Author: Zaminian Bedik

SUSPECTED KURDISH REBELS SET OFF A TRUCK BOMB IN EASTERN TURKEY, 17 INJURED
By Selcan Hacaoglu, Associated Press Writer

Associated Press Worldstream
September 23, 2006 Saturday 8:48 PM GMT

Suspected Kurdish guerrillas set off an explosive-laden minibus across
from a police guest house in eastern Turkey, injuring 17 people on
Saturday, the governor’s office said.

The Ford minibus parked across from the police guest house, went off
in eastern city of Igdir on the Armenian border, the governor’s office
announced. Two of the injured were in serious condition, he said.

The injured included five police officers and some officials of a
small soccer club who traveled from Ankara to Igdir for a match,
private Dogan news agency said. The blast shattered the windows of
the police guest house and other buildings in the area.

"Thank God, we don’t have any loss," Dogan quoted Deputy Gov. Mehmet
Yilmaz as saying.

The explosion coincided with complaints by imprisoned rebel chief
Abdullah Ocalan about his prison conditions, which were relayed by
his lawyers, the pro-Kurdish news agency Firat reported on its Web
site on Saturday.

The attack also comes after recent declaration of cooperation between
Turkey, the United States and Iraq in fighting the guerrillas, who
are based in northern Iraq.

The rebels have recently intensified their attacks across the country
and have so far ignored a recent call by the pro-Kurdish Democratic
Society Party to declare a unilateral cease-fire in the hopes of
establishing dialogue with the state.

Earlier Saturday, autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels detonated a
remote-controlled bomb, derailing a freight train in southeastern
Turkey, officials said. No injuries were reported in that attack which
occurred in the province of Elazig. Seven train carriages derailed
and a total of eight were damaged.

The rebels have also carried out bomb attack in Mediterranean resorts,
killing at least three people and wounding dozens, including 10
Britons in a minibus bombing in the popular resort town of Marmaris
late August.

Ocalan’s guerrilla group has long demanded that Ocalan be moved out of
solitary confinement. Ocalan has been in prison on the prison island
of Imrali, off Istanbul, since his capture on Feb. 15, 1999 in Kenya.

His guerrilla group and supporters have long expressed concern about
Ocalan’s health. But a delegation from the Council of Europe’s
committee for the prevention of torture, which visited Ocalan on
the island in 1999, said the rebel leader’s cell was well lit and
suitably equipped.

Turkey also maintains that doctors closely monitor Ocalan’s health.

The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 37,000 people since
the guerrillas took up arms for autonomy in 1984.

The United States and the European Union have called on Turkey to
improve the economy of the war-ravaged southeastern Turkey to end
the 22-year-old conflict, which has killed 37,000 people. Turkey
insists it will not negotiate with terrorists, vowing to fight until
all rebels are killed or surrender.

Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, chief of the Turkish military, recently ruled
out any compromise and said negotiations with "terrorists" were out
of question. Buyukanit said the new cooperation with the United States
was aimed at finishing off the guerillas.

A special U.S. envoy, Retired Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, visited
Ankara earlier this month and assured Turks of Washington’s commitment
to helping Turkey and Iraq confront the Kurdistan Workers Party,
or PKK, which the U.S. lists as a terrorist organization. The PKK is
also labeled as a terrorist group by the EU.

Ralston, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, stressed however
that the use of force against the autonomy-seeking group should be
a last resort.

The bulk of the PKK’s estimated 5,000 guerrillas are thought to be
in Turkey, but many operate in Iraq and Iran.

The guerrillas have benefited from the years of a power vacuum
in northern Iraq to stage cross-border offensives in Turkey’s
Kurdish-dominated southeast as Turkey complained of lack of U.S.

support in fighting the rebels while Turkish soldiers served in
Afghanistan to support the U.S.-led war against global terrorism.

The appointment of Ralston came after Turkey issued thinly veiled
threats to stage a unilateral cross-border offensive into northern
Iraq to hunt down Kurdish rebels.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other U.S. officials have
repeatedly warned Turkey against entering northern Iraq, one of the
few stable areas in that country, fearing that an incursion would
alienate Iraqi Kurds, the most pro-American group in the region.

ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN PROSECUTORS SIGN AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.09.2006 13:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of the joint board of the Armenian and
Russian Prosecutor Offices presided by Yuri Chayka and Aghvan Hovsepyan
was held in Yerevan September 22. The RA Prosecutor General remarked
that the agenda of the meeting included issues of cooperation and
legal assistance and the outcomes of collaboration in the field. For
his part Yuri Chayka said, "There are many tasks demanding a joint
decision – struggle against organized crime, corruption, illegal
migration, money laundering and so on." The meeting participants
heard the reports given by the representatives of the two offices,
afterwards the heads of the departments signed the Agreement on
Cooperation between the Offices of Prosecutor General of Armenia and
Russia. The sides voiced assurance that the document will promote
close and efficient cooperation, reported IA Regnum.

NEW ANSWERS TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS

A1+
[01:45 pm] 19 September, 2006

Tigran Torosyan, RA NA Speaker was first to touch upon the theme of
the third conference Armenia-Diaspora.

He shared the concern of many participants of the conference
and wondered why our friends from Artsakh weren’t present in the
forum. Then Mr. Torosyan replied to the question raised by him saying
half-jokingly,"Artsakh is not Diaspora and it won’t be Diaspora in
the future either."

While answering the question whether the Diaspora and Armenia can
develop separately, Tigran Torosyan presented his views.

Torosyan is concerned by the fact that Armenian Diaspora is diverse
and contradicting which is a common phenomenon. In his words the
country must confront both the internal and external threats and
support the Diaspora to combat the menace of globalization.

Diaspora must enlarge its role in this respect and contribute to the
establishment of our country. "We need strong will power and boundless
care which are more vital for the country’s well-being than financial
support," maintains Tigran Torosyan.

September 16, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

HOLY MASS AND MADAGHORKNEK ON THE

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

Sunday, September 17, is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, and the
name day of Holy Cross Cathedral in Montebello.
On this feast day, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, will conduct Holy Mass and deliver the sermon at Holy Cross
Cathedral. Assisting at the altar will be Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian.
Following church services, the Prelate will officiate over madaghorhnek
services at `Baghramian’ Hall.

PRELATE MEETS WITH THE CENTRAL BOARD OF
THE ARMENIAN CHURCH YOUTH ASSOCIATION

On the evening of Tuesday, September 12, the Prelate met with the central
board of the Armenian Church Youth Association, to discuss issues of concern
to the youth. Accompanying the Prelate were Christian Education Department
Director Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian, and Rev. Vazken Atmajian, Pastor of
St. Mary’s Chruch.

PRELATE REPRESENTED AT THE UNVEILING OF THE ARMENIA FUND TELETHON LOGO

On the evening of Wednesday, September 13, the administrators of Armenia
Fund had organized a special reception at Alex Theatre in Glendale to unveil
the logo for this year’s telethon.
In attendance were Armenia Fund director Maria Mehranian,
members of Armenia Fund, Consul of the Republic of Armenia Arthur Mardoyan,
the mayors and city representatives of Glendale and La Canada, sponsors, and
representatives of various Armenian organizations.
Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian represented the Prelate.
Accompanying him were Rev. Vazken Atmajian, Rev. Ardag Demirjian, and Rev.
Gomidas Torossian, Pastors of St. Mary’s Church, and Rev. Nareg Pehlivania,
Pastor of Holy Cross Cathedral.

THE PRELATE VISITS OUR SCHOOLS

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR

It has become a tradition that at the start of each academic year,
the Prelate visits Prelacy schools to convey his blessings and guidance to
the students and staff. On Wednesday, September 13, the Prelate visited
Levon & Hasmig Tavlian Pre-School in Pasadena. On the same day, the Prelate
visited Vahan & Anoush Chamlian School, On Thursday, September 14,
the Prelate visited Rose & Alex Pilibos High School. On Friday,
September 15, the Prelate visited Richard Tufenkian Pre-School, followed by
a visit to Mesrobian High School.
During all his visits, the Prelate was accompanied by the local
Parish Pastors, and was greeted warmly by the directors, principals, staff,
and students of each school. The Prelate also had the opportunity to visit
classrooms and personally convey his message and encouragement to the
students.

