Author: Nalbandian Eduard

April 13, 2007

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

HOLY MASS AT THE CRESCENTA VALLEY PARISH

On Sunday, April 15th, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will
conduct Holy Mass and deliver the sermon at the Armenian Apostolic Church of
Crescenta Valley, in La Crescenta. The service will begin at 1:00 p.m.

WESTERN PRELACY FAMILY CELEBRATES EASTER

On Thursday, April 12, the Western Prelacy family gathered at an intimate
reception to celebrate Easter. The Prelacy Religious and Executive
Councils, Ladies Auxiliary Guild, parish Board of Trustees and Ladies
association members gathered at the Prelacy "Dikran and Zarouhi Der
Ghazarian" Hall to celebrate Easter with the Prelate and to convey well
wishes to each other.

The reception officially began with the blessing of the home
ceremony by the Prelate and clergy followed by the singing of the Easter
hymn. During lunch, remarks were offered by Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian,
Executive Council treasurer Mr. Vahan Bezdikian, Ladies Auxiliary Chair Ms.
Mariam Karapetian, Outreach Committee Chair Mr. Hrair Jermakian, and St.
Sarkis Board of Trustees Chair Mr. Sarkis Tatuigian.

In his remarks the Prelate highly commended the devoted servants
of our Prelacy and churches.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION IN PASADENA

The Pasadena chapter of Knights of Vartan and local community organizations
will commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide featuring
Armenian National Committee Western Region Chairman Raffi Hamparian as the
keynote speaker. The event will take place on Friday, April 13, at 8:00 p.m.
at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Center in Pasadena.

Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian will be in attendance on behalf of
the Prelate.

HOLY MASS AND REQUIEM IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MARTYRS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

On Monday, April 23rd, clergy from the Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, and
Evangelical Churches will gather at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale to
collectively commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with
Holy Mass followed by a requiem service.

Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian will conduct Mass and remarks will
be offered by H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, Very Rev. Fr.
Andon Saroyan, Rector of the Armenian Catholic Church, and Rev. Joe
Matossian, Minister of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America.

On Tuesday, April 24th, there will be placing of flowers at the
Genocide Memorial Monument in Montebello from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. At
11:00 a.m. the three Churches will participate in a collective requiem at
the monument.

ONE OF PRE-ELECTORAL OFFICES OF "BARGAVACH HAYASTAN" PARTY BLOWN UP IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. One of the pre-electoral offices of
the "Bargavach Hayastan" (Prosperous Armenia) party in the community
of Avan, Yerevan, was blown up at the night of April 11-12. The Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed about it by the territorial office
of the party. Nobody suffered in the consequence of the explosion.

But, according to some sources, other two pre-electoral offices of the
"Bargavach Hayastan" party in the communities of Kanaker-Zeytun and
Arabkir were also blown up during the mentioned night.

To recap, they disproved this information at the territorial offices
of the party in the communities of Avan and Kanaker-Zeytun, stating
that only one pre-electoral office was blown up.

The Fresno Bee
4/11/2007
By, John Ellis

Debbie Poochigian challenges Waterston

Supervisor will face scion of Fresno Co. political family in ’08.

