Author: Torosian Aram

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: nian.htm

CATHOLICOS ARAM I VISITS YEREVAN, MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SARKSSIAN
AND THE CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS

His Holiness Aram I departed to Yerevan on a special plane on the early
morning of April 21. The Catholicos met with the Catholicos of All
Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, in Saint Etchmiyadzine. The two
Catholicoi then visited newly elected President Serge Sarkssian, whom they
met for over an hour.

Catholicos Aram I was accompanied by Yervant Pamboukian from the Central
National Committee, Committee chairman of the Diocese of Aleppo Daron
Avedissian, benefactors Harout and Souren Vartanian brothers. In Yerevan,
the Pontiff’s delegation was joined by Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian (Primate
of the Diocese of Tehran), Bishop Papken Tcharian (Primate of the Diocese of
Isfahan), Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian (Pontifical Vicar to the Eastern
Prelacy of the United States), who are currently in Etchmiyadzine for
meetings.

After their meeting with the President, the two Catholicoi visited the
Armenian Genocide Memorial of Dzidzernagapert and placed a wrath in the
memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide on the eve of the Martyrs’
day, 24th of April. The Pontiffs also presided over a Requiem service in the
memory of the victims. Later they visited the Genocide museum adjacent to
the memorial.

President Serge Sarkssian hosted a luncheon in honour of the two Catholicoi.
Attending the luncheon were former president Robert Kocharian, Palriament
Speaker Tigran Torossian and Prime Minister Tigran Sarkssian.

His Holiness returned to Antelias in the afternoon.

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View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos250.htm
http://www.armenianorthodox church.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos251.htm
http://www .armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos2 52.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the 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.

BOTH ARMENIAN CATHOLICI EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT TO NEW PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
April 21, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
His Holiness Karekin II, seated in the Holy Mother See of Etchmiadzin
and Catholicos Aram I, head of the second Armenian Catholicosate in
Antelias, Lebanon, paid a visit today to Armenian president Serzh
Sarkisian.

The government press office quoted Catholicos Aram I as saying
that due to concourse of circumstances he was unable to attend the
inauguration ceremony of Serzh Sarkisian. He said he arrived in Armenia
to congratulate personally president Serzh Sarkisian and express his
support for him.

"The Church and homeland, the faith and Armenians are a single whole
and we have to work within this frameworks," he was quoted as saying.

Catholicos Karekin II was quoted as saying that the pace of the new
government will yield its results some time later and the people
will see that concrete and targeted steps are being made to build a
homeland desired and anticipated by all.

President Serzh Sarkisian said with the support of both Catholici one
can do a lot and archive a lot. He praised the role of the Church in
the life of Armenians saying it adopted some of government functions
for a millennium when Armenians were deprived of their sovereign state.

Sarkisian said the government will continue its support to the Church
to help it become stronger adding also that the Armenian Church
should continue to remain a foundation stone of the Armenian spirit
and Armenian identity.

Both Catholici expressed hope that president Serzh Sarkisian will
work devotedly and with great responsibility to continue to serve the
nation and its ultimate interests. They also expressed their readiness
to help implement all good initiatives and ideas which the president
has to take the country forward.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND OSCE WELCOME AGREEMENT TO CHANGE RECENTLY-AMENDED ASSEMBLY LAW IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
22.04.2008 16:16

The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR) and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission today welcomed
the agreement reached with leading Armenian state representatives to
make changes to the recently-amended assembly law.

"We see this agreement as another step in the long-standing cooperation
between the Armenian authorities, the ODIHR and the Venice Commission
on the legislative regulation of public assemblies," said Ambassador
Christian Strohal, ODIHR Director.

"The Venice Commission and the ODIHR look forward to receiving
the drafts of the new amendments and stand ready to review them in
light of relevant international standards," added Gianni Buquicchio,
Secretary of the Venice Commission.

In a legal opinion published on 28 March, the ODIHR and the Venice
Commission raised serious concerns about the amendments to the Law
on Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations which
were passed shortly after the violent events of 1-2 March.

