Author: Toganian Liana

ISSUE OF MISSING PEOPLE IN AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA AND GEORGIA MAY BE INCLUDED IN PACE AGENDA – AZERI AMBASSADOR
Author: A.Ismaylova

TREND, Azerbaijan
Oct 2 2006

The Autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) begins on October 2. The meeting will begin at 18:00
Baku time, The Azerbaijani Ambassador in the Council of Europe Akshin
Mehdiyev told Trend.

The session will be opened by the President of PACE, Rene van der
Linden. Later, it is planned to elect the Vice President of the
Assembly, make changes to the composition of the Committees and
organize debates on several issues. In addition, the Chairman of the
Russian State, Duma Boris Grizlova, is expected to make a speech.

According to the Ambassador, the priority of the second day of the
session will be dedicated to the situation in the Balkans. For this
topic, reports will be delivered by the Prime Minister of Albania,
Sali Berish, Prime Minister of Croat, Iv Sandar and the Serbian
President Boris Tadich. After dinner, discussions on the Balkans
will continue. The second issue of this day will be the situation
in Kosovo. Mehdiyev believes that this topic will be interesting
for Azerbaijan.

The Prime Minister of Hungary, Ferens Durchan, will make a speech at
the session on 4 October. In addition, the Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov is expected to deliver a report. The issue of Kurds will
also be discussed and Lord Russell Johnson will present a speech in
this regard.

The Ambassador stressed that there is a possibility that the statement
of the PACE reporter for missing people in South Caucasus Leo Platvoet
will be presented at the discussions on October 5.

It should be mentioned that after his visit to Nagorno-Karabakh and
Abkhazia, Leo Platvoet made a statement that it is possible to achieve
progress on the issue of missing people in Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia. He came to the conclusion that the parties intend to engage
in these issues not from a political, but humanitarian, point of view.

Moreover, a center for victims of forced emigration and ethical
cleansing will be created on October 5. The session will draw to a
close on October 6.

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
October 3, 2006

Nine New Priests Ordained in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Father Varag, Father Ashot, Father Toros, Father Shirak, Father
Movses, Father Hakob, Father Nshan, Father Arsen and Father Psak are
the names of the newest priests of the Armenian Church.

Nine in number, the young men, all graduates of the Gevorkian
Theological Seminary or the Accelerated Academic Course for the
Priesthood, were ordained to the holy order of priesthood last
Sunday, October 1, on the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag in the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.  The celebrant of the Divine Liturgy
and ordaining bishop was His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Bozabalian,
one of the senior members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, presided during the liturgy and ordination service.

In his message addressed to the newly ordained priests, Archbishop
Bozabalian stated in part, "Dear brothers-in-Christ, we celebrated
the consecration of your priesthood. We gave each of you a new name,
for each of you has become a new man. And as a new man inspired by
the Holy Spirit, sustained with the Holy Spirit, and endowed with
divine gifts, you will have new duties and responsibilities in the
life of our nation. May God help you conquer all difficulties you
shall face.  May the Holy Spirit deliver his gifts in your everyday
pastoral life and support you. Wherever you serve, you must never
forget the mercy of God nor the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin where
you were nurtured and ordained as priests."

The nine former deacons, Hovhannes Yaparian, Sahak Ghazarian, Khosrov
Yesayan, Samvel Khanoyan, Armen Ashurian, Hovhannes Grigorian,
Andre Sargsian, Karekin Hambardzumian and Gevork Mkrtchian will be
in seclusion for the traditional 40 day period on the grounds of the
Mother See, following which they will be appointed by His Holiness
to begin their spiritual service within the various dioceses.

##

–Boundary_(ID_ZOyuQlNJ9CNkN3Zf4stb cA)–

Le Figaro, France
28 septembre 2006

L’Europe recule sur le génocide arménien

UNION EUROPÉENNE. Les eurodéputés ont sommé la Turquie, hier, de
relancer les réformes en vue des négociations d’adhésion à l’UE, mais
ont fait marche arrière sur le génocide arménien. Pour le Parlement
européen, la reconnaissance par la Turquie du génocide de 1915 ne
doit pas être une « condition préalable » à l’adhésion d’Ankara,
jugeant qu’une telle position serait « contre-productive ». Le
Parlement s’est contenté de souligner qu’il était « indispensable
qu’un pays sur le chemin de l’adhésion reconnaisse son passé ».

