Author: Nahapetian Samvel

CHILEAN PRESIDENT: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION BY CHILEAN PARLIAMENT "IS NOT BINDING"

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.07.2007 16:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement
Wednesday that Chilean President Michelle Bachelet sent a letter
to Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, saying that the document,
which was adopted in the Chilean parliament on June 5 and referred
to the events of 1915 as the Armenian Genocide was not legally or
politically binding, the Turkish Daily News reports.

June 5 the Chilean government unanimously made a decision to condemn
the Armenian Genocide. The draft project was submitted by Socialist
Party member Ricardo Nunies Munios. The documents reads, in part,
"April 24, 1915 the Turkish government arrested and killed the
leaders of the Armenian people in Constantinople and thus initiated
the policy of extermination of the Armenian nation. In 1915-1923
some 1.5 million of Armenians who lived on their lands during
centuries. This extermination is named the first ethnic cleansing
of the 20th century. The Armenian Genocide was recognized by the UN
subcommittee on discrimination and protection of national minorities in
1985. Considering these facts the Senate of Chile decreed to recognize
the Armenian Genocide and condemn it. It also called to the Chilean
government to join the UN resolution of 1985."

The draft author reminded that the Armenian Genocide has been already
recognized by Uruguay, Argentina, Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Italy,
Lebanon, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Lithuania, Canada
and France as well as the European Parliament and the World Council
of Churches.

OPPOSITION DID NOT LOSE

Lragir, Armenia
July 20 2007

The opposition and dissenters had a very big contribution to this
election. The opposition candidate who was the second by the results
of the voting displayed that democracy and dissent may exist not only
in recognized states but also small and unrecognized countries such
as Karabakh, said Member of Parliament Larissa Alaverdyan, Heritage
Party, the ex-ombudsman of Armenia. She also said the second place
for the opposition is not a defeat.

Larissa Alaverdyan also said people in Karabakh expect that the new
president will fulfill his program and pledges.

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
T +995 32 75 19 03/04
F +995 32 75 19 05
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<;
SunChild Summer Camp

>From July 29th to August 10th "SunChild" is organizing a summer camp in
Tsakhkadzor. "SunChild Summer Camp" is an educational project which aims to
raise children’s and youths’ awareness for environmental and civil society
issues.

The 34 participants of the summer camp were chosen from the children and
youths who have regularly been attending the SunChild eco clubs in the
framework of FPWC’s educational project "Following the Sun". The age of the
participating children and youths ranges from 13 to 15 years.

The pilot program of "Following the Sun" started in autumn 2006 with the
establishment of eco clubs in three schools. Since then the environmental
educational program founded already nine eco clubs in five regions
including; Garni, Goght, Urtsadzor, Gyumri, Yerevan and Dilijan.

In the FPWC eco clubs which are established in the framework of the
educational project "Following the Sun" children and youths are empowered to
create their own environmental films. Additional to professional film
training they get lessons in topics like: Armenian wildlife and nature
reserves, nature photography, ornithology, biology and conservation of
cultural assets.

SunChild summer camp is a possibility for the children to complete and edit
the environmental films which they already started to shoot in the framework
of the environmental education project "Following the sun". The children’s
films will be screened in the children film section of "SunChild 1st
Regional Environmental Festival" in October 2007.

"SunChild Summer Camp" cooperates with the following organizations:

* American University of Armenia "Birds of Armenia Project"

Specialists involved in these projects will conduct lessons of "Bird
Identification" preparing the children to participate in the annual
competition "In my bird house".

* Environmental Advocacy Protection Centre (EPAC)

Specialists of EPAC NGO will deliver lectures on structure of local communal
self governance and environmental law.

* Red Cross

Specialist of Red Cross will have a <First Aid> course with children

Mainly the program will concentrate on practical training in filming and
photography under the supervision of "SunChild" Educational Program
speciliasts. There will also be courses of English language, Computer
Science and Theoretical Journalism.

"SunChild Summer camp" is implemented by financial support of GTZ
organization and "VivaCell" Company.

