PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
September 11, 2006
___________________
SUNDAY SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS ATTEND MARDIGIAN INSTITUTE TRAINING WEEK AT
DIOCESAN CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY
By Jake Goshert
They came from front-line communities all across the U.S. to New York City
to learn new tactics and strategies, and be introduced to new tools for
accomplishing their vital mission.
They were 14 Sunday School educators from nine parishes, stretching from New
Jersey to Texas, visiting the Diocesan Center for the 29th annual Mardigian
Institute, a week-long session of workshops and classes designed to
strengthen the skills of local volunteer educators.
“Armenian Church Sunday School teachers are on the front lines of
transmitting our faith to the next generation, and we need help,” said
participant Cheryl Ohanesian. “This outstanding program provided it all:
information on church doctrine, rituals, and tradition, presented by
knowledgeable lecturers and Armenian priests. Most important, everything
presented was practical, designed to be replicated in our own parishes, so
everyone could benefit. We are returning to our home parishes with a wealth
of usable, creative ideas and new materials. Every Sunday School teacher
should attend this program.”
FOCUS ON CHURCH AND HOME
The first few days of the Mardigian Institute featured classes at the
Diocesan Center in New York City. Each day began with a morning service in
St. Vartan Cathedral, allowing teachers to participate in traditional
Armenian worship.

Sessions focused on the Diocesan theme for the year: “Church and Home: One
in Spirit.” Participants heard from experts in the field of Christian
education who aimed to give the teachers the tools needed to better reach
their students. In the core lecture on faith development, Dr. James Morgan
set the tone for the week by reminding teachers that “Christian education is
all about that beautiful trilogy of ‘information – formation
-transformation’ and that unless we were leading people to truly changed
lives, the information is irrelevant.”
Several clergymen led sessions during the week-long program, teaching and
challenging the group with such topics as “How Our Divine Liturgy Came To
Be,” “Ten Things Every Teacher Should Know About Scripture,” “Ways of
Prayer: The Psalms,” “New Testament Perspectives on the Church,” “The How’s
and Why’s of Blessings” and “Saints: A Gift of Witness.”
“I felt like a sponge taking in extremely beneficial information as much as
possible to take home with me,” said participant Patrick Rabbot.
Along with the academic discussions, the teachers experienced several
hands-on sessions. In one, they attempted three craft ideas for the
upcoming feasts of The Exaltation, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. They also
scripted and performed skits based on Scripture stories. These exercises
were designed to give the Sunday School educators new ideas to take back to
their students.
“I have wanted to attend Mardigian Institute for years – and finally this
year I had the opportunity,” said participant Deborah Onanian. “It has been
a truly enlightening experience. I will be able to return to my home parish
with renewed strength and enthusiasm.”
Participants also had a chance to spend time with Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese. During a dinner at the Diocesan
Center, they had a frank and open discussion about the Armenian Church, its
mission, teachings, and future.
“It is energizing to meet these men and women who are giving of their time
and skills to serve their local communities and the Armenian Church. I am
glad they are able to attend this important program to gain new ideas,
tools, and resources to strengthen their Christian education efforts,” the
Primate said. All of us — from priests and parents to community and parish
leaders — must join our Sunday School educators in nurturing the souls of
the next generation. ”
BUILDING BONDS
This year’s Mardigian Institute saw several “firsts” among participants. It
was the first time an entire family attended, with Shnorig Bashian, the
superintendent of the Sunday School at St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ,
taking part in the program along with her husband John and their son Aram,
both teachers for the school. There were also two parishes that sent their
first participants: the St. Peter Church of Watervliet, NY, and the mission
parish in Nashville, TN.
An unprecedented number of superintendents (five) were present, allowing
organizers to hold an impromptu superintendents meeting. One idea discussed
was the scheduling of a national superintendents’ convocation to coincide
with next year’s Diocesan Assembly.
