Author: Torosian Aram

Catholic News Service
May 9 2008

Pope tells Armenian Orthodox God can work miracle of Christian unity

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — God can work miracles, including the miracle of
Christian unity, Pope Benedict XVI told the Armenian Orthodox
patriarch and 18 bishops.

"If our hearts and minds are open to the Spirit of communion, God can
work miracles again in the church, restoring the bonds of unity," the
pope said May 9 during a prayer service with Catholicos Karekin II,
patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Catholicos Karekin was visiting the Vatican along with Armenian
Orthodox bishops from Armenia, Russia, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Turkey,
Egypt, Syria, the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Italy and
Germany.

Some 100 Armenian pilgrims from around the world joined Pope Benedict
and the Armenian bishops for the midday prayer service in the
Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace; afterward, the patriarch
joined the pope for lunch.

Speaking during the prayer service, Pope Benedict looked toward the
May 11 celebration of Pentecost, saying, "We will pray earnestly to
the Father, asking him to send his Holy Spirit, the Spirit whose task
it is to maintain us in divine love and lead us into all truth."

The pope said that while the path to restoring Christian unity appears
long and difficult and there are "deep and painful divisions" still
needing to be healed the Holy Spirit can unite people as occurred on
the first Pentecost.

The Spirit "can open doors that are locked, inspire words that have
been forgotten, heal relations that are broken," he said.

Pope Benedict prayed that the work of the international
Catholic-Oriental Orthodox theological dialogue "will bring us closer
to full and visible communion and that the day will come when our
unity in faith makes possible a common celebration of the Eucharist."
The Armenian Apostolic Church is an Oriental Orthodox church.

The pope also praised the Armenian Orthodox for the "remarkable
pastoral results that have been achieved" since the breakup of the
Soviet Union.

Catholicos Karekin raised political questions that the pope did
not. He said the people of Armenia are suffering from the results of
an embargo imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey related to ongoing
tensions in the region, specifically the independence efforts by
ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in Azerbaijan.

Turning to the importance of ecumenical relations, Catholicos Karekin
said, "Faithful to the holy church fathers and their legacy, despite
our differences and unique characteristics, we shall place greater
importance on that which unites us."

While theological differences remain, he said, Christians have an
obligation to work together because "many environmental, social,
political, economic and moral issues urgently need attention."

"True respect for life and man and love for God is diminishing," he
said. "Only through inclusive cooperation shall we be able to better
serve the establishment of peace in the world and to better defend
human rights and the rights of nations, families and those classes of
society which are at risk," he said.

Speaking to reporters after his lunch with the pope, Catholicos
Karekin said his visit was a further example of "that warm atmosphere
of love and respect" that exists between Catholics and Armenian
Orthodox.

The warm relations, he said, are found not simply between church
leaders, "but also among the communities, parishes and dioceses
throughout the world."

Archbishop Avak Asadourian, primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church
in Iraq, was asked about the situation of the faithful in his
violence-torn country.

"When we speak of Iraq today and the severe difficulties Iraqis face,
we do not want to differentiate between the different religions
because the plight is common to all. Terrorism or bullets do not
differentiate between religions," the archbishop said. "The
difficulties are the same for everyone across the board."

END

PM Tigran Sargsyan’s congratulation on the Day of Victory and Peace

armradio.am
09.05.2008 11:28

Dear compatriots,
I sincerely congratulate you on the Day of Victory and Peace.

Together with many nations of the world today we celebrate the
anniversary of the victory over fascism, which became ours thanks to
the devotion, patriotism and courage of the sons of our people.

The meaning of victory is doubled by another glorious event ` the
liberation of Shoushi. Sixteen years ago our contemporary heroic
history was being written in the trenches. Our nation won its right for
freedom and peaceful life in the imposed war.

Today I render my most sincere congratulations to the veterans of war,
the soldiers of the liberation war and pay tribute to the memory of
those who fell for the sake of these victories.

Dear compatriots,

I wish you festive spirit, peaceful sky and wellbeing.

INTERNATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT OF 10th CATEGORY HELD IN GYUMRI

GYUMRI, MAY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. An international chess tournament, which
was organized by the Chess Federation of Armenia and the National Chess
Academy, finished in Gyumri on May 6. Chess players from Russia,
Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia took part in it.

