Author: Khoyetsian Rose

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: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I AND HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
MEET PUBLICLY FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS FORMER VISIT TO THE
VATICAN

During a public meeting in the presence of thousands of pilgrims coming from
different parts of the world, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI welcomed His
Holiness Catholicos Aram I. He said: "This morning I greet with great joy
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenians, together with
the distinguished delegation accompanying him, and the Armenian pilgrims
from various countries. This fraternal visit is a significant occasion for
strengthening the bonds of unity already existing between us, as we journey
towards that full communion which is both the goal set before all Christ’s
followers and a gift to be implored daily from the Lord". He then recalled
the important role of Aram I in the ecumenical movement saying "I wish to
express my particular gratitude for your constant personal involvement in
the field of ecumenism, especially in the International Joint Commission for
Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox
Churches, and in the World Council of Churches".

Responding to the welcoming address of the Pope Benedict XVI, Catholicos
Aram I said that the world of today urges all the churches to work together,
in spite of our differences. Then he said: "our two Churches have apostolic
origin. Apostolicity is not a mere mark of the Church, a sheer
ecclesiological legacy that should be preserved intact. Apostolic origin
must be transformed into apostolic vocation". Emphasizing the crucial
importance of re-evangelism, Catholicos Aram I said: "marginalization of
Christian values, distortion of Christian identity, and increasing invasion
of secularistic and materialistic values into our family and community life,
urge the churches to engage in re-evangelism". His Holiness welcoming the
zeal and commitment of Pope Benedict XVI called the churches to unite their
efforts in spiritual transformation of societies.

At the end of greetings, the spiritual leaders exchanged kiss of peace in
front of the thousand pilgrims, who have came to Vatican from different
parts of the world.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos338.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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.

NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT REGULATION, ARTSAKH SOCIAL-ECONOMIC ISSUES, DIASPORA-MOTHERLAND RELATIONS DISCUSSED

ARMENPRESS
Nov 24, 2008

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: President of Nagorno Karabakh
Bako Sahakyan met in New York, November 22, Congressman, co-chair of
the Congress Armenian Caucus Frank Pallone.

Central information department of the office of Karabakh president
told Armenpress that during the meeting a wide range of issues
related to the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict,
recent developments in the South Caucasian region, Artsakh-USA ties,
and social-economic situation in the republic were discussed.

Bako Sahakyan highly underscored the activities of Congressman
Pallone in supporting and objective elucidating the Armenian issue
and the Nagorno Karabakh problem. Frank Pallone in his turn expressed
readiness to continue with the same patience his activities to further
develop and strengthen relations between Artsakh and the United States
of America.

November 22 President Bako Sahakyan met also with representatives of
Eastern USA Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Party Hovsep Avagyan and Karo Ketsemanyan.

A wide range of issues related to social-economic situation in the
republic, the current stage and prospects of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement, further development of Artsakh-Diaspora ties
were discussed during the meeting.

The President noted the importance of giving a new impetus to the
relations with the Diaspora, particularly making the involvement of
Spyurk in the life of the Motherland more active.

According to Bako Sahakyan, for effective implementation of this it
is necessary carry out activities in a systemized manner, establish
permanent and stable relations between all the three parts of the
Armenian nation. The president underlined that realization of national
projects requires further cementing the Artsakh-Armenia-Diaspora
trinity.

On the same day President Sahakyan visited Armenian National Center of
the Saint Gregory the Illuminator church of the Eastern USA Diocese
of the Armenian Apostolic Church and met representatives of local
Armenian community.

Bako Sahakyan introduced to the participants current social-economic
situation in the republic, the current stage and prospects of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process and answered questions
raised by the participants of the meeting.

November 23 in the framework of "Hayastan" All-Armenian fund’s
forthcoming telethon NKR President Bako Sahakyan met in Los Angeles
minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Hranoush Hakobyan.

Issues related to Diaspora-Motherland relations were discussed
during the meeting. The key role of Artsakh in further cementing
these relations was mutually underlined.

On the same day the President met members of the governing body of
the Western USA Hnchakyan Social-Democratic Party at the head of
chairman Hambig Safaryan.

A wide range of issues related to Artsakh-Diaspora relations, Nagorno
Karabakh problem and social-economic situation in the NKR were
discussed during the meeting. Bako Sahakyan underlined that it was
necessary further strengthen ties between the Diaspora and Artsakh, do
everything to form an atmosphere of constructive cooperation between
different political forces. It was mutually noted that Artsakh and
its future represent one of the most important components of cohesion
and unity.