After several days of intense workshops at the Diocesan Center, the
participants attended a two-day retreat at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary,
led by Rev. Ginna Minasian Dalton. Titled “A Home-Grown Faith: Developing
Habits of the Heart,” the retreat sessions allowed participants to track
their faith journeys and share the tears and joy of spiritual
self-discovery.
The serene setting of St. Nersess Seminary was much appreciated —
especially by first-time visitors who thought it was “the most beautiful
spot on earth.” And the friendships built among the participants will
surely last a lifetime.
DIVERSE PARTICIPANTS
The 2006 Mardigian Institute concluded with an uplifting Assumption Day
liturgy and grape blessing at St. Vartan Cathedral, followed by a farewell
luncheon, distribution of certificates, and reluctant goodbyes.
“I know we are supposed to allow others in our Sunday Schools the
opportunity to come to the Mardigian Institute, but I would love to come
back every year,” said participant Celine Sirinoglu. “This was such a
wonderful experience. I am leaving not only with an abundance of
information, but also with a new support system and great friends.”
The Mardigian Institute is sponsored by the Department of Youth and
Education, and organized by staff members Elise Antreassian, Coordinator of
Christian Education, and Nancy Basmajian, ACYOA Executive Secretary. But
most importantly, it is made possible by Helen and the late Edward Mardigian
as a gift of love to the Sunday School they themselves cherished. “Without
them, concurred the organizers, “this very real and very inspiring week
would still be just a dream.”
* * *
Participating in this year’s Mardigian Institute were: Deacon Sarkis
Altunian and Celine Sironoglu (St. Sarkis Church, Carrollron, TX); Shnorig,
John, and Aram Bashian (St. Thomas Church, Tenafly, NJ); Barbara Chamberjian
and Gail Pelaez (St. Mary Church, Livingston, NJ); Liza Dorian (Holy Trinity
Church, Cambridge, MA); Cecile Guekjian and Shake Potoukian (St. David
Church, Boca Raton, FL); Ruzanna Hovsepyan (St. Gregory Church, White
Plains, NY); Cheryl Ohanesian (St. Peter Church, Watervliet, NY); Deborah
Onanian (Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church, Providence, RI); and Patrick Rabbot
(Armenian Church Mission Parish of Nashville, TN)
— 9/11/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Students at the Diocese’ Mardigian Institute with Fr.
Daniel Findikyan, dean of the St. Nersess Seminary, who spoke during the
week-long session on the Divine Liturgy.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): During the Diocese’s Mardigian Institute, Suzanne
Anoushian Froundjian demonstrates a craft project the Sunday School
educators can use to discuss the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Two participants in the Mardigian Institute — Debbie
Onanian of Providence, RI, and Sarkis Altunian of Dallas, TX — happily
display “sandwich board table prayer” crafts they made during one of the
many hands-on workshops organized by the Eastern Diocese to help provide
ideas and resources to local Sunday School educators.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): After speaking about the Psalms during the Mardigian
Institute, Fr. Tateos Abdalian, pastor of the Holy Trinity Church of
Cheltenham, PA, meets with one small group of Sunday School teachers tasked
with writing their own psalm, an exercise they could then use in their own
classes.
PHOTO CAPTION (5): Fr. Shnork Souin, pastor of the St. Mary Church of
Livingston, NJ, demonstrates a “Home Blessing” service to Sunday School
educators during the 2006 Mardigian Institute, organized and hosted by the
Eastern Diocese in New York City.
PHOTO CAPTION (6): After learning how to use originally written skits to
teach about church history and teachings, participants of the Mardigian
Institute perform their original creation on the life of St. Vartan for the
other Sunday School teachers attending the week-long session at the Diocesan
Center in New York City.
PHOTO CAPTION (7): Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, pastor of the Church of the Holy
Martyrs in Bayside, NY, gathers with participants of the Mardigian Institute
after speaking on Scripture during one of the sessions.
