Author: Tavakalian Edgar

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:

THE YOUTH AND THE CHURCH

ACUSA ORGANIZES A TWO-DAY
SEMINAR IN JBEIL

The Armenian Church University Students’ Association (ACUSA) held its
annual conference in the Birds’ Nest building in Jbeil on April 14-15, under
the theme "the youth and the church". The conference brought together 40
participants who enjoyed both several useful lectures and a friendly social
atmosphere.

The first lecture was delivered by Ecumenical Officer of the Catholicosate
of Cilicia, Bishop Nareg Alemezian, on "Armenian and Christian sister
churches". The Bishop first talked about the family of Christian churches
and then explained the differences in rituals between the Armenian and other
churches. The lecture was very beneficial in providing knowledge on the
traditions of the Armenian Church. It shed light on a number of issues for
ACUSA members, who often participate in ecumenical youth conferences.

V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer and editor of "Hask"
(the official periodical of the Catholicosate), delivered the second
lecture, which was dedicated to the rituals of the Armenian Church. He spoke
about the pre-Christian origins of rituals as well as the origins of the
word itself. Highlighting the important role of rituals and collective
prayer, he emphasized the way the ritual is conducted and the impact its
quality has on the spirit of the believer. V. Rev. Fr. Chiftjian also spoke
about the Hours of the Armenian Church with its seven Vespers as well as its
Sacraments and the Holy Mass with its four parts.

Both lectures were followed by discussion periods during which ACUSA
members requested further explanations on various questions they had. The
participants in the conference also engaged in Bible study sessions, guided
by ACUSA spiritual adviser Rev. Fr. Mesrob Sarkissian.

The ACUSA committee then organized a quiz-contest on the information
provided during the lectures. The initiative was an important event both in
terms of the conference’s social and educational purposes.

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View the photo here: #3

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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the youth
activities 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.

ARMENIAN CHESS-PLAYERS DO NOT RECEIVE PERMITS OF PARTICIPATION IN
WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT AT EUROPE CHESS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP

DRESDEN, APRIL 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Europe Chess Individual Championship
finished on April 15 in Dresden.

In men’s tournament each of 7 participants gained 8 out of 11 possible
points and shared 1-7th places. Among representatives of Armenia
Tigran L. Petrosian, Artashes Minasian, Tigran Kotanjian took 45th,
48th and 127th places, respectively, with 7 points each. Zaven
Andriasian, Gabriel Sargsian, Ashot Anastasian gained 6 points each,
Rafael Vahanian, Karen Asrian and Arman Pashikian 6 points each.

Tatyana Kozintseva (Russia) was recognized as the only winner with 10
out of 11 possible points in ladies’ tournament. Among representatives
of Armenia Elina Danielian took 20th place with 7 points, Lilit
Mkrtchian 43th place with 6.5 points, Siranush Andriasian 74th place
with 5.5 points.

403 men and 150 ladies took part in the Europe Championship. The
chess-players competed for permits of participation in World Cup
Tournament to be held at the end of the year in Khanty Mansiysk, 33
permits for man chess-players and 13 for ladies. The representatives
of Armenia won no permits.

Official Ankara still hopes for establishment of a joint Armenian-Turkish
commission to investigate the Armenian Genocide of 1915

Arminfo
2007-04-14 16:25:00

With the assistance of Britain, US and Russia, official Ankara is
going to take concrete action to urge Armenia to accept the Turkish
proposal to set up a joint commission of historians that will
investigate the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The Turkish Zaman newspaper reports that Turkish diplomats did state
that the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution by the US
Congress has become less likely now as the Democrats have become more
aware of the harm such a resolution could inflict on Turkish-US
relations. The author of the article recalls that in 2005 Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Erdogan expressed willingness to open the Turkish
archives for Armenian historians to find out whether "the World War I
killing of Armenians could be described as genocide". "His offer to
set up a joint commission of historians has not yet been answered
positively by Armenia, allegedly under the strong influence of the
hard-line Armenian diaspora". A Turkish government source speaking to
Today’s Zaman pointed out the reluctance of the influential states of
the world to influence the Armenian Government’s position in this
matter. "Behind this indifference might lie the concern that real and
serious evidence to support genocide allegations will not be found",
the same source stressed.