November 23 President Sahakyan had a tete-a-tete meeting with
American -Armenian philanthropist Vahe Karapetyan. Issues related
to the realization of different projects in Artsakh were discussed
during the meeting.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER DIDN’T SAY ARMENIA AGREES TO FORM COMMISSION OF HISTORIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.11.2008 17:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Foreign Ministry refuted Turkish media
reports that RA FM Edward Nalbandian allegedly announced Armenia’s
consent to form a commission of historians to study the fact of the
Armenian Genocide.

"Minister Nalbandian emphasized that Armenia’s position on the Genocide
issue is unchangeable," head of the RA MFA media relations division
Tigran Balayan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "The audio of the
news conference Minister Nalbandian gave in Istanbul will be posted
on the Ministry’s website soon," he added.

Today, some Turkish media circulated reports that Armenia "changed
its stand on the Armenian Genocide issue and agreed to form a joint
commission of historians to study the 1915 events."

MONOPOLIES AND UNEQUAL COMPETITION ARE MAIN OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT OF LIBERALIZED ECONOMY IN ARMENIA, PARTICIPANTS IN DISCUSSION ORGANIZED BY NPC SAY

Noyan Tapan

Nov 24, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The absence of a liberalized
economy and the existence of a monopolized economy in Armenia bear
evidence of the fact that, for example, the prices of imported goods
in the country do not decline at the same rate as in international
market. The owners of monopolies are either those in power or people
sponsored by those in power.

The member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) Vahagn Khachatrian
expressed this opinion at the November 21 dicsussion "The Preconditions
and Obstacles to the Establishment and Development of a Liberalized
Economy in Armenia" orgaized by the National Press Club (NPC).

He substantiated his opinion by a report of the World Bank, by which
monopolies have become an obstacle to development of the Armenian
economy.

V. Khachatrian considered monopolies as a cause of a decline in
economic competitiveness, which is expressed in the fact that by the
respective international reportes Armenia had yielded its positions
to Azerbaijan and Georgia. It was mentioned that in order to develop
the economy, a political decision about separation of politics from
business should be taken in Armenia.

According to the member of the National Assembly "ARF" faction Ara
Nranian, "today we we have a syndrome that can be called "lieral
Bolshevism", which resembles the practice of forcible building of
communism by Bolsheviks.

Besides, the liberal ideology is not perceived correctly in Armenia,
there are liberal dogmata instead." He said that in European countries
the state intervenes in economic processes in case of necessity,
whereas in Armenia it avoids doing so. A. Nranian characterized the
"superliberalization" of the country by the circumstance that Armenia
is going to introduce a cumulative pension system, while the countries
considered as really liberal have rejected its use, and attempts to
introduce such a system in Argentina and Chile have failed.

The former deputy of the National Assembly, Ph.D. Tatul Manaserian
expressed his support for the social-market economy. He said that a
draft state budget called "social" should not be presented at the RA
National Assembly when the pensions envisaged by this draft are not
based on the values of the living subsistence basket, then by the
consumer basket values.

Presenting the unequal conditions of economic competition in Armenia,
the member of "Heritage" party Movses Aristakesian said that the
office of the Republican Party of Armenia transfers the same amount of
cimpulsory social payments to the state budget as the enterprises of
the deputies – members of that party. He informed those present that
Multi Gas making part the group of companies owned by the chairman of
"Prosperous Armenia" party Gagik Tsarukian pays the same amount of
taxes as the Yerevan subway operating by state subsidies and less
than the Goris boarding school of children with weak eyesight.

In the opinion of the head of "Political Economy" Center Andranik
Tevanian, the state should intervene in economic processes in
countries with successful market institutions. He said that in case
of Armenia, the liberalization of the economy cannot be viewed by
the ratio of state budget to GDP, which characterizes the degree
of distribution of resources by the state, because the state
government system of the country is corrupted, and it should not
be given the opportunity to distribute more sums. According to him,
the shift to a liberalized economy in Armenia should be done by the
following scenario: the getting of real power by the right forces –
formation of a competitive economy – development of the labor market
– development of an efficient system of trade unions – the coming of
social-democratic forces to power – a constant rotation of these and
right forces in the power system.