PHOTO CAPTION (8): To close the Mardigian Institute, Rev. Ginna Minasian
Dalton, seen here speaking to participants, led a retreat at the St. Nersess
Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, NY.
PHOTO CAPTION (9): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese, presents participants of the Mardigian Institute with the book
“Frequently Asked Questions of the Armenian Church.”
PHOTO CAPTION (10): Sunday School educators from throughout the Eastern
Diocese who took part in the Mardigian Institute — joined by Institute
organizers Elise Antreassian, coordinator of Christian education for the
Diocese, and ACYOA Executive Secretary Nancy Basmajian — with Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese.

Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, September 11, 2006
Contact: Lerna Kayserian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
CALIFORNIA TRADE OFFICE IN YEREVAN REACHES OUT TO INVESTORS
– California Trade Office in Yerevan to Host Trade Mission in Armenia;
ANC Professional Network to Host an Evening in Los Angeles Featuring CATO
YEREVAN, ARMENIA- As part of its ongoing efforts to facilitate trade
between California and Armenia, the California Trade Office (CATO) in
Yerevan will be hosting a Trade Mission to Armenia later this month.
The Trade Mission to Armenia is scheduled to take place from September
19-26, coinciding with the Second Armenia-Diaspora Economic Forum to
be held on September 20th. The Trade Mission aims to bring together a
group of potential investors and Californian companies to assist them
in expanding their investments in the Armenian market and help them
identify business partners and opportunities. CATO will assist
participants by arranging meetings with high level government
officials, company executives and potential business partners. The
agenda will also include a wine tasting reception on September
20th. Participants will taste California wine generously donated by
Paul and Sandra Kalemkiarian, owners of the Wine of the Month Club.
In California, the Armenian National Committee Professional Network
(ANC-PN) will host an event on September 28th featuring a presentation
by the California Trade Office. The evening will provide young
professionals who live in Southern California the opportunity to meet
representatives of CATO and discover investment and business
opportunities in Armenia. Those who are interested in attending this
event should contact the ANC-PN by calling (818) 500-3500 or emailing
[email protected].
The upcoming events seek to further facilitate trade and business
between California and Armenia and its neighbors. Those who are
interested in learning more about the California Trade Office in
Yerevan and its activities are encouraged to visit the CATO website at
The California Trade Office in Yerevan was launched in October of
2005, making it the only foreign representation of the State of
California. Since its inception, CATO has facilitated trade between
California and Armenia under the auspices of California Business,
Transportation, and Housing Agency. CATO not only serves Armenia but
also the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union,
Eastern European countries, and Western Asia. CATO was created to
assist Californian companies in increasing their exports to Armenia
and the region and to assist companies from Armenia and the region in
seeking to locate overseas facilities in California.

Easy Bourse (Communiqués de presse), France
Sept 8 2006
UN Asked To Aid Firefighting Effort In Nagorno-Karabakh
Friday September 8th, 2006 / 6h33
UNITED NATIONS (AP)–The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution
calling for the U.N. to urgently assist in preventing environmental
damage from fires in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia disassociated itself from the resolution, which was approved
Thursday without a vote, and expressed concern at its title, “the
situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.”
The mountainous territory in Azerbaijan has been controlled – along
with some surrounding areas – by Karabakh and Armenian forces since
1994. Nagorno-Karabakh has been governed by a shaky cease-fire that
in 1994 ended a six-year separatist war.
The resolution stressed “the necessity to urgently conduct an
environmental operation to suppress the fires.” It took note of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s intention to
organize a mission to the region to assess the short-term and
long-term impact of the fires.
Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan, but is populated mostly by
ethnic Armenians, who have run it and seven contiguous districts
since the 1994 truce. Sporadic border clashes regularly break out and
the unresolved conflict has held up development in the strategic
region.
Azerbaijan’s U.N. Ambassador Yashar Aliyev introduced the draft
resolution, saying that in early June Azerbaijan registered massive
fires in the eastern part of the territory occupied by Armenia, and
by August the fire had damaged more than 600 square kilometers.
