Author: Nahapetian Samvel

RUSSIAN OFFICIAL VOICES SUPPORT FOR YEREVAN

Radio Liberty
March 20 2008
Czech Republic

A senior Russian diplomat commended and voiced support for Armenia’s
embattled leadership on Thursday as he wrapped up a two-day visit to
Yerevan that focused on the post-election unrest in the country.

"Riots, chaos in the streets is a very dangerous thing for any country,
and I believe that the events of March 1-2 showed the citizens of
Armenia just how dangerous that path can be. It does not solve any
problems and instead brings about instability, uncertainty about the
future," Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said, referring to
the last opposition demonstration in Yerevan marred by deadly clashes
between security forces and protesters.

"In my view, the government of new Armenian statehood has passed this
dangerous phase, this dangerous test and is now stepping on to a very
certain path of political reforms and dialogue," he told journalists.

The political situation in Armenia, Russia’s main regional ally,
in the wake of last month’s disputed presidential election topped
the agenda of Karasin’s talks on Wednesday with departing President
Robert Kocharian and Prime Minister and President-elect Serzh
Sarkisian. Russia has closely followed the post-election developments
in the country, with President Vladimir Putin discussing it in a
March 10 phone call with Sarkisian. While calling for a dialogue
between the Armenian government and the opposition, Putin reaffirmed
the Kremlin’s recognition of Sarkisian’s victory in the election and
invited the latter to visit Moscow.

Sarkisian’s office said on Thursday that the Armenian premier will
fly to Moscow on March 24. It said he will meet Putin and Russia’s
President-elect Dmitry Medvedev to discuss "a broad range of issues
of mutual interest."

According to Karasin, Sarkisian and Kocharian now "understand and
control" the domestic political situation. "They have certain plans
for the future, plans for bringing the constructive opposition into
the legal field and starting dialogue," he said. "I hope that this
tendency will prevail and Armenian society will again acquire stability
and predictability. Russia is ready and interested in assisting in
that by all means."

It was not clear if by "constructive opposition" Karasin meant former
President Levon Ter-Petrosian and his opposition allies. Unlike
Western envoys who have visited Yerevan since March 1, the Russian
diplomat declined to meet Ter-Petrosian.

"The information which the president, the prime minister and
the foreign minister gave us was absolutely sufficient," Karasin
explained. "Having said that, we definitely have information about
what they in the opposition camp think. We have an embassy here, we
have friends in all spheres of Armenian political and public life. So
rest assured that we possess information of various caliber."

39 HOUSE MEMBERS URGE INCREASED AID TO ARMENIA AND KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2008 15:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Thirty-nine House members cosigned a letter this week
initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone
(D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) urging the leaders of the U.S.

House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to support
provisions in the FY09 foreign aid bill that advance U.S. interests
and American values in Armenia and the surrounding region, the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Armenian Caucus led effort urges cutting all military aid to Azerbaijan
and encourages steps toward U.S. diplomatic ties with Nagorno Karabakh.

"We want to thank Congressmen Knollenberg and Pallone and all those
who joined with the Armenian Caucus in this initiative to promote a
balanced and constructive path toward peace and development in the
Caucasus region," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

"Armenian Americans look forward to working hard to help enact the
foreign aid priorities outlined in this letter, including, notably,
the bipartisan effort to put an end to the artificial diplomatic
isolation that the Azerbaijani government has sought to impose upon
Nagorno Karabakh by trying to block nearly all U.S. contacts and
communication with the people and democratically elected leaders of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic."

BULGARIAN CAPITAL’S MUNICIPAL COUNCIL TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Bulgarian News Agency
March 20 2008
Bulgaria

Sofia, 20 March: Sofia will become the fourth Bulgarian city to
officially recognize the 1915-22 Armenian Genocide. These were the
words of Sofia Municipal Council’s Committee for European Affairs
and Public Relations Irina Yordanova, who talked to BTA on Thursday
[20 March].

The capital is expected to follow in the footsteps of Plovdiv, Bourgas
[Burgas], and Stara Zagora in stating its belief that the Ottoman
Empire undertook such a campaign in the last years before its demise.

A declaration was submitted to the Committee bearing 35 municipal
councillors’ signatures, who want to see 24 April declared as a day
of remembrance for those who died in the Armenian Genocide.