ARMENIAN DIASPORA PUTS PRESSURE ON FRENCH SENATE

Today’s Zaman
Nov 24 2008
Turkey

Members of Armenian associations based in France held a demonstration
in front of the French Senate building on Saturday, asking for the
approval of a bill that makes the denial of the Armenian genocide
a crime.

The French National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament,
adopted a bill in October 2006 that made it a crime to deny that
Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenians living in Anatolia
during World War I, despite Ankara’s protests and a warning that this
would "poison" the deeply rooted relations between the two countries.

The genocide bill has been waiting to be debated by the Senate,
the upper house of the French Parliament.

Representatives of Armenian associations have suggested that the bill
should be brought onto the agenda of the Senate.

Last week, a report drawn up by a committee of academics concluded
that the French legislative mechanism should not make decisions
concerning historical issues and also the content of history textbooks.

The bill seeks up to three years in jail for those who dispute claims
that Armenians were subject to genocide during World War I. It has
angered Turkey, which categorically refutes genocide charges and says
the killings came when Armenians revolted against the Ottoman Empire
in collaboration with an invading Russian army.

The report said if the parliament needed to make decisions particularly
on historical issues, then these decisions should only be binding
for the parliament itself, and not the state in general.

Hürriyet, Turkey
Nov 21 2008

Historic Ani Ruins get a new face-lift

ISTANBUL – Ministry of Culture and Tourism has begun the renovations
of the Ani Ruins. It has plans to showcase the area to the world more
efficiently. The Tigran Honents church and The Ebul Menucehr Mosque
will have a face lift

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has started renovation work on
the Ani Ruins in the Eastern Anatolian city of Kars, while trying to
figure out a quick solution for the quarries on the Armenian side of
the border that threaten the historic ruins.

The Tigran Honents church in the area will have drainage dug around
its walls and its surroundings will be cleaned. The original floor of
the entrance will be surfaced.

The Ebul Menucehr Mosque will have its roof cleaned in order to make
the original overlay visible. Maintenance to its minaret has already
been carried out and earth in the ground floor rooms was removed. The
mosque’s floor is also being renovated after the detachment of the
cement laid earlier.

Also, work is in progress for the structural fortification of Seljuk
Palace’s as well as surveying, restitution and renovation of the
churches of Ebulhamrent and Prikitch.

The ministry has new plans to publicize the area to the world more
efficiently. A nearby village, Ocaklı, will be undergirding for
cultural and socio-economic development. Besides that, training
programs will be arranged for the local community with aims of better
preservation of historical buildings.

International symposiums, photography exhibitions, increasing the
number of publicity brochures and billboards, manufacturing souvenirs
and producing written and visual media products are being planned on
for the upcoming years to attract more tourists to the ruins.

Open air museum
The ministry will form a center for research, documentation and
publicity and create a data bank for research. The team from the
Global Heritage Fund is working on some of the monumental buildings’
and the rampart’s three dimensional modeling. The west and northwest
fronts of the cathedral are being reinforced in collaboration with the
Sorbonne University of Paris and the World Monuments Fund has joined
the project.

Quarries in Armenia
Orhan Düzgün, director general of cultural assets, said a board of
project coordination and consultancy was formed for Ani and it has
prepared a report and a plan of action on the subject.

Düzgün said the matter of the Armenian quarries’ negative effects on
historical artifacts is among the short term subjects.

The report said the quarries enlarge day by day, splitting the
topography and also damaging the spectacular natural landscape.

It is demanded by the report that the matter will be carried to
international arenas and the quarries must be stopped.

Mediamax, Armenia
Nov 20 2008

Armenia needs peace more than Azerbaijan – minister

The Azerbaijani foreign minister has said that Armenia will benefit
from the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict more than
Azerbaijan.

In an interview with the Armenian news agency Mediamax, Elmar
Mammadyarov said that although Azerbaijan has had its territories
under occupation, Armenia suffered more from the protracted conflict
over breakaway Nagornyy Karabakh.

"The resolution of the conflict is in the interests of both Azerbaijan
and Armenia. And probably more in the interests of Armenia than of
Azerbaijan. Indeed, the territories of my country will be liberated
from occupation and thousands of displaced persons will return to
their homes. However, let us look at what Armenia and the Armenian
people have gained from this war. Azerbaijan’s GDP is four times
greater than that of Armenia. Armenia is not involved in any strategic
regional projects, the lion’s share of Armenia’s GDP goes to military
spending… All the communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan are
interrupted, etc. Naturally, Azerbaijan, which has a million of
displaced persons and refugees and is sustaining economic losses due
to continuing occupation, is not the gainer either. However, the
situations are incomparable," Mammadyarov said.