During a visit to Yerevan on 15-16 April, a delegation from the ODIHR
and the Venice Commission met Tigran Torosyan, Speaker of the National
Assembly, Gevorg Danielyan, Minister of Justice, and presidential
adviser Gevorg Mheryan.

It was agreed to repeal or change the amendments introduced to tighten
provisions for peaceful assemblies, in particular with regard to
spontaneous gatherings. These changes would bring the law closer to
its original content, which had been assessed positively by the ODIHR
and the Venice Commission.

Based on the agreement reached, new amendments will be drafted
and submitted to the ODIHR and the Venice Commission for another
review. ODIHR and Venice Commission experts suggested that sufficient
time be allowed for public discussion of the amendments.

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL THREATENS TO TOTALLY OBLITERATE IRAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.04.2008 13:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton displayed
tough talk in an interview airing on ABC News "Good Morning America"
Tuesday.

Asked what she would do if Iran attacked Israel with nuclear weapons,
Clinton said, "I want the Iranians to know that if I’m the president,
we will attack Iran," Clinton said. "In the next 10 years, during
which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel,
we would be able to totally obliterate them."

Iran and Israel last exchanged threats in early April.

On April 7, Israeli Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer
threatened Iran that in case of attack "Israel’s reaction will be
severe." Coming with a response on April 15, Iranian deputy commander
of the regular armed forces, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani
said that Iran will raze Israel to the ground if the latter dares to
attack the Islamic Republic.

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN BUSINESS FORUM TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA FROM APRIL 30 TO MAY 3

ARKA
April 22, 2008

YEREVAN, April 22. /ARKA/. Armenian-Russian business forum is to
be held in Yerevan and in the resort town Tsakhkadzor of Armenia
in the period from April 30 to May 3, says the official website of
"Zarubezh-expo" Russian company.

According to the report, among the events to be held in the scope
of the forum are "Russia-Armenia: economic cooperation" conference,
"Russia and Armenia" energy cooperation prospects". Forum participants
are also to discuss problems of transport communication between the two
countries, as well as cooperation in mining and oil refining industries
and opportunities for attracting Russian tourists to Armenia.

Among participants of the forum to represent Armenia are the Armenian
leadership, ministers of trade and economic development, energy,
agriculture, deputy ministers of education and science, healthcare,
the Chairman of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia,
as well as representatives of business circles of the country and
managers of RAO EES-Armenia, Bank VTB (Armenia), "ArmRosgasprom" CJSC,
"ArmenTel" CJSC and others.

Among participants to represent Russia are the vice-presidents of the
Russian Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen and the Russian group
of companies "Troyka Dialogue", as well as representatives of Ministry
of Energy and "INTER RAO EES", the head of the Armenian office of the
Russian Center for international scientific an cultural cooperation
(Roszarubezhcenter) of the Russian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Nikolaev
reported.

Representatives of Russian companies of various fields, including
polymer production, healthcare, aircraft instrument-making, diamond
cutting industry, he said.

The business forum is to be organized by Multi Group Armenian
concern, "Zarubezh-expo", Roszarubejcenter" and the Russian Embassy to
Armenia. "Zarubezh-expo" reported that the first industrial exhibition
"Expo-Russia" in Armenia is to be scheduled during the forum. -0–

ARMENIA’S ECONOMY GROWS 9% IN JANUARY-MARCH 2008

ARKA
April 21, 2008

YEREVAN, April 21. /ARKA/. Armenia’s economic growth increased by 9% in
January-March 2007, the RA National Statistical Service (NSS) reports.

According to the source, the country’s GDP (gross domestic product)
totaled AMD 483.1bln. GDP in March outran by 20.8% the February
indicator.

Armenia’s economic growth was 11.1% in January-March 2007.

According to the RA state budget, 10% GDP growth is expected in
Armenia in 2008. ($1 – AMD 310.22).

