Panorama.am

15:51 30/11/06

INTERNEWS SUBMITS A CONCEPT PAPER ON TV AND RADIO LEGAL REGULATION

In a regular event of Internews today the organizers
had to submit a concept paper on TV and radio
broadcast legal regulation to TV station company
heads. Only two companies were present at the event,
Shant and Yerkir Media. It seems that the company
heads must have been interested in the concept paper
which Internews developed after winning a grant. `May
be they are not very interested in the issue,’ David
Sandukhchyan, Internews legal department head, said.

`All TV companies must be treated equally,’
Sandukhchyan said presenting the concept paper. He
also said national committee on TV and radio must be
independent both financially and in terms of
management up to the maximum.

The two TV company heads, present at the event, were
concerned with the provision in the concept paper
which says no limits must be imposed on the number of
companies that may emerge. `We serve a bad lesson to
the Armenian TV broadcast by that. Times have passed
when TV companies may operate based solely on video
recordings. Year by year their number must be reduced
by imposing requirements on them,’ Yerkir Media
company head says.

The head of Shant TV company, Arthur Yezekyan, said no
limitations must be put on advertising. He was
interestingly amazed why some people want to restrict
the promotion of alcohol. `There was never alcohol
dependency in Armenia,’ he said. It’s interesting if
he ever knows the level of influence TV has on
people’s minds.

The concept paper will be submitted to government
after it is discussed with other interested TV
companies. /Panorama.am/

Panorama.am

18:18 30/11/06

PARTIES DOUBT ABOUT MEMBERSHIP TO EU

Khosrov Harutunyan, leader of Christian Democratic
Party (CDP), believes that up to today the membership
of Armenia to EU was perceives as an alternative of
Russia.

Grigor Ghonjeyan, member of United Working Party
(MAK), thinks we have less and less enthusiasm in
joining EU. The resolutions adopted during the last
2-3 years indicate that Armenia has no chances to join
EU in the coming several dozens years. However, he
said his party is still enthusiastic about joining the
institution. /Panorama.am/

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I TO DELIVER LECTURES
IN THE UNITED STATES

His Holiness Aram I departed for the United States on November 30 where he
will deliver a series of lectures in various universities and receive the
prominent Pax Christi award.

His Holiness Aram I will be the keynote speaker of an international
conference organized jointly by the Indiana State University and Notre Dame
University. He will deliver another lecture in the St. John’s University in
Illinois. This second lecture will be followed by a special ceremony, during
which the Armenian Catholicos will be awarded the Pax Christi medal, which
is recognized as one of most important academic awards in the United States.

His Holiness Aram I’s first stop, however, in his one-week journey, will be
Detroit, where he will lecture during the youth conference organized by the
Prelacies under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
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.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2006

Vardan Oskanian: The activity of GUAM hampers Armenia’s development

[ 01 Dec. 2006 16:58 ]

`Yerevan has no intention to join the organization. We do not even
discuss the issue. The GUAM advocates an ideology that conflicts with
Armenia’s policy. The activities of this organization hamper
Armenia’s development,’ Armenian Foreign Minister told to the
journalists in the press conference held in Yerevan, APA reports
quoting to Panarmenian agency.

When commenting on the referendum to be held in occupied Azerbaijani
territories, Oskanian said that the people of Nagorno Karabakh are
free to choose their way themselves.
`This does not conflict with two principles of international law –
the principle of territorial integrity and the right of nations to
self-determination. The main outcome of the referendum will be not
its recognition by the international community but the expression of
will of the Karabakhi people. The international community may not
recognize the referendum outcomes but at the same time it cannot
neglect the will of the people,’ Minister Oskanian said.
Oskanian also stated that he will raise an issue concerning the
destruction of Armenian cross-monuments in Nakhchivan during his
meeting with PACE Secretary General Terri Davis to be held in
Strasbourg. He said that Armenia is ready to receive the mission on
protection of historical monuments and to provide them with necessary
documents. /APA/

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2006

FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH BRITISH BARONESS
[December 01, 2006, 14:56:51]

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with Member of
the House of Lords of Great Britain’s Parliament, Baroness O’Cathain,
press service of the Ministry said.

The British Baroness said Great Britain and Azerbaijan share a long
history of relations.

