Category: News

DOES ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT INTEND TO PASS IP-TELEPHONY MONOPOLY TO ARMENTEL?
02.11.2004 15:50
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian government is going to pass the
IP-telephony monopoly to Armentel Company, representatives of the
executive committee of the companies engaged in IP communication stated
at the press conference today. The statement issued by them says, in
part, that the issue of depriving Armentel of the monopoly on
telecommunication services was discussed during the special sitting of
the Armenian government on October 25. However, the sitting participants
were submitted some items, which, in our opinion, expand the frames of
the company, the document runs. Special attention should be paid to the
item, which says that 250 companies registered in the field will have to
break off their activities while about 3,000 employees of the
organizations providing cheap, available and high-quality communication,
will join the ranks of the unemployed.

Zenit News Agency, Italy
Nov. 1, 2004
Holy See Neutral on Turkey’s Entry Into European Union
Depends on EU Criteria, Says Vatican Official
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 1, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See does not have an
official position on Turkey’s entrance in the European Union, and
considers that the decision must be made according to EU rules.
In an interview with the Turin newspaper La Stampa, Archbishop Giovanni
Lajolo, Vatican secretary for relations with states, clarified that “in
the case of adherence, Turkey must satisfy all the political criteria
set forth at the Copenhagen Summit in December 2002.”
These criteria include the complete guarantee of human rights as well
as full individual and corporate religious freedom, “founded on the
dignity of man.”
In particular, the prelate analyzed the situation of religious freedom
in the country, and stressed that “not only must it be guaranteed at
the level of the Constitution, legislation and administration, but must
also be effectively protected in the concrete aspects of the social
fabric.”
Those who are opposed to Turkey’s entrance into the European Union
generally think that such a decision might weaken the cultural unity of
the Continent. Those who promote it believe that it would give the
Muslim world an example of integration into the Western world.
Archbishop Lajolo said that these arguments show that “what is at stake
is of transcendental relevance, and therefore it is very understandable
that some European governments wish to be supported in their decision
by a referendum.”
“Anyway, the Holy See is not afraid of an enlargement of Europe: John
Paul II has spoken on several occasions of a united Europe from the
Atlantic to the Urals. It is critical that the New Europe have profound
inner cohesion,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Lajolo added that “more attention should be paid to states
that are already candidates, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, as
well as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia — countries that have an
old and great culture.”
“And the list could continue with other states of the Balkans, such as
Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania, which Europe cannot do
without and to which the Holy See also feels very close,” he concluded.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Nov. 1, 2004
Administrators Of Group Of The Greens In Germany Due In Turkey
Anadolu Agency: 11/1/2004
ANKARA – Administrators of the Group of the Greens/European Free
Alliance in Germany will visit Turkey this week, the German Embassy in
Ankara said on Monday.
The German Embassy stated that a German delegation chaired by Claudia
Roth, co-chairperson of the Group, would visit capital Ankara,
commercial hub Istanbul, and southeastern cities of Diyarbakir and
Sirnak.
The delegation will start their meetings in Turkey tomorrow (Tuesday),
and be received by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
The group will also meet Murat Sungar, Turkey’s secretary general for
the European Union (EU); Mehmet Elkatmis, chairman of Turkish
Parliamentary Human Rights Commission; Mehmet Dulger, chairman of
Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission; Yasar Yakis, chairman
of Turkish Parliamentary EU Adjustment Commission; deputies of the main
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP); and human rights
organizations tomorrow.
After their meetings in Ankara, the German delegation will proceed to
Istanbul to meet representatives of business circles, the Fener Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate and Armenian Patriarchate.
A part of the Greens group will depart from Turkey after their meetings
in Istanbul, while Claudia Roth and Winfried Nachtwei will go to
Diyarbakir on Wednesday.
Administrators of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance in
Germany will meet Sirnak Governor Osman Gunes, Sirnak Mayor Ahmet
Ertak, Diyarbakir Governor Efkan Ala and Diyarbakir Mayor Osman
Baydemir on Thursday.
The remaining officials of the delegation are expected to return to
Germany on Friday.

Catholic News Service
Nov. 2, 2004
Syria’s Christian churches face political, religious challenges
By John Thavis
Catholic News Service
DAMASCUS, Syria (CNS) — The ancient Christian churches of Syria, small
in numbers but vibrant in faith, are facing new challenges brought by
political instability and religious extremism outside the country’s
borders.