HAMAZKAYIN VALLEY CHAPTER CELEBRATES ITS 25th ANNIVERSARY, UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE PRELATE

On Sunday, September 17, the Hamazkayin San Fernando Valley `Barouyr Sevag’
Chapter will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a banquet held under the
auspices of the Prelate. The banquet, set to start at 5:00 p.m., will take
place at `Ojahk’ Restaurant in North Hollywood.
Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian will represent the Prelate and
convey his blessings.

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF CRESCENTA VALLEY CELEBRATES ITS FIRST
ANNIVERSARY

On Friday, September 22, under the auspices of the Prelate, the Armenian
Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley will celebrate the first anniversary of
its establishment at Brandview Collection in Glendale.
Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian will represent the Prelate.
Proceeds will be allocated to the parish’s projects.

SHOOTING SOLVES MATTERS
Armenuhy Minasyan

A1+
[07:07 pm] 14 September, 2006

Today at about 12:00 Gevorg Avetisyan, born in 1985, was taken to
surgical hospital of Gyumri after Galoust Gyulbekyan with a bodily
injury.

According to the data of the Gyumri police forces, a few unknown
fellows started a heated argument near the Gyumri station in
connection with speedy driving. Then the fellows parted without further
quarrel. In half an hour they met again and decided to settle their
matter with the help of shooting. According to another official source,
the incident happened near the local cemetery N2.

Hamlet Margaryan, chief of department N1 of the surgical hospital,
claims that the sufferer’s state is normal at this moment. His large
intestine and rectum are hurt. Gevorg Avetisyan was taken to Yerevan,
Erebuni medical centre.

Gevorg Avetisyan is a student and lives in Gharibjanyan village,
Shirak region.

The representative of the Gyumri police investigation department
maintains that they have already identified the criminal. They take
drastic measures to arrest the suspect.

LEO PLATVOET: "I THINK MY REPORT WILL BE APPROVED BY BOTH AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA"

Today.Az
14 September 2006 [21:58] – Today.Az

"Azerbaijani and Armenian state commissions for prisoners of war,
missing persons and hostages will cooperate more closely after I
present my report to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly,"
said Leo Platvoet, rapporteur of PACE for prisoners of war and missing
persons in the South Caucasus.

The rapporteur recalled his calling for the relevant state commissions
to cooperate during his visit in Baku.

"I do not know whether they took into consideration my
recommendations. I closely cooperated with both commissions while
drawing up my report. So, I think my report will be approved,"
Mr. Platvoet told the APA exclusively.

The COE Information Office in Baku told the APA Platvoet will visit
Baku either late this October or early in November.

WIKIPEDIA WINS USERS AND CRITICS
Anchors: Renee Montagne

National Public Radio (NPR)
SHOW: Morning Edition 10:00 AM EST
September 11, 2006 Monday

We turn now to a source of information for millions each day. The
online encyclopedia Wikipedia is the evolving work of hundreds
of thousands of volunteer writers and editors. During peak hours,
a half-dozen new contributors sign on every minute.

The site has grown to more than a million entries in its English
edition alone. But questions remain about what information should
make it into a legitimate encyclopedia and who should put it there.

>From Chicago Public Radio, Jenny Lawton reports.

JENNY LAWTON: Twenty-one-year-old Shane Phillips(ph) is a typical
college student. He’s got specs and a goatee and he’s into science
fiction and video games. He’s also a Wikipedia administrator –
a volunteer who monitors and corrects articles.

Right now he’s working on a subject that’s been debated by historians
and government leaders for almost a century.

Mr. SHANE PHILLIPS (Administrator, Wikipedia): Armenian genocide, which
is a big issue because, you know, basically the Turkish government
claims it didn’t happen. So, of course, the Turks that edit the page
say, well, it didn’t happen. You have to put the Armenians claimed
this, the Armenians claimed that.

LAWTON: Using a Web page called a wiki, one that anyone can edit
to include new information, lots of people will be attracted to a
sensitive topic like this one.

Mr. PHILLIPS: I can see right now, it’s currently protected from
editing, which means no one can edit the page. And that happens when
just people are arguing back and forth and they need to just sit down
and talk about things.

LAWTON: Phillips wants to help both sides of the conflict follow
Wikipedia’s rules for presenting balanced and truthful information.