GM Arman Pashikian (Yerevan) earned 9 out of 11 possible points and
became the winner. Georgi Bagaturia and Tamaz Gelashvili (both from
Tbilisi) took 2nd and 3rd place respectively with 7 points each.

The tournament was a 10th category one. It was held for the first time
and henceforth will become traditional.

On the initiative of the National Chess Academy of Armenia, another two
international tournaments will be held soon: in Jermuk (on June 26-July
6) and Martuni (on July 10-20).

PanARMENIAN.Net

Bomb defused in center of Yerevan
08.05.2008 12:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On May 8, at 9.40 a.m. local time,
the central department of RA Police received an alert
on a suspicious-looking mechanism lying in front of a
dwelling house in Mashtots Avenue.

The Police’s press office reported that the special
service officers found an explosive assembly in a
carton and defused it.

Investigation is underway.

CBA BOARD RAISES REFINANCING INTEREST RATE BY 0.25% TO 6.75%

YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. At the May 5 sitting, the Central Bank of
Armenia (CBA) Board raised the refinancing rate by 0.25%, fixing it at
6.75%.

NT was informed by the CBA press service that 1.1% inflation was
registered in April on March 2008, as a result of which 12-month
inflation made 10.7%, exceeding by about 4% the level in late 2007.

The CBA Board stated that the high inflation environment in
international food markets and the resultant pressures on domestic
prices of food commodities continue, while the degree of uncertainty of
further developments in the external environment continues to be high.
Meanwhile, the secondary impacts of the increase of food prices have
grown, increasing inflation pressure in non-food commodity and service
markets and raising inflation expectations.

The CBA Board is unanimous in its opinion that inflation pressures will
continue in the near future. The gradual tightening of the monetary and
credit conditions by the CBA aims to mitigate the secondary inflation
impacts and expectations conditioned by external developments.

RA Prosecutor General’s Office denies statement of RA first president
Levon Ter- Petrosyan

2008-05-07 10:08:00

ArmInfo. Today, Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia denied RA first
President Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s May 2 statement.

As the press service of RA Prosecutor General’s Office told ArmInfo,
Ter-Petrosyan claimed on May 2 that during the hearings in RA
Constitutional Court regarding the claim about the final results of the
presidential election, he was allowed to attend the court session
according to the relevant decree of the Constitutional Court after a
written confirmation of deputy Prosecutor General Aram Tamazyan.

According to the message, this statement of Ter-Petrosyan gave rise to
all kinds of speculations disorienting the society. Emphasizing the
significance of the public right for receipt of an objective and proved
information, the Prosecutor General’s Office publishes its appeal to RA
CC from March 4, reading the following: "Following the decision of
Armenia’s Constitutional Court from March 4, we inform that RA
presidential contender Levon Ter-Petrosyan is not under arrest, he is
not restricted in his movements, the institute of house arrest is not
envisaged by RA CC and he is free to attend the Constitutional Court.
As for assurance of his participation in the court sessions, this is
not within authorities of the Prosecutor General’s Office".

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 3 2008

Azerbaijani Serviceman Released from Armenian Capture
03.05.08 15:27

Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 may / corr. J.Babayeva / Vusal Eybatov, 19, an
Azerbaijani servicemean previously detained in Nagorno-Karabakh has
been handed over to the Azerbaijani authorities under the auspices of
the International Commiteee of the Read Cross (ICRC).

The Handover operation took place on 3 May in Agdam district of the
Republic of Azerbaijan.

ICRC delegates had visited the serviceman on several occasions in
order to assess his conditions of detention and treatment. The
organization had also exchanged family news between the detainee and
his relatives.

Eybatov was detained by the Armenian Armed Forces on 11 April.

A1+

MAYOR OF NOR HACHN RELEASED
[07:07 pm] 02 May, 2008

The former mayor of Nor Hachn, Armen Keshishian (nicknamed Uzbo), was
released a few days ago. Arsen Babayan, press secretary of the
Criminal-Investigative Department of the RoA Justice Ministry
confirmed the information. Armen Keshishian was released as the term
of sentence had expired.

On September 24, 2005, Armen Keshishian killed Ashot Mkhitarian, head
of the Arzni-based company of the Electric Nets’ Ltd. Keshishian was
sentenced to a 3.6-year imprisonment.

