreniye review, said that
according to statistics, A320 was a very reliable plane. Of the more
than 2,500 liners of this type in operation around the world a mere
twelve have suffered crashes.
The governor of the Krasnodar Region, Alexander Tkachev, tends to
share the human factor version, although in his opinion it is a
preliminary one and requires further confirmation.
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry has blamed the Armenian
plane’s crash on bad weather. The Transport Ministry says this version
is most likely.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has ruled out a terrorist
attack. Public Relations Officer Nataliya Vishnyakova has said with
reliance to the investigators’ early findings “a terrorist attack
should be ruled out, because there is no objective evidence pointing
to this.”
There where 113 passengers and crew on board the crashed plane.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry 26 of them had Russian
citizenship. There were some Georgian citizens on board, too. Also
on that plane was Armenia’s former interior minister, chief of the
KGB security service Major-General Usik Arutyunian.
According to the latest reports, the bodies of 46 victims have been
recovered and brought to Sochi. Two have been identified.

TO BE ON THE OPEN ATTACK OF “UNFREE”
Tigran Avetisian
Aravot.am
02 May 06
There is no international organization, which mark the degree of the
freedom of the press, which said some positive words to the address
of Armenia in last two years. The establishments round the CIC,
aren’t counted, of course.
”Unfree”. Here the true stamp which sounds like a decree which
is put down our foreheads from time to time. But it seems that the
people who are responsible for that don’t worry about. Perhaps with
the help of having political immunity. The most pitiful thing is
that the society can’t understand why they need in the freedom of
the press in this so called transitional period. And the days like
“April 12” come to terror people and assure them that free speech in
our country is dangerous for the health and life.
As a result, the following intention becomes dominant; “We hardly get
on with, what do we do that freedom of the speech”. While the freedom
of the speech has very useful meaning for which we must “fight”. Let’s
imagine that true reports are broadcasted and published about corrupted
officials, narrow-minded deputies and oligarchs all day long. Be sure
that the society will be self cleaned and the life will become fairer
and more bearable.
–Boundary_(ID_sjzbaYgM0y8rdg/JYKXWrw)- –

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER: ARMENIA’S FUTURE IS EU AND NATO
Yerevan, May 2. ArmInfo. Armenia’s future is the EU and NATO, says
the speaker of the Armenian parliament Artur Bagdassaryan.
But this does not mean that tomorrow Armenia will officially say it
is joining these organizations, especially as the foreign policy of
the country is determined by the president. This is his personal view
as a politician and the leader of the Country of Law ruling coalition
party. Baghdassaryan says that he knows about the president’s position
that NATO membership is not on Armenia’s foreign political agenda. But
still he is sure that Armenia’s future is the EU and NATO rather
than Russia-Belarus. This will be a long process, says Baghdassaryan
noting that Armenia has been actively cooperating with NATO for many
years already. But by developing its relations with NATO and the EU
Armenia should not complicate its relations with Russia.

“A STAB IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S BACK”
A1+
[04:55 pm] 02 May, 2006
Today the two wings of the Opposition complained of the electoral
code amendments, mainly of the Government’s conclusions and
suggestions. They reminded that they signed the document sent to the
Venice Commission with great difficulty and reservation. In response
to their complaints NA Deputy Speaker Tigran Torosyan mentioned that
the NA regulation-law has nothing to do with the reservations.
The Opposition representatives claim that the electoral code amendments
testify to the fact that the authorities are not inclined to hold
unbiased and impartial elections. The chairman of the party “National
Unity” Artashes Geghamyan reminded that Armenia, being a member of
the OSCE, signed and ratified all the documents according to which the
OSCE is aimed at controlling and monitoring elections. In Geghamyan’s
opinion, the draft project of the amendments which was also signed by
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan will be a stab in Margaryan’s back.
Geghamyan claims that the Government will call the bill back. The
secretary of the “Justice” fraction Victor Dallakyan quoted an
extract from the bill to prove that there will be frauds in the next
elections, too.
“International organizations, representatives of foreign countries
and foreign NGOs may conduct a monitoring during the election in case
they are invited,” urged Victor Dallakyan and added, “But will they
be invited?”

Assyrian International News Agency
April 29 2006
Threats Force Cancellation of Assyrian Genocide Conference in Holland
(AINA) — A conference on the 1915-1918 Turkish genocide of
Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians was cancelled because of threats
received by the speakers. The conference, scheduled for April 27, was
organized by Foundation Assyria Netherlands and the Jewish St.
Synagogue in the city of Enschede.
In the last 10 days numerous anonymous threats were received by the
conference. Mr. Z. Alsan, a Turkish national, was to speak on why
Turkey denied the Genocide. Dr. H. Hirschfeld, from the Centrum for
Information en Documentation Israel, was to speak on why the Jewish
genocide has been recognized. Prof. Johannes Houwink ten Cate, of the
university in Amsterdam, was to speak on the nature and recognition
of genocide. Dr. M. Beth Arsan, an Assyrian from Holland, was to
speak on why the Assyrians want recognition of the genocide.
Citing the threats, the organizers cancelled the conference after all
four speakers withdrew their participation. Mr. Aslan received the
most threats. He has spoken on the genocide on previous occasions,
but this time the threats were so numerous and intense he was forced
to cancel his appearance. Some of the threats came directly from
Turkey.
The conference was largely financed by the Provincial Parliament
Overijssel, which desired to stimulate the debate between Assyrians
and Turks on this issue.