Debbie Poochigian, a longtime Republican activist and scion of a
politically prominent local family, said Tuesday that she will challenge
Fresno County Supervisor Bob Waterston when he seeks re-election next year.
The announcement signals an unusually early start to the 2008 supervisorial
race and suggests that Waterston may be politically vulnerable because of an
angry voice mail he left for a Fresno city planning official.
Poochigian, 54, wife of former state legislator Chuck Poochigian and
daughter of longtime Fresno County Supervisor Deran Koligian, said her
husband is no longer commuting to Sacramento and her three children are out
of the house.
Koligian died in 2001.
"The time seems to be right," she said.
Poochigian’s decision sets up a potentially intriguing race next year, with
Waterston seeking his third term and Clovis City Council Member Nathan
Magsig also pondering a run for the seat.
"If you want to come after me, you better bring a lunch, a tent and
sleeping bag, because I’m going to be hard to catch," a defiant Waterston
said Tuesday of Poochigian’s plans.
He said he has more than $200,000 already in his campaign account.
"I’ll just keep making money," he said.
Still, many believe Poochigian could be a strong challenger. Local
Republican political consultant Tal Cloud called it a case of "two
incumbents running for the same seat."
Waterston may already have a six-figure campaign war chest, Cloud said, but
"Debbie could raise $250,000 in a weekend." He also believes her
announcement "pretty much eliminates" Magsig from serious consideration for
election.
This is Poochigian’s first run for political office, but she has been in
the local political mix for decades.
Cloud said Poochigian has honed her political skills her entire life,
starting as a young child with her father, who spent 24 years on school
boards in west Fresno County. In 1982, he was elected to the Fresno County
Board of Supervisors.
She married Chuck Poochigian, who had a long political career in
Sacramento, serving two Republican governors and doing stints in both the
Assembly and state Senate.
Poochigian also worked on several presidential campaigns, playing a key
local role in President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 runs.
Poochigian’s decision comes three months after Waterston, who works as a
pool contractor, suffered some political damage by leaving an angry message
on Fresno planning director Nick Yovino’s voice mail. In the message,
Waterston complained about delays in the approval of a large and complicated
pool project.
During the message, Waterston — who is chairman of the Local Agency
Formation Commission, which directs growth in the county — said, "remember
this door swings both ways."
Waterston apologized for the message after it became public and on Tuesday
said the LAFCO connection was a nonissue.
And Poochigian said the incident had nothing to do with her decision. She
said she has considered running for office more than once over the years —
including Waterston’s District 5 supervisorial seat, which covers most of
Clovis, parts of east Fresno and the foothills and high mountains in the
county’s eastern third.
Still, Poochigian did say that she had "talked to a lot of people the last
couple of months, and they are telling me they want a supervisor they can be
proud of."
Waterston said Poochigian told him last year she wasn’t going to run for
his seat.
"She told that to my face, and then I turn around, endorsed Chuck [in his
unsuccessful run last year for state attorney general] and wrote a $1,000
check for the AG race," Waterston said. "I did that all for them, and here
we are. … I’m not sure what her motives are."
Poochigian said she will form a campaign committee this week.
Waterston said he has three fundraisers looming.
Said Magsig: "I keep my options open, but right now my focus is on that
supervisor’s seat."

AZERI MP:ARMENIA DELAYS VISIT OF PACE MISSION TO REGION

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 10 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend I.Alizade / The Head of the Azerbaijani
delegation of PACE and Chairman of the Azerbaijan Parliament’s
Permanent Commission for Inter-Parliamentary and International
Relations, Samad Seyidov, said that Armenia delayed the visit of the
Rapporteur of the PACE Cultural, Education and Scientific Committee for
the study of the cultural heritage in South Caucasus, Edward O’Hara.

He stressed that the direction of the visit had already been
specified. Firstly O’Hara will leave for Armenia to study the condition
of Azerbaijani and Georgian cultural monuments. Thereafter, he should
depart to Georgia to study the condition of Azerbaijani and Armenian
monuments. He will come to Azerbaijan from Georgia and leave for the
Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan, as well
as visit Nakchivan Autonomous Republic.

"However, Armenian delayed O’Hara’s visit under the pretence of
parliamentary elections in Armenia on 12 April because O’Hara’s
study is not useful to Armenia due to the destruction of Azerbaijani
monuments in Armenia and in occupied Azerbaijani lands," Seyidov
said. He stressed that a special mission has been established by the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis, to study
the cultural heritage of South Caucasus. However, the visits of these
missions were annulled due to obstacles imposed by Armenia. Consent
of each of the three South Caucasus countries was required to realize
the visit. The Head of the Azerbaijani delegation said that Azerbaijan
is interested in the visit of O’Hara and mission to the region.

Azerbaijan is open to all rapporteurs. "We are interested in the
visit of the mission established by Terry Davis because the mission
includes strong experts," he said.