An acceptable article, he says, will probably list both opinions as
long as they can provide appropriate citations.

But this consensus method makes Wikipedia an easy target for criticism
and ridicule.

(Soundbite of TV show, The Colbert Report)

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. STEPHEN COLBERT (Host, The Colbert Report): What we’re doing is
bringing democracy to knowledge.

LAWTON: Comedy Central talk show host Stephen Colbert recently logged
onto the site to point out just how easy it is to rewrite facts.

(Soundbite of TV show, The Colbert Report)

Mr. COLBERT: Find the page on elephants on Wikipedia and create
an entry that says the number of elephants has tripled in the last
six months.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. COLBERT: It’s the least…

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. COLBERT: …folks, it’s the least we can do to save this noble
beast. Together, we can create a reality that we can all agree on.

LAWTON: Just minutes after Colbert rewrote the article on elephants,
exchanges were disputed by Wikipedia readers and undone by an
administrator.

To Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales, that’s proof that the system works
and has value.

Mr. JIMMY WALES (Founder, Wikipedia): I want information that’s
been vetted by a community. It’s not just the voice of one expert;
it’s the voice of a community of regular people who are interested
in the topic and come to some consensus view.

LAWTON: Wales founded Wikipedia using a model from the world of
computer programming. It’s called open source, and its supporters
maintain that the more variety there is in terms of who’s tackling a
problem, the more efficient the solution. That means that hobbyists,
even teenagers, are just as valuable as experts, as long as they can
come up with viable solutions.

But even one of the most outspoken advocates for open source software
development, Eric Raymond, says it’s impossible for that tactic to
work with an encyclopedia.

Mr. ERIC RAYMOND (Spokesman, Open Source Software): Given that there’s
no objective criteria for what the truth in an encyclopedia entry is,
the Wikipedia process has a strong tendency to diverge to nonsense
rather than converging to good code.

LAWTON: He says that means the tried and true editorial model of
experts and scholars used by traditional encyclopedias will always
be more reliable overall.

Theodore Pappas is executive editor of Encyclopedia Britannica. He
says the online edition, Britannica.com, gets its entries from Ph.Ds,
Nobel laureates and other experts, just like the book version. Users
can get about 28,000 articles for free and another 44,000 for a
subscription of $70 a year.

Though they won’t compete with Wikipedia’s coverage of the latest
trends, Pappas says there are more than 300 articles on rock &
roll alone.

Mr. THEODORE PAPPAS (Executive Editor, Encyclopedia Britannica):
What we might not have is the person who just won at American Idol
the other night. But what we will have, of course, are the Madonnas
and the Elvis’ and these seminal folks who have changed the history
of rock music or popular culture.

LAWTON: That can’t compare with Wikipedia’s thousands of entries on
everything from the latest fall sitcoms to Norwegian fjords.

But as vibrant and contentious as the site is now, it could disappear
in a flash, says University of Illinois at Champaign scholar and
Wikipedia researcher, Michael Twydell(ph).

Mr. MICHAEL TWYDELL (University of Illinois at Champaign): Wikipedia
and all those Wikiepdians – the people who get involved in adding
articles, improving articles and addressing vandalism – if too many
of them got bored and just went off to, you know, the next cool Web
thing, whatever that might be, if they did that tomorrow I think
Wikipedia would just degenerate into a froth of spam, porn, graffiti,
lies and drivel in less than a month.

LAWTON: But for the time being, Wikipedia is thriving. From his living
room in suburban Chicago, volunteer administrator Shane Phillips
wrote an article on his own area of expertise, the D.C.

Comics superhero, the Green Lantern.

Mr. PHILLIPS: Britannica might say, oh, that Green Lantern mini-series
that was out last year isn’t notable. But the way we look at it is,
it was printed by a multi-national corporation, millions of issues
were printed in about 17 countries, tens of thousands of people read
it. That’s a phenomenon.

LAWTON: And for the 10,000 users who click on Wikipedia every second,
it’s a phenomenon worth checking out.

LAWTON: For NPR News, I’m Jenny Lawton in Chicago.

(Soundbite of music)

MONTAGNE: And this is MORNING EDITION. With Steve Inskeep, I’m Renee
Montagne.

