POPE BENEDICT XVI TO MEET WITH THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY
ArmRadio.am
31.08.2006 11:50
Late in November the Pope of Rome Benedict XVI will meet with the
Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Mesrop Archbishop Mutafian in
the framework of his visit to Turkey. The Ambassador of Vatican to
Ankara Antonio Lucibello told the Turkish “Jumhurriet” daily that the
meeting with the Armenian Patriarch is not of particular importance
and that Benedict XVI will meet with all religious leaders of Turkey.

WILL GHUKASYAN RUN A THIRD TERM?
Lragir.am
31 Aug 06
In an interview with the Azat Artsakh Newspaper Arkady Ghukasyan
touched upon the problem of the third term as well. In answer to the
question of a reader he said: “If you remember my election campaign,
you must know that I promised to promote the adoption of the NKR
Constitution. The basic law of the country, the constitution, is
adopted by people, not the president. And all through my presidency
I did not let people doubt that I guarantee the rule of law. I think
the presidential, parliamentary and local elections held earlier in
NKR assured people that they do elect the president, the members of
parliament or mayor.
By the way, you should know that certain international organizations,
influenced by Azerbaijan, react nervously to elections of different
level in NKR. In other words, many wish Karabakh did not hold elections
at all. But this is not our way. We are building a democratic society,
which is impossible without free and fair elections.
We need the Constitution, and nobody doubts. Moreover, we are a little
late with the adoption. The world does not stay in the same place,
and we must react adequately to the challenges of the civilization. We
must establish and confirm our right for freedom and independence,
our readiness to develop the best traditions of the international
community.
For me, so far I have never expressed likelihood to run a third term.
I think it is wrong when some people view the adoption of the basic
law of the country in the context of a third term. For NKR and its
people need the Constitution, not Ghukassian, including in terms
of international recognition. Even if we suppose that in case the
Constitution is adopted it will give me a chance to run a third term,
a number of important issues will occur, including my wish and,
most importantly, the wish of people.
Independent from all, till the last day of my presidency I will do
everything to settle the problems our country is facing. Certainly,
there will be people who will evaluate every initiative of mine
as populism, as an attempt to appeal to people. But it would be
impossible to do nothing until the end of the term because of these
people. Especially that large-scale programs are on the agenda we
have been attending to for a number of years now.
Besides, sooner of later we had to adopt the Constitution, either
during Ghukassian’s office or someone else’s office. By your logic,
a president during whose office a Constitution is adopted is doomed to
such doubts. Does this mean that we should not adopt the Constitution
at all? I would also like to emphasize that the necessity of adoption
of the basic law of the country is set down in the political platforms
of all the political parties and movements in NKR as well. And it
is normal because it proceeds from the logic of development of our
statehood.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE PATH OF INDEPENDENCE NEVER STOPS AND NEVER ENDS
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
30 Aug 2006
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is 15 years old. The past decade and
a half was full of innumerable trials and victories. In fact, a
state is not established at once, and in case of NKR it was much
more difficult because newly-independent Artsakh had to reconstruct
the country after the imposed war it won, and build a state with
democratic traditions. To win a war people need great willpower,
patriotism and correct upbringing of the generation of war. In this
sense, the people of Karabakh were ready for the liberation struggle
because the freedom-loving spirit rebelled in every Karabakhi since
the 1960’s of the previous century. And all this took place in the
period of false Soviet patriotism and ethnic discrimination policy
conducted by Azerbaijan. If they had yielded to the imposed false
ideology of “peoples’ friendship”, the people of Karabakh would hardly
have risen in 1988, and the young men would not take guns to defend
their homeland. When the horns were blown, the teachers were among
the first to take a gun – the lesson of patriotism was taught in the
battlefield. Today when the danger of breaking the cease-fire persists,
when the foe uses every opportunity to remind about its “presence”,
the school remains the place where the patriotic new generation is
brought up. And the Ministry of Defense is constantly in contact with
the school because this is the place where the future soldiers grow
up. The new generation has another advantage: it was born and grew
up in free and independent Artsakh. Living heroes brought up this
generation. Nagorno Karabakh is 15, and it is not just a number, it
is the evidence to our presence, the tangible fact of our pride. It
means we are going along the right path, and our path never stops
and never ends.