PETER SEMNEBY: ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN MISSED A VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 27 2006

EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby said that this
year Armenia and Azerbaijan missed "a very important opportunity"
for resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

"If I’m to speak about the greatest disappointment during my tenure
in office as EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus, I will point
out the incapacity of Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach resolution of
the Karabakh conflict. I do believe that a very important opportunity
was missed," Semneby said.

He is not particularly optimistic now. Not willing to offend any of
the sides, Semneby noted that Armenia and Azerbaijan should think
about the dangers and losses, which the unsettled conflict embraces.

"In case of Armenia great losses are obvious. Armenia’s relative
isolation is the direct consequence of the Karabakh conflict," Peter
Semneby said.

SWITZERLAND AND ARMENIA MEET IN FRANCE

Planet Rugby, UK
Sept 27 2006

FIRA Championship starts

The FIRA-AER Championship starts with a Division 3A match between
Armenia and Switzerland in Vienne, France.

It is actually an Armenian home match, but because most of their
players are Armenians of the diaspora and play in France the match
is just down the Rhône in the ancient town of Vienne.

Armenia was part of the USSR and then rugby flourished because of
government functions, such as the army and the police. Since Armenia
has obtained independence from Russia rugby has declined to a degree
but the Federation has gone to lengths to find players of Armenian
origin to play for the national side, and the plan has worked.

In 2004, Armenia played its first Tests – in FIRA’s Division 3C and
easily beat Norway and Israel to gain promotion, by beating Luxembourg
easily, to Division 3B where, in 2005, Armenia easily beat Bulgaria,
Hungary, Slovenia and Lithuania. Now it is kin Division 3 A along
with Switzerland, Serbia & Montenegro, Denmark and Sweden.

The competition will again be played over two years. The team ending
top will go to Division 2B, the team ending fifth to Division 3B.

Both Armenia and Switzerland would have ambitions. The first part of
the competition will run till the first week of November after which
there will be a break till March while rugby hibernates.

Switzerland’s coach Patrice Philippe has named his 23-strong squad
to play Armenia. He has included 20 of the squad which lost 40-10 to
Germany a fortnight ago, brining in three players who play their rugby
in France – Pierre Dubost, Mathieu Guyou-Kreis and Nicolas Guyou. The
flyhalf against Germany, Ian Mowat, is away at the European Under-20
tournament in Poland.

Switzerland have prepared well but they know Armenia will not be easy
pickings at all.

Swiss squad:

Forwards: Schelte Betten (Zurich), Alfredo Burgener (Nyon), David Da
Silva (Neuchâtel), Pierre Dubost (Champery), Yohann Mazza (Hermance),
Pedro Dubois (Nyon), Steven Lazarus (Basel), Sergio Hosel (Zurich),
Nicholas Guyou (Rumilly), Urs Zimmerli (Zurich), Gareth Jones (Nyon),
David Mossiere (Geneva), Arnaud Vincent (La Seyne)

Backs: Geoff Johnson (Hermance), Anthony Carriere (Geneva), Iain Wise
(Hermence), Jean-Claude Porte (Nyon), Mathieu Guyou-Kreis (Racing),
Celien Mundler (Geneve), Arnaud Blaszczyk (Geneve), Alberto Giuliani
(Ticino), Benjamin Faudot, Olivier Dumerliat (Hermance)

Kick-off: 15.00 Referee: Akim Hadj Bachir (France).

–Boundary_(ID_MAlehmHmVT5IES0cRDj+FQ)- –

ARMENIANS ARE NOT A BURDEN IN ANY COUNTRY: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

ARMINFO News Agency
September 23, 2006 Saturday

Armenians are not a burden in any country. They are economically
active and enterprising and as a rule are actively integrated in
the economy of the country they live in, Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan says in an interview to Vesti Nedeli TV program (Russia)
when asked about the growing number of attacks on Armenians and other
Caucasians in Russia.

Kocharyan says that some patriotic moods are obviously rising in
Russia. There were years when Armenians felt themselves humiliated
in Russia but now the situation is changing. We should carry out
explanatory work with people to make this change tangible – first of
all, for Russia itself, says Kocharyan.

Asked about the level of knowledge of Russian in Armenia, Kocharyan
says that today it is lower than in the Soviet times. But for a small
country like Armenia it is simply indispensable to know foreign
language. "We simply can’t translate all necessary literature,
particularly technical one, into Armenian and in order to get full
value education it is necessary to know foreign language." "It’s
God’s will that we know Russian and I think we realize it." Kocahryan
says that broadcasting of Russian channels in Armenia is a very
important factor for raising the level of knowledge of Russian in
the country. "I would like the Russian side to be more active in
the matter. I think that any educated person in Armenia should know
Russian and one European language."