WATER DELIVERED TO MARDAKERT

ArmRadio.am
10.04.2007 14:18

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund brought daily water to more than 600
inhabitants of the frontier Vaghuhas Village of the Martakert Region,
Public Relations Department of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund informs.

Today Vaghuhas has a 9-km pipeline, 4 water-receiving stations,
and a reservoir with a capacity to store 50m3 of water. The old
internal distribution network has been fully renovated. The project
was implemented with the allocations of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Argentina local committee and funds raised during the 2005-Telethon.

Vaghuhas and the neighboring villages were almost entirely deprived
of drinking water. The villagers received water a few hours a week
while some 95 families had no water at all. The Vaghuhas water supply
network was built in 1975 and had never been repaired. The pipelines
and internal distribution network had in time decayed and deteriorated.

Water supply issues are issues of great urgency for the NKR in
general. The Karabagh independence war greatly damaged the border
Region of Martakert and currently its infrastructures need serious
reconstruction.

In the framework of the Artsakh Revival project, launched in 2006, by
the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, 60 rural communities of the Martakert
Region are gradually coming back to life. With funds raised during the
2005 telethon, along with the Vaghuhas water supply, the All-Armenian
Fund brought natural gas to the village of Aradjadzor. Now the 850
inhabitants of the village enjoy the comfort of having natural gas
in their homes.

In 2006, another project started and is underway to improve the network
supplying water to Martaert, and the villages of Mets Shen, Maghavuz,
and Varnkatagh.

A new 30-km water-main will be connected to the pipelines of these
three villages ensuring drinking water for the population of Martakert
and the three neighboring villages, to a population of overall 5160
people. The project is carried out with means allocated by the Fund’s
French local committee and donations gathered during the 2005 Telethon.

In 2007, an important water supply renovation project started in
the Vank Village with a population of 1450. The villagers have
water only a few hours a week. The water spring runs out from the
nearest hills. The existing distribution network was built in 1958
and currently is in desperate conditions. In Vank Village, a 5-km
new pipeline will be constructed and the 7-km internal distribution
network will be restored with the donations made by the Fund’s local
committees of France and East Coast USA, as well as the St. Sarkis
Charitable Fund of Great Britain and the people of Armenia. Due to
the new reservoir, nearly 370 families will be provided with water.

Beginning from this year, the Artsakh Revival project has started at
full gear in the Hadrut region as well. You can be informed about the
works carried out for construction of gas and water supply networks, as
well as health care institutions and schools in our upcoming reports.

TURKEY BLOCKS OPENING OF EXHIBIT ON RWANDA DUE TO INDIRECT MENTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.04.2007 14:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
sharply condemned the Turkish government for blocking the opening of
a United Nations exhibit on the Rwanda Genocide due to an indirect
mention of the Armenian Genocide in one of the exhibit’s display
panels, the ANCA reports.

"Sadly, this is only the most recent example of how Turkey’s campaign
to deny the Armenian Genocide perpetuates the cycle of genocide –
making the world a more dangerous place and future genocides more
likely," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

The Associate Press reported earlier today that the United Nations,
bowing to Turkish protests, has delayed the opening of the exhibit,
organized by the Aegis Trust, in the international organization’s
highly trafficked visitor’s lobby. The Turkish mission had specifically
registered its objections to a reference in the exhibit concerning the
origin of the word "genocide," which mentioned that Raphael Lemkin,
the international lawyer and human rights activist who coined this
term, was influenced by the crimes committed against the Armenians
and other mass killings.

Commenting on the exhibit’s postponement, James Smith, the chief
executive of the British-based Aegis Trust, said, "If we can’t get
this right, it undermines all the values of the U.N. It undermines
everything the U.N. is meant to stand for in terms of preventing
(genocide). . . You can’t learn the lessons from history if you’re
going to sweep all of that history under the carpet. And what about
accountability? What about ending impunity if you’re going to hide
part of the truth? It makes a mockery of all of this."

