Author: Toneyan Mark

Armenia: Commissioner Hammarberg releases his findings on the
investigation of March events

Strasbourg, 29.09.2008 – "There is an urgent need to reach a
satisfactory solution for prisoners and to hold accountable those
responsible for the March events." With this main message, the Council
of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, published
today his summary of findings on a visit to Armenia carried out last
13-15 July to weigh the progress made in investigating the violent
events which ensued following the demonstrations after the Presidential
election.

"The situation of persons deprived of their liberty continues to be a
source of serious concern" said the Commissioner. "Questions persist as
to the very nature of the criminal charges and the intent of the
investigations carried out." Commissioner Hammarberg also regretted that
prosecution cases against 19 persons were based solely on police
testimony.

The Commissioner was particularly concerned about the seven persons
remaining in preliminary detention, including prominent opposition
representatives. "It is unacceptable to continue to hold in detention or
to convict – even to non-custodial sentences – anyone solely because of
their political beliefs or non-violent activities."

Furthermore, the Commissioner focused on the setting up of a national
commission of inquiry. While welcoming the proactive approach of the
Government in this regard, he recommended that continued efforts be
made, in tandem with international expert advice, and through a broad
and fully inclusive consultation process. "The establishment of a group
of experts tasked with carrying out a comprehensive, independent,
impartial, transparent inquiry, which would be perceived as credible by
the whole population of Armenia, appears to be within reach. I hope that
this opportunity will be recognised and will continue to meet with a
constructive response by all the relevant actors."

The summary is available on the Commissioner’s website
< ult_en.asp> .

Media contacts: Stefano Montanari, +33 6 61 14 70 37;
[email protected]

***

The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent, non-judicial
institution within the Council of Europe, mandated to promote awareness
of, and respect for, human rights in the organisation’s 47 member
states. Elected by the Council’s Parliamentary Assembly, the present
Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, took up his duties on 1 April 2006.

Press Release
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 666a08
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:

To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact :
[email protected]

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops
common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 47
member states.

UNITED ARMENIAN FUND

1101 N. Pacific Avenue # 204
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel: 818.241.8900
Fax: 818.241.6900

PRESS RELEASE

September 27, 2008

UAF’s 149th Airlift Delivers
Over $4 Million of Aid to Armenia
Glendale, CA – The United Armenian Fund’s 149th airlift arrived in Yerevan
on September 27, delivering over $4 million of humanitarian assistance.
The UAF itself collected over $2 million of medicines and medical supplies
for this flight, donated by AmeriCares ($1.6 million) and the Catholic
Medical Mission Board ($793,000).
Other organizations which contributed goods for this airlift were: Boston
University Medical School/Dr. Aram Chobanian ($721,000); The Armenian
EyeCare Project ($343,000); Dr. Mary Alani/Focus Armenia ($114,000); Dr.
Hrair Hovaguimian ($108,000); Fund for Armenian Relief ($85,000); Prelacy of
the Armenian Church-East ($80,000); Dr. Vahe Karacholu ($60,000); Dr. Hrair
Garabedian ($49,000); Armenian Missionary Association of America ($47,000)
and Diocese of the Armenian Church-East ($45,000).
Also contributing supplies to this airlift were: A.P.A.E.F.A (Association
Perreuxienne d’Amities et d’Entraide Franco-Armeniennes of France ($37,000);
Hershey Medical Center ($31,000); Dr. Stephen Kashian ($21,000); Armenian
Technology Group ($20,000); Shushi School of Music ($18,000); Dr. Nishan
Goudsouzian ($18,000) and University of Connecticut ($17,000).
Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $535 million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia on board 149 airlifts and 1,609 sea containers.
The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America,
Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association of
America, Armenian Relief Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America,
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and The Lincy
Foundation.
For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific Avenue,
Suite 204, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.

SARALANJ HIGHWAY PUT INTO COMMISSION

armradio.am
29.09.2008 14:53

The Saralanj highway of Yerevan, which connects Kenron and Arabkir
communities reaching to Davitashen Bridge, was put into commission
today.

The construction of the highway started three years ago with the
financing of the Lincy Foundation, which allocated about $6 billion.

