Author: Maghakian Mike

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Wednesday
 Pope Francis congratulates Archbishop Levon Zekiyan on golden jubilee
of priestly ordination
YEREVAN, MAY 31, ARMENPRESS. Spiritual leader of Turkey’s Armenian
Catholic community Archbishop Levon Zekiyan received a congratulatory
letter from Pope Francis on the golden jubilee - 50th anniversary of
the priestly ordination, Istanbul’s Armenian ‘Zhamanak’ newspaper
reports.
Although such congratulatory letters are usually sent by cardinals of
relevant departments, in Zekiyan’s case the letter was sent personally
from Pope Francis with his signature.
In the letter Pope Francis said they pray for divine consolation to
comfort Archbishop Zekiyan and reward his personal virtues.

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Wednesday
 Problems over Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul are solved, the locum
tenens will set to organizing Patriarchal elections
YEREVAN, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS. A lot was said and published about the
situation in the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul and the stir among
the Armenian community. Directorof Information Services Department of
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Rev.Fr. Vahram Melikyan gave an
interview to “Armenpress” on the current developments.
- What are the recent days’ developments in Istanbul? A few days ago
the Supreme Religious Council issued another statement over that
issue.
- Really, the Supreme Religious Council once again raised the
sensitive issue for our Church and national life during a meeting in
Moscow a few days ago – the situation over the Armenian Patriarchate
of Istanbul, when the elected locum tenens Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan
was deprived of the opportunity to set to the implementation of his
responsibilities.
You might remember that back in February the three clerics of the
Patriarchate arrived at the Mother See over the procedure of the
Patriarchal elections, where an agreement was reached by the mediation
of the Catholicos of All Armenians over the organization of the
election of Patriarchal locum tenens.
- Are there any results? What has changed in the life of
Istanbul-Armenians? Will the undesired situation be solved?
- I am glad to inform that the issue of the Patriarchate of Istanbul
is finally solved. Today His Holiness Archbishop Aram Ateshian
officially notified the Catholicos of All Armenians that he hands the
leadership of the Patriarchate to the elected locum tenens, who will
set to the organization of the elections of the Patriarchate. I have
to note that Aram Ateshian has also sent an invitation to Archbishop
Garegin to arrive in Istanbul and assume his post. Still a week ago
Archbishop Aram Ateshian had informed Garegin Bekchyan about his
intention.
It was a long process. The Catholicos of All Armenians was in
permanent touch with all the sides, making efforts so that the
clergymen and the Armenian community make decisions and find solutions
to the existing issues with brotherly spirit of peaceful cooperation.
The efforts of the Armenian community should not be underestimated.
The Catholicos of All Armenians highly appreciated the step of
Archbishop Aram Ateshian.
-What kind of developments should be expected in the near future?
-The Catholicos of All Armenians and the Mother See have one wish,
which is that the Istanbul-Armenians return to the peaceful and normal
life and the Patriarchate of Istanbul finds its leader as a result of
elections.
In the nearest days a proper reception will be given for the locum
tenens, who is currently in Germany. Afterwards, according to the
procedure, an Initiating body will be set up after the elected locum
tenens assumes his post, which will set to the organization of the
Patriarchal elections led by the locum tenens.

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Wednesday
Forecast: The alternation of diplomacy with military trials in order
to hold negotiations on the Karabakh agreements is inevitable
Yerevan May 24
David Stepanyan. As long as the parties to the Karabakh conflict are
allowed to check each other for strength on the lines of contact, the
diplomatic round on Karabakh intends to alternate with becoming an
additional tool to persuade a negotiating partner and new military
charges. Russian analyst Sergei Markedonov expressed such an opinion
to ArmInfo.
The second half of May was characterized by a significant increase in
tension on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line. The Azerbaijani
military controlled missile damaged the air defense missile system
"Osa" of the NKR Defense Army. On May 18, the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs stated in their statement that on May 15 the Azerbaijani
Armed Forces fired a missile through the contact line of the sides. On
May 16 and 17, the Armenian military responded with mortar fire.
"It is interesting that Baku does not seek to silence the fact of
shelling on May 15 from its side, trying to legitimize it with the
threat that the Armenian "Osa" could represent. At the same time,
Azerbaijan traditionally actualizes the problem of intolerance of the
status quo, the need for de-occupation, dismissing the issue on the
referendum on determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.
In the opinion of the analyst, thus, the next aggravation of the
situation of fundamental novelty did not bring. And the dynamic status
quo, in which the negotiation process is replaced by a new escalation,
without slipping into a full-scale war, remains. At the same time, he
notes that after May 15-17, the negotiating pace was shot down, and
according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova, "it
is not necessary to announce meetings and continue contacts."
Noting the regular nature of the escalation of diplomatic rounds,
Markedonov stressed the impossibility of ordering the peace process in
such an alternation. According to him, any new aggravation takes time
to return to dialogue, however, the new dialogue round has no further
continuation, and it is impossible to consolidate existing agreements
with something more than a promise of a new meeting.
The reason for such fluctuations Markedonov justifies by the
unwillingness of the parties to serious compromises, assessing their
appeal to the updated Madrid principles as unimportant. In this light,
the analyst notes that the regional visit of the co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group, announced in June-early July, is likely to take place,
unless there is another sharp escalation.

Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
May 20, 2017 Saturday
Increase of transactions with Armenian bank-issued cards abroad linked
with development of outbound tourism – economist
YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. Economists say the increase of overall
transactions in foreign countries with credit cards issued by Armenian
banks is associates with development of outbound tourism, while
increase of non-cash transactions is associated with formation of the
culture of making payments with cards.
According to official statistics, 208,642 transactions with Armenian
bank-issued cards were made abroad in March, 2017, while in February
the number was 177,365 and in March of 2016 – 173,742. The volume of
these transactions in March, 2017 amounted 6 billion 823 million drams
– an increase of more than 1 billion drams in a month.
Economist Aram Kayfajyan told ARMENPRESS the increase is associated
with development of outbound tourism. “Tourists or businessmen are the
ones using Armenian banking cards abroad, I don’t think large
expenditures are made with them. If people buy some property or begin
activities abroad, usually cards aren’t used”, he said, adding that
taking into consideration the activation of Armenia’s economy,
outbound tourism has also been activated, which can be the reason of
volume and quantity increase of transactions made by Armenian banking
cards abroad.
In March, the volume of cash withdrawals amounted 1 billion 444
million drams, while the quantity amounted to 14,162. Withdrawals
increased by 179 million drams compared to February.
In March, 194,480 non-cash transactions with Armenian banking cards
were made abroad, with a volume of 5 billion 380 million drams,
compared to the previous year the quantity increased by more than 39
thousand. More card transactions were made than withdrawals.
Economist Tatul Manaseryan, director of the ‘Alternative’ research
center, says the decrease of cash operations is associated with the
formation of a culture of making non-cash payments among Armenian
citizens.