ANOTHER TWO SUSPECTS IN SEDRAK ZATIKYAN MURDER ACCOMPLICESHIP ARRESTED

arminfo
2007-07-16 22:03:00

Another two suspects in the accompliceship of Sedrak Satikyan’s
murder have been arrested. Sedrak Zatikyan was the son of Yerevan
Malatia-Sebastia community former prefect, Press Secretary of Armenian
Prosecutor’s General Sona Truzyan told ArmInfo.

The source reports that Lusine Ghevondyan and Arthur Hovhannisyan,
who were wanted by the police, were arrested on July 14. The murderer
Arsen Aroushanyan was arrested in late June 2007. Sona Truzyan said
the investigation has revealed the crime mechanism, motives and the
main actors.

Three have been arrested. Another two are wanted, including the
client. She refused to name the criminals for secrecy of the
investigation. More information will be provided later, she said.

Sedrak Zatikyan born in 1980 was killed on June 22 2006 on
Sebastia-Tichina crossroad. The criminals fired at his Jeep. Zatikyan
lost control of the car because of injuries and crashed into a lorry. A
resident of the community Karina Sasrgsyan who was in the street at
the moment also became a victim of the shootout. Twenty-four shells
of one weapon were found on the spot.

LISTEN TO GALUST ALTHOUGH WHAT HE SAYS SOUNDS STRANGE
Haik Aramyan

Lragir, Armenia
July 16 2007

One of the peculiarities of the political life of Armenia is that
usually nobody listens to what the Republican Member of Parliament
Galust Sahakyan says. In fact, it is amazing that the person has
been saying things for so many years which later came true but nobody
listens to what he says. Perhaps therefore he always has a gloomy face,
and what he says sounds strange. This man knows better, especially
that he survived and witnessed the difficult and unfortunate course
of his party, somehow becoming the victim of this flow. He saw how in
the past years his party was offered on a tray first to the military
oligarchy then to the criminal business corps.

And over these years he had to explain to his fellows and the Armenian
people that nothing has happened, everything is O.K., and it is almost
an evolutionary track. Although he knew better of all that it was a
mere coup inside the party and the system of public administration,
which staked the good name of the party.

Recently Galust Sahakyan has made an almost desperate effort to make
it clear to the so-called political mass, reporters, others who at
least pretend to worry about the nation day and night, that they
should think over their actions well before the election. Namely,
Galust Sahakyan said something unpleasant for the devotees of the
"common candidate": in that case their candidate will win in the
first round. In other words, if our desperate opposition puts up say
10 candidates, there will be a second round. Consequently, if 20 to
30 candidates were put up, the Republican candidate might win but in
the third round. Galust Sahakyan did not pronounce the last sentence
not because usually no third round of election is held but because
not everything should be pronounced. Especially in Armenia.

Especially to the desperate politicians who perceive politics as
peddling and are ready to step on everything, including their own
and others’ dignity.

Galust said one more interesting thing: they usually name the leader
of their party. Although it is not exactly true because the Republican
Party did not name its leader for the past two times, do listen to
Galust. At least once.

MONETARY BASE GROWS BY 1.8% AND BROAD MONEY DECREASES BY 0.2% IN MAY 2007, COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS MONTH

Noyan Tapan
Jul 16 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. As of May 31, 2007, monetary base in
Armenia made 275b 489m drams (more than 767.2m USd) and increased by
4b 993m drams or by 1.8%, compared with the previous month.

According to the data of the RA National Statistical Service, as of
May 31, 2007, broad money made 493b 938m drams, decreasing by 908m
drams or by 0.2%, compared with the previous month.

The balance of citizens’ deposits with banks, as of May 31, 2007,
made 133b 211m drams and increased by 2b 684m drams or by 2.1%,
compared with the previous month, and as of May 31, 2006, by 31b 323m
drams or by 30.7%.