After the vote, he thanked everyone who supported the resolution,
expressing dismay that Armenia disassociated itself from the text
which had been negotiated with its diplomats over 48 hours. As a
minimum, he said, it was “honest and appropriate.”
Armenia’s U.N. Ambassador, Armen Martirosyan, said that although he
supported the content of the resolution, he had serious problems with
its title and opposed bringing any Nagorno-Karabakh issue to the
United Nations.
U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff, speaking on behalf of the
OSCE group dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh issue – the U.S., France
and Russia – said the three countries remain committed to promoting a
peaceful, negotiated solution to the conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

CNW Telbec (Communiqués de presse), Canada
Sept 8 2006
High Arctic builds international revenues as US$15-million Armenia
project advances
RED DEER, AB, Sept. 7 /CNW/ – High Arctic Energy Services Trust
(TSX: HWO.UN) (the “Trust”) today announced the mobilization of a
drilling rig in preparation for Integrated Project Management (IPM)
activities in Armenia with Transeuro Energy Corp. of Vancouver.
The Armenia project is a continuation of the 36-month IPM
agreement announced in August 2005 that has the Trust managing
Transeuro’s worldwide concessions, including asset and operations
management, development of work programs and authority for
expenditures, and supplying services and equipment. The initial phase
of the planned US$15-million underbalanced drilling program in Armenia
is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year with a
three-well exploration program.
“The continued development of our IPM activities with Transeuro
into Armenia further expands our international activities and provides
an opportunity to add to our expertise,” said Jed Wood, President and
Chief Executive Officer. “This project again demonstrates the ongoing
value of IPM to our customers and investors.”
The Trust also announced that Scottie Hannah, who recently joined
the High Arctic team as Drilling Operations Manager, will provide
management and technical support to the Armenia IPM
activities. Mr. Hannah has more than 28 years experience in the oil
and gas industry, including several drilling superintendent positions
and most recently was the Business Unit Manager, Air and Underbalanced
Drilling, for Weatherford International Ltd.
About High Arctic
The Trust, through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of
underbalanced well construction services, including drilling,
completion, workover operations and Integrated Project
Management. High Arctic’s new underbalanced drilling technology and
equipment is recognized for its ability to improve oil and gas
production capabilities and is expected to develop greater acceptance
in international markets. Based in Red Deer, High Arctic has domestic
operations in Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest
Territories. International operations are currently active in the
Middle East and former Soviet Republics.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
relating to expected future events and financial and operating results
of the Trust that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may
differ materially from management expectations as projected in such
forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including market
and general economic conditions and the risks and uncertainties
detailed in the Trust’s prospectus filed with the Canadian securities
regulatory authorities. Due to the potential impact of these factors,
the Trust disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable
law.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPEECH BY ARF ARMENIA SUPREME BODY REPRESENTATIVE ARMEN RUSTAMIAN AT THE 10TH SUPREME CONGRESS OF THE ARF ARMENIA ORGANIZATION
Yerkir
07.09.2006 15:21
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Speech by ARF Armenia Supreme Body representative
Armen Rustamian at the 10th Supreme Congress of the ARF Armenia
organization.
Today is the opening of the 10th Supreme Congress of the ARF Armenia
organization. The 10th congress coincides with a special jubilee of our
country’s new history – the 15th anniversary of the new independence.
The concurrence of these two jubilees makes me to not simply make
another report that is a part of each of our congresses but make a
special one, a more complete report.
A report that is not just meant for the internal use of the party with
an aim to ensure the accountability of the party leaders before the
party ranks, but is the party’s account before our people. People want
to see when, how and in what ways a party’s activities were related
to the country’s biography, and what was a party’s participation in
and contribution to the key issues of the people.