The Committee unanimously approved the text of the declaration, which
is supported by eight Sofia-based Armenian organizations as well as
by the signatures of twenty-four intellectuals and businessmen of
Armenian descent.

AS OF MARCH 17, 12 CITIZENS, WHO SUFFERED FROM MARCH 1 EVENTS, ARE IN ARMENIA’S MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS

Noyan Tapan
March 18, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, NOYAN TAPAN. As of March 17, 12 people, who suffered
during the March 1 events in Yerevan, receive medical treatment in all
medical institutions of the RA Ministry of Health system. Two out of
them are servicemen, two policemen. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was
informed by the RA Ministry of Health, 4 people continue receiving
medical treatment in St Gregory the Illuminator medical center, 1 of
them is a serviceman, 2 policemen, 1 an ordinary citizen. 1 person is
in medical center N 2, 1 in hospital N 3, 3 at the Erebuni medical
center. 2 people are in the Armenia medical center, 1 of them is in
the reanimation, 1 in facial-jaw department.

One servicemen has remained in L. Mikayelian Surgery Institute,
who is in the reanimation department.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW "ON REALIZATION OF GATHERINGS, RALLIES, PROCESSIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS"

Mediamax
March 17, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Today the Armenian parliament will consider in
the first and the second reading amendments to the law "On realization
of gatherings, rallies, processions and demonstrations".

Mediamax reports that a special session of the parliament will
be called today at 18:30 on the initiative of the MPs of Armenian
National Assembly.

Mostly Fiction BOOK REVIEWS
"Draining the Sea" by Micheline Aharonian Marcom
Reviewed by Poornima Apte MAR 13, 2008

One of the greatest writers of the Beat Generation graces the pages of
Micheline Aharonian Marcom’s latest novel Draining the Sea. At the end
of the book is a quote by author Jack Kerouac: `I never felt sadder in
my life. LA is the loneliest and most brutal of American cities.’

This statement is fully verified by the novel’s unnamed protagonist
who lives in Los Angeles eking out a meager existence by picking up
and disposing of road kill (mostly dogs). The dogs could be viewed as
metaphors for the many casualties of war that he has personally come
across. One dead woman in particular haunts him relentlessly – a
Guatemalan woman called Marta. The reader gathers that the narrator
was somehow complicit in her murder during the Guatemalan civil war
which raged for decades between 1962 and 1996. Marta was an indigenous
Guatemalan – a member of the Ixil Mayan group in the country.

In her earlier award-winning work, Marcom has written about the
Armenian genocide and here too, she hints at the narrator’s Armenian
heritage. There isn’t much of a story to follow in Draining the Sea
and for many readers that might be frustrating. In perhaps another nod
to Kerouac, instead, Marcom follows a `stream of consciousness’ style
of prose in which the narrator constantly describes his memories of
Marta and also speaks about the larger horrors of war. The prose while
arresting, is comprised almost entirely of phrases which can make the
reading quite difficult at times.

Marcom is fiercely critical of America’s complicit involvement in
Guatemala’s civil war. She is also relentless in her criticism of all
things American, especially American consumerism – a factor she
implies contributes to its attendant loneliness. `Things are certain,
the rules have been cast, the weather makes no difference to the
American, we condition air and alter what we abhor,’ she writes. `We
buy products, diets, fats, to feel good, and cremes and machines for:
driving digging seeing, and we don’t walk the streets of this city and
buy machines for walking; magazines to learn how to do it: making
love; buying guns; safe-keeping our properties and ourselves (alarms
steel bars locks and thick glass).’ At the same time she also paints a
very romantic picture of the victims and their cultures. While nobody
will dispute the nuggets of truth in these portrayals, the writing can
come across as overly simplistic.