The war in Iraq has unleashed violence and terrorism by groups claiming
to act in the name of Islam, sending tens of thousands of Iraqi
Christians — along with many Muslims — fleeing into Syria.
Although the Syrian government has steered a moderate course and
clamped down on any form of fanaticism, the percolation of Islamic
fundamentalism throughout the Middle East worries Christians in Syria.
Internally, the churches also face a major demographic problem, as many
of their younger members continue to emigrate to places of prosperity
and security abroad. Syria’s Christian community has shrunk in recent
years to about 10 percent of the population.
Despite these problems, most Syrian pastors and lay faithful speak
hopefully about their churches’ future in a country that has taken
pains to protect their religious rights.
“I think we can be optimistic. Christians have been here for many
centuries and are generally well seen by our Muslim brothers. There can
be no ‘clash of cultures’ because we share the same culture,” Armenian
Orthodox Bishop Shahan Sarkisian of Aleppo said in an interview in late
October.
Catholic leaders echoed that sentiment.
“When you look at the fundamentalism outside of Syria, I wonder if this
government could become a tool to help stop it. Perhaps Syria could
become a model for other countries,” said Melkite Archbishop
Jean-Clement Jeanbart of Aleppo.
Syrian Christians and Muslims categorically reject the accusation made
by the Bush administration that Syria supports terrorism. The topic
often provokes an animated response.
“I read that Syria is on the list of countries supporting terrorism.
Can you imagine such a thing? This is not true at all,” said Melkite
Patriarch Gregoire III Laham of Damascus.
Most Syrians say the terrorism accusation is simply U.S. politics. They
say Syria’s ruling Baath Party, which maintains total political
control, would never allow Islamic militancy to sprout here. And as one
Christian in Aleppo put it, the Syrian government is “too smart” to get
into a showdown with the United States.
But the arrival of so many Iraqi refugees is a daily reminder of how
quickly things can change. As in Syria, Iraq’s Baath regime ruled over
a secular state, and the Christian minority was well protected. Now,
many of them are fleeing for their lives from religious persecution in
Iraq.
“The Americans came and now the whole country has been opened up to
fighting. Every border is open, anyone can come in. Fundamentalist
Muslims are flowing into the country,” said one Iraqi Christian woman
who arrived with her family in Aleppo in October.
Syria’s Muslim leaders are among the most vigilant against extremist
manifestations of Islam.
Sheik Salah Kuftaro, who runs a highly influential Islamic foundation
and school in Damascus, said in an interview that Syrian society is
currently “free from the seeds of terrorism and extremism,” and he
predicted it would remain that way. His father, the late Syrian Grand
Mufti Ahmad Kuftaro, welcomed Pope John Paul II on his historic visit
to the Umayyad mosque in 2001.
The younger Kuftaro said one guarantee of continuing religious
tolerance in Syria is that his father trained hundreds of Islamic
teachers who will follow his example. One of them was recently named by
the government to head the Ministry of Religious Affairs, he said.
“So we have good hopes to be able to deal with any form of extremism
that may arise,” he said.
Syria’s bishops also make frequent speaking appearances at Islamic
meetings to preach tolerance and dialogue. Melkite Archbishop Isidore
Battikha of Damascus recently found himself cheered by a Muslim
audience when he declared that Christians must never be labeled
“infidels.”
“I see no serious clouds on our horizon. On the other hand, Syria is a
nation of young people, and young people are easily influenced. My
concern is that outside forces don’t end up influencing our Muslim
youth,” Archbishop Battikha said.
What appears to bother Syrian Christians much more than potential
problems with Muslims is that they feel somewhat forgotten in the West.
Media portrayals of Syria, they say, typically leave out the country’s
rich Christian heritage. Few Westerners would guess that Damascus is
the Arab capital with the largest number of Christians in the Middle
East, they say.
Syria was the land of the apostles, where St. Paul had his conversion,
where some of the first Christian writers and theologians lived and
where important monastic, liturgical and theological traditions grew
up.
That tradition survives in the 11 main church groupings, including the
Melkite, Syrian, Maronite, Chaldean, Armenian and Latin rites of the
Catholic Church, that form the Christian community in Syria today.
Church leaders and ordinary faithful cooperate ecumenically; two
“shared” Catholic-Orthodox churches have been built in recent years,
and it is not unusual for members of one church to attend Sunday
services of a different rite.
