Author: Talalian Arpi

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia to Be Elected to UN Human Rights Council

08.04.2006 20:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia claims membership at UN
Human Rights Council established lately. According to
the UN Office in Armenia, Armenia is nominated for the
Group of Eastern European States (6 places). Within
the Council a Group of African States (13 places), a
Group of Asian States (13 places), a Group of Latin
America and Caribbean Basin States (8 places) and a
Group of Western European and other states (7 places)
will also be formed. The first election of the UN
Human Rights Council will take place May 9, 2006 at
the UN General Assembly session. GA members
individually elect Council members by a direct
majority vote.

CONSISTENT ANTI-CORRUPTION STRUGGLE IS POLITICAL NECESSITY FOR ARMENIA

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The consistent anti-corruption struggle
is a political necessity for Armenia. Parliament Speaker Artur
Baghdasarian stated about this at the “Role of RA NA – Civil Soceity
Cooperation in Anti-Corruption Struggle” started at the RA National
Assembly on April 6. According to him, on the way of consistent
deepening of democratic reforms, creation of free and competitive
market, displays of corruption are a serious obstacle. Corruption, not
consoling indexes of shady economy, red-tape, bureaucratic usage of
not transparent methods in separate administrative-managing circles
obstacle the process of reforms,” the NA Speaker mentioned. According
to him, a number of problems closely relates to the anti-corruption
struggle, particularly, transparent and productive activity of the
state government bodies, consistent and impartial usage of the law,
reforms of the tax, customs, legal-judicial systems, the level of
citizens’ awareness of their rights, parliamentary control towards
budget processes, credits and loans. As for the latter, A.Baghdasarian
attached importance to the RA NA membership to the Global Organization
of Parliamentaries Against Corruption (GOPAC), and foundation of the
National Structure in Armenia. Representatives of all the political
forces of the Parliament are involved in the above-mentioned
structure. To recap, the GOPAC was created in 2002 and at present has
regional and national parliamentary structures in more than 70
countries of the world. It cooperates with the World Bank, Development
Agency of Canada and a number of international authoritative
structures.

PROPERTY FOR DEBT 2. THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Lragir.am
07 April 06

After the meeting of the government Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan
stated April 6 that the government approved the agreement signed with
Gasprom on subsidizing gas.

Minister Armen Movsisyan, the representative of the government in the
negotiations with Gasprom, also announced that Russia committed not to
not increasing the price of gas for the next three years. The
government of Armenia has allocated about 188 million dollars for
subsidizing. The subsidy funds were raised from the sale of the fifth
generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan to Gasprom. The
generating unit was sold at 248 million dollars.

Besides, Gasprom committed to invest 140-160 million in the fifth
generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant.

The minister of energy says Russians committed to finishing the
construction of the fifth generating unit within three years. The
commitments are set down in the agreement, and sanctions are foreseen
in case they fail to carry out their commitments, says Armen
Movsisyan. He did not give more details. He said the details are
commercial secrets.

12 HOLY LAND CHRISTIAN, CATHOLIC LEADERS CALL ISRAELI, PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENTS TO PEACE
4/5/2006

Catholic Online, CA
April 5 2006

JERUSALEM (Catholic Online) – Twelve church leaders representing
Christian faith communities here have called on Israeli government
officials to resume to peace negotiations and on Palestinian leaders
to send a clear message of peace to Israeli citizens.

The leaders issued the March 29, 2006, statement after the Israeli
voters went to the polls to elect a new Knesset. “This election
does not end the concerns over a possible continuation of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict for long time to come,” they said.

“The vast majority of the Israelis and Palestinians are tired of the
conflict and eager to live in security, peace and justice.”

Among the 12 who issued the statement were Latin-rite Patriarch Michel
Sabbah and Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who as “custos”
of the Holy Land is in charge of Christian sites there, as well as
Paul Nabil Sayyah of the Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate, Pierre Malki,
exarch for the Jerusalem Syrian Catholics, and Archimandrite Mtanious
Haddad of Greek Catholic patriarchal exarchate.

Other religious leaders represented Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic
Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox,
Episcopal and Evangelical Lutheran churches in Jerusalem.

Calling Israeli government officials “the dominant decision-makers
for the time being in the Holy Land,” the religious leaders said they
were concerned about “Israeli intentions to proceed in implementing
unilateral measures in the West Bank, while seemingly ignoring the
Palestinians and their democratically-elected leadership” from Hamas.

“We urge the elected Israeli leadership to demonstrate courage and
wisdom by resuming the peace process with the Palestinians,” the
leaders said.

“Unilateral measures will probably bring some temporary solutions, but
such measures will not end the mutual mistrust and misunderstanding
between the two peoples living in this beloved and blessed land,”
they said.

Referring to Hamas’ refusal to drop its stated goal of working toward
the destruction of the state of Israel, the religious leaders urged
“the Palestinian leaders to send a clear message of peace to the
Israeli citizens.”

“Our prayers are with all peoples and leaders, especially those who
will work for peace and justice in the Holy Land based on international
law and resolutions and not on unilateral dictations or violence,”
they said. “As Christian leaders, we are determined to do all we can
to promote peace, mutual understanding and justice amongst all.”

They said that they hoped that there will be “a similar determination”
from Jewish and Muslim leaders here.