In interviews, Marcom has pointed out Americans’ apathy toward
history. `There is a certain damage done by not remembering, by
willfully forgetting the past, which, as Americans, I think we do a
lot of,’ she has said, `there is a certain historical amnesia in
America which is pervasive.’ Her efforts at erasing at least some of
this damage through Draining the Sea is quite commendable. Marcom’s
powerful prose and the parallels she draws between genocide all across
the world – be it the Armenian genocide or the Guatemalan civil war –
are shocking and will hopefully, have readers sit up and take
notice. Marcom has admitted that while literature might not be able to
redeem suffering, it can at least `make something beautiful out of
something awful and atrocious.’ That, Draining the Sea, certainly
does. It successfully leaves what Marcom has called, `a kind of
authentic record.’

m.htm

OSKANIAN TO MEET OSCE MG IN VIENNA MARCH 14

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2008 14:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On March 14, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian will depart Vienna to meet with OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs.

On the same day he will depart for Belgium to attend Brussels Forum
2008 and deliver a speech during ‘Does the Path to Europe extend to
the Caucasus?’ discussion.

The Armenian Minister is scheduled to meet with his Georgian
counterpart David Bakradze. He will also hold a number of bilateral
meetings, the RA MFA press office reports.

Brussels Forum is an annual high-level meeting of the most influential
American and European political, corporate, and intellectual leaders
to address pressing challenges currently facing both sides of the
Atlantic. Participants include heads of state, senior officials from
the European Union institutions and the member states, U.S. Cabinet
officials, Congressional representatives, Parliamentarians, academics,
and media.

ROUBEN HAKHVERDIAN: "WHEN INTELLIGENTSIA DOESN’T LEAD, THE PEOPLE BECOME THE INTELLIGENTSIA"
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
14/03/2008

Opinion

Rouben Hakhverdian declared himself a craftsman and left the
intelligentsia circles at March 11 meeting at "Hayeli" club. At
the same time, he stated that when the intelligentsia doesn’t lead,
the people become the intelligentsia. He added that unfortunately,
this factor spared neither the supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian nor
those of Serge Sarkisian from mass hysteria and psychosis. He came
to this conclusion after what he saw over TV. "I didn’t go to the
rallies. I couldn’t bear "Levon is president" slogan, that person is
absolutely unacceptable for me. And the people went to the rallies
not for his sake, but against the injustice," Ruben Hakhverdian said,
emphasizing that Levon Ter-Petrosian is a political corpse for a long
time already. As for the government, Hakhverdian said that it died
on March 1-2. "The government died that day as a government. Levon
hated the Armenian people and spoke scornfully. While Robert speaks as
if he were the president of the richest country of the world, when,
in fact, he is the richest president of a poorest country. He
killed the dreams of the youth to have a business in this
country." Hakhverdian said.

In the course of the first four years of Robert Kocharian’s government
the personal respect of Ruben Hakhverdian to him decreased. "He
became a historical figure by opening fire on the people. While
the young and "promising’ journalists asked him idle questions,
instead of questioning him about the businesses that he runs. The
lying is on governmental level," Hakhverdian said. Evaluating the
recent events as a sobering slap in the face of the government,
Hakhverdian explained that the special sevices of the USA and Russia
picked up their "generals’ to carry out their plans. "America chose
Levon Ter-Petrosian to rebel the people on social grounds and to lead
them to massacre," Hakhverdian emphasized.

Hakhverdian believes that the only way to hold proper elections is to
withdraw Robert Kocharian and first of all Levon Ter-Petrosian from
politics. "Their mentality is that or the communists and dictators,"
he said. According to this logics, Hakhverdian doesn’t want his son
to become anybody’s "slave" and is going to send him to live abroad,
as soon as he comes back from the army.

"I am a person, I have the right to get disappointed and shocked. I
can compose songs, but I don’t see any sense in that, as nothing has
changed in the cultural sphere since I was 18," he said. Hakhverdian
doesn’t think that he is the one to outline the actions of the people
and tries to observe the situation from very personal viewpoint.

While publicist Karine Hakobian confronted Hakhverdian’s opinion and
stated that we should shape public and political institutions. "In our
country till now the government enjoys the power, while the opposition
suffers," she said, adding that the journalists also need to do a
lot to correct the current situation.

RUSSIAN SCENARIO NOT GOING TO BE APPLIED IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
14.03.2008 12:53

If there was an intention to apply the Russian scenario in Armenia, we
would have declared about it before the elections as Putin and Medvedev
did it in Russia, RA President-elect, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan
said. "In case of such a scenario, RA President Robert Kocharyan and
me had enough honesty to declare about it before the elections."