According to the police release, on April 29 Keshishian handed over a
9-millimeter `Viking’ gun, 99 cartridges and à magazine belonging to
the weapon confiscated by the police on September 24, 2005.

On September 24, 2005, Keshishian shot at Ashot Mkhitarian from the
pistol `Viking MR 466.’

The weapon had been presented by RoA prematurely deceased Premier
Andranik Margarian.

IAGS PRESIDENT DR. GREG STANTON SPEAKS OF IMPORTANCE OF CAPITOL HILL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
April 30, 2008

WASHINGTON, APRIL 30, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. On April 23
International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) President,
Dr. Greg Stanton, gave keynote remarks at the Capitol Hill Observance
of the Armenian Genocide.

Citing the House Foreign Affairs Committee passage last year of the
Armenian Genocide resolution, Stanton explained that by postponing
a full House vote, "Again the United States surrendered to the
ninety-year campaign of denial by the government of Turkey. The State
Department and the White House have continued the cowardly policies
of every Secretary of State since Lansing, who have considered it
more important to placate the Turkish government than to be truthful
about history."

Dr. Stanton went on to explain the eight stages of genocide and
the dangerous cost of genocide denial both to the victims and the
perpetrators.

He described the benefits of genocide recognition, stating that
"telling the truth would ultimately be good for U.S.-Turkish relations,
because they would no longer be based on diplomatic lies." Passage of
the Armenian Genocide Resolution, he noted, would also "pay tribute
to America’s first international human rights movement. The Foreign
Service Officers and prominent individuals such as Theodore Roosevelt,
Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, and Cleveland Dodge, who did so much to
help the Armenians, exemplify America’s legacy of moral leadership."

UZEIR JAFAROV: "THE ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE HAS ALREADY SET INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE NEED TO CAPTURE AZERBAIJANI SOLDIERS"

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
.html
May 1 2008

Day.Az interview with famous military expert Uzeir Jafarov.

-How would you comment on the neutralization of special forces of
Armenian armed troops attempting to commit diversion in Azerbaijan?

-After Azerbaijani army serviceman Vusal Eybatov was captured by
Armenians, a serious conversation occurred in the Defense Ministry
of Azerbaijan. Resentment was expressed by the fact that Azerbaijan
servicemen are captured by Armenians and over the unsatisfactory work
for capturing Armenian servicemen.

In the result, instructions were set to increase vigilance along
the front line and our intelligence has started to explore trends,
perspective for the occupation of the enemy’s servicemen.

I think, this resulted in the capture of Armenian servicemen.

-You speak about Armenian servicemen. Do you doubt that captured
Armenians are members of special forces?

-I would not state that they are the members of special forces,
as they did not have any guns with them, which makes diversion
impossible. Though, anyway, I consider that our due structures should
conduct comprehensive work to reveal causes of Armenians’ capture.

-Practice shows that within several days after Armenians are captured
by Azerbaijanis, the enemy capture our compatriots, who are sometimes
servicemen and sometimes civilians. Does it mean that Armenians will
soon try to capture out citizens?

-Thank you for a timely question. As far as we know, the Armenian
Defense Ministry and the "Forces of Self-Defense" of unrecognized
Nagorno Karabakh have already set instructions regarding the need to
capture Azerbaijani soldiers, who could be returned in exchange to
4 captured Armenians.

Moreover, as far as I know, Armenians have already made an attempt
to enter our territory in Aghdere and Fizuli but failed. But I am
sure that they will repeat the attempt in the future.

Naturally, this will lead to the raised tensions in the front line.

-Can it grow into full military actions between Azerbaijani and
Armenian armed forces?

-I rule out any possibility of such developments. Azerbaijan is
preparing for presidential elections and there is no need for our
country to focus on the attempt of the forced way of the settlement
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

As for Armenia, the next provocation on the front line does not meet
its interests. We have seen the end of the previous provocation by
Armenia, whose leadership tried to distract attention of the world
society from great problems within Armenia, which became the property
of the world society following the scandalous and bloody presidential
elections in this country.

Moreover, as is known, several senior generals of Armenia have resigned
recently. These people, who were important for the Armenian armed
forces, could have intention to revenge due to this decision. In such
complex conditions inside Armenia, I do not think that the leadership
of this country will be so unwise to initiate large scale hostilities
between the Azerbaijani and Armenian armed forces.