Minister Mammadyarov and Baroness O’Cathain discussed current state
of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations over Nagorno Karabakh,
implementation of large-scale economic projects in the region, fight
against international terrorism and other questions.

Elmar Mammadyarov said the Nagorno-Karabakh problem should be solved
only in accordance with international norms and the principle of
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The Minister said Armenia is spreading false information about his
country, adding this affects peaceful talks negatively.

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2006

Russian Prime Minister begins talks with Armenia

Source: Trend
Author: Trend

01.12.2006

(Itar-Tass) – – A visit of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
will become a milestone in the development of ties between Russia and
Armenia, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said opening talks
with his Armenian counterpart, reports Trend.

`I’m pleased with the opportunity to discuss issues of
Russian-Armenian cooperation,’ Fradkov said. `I know that the chief
aim of your visit is participate in the closing ceremony of the Year
of Armenia in Russia due to held in St. Petersburg. In Moscow, You
also have a saturated programme.’

Fradkov offered to discuss topical problems focussing `first of all
on trade and economic ties.’

For his part, Andranik Margaryan expressed confidence that `the Year
of Armenia has promoted the intensification of the political and
economic dialogue and made it possible to expand bilateral
interaction.’

Stanford Daily, CA
Stanford Univ.
Dec 1 2006

Armenians commemorate `88 quake

Speaker event, photo gallery seek to learn from disaster
December 1, 2006
By Maneesha Limaye

Engineering Prof. Anne Kiremidjian stressed the importance of stable
construction, reliable building materials and architectural expertise
in averting humanitarian tragedies after natural disasters in a
Pigott Hall speech last night.

The event, sponsored by a broad coalition of campus groups including
the Armenian Students Association (ASA), Blume Earthquake Engineering
Center, Sanksriti, Six Degrees and Engineers for a Sustainable World,
was half of a two-part event entitled `Mitigating Natural Disasters:
Lessons from the Armenian Earthquake.’

`The range of groups that had a role in organizing this event
reflects the impact natural disasters can have on all segments of
society around the globe, making the message we wanted to send all
the more powerful,’ said senior Seepan Parseghian, ASA president.

The discussion was combined with a two-day photo exhibit to honor the
victims of the 1988 Armenian earthquake and to understand its
consequences in light of recent natural disasters in New Orleans in
2005 and the Indian Coast the year before.

The photo exhibit’s aim was to provide visual images of the poverty
and damage caused by the earthquake. Raffi Mardirosian, ASA member
and organizer of the gallery, was pleased with the exhibit’s turnout
and impact.

`I think it went well,’ he said. `A lot of people were able to see
that people have nothing in Armenia. The pictures really show the
infrastructure damage and the state of ruin.’

While the photo exhibit attracted a more general audience, the
speaker event was targeted toward engineers, emphasizing their
importance as potential contributors to future earthquake security
policies.

`Non-traditional security threats like natural disasters are costing
the global community an increasing number of lives, and engineers
have a crucial role in preventing this trend from worsening,
especially in developing nations, where the engineering expertise
offered at institutions like Stanford is not available for the local
populations to use,’ Parseghian said.

Kiremidjian, a faculty member at the Blume Earthquake Engineering
Center, emphasized the importance of infrastructure stability and
discussed the economic, social and political contexts surrounding the
Armenian earthquake.

`It is important to understand where a country is located and its
political setting when an earthquake occurs,’ said Kiremidjian.

Eighteen years ago, Armenia, a member of the now-defunct USSR, was
struck with an earthquake that leveled its northern regions, causing
thousands of causalities and displacing many more refugees.

Kiremidjian estimated that 40 percent of Armenia was affected.
Twenty-five thousand people were killed, 514,000 were left without
shelter and 1,198 buildings were destroyed in just one city of
Leninakan, Armenia. By contrast, an earthquake of the same magnitude
struck San Francisco, Calif., the following year and killed 64
people.

`It was a truly devastating event,’ Kiremidjian said. `I would rank
it as one of the worst disasters around the world.’

The damage, she explained, was a direct consequence of civil
engineering.

`In addition to poor design, the quality of the concrete used in
Armenian buildings was poor,’ she said. `Supervision during
construction was nonexistent. It was a combination of all the worst
possible conditions.’