Only an assessment based on that criterion could be objective,
and only an assessment made during a crucial period of the homeland
could be considered comprehensive. This 15th anniversary of our new
independence makes everybody, including us, assess the road the party
has passed by viewing it in the context of achieving independence
and building statehood.
But it wouldn’t be right to limit ourselves to those 15 years only
if we wish to present this process in full; we need to take into
account a historic period that includes the essential stages of
the process, with its beginning and maturing process. This period
actually covers twenty years, since the beginning of the process was
the Karabakh movement that started in 1988 and it will end with the
2008 presidential election when the incumbent president is to leave
the office and Armenia is to have a new president.
In the context of those twenty years, an analysis and assessment
of a party’ s activities will allow to make the current rivalry and
disputes between the political forces constructive and position them
in the field of ideological and political field. This also requires
an assessment and evaluation of their political activities in the
achievements of the people and their contribution to the undisruptive
course of the country, the efficiency of their programs and efforts.
The ARF has been working under this logic for 116 years now, and
it was able to draw a line between the common national interest and
secondary issues, and act in the name of that most important goal by
making sacrifices when necessary and even acting alone when required.
There is no need of historians to realize this because those capacities
were apparent during this 20-year period, and the main events have
happened with the participation of this generation and before its eyes.
It happened from the very beginning — in 1988 — when our entire
nation reaffirmed its common goals and united for the national ideas
that were later formulated in the Independence Declaration.
Those ideas were of course concurrent with the program and values of
the Dashnaktsutiun. The Dashnaktsutiun then returned to Armenia with
the slogan “To the country;” it encouraged the Diaspora to participated
in the creating of the independent state that many had been dreaming
of for decades. The essence and mission of the Dashnaktsutin was
entirely realized in the Artsakh liberation war.
To win that bloody war, our people had to have a firm belief,
determination, experience and skills. We were successful and our
people saw that long-awaited victory. The fight, however, was not
over; it became political. The confrontation with the regime resulted
in the unfair suspension of the party and political harassment. The
confrontation was ideological and had a serious political content. The
ignoring by the regime of the national goals and ideas accompanied
with neutralization of the powerful potential laid in the base of it.
But even when it was suspended, the Dashnaktsutiun endowed all of
its capacities to return the country to the path that was aimed at
fulfilling the national goals. During the 1996 presidential election,
the party helped greatly to form a united opposition front around a
candidate that had clear platform.
This fight reached its finale when the ruling regime was ousted. The
change of regime in 1998 first of all rejected the political course of
the former regime and restored the respect and responsibility towards
the national goals and set up conditions for fundamental improvement
of the situation.
Unfortunately, the tragedy of October 27, 1999, interrupted that
normal course imposing a serious danger for the constitutional order
threatening the prospect of building statehood. With the joint efforts
of the Dashnaktsutiun, the president and other thoughtful forces,
the attempts to destabilize the country were thwarted.
The 2003 became the first difficult test for the new leadership. It
was hard to explain the difference between the desirable and reachable
to the people that had passed through the long years of hardship. But
the Dashnaktsutiun, while admitting the fact of internal and external
difficulties, the existence of numerous unsolved problems, was sure,
however, that it should not be allowed that the main achievement
be threatened. The national course restored after 1998 was to be
maintained, and the positive trend of the past five years should have
been given new momentum.
The 2003 elections were also the first serious test of our country
before the European bodies. It should be noted, however, that didn’t
pass that test.
It was apparent that the government was not ready yet, and certain
sectors of the society – because of social hardships — were not able
to make a balanced political decision. The situation that followed the
elections was tense; there was an objective discontent, the country’s
image was harmed, and the negative internal and external developments
could result in risky developments and losses.
Given those realities, as well as driven by the pursuit to raise
the issues we deemed crucial to the government and to contribute
to their solution with our immediate participation and role, the
Dashnaktsutiun decided to form a coalition with our partners. The
post-election tension, however, escalated one year later.