Panorama.am

14:42 14/07/2007

VARDAVAR TOMORROW

This year on July 15 the Armenian Apostolic church celebrates the
transfiguration of Jesus Christ, that is the Vardavar
festival. According to the church calendar this festival is to be
celebrated 98 days after Easter, has 35 days mobility and can be
within June 28 to August 1 period. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ
is one of the five pavilion festivals. It is Petros, Hovhaness and
Hakobos apostols’ transformation remembrance in front of the Christ,
which according to the legend was on the top of Tabor mountain. The
Armenian church names the transfiguration of the Jesus Christ also
Transformation Festival or Vardavar.

The latter has the name of an old Armenian custom from which also
bursts the custom of throwing water over each other. As regards to
archimandrite Ter-Minasyan Vardavar is more than four or five thousand
years formed by Noy patriacrch.. Those days Armenians make corollas
out of coloured flowers,as well as decorate temples with them, that is
why the it is called `Vardavar’. Armenian pour water on each other,
swim in rivers and make pigeons fly for the remembrance of Noy and the
flood.

As people used not to eat grape till blessed at Our Ladies
transfiguration day, they didn’t eat apple till Vardavar either. The
habit was called «apple fast».Armenians celebrate the Vardavar
differently. According to the folk custom at the night of Vardavar
there comes light on the graves of all the saints, and the one who
sees that can wish anything and the wish is thought to come true. As
the Araratyan Patriarchal diocese press informed the following Monday
after the transfiguration day is the Memorial Day. A Holy Mass is led
in the church that day after which people go to the graves of the
late.

Source: Panorama.am

OSCE MG: PRESERVATION OF THE STATUS QUO IN THE KARABAKH CONFLICT MAY SEEM LESS DIFFICULT FOR SIDES THAN MUTUAL COMPROMISES

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.07.2007 21:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As OSCE Secretariat Press Officer told
PanARMENIAN.Net., the three Minsk Group Co-Chairmen – Ambassador
Yury Merzlyakov of Russia, Ambassador Bernard Fassier of France and
Ambassador Matthew Bryza of the United States issued the following
statement upon today’s meeting in Vienna:

"1. We, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group find it necessary to give
our assessment of the emerging situation in the settlement process
for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in light of the recent meeting
between the President of the Republic of Armenia R. KOCHARIAN and
the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan I. ALIYEV in St Petersburg.

2. At the Co-Chairs’ suggestion, during this meeting the Presidents
concentrated their discussion on a limited number of obstacles that
stand in the way of agreement on a set of basic principles for the
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Unfortunately, the Presidents could not overcome these remaining
differences. Thus, the two sides are approaching 2008 – a year of
presidential elections in both Armenia and Azerbaijan, when, as past
experience shows, chances for progress will likely be overshadowed by
the electoral campaigns. Without an endorsement of the basic principles
at the presidential level, it is impossible to start drafting the
text of an agreement on the peaceful settlement of the conflict,
or to secure the progress of the past three years of negotiations in
order not to reopen them from scratch whenever they resume again.

3. The Co-Chairs recognize that preservation of the status quo after
thirteen years of "no peace-no war" in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
may seem less difficult for the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan
than the mutual compromises that will lead to an equitable and lasting
settlement of the conflict and, ultimately, to a new era of peace and
prosperity for their people. However if the parties to the conflict
choose nevertheless to avoid making courageous decisions now, we as
mediators cannot make these decisions in their place.

4. We take due note of the parties’ recent statements of their
willingness to continue the negotiations on the basis of what has
been developed over the past years. We urge them to give life to
these statements in the limited time remaining and to make resolute
efforts to consider again the fairly distributed benefits of the
solution embodied by the proposed basic principles. To that end,
the Co-Chairs are ready to assist the parties in the preparation for
their next summit, at the first opportunity, in the coming months.

5. Recently both sides showed their ability to create more favourable
conditions for preparing their public opinion for peace by organizing a
joint visit to Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerevan and Baku of a group of their
intellectuals. The Co-Chairs welcomed and highly appreciated that
event, which they consider as a first concrete confidence building
measure such as the Co-Chairs have constantly proposed and encouraged
in numerous fields to develop trust between the parties.