The article emphasizes that along with a possible opening of borders
with Armenia and a possible appeal to to the International Court of
Justice (ICJ), convening of the joint commission of historians is the
priority task for Ankara. Government sources told Today’s Zaman that
Turkish legal experts have currently been studying the legal aspect of
the issues as well as the February decision of the ICJ on Serbia. The
court examining the case brought by Bosnia and Herzegovina against
Serbia, in its controversial decision of Feb 26 this year, cleared
Serbia of genocide in Bosnia while acknowledging the Serbian killing
of Bosnians, at Srebrenica in particular in 1995 when over 7,000
Bosnian Muslim men and boys were massacred. "Thus, Turkish legal
experts have also been examining, among other things, whether the ICJ
decision on Serbia could bring Turkey closer to clearing it of
Armenian genocide allegations", the Zaman says.

di-ve.com, Malta
April 14 2006

Deported Armenian journalist did not apply for refugee status –
Charles Buttigieg

by Paul Cachia, di-ve news ([email protected])

GUDJA, Malta (di-ve news)–April 14, 2007 – 1300CEST–A tricky
diplomatic situation could have developed at the Malta International
Airport on Friday as an Armenian journalist who fled her country
after exposing electoral fraud arrived in Malta from the UK.

TV reporter Jina Khachatryan lived in the UK for five years as an
asylum seekers but her request for refugee status and turned down by
the British authorities.

According to Maltastar last Monday, the British police cordoned off
the street where Jina lived in Salford and was ordered her family to
pack up. Together with her husband, and five-year-old daughter was
thrown out of the UK.

Ms.Khachatryan claimed that her life in danger if she is sent back to
Armenia after blowing the whistle on ballot-rigging.

She arrived in Malta on board an Air Malta flight but during her
nine-hour stay, she did not apply for a refugee status in Malta.

The Refugee Commissioner Mr.Charles Buttigieg told that
his office did not receive any application for a refugee status.

He added that this issue was handled by the Immigration police.

Meanwhile, the Journalists’ Committee and the Institute of Maltese
Journalists called on the local authorities to intervene in the case
of Gina Khachatryan.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists also called on the British
authorities to reverse their decision not to extend Ms Khachatryan’s
stay in the United Kingdom.

"As a promoter of democracy and human rights on a global scale, the
United Kingdom should not shrink its responsability in this case and
hand over Ms Khachatryan and her family to the Armenian government".

On its part, the Journalists’ Committee called on the Maltese
government to seek the reassurances of the British government that
Ms.Khachatryan will be free from any form of presecution and
intimidation by the Armenian authorities and that the reason for the
removal of her asylum status is in full conformity with fundamental
human rights.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
April 14 2007

Abant Platform brings together intellectuals from France and Turkey

The second `Turkey-France Conversations,’ the first of which was held
in Paris in 2006, organized by the Abant Platform, began yesterday at
the Ýstanbul Hilton.

A large number of academics, journalists and representatives of
nongovernmental organizations from both countries were in attendance
on the first day of the meeting, titled `Perceptions and Realities.’
During the two days of meetings, participants are discussing
important issues, from concepts to the media, from economics to
identity problems, from education to secularism and from politics to
history. Participants will deliver their papers in sessions titled
`Education and Culture,’ `Religion and Secularization,’ `Republic,
Secularism and Democracy’ and `Society and Identity Problem:
Openings, Closings and Media"

The opening speeches of the meeting were delivered by Professor
Niyazi Öktem, a member of the administrative board of the Abant
Platform, Professor Mete Tunçay and Jean-Louis Schlegel, editor in
chief of the French magazine Esprit. During the first panel
discussion titled, `History, Yesterday and Today: Rights and Wrongs,’
Galatasaray University’s Kenan Gürsoy, Professor Jean Pierre Azema
from the School of Political Sciences in Paris, Le Monde Editor in
Chief Sophie Gherardi, journalist-author Orhan Koloðlu and Professor
Zafer Toprak from Boðaziçi University addressed the audience.

Professor Azema said that both parties had to reveal everything in
the archives to be able to overcome the crisis over the alleged
Armenian genocide by the Ottoman state, a claim that caused tension
between Turkey and France. `People should get together to carry out
detailed studies on the subject. Lists should be made based on
documents and archives. And countries should contribute to the mutual
studies,’ Azema noted.

Le Monde’s Gherardi talked about the viewpoint on Turkey held by the
newspapers in France by giving examples from her own newspaper.
`Turkey is an interesting country. It has been of interest to France
for a long time. Le Monde has closely followed the political
instabilities, problems, elections, military coups and the course of
the Kurdish problem in Turkey in detail. Modern Turkey is in fact not
being subjected to unfair treatment,’ Gherardi noted.

Gherardi stressed that the Turkish economy was regularly covered by
Le Monde. `There is a certain amount of enthusiasm for Turkey. People
sympathize with this rapidly developing economy. We even envy Turkey.
France has been living under a weak economic regime for 15 years,’
she said.