SCHOOLCHILDREN TO HAVE A VACATION IN GREECE
Z. Mayilyan.
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
30 Aug 2006
For over ten years Karabakh schoolchildren are taken to Greece
for a holiday. Marianna Hakobian, senior official at the Ministry
of Education, Culture and Sport, said 20 children of the killed
liberation soldiers from Stepanakert and the regions under 16 left
for Greece on August 24. They will stay in comfortable hotels and spas.

HUMANITARIAN AID FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Nvard Ohanjanian
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
30 Aug 2006
On the eve of the new academic year, the International Committee
of the Red Cross distributed aid, 60 schoolbags and stationery,
to the children of the missing soldiers in Karabakh. The ceremony
took place at the office of the Union of Relatives of the Missing
Liberation Soldiers of NKR, the representatives of the NKR office
of the ICRC Edgar Sargissian and Inga Avanessian were present. The
chair of the organization Vera Grigorian said the Red Cross provides
humanitarian aid to the union two or three times a year, which is
distributed to poor families. Besides, every year on the eve of the
academic year the Red Cross gives a surprise to the young children of
the missing soldiers. In the beginning the amount of aid was bigger,
90 schoolbags, but over the past two years it was reduced, and the aid
is distributed to 60 children from the capital and the regions. The
head of the union says they implemented another project with the NKR
Ministry of Social Security. 10 families of the missing soldiers got
11 thousand drams each, and 20 families were given food aid.

IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE TO BECOME OPERATIONAL BY DECEMBER 2006
IRNA website, Tehran
31 Aug 06
Moscow, 31 August: A senior Iranian oil ministry official said
Wednesday evening [30 August] in Yerevan that Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
will become operational by year-end.
The announcement was made by Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister for
International Affairs Hadi Nezhad-Hoseynian in a meeting with Armenian
Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan.
Nezhad-Hoseynian, heading a delegation of experts from oil, energy
and foreign affairs ministries arrived in Yerevan yesterday.
According to an agreement reached between the two sides, the 160-km
gas pipeline will transfer some 36bn cubic meter of Iran’s gas to
Armenia in the next 20 years.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
August 31, 2006
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL ATTEND AYF OLYMPICS
THIS WEEKEND IN MILWAUKEE
Continuing a long tradition, Archbishop Oshagan will travel to
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this weekend, where the Armenian Youth Federation is
hosting its 73rd annual Olympic Games.
His Eminence will greet the thousands expected to attend and will open
the competitive games on Sunday, September 3, with his message and prayers.
ELEVATION OF BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN TANIELIAN
WILL BE CELEBRATED ON OCTOBER 1
The recent elevation of Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian will be celebrated
on Sunday, October 1, at the Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, New
York. For details about the event click
CATHO LICOS ARAM I QUESTIONS PARTICIPATION
OF TURKEY IN LEBANON’S PEACEKEEPING FORCE
In a letter to Emil Lahoud, the President of the Republic of Lebanon,
His Holiness Catholicos Aram I questions the potential participation of
Turkey in the peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon. Based on Turkey’s
past and more recent history, His Holiness said “the presence of Turkey in
the United Nations peacekeeping forces will never be beneficial to Lebanon.”
AMBASSADOR EVANS TO LEAVE POST IN MID-SEPTEMBER;
VOTE FOR NEW AMBASSADOR SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 7
Ambassador John Evans, who was relieved from his post as Ambassador of
Armenia after putting the words Armenian and Genocide together, will be
leaving his post by mid-September. Confirmation of the new
Ambassador-designee, Richard Hoagland, is scheduled to be discussed on
September 7 (postponed from an earlier date).
ST. JOHN THE FORERUNNER AND JOB THE RIGHTEOUS
Today, August 31, the church remembers St. John the Forerunner and Job
the Righteous.
St. John the Forerunner, also known as John the Baptist, is an important
figure in the four New Testament Gospels. He is understood to be the
“forerunner” to the Messiah. He lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea. At
the age of 30 he began to preach against the evils of the times and called
men to penance and baptism “for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.”
