Author: Nalbandian Albert

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE CONGRATULATES THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE ON HOLDING ACTIVE AND COMPETITIVE ELECTIONS

armradio.am
23.02.2008 12:44

Vice-Speaker of the US Department of State came forth with an official
statement on the presidential elections held in Armenia.

"I congratulate the Armenian people on the occasion of the active
and competitive elections on February 19 and note the preliminary
assessment of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, according to which the
elections were held mostly in line with the principles of democratic
elections adopted by the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

At the same time we should note that the international observers
registered considerable problems connected with the electoral
process. Nevertheless, the electoral authorities positively reacted
to the demand to carry out recount of votes. We call on the Armenian
Government to ensure the transparency of this recount, investigate
all the suggested inaccuracies and take steps to improve the future
elections. We also urge the political forces to continue ensuring
the rule of law and act peacefully and with responsibility for the
sake of democratic Armenia."

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WESTERN DIOCESE E-NEWSLETTER
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Bible Readings
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Diocesan News
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PRIMATE VISITS ALFRED AND MARGUERITE HOVSEPIAN SCHOOL

On February 13, 2008, the Primate visited St. Gregory Alfred and
Marguerite Hovsepian School in Pasadena. The Primate was
enthusiastically greeted by school children, teachers and staff
members, headed by Very Rev. Fr. Baret Dz. V. Yeretsian, Pastor of
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church in Pasadena.
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Â?THEY ARE OUR FUTUREÂ’ ART EXHIBITION AT WESTERN DIOCESE

On February 15, 2008, six young Armenian artists displayed their works
at an art exhibition at the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church.
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MOTHER CATHEDRAL BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING

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DIOCESAN COUNCIL MEETING

On Saturday, February 16, 2008, the Primate presided over the
Diocesan Council meeting at the Primate’s office. Improvement of
coordination and interrelations between the Western Diocese and
several Parishes were the main topic discussed during the meeting.
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WESTERN DIOCESE ENDOWMENT FUND MEETING

On February 16, 2008, the Chancellor of the Western Diocese,
Archpriest Fr. Sipan Mekhsian, presided over the Endowment Fund
Meeting.
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CHOIR COMMITTEE MEETING

Archpriest Fr. Arshag Khatchadourian presided over the Choir
Committee meeting at the Western Diocese, on February 16,
2008. Mrs. Neli Semerjian chaired the meeting. The concerns and
problems facing the choirs of the several parishes were carefully
considered and discussed during this meeting.
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CYMA MEETS AT WESTERN DIOCESE

On Saturday, February 16, 2008 the first CYMA Q&A event was held at the headquarters of the Western Diocese.
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WESTERN DIOCESE SUMMER CAMP COMMITTEE MEETING

On Saturday, February 16, 2008, the Primate presided over the Western
Diocese Summer Camp Program Committee meeting.
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PRIMATEÂ’S PASTORAL VISIT TO SANTA CLARITA ARMENIAN CHURCH

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37TH DEBUTANTE BALL

The 37th Debutante Ball of the Western Diocese was held on February
17, 2008, at Beverly Hill Hotel.
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PRIMATE VISITED ST. ANDREW ARMENIAN CHURCH

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PRIMATE VISITED T.C.A. ARSHAG DICKRANIAN SCHOOL

On February 19, 2008, the Primate visited T.C.A. Arshag Dickranian
School in Hollywood and met with a group of students in one of the
classrooms.
( ews/story.php?id=862)

WESTERN DIOCESE HONORS LOS ANGELES CHIEF OF POLICE WILLIAM BRATTON

Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian,
Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, a reception was held in honor of Los Angeles Chief of Police
William Bratton at the Taglyan Cultural Center, St. John Garabed
Armenian Church in Hollywood on the evening of February 19, 2008.
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PRIMATE PRESIDED OVER ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

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PRIMATEÂ’S REVISED SCHEDULE FOR FEBRUARY 21-29

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Upcoming Events
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The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, providing
spiritual guidance and leadership to the Armenian Apostolic community,
is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of 47
churches in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as the
Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire United States
and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was formed to exclusivly serve
the western United States.

3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474 Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

ABOUT 30 CAMPS PLACED IN FREEDOM SQUARE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 22, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The mass action of protest of the
supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian, the first President of the Republic
of Armenia, is continuing in the Freedom Square of Yerevan. Thousands
of people, who have spent the night there, were waiting for the start
of the mass meeting, which was at 15:00. As of 14:15 new groups of
people were coming to the square.