By escalating the domestic political situation, calling for
disobedience and removal of the leadership, the opposition tried to
rationalize – as it saw it – an existence of a social demand and by
its own interpretation of the Constitutional Court ruling. In reality,
inspired by the revolution in the neighboring country, the opposition
interpreted the unsolved problems and the subsequent discontent as
the people’s order to carry out an immediate change of the regime. But
the reality was the same as before and immediately after the elections.
Neither changing the regime, nor keeping it in power is not the
sole goal for the people; they expect from the leaders to carry out
significant changes.
This is why the Dashnaktsutiun, after consultations with prominent
intellectuals, together with its coalition partners, suggested that
those key issues be resolved through reaching a consensus with the
opposition.
Even today, we regret that that brilliant chance was missed. A chance,
that would have not allowed the political forces to be divided into
winners and losers; the victory would have been for all – and for
the people in the first place — because serious political conditions
would have been set up for carrying out wide and significant reforms.
The long-due constitutional reforms were to be put in the core of the
reforms. But unfortunately, due to that environment, the constitutional
referendum was not comprehended as an exclusive chance to improve
the constitution under the control of the European bodies to raise
the political activeness of the people.
Despite the controversial assessments given to the handling of the
constitutional reforms, it is apparent to the Dashnaktsution that the
country got rid of the constitution drafted by the regime of the day;
a constitution that has long exhausted itself.
This brief evaluation of the Dashnaktsutiun’s activities after its
return to Armenia makes it obvious that the party has been maintaining
its main goal – to ensure the country’s secure development by maintain
the national state course.
The best environment for reaching this goal is to establish a full
democratic stability. This is why the Dashnaktsutin has always acted
from the positions to maintain the domestic stability while carrying
out fundamental democratic reforms.
These two major goals make us adopt relevant position that makes us
oppress any outburst that could toss the baby with the dirty water, and
on the other hand to encourage any struggle that is aimed at furthering
the democratization of the country. Often, such a position has been
understood and interpreted wrongly. The opposition has considered it
as conformism and backpedaling from the once-revolutionary stance,
while the leadership has seen it as impatience and extra romantics.
We believe that the conditions created in those years are enough
to speed up the democratization of the country while maintaining
stability.
Such conditions include:
– the country’s return to the course outlined in 1988; – prevention
of the general regression and transforming them into progressive
trends; – encouragement of European integration process and setting up
conditions to make them irreversible; – voluntary commitments aimed at
harmonic development of the country and control and assistance by the
international organization over their implementation; – establishment
of the new constitutional order and democratic reforms stemming from
it; – maintenance of favorable and dignified stance in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement; – foreign policies that are based on
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, pursuit of the national
interest and state goals; – initiation of new relations with the
Diaspora aimed at joining the capacities of all Armenians.
Armenia has reached today a stage when a political courage should
be applied and make a decisive and sharp turn towards European norms
and standards.
This will be the only condition for the Constitution, laws and decrees
to not remain on paper and be applied arbitrary. At this new stage,
the priorities for the reforms should be as follows:
– Significant increase of government efficiency through applying modern
means of balance and restraints; otherwise, people would continue to
feel the lack of the government in their every-day life. The government
should regain its organizing-regulating role in the social life.
– Establishment of the rule of law, from brining the laws in
line with international standards to ensuring measures for their
application. This is the main demand of our people, since Armenians
are more concerned with injustice than poverty.
– Furthering the anti-corruption fight, shifting from strategic
clarifications to implication of prevention and punishment
mechanisms. A lot has been said on the corruption but a wide social
front to fight it was never set up.
Only a powerful and independent anti-corruption body enjoying support
of the wide public that is the victim of the corruption could organize
and lead such front.
– It is crucial to shift from declaring human rights to fully ensuring
them by the government.
– The civil society is still in the embryonic stage. It can not develop
until it is given the tools for public control and interference.
– Only the reduction of social polarization and overcoming the poverty
are able to ever put our country in the family of countries with
advanced economies.