SERGE SARGSYAN: WE WANT TO BECOME PART OF THE EUROPEAN FAMILY

ArmRadio.am
09.04.2007 17:24

The newly appointed Prime Minister of Armenia Serge Sargsyan gave an
interview to the popular "Financial Times" today, where he turned to
the economic development and democratization processes in the country
and the geopolitical views of Armenia.

The Financial Times writes that despite double-digit economic growth
in the past few years, a third of the 3m-strong population of the
landlocked Caucasian republic lives below the poverty line. In this
regard Serge Sargsyan noted: "It is hard to talk about democratic and
human rights when you need to solve the social and economic needs of
the population," the prime minister said during a trip to Brussels. "We
would not like to be a state stuck in our transition."

He said the huge Armenian diaspora – estimated at up to three times
the native population – should get more involved in the country. Only
1 per cent of investment came from them, he said, and he was looking
at ways they could be encouraged.

However, Mr. Sargysan said the government in Yerevan would keep pledges
made to international bodies after criticism of its rights record and
he was hopeful that the May 12 parliamentary elections would be the
first to be pronounced free and fair by the Organisation for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the European security watchdog.

"We have made commitments to different programmes and we think
compliance is in our interest. We want to become part of the European
family," he said.

Mr. Sargsyan said his top priority was to conclude a peace treaty
with its Muslim neighbor.

The oil-rich state has been rearming recently but Mr. Sargysan said
that was sabre-rattling. Turkey closed its border with Armenia during
the war and the Premier said he would strive to restore relations
and sign a peace deal.

Armenia could grow far faster if rapprochement was reached with its
bigger neighbors, he said.

Mr. Sargysan said that, despite ties to influential exiles in the
US, Yerevan would remain friendly to Moscow and would not support
a US base in the volatile Caucuses. "One can either exploit their
differences between superpowers or work with them. We prefer to work
with them. There are many conflicts in our region."

Mr. Sargysan said Armenia would one day like to join the European
Union but had no desire to join the NATO defense alliance, although
it was working closely with it.

Russian MP issues a statement on the Armenian Genocide

ArmRadio.am
09.04.2007 14:51

Deputy of the Russian State Duma Sergey Shishkaryov issued an address
to Armenians on the occasion of the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide.

`Yerkramas’ newspaper of Russian Armenians informs that the address of
the Russian MP says, in part, that the disputes between Turkey and the
European Union about the recognition of the fact of the genocide
evidence that many politicians are unable to show courage the path of
absolution and reconciliation demands. `Unfortunately, the situation
in the South Caucasus is again troubling. The military conflict, into
which the confrontation between Iran and the United States may grow,
can inflame a disaster. Powerful and independent Iran allows to
maintain the regional balance of interests of the countries of the
region, including those immediately bordering Armenia. However, in
case war starts, this balance will be disturbed. We imagine the
possible consequences.

Russia decisively stands for maintenance of peace at out southern
borders – in Armenia and other Transcaucasian countries. Enough
bloodshed. We call for wisdom and sensibleness. Bowing before the
memory of the Armenian Genocide victims, I first of all think about
peace,’ the statement of the Russian parliamentarian mentions. `I
believe that this is what those, who we are remembering today, were
dreaming of,’ member of the State Duma declared.

Let us remind that with the decisions of April 14, 1995 and April 22,
2005 the Russian State Duma has recognized and condemned the fact of
the Armenian Genocide.

Armenians of Istanbul to celebrate Holy Easter under the control of
policemen

07.04.2007 14:46
Marlena Hovsepyan
"Radiolur"

`The Armenian community of Constantinople is closely connected with
its Church,’ writer and famous intellectual Rober Hatechian told
`Radiolur’ correspondent. At this point there are more than 30
operating Armenian Churches in Istanbul. On religious holidays these
are crowded with pious people and, of course, if there are clergymen.

The Holy Easter is usually celebrated in at least 20 Armenian
Churches, since, according to Mr. Hatechian, the number of clergymen
is small. `During the recent years the Armenian Patriarch has started
inviting clergymen from Europe, Anthelias and Armenia, who come to
participate in religious ceremonies,’ he said.