Asked if Armenia will live calmly in the next 1.5 years, Kocharyan
says: "I think yes. You mean elections? I think we have an immunity
in the matter."

HM THE KING SENDS CABLES OF BEST WISHES

Bahrain News Agency
September 21, 2006 Thursday 2:27 PM EST

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent cables of best wishes
to Armenia President Robert Kocharian, Malta President Edward Fenech
Adami and Belize General Governor Colville Young on their countries’
national day.

THIRD ARMENIA – DIASPORA CONFERENCE CONCLUDED

Pablic Radio of Armenia
Sept 23 2006

The third Armenia Diaspora Conference concluded its activities on
Wednesday, September 20. More than 2,000 people from 40 countries
attended the three-day gathering.

The conference began on September 18 with opening speeches by
President Robert Kocharian, His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos of
All Armenians, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia, President Arkady Ghukasyan of Nagorno Karabagh, as well as
the heads of pan-Armenian organizations. They addressed the various
issues on the conference program, as well as the general issues of
Armenia-Diaspora agenda.

The second session, on the same afternoon, focused on Rural Poverty
Eradication – a program launched at the conference to encourage
Diaspora individuals and organizations to sponsor specific villages
and undertake the infrastructure rebuilding and economic development
of Armenia’s border communities. The first speaker at this session
was Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, who spoke about the impact of
rural poverty on Armenia’s economic development and emphasized the
importance of such a pan-Armenian undertaking. Sitting around the
table were those who had already agreed to sponsor a village, as well
as those individuals and organizations, including international NGOs,
who are prepared to partner with the program.

A decision was taken to create a Council with participation of
the Diaspora Secretariat to oversee the planning, organization and
implementation of the program. Implementation of the rural poverty
eradication program will begin in spring 2007.

Also, during a special meeting in the margins of the conference with
the representatives of organizations and communities, a decision
was taken to create a consultative body (composed of the same
representatives) that would ensure continuity between conferences by
coordinating communication and maintaining ties and links among the
participants, and between the participants and the Armenia Diaspora
Secretariat.

The third session of the Conference began on the morning of Tuesday,
September 20, with the start of a forum entitled ‘New Answers to Old
Questions: Armenians in the 21st Century’. Tigran Torosyan, Chairman
of the National Assembly, made the opening statement.

The Forum consisted of four panels and concluded on Wednesday
morning. Forty speakers and discussants from eight countries addressed
issues of culture and identity, and their application to diasporas,
to cooperation and exchange, and specifically, to Armenia and the
Armenian Diaspora.

During Panel 2 and Panel 3, Armenia-Diaspora relations were discussed
from the practical viewpoint. The participants were seeking answers
to the following questions: What direction can be given to future
cultural and socio-economic relations between Diaspora and homeland,
as well as questions having to do with emigration and repatriation.

The final panel entitled ‘A Look at Diaspora 2020’, featured four
different perspectives on what the Diaspora might look like in 2020,
and how to arrive at more efficient Armenia-Diaspora relations.

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian delivered the Forum’s concluding
statement.

At the conclusion of the conference, a declaration was adopted.

President Robert Kocharian addressed the participants and thanked
them for their comments and input.

Putin and Chirac to Discuss Karabakh Settlement

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.09.2006 14:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is on a 2-day
working visit in France, will negotiate with French President Jacques
Chirac on the expansion of trade and economic ties between Russia
and France.

The presidents are also expected to discuss the peaceful process of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group.

Saturday German Chancellor Angela Merkel will join the leaders
of Russia and France to consider Russia-EU cooperation and wide
scope of international problems including the Iraqi issue, reported
Analitika.az.

FRENCH SOCIALISTS URGE TURKEY TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.09.2006 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ By the offer of French socialists the agenda
of the European Parliament session to be held September 25-28
includes 5 items referring to Turkey. These are cancellation of the
Talaat-Pasha movement, recognition the Armenian Genocide by Turkey,
establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia and opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border. Besides, the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide was suggested as a precondition for Turkey’s accession to
the EU. The French socialists also insist on inclusion of an item
on Turkey’s deliberate non-acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide,
reported APA.