Serge Sargsyan said in response to another question that he agrees
with President Kocharyan on many question, but it does not mean
that he always shares his opinion. "I do not know two people, two
associates, who would think the same way. Wherever I worked I had my
opinion on issues related to the framework of my responsibilities. I
must say that Robert Kocharyan has never tried to "thrust his opinion
on me." Of course, we have agreed on many questions."

Asked whether he is confident he is the person that can unite the
people, the Prime Minister said: "Yes, I’m sure of that. However,
even if I speak for hours how I’m going to do that, many people will
not believe.

When I unite, I will show what unification means."

The Armenian Church eNewsletter

March 13, 2008

Prayer for the Week

Diocese of the
Armenian Church
of America (Eastern)
630 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10016

Contact Us <mailto:[email protected]>

Diocesan News

PRIMATE TO VISIT ST. THOMAS CHURCH IN TENAFLY, N.J.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Thomas Church in
Tenafly, N.J. on Palm Sunday, March 16.

On behalf of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians, Archbishop Barsamian will present the St. Nersess Shnorhali
Medal and an Encyclical to Dr. Levon and Mrs. Ani Capan. The Capans are
active members of the St. Thomas community: Dr. Capan is the Parish Council
chairman while Mrs. Capan serves as principal of the Kirikian Armenian
School of St. Thomas.

"They are the pillars of St. Thomas," said Very Rev. Fr. Papken Anoushian,
pastor at St. Thomas Church. "Their dedication and love to the Armenian
Apostolic Church in general, and to St. Thomas of Tenafly in particular, are
of the highest degree."

Following the Divine Liturgy, the Primate will preside at a banquet to be
held in honor of Mrs. Arsaluys Sahinyan, mother of Mrs. Capan, who has been
named Parishioner of the Year. Mrs. Sahinyan donated more than $30,000 for
the church’s new baptistery, which was consecrated a few months ago. The
Akhtamar Dance Ensemble of St. Thomas will perform at the banquet.

_____________________________

DIOCESAN LEGATE ADDRESSES PARTICIPANTS AT ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAYS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Speaking at the Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington D.C., on Sunday,
March 9, Diocesan Legate and President of the National Council of Churches
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian reminded Christians that they have a
responsibility to promote peace and to relieve poverty worldwide.

Lasting security can be best achieved through faith, not through military
intervention, Archbishop Aykazian said, stressing that there is a need to
find new approaches to the war in Iraq, the instability in Lebanon and other
crises across the globe.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian addresses participants at the Ecumenical Advocacy
Days organized by the National Council of Churches in the Washington, D.C.
area.

"Today I tell you that security means freedom from fear. It means freedom
>From anxiety," Archbishop Aykazian said. "Peace and security can be
achieved, but only via justice and freedom."

Ecumenical Advocacy Days is organized by the National Council of Churches
USA to bring together the Christian community and to press for advocacy on
an array of domestic and international issues. The theme of this year’s
event, which drew more than 700 people, was "Claiming a Vision of True
Security."

To read more, visit <;
.

________ _____________________

ACYOA YOUNG ADULT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON THE ARMENIAN CHRISTIAN
FAMILY

Thinking about love and marriage in the context of the Armenian Christian
family was the focus of last weekend’s ninth annual Armenian Church Youth
Organization of America’s Young Adult Leadership Conference, held March 7 to
9 at the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Stony Point, N.Y.

A record number of 76 participants from 27 parishes, including
representatives from the Western and Canadian Diocese, attended the
three-day event.

Participants at the ACYOA Young Adult Leadership Conference discuss
relationships and marriage in a small-group workshop.

"You are young leaders and as such, have a responsibility to carry your
faith and your identity into the world – into school, the workplace, the
home," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern). "You need to explore and discover for yourselves just how
you will do that."

To read more, visit <;
.

________ _____________________

HOLY WEEK AT ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL

St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral will observe Holy Week starting Sunday, March
16, with a series of services culminating in the Easter Sunday celebration
on March 23. All services will be held at the Cathedral, 630 Second Avenue,
New York, N.Y. For more information, call 212-686-0710.

View < > the complete Holy
Week schedule or read the Primate’s Easter Message in Armenian
< terarm.pdf> or English
< ereng.pdf> .