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: nian.htm

BISHOPS TO BE ORDAINED IN ANTELIAS

Catholicos Aram I will ordain Bishops during a special ceremony in Saint
Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias on Sunday, April 20. V. Rev.
Fr. Norayr Ashekian and V. Rev. Fr. Shahe Panossian will be granted the
honor of this senior rank in the Armenian Church. They have both had a
valuable contribution to the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Presently they hold
important positions in the Catholicosate and its Seminary, bringing their
input to the Holy See’s ascendancy and mission.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos246.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the 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.

PRESS RELEASE
Temple Isaiah
Rabbi Howard L. Jaffe
55 Lincoln Street
Lexington, MA 02421
781-862-7160

Armenian Genocide Scholar, Dr. Richard Hovannisian to speak at Temple.

Isaiah of Lexington, Massachusetts

LEXINGTON: Dr. Richard Hovannisian, Professor of Armenian and Near
Eastern History at UCLA and one of the countries foremost scholars of
the Armenian Genocide, will be speaking as part of the Yom Hashoah
(Holocaust Memorial Day) worship service at Temple Isaiah, 55 Lincoln
Street, Lexington, Massachusetts on Friday evening, May 2nd. Worship
service begins at 8 PM.

Dr. Hovannisian will speak about the Jewish-Armenian connection in the
academic world and the parallels of their respective victimization and
memory. Temple Isaiah warmly and enthusiastically invites the larger
community to join, and extends a particular invitation to the Armenian
community to share in this historic occasion.

"It is especially important for the Jewish community to take
meaningful steps towards working for recognition of the Armenian
genocide" according to Rabbi Howard L. Jaffe of Temple Isaiah.
"Dr. Hovannisian’s talk will not only provide us and others in the
Jewish community who attend an opportunity to learn from one of the
outstanding scholars of our time, but sends an important message about
our congregation’s commitment to partnering with the Armenian
community and working for this long overdue recognition."

Dr. Hovannisian’s participation is made possible by the Rabbi Leon
A. Jick Memorial fund, established in honor of the pioneering scholar
in the field of Holocaust Studies

Temple Isaiah is located at 55 Lincoln Street, Lexington,
Massachusetts near Route 2A and Lexington center. For further
information, you may contact the Temple Isaiah office 781-862-7160 or
email [email protected].

GAS WILL COST 84 DRAMS PER CU M

KarabakhOpen
17-04-2008 10:25:40

Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan stated in answer to the question of
Member of Parliament Valery Harutiunyan that the gas bills will grow
from May 1.

"We lack funds to subsidize gas. Therefore, we will have to review
the gas bills. Now consumers pay 65 drams per cu m, and from May 1
they will start to pay 84 drams," the prime minister said.

In Armenia consumers pay 59 drams per cu m. However, from May 1 2008
the subsidy in Armenia will be suspended, stated the prime minister
of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan on Tuesday. The prime minister said the
government will focus on 130 thousand families which receive social
benefits.

PACE HOLDS HOT DEBATE ON ARMENIA REPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.04.2008 15:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Passions flared up on Armenia report in the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe yesterday, Kommersant
daily reports.

Presenting his report, UK representative John Prescott said
the presidential election in Armenia were mostly in line with the
European standards. However, lack of criticism aroused discontent of
some delegates.

Hungary’s Zsolt Nemeth reminded that the Armenian election was followed
by riots that claimed lives of 9 people. "The Council of Europe
legitimizes anti-democratic deeds of the Armenian authorities. If we
can’t change anything let’s stop sending observers.

We need fundamental assessment of monitoring missions," he said.

Sweden’s Marietta de Purbe-Lunden said the election results were
being marred before her eyes in one of polling stations.

Azerbaijan’s representative Samad Seyidov was even more
criticizing. "Mr Prescott says the election was held in line with the
CoE standards. Does it mean that murders are in line with European
standards? The whole world is closely watching the developments
in Tibet.

Why doesn’t anyone speak of lawlessness in Armenia?" he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Prescott and several other observers remarked that the
critics are too emotional and biased. No shocking violations were
fixed on the election day, they said.

The debate will be continued on Thursday. It means that majority of
the delegates do not agree with John Prescott’s mild assessments and
can question the authority of the Armenian delegation to PACE.