G. PETROSIAN: RESOLUTION ON FIRES MAY BE CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE FOR NKR, BUT POSITION OF THIS ISSUE IN UN IS ITSELF NOT ACCEPTABLE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the
whole taking into account the final result, namely an intention to
send the OSCE Mission with support of the UN experts to the region
to assess the long-term and short-term threats, which can lead to
ecologic catastrophe in the region, the Resolution can be considered
acceptable for the NKR. NKR Foreign Minister Georgi Petrosian stated
about it, commenting upon the UN General Assembly Resolution of the
60th session concerning fires in the territories under control of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, in the NKR Foreign Minister’s
words, it is necessary to emphasize that this process is a logical
continuation of Nagorno Karabakh authorities’ initiative.

The NKR authorities, Georgi Petrosian mentioned, were extremely
alarmed at the situation with the fires as those inflammations caused
damage to the agriculture of our republic. In connection with this
the NKR MFA sent a note to the Office of the Personal Representative
of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office with an urgent request to conduct a
crisis-monitoring in the area bordering with Azerbaijan. Two weeks late
the OSCE Mission conducted a series of monitorings, which resulted in
the report of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
which refuted the accusations of the Azerbaijani side on alleged
burnings of settlements in the NKR security zone.

"Thus, the NKR authorities were the first to address the OSCE for a
dispatch of a monitoring group to the region, which was passed over
in silence by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen in their report,
which was made public at the General Assembly’s session. However,
if the report of the OSCE high rank needs additional confirmation,
– we are ready to receive a new Mission of the OSCE to discredit
Azerbaijani myths once more," the NKR Foreign Minister emphasized.

At the same time, in Georgi Petrosian’s words, the position of this
issue in the UN itself and some formulas of the Resolution are not
acceptable. The attempts to transfer the issues which are to be
solved by the OSCE Minsk Group to the UN cannot promote the advance
of negotiation process but only postpone the possible prospect of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

In the NKR Foreign Minister’s words, the fact that the given
Resolution, namely its contents is a result of consensus between
Armenia and Azerbaijan "rare phenomenon for recent years, especially
under the conditions of the absence of confidence between the parties,
is worthy of notice and it can be only welcomed." "We consider that
such projects are to be discussed with participation of all three
parties to the conflict in order to avoid problems in the course of
implementation of accepted decisions especially because these decisions
concern the territories which are exceptionally under the control of
the Nagorno Karabakh republic’s authorities" Georgi Petrosian stated.

"The NKR’s position remains invariable – we are going to continue
our cooperation with the international structures and are ready to
assist the work of a group of experts sent by the OSCE exclusively
from neutral countries," the NKR Foreign Minister emphasized.

35 MLN USD ALREADY SPENT ON CONSTRUCTION OF ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT’S TERMINAL

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. 35 mln USD has been spent on the
construction of the arrival hall of Zvartnots International Airport’s
terminal. The arrival hall will operate starting September 14, the
airport director Juan Pablo Gechijian told reporters on September 12.

According to him, 63 mln USD is needed for the construction of
the 4-story terminal. According to him, the capacities of the new
terminal’s arrival hall are twice as much as those of the current
one. It can service 2 million passengers a year. Last year Zvartnots
serviced 1 mln 119 thousaned passengers.

J.P. Gechijian said that there are 12 "migration" tables in
the arrival hall and 6 tables for granting entry visas. All the
electric and mechanical equipment and the air conditioning system
are computer-run. The hall also has a heating system.

It is envisaged to put the terminal into operation in May 2007.

CRACKDOWN ON CORRUPTION UNDER WAY IN ARMENIA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 11 2006

YEREVAN, September 11. /ARKA/. Anticorruption strategy is already
outlined in Armenia, members of governmental council on combating
corruption said Friday at their meeting presided by Prime Minister
Andaranik Margaryan.

They also discussed the process of the program implementation and
the issues related to the state institutions reformation.

They placed on record that something is already done in this direction
– some legislative reforms are implemented. Necessary steps were taken
in state administration, banking, tax and customs areas between 2004
and 2006 as part of the governmental crackdown on corruption.

Healthcare and education sectors underwent reformation as well.

It was decided at the session to publish the information about the
program implementation.