In this respect, the Co-Chairs regret that the recommendations of
the OSCE-led environmental assessment mission last year have not
been carried out and call upon the parties to make possible their
implementation.

6. Unfortunately, the Co-Chairs observe with concern several current
developments that, in their view, do not contribute to preparation
of the populations for peace. Among these are militaristic statements
threatening use of force and creating the dangerous illusion that war
is an option for resolution of the conflict. The upcoming so-called
presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh have already caused an
increase in tensions. Recalling their statements with respect to
previous votings in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs reiterate that,
like all other members of the international community, their countries
do not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state, and such
"elections" should not have any impact on the peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Finally, the Co-Chairs stress the primary role of the OSCE Minsk
Group in mediation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They note that
unilateral initiatives in other organizations can increase tensions
and disrupt the negotiation process. Therefore, they urge the sides
to focus their attention in the coming months on making real progress
in the negotiations mediated by the Minsk Group Co-Chairmen."

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 DEPARTS FOR ETHIOPIA AND EGYPT

His Holiness Aram I started an official visit to Addis Ababa yesterday
upon the invitation of the Spiritual Leader of the Ethiopian Church,
Patriarch Paulos. In addition to visiting the Ethiopian Church, the visit
aims at reconciling the differences between the Ethiopian and the Coptic
Churches, a task to which the Armenian Catholicos has been dedicated during
the last few years.

During his visit, His Holiness will hold meetings with senior government
officials. Accompanied by his Ethiopian counterpart he will then visit
Cairo, Egypt, where a meeting with the Spiritual Leader of the Coptic
Church, Patriarch Shnouda III is scheduled.

Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer), V. Rev. Krikor Chiftjian
(Communications Officer) and Armenian philanthropist Gabriel Chemberdjian
accompany the Pontiff on his trip. The Catholicos will return to Antelias on
July 14.

PRICES FOR FOODSTUFFS FALL BY 0.7% IN 2007 JUNE IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Jul 10, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. A 0.7% fall in prices for foodstuffs
was registered in 2007 June, as compared with May, in Armenia, which
was mainly conditioned by a 14.2-2.6% fall in prices for vegetables,
fish products, eggs, and granulated sugar.

According to the data of the RA National Statistical Service, in
2007 June, as compared with 2006 June, a 18.2% growth in prices
was registered in the potato commodity group, and a 14.2% fall in
prices as compared with May 2007. The latter was mainly conditioned
by a 47.1% fall in prices for green beans, 46.8% for cucumber, 37.2%
for tomato, 35.5% for green pepper, 31.6% for cabbage, and 18.6% for
onions. The prices for potato in the above mentioned period fell by
2.4%, and prices for garlic, egg-plants, beets, and carrots increased
by 1.4-52.8%.

A 6.2% fall in prices was registered in the fish commodity group in
May-June 2007, at that, in June, as compared with May, prices for
fish products fell by 5.9%. The latter is mainly the result of the 7%
fall in price for fresh white fish.

The average price for eggs in May-June 2007 in Armenia decreased
by 4.8%, at that, a 4.7% fall in price was registered in June, as
compared with May.

A 2.6-0.1% fall in prices for granulated sugar, dairy products, and
soft drinks was registered in June 2007, as compared with May. A 7.3%
growth in prices was registered in the baked products commodity group
in June 2007, as compared with May, which was mainly conditioned by a
7.5% growth in prices for flour, 10.3% for bread, and 13.3% for grain.

A 30.7% growth in prices was registered in the fruits commodity group
in June 2007, as compared with June 2006, and a 0.7% growth in prices
as compared with May 2007. In June 2007, as compared with May, prices
for lemons, pears, oranges, and apples grew by 1.8-14.4%.

A 0.1% growth in prices for vegetable oil and butter was registered
in June 2007, as compared with May, and prices were kept unchanged,
as compared with the previous month, in the commodity groups of meat
products, coffee, tea, cocoa, confectionery, other goods, alcoholic
drinks, and cigarettes.