The solemn opening ceremony was attended by RA President
Serzh Sargsyan, ex-President Robert Kocharyan, Ministers, other
officials. The Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan noted that one of
the most important roads constructed since independence – the Saralanj
highway – is the first speedway bypassing the center, which is an
alternative to the traffic current on overloaded Baghramyan Avenue,
Abovyan, Khanjyan and a number of other streets.

RA President Serzh Sargsyan told reporters he attaches importance
to the programs of road- and school building. Turning to his recent
visit to the US, he assessed it as normal. He said the warmest and
the most exciting meeting was that with the Armenian community. "I
said we should be tolerant and competitive and that our power is in
our diversity." The President said we in Armenia feel the power of
the Diaspora. "We are simply proud to have compatriots, who present
their power and strength in the most powerful countries of the world,"
Serzh Sargsyan said.

ARMENIAN ARARATBANK LAUNCHES ARARAT-DEALING SYSTEM

ARKA
Sep 26, 2008

YEREVAN, September 26. /ARKA/. Araratbank (Armenia) has launched a
new multifunctional system, Arart-Dealing.

At his press conference, Araratbank Board Vice-Chairman Artur
Hakobyan reported that the new system, which meets present-day market
requirements, enables clients to effect exchange transactions by
means of PCs or mobile phones irrespective of their whereabouts.

"The Ararat-Dealing system allows of any exchange operations on easy
terms in contrast to the ones carried out by banks and on the market,
within the balance on clients’ USD and AMD accounts," Hakobyan said.

He stressed that the system will also enable individuals and
nonresidents to effect cross rate transactions.

This simple and reliable system provides clients with all the
information on previous operations as well as on the account balance,
Hakobyan said.

He pointed out that the service will be free of charge until the end
of October. Later "nominal the bank charges" will be set.

Araratbank is active on the exchange market, and the new service will
allow the bank to attract new clients and provide access to it for
its old clients, Hakobyan said.

David Harutyunyan, Director of the Dealing Center, pointed out
that the users can also get the latest information on the financial
situation, the bank’s weekly exchange rate forecasts, stock indices,
as well as on the rates set by the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA),
prices for oil and precious metals.

Harutyunyan said that the system does not set any restrictions on
transactions, with the same exchange rate in effect for any operations.

He pointed out that the system will only be available for exchange
transactions. However, the bank plans to launch a similar system on
the securities market.

The Araratbank OJSC, successor of Armcommunicationsbank, was founded
on September 2, 1991. On October 31, the bank received License #4.

By June 30, 2008, the bank’s assets had amounted to 25.1bln AMD and
total capital 5.3bln AMD. The bank’s profit totaled 346.6mln AMD in
the 1st half of 2008.

The bank has the 14th largest assets and deposits in Armenia’s banking
system, the 15th largest total capital. The bank also records the
10th largest profit.

ARMENIAN OFFICIALS SEEM TO BE SINCERE FOR SOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT, SAYS TURKISH FM

Arminfo
2008-09-24 18:10:00

ArmInfo. Turkish FM Babacan told media that Turkey, Armenia and
Azerbaijan had strong will to solve problems,

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that Armenian officials
seemed to be sincere for solution.

Babacan, who is currently in New York for UN General Assembly meetings,
said regarding Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Armenia
that Armenian officials said that they wanted solution not only for
Armenian-Turkish relations but also for Azerbaijani-Armenian relations.

Babacan said that the recent crisis in Caucasus made countries
in the region revise their attitudes, adding that Armenia and
Azerbaijan were also among these countries. Babacan said that he and
President Gul evaluated that new situation as a good opportunity and
visited Armenia. Babacan said that Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan
had strong will to solve problems. Babacan said that all problems,
which concerned those three countries, were related with each other,
and representatives of the three countries would meet on Friday.

BBC-AZERBAIJAN: "ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S WORDS WERE NOT DISTORTED"

Today.Az
25 September 2008 [14:50]

Famous British radio station has made an official statement regarding
the interview with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Day.Az reports with reference to BBC that the meeting of the Armenian
President with a group of foreign journalists was attended by Moscow
correspondent of BBC Eldar Ismayilzade.