Mehr News Agency, Iran
April 28 2006
Iran-Armenia pipeline is not for sale: minister
TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) – Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan
denies it while Manok Gasparian, an MP, says that the contract
indicating the sale of Iran-Armenia Gas Export Pipeline is on his
table.
However, the Prime Minister did acknowledge the sale of 5th energy
unit of Hrazdan (Harazdan-5) to Gazprom of Russia for $60m as part of
ongoing privatization process in Armenia, the Persian service of ISNA
reported on Friday.
Elsewhere in the news, the nation’s Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan
reiterated that the pipeline is not for sale while the Russian
company omitted this section from its news site and corrected it
later. The energy minister also rejected that the money has been
transferred to the Defense Ministry’s account.
`The contract clearly states that 40 km of the pipeline will be sold
to Gazprom and the plan to construct additional 137 km is on the
agenda,’ Gasparian emphasized.

Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, Ca 91504
Tel: 818-558-7474
Fax: 818-558-6333
Web:
PRIMATE’S SCHEDULE OF
May 2006

The following contains items scheduled for the month of April 2006.
We will notify you with separate communiqué of any changes and
additions to the Primate’s Schedule.

Monday, May 1 His Eminence will preside over the meetings of the
Diocesan Ladies’ Auxiliary, The Etchmiadzin Children’s Fund, and the
Stewardship Committee.

May 2-7 The Primate will preside over the 79th Annual Diocesan
Assembly, held at St. Mary Armenian Church in Costa Mesa. The
Diocesan Assembly is held once a year during the first weekend of
May, during which the organizations and committees of the Diocese
present their annual reports. We are happy to announce that guest
clergy will also be present at the Assembly, to represent His
Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. The Assembly will
take place according to the following schedule.

Weds. May 3 Diocesan Clergy Assembly
Thurs. May 4 Diocesan Ladies’ Assembly
Fri-Sat, May 5-6 Diocesan Delegates’ Assembly

Friday evening, May 5 Assembly Banquet

Those who wish to receive a copy of the Primate’s Annual Report may
contact the Diocese at 818-558-7474.

On Sunday, May 7, 2006 His Eminence will celebrate Divine Liturgy
and deliver the Sermon at St. Mary Armenian Church.

Sunday, May 7 The AGBU will host a Centennial Celebration under the
Auspices of the Primate, held at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Center. The
program includes keynote speakers Governor Deukmejian and Assadour
Guzelian, and artists Haroutune Bedelian and Lorna Griffith.

Monday, May 8 The Primate will visit St. Sophia Greek Orthodox
Cathedral to attend a reception in honor of the newly elected His
Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, the spiritual
leader of the Greek Orthodox Community in Western USA. The Primate
will be accompanied by Archpriest Fr. Arshag Khatchadourian.

Thursday, May 11 A joint Divine Liturgy and Retreat will be held
between the clergy of the Armenian, Syriac and Coptic Orthodox
Churches, hosted by the Western Diocese. Over 100 clergy are expected
to attend.

Saturday, May 13 His Eminence will preside over the meeting of the
Summer Camp Committee and the Cathedral Construction Committee.

Monday, May 15 The Primate will participate in an
Episcopalian-Armenian Church Dialogue at the headquarters of the
Episcopalian Diocese.

Tuesday, May 16 The Primate will attend an ecumenical gathering
hosted by the self ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of
North America. The Primate will be accompanied by Very Rev. Fr. Dajad
Dz. V. Yardemian.

Wednesday, May 17 His Eminence will attend a meeting of the Los
Angeles Religious Leaders at the Claremont School of Theology. The
Primate will be accompanied by Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian.

Saturday, May 20 The Primate will preside over the Mother Cathedral
Fundraising and Celebration Gala.

Sunday, May 21 His Eminence will celebrate Divine Liturgy and
deliver the Sermon at St. Peter Armenian Church in Van Nuys. During
the Liturgy the Primate will bestow the St. Nersess the Graceful
Medal of Honor upon Mr. and Mrs. Arpiar Janoyan.

In the evening the Primate will attend an event in honor of the 25th
anniversary of the TCA Arshag Dickranian School.

Thursday, May 25 The graduating class of AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian
School will visit the Diocese to meet with His Eminence.

At Noon, the Primate will preside over a ceremony on the occasion of
the Feast of the Ascension.

May 26-28 The Primate will preside over the Annual ACYO Sports
Weekend held in Fresno.

Sunday, May 28 The Primate will celebrate Divine Liturgy and deliver
the Sermon at St. Mary Armenian Church in Yettem, as the closing of
the ACYO Sports Weekend. During the Liturgy the Primate will ordain
Deacons and Acolytes.

Monday, May 29 His Eminence will perform the opening prayer in
Memorial Day Observances in Glendale.

Office of the Western Diocese

April 27, 2006
Burbank, California