Author: Nanijanian Alex

Leader of Democratic Route: By selling its 10% stake in Armenia Armenian
Government betrayed our national interests

Arminfo
2007-03-23 15:44:00

The Mar 22 decision to sell the Government’s 10% stake in ArmenTel to
the owner of the 90% stake VimpelCom was a high treason, the leader of
Democratic Route party Arshak Sadoyan

"The first problem our party will solve – if it comes into power –
will be the problem of ArmenTel," Sadoyan said during a
press-conference today. He believes that the Armenian authorities have
put themselves into direct dependence on Russia. This deal will have
negative consequences and we will feel them very soon, Sadoyan said.

To remind, Mar 22 the Armenian Government decided to sell its 10%
stake in ArmenTel to the owner of the company VimpelCom (Russia).

PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria
March 23 2007

National Press Club "NEWSMAKER" Program

WASHINGTON, March 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following was
released today by the National Press Club:

National Press Club "NEWSMAKER" Program Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Noon National Press Club (Zenger Room) Former U.S. ambassador to
Armenia The Hon. John Evans Will discuss "The Armenian Genocide: An
American Dilemma."

A career Foreign Service officer, John Evans served as the U.S.
ambassador to Armenia from 2004 through September 2006. In 2005,
breaking ranks with the State Department’s official position,
Ambassador Evans publicly characterized the mass deaths of Armenians
between 1915 and 1923 as a "genocide." Following complaints by the
Turkish government, Evans was compelled to issue a "clarification."
Evans’ diplomatic career subsequently ended, prompting outrage on
Capitol Hill. He is now writing a book about the Armenian
controversy.

CONTACT: National Press Club: Michael Doyle (202) 383-0006;
[email protected].

t-newsmaker-quot-program-r74759.htm

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:
View photos here:
seng.htm#4

PILGRIMAGE DAY IN ANTELIAS

THE GLORIOUS APPEAL OF THE HOLY RIGHT

As a consequence of the gradual geographical relocation of Armenians in
Lebanon, the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias came to be increasingly
surrounded by Armenian families particularly in the last few years. Several
Armenian neighborhoods became emptied of their inhabitants, who, moving to
apartments in Antelias and nearby regions, allowed others to take charge of
construction in their previous neighborhoods. The latter were often
restructured into companies and workplaces.

Nevertheless, this unfavourable relocation, which weakened the close and
attached family environment, also had a positive consequence: The
Headquarters of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias
became surrounded by Armenians in its Lebanese homeland. The apartments on
the hills surrounded by the Catholicosate became heavily populated by
Armenians like thin yet vibrant veins in the heart of Armenians.

When the Catholicosate and its Holy See were permanently established in
the Antelias seaside in Lebanon in 1930, the newly built St. Gregory the
Illuminator Cathedral and the Catholicosate’s structures were, for a long
time, the only high buildings visible among the orange trees.

Thus, being far from the Armenian-populated areas by the standards of the
time, the Cathedral was absent of large numbers of believers during its
Sunday Holy liturgies. Only Armenians living in nearby villages were able to
attend, while large crowds filled the Cathedral and its surrounding orange
fields merely on Holidays. Today, however, the Cathedral and its
surroundings are filled every Sunday with the faithful, who participate in
the Holy Liturgy.

Among those holidays, the Catholicosate’s "Pilgrimage Day", celebrated for
the first time on 22 March 1931 during the tenure of the late Catholicos
Sahag II Khabayian, still has unique importance. The naming of the
Catholicosate’s Cathedral after Saint Gregory the Illuminator provided the
opportunity for Armenians to come in large numbers to Antelias for
pilgrimage once a year.

However, they were not to dedicate that pilgrimage to the earth, water or
air, but to a much more valuable asset, the holiest relic of the Armenian
Church, the Blessed Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator. This relic
signifies the glory and sacredness of the Armenian Church. It was kept in a
special chapel in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in the Cilician capital of Sis,
named after Saint Gregory and preserved by the Atchabahian family.