Weekly liturgical attendance in Syria is very high, according to all
the churches. Many young people return during the week for catechism,
charity clubs, Scouts or prayer meetings. One expert estimated that 60
percent of Syria’s Catholic youths belong to some kind of church
movement or group.
One is 25-year-old Nizar Matta in Damascus, a member of the Fraternity
of Holy Mary in his Damascus parish. He and about 100 other young
Catholics get together for activities that focus on prayer and service,
like helping the handicapped or city cleanup campaigns. There is no
strict agenda or regimen.
“We are just trying to live as Jesus taught,” Matta said.
At the same time, the evolving Syrian culture — complete with
Internet, cell phones and satellite TV — is changing the way young
people relate to the church and traditional values, several sources
said.
“Materialism and globalization are confusing young people and creating
a gap between faith and technology. More of their time is given to
pursuing material goods, and this is new,” said Ghassan Talab, an
Orthodox Christian in Damascus who heads the Syrian branch of an
international Catholic youth movement.
In a first-of-its-kind meeting in Syria, Catholic young people in
Aleppo organized a three-day Christian youth festival last summer. It
attracted some 5,000 people and was considered a huge success.
“I’ve had about 300 e-mails since then, thanking us and asking when the
next one will be held,” said Majd Maqdessi, a 24-year-old Catholic who
helped organize the event.
Emigration has taken away many young Christians, often the most
educated, and that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future,
church sources said. Most are seeking a better life in a more secure
part of the world, they said.
“If you ask young people, most of them would want to emigrate,” said
George Barnotty, a 30-year-old Christian agricultural engineer who is
trying to decide whether to go abroad. Housing and jobs are the biggest
problems in Syria, he said.
In Aleppo, the Melkite church has taken preventive action, offering
low-rent housing to some 300 Christian families. The archdiocese also
operates a small institute that trains young people for jobs in the
tourism industry, which some expect to grow rapidly if peace ever comes
to the region.
Increasingly, the churches of Syria are operating elementary and
secondary schools, too. Catholic schools were confiscated by the
government in 1967, but some exceptions have been granted in recent
years.
In an interview Oct. 27, Suleiman al-Khatib, a top official of the
Syrian Ministry of Education, said a recent law opens the door to
church-run schools, as long as they teach the government curriculum,
which includes some general religious education.
That news pleased Aleppo’s Archbishop Jeanbart, who has embarked on
major educational projects in his city. He is opening a new wing of the
Catholic high school this fall; it is financed largely by Catholic
donors living abroad.
The Pontifical Mission for Palestine, the operating agency in the
Middle East for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, also helps
fund Syrian church projects, such as the new Catholic-Orthodox
“ecumenical church” in a suburb of Damascus.
Archbishop Battikha said the Pontifical Mission also has provided
significant funding in areas of catechetics, summer youth activities,
residences for priests and a new theological institute in Damascus.
In Aleppo, Archbishop Jeanbart said Catholic social and educational
institutions offer needed services to Christians and Muslims alike. One
unique example is the 65-bed St. Louis Hospital, where seven Sisters of
St. Joseph do double duty as administrators and nurses. Most of the
patients are Muslims.
Archbishop Jeanbart said it was important to keep expanding church
programs for two other reasons: They remind Muslims that the church is
a global institution with big resources, and they show local Christians
that the church is planning ahead.
“Communicating confidence in the future is one of the greatest things
we can do for our Christians here,” he said.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Nov. 2, 2004
Russian Minister Discussed Railway Link via Abkhazia

RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting an unnamed source in the
Georgian President’s administration that Russian Transport Minister
Igor Levitin, who visited Tbilisi on November 1, agreed with Georgian
officials over setting up joint governmental groups to work in regards
to `technical aspects’ of restoring the railway link between Russia and
Armenia via Georgia, which lies through breakaway Abkhazia.
On September 10 the railway link between Moscow and the capital of
Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia was re-opened, triggering protests from
Tbilisi, which insists that the process should be accompanied by the
return of the Georgian internally displaced persons to Abkhazia.
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania told reporters after his talks
with the Russian Transport Minister that the issue of the railway
connection was discussed during the meeting, but added that `until the
normalization of situation in Abkhazia talks over restoration of
railway make no sense.’