He went on to say that the resolution of the conflict would make it
possible to improve the situation.

"The resolution of the conflict would enable the opening of
communications, Armenia’s involvement in regional projects, huge
investments in your country and the overall improvement of the
climate. Armenia will only benefit from this. And, believe me,
Azerbaijan is interested in having a prosperous, peaceful and
predictable neighbour," he said.

WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 21, 2008 Friday

BAKU IS WORRIED BY INFORMATION ABOUT REPAIR OF ARMENIAN TANKS IN
TBILISI

Azerbaijan expresses concern about information that armored vehicles
of the armed forces of Armenia would be repaired in Georgia. During
the recent visit of the Defense Minister of Armenia to Georgia the
parties agreed not only on the transit of military cargoes to Armenia
via Georgia but also on repair of armored vehicles. Previously,
Armenian armored vehicles were already repaired in Tbilisi at the
former tank repair plant of the group of Russian forces in
Transcaucasia. So far, the Defense Ministry of Georgia does not
comment on this information.

Source: Vzglyad, November 19, 2008, p. EV
Translated by InterContact

ECONOMIC INFORMATION PORTAL "BUSINESS TODAY" OF "NOYAN TAPAN" INFORMATION AND ANALYTICAL CENTER OFFICIALLY PRESENTED

Noyan Tapan

Nov 19, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. "Business Today" economic
information portal of "Noyan Tapan" Information and Analytical Center
has been launched.

It will provide exact economic information about companies operating
in Armenia, the Diaspora and Artsakh, manufactured goods and provided
services, their prices and changes in prices. Along with providing
correct information about developments taking place in the market,
the portal also offers an opportunity to compare prices and make
operational marketing decisions, the Manager of the portal Satenik
Gharakeshishian stated at the November 19 presentation of "Business
Today" ( or ).

According to S. Gharakeshishian, the idea of creating such a portal
was proposed at Noyan Tapan as early as 5 years ago, but for certain
reasons it has become possible to finish part of the envisaged huge
work only today.

The chief programmer of "Business Today", Founder of "Hangyuts"
Club Mher Abrahamian said that the portal is the only one in Armenia
in the sense that users may quickly receive, via the Internet, data
for contacting companies and choose the necessary goods and services
from the exhaustive database accessible in the real-time regime. In
the future, the companies – participants in "Business Today" will
have the opportunity to complete information about their goods and
services on their own.

The Director of Grant Thornton Amyot consulting and audit company
Arman Pinarbasi stated that he anticipates accurate, fresh, profound
and independent information from "Business Today". According to him,
their company will be in the role of both a provider and user of the
portal’s information as information is an indispensable tool in work
of any consulting company.

The Assistant of the Chairman of the RA National Statistical Service
(NSS) Hayk Grigorian read the message of the NSS Chairman Stepan
Mnatsakanian on the occasion of launching "Business Today" portal,
which in particular says that the portal "will contribute to the
creation and development of an economic information system" and
"the formation of an information society in Armenia".

KONSTANTIN ZATULIN: KARABAKH WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS INDEPENDENT STATE SOONER OR LATER

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.11.2008 13:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Nagorno Karabakh conflict will never be resolved
without participation of Karabakh itself in talks, a Russian politician
said.

"The Moscow declaration is a unique document, since it ruled out
resolution of the conflict by use of force. As to Azerbaijan’s
statements that Russia will "cede Karabakh and bunko Armenia", they are
extremely improper. Russia can’t cede a land which doesn’t belong to
it," Konstantin Zatulin, State Duma member, director of the institute
of CIS studies, told a news conference today.

During the November 2 meeting, the Presidents Dmitry Medvedev of
Russia, Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
signed a declaration envisaging resolution of the Karabakh conflict
on the basis of principles and norms of the international law.

Russia, like Armenia, is not prepared to recognize independence of
Nagorno Karabakh yet, according to him.

"However, recognition is inevitable. During 17 years, Karabakh
proved its being a developing and democratic state, contrary to
Azerbaijan. Besides, no one can insist that the right of nations to
self-determination is a secondary principle. I am confident Nagorno
Karabakh will be recognized as an independent entity sooner or later,"
Zatulin said.