The reports and accounts of the Antelias "Pilgrimage Day" published in the
Armenian newspapers and magazines during the last 70 years portray emotional
pictures. Considering the difficulties in transport means during those days
when the Antelias Cathedral seemed far from the Armenian-populated areas and
civic center, old men and women, young people and teens would take the train
to Antelias starting in the early morning hours. Others with special vows in
their hearts would walk bare feet to Antelias to kiss the Holy Right Hand of
Saint Gregory. The pilgrims would spend the entire day in the Antelias, on
the seaside or in the fields surrounding the Cathedral, have lunch at the
banks of the Ain Nabi fountain and return home with cheers on the last train
back.

The founder of the "Pilgrimage Day", the late Pontiff Sahag II also made
provisions for a solemn procession during which all the Catholicosate’s holy
relics- the Right Hands of Saint Nicolas, Saint Seghpesdros and the Saint
Barsam Hermit, a piece of the Wood of Life (Holy Cross), the relics of Saint
Vosgeperan and Saint Hagop of Misibin and others- would be brought out to
provide spiritual satisfaction to believers.

Brought from the Catholicosate’s former headquarters in Sis to its new
home in Antelias on the back of mules and with great sacrifice, the Right
Hand relic of the Armenian Church’s Patron Saint floats, during the
"Pilgrimage Day", on the waves of believers, firmly held in the hands of the
Catholicos.

The gold-coated relic is brought out of the Cathedral with the Procession,
attracting all eyes with its glorious mysteriousness while the Pontiff, a
descendent of Saint Gregory and a worthy heir to his throne, blesses
believers with it. Colorful handkerchiefs, women’s headscarves and various
other cloths in the hands of believers try to reach out to the victorious
Right Hand to receive and share its blessing with a sick person, someone
suffering in a hospital or those who could not attend the service.

Respect towards this holy tradition of the Catholicosate of Cilicia grew
even further, when, on several unfortunate occasions in history dark hands
abducted the Holy relic with the false perception they were rendering the
Armenian Church and the its Holy See illegitimate.

However, who could have hidden this God-given sanctity of the Armenian
nation? One could only bow, pray and beg for forgiveness before its
pontifical appeal. It was this appeal that made the Holy Right Hand reappear
and today the eyes of our nation’s children are fixated on it, for who can
block light or look directly into the sun without having shy eyelids? The
holy relic’s pontifical appeal renders us modest, teaches us to bow before
God-given sanctities and advises us to pray both for acquaintances and
foreigners.

Saint Gregory the Illuminator is not a mere name in the pages of the
Armenian Church’s history. Our Church’s and nation’s Patron Saint of all
times- past and future- Saint Gregory will continue guiding the Armenian
Church and nation with his Right Hand’s mysterious glory. This glory’s
strength touches the hearts of all those believers who kiss it, who often
water its gold cover with the tears bursting from their faith rooted in
Saint Gregory.

Following His Holiness Aram I’s decision, our people will, from now on,
permanently be able to enjoy the presence of the sacred relic in the
Cathedral in Antelias. The Holy Relic will be placed in the glass box built
specially for it on the Holy Trinity altar of the Cathedral. In addition to
their annual visit to the Saint’s Right Hand, believers will now be able to
kiss the Saint’s Relic every day, presenting their wishes to the
much-suffered Pontiff.

This year our meeting with the Right Hand during "Pilgrimage Day" will be
historical and will thus present a double opportunity for spiritual renewal,
when the Relic of St. Gregory is publicly placed in its permanent resting
place by His Holiness Aram I. This, however, will in no way lessen the Right
Hand’s mysterious glory, which will bring us closer to each other as
children of one nation belonging to one Church during "Pilgrimage Day" every
year.

V. REV. FR. KRIKOR CHIFTJIAN

COMPOSER’S WORK SENDS A MESSAGE
By David N. Dunkle

Patriot-News, PA
March 22 2007

manner of speaking

When Tigran Mansurian writes music, in his mind he is carrying on a
conversation with his wife.

"It is a way of speaking to her," the Armenian composer, 68, said.

"She is in all my work."

Nona Mansurian passed away about a year ago, and since that time,
Tigran has composed four pieces, an unusually high output. "Usually,
I write with a lot of difficulty," he said.