Some agencies, referring to the Armenian sources, stated that
Sargsyan’s words spread by BBC-Azerbaijan "I suggested to President
of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to invest into Nagorno Karabakh to
demonstrate Azerbaijanis’ interest in the welfare of Karabakh and
safe life. Perhaps after that Armenians of Karabakh would speak for
living within Azerbaijan" had been distorted.

BBC notes that Armenian President answered journalists’ questions in
Armenian and the words he said were translated into English, while
BBC-Azerbaijan translated the information from the original source
that is from Armenian into Azerbaijani.

"BBC-Azerbaijan confirms that Serzh Sargsyan’s words, said in Armenian
and translated in Azerbaijanis, as well as other words, transmitted in
the air, were not drawn from the context or distorted. BBC-Azerbaijan
has the audio recording of Serzh Sargsyan’s words", says the statement
of BBC-Azerbaijan.

East Valley Tribune, AZ
September 20, 2008 – 7:04PM

The need to separate religion, politics

Sam Coppersmith, Commentary

While visiting a small Franciscan college last week, I toured a nearby
historic chapel with the college priest, who learned that I was headed
to a family funeral. While knowing I wasn’t a Catholic, he offered to
say a prayer for the rest of my relative’s soul.

I appreciated his gesture and took comfort. I also figured, what the
heck, it couldn’t hurt. But not everybody feels warm and fuzzy about
receiving a proffered benefit of another’s religious belief,
especially when you’re not asked first.

Take the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints practice of
posthumous baptism, where LDS believers represent deceased non-Mormons
in a symbolic baptism (hence it’s also called vicarious or proxy
baptism).

Baptism is required to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but under LDS
doctrine, the deceased have free agency, the power to accept or reject
the proxy baptism. From that perspective, posthumous baptism "couldn’t
hurt." Current LDS Church members can grant their ancestors and
relatives entrance to heaven. Yet each person, even after death, may
accept or reject the proxy baptism, so the ceremony isn’t binding in
any way.

But not everybody feels "it couldn’t hurt," and controversy erupted in
the 1990s with the discovery that LDS proxy baptisms included many
Jewish victims of the Holocaust, with some 380,000 Jews killed by the
Nazis appearing in LDS genealogical records. In 1995, the LDS Church
agreed to stop the practice for Holocaust victims where descendants
did not consent.

Jewish groups strongly objected, partly from the sad Jewish historical
experience with forced conversions, and partly from the special regard
that Jews have for Holocaust victims and survivors. If the victims
were killed solely for their religion, a posthumous conversion – even
one grounded in doctrinal free agency, to be accepted or rejected
voluntarily – could appear to rewrite the historical record.

Jewish groups aren’t alone in qualms about posthumous
baptism. Armenian Christian and Russian Orthodox leaders denounced the
practice, and earlier this year, the Vatican Congregation for Clergy
directed Catholic dioceses not to allow the LDS International
Genealogical Index to microfilm and digitize information in parish
registers. The Vatican wants to stop posthumous baptism of Catholics,
which spokesmen called "detrimental" and "unacceptable."

So sometimes when you think it couldn’t hurt, it actually does. I had
some readers who believe differently than I do offer to pray for me
because of last week’s column. One guy even seemed pretty sincere. But
it points out one pretty big difference between religion and politics,
and a problem for those who want more religion in politics: The whole
point of politics in a democracy is to argue about what’s best, but
with religion, you just can’t do that.

We can argue about whether the problem with health care is caused
because people aren’t faced with the economic consequences of their
choices, or if health care isn’t like other consumer goods because
people don’t respond that way to their own health and their
physicians. We can argue about whether we should bail out AIG and not
Lehman Brothers. But it’s hard to argue in any productive way about
whether my view of the non-divinity of Jesus is better than
yours. After all, listing certain dead people on a secret baptismal
list makes some who believe differently absolutely furious.

Religion is all about fundamental belief – and even bringing it up in
any discussion is an invitation for everybody to take offense. One
man’s pithy comment another man finds politically, and religiously,
incorrect. And why would we want more of that in politics?