Despite great strides in understanding of earthquakes and safety
precautions for engineering structures since then, Kirmidjian said
earthquakes – along with other natural hazards – continue to result
in enormous human casualties.

`It is important to recognize the potential of earthquakes, to
understand their consequences and to not be complacent, but to work
towards better policies that will make the necessary changes,’
Kiremidjian said.

An audience dominated by engineering students praised the event.

`It was a very touching presentation,’ said Ting Lin, a graduate
student in engineering. `It raises the awareness and shifts the focus
away from local concerns and towards international ones.’

`It was really informative,’ said Heather Bischel, another graduate
student in engineering. `I haven’t been to any of the ASA’s
presentations before, but I was interested in the topic. I liked how
she approached it from a human aspect. She truly has a passion for
the people there.’

/1/armeniansCommemorate88Quake

TREND, Azerbaijan
Dec 1 2006

Azeri Parliament Delegation Holds Meetings in Pakistan

Source: Trend
Author: I.Alizade

01.12.2006

The delegation of the Azerbaijani Parliament, who are on a visit to
Pakistan, held a number of meetings. They met with both houses of the
Pakistani Parliament – Senate and National Assembly, the member of
the delegation, MP Asim Mollazade, stated in an exclusive interview
with Trend.

In addition, the delegation of the Azerbaijani Parliament visited the
Foreign Ministry of Pakistan and Foreign Relations Committee of the
Senate. During the meeting, debates were organized on the
Azerbaijani-Pakistani relations, energy policy and growing influence
of Azerbaijan.

Mollazade underlined that on 1 December, a round table was organized
in the Pakistani State University, with the participation of the
Azerbaijani delegation. The round table focused on the energy policy
of Azerbaijan and relations between the two countries in various
areas.

`It was stated during all meetings that the relations between
Azerbaijan and Pakistan are at high level. Official Islamabad
recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the position
of Pakistan regarding Nagorno-Karabakh remains unchanged. At present,
Pakistan has not established diplomatic relations with Armenia due to
the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and supports the
settlement of the conflict on the basis of the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan,’ Mollazade said, adding that both countries support
each other within the international organizations. `There is a very
good attitude towards Azerbaijan in Pakistan,’ Mollazade underlined.

The delegation includes the Head of the Working Group of the
Azerbaijani Parliament for Relations with Pakistan, Chairman of the
Permanent Parliamentary Commission for Agrarian Policy, Eldar
Ibrahimov, Chairman of the Permanent Commission for Human Rights,
Rabiyat Aslanova, Chairman of the Permanent Social Policy Commission
Hadi Rajabli and Deputies Asim Mollazade and Isa Habibbeyli.

The visit will conclude on 3 December.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Dec 1 2006

NO SETTLEMENT DOCUMENT WILL BE SIGNED WITHOUT NAGORNO-KARABAKH’S
AGREEMENT

Now a shift is noted for the Nagorno Karabakh Republic to become a
party of the Karabakh talks, RA Parliament Standing Commission on
Foreign Relations Chair Armen Rustamian stated in the course of a
press a conference in Yerevan.
In his words, the issue has always been on the negotiating table.
`There are no cases in the world practice when an interested party of
the conflict does not participate in the talks. I hope the OSCE MG
will not object to NKR’s involvement in direct talks with Azerbaijan
and will do its best to that end”, Rustamyan underscored, adding
that no settlement document will be signed without NKR’s agreement.
The Parliament Commission Head noted the referendum in NKR, like
those held in the former USSR’s unrecognized republics, was very
important for the international community. `’It is people’s will,
which cannot be ignored. Returning to the territorial integrity’s
principle I will remark that for observing it the USSR needs to be
restored, as the borders of all states, on the territories of which
conflicts are available, were determined by the USSR’s administrative
division. Thus, if the state does not exist, the borders become
invalid”, Armen Rustamian said, PanARMENIAN.Net reports.

Hurriyet, Turkey
Dec 1 2006

The Pope leads mass at Istanbul’s Saint Esprit before departing
Turkey

On the final day of his visit to Turkey, Pope Benedict XVI led a mass
at Istanbul’s Saint Esprit Cathedral in Beyoglu, where he was joined
by a mass of worshippers, as well as by Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos,
as well as Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II. At the entrance to the
church, Pope Benedict XVI sent doves to symobolize peace aloft in the
air.