His latest work, a sextet titled "Con Anime," which is Italian for
"Within the Soul," will premiere Saturday night at Whitaker Center
by the chamber music ensemble Concertante. Also on the program are a
clarinet quintet by Johannes Brahms and a string sextet by Bohuslav
Martinu.

"Con Anime" is the second of six pieces commissioned by the New
York-based ensemble, as part of its three-year "One Plus Five"
project designed to create six new sextets.

Each member of Concertante is commissioning one of the pieces.

Mansurian’s work was sought by violist Ara Gregorian, who also will
be the soloist for the piece.

"The wonderful thing about this process is that you get to help the
piece come to life as a performer," Gregorian said. "At the core of
being an artist is this idea of creation."

Gregorian does not know Mansurian well — they’ve met just once and
have exchanged correspondence — but they share Armenian roots.

Gregorian’s father is from the former Soviet republic, which gained
its independence when the Iron Curtain fell.

While the state is new, Armenian culture dates thousands of years.

"That’s why I originally asked Mr. Mansurian to write the piece,
to be in touch with that part of my culture," Gregorian said. He has
never visited Armenia, but lists it among his goals.

Mansurian, who was born in Beirut but raised in Armenia, now spends
part of his year with his daughter in Southern California. He often
incorporates Armenian musical traditions into his compositions and
said he has done so again with "Con Anime."

He said the piece is about "confession and redemption," built around
a repeating pattern using F sharp and G flat.

"The atmosphere changes when F sharp becomes G flat," Mansurian said.

He said the music flowed out of him, "like words lined up, letter by
letter. It was just inside me."

Gregorian said he can understand Mansurian’s conception of the piece,
but is reluctant to say too much about it during this learning phase.

"It’s a tough thing to put into words," he said. "Until I know a
piece really, really well, I’m reluctant to say it’s exactly this or
exactly that."

Mansurian is expected to attend the premiere in Harrisburg. The piece
will be performed later in New York City.

The decision to premiere "Con Anime" in Harrisburg is an outgrowth of
the acclaimed ensemble’s decade-long history. Harrisburg Symphony
Orchestra concertmaster Odin Rathnam was a founding member of
Concertante, and while Rathnam is no longer involved with the group,
it remains the resident chamber music ensemble at Whitaker.

The first One Plus Five commission, by composer Lowell Lieberman,
made its debut last fall, featuring Concertante violinist Xiao-Dong
Wang as soloist.

Upcoming composers, and the Concertante member who commissioned them,
are: Richard Danielpour, for violinist Ittai Shapira, fall 2008;
Gabriela Frank, for violist Rachel Shapiro, spring 2008; Kevin Puts,
for cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach, spring 2009; and Shulamit Ran, for
cellist Zvi Plesser, spring 2009.

HEAD OF ARMENIAN CHESS FEDERATION: INTERNATIONAL CHESS COMPETITIONS TO BE HELD IN JERMUK RESORT TOWN AND LAKE SEVAN IN SUMMER 2007

Arminfo
2007-03-21 22:51:00

International chess competitions will be held in Armenia – in Jermuk
resort town and Lake Sevan, Serzh Sargsyan, the Head of the Armenian
Chess Federation, the Secretary of the National Security Council under
the Armenian President, and the Defence Minister of Armenia, said in
an interview to the press-secretary of the Chess Federation, Wednesday.

According to him, the organizer of these competitions is the Chess
Academy of Armenia. In October 2007, world championships will be held
in Yerevan for boys and girls under 20 years old. As for international
competitions, the European Individual Championship starts in Dresden on
April 2, and the European team championship will be held in Heraklo,
Greece, in autumn. These championships will become very important
competitions for the leading chess players of Armenia. However, the
most important thing is the world championship with participation of
Levon Aronyan, and this context, the Aronyan-Kramnik match acquires
additional value and significance, S.Sargsyan emphasized.