But Georgian Economy Minister Kakha Bendukidze, who has also met with
the Russian Transport Minister, downplayed Russia’s unilateral decision
to reopen its rail link with Abkhazia by telling reporters on November
1: `OK they [Russians] have resumed the railway connection and what do
you suppose we should do? Shall we bite them for that?’
Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said at a news briefing after
his talks with Zurab Zhvania and Kakha Bendukidze on November 1 that
the Georgian officials showed an `understanding’ towards Russia’s
decision to reopen its railway link with Abkhazia. He added that
reopening of the route `should not lead to a worsening of relations’
between the two countries.
Armenia also insists on reopening of the rail route via Abkhazia, which
will enable landlocked Armenia to restore its railway connection with
its strategic partner, Russia. Armenian President Robert Kocharian
pushed this issue during recent talks with the Georgian leadership
during his visit to Tbilisi in late October.
On March 7, 2003 Russian President Vladimir Putin and Georgia’s
ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze signed an agreement in Sochi
envisaging a `synchronization’ of the two processes – the return of the
internally displaced persons to Abkhazia’s westernmost Gali region and
the resumption of the railway connection. The two presidents also
agreed to set up two separate bilateral governmental commissions to
work over these issues. However, the commissions failed to take off.

RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
Nov. 2, 2004
Inflation rate in CIS averages 10%
RBC, 02.11.2004, Moscow 19:41:55.The inflation rate in the CIS
members averaged 10 percent from January to September, the Interstate
Statistics Committee announced. According to the provided data, Belarus
showed the largest inflation rate, namely 19.5 percent. Consumer prices
showed the slowest increase in Kyrgyzstan, where the inflation rate for
the period amounted to 4.6 percent. Russia ranked third with a
10.6-percent inflation rate. Moldova ranked second with 12.7 percent
inflation. In Ukraine consumer prices advanced 8.1 percent. Armenia
showed the inflation rate of 7.9 percent. Kazakhstani inflation
amounted to 6.8 percent. Tajikistan showed a 6.4-percent inflation rate
outpacing Azerbaijan with its 5.7 percent inflation. In Georgia
consumer prices grew 5.4 percent.

Tehran Times, Iran
Nov. 2, 2004
Mutu left out of Romania squad for Armenia qualifier
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Disgraced striker Adrian Mutu was left out of
Romania’s squad on Tuesday to face Armenia in a European World Cup
qualifier later this month.
Mutu faces an English FA hearing on Thursday after being sacked by
Chelsea last month following a positive test for cocaine. He could be
banned for up to two years from soccer.
The player said through a lawyer’s statement on Monday that he would
accept whatever punishment the FA gave him. Coach Anghel Iordanescu did
not comment on Mutu.
Romania skipper Cristian Chivu, meanwhile, has been recalled by
Iordanescu for the Group One match in Yerevan on November 17 after
recovering from toe surgery.
The Roma player missed his country’s last four qualifying matches after
he broke a bone in his left foot while playing beach soccer.
The coach only named eight overseas-based players on Tuesday and he
will complete the squad with players from Romania’s first division
later this month.
Iordanescu’s selection process has also been hit with the absences of
defender Adrian Iencsi and midfielder Daniel Pancu through suspension,
while keeper Bogdan Lobont, defender Razvan Rat and striker Ionel Ganea
are out injured.
Midfielder Florin Soava of Spartak Moskow quit the national team
following sharp criticism from media, fans and officials after Romania
were beaten 1-0 by the Czech Republic in their previous match.
Romania lead their group with nine points from four matches.
Finland, who have played one more match, are second on goal difference,
while Armenia are rooted to the bottom without a point. Overseas-based
players in squad: Defenders: Flavius Stoican, Cosmin Barcauan (both
Shakhtar Donetsk), Cristian Chivu (AS Roma), Cristian Dancia (Torpedo
Moscow) Midfielders: Paul Codrea (Torino), Mihai Tararache (FC Zurich),
Florin Cernat (Dynamo Kiev)

The Record, NJ
Nov. 2, 2004
U.S. says drug cash was good at car lot
By TOM TRONCONE
STAFF WRITER

Zakar Motors looks like most of the used car lots that line Route 46
from South Hackensack to Little Ferry: Small paved lot. Tiny business
office. Dozens of cars.
But there was a difference, federal authorities say: The father-and-son
shop catered to drug dealers with a penchant for luxury cars.