The Book of Job is one of five books (along with Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon) classified as the “poetical” books of the
Bible. Many theologians and writers consider it to be the most remarkable
book in the Bible. The principle message of the Book is the mystery of
suffering. Job is a good and righteous person who experiences catastrophe
after catastrophe.
PLAYWRITING AND SCREENWRITING AWARD
Today, August 31, which would have been William Saroyan’s 98th birthday,
is an appropriate time to speak about a playwriting and screenwriting
competition being offered by the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance-a $10,000
prize to be awarded for the first time next year for a new, previously
unpublished, play or screenplay, written in English, based on Armenian
themes. For further details click
MONDAY IS LABOR DAY
Monday, September 4, is Labor Day, celebrated in the United States and
Canada. Always the first Monday in September, Labor Day was created by the
labor movement more than a century ago. It is dedicated to the social and
economic achievements of workers. Through the years it has become to be
known as the unofficial end of summer, much the same way that Memorial Day
has become the unofficial start of summer.
SCHOOLS REOPEN
Of course, Labor Day also represents the beginning of a new school term.
Many of our Sunday and Saturday schools will be opening next weekend. Check
with your local parish to find the exact dates in your area.
A POETIC ENDING
We end this week with a poem by noted poet Sylva Gaboudikian who died
last week in Yerevan at age 87.
THE WALNUT TREE
There is a walnut tree
growing in the vineyard
at the very edge of the world.
My people, you are like
that huge ancient tree-
with branches blessed by the graces
but sprawling
over the small corner of land;
roots and arms spread out
and spilling your fruit
to nourish foreign soils.
>From Anthology of Armenian Poetry
By Diana Der Hovanessian and Marzbed Margossian
Columbia University Press, 1978
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September 10-Sts. Vartanantz Sunday School, Ridgefield, New Jersey, luncheon
and registration for the 2006-2007 school year.
September 10-Annual picnic of St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
September 10-Annual picnic of St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack
Valley, at the American Legion grounds in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
September 10-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Sunday School classes resume.
September 15-2nd Annual Golf Outing of All Saints Church, at Hilldale Golf
Club, Hoffman Estates, Illinois. For reservations and/or information,
847-858-7685.
September 17-First Annual Lobster Fest, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 215-482-9200.
September 17-Annual Picnic, St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, on the
church grounds, following church services and the blessing of Basil. For
information: 718-224-2275.
September 18-11th Annual ACEC/School golf outing at Stow Acres Country Club,
Stow, Massachusetts. For information, 781-326-5764.
September 22-Family Night at St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack
Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, 6 pm at Jaffarian Hall.
September 25-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, 3rd Annual Golf Outing and Award Dinner at Raceway Golf
Course, Thompson, Connecticut. Registration 7:30 a.m. For information
508-872-9629 or church office 508-852-2414.
September 25-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Third Annual Golf Outing. For information, 215-482-9200.
September 28-4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church,
Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey.
For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950.
October 1-Banquet honoring Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian on the occasion of
his recent elevation, at Terrace on the Park, Flushing Meadows, New York, 3
pm. Details will follow.
October 8-81st anniversary celebration of St. Stephen Church, New Britain,
Connecticut.
October 19-22-Annual bazaar, Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland.
October 22-Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration.
November 3-4- Ladies Guild Food Festival, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
November 3, 4, 5-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual
Bazaar and Food Festival. For information 201-943-2950.
November 5-Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
November 5-36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian
Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts.
November 11-42nd Anniversary of Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, in
the church hall.
November 11-12-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual “Armenian Fest” at
Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.
November 18-Children’s Concert, GIVING THANKS, sponsored by the Eastern
Prelacy at Florence Gould Hall, Alliance Francaise, New York City, featuring
TALINE AND FRIENDS. Details will follow.
November 26-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
First Episcopal Badarak in Philadelphia by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian.