She further noted that there were now positive articles published by
French newspapers, particularly by Le Monde, on Turkey’s EU
membership process, and added: `The sympathy for Turkey is very
visible in the columns. The comments made on Turkey’s EU process
almost always recall the promises made and not kept by the EU. Such
columns confess that the EU did not remain loyal to its commitments,
[acting] in a hypocritical way. Le Monde too, supports Turkey’s full
membership. A Turkey close to France is being looked at with deep
sympathy.’ In addition she recalled that there were also some news
reports and columns in which French journalists gave Turkey advice.
`They tell Turkey what to do: `If you want to join the EU and elevate
[yourselves] to the level of the democratic nations, of whom we are
the representative, do this and that’,’ the editor in chief of Le
Monde said.

Profesor Öktem, a member of the board of the Abant Platform, said the
meeting was meant to foster relations between France and Turkey. He
said important people from both nations had attended the meeting, put
on with support from the French Embassy. `Turkish-French relations
date back 500 years ago. Our goal is to take the relations out of the
current context spoiled by sentimental approaches and reveal what the
real importance of the ties between the two countries is.’

14.04.2007

Today’s Zaman Ýstanbul

The Nation, Kenya
April 13 2007

State Dismisses Claims On Artur Brothers

The Government yesterday strongly denied reports that the Artur
brothers were back in the country.

Government spokesman Alfred Mutua termed the reports attributed to
Langata MP Raila Odinga as malicious and cheap propaganda meant to
create confusion among Kenyans.

Addressing journalists during his weekly briefings in Nairobi, Dr
Mutua said Artur Sargysyan and Artur Margaryan who were deported last
year after a scuffle at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport had not
been to Nakuru and Mombasa State lodges as alleged.

Cheap propaganda

"The allegations that the brothers visited Nakuru and Mombasa state
lodges are malicious and cheap propaganda," he said.

The allegations, Dr mutua warned, were dangerous and could incite the
public against the government.

"All leaders should be accountable," he said.

The spokesman further took issue with graphics in yesterday’s Nation
showing the brothers pictures in front of State House saying it gave
a wrong impression to ordinary Kenyans that they were at State House.

Many Kenyans, he said, had little knowledge about graphics and would
take the pictures at face value. "They give a false sense," Dr Mutua
said adding that millions of Kenyans were unaware of graphic
techniques.

The Nation graphics, he said, had made some people call FM radio
stations to say it was true the Armenian brothers were in the
country.

On Wednesday, Mr Odinga surprised Parliament when he said the
controversial Armenian brothers had quietly returned to Kenya and had
been feted at State House, Nakuru.

Mr Odinga’s comments were immediately dismissed by State House as
"too ridiculous to deserve a comment."

In a phone call to media houses on Wednesday night, Mr Margaryan also
denied having set foot in Kenya since he left. Elsewhere, Immigration
minister Gideon Konchella appealed to anyone with information on the
presence of the Armenian brothers to give it to police.

But Mr Konchella said the State would not listen to politicians, whom
he termed liars.

Speaking to reporters at his office in Nairobi, Mr Konchella, himself
a politician, said as far as the Government was concerned, the "Artur
brothers" had been deported, and could only be here illegally.

He dismissed suggestions from reporters that investigators speak to
Mr Odinga, who broke the news of the presence of the brothers. He
said Mr Odinga was using the story for propaganda and incitement, and
would naturally lie.

"You cannot expect propaganda peddlers to tell you the truth. They
are bound to lie."

The minister was answering questions after releasing a government
statement dismissing the reports attributed to the Langata MP
indicating that the Artur brothers had sneaked back.

Mislead Kenyans

According to the statement, the reports that appeared in the media
yesterday were false and "intended to mislead Kenyans, erode public
confidence in the Government and create confusion."

While asking a supplementary question to another raised by Ndhiwa MP
Orwa Ojodeh, who wanted to know why the report of the Kiruki
Commission on the activities of the Arturs in Kenya had not been made
public, Mr Odinga told Parliament that the brothers were back,
enjoying State security and hospitality.

But yesterday Mr Konchella termed the allegations "ridiculous,
malicious and fabricated lies" and appealed to politicians to be
truthful.

ARMENIA’S GEGHARD MEAT PROCESSING FACTORY FINED AMD 500THS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
April 13 2007

YEREVAN, April 12. /ARKA/. Armenia’s "Geghard" Meat Processing Factory
was fined a total of AMD 500ths ($1,360).

During its meeting on April 11, the State Commission on the Protection
of Economic Competition (SCPEC) made a decision to fine the factory
500 times of the basic rate for providing inadequate and contradicting
information.

While studying the meat food market of Armenia, the Commission’s task
group by receiving and comparing information from different sources
discovered that the dominating factory on the market presented
inadequate information.