Early Monday, drug agents arrested the owner of the Little Ferry
dealership, Zakar A. Civan, 58, of Fort Lee; his son, Raffi Civan, 37,
of Englewood Cliffs; and their secretary, Eudelys Manzueta, 30, of
Moonachie, on money laundering charges.
U.S. marshals seized close to $1 million in luxury vehicles, including
a $130,000 Ferrari 360 Modena and a stable of Porsches, Mercedes-Benzes
and BMWs.
“They knowingly and willfully violated federal money laundering
statutes,” said Michael Pasterchick Jr., special agent in charge of the
New Jersey office of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
“These guys were well-known in the drug community.”
Zakar Motors allowed drug dealers to pay for the luxury cars with cash
by illegally creating financing and other paperwork in the names of
bogus buyers, Pasterchick said. From January 2002 through July 2004,
the dealership sold $3 million in luxury vehicles, with more than $2
million of the money paid in cash, he said.
A DEA database flagged 20 percent of those buyers as having previous
drug arrests.
Civan family members disputed the DEA’s claims.
“All I know is that my brother has always done everything by the book,”
Tony Civan said of Zakar Civan as he waited to talk to federal drug
agents outside the lot’s fenced perimeter.
Agents from the DEA’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force
opened their investigation into the dealership in March 2003, based on
information from a confidential informant, as well as a series of what
they deemed suspicious IRS documents, Pasterchick said.
An undercover investigator negotiated the cash purchase of four
vehicles from the Civans, three of which the agent claimed he would
sell back to them a month later as a way of laundering his money, he
said. The agent then surreptitiously recorded a conversation in
Armenian between the father and son, during which the son told the
father, “[The buyer] wants to launder money,” Pasterchick said.
In August, a drug dealer-turned-informant who was arrested in a
Monmouth County sweep told investigators he purchased a $70,000
Mercedes-Benz from Zakar in May because “the dealership had a
reputation within the drug community as a place that was willing to
sell cars with no questions asked as to the source of the funds,”
according to the criminal complaint filed against the trio.
The Neptune drug dealer told investigators he gave Manzueta, the
secretary, a plastic bag with $9,000 as a down payment for the car and
that it had to be registered in the name of a fake purchaser, the
complaint says. It says he then made $5,000 and $10,000 installment
payments in the next few weeks and provided Zakar Motors with the names
of prospective “buyers” before settling on the appropriate stand-in
purchaser.
Later that month, two undercover agents bought a 2001 BMW 330ci from
Zakar Motors for $30,000, telling the dealership that the buyer’s name
could not appear on any paperwork and that they “had a lot of product
on the street,” the federal complaint alleges.
“We made sure that these people were going to put cars in other names
and we told them that the money was drug proceeds and that we need
concealed [compartments] in the car,” Pasterchick said. “It’s very
unusual in today’s business world to work with bags of cash.”
Besides the cars, DEA agents seized $70,000 from a bank account and
could seek the forfeiture of Civan’s homes in Fort Lee and Forked River
in Ocean County, Pasterchick said. The agents had to let several other
high-priced vehicles remain -among them, a $250,000 Bentley Azure and a
$180,000 Ferrari -because they were on consignment from another car
dealer, he said.
On Monday morning, investigators from the DEA, IRS, state police and
Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office sifted through paperwork in two small
offices on the lot, occasionally removing brown cardboard boxes marked
“DEA evidence.”
Bill Offord, the assistant special agent in charge of the criminal
division of the IRS in New Jersey, said the agency’s goal now would be
the possible prosecution of some of the cash buyers.

PR Newswire (press release)
Nov. 2, 2004
Synopsys Acquires Assets of LEDA Design

Experienced IP Engineers to Help Meet Demand for Synopsys’ DesignWare

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Synopsys, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SNPS), the world leader in semiconductor design software,
today announced that it has acquired certain assets and hired the
engineering team of LEDA Design, a developer of mixed-signal
intellectual property (IP). LEDA Design has a team of more than 80
experienced digital and mixed-signal IP design engineers and support
personnel located in Yerevan, Armenia who will join the Synopsys
DesignWare(R) IP engineering team. These talented engineers have a
track record of successfully developing and delivering IP and will
help Synopsys meet increasing customer demand for Synopsys’ portfolio
of DesignWare IP. The LEDA Design team has worked together for more
than four years developing, marketing and selling silicon-verified
analog, digital and mixed-signal IP, as well as digital core and IO
libraries. The terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.