So maybe the separation of church and state makes sense after
all. Those who took such umbrage at religious discussion, stated more
in terms of my beliefs than theirs, or of the precise religious
content of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, should think
long and hard about my overall argument against putting more religion
into politics.

And thanks to Prof. Mark Kleiman at UCLA, I now have a non-religious
way to make the same initial point: Martin Luther King was a community
organizer. George Wallace was a governor. Now pick your side of that
argument.

Sam Coppersmith, Democratic party activist and former member of the
U.S. House, can be reached at [email protected].

Panorama.am

18:42 20/09/2008

S. SARGSYAN: `WE TRY TO SUPPORT YOUTH TO DEVELOP SCIENCE’

The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has received the delegation of
scientists who has arrived in Armenia to take part in the ceremonies
devoted to the 100 anniversary of Viktor Hambartsumyan, reported the
press service of the President’s Administration.

`Viktor Hambartsumyan has been a talented Armenian and our nation
feels deep respect to him. He has been a talented scientist all over
the world, due to him Armenians became famous in the world, the
National Academy of Sciences has become much developed after he came
to Armenia and finally he was a big humanist,’ said the President.

The President has also mentioned that currently much is being done to
develop science in Armenia. `Scientific centers should be established
and we try to support youth to develop science,’ said S. Sargsyan.

Source: Panorama.am

JOURNALIST TATUL HAKOBYAN’S BOOK TITLED "GREEN AND BLACK: ARTSAKH DAIRY" PUBLISHED

Noyan Tapan

Se p 17, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The launching of journalist Tatul
Hakobyan’s book "Green and Black: Artsakh Diary" was held in the Urbat
(Friday) club on September 17. Film director Tigran Khzmalian has
given the idea of the book’s title, according to whom, "the black is
the color of the clothes of mothers of the guys killed in the war,
and the green color that of the military uniform."

In the book the journalist presented various documentary materials,
interviews with political figures, participants of the Artsakh war,
commentaries. This is a historical essay in which people, who directly
took part in the events taking place in Armenia and Artsakh during
the last 20 years are presented.

As the editor-in-chief of the Azg daily Hakob Avetikian classed,
this book is neither a diary keeping, nor chronology, nor document
collection.

According to him, this is a huge research conducted by a journalist,
which will give a possibility to every analist and political scientist
engaged in Nagorno Karabakh problem to conduct more unbiassed
analysis. "Today there are few such journalsits, who can make their
observations and researches into a book. I hope that in the future
the number of such kind of journalist wills increase," underlined
H. Avetikian.

In the words the Chairman of the Christian-Democratic Union Khosrov
Harutiunian, T. Hakobian is among the few journalists who "have the
responsibility of information’s impartiality." He said that during
the last years there are many journalists in the Armenian mass media,
whose materials are impartial. As a result, in K. Harutiunian’s
evaluation, information gradually receives a new quality.

PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV: "AZERBAIJAN IS READY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DECREASING OF TENSIONS IN THE REGION"

Azeri Press Agency
Sept 16 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Tamara Grigorieva -APA. The presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan
concluded their meeting in Moscow.

Speaking about the results of the meeting, Russian President Dmitriy
Medvedev said he informed his Azerbaijani counterpart about the
situation around the events in South Ossetia. "I informed President
Aliyev about the Russian efforts for the security in the South
Caucasus. Russian-Azerbaijani active mutual relations are one of
the main factors for the security and stability in the region",
said Medvedev.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said Russian-Azerbaijani relations
could be an example for other countries. "We are very satisfying with
these relations and this cooperation effects on the development of
relations between our countries. Today the regional situation creates
certain concern and Azerbaijan is ready to contribute to the decreasing
of tensions. All discords have to be solved peacefully".

President Aliyev has also emphasized that Azerbaijan hopes for
continuation of Russia’s active role in the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. "Despite all difficulties, there are good basis
for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict today". Russian
President Dmitriy Medvedev said his country didn’t change its position
on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and supported direct
negotiations between the sides. "This issue took important place in the
negotiations with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. We advocate for
continuation of the negotiations in near future. Russia will continue
its efforts for finding the way of solution acceptable for the sides".