This level of poverty has one major reason – lack of jobs and small
size of domestic industry.
The upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections will be a test
to resolve those issues and to find out the country’s ability to
ensure democratic stability.
It is not a secret that only elections based on international standards
can ensure the foundation of election traditions. But there also
is another truth: elections only unearth the situation that exists
before the elections. So, the stronger the democratic traditions,
the better chances for the people to form its government. Therefore,
holding elections without providing people with proper democratic
tools and mechanisms would not yield desirable outcome.
Unfortunately, during all the previous elections, the tools and
mechanisms were not sufficient, and those elections were harshly
criticized both inside the country and abroad.
The Dashnaktsutiun, concerned with these realities, has offered
initiatives that include reduction of influence of non-political forces
on political processes, improvement of the Election Code, cooperation
in election commissions, ensuring the normal election process, and
most importantly, setting up a joint mechanism of registering election
fraud. We continue to believe that forces interested in the future of
the country, regardless of the camp they are, should put aside their
partisan and factional interests and doubts and unite for this goal.
Even now, we are sure that those initiatives are crucial and can
be applied.
We again are making this specific suggestion to all political parties
preparing for the elections, and this time hope to get wider support.
The upcoming elections are unprecedented. The National Assembly
will acquire a serious role in the government under the amended
constitution, and the parliamentary and presidential elections have
never been so interrelated and have never borne such significance for
the country’s future. Therefore, holding free and fair elections is
the only safe means for overcoming this period without losses and
turmoil. Undoubtedly, the picture of the newly elected National
Assembly is to determine future developments. The outcome of the
presidential election, in turn, depends on the results of the
parliamentary election and whether it is held in accordance with
international standards.
This way or another, the government formed in the upcoming election
will have to carry out fundamental reforms aimed at furthering
democracy, settling the Karabakh conflict in Armenia’s favor,
neutralizing internal and external security threats.
The Dashnaktsutiun stands ready to add its entire potential to that
of the healthy forces of this country in order to overcome this
twenty-year period successfully and without losses.

MUNICIPALITY APPLIES ELECTRONIC CIRCULATION OF DOCUMENTS
Panorama.am
13:02 11/09/06
Yerevan community administrations will soon circulate documents
electronically, Grigor Melkumyan, Yerevan municipality staff head,
told a briefing today. In his words, Elpas system will enable to
process information addressed to the municipality by the citizens. The
system automatically records and edits applications, accepts reports
and controls circulation of documents.
The staff head says this system is applicable since June 5 but it
has been developing since last year. All municipality employees have
passed trainings to use the program.
Melkumyan assures that citizen applications are replied within
2-45 days. Everyone can read the reply in case of having individual
password.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALL MEETINGS ENDED 4:1
A1+
[04:21 pm] 11 September, 2006
All the four meetings of the 19th round of the Armenian Football
Championship ended 4:1 which is an exclusive coincidence in the
history of our football.
“Mika” beat “Gandzasar,” “Banants” – “Kilikia,” “Pyunik” – “Ulysses”
and “Ararat” – “Shirak” with that score.
The current champion “Pyunik” is leading the fixture table with
50 points. “Banants” is in the second place and “Mika” – in the
third. “Ararat” has got a real chance to move ahead. So far, the team
hasn’t lost any points and has displayed excellent participation at
the head of Varoujan Sukiasyan, chief coach of the team.
Nshan Erzeroumyan who has never left the field without goals scored
four goals at the meeting “Ararat – Shirak”.

LEBANON’S ARMENIANS PROTEST AGAINST TURKISH FORCES
Yerkir
11.09.2006 12:10
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Hundreds of Lebanese Armenians gathered at the
main square in Bourdj Hammoud Friday to take part in a demonstration
organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee
of Lebanon as a protest to the deployment of Turkish troops to southern
Lebanon as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission.