“Synopsys is committed to providing its customers with the most
comprehensive standards-based IP portfolio,” said John Chilton, senior
vice president and general manager of the Solutions Group at
Synopsys. “The addition of the LEDA Design team in Armenia to our
worldwide engineering team extends our expertise in IP and enables us
to address increasing customer demand.” Synopsys DesignWare IP is the
leading standards-based IP portfolio in the world. The DesignWare
portfolio includes a complete family of digital and mixed-signal IP
for widely used industry standard protocols, such as Universal Serial
Bus (USB) and PCI Express(TM).
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding the expected
benefits of the acquisition. These statements are based on Synopsys’
current expectations and beliefs. Actual results could differ
materially from the results implied by these statements as a result of
unforeseen difficulties in integrating LEDA Design’s engineering team
into Synopsys’ DesignWare(R) IP engineering team, as well as the
factors described in the section of Synopsys’ Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2004 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission entitled “Factors That May Affect
Future Results.”
About Synopsys
Synopsys, Inc. is the world leader in electronic design automation
(EDA) software for semiconductor design. The company delivers
technology-leading semiconductor design and verification platforms and
IC manufacturing software products to the global electronics market,
enabling the development and production of complex systems-on-chips
(SoCs). Synopsys also provides intellectual property and design
services to simplify the design process and accelerate time-to-market
for its customers. Synopsys is headquartered in Mountain View,
California and has offices in more than 60 locations throughout North
America, Europe, Japan and Asia. Visit Synopsys online at
.
NOTE: Synopsys and DesignWare are registered trademarks of
Synopsys, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks
mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their
respective owners.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU PRESS OFFICE
55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone (212) 319-6383
Fax (212) 319-6507
Email [email protected]
Webpage
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, November 2, 2004
AGBU HOSTS 83rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND WORLD CONFERENCE IN ARMENIA
MEMBERS WITNESS FIRST-HAND AGBU’S CONTINUING SUPPORT OF ARMENIA &
KARABAKH
On the occasion of its 83rd General Assembly, which took place from
October 1-7, 2004, in Yerevan, over 350 AGBU members and supporters
from 25 countries convened in Armenia’s capital to attend a multitude
of events and activities: including a three-day World Conference,
visits to AGBU’s Armenia projects, the Biennial General Assembly
meeting, and cultural evenings. Delegates also paid an official visit
to Karabakh from October 7-9.
Welcoming representatives from around the world, AGBU provided
simultaneous four-language (English, French, Spanish and Armenian)
translation for all participants that attended the Opening Session,
the General Assembly, and the Conference meetings.
During Saturday’s Opening Session, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, applauded the
organization’s continued dedication to Armenians during his
blessing. “Today, parallel to their mission in the Diaspora, the
activities of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, as well as of all
the other national and religious institutions, should be aimed at the
development of the Motherland, the strength of which will make the
Diaspora even stronger.” President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert
Kocharian, and President of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, Arkady
Ghoukassian, sent messages of support and praise.
Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vartan Oskanian noted AGBU’s
long history of service to the Armenian people and its unwavering
dedication to its mission, “in reality from the very beginning of the
century until World War II and beyond, and today, AGBU in every
instance has demonstrated its ability to adapt to any given situation
and has been able to make the right decisions for the betterment of
our people.”
AGBU’s record of support to Armenia goes back as early as the 1920s,
when its donors contributed towards the construction of an eye clinic,
maternity hospital, several schools and the town of Nubarshen. From
these early years, the organization had established deep roots in
Armenia in furtherance of its mission and since its independence there
has been a renewed sense of commitment in the country.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
AGBU delegates traveled to the Nork AGBU Soup Kitchen and Children’s
Center and personally observed its accomplishments in the eastern
district of Yerevan. The Nork Center educates over a thousand young
talents and the Soup Kitchen provides daily meals for hundreds of
senior citizens. Combined, AGBU’s six Soup Kitchens serve 1,200 people
daily and three Children’s Centers instruct over 3,500 children and
teenagers.
Members were also treated to a showcase of music, dance, and gymnastic
feats performed by the students. Since their inception in 1993, the
Centers, a joint project of AGBU and the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, have
provided training in the arts, language, history, gymnastics, and
computers to thousands of youth.