December 9-Men’s Club Steak Dinner, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
December 24-Sunday School Christmas Pageant, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Visit our website at

Bolton tie up Iran’s Teymourian
Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Bolton Wanderers FC have acquired the services of
Iranian international midfielder Andranik Teymourian
and are close to completing a deal for another player
who was involved at this summer’s FIFA World Cup in
the shape of Czech Republic left-back Pavel Mare?.
Impressive World Cup
The 23-year-old Teymourian, who has signed a two-year
contract with the English Premiership side, joins from
Iranian club Abu Moslem. The defensive midfielder made
his international debut last summer and featured in
all three of Iran’s games in Germany, taking his cap
count to eleven. “Andranik is a talented player and
someone I believe will be able to adapt to the tough
demands of the Premiership,” said Bolton manager Sam
Allardyce. “He impressed a lot of people during the
World Cup and I’m delighted we’ve beaten off a lot of
competition to get his signature.”
Mare? move
Mare?, meanwhile, is closing in on a move from Russian
outfit FC Zenit St. Petersburg that could be worth
almost 3m. The 30-year-old, capped ten times by the
Czech Republic although an unused squad member in
Germany, has been deemed surplus to requirements at
the Petrovsky stadium by Zenit coach Dick Advocaat,
having joined the club in 2003 from AC Sparta Praha.
The defender has no regrets, however, saying: “I will
always remember my time in Russia. I achieved the best
results of my career with Zenit, who will stay in my
heart forever. I haven’t signed a contract with Bolton
yet, but I plan to sort this out before the transfer
window closes.”
©uefa.com 1998-2006.

PRESS RELEASE
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Byuzand Street, 375010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Children of Armenia Fund – New York Office
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100,
New York, NY 10111, USA
Contact: Mariam Dilakian
Tel: 212 – 994 – 8201
Fax: 212 – 994 – 8299
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
H.H. Garegin II Lends COAF Expertise in Construction
Architects and Engineers of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin Joined the COAF
Team to Assess the Reconstruction Work-in-Progress in COAF’s Model
Cluster of Armavir
Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, August 30, 2006 ¾ Today,
several architects and construction engineers of the Holy See of
Etchmiadzin joined the construction oversight team of the Children of
Armenia Fund (COAF) to assess the reconstruction project of the Dalarik
Secondary School, currently in progress. The group was led by Dr. Garo
Armen, COAF Founder and Chairman, and the Chief Architect of the Holy
See of Etchmiadzin, Artavazt Nazaretyan. The group of experts
thoroughly inspected the reconstruction project design and
work-in-progress and made recommendations for safeguarding COAF’s
construction standards, including elements of functionality and
aesthetics.
This assessment trip to the Model Cluster was initiated as a result of
the meeting between the Catholicos and Dr. Armen, during which H.H.
Garegin II displayed an extensive personal interest in COAF’s
reconstruction works and in the comprehensive rural development program
the organization is implementing in six villages of the Armavir
District.
During an earlier trip to the Model Cluster, H.H. Garegin II had
observed the noticeable change in the life of the residents of the rural
communities he visited ¾ Karakert, Lernagog and Dalarik. Learning
about the different components of COAF’s Model Cluster program and
encouraged by the results COAF had realized in a short period of time,
the Catholicos had pledged his personal engagement in assuring that the
reconstruction quality standards defined by COAF are maintained
throughout COAF’s reconstruction projects.
In his remarks at the wrap-up meeting held at the Dalarik construction
site, Dr. Armen expressed gratitude for the expertise lent by H.H.
Garegin II, and instructed the contractor to immediately incorporate the
recommendations. He emphasized, once again, the importance of
continuously monitoring the work-in-progress and periodically inviting
experts for an independent assessment of the work.
# # # # #

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 27.00.03, 27.16.00 (temporary)
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46 (temporary)
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:
August 31, 2006
Justice Denied In Three Acts: Heritage Headquarters Break-In Confirmed, But
Criminal Case Refused
Yerevan–On August 29, 2006, the Heritage Party received official
notification from Colonel Hovik Tamamyan of Yerevan’s Central Police
Department that laboratory examinations confirmed that unknown persons broke
into Heritage’s office and attached a “flash” copying mechanism and external
monitor to its computer system on the night of March 8, four days after the
Paronian Theater’s management had illegally locked Raffi Hovannisian and his
colleagues out of their place of work. This finding notwithstanding, the
police department concluded on August 24 that no criminal charges would be
brought on the premise, clearly contrived, that there was no positive
evidence, only assumptions, that any information was actually taken from the
computer system and thus that any illegality had occurred. In an amazing
display of Armenia’s “presidential justice,” the police apparently carried
out their “instruction from above” to close down the case without
questioning the management of the theater or any other possible suspects, in
places high and low, of the criminal break-in.