_____________________________

CHURCH AND HOME: NEW MATERIALS AVAILABLE ONLINE

We are pleased to announce that a wealth of new Church and Home materials
are now available on our Web site,
<http://www.armenianchur ch.net/> . Click on the "Church and Home" button on
the homepage and you will be directed to a listing of a variety of online
tutorials and programs designed to offer "Back to the Basics" educational
tools that can be used from the comfort of your home. Learn about the
Armenian Church feasts, the calendar, modern and classical Armenian and much
more!

_____________________________

FAR PREPARES FOR 2008 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TRIP

The 12th annual Fund for Armenian Relief Young Professionals Trip will be
May 31 to June 12. The two-week trip to Armenia will include tours of the
entire country, with overnights in Yerevan, Gyumri, Dzoraget, Lake Sevan and
Goris. Participants will visit FAR’s projects as well as meet with
high-ranking officials in Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with His
Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, at
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The FAR trip provides the ideal opportunity for young professionals between
the ages of 23 and 40 to travel to Armenia as a group. Participants in FAR’s
Young Professionals Trip do more than just see the country’s sites. They
learn about Armenia’s place in the world – the country’s religious,
political and economic heritage – and engage government and religious
leaders in official state visits. The FAR trip is a great way to discover
Armenia’s treasures.

Participants visit Gandzasar Monastery in Martakert during the 2007 FAR
Young Professionals Trip.

"I returned to the States with a heart full of a rekindled love for my
heritage and culture, a suitcase full of souvenirs and a photo memory stick
full of, well, memories," said Natalie Gabrelian, who participated in FAR’s
Young Professionals Trip last year.

The cost, which includes airfare and hotel accommodations, is $3,050. Space
is limited. To sign up, contact Arto Vorperian at 212-889-5150 or
[email protected].

_____________________________

DEACON TRAINING PROGRAM TO BE HELD AT ST. JAMES CHURCH IN WATERTOWN, MASS.
ON SATURDAY

Diocesan Music Ministry Coordinator Maestro Khoren Mekanejian will lead a
training program for deacons at St. James Church in Watertown, Mass. on
Saturday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Using the "Guidebook to the Divine Liturgy," Maestro Mekanejian will help
deacons improve their understanding of the songs and music of the service.
All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact St. James Church at
617-923-8860.

_____________________________

S T. NERSESS SEMINARY’S ARMENIAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE LECTURE SERIES

Haroutune C. Merzian, an independent scholar from Los Angeles, will give a
lecture entitled "People of the Cross: The Meaning of Khatchkars" at St.
Nersess Theological Seminary on Monday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.

The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow. St.
Nersess Seminary is located at 150 Stratton Road, New Rochelle, NY 10804.
For more information, please visit
< ; or call 914-636-2003.

_____________________________

ALTE RNATIVE SPRING BREAK UNDERWAY

Students are wrapping up an exciting week in Charlotte, N.C., where they
have been working at a Habitat for Humanity construction site as part of
College Ministry’s Alternative Spring Break program. On Friday, students
will meet with Rev. Fr. Mardiros Chevian and members of the local Armenian
community at St. Sarkis Church and participate in a Hankusdian (Rest)
Service.

Next week, another group of students will travel to Lakeland, Fla., to take
part in a similar program. They will build with Lakeland’s Habitat, then
join St. Hagop Church in Pinellas Park, Fla., as the parish celebrates Holy
Week. For more information on the College Ministry Program, email Julie
Hoplamazian at [email protected].

Holy Savior, Jesus Christ, You are the true Light that shined on the people
of Armenia through the preaching of St. Gregory. Remove from my life the
darkness of despair, sadness and sin; and replace them with the joy of Your
radiant love. For You are the light of my salvation. Blessing and glory to
You now and always and forever. Amen.
More prayers
< .asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5246&
HS=1 > <;

Scripture for the Week

Song 1:1-2:3

Zec 9:9-15

Phil 4:4-7

Mt 20:29-21:17

Saints & Feasts

3/15 Remembrance of the Raising of Lazarus

3/16 Palm Sunday

3/18 Remembrance of the Ten Virgins

3/20 Holy Thursday

3/21 Holy Friday

3/22 Holy Saturday (Easter Eve)

3/23 Easter Sunday