NURTURING THE SPIRIT
Sunday, AGBU members participated in the Divine Liturgy at Holy
Etchmiadzin and met with His Holiness Karekin II, where they were
welcomed to a reception in their honor. Before arriving at
Etchmiadzin, the AGBU group paid a brief visit to the Holy Trinity
Church being constructed in southwest Yerevan with funds provided by
an AGBU donor. In Holy Etchmiadzin, AGBU donors are also providing the
finances for various projects including the construction of clergy
housing and the renovation of the residence of the Catholicos.
AGBU delegates were on hand for the official dedication of the
AGBU-sponsored dormitory at Vaskenian Seminary on Lake Sevan. The
inaugurated facility includes staff rooms, offices, library and living
quarters for a hundred seminarians. The building is part of the larger
campus that provides religious education and training to clergy who go
on to serve Armenian communities throughout the world.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
With 30 day and Saturday schools around the world, AGBU’s dedication
to scholastic excellence is unparalleled among Armenian
organizations. Two AGBU-initiated projects have contributed to quality
post-graduate education in Armenia.
Beginning in 1992, AGBU partnered with the University of California to
establish the American University of Armenia (AUA), an institution
dedicated to the education of the country’s future leaders with
graduate degrees in business management, engineering, law, public
health, political science, and computer and information sciences.
AGBU delegates also attended AUA’s commencement ceremony where 133
graduates eagerly awaited their diplomas. Dr. Haroutune Armenian,
President of AUA, officiated the ceremony and captured the spirit of
AGBU, “Over its close to a hundred year history, this organization has
been able to turn beautiful dreams into reality…AGBU has been at the
forefront of creating opportunities for future generations of
Armenians…”
Another AGBU-initiated educational project in Armenia, which plays a
key role in the country’s medical community, is the AGBU Ultrasound
Center. Founded through a partnership with Philadelphia’s Jefferson
Ultrasound Research and Education Institute, the Center is a
state-of-the-art diagnostic facility and housed on the Yerevan State
Medical University campus. Made possible with funds provided by an
AGBU donor, the project was established through the dedication of
Dr. Levon Nazarian, who spoke to delegates about the facility and
noted that doctors from Russia, Ukraine, India and China study at the
center because of its quality instruction. In addition to these
projects of higher learning, AGBU also supports the Yerevan State
University, which is the country’s leading undergraduate institution.
83rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION
Monday’s General Assembly at the Armenia Marriott Hotel was chaired by
AGBU President Berge Setrakian and attended by AGBU members and
supporters.
The AGBU president reviewed the accomplishments and activities for
2002 and 2003, noting that AGBU cannot rest on its laurels. “We must
live up to our collective responsibilities of promoting and preserving
our common heritage…As we look to the horizon, to our Centennial and
beyond, I ask each and every one of you to consider what you can do
today that will make a difference in the life of an Armenian
tomorrow.”
Central Board Member Sinan Sinanian presented the organization’s
2002/2003 Biennial Financial Report, which was distributed to all
members and available in four languages, pointing out that AGBU’s
program expenditures for 2002 and 2003 totaled nearly $57 million,
which represents an increase of over $12.5 million when compared to
1992 and 1993. During the last ten years, AGBU’s net assets increased
by nearly $100 million to $250 million.
Motions to approve the Financial Report, re-elect Central Board
members and other organizational business were unanimously approved.
AGBU members, Hratch Manoukian of Cyprus, Berdj Terzian of Egypt and
Hrant Bardakjian of Canada, received recognition for their longtime
service to the organization and their respective communities.
MEETING FUTURE CHALLENGES
Built on the success of the 2002 Worldwide Convention in New York, the
Yerevan Conference sessions at the Armenia Marriott Hotel and the AUA
Business Center, began on October 4th.
Cognizant of the major population shifts that have taken place in
Armenia and the Diaspora which dictate new realities and complexities,
the Conference addressed current needs and future challenges facing
the Armenian nation and AGBU.
Taking to heart Mr. Setrakian’s message that together, “we can make
certain that a hundred years from now, another President of AGBU will
be reporting on AGBU’s current activities and will take great pride,
as I do, in knowing that there is a past filled with a rich history
and a future filled with tremendous promise.” District and Chapter
Chairs discussed and evaluated AGBU’s programs, including the
importance of addressing the needs of Armenian youth in the
twenty-first century, and ensuring that established projects continue
to serve their purpose.