About 30 camps are placed in the Freedom Square at this moment.

MOSCOW CASINO BAN FORCES STORM TO OPEN IN COSTA RICA, ARMENIA
Maria Ermakova, [email protected]

Bloomberg
Feb 21, 2008

Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) — Storm International, Russia’s largest casino
company, will open gambling venues in Costa Rica and Armenia this
year and may abandon its home market because of restrictions, Chief
Executive Officer Michael Boettcher said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is forcing casinos out of Moscow
and St. Petersburg to reduce gambling, exiling them to four regions
outside the two biggest cities. The industry’s revenue has swelled
to as much as $7 billion a year in Russia, Boettcher said, after a
10th straight year of economic expansion.

"If the law doesn’t change, we’ll leave Russia," said Boettcher, a
60-year-old Briton who said he founded Moscow-based Storm 16 years
ago with two blackjack tables and a roulette wheel. "Most staff,
certainly the management, will come with us," he said last week at
his Jazz Town casino in Moscow.

A law that takes effect July 2009 permits gambling on Russia’s Pacific
coast, in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad, Siberia’s Altai region
and around the Azov Sea in the south. The areas are too far from
Moscow to draw gamblers, Boettcher said.

Putin compared dependency on gaming to alcohol or nicotine addiction in
2006, the year the law was passed. Gambling mushroomed after the Soviet
Union collapsed in 1991, with casinos appearing in Russian cities
and slot machines installed in Moscow’s underground rail network.

Jazz Town

Storm is aiming for 12 percent of the $172 billion world gaming market
by 2030, Boettcher said.

The company plans to open a renovated casino in the Armenian capital
of Yerevan by May and will invest $300 million developing a hotel,
concert and exhibition halls, a shopping center and restaurants. In
Costa Rica, the company is refurbishing a hotel and building a casino,
both scheduled to open by July.

Emerging markets are more attractive than developed nations because
they have fewer rules governing gaming, the CEO said. Developing
countries have drawn companies from Ladbrokes Plc, the U.K. owner
of about 2,600 betting shops, to Queenco Leisure International Plc,
which plans a Cambodian casino.

Storm’s revenue has risen by as much as 25 percent annually in the
past seven years and climbed 40 percent in 2007, Boettcher said,
without giving figures. The company has five Moscow casinos including
Jazz Town, which has its own music club, 30 gaming tables and a
leather-furnished VIP room.

"It’s not just a matter of openings," said Boettcher, Storm’s sole
owner.

"It’s the GDP growth. Salaries are growing astronomically. In 1992,
it was all bandits. People have changed."

Storm will turn its Moscow properties into stores, offices or hotels
and is diversifying into business jets and yacht- chartering for
millionaires in the Russian capital.

The casino owner, which is also building a resort in Sochi, the
host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics, has no plans to borrow money,
sell a stake or go public, the CEO said.

"HUGE NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS DICTATES THE NECESSITY OF JOINT STRUGGLE", HEAD OF ARTUR TER-PETROSIAN’S STAFF STATED AT THE RALLY OF TER-PETROSIAN

Mediamax
February 21, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Head of the pre-elections staff of presidential
candidate of Armenia Artur Baghdasarian Heghine Bisharian made a
speech at the rally of Levon Ter-Petrosian’s supporters today.

Mediamax reports that she stated that, despite the improper statements
against Artur Baghdasarian, made by Levon Ter-Petrosian and his team
during the pre-election campaign, "the huge number of violations in
the process of elections dictates the necessity of joint struggle".

Heghine Bisharian stated that in certain polling stations there is
second count of ballots in process, as a result of which the number
of votes, given to Artur Baghdasarian and Levon Ter-Petrosian,
started increasing.

FRENCH PRESIDENT CONGRATULATED SERZH SARKISYAN FOR ELECTION AT THE POST OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

arminfo
2008-02-20 18:04:00

ArmInfo. French President Nicolas Sarcozy congratulated the RPA leader
Serzh Sarkisyan for gaining a victory at the presidential election
in Armenia.