Particularly, the prices mentioned in the invoices and figures of
expenditure for raw materials provided by the company contradict each
other, and none of these sources is reliable.

According to the Commission’s decision, during 10 days the companies
must present documents confirming fine payment.

The State Commission on the Protection of Economic Competition was
formed on January 13, 2001 and has been operating according to the
Law "On Protecting Economic Competition" adopted by the National
Assembly on November 6, 2000. The law’s main objective is to protect
and encourage economic competition, provide necessary environment
for fair competition, contribute to development of entrepreneurship
and protect consumers’ rights.

IMPROVEMENT IS REGISTERED IN ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS, RF FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER STATES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Some improvement is registered in
Armenian-Russian bilateral relations. RF First Deputy Prime Minister
Sergei Ivanov reported this at the April 11 press briefing. In his
words, the evidence of this is growth of trade circulation between
the two countries reaching 70-80% in the recent period. Besides,
Russia takes the first place by the volume of investments made in
Armenia’s economy. In S. Ivanov’s words, it is gladdening that growth
of those investments is made not only at the expense of "ethnic"
capital, but also purely Russian capital. The investments were mainly
made in spheres of energy (including nuclear energy), transport,
telecommunication (including sphere of mobile communication).

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian stated that the volume of trade
circulation between the two countries in the recent years is not
sufficient, which was conditioned by transport problems. The Prime
Minister said that this problem has been already solved: Port-Kavkaz
ferry communication was launched on April 10.

In S. Ivanov’s words, ferry communication to some extent will soften
Armenia’s transport blockade. Besides, it is planned to launch the
second ferry at the end of the year. There are also joint programs
regarding railway communication.

In response to the question, whether Serge Sargsian’s appointment to
the post of Prime Minister will give a new stimulus to development of
relations between the two countries, S. Ivanov said: "I have known
Serge Sargsian for a long time, more exactly, from the previous
century." In his words, not only good practical, but also personal
relations were formed in this period, which permits to solve many
prolems openly, freely, without diplomatic procedures. "I am sure
that our relations will continue developing as before," he said.

Touching upon his statement voiced during his interview to
Financial Times newspaper lately that the South Caucasus does
not need NATO bases, S. Sargsian explained: "I think creation of
additional separating lines will add nothing in the structure of our
security. Besides, Russia is reducing its presence in the region."

AFFECTIONATE STORY FROM ARMENIA
Susan Dunne

Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
April 12, 2007 Thursday
STATEWIDE EDITION

Many films have been coming out of the countries that made up the
former Soviet Union since the Iron Curtain was lifted. No longer bound
by Soviet restrictions, filmmakers have been showing the world the
human face of what was once the Soviet bloc, and their stories are
remarkably like our stories.

"Vodka Lemon" is one such universal theme. In Armenia, a poor widower
with three disappointing sons finds himself obsessively visiting his
wife’s grave.

There, he meets a grieving widow who is equallyfinancially desperate.

Despite their difficulties, they find their growing fondness for each
other changes their lives.

Hiner Saleem’s film concludes the international film series conducted
by the East Hartford Fine Arts Commission.

It will be shown Sunday at 3 p.m. at the East Hartford Community
Cultural Center, 50 Chapman Place.

The 2003 film, in Armenian, Kurdish, Russian and French with subtitles,
is 90 minutes and rated PG. Admission is free.

For details, call 860-528-0176 or 860-569-6685.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

April 12, 2007

Heritage Receives European Election Monitors, Takes Campaign on the Road

Yerevan–The Heritage Party campaign bus "Toward Victory" today carried
candidates, volunteers, and reporters to the regions (marz) of Kotaik and
Davush, and specifically to the towns of Dilijan, Tsaghkadzor, Hrazdan,
Bjni, Charentsavan, Yeghvard, and Nor Hajn, where Raffi K. Hovannisian led
spontaneous public gathering with his fellow citizens.

Meanwhile in Yerevan, parallel efforts were being organized by Heritage’s
growing youth corps in the capital’s streets and universities, today
particularly in the Central and Achapniak districts.

At Heritage headquarters, party representatives received a joint election
monitoring delegation of the Council of Europe and the OSCE. Yerevan State
University professor and Heritage leader Vardan Khachatrian and spokesman
Hovsep Khurshudian discussed the imperative of equal financial conditions,
equal access to media, and equal access to public facilities for all
participating parties. The group, led by Dutch parliamentarian Leo Platvoet,
was assured that if these standards are met, Heritage will accept the
results of the May 12 elections as its clear-cut winner or, alternatively,
will extend its hand of congratulation to the party most worthy of the
public’s trust.

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002, Armenia,
with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10) 532.697, email
at [email protected] or [email protected], and website at