The participants also listened intently to a keynote speech by Nagorno
Karabakh President, Arkady Ghoukassian, who briefed the delegates on
various aspects of life conditions in Karabakh, as well as the present
geo-political issues. He described AGBU’s various projects in
Karabakh, which include the construction of one of the largest streets
in Stepanakert, the construction of an apartment building for war
veteran families, the renovation of a school, the construction of the
village of Norashen, and the funding of the Karabakh Chamber
Orchestra.
“In my opinion, if other pan-Armenian organizations had the same
devotion and enthusiasm, many of our problems would have been solved
by now,” President Ghoukassian said in his remarks.
Other speakers included Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanian of Armenia
2020 and Arpi Vartanian of the Armenian Assembly of America.
In a special session with President Kocharian, AGBU Central Board
members and District Chairmen discussed issues of mutual concern and
the ongoing challenges faced by Armenians not only in Armenia, but
throughout the Diaspora. President Kocharian particularly praised
AGBU’s vital role both in Armenia and the Diaspora and paid tribute to
its past and present leadership.
CULTURE OF THE CAPITAL
AGBU ensured that guests were able to partake in the riches that have
once again become part of the city’s artistic life thanks in part to
AGBU’s support of excellence in the arts. At the Armenian State Opera
House, participants attended the National Theatre of Opera and
Ballet’s performance of “Anoush”. The production was made possible by
a grant from AGBU, and marked the first time in years that the classic
Armenian opera was mounted.
AGBU hosted an official reception in the medieval wing of the National
Gallery of Art on Republic Square that was attended by 1000 guest,
including government officials from Armenia and Karabakh, foreign
ambassadors, leading cultural figures, representatives of various
organizations and institutions and AGBU supporters. His Holiness
Karekin II, Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukassian, Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, and former President of the Republic of
Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian were among the distinguished guests in
attendance.
The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, which has been financially
supported by AGBU since 1992, performed a concert at the Khachaturian
Concert Hall dedicated to AGBU’s 83rd General Assembly, and included
music by Khachaturian and Tchaikovsky.
THE ROAD TO KARABAKH
At the conclusion of the General Assembly and World Conference in
Yerevan, a hundred AGBU delegates journeyed to Karabakh for a more
in-depth look at the organization’s projects and met with the
Republic’s elected leaders, including President Arkady Ghoukassian and
Foreign Minister Ashot Ghoulian.
After paying respects to the Alex Manoogian memorial (dedicated to the
Honorary Life President of AGBU) built on a street that bears his
name, AGBU supporters also visited the Karabakh War Memorial to
remember the fallen soldiers buried there. Some of the group continued
from these morning tributes onto the medieval monastery of Gandzasar
north of the capital, while many chose to brave the still war-ravaged
roads to Norashen-a village repopulation project spearheaded by AGBU
France and adopted by AGBU’s Central Board as a centennial
project. Norashen is home to 22 families and is the first of a cluster
of villages to be built in Karabakh.
Returning to Stepanakert, the AGBU group was officially received by
President Arkady Ghoukassian in the National Assembly building, where
they asked questions about the continuing work to rebuild the Republic
and heard the president’s evaluation of their progress. The event was
followed by a performance of the 26-member Karabakh Chamber Orchestra,
which was recently founded through AGBU funds.
A RENEWED COMMITMENT
Like any young democracy, Armenia faces many challenges and
obstacles. Independence has brought greater responsibilities not only
for the elected leaders of Armenia, but also for the entire
Diaspora. With a clear understanding of its Armenia programs, AGBU
members left with a renewed enthusiasm to confront new challenges with
innovative ideas, or as Mr. Setrakian noted during the General
Assembly session, “rather than employ old strategies to meet new
realities, we must evaluate what is working and what is not, and seek
out new programs that will attract and excite the next generation of
Armenians.”
With AGBU’s centennial fast approaching, the organization will
continue its quest to meet the challenges of tomorrow and provide
meaningful programs that improve the lives of Armenians across the
globe.
AGBU is the largest non-profit organization in the world and reaches
400,000 Armenians annually in 34 countries through its educational,
humanitarian and cultural projects. For more information, pictures and
the full text of speeches presented at the General Assembly and World
Conference, please visit