MUNICH INSTITUTE FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES LAUNCHES WEBSITE

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2006 22:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Institute for Armenian Studies founded in
Munich in 1977 has launched its website The
Institute is engaged in the propaganda of the Armenian issue, the
protection of the rights of Armenians in Turkey and the problems
of the Armenian Diaspora. Doctor Eduard Hovhannisian who was at
the head of the Institute till his last days had made an invaluable
contribution to its establishment and further activities. To honor
the great work he has done, the Institute was named after its founder,
reported Yerkir Online.

ARMENIA UNDERMINES TURKEY’S IMPORTANCE

Lragir.am
06 April 06

Turkey that has been the ally of the United States for many years
is gradually losing importance, stated the ARF member Kiro Manoyan
April 6 during the debate at the National Press Club.

He says the reason is that Turkey would not improve relations with
Armenia and open the border with Armenia. Kiro Manoyan says this
problem is in the context of regional strategic aims of the United
States, therefore the United States sets before Turkish officials
the issue of the Turkish-Armenian relation and opening of the border.

“If Turkey, which is the ally of the United States in the region, has
problems with Armenia, it means the United States has problems,” says
Kiro Manoyan. And since, in his opinion, the United States does not
have problems with Armenia, it is looking for a new center of setting
up new regional relations. With respect to this Turkey is losing its
role, says Kiro Manoyan, adding that Georgia is assuming this role.

“Turkey cannot enhance its importance until Turkey establishes
relations with Armenia and restores its former importance,” thinks
Kiro Manoyan, member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

ARMENIA READY TO RECEIVE AZERI FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
4 Apr 06

The test match between the Armenian and Azerbaijani national teams as
part of the Euro 2008 qualifiers can be held in Yerevan. The Armenian
government will be happy to receive the Azerbaijani football team and
fans and to ensure their security, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Markaryan told UEFA Chief Executive Lars Olsson at a meeting.

Lars Olsson said that the UEFA is expecting similar guarantees from
the Azerbaijani side as well. Baku has immediately sent a denial
message. The president of the Azerbaijani Football Federation
Association announced that the Azerbaijani team would not be able
to go to Armenia. He said that it is also unacceptable for Armenian
football players to come to Baku.

[Video showed the meeting]

RA GOVERNMENT AFFIRMS ORDER OF CALCULATING, APPOINTING AND PAYING INSURANCE BENEFITS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the RA law “On
Compulsory Social Insurance from Cases of Temprorary Invalidity,”
the RA Government affirmed at the March 30 sitting the list of
diseases giving the right of benefit for facilities in sanatoria and
health resorts, the order of calculating, appointing and paying the
insurance benefit, the order of calculating the size of the middle
monthly salary (profit) accepted as a basis for calculating the size
of the insurance benefit, types of working activity registered in the
insurance (working) experience when calculating the insurance benefit,
the order and conditions of registering those types, the order of
compensating means addressed to employer’s paying insurance benefits
to hired labourers, the type of temporary invalidity papers, the order
of filling in and allocating these papers, the order of accepting as
a basis a temporary invalidity paper given by a medical institution
of a foreign state as well as the list of necessary documents for
paying not got insurance benefit and the order of presenting those
documents. As Arayik Petrosian, the First Deputy of the RA Minister
of Labour and Social Issues, informed journalists after the sitting,
tuberculosis, after-infarct diseases (if a patient has passed at least
one-month treatment at hospital) and after-operation states of duodenum
are included in the list of diseases giving the right of benefit for
facilities in sanatoria and health resorts. A.Petrosian mentioned that
according to the order of calculating, appointing and paying insurance
benefits, the whole period of time of invalidity of invalids having the
third level of ability to be engaged in working activity as a result
of occupational injury and disease will be registered as insurance
experience. It was mentioned that the period of invalidity has never
been registered in the insurance experience utill establishing the
new order. The Government made amendments and changes to the RA
Government’s May 29, 2003 decision “On Securing Operation of RA Law
“On State Pensions.” According to that, particularly, the order of
re-calculating age and invalidy pensions appointed by the order
fixed by the law. The Deputy Minister mentioned that from now on
pensioners have the right to re-calculate their pension once in
two years, in the case of having worked at least 6 months. Before
it was re-calculated in the case of having at least experience of
two years. The principle fixed by the law was also used by the given
decision of the Government. According to this principle, in the case
of sending the documents for pension of a person left for a permament
residence for a country signed the interstate agreement with the RA in
the sphere of pension security, the sum of appointed for a pensioner
but stopped or prevented pension is paid by a warrant as well.

Azeri leader endorses state programme for orphans

Turan news agency, Baku
30 Mar 06

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has endorsed a state programme
for 2006-15 for the handover of orphans from state institutions
to families.

The programme notes that about 21,000 children were orphaned as
a result of Armenian aggression, low living standards in refugee
families and other social factors. They are currently living in
children’s homes.

The goal of the programme is to promote “comprehensive and balanced”
development of children. The programme is to be funded from the
state budget, as well as from technical and financial aid provided
by international donor organizations and other sources.

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:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
OF THE ARMENIAN DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL (Ramgavar) PARTY

His Holiness Aram I received a delegation from the Central Committee of the
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) on March 30.

The delegation included Mr. Mike Kharabian from Canada, Mr. Assadour
Deovletian from Cyprus and Mr. Aram Sepetjian from Lebanon. The two sides
discussed issues related to the Diaspora in general as well as cooperation
between the Diaspora and Armenia.

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View the photo here: tm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.