The Armenians of Istanbul celebrate Easter with great
luxury. According to tradition, in the second half of the day the
Armenian Patriarch organizes a reception in the hall of the
Patriarchate.

However, this year the Armenian community has certain concerns before
the holiday. After the assassination of Hrant Dink and the threats to
the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul, Armenians have decided to
undertake strict security measures round public establishments and
churches.

‘Unfortunately, today we are not surprised to see at least 15-20
policemen next to our churches, who are working to prevent
interference.

Certainly, enetering the church under the guidance of Turkish
policemen is not that pleasant for Aremenians of Istanbul, but they
hope that next year they will not be in the centre of attention of
nationalists,’ Mr. Hatechian says.

Burbank Leader, CA
April 7 2007

Bringing legends to life

Fourteen artists join in exhibition fundraiser to help two animators
create a trailer for film idea.

By Joyce Rudolph

Two local filmmakers have a vision for an animated film loosely based
on Armenian legends, but just making a trailer to sell it to
prospective investors will be a financial stretch for them.

So two local artists are helping them raise money.

Hayasa Pictures’ director Hayk Manukyan, of Burbank, and Glendale
producer Henri Hovhanessyan want to produce "David of Sassoon." The
filmmakers have received donations of about $10,000 to begin
production on the trailer, but need $40,000 more to complete it, they
said.

Glendale artists Arpine Shakhbandaryan and Addis Zaryan, who are fans
of Manukyan’s, are organizing the art exhibition on Thursday at the
Kalaydjian Hall at the Western Diocese in Burbank.

"We have collected 14 artists," she said. "Each will have one to
three works in the show on sale. They will donate a portion of
proceeds to Hayasa Pictures to help the company create a trailer for
the ‘David of Sassoon’ production."

The story is about a child of royalty who becomes separated from his
family and tries to find his way back, Hovhanessyan said.

There is no political message, Manukyan added.

"It’s a story about a man who had to figure out who he was and how he
could save his country from extinction," Manukyan said.

"The sub-story is about introducing the Armenian culture and history
into film. That has never been done before through the eyes of a
legend," Hovhanessyan said. "It’s not based on a specific time or
specific person. He’s a mythical character.

"And throughout the movie, the style is not going to be
straight-forward characters. We are going to push the envelope. We’ll
have ogres and not-so-real characters, so it doesn’t portray someone
specifically."

The filmmakers are thrilled that the artists are helping them realize
their dream.

"I’m grateful to them," Hovhanessyan said. "They have done extremely
great work getting these artists together in such a short time. They
have stepped up and put us on the map in the Armenian community in
Glendale and Burbank."

Shakhbandaryan first saw samples of Manukyan’s work on his website,
she said.

"I thought it was ingenious," she said. "It is something never done
before in our culture. It is extremely professional and
high-caliber."

Zaryan, who is helping put on the show, is equally impressed with
Manukyan’s work.

"What Hayk is doing is very professional and high-caliber," he said.

"I’ve never seen such a good quality when it comes down to Armenian
animated story telling. By supporting him, I encourage everyone to
get involved and support his epic project."

Zaryan has himself worked in animation.

"I mainly did background, location or backdrops for the characters,"
he said.

His animation work will be on display Thursday at the show, as will
Shakhbandaryan’s, whose specialty is painting watercolors embellished
with 24-karat gold leaf.

"It’s very labor intensive," she said.

"It’s very thin material. You can’t touch it because the oils in your
hand ruin it."

Shakhbandaryan is happily surprised with the support she has received
for the exhibition, she said.

"At the beginning, it was just Addis and me," she said.

"And there was this incredible snowball effect. We started to tell
people about it and many people wanted to help."

Photo: Arpine Shakhbandaryan has been painting illuminated
manuscripts at the family dining table for the last eight years. Her
work will be auctioned with 13 other Armenian artists this week at
the Western Diocese.

07/04/07/entertainment/blr-artist07.txt