This telling decision was issued in response to Raffi Hovannisian’s May 29
affidavit testifying that on March 8, exactly four days after Heritage party
headquarters had been forcibly shut down without a legal warrant and further
access to it had been blocked, one or more people had gained entry into the
office’s main computer, where all information regarding the party, its
membership, and its activities is maintained. In the words of Heritage
attorney Zaruhi Postanjian: “After having examined the computer, experts
from the National Bureau of Investigation affirmed that on that night, when
the office was deemed vacant by a later court ruling, the computer was put
in operational mode for 22-24 minutes and, what is more, was hooked up to a
monitor. The results of the investigation demanded, therefore, that a
criminal case be launched. In a flagrant disregard of law and justice,
however, the police department refused to authorize such a probe, making
dubious references to ‘corpus delicti.’ We will appeal this sham
determination to the courts of law and public opinion.”
On August 24, the same day as the police department’s cover-up of justice,
Judge Narine Barseghyan of Yerevan’s Davtashen-Ajapniak Court of First
Instance heard Raffi Hovannisian’s complaint against the marshals of the
Service for Mandatory Execution of Judicial Acts (SMEJA). Hovannisian had
disputed their unlawful sealing of the Heritage office on May 30, only one
day after it reopened pursuant to the injunction issued in the underlying
case by Judge Edward Avetisyan. The SMEJA officers had forced Hovannisian
and the office staff to leave the premises.
Reflecting on the illegal actions taken by the marshals, Judge Barseghyan
seemed to pose a series of irrelevant questions with the intent to divert
the proceedings from the subject matter of the complaint. In response to the
judge’s query into Raffi Hovannisian’s current entitlement to the space,
Zaruhi Postanjian noted: “This matter is subject to clarification and is
currently being considered by the Court of Appeals. As for today’s petition,
submitted by us to your jurisdiction, we are seeking a legal assessment of
the activities carried out by SMEJA officials.”
Even though the hearing had resonated with the public at large and the
courtroom was at full capacity, representatives of neither SMEJA nor the
Paronian Theater were present. In all probability, they had advance
confidence that they would not be brought to justice. Despite the absence of
the defendants, Judge Barseghyan went forward with the trial and, in
predictable conformity with the tide of Armenian “jurisprudence,” denied
Hovannisian’s petition.
And finally on the next day, August 25, the Court of Appeals, composed of
Judges Artashes Tumanyan, Karine Hakobyan, and Astghik Kharatyan, rejected
Raffi Hovannisian’s demand for clarification of the judgment issued on June
26 by Judge Avetisian of the Central and Nork-Marash Court. According to
that judgment, the forcible closure of Heritage’s office was deemed illegal.
Separately, Hovannisian was instructed to pay certain rental installments
for a period when he was not actually making use of the premises. Hence, the
Court in effect validated the five-year real-estate lease entered into in
2002, but was silent on whether Hovannisian still could use the leased space
until 2007.
Once again, nothing out of the ordinary took place. Abusing its prerogative
to execute justice, the appeals panel carried out “in the name of the
Republic of Armenia,” yet another special directive coming from the
“presidential above.” And once again Raffi Hovannisian’s request, this time
for a simple clarification, was rejected. “We have become permanent
eyewitnesses to the successive stagings of ‘justice’ and the finale of the
show is nothing more than an ‘old song,’ but we will appeal all the way up,”
commented Heritage board chairman Vardan Khachatrian.
Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central headquarters are located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan 0010,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 27.00.03, 27.16.00 (temporary),
fax at (374-10) 52.48.46 (temporary), email at [email protected], and website
at