A.G. SARGSIAN: THOUGH SPEAKING ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS NOT PROHIBITED IN TURKEY, NEVERTHELESS, SPEAKING ABOUT THIS SUBJECT CAN END IN A MURDER

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 21 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "Certainly, it is
possible to speak about the fact of Armenian Genocide in Turkey, but
after it the person speaking about it can be killed, as they killed
Hrant Dink, or they can create an atmosphere under which that person
will run away from Turkey like Orhan Pamuk." Aram G. Sargsian, Chairman
of Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA), stated this. He took part in
the first day of international seminar under the title "Dialogue of
Civilizations" on March 12-15 in France answering Turkish journalist
Lale Shvgn’s question, why in France one must not deny the Armenian
Genocide, while in Turkey one can speak about the Genocide."

As A. Sargsian stated at the March 21 press conference, before the
interview the Turkish journalist "was very kind and smiling," but
immediately after turning on the video camera she started to treat
him coldly and rudely.

As the DPA leader affirmed, during all international seminars and
events Turks try to exert moral-psychological pressure upon members
of Armenian delegation forming a formal "favorable" impression of
establishing relations with Armenia. "But indeed they respond very
strictly to anyone who tries to raise the issue of the Genocide,"
the speaker emphasized.

ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION "CLOBE 2007" IN ROME

Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The international exhibition "Globe
2007" will be held in Rome on March 22-25. 6 Armenian tour operators
will participate in this exhibition, NT correspondent was informed by
Suzanna Azoyan, Marketing Director of the Armenian Tourism Development
Agency (ATDA).

According to her, information materials about and maps of Armenia,
packages of Armenian tour operators, as well as two commercials about
Armenia, which are shown by CNN, will be presented at the Armenian
pavilion covering an area of 48 square meters.

"Italian expert Nadya Paskal assists the ATDA with presenting the
opportunities of the Armenian tourism sector to Italian tourist
comapnies. She systematically organizes trainings and seminars in
Armenia for our tour operators," S. Azoyan noted.

KIRO MANOYAN: RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY TURKEY IS FIRST OF ALL MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY FOR ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 20 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The formulation included in the 2006
annual report on Human Rights of U.S. State Department, according to
which Nagorno Karabakh is occupied territory of Azerbaijan, is also a
lever of pressure upon Armenia on the threshold of the elections. Kiro
Manoyan, Head of ARFD Bureau Office of Hay Dat and Political Affairs,
stated this at the March 20 press conference. In his words, such a
sharp position of U.S. being OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country
"can question American side’s impartiality."

K. Manoyan once more confirmed that Turkish government’s pressures
on U.S. administration and Congress in the issue of adoption of
Resolution on Armenian Genocide have considerably increased in the
recent period. In his words, indeed Turkey threatens that U.S. will
suffer great damages in case of Resolution’s adoption. K. Manoyan
said that recognition of Armenian Genocide by Turkey is first of all
a matter of national security for Armenia and Armenia is in danger
as far as Turkey refuses to recognize the Genocide.

As regards activity carried out by Turkish-Azerbaijani lobbying in
various countries, in K. Manoyan’s words, the danger of the latters
is not great, as Armenians of Diaspora are more organized. At the same
time, in his words, we cannot disregard activity of Turkish-Azerbaijani
organizations and the big sums they spend. By the way, as K. Manoyan
mentioned, great efforts are required from Armenian lobbyists for
counteracting to them.

ARMENIAN DIASPORA GROUPS FACE NEW AZERI CHALLENGE
By Fariz Ismailzade

Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
March 19 2007

On March 9, the first meeting of a new "Forum of Azerbaijani-Turkish
Diaspora Organizations" convened in Baku, Azerbaijan. But as one
participant described the event, "Lots of talk, but I wonder if all
of this will turn into a real action. Perhaps the real goal of the
event is to send a message to Armenians that ‘we are coming’."

The forum was a significant accomplishment for the Azerbaijan State
Committee on Relations with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad. Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
and Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus, attended the forum and delivered rousing speeches
regarding the importance of unity among all Turkic-language-speaking
diaspora organizations around the world. "This forum shows our unity.

We deserve it," said President Aliyev.