As press-service of the Armenian government reports Sarkozy greeted
the choice of the Armenian people which proved the will of the reforms
implemented by the government and of joining Europe. for searching of
mutually acceptable ways in Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. I would like
to say I specially emphasize importance of development and deepening
of bilateral cooperation with your country. I personally wish good
luck to you, Armenia and the people of Armenia on behalf of the people
of France>, – Nicolas Sarkozy’s message says.

KONSTANTIN ZATULIN: I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH TER-PETROSYAN’S ACTIVITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.02.2008 13:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "As compared to other states where CIS IPA sent
its observation mission, Armenia has taken all essential measures
for conduction of free and democratic election," RF State Duma member
Konstantin Zatulin told a news conference in Yerevan.

"However, I think that one of the grave violations was Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s announcement of his victory. A mature politician will
never say he garnered 99% of votes before completion of the election
process. I have known Mr Ter-Petrosyan for a long time and I am deeply
disappointed with his today’s activity.

Actually, Armenia’s first President has generated aggression and
hysteria what does him no honor," he said.

"During the election campaign Levon Ter-Petrosyan managed to throw
mud at all presidential candidates. I do not think he will benefit
from civil collisions.

His moves cause disappointment," he said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Reports on `confirmation of PKK bases in Karabakh’ ridiculous
15.02.2008 15:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The information circulated by the Azeri media causes
laughter, head of the division of information and propaganda at the
NKR Defense Ministry, lieutenant colonel Senor Asratyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter when asked to comment on APA’s publication
that `the Israeli special forces confirm existence of Kurdish rebels
in Karabakh.’

`It makes no sense to comment on such rubbish,’ he said.

For his part, Armenian political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan
said that the information perfectly fits the `intellect’ of Turkish
Show TV employees, who produced a portion of humor understandable for
them only. `Not the Armenian authorities but Israeli special forces
should react on the canard which gambles on their reputation,’ he
said.

Quoting Turkish Show TV, the Azeri Press Agency reported that `after
Turkish air strikes the PKK terrorists fled to Armenia but not to
Iraq. The Israeli special forces confirmed that Kurdish rebels settle
in Fizuli and Lachin regions of Azerbaijan.’

PanARMENIAN.Net

U.S. Congressmen call on Rice challenge Azerbaijan’s threats of renewed war
16.02.2008 13:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ More than 50 Members of the U.S. House of
Representatives called upon Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to
challenge Azerbaijan’s threats of renewed war against Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh, and to take concrete action to hold leaders in Baku
accountable for actions that directly undermine the Administration’s
policy of fostering peace and stability in the South Caucasus region,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The letter, initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), cited specific recent
threats by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and stressed that,
"these fear tactics and threats of war go directly against the United
States’ goal of peace and stability in the South Caucasus
region. Azerbaijan has been threatening war with Armenia for
years. However, these recent public comments made by high-ranking
government officials prove that their rhetoric has turned into a very
real and dangerous threat."

In a related matter, the Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen yesterday
circulated a letter inviting members of the Caucus to offer public
remarks honoring the 20th anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh
liberation movement. In their letter, they underscored that, "as
Americans, we value and appreciate the courage shown by the people of
Nagorno Karabakh in standing up for democracy and sparking the popular
movements that spread throughout the Soviet Republics and the Warsaw
Pact, and eventually brought down the Soviet empire. We commemorate
this movement not only for the liberty it brought to the people of
Nagorno Karabakh, but also for the profound contribution it made to
helping to create a safer world." They added that, "in the two decades
since this historic movement began on or in February of 1988, the men
and women of Nagorno Karabakh – in the face of aggression, blockade,
and other truly daunting challenges – have built a vibrant democracy,
fostered a free market economy, and constructively engaged with the
international community to advance regional peace and cooperation."

BELARUSSIAN PLANE CRASHES IN ARMENIA

Reuters
Feb 14 2008

YEREVAN (Reuters) – A Belarussian passenger plane caught fire and
crashed at the airport of the Armenian capital Yerevan on Thursday,
a spokeswoman for Armenia’s civil aviation authority said.

The 18 passengers and three crew members survived the crash but four
people were taken to hospital with serious burns, Gayane Davtyan said.

The Canadian-built CRJ-100 owned by carrier Belavia and bound for
Belarus’s capital Minsk caught fire and crashed from low altitude
after hitting the runway on take-off at 4.15 a.m. (0015 GMT), she said.

"Four people with serious burns were hospitalised. Nearly everyone
on board received burns of various degrees," she said.

Flights to and from Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport were halted
temporarily.