Speaking on behalf of the ARF, Hratch Varjabedian said that the
Armenian community of Lebanon – and all Armenians – will assert
its protest because Turkey is the number one enemy of the Armenian
people, adding that the Lebanese government’s ignoring of the Armenian
community’s will was deemed unacceptable, referring to a decision
Monday by the Lebanese cabinet to allow Turkish forces in Lebanon.
“Turkey, which carried out horrible crimes against humanity, cannot
take part in any peace process until it recognizes the Genocide of
the Armenian people,” Jacques Choukhadarian, a former Parliament
member and minister, told Friday’s gathering.
Representatives of the community have sent letters to UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan and to Western embassies in Beirut urging them
to reject Turkish participation in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) set to number 15,000 troops from various countries. Religious
leaders has also issued a statement calling the Turkish participation
in UNIFIL “morally unacceptable,” reported the Asbarez.

FRANCE CALLS FOR SUSPENSION OF EU-TURKEY TALKS
Yerkir
11.09.2006 12:10
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – French Interior Minister Nicholas Sarkozy on Friday
called for the suspension of EU membership talks with Turkey unless
Ankara changes its stance on Cyprus. Sarkozy, a front-runner ahead
of next year’s French presidential election, specifically called for
a break in accession talks while Turkey persists with its embargo
against Cypriot ships using its ports.
Turkey signed in July 2005 a protocol extending its customs accord with
the EU to the 10 new states that joined in 2004, including the island
of Cyprus, which Ankara refuses to recognize. But its Parliament has
yet to ratify the document and Ankara continues to block the access
of Cypriot ships.
“I call for the suspension of opening new adhesion chapters with
Turkey while it has not ratified and clearly has not implemented the
Ankara protocol (customs agreement),” he said in a speech.
“The geographical and political map of the EU” should be fixed, with
the bloc open to states which are “clearly part of the continent of
Europe” he said, citing Switzerland, Norway and the Balkan states,
reported Agenece France Presse.

GEORGIAN REBEL REGION TO VOTE ON INDEPENDENCE
By Niko Mchedlishvili
Reuters
11 Sep 2006 10:28:16 GMT
TBILISI, Sept 11 (Reuters) – Georgia’s breakaway region of South
Ossetia said on Monday it will hold a referendum on independence
in November, in a move that is likely to escalate tensions between
Russia and Georgia.
“South Ossetia will hold a referendum on independence on November 12,”
Tamara Kelekhsayeva, a spokeswoman for the South Ossetian leadership,
told Reuters by telephone.
The question will be “whether you agree or not that South Ossetia
should preserve its present status of an independent state and be
recognised by the international community,” she said.
South Ossetia, a tiny region tucked away next to Russia’s southern
Caucasian border, fought a brief war in the early 1990s for
independence from ex-Soviet Georgia and is a frequent source of
tension between Moscow and Tbilisi.
After that conflict, South Ossetia voted for independence in a
referendum in 1992. It was not immediately clear why a new referendum
was needed.
Georgia accuses Russia of propping up the rebel province’s rulers and
its parliament in July accused Moscow of trying to annex the territory
together with Abkhazia, another breakaway province of Georgia.
Tension has risen since Mikhail Saakashvili was elected Georgian
President in 2004 and vowed to re-unify his country.
“This is political absurdity as this referendum will have no legal
force,” Besarion Jugeli, one of the leaders of the United National
Movement party, which has a majority in the Georgian parliament,
told Reuters.
Russia has peacekeeping troops in South Ossetia. Moscow says they
keep the two sides apart, while Tbilisi complains that they side with
the separatists.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with scholars on
Saturday, said that if Serbia’s breakaway province of Kosovo was
given independence then ex-Soviet regions seeking self-rule should
also being given independence.
Putin mentioned South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the Dnestr region that
broke away from Moldova in the 1990s and Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist
region of Azerbaijan, according to people at the meeting.
Dnestr will hold a referendum on September 17 to confirm
independence. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) has said it would not recognise the vote.