Baku hosted 513 delegates from 48 countries who came to Azerbaijan’s
capital city for the event. Approximately 140 delegates came from
Turkey, 14 from Turk-Meskheti groups, 23 from Iraq, and five from
Northern Cyprus. Other participants came from Germany, the United
States, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Romania,
Norway, Lithuania, and Ukraine. Participants adopted three major
resolutions: a "Joint Strategy on the Activities of the Azerbaijani
and Turkish diaspora organizations," an "Appeal to the Turkic-speaking
Peoples," and a broader "Baku Declaration." In addition, the forum
sent protest notes to countries that have adopted resolutions on the
controversial Armenian genocide issue and provided information about
the occupation of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region by Armenia.

Although not openly listed on the agenda of the forum, it was clear
that the strong and effective Armenian lobby was the real target of
the forum. Witnessing the pressure that the powerful Armenian lobby
can bring to bear on the legislative bodies of many countries, the
Azerbaijani and Turkish governments have realized that they should
unite and coordinate the efforts of their diaspora communities to
withstand those pressures.

"There is not much information about us in the world. The strong
Armenian lobby is working against us," noted President Aliyev. "The
representatives of the diaspora organizations should actively take
part in the political processes of their respective countries,
be represented in those legislative bodies, and take an important
place in the political life." He also added that the Azerbaijani and
Turkish diasporas have realized several achievements that need to be
further developed and expanded. "We are ready to provide the needed
assistance and carry out our tasks. But the diaspora organizations
also need to work closely with their motherlands and further act as a
united body. Only in this way we can prevent the work of the Armenian
lobby against us," Aliyev argued.

The presence and participation of a delegation from the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus attracted particular comment. Mehmet
Ali Talat expressed satisfaction with the logistics of the forum,
adding, "For the peoples of Northern Cyprus, it is very important
to participate in this event. This shows that we are not alone in
the world."

The timing of the forum was particularly important. The U.S. Congress
is once again planning to discuss a resolution on the Armenian
genocide issue, and April 24, which Armenians commemorate as the
day of genocide, will be the highlight of heated discussions between
Armenians and Turks on the accuracy of these claims.

"They [Armenians] have committed a genocide against us themselves and
now accuse us with the invented genocide claims," President Aliyev
said during the forum, referring to the Khojali massacre in 1992 by
Armenian military troops, in which 613 people were massacred overnight,
and the 1918 massacre of more than 30,000 Azerbaijanis in Baku by
Armenian Dashnak soldiers. Azerbaijani diaspora groups in Canada,
Japan, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden have commemorated the Khojali
massacre on February 26, and Azerbaijanis living in Washington and New
York usually organize protest rallies in front of Armenian diplomatic
missions on that date.

The Baku forum concluded with a series of small group discussions,
allowing delegates from different countries to discuss various plans
and projects for collaboration. Similar "World Azerbaijani Congresses"
were held in Baku in 2001 and 2006, but analysts have noted little
progress in the effectiveness of the Azerbaijani diasporas abroad. This
year, however, the purpose might be slightly different: to scare before
acting. Azerbaijani political scientist Rovshan Novruzoglu agrees, "The
first forum of Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations is the
first serious political storm in the fight against Armenian terrorism."

(Diaspora.Az, Day.az, Khalq Qazeti, Zerkalo, Ekho, Yeni Musavat,
March 7-14)

CONSUMER RIGHTS PROTECTION NGO TO HOLD PRE-ELECTORAL PROPAGANDA

YEREVAN, MARCH 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Consumer Rights Protection (CRP)
public organization will hold a propaganda mission with the slogan "My
Vote is Decisive" the main goal of which is guarantee of voters’
participation in the May 12 parliamentary elections. Organization
Chairman Abgar Yeghoyan informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent about
it.

In his words, another goal of the propaganda mission will be to
orientate voters in the issue of presence of principles relating the
consumer rights protection in pre-electoral programs of
parties. Besides, with the assistance of the organization the voters
will arise issues relating to the consumer rights in front of the
candidates.

A. Yeghoyan reminded that on the CRP initiative, the Consumer Rights
Protection Deputy Cooperation was founded at the RA National Assembly
on September 28, 2003, in which representatives of the ARF, RPA, EYP
factions and the "People’s Deputy" deputies’ group were involved.