ARMENIAN AGENCY ARMINFO “IMPLEMENTS A SPECIAL PROGRAM TO DESTABILIZE THE SITUATION IN AZERBAIJAN”: AZERBAIJANI MP
Baku, June 13. ArmInfo. “The Armenian news agency ArmInfo implements a
special program on destabilization of the situation in Azerbaijan,”
Azerbaijani parliamentarian Mussa Guliyev told journalists, APA
reports. M. Gulyev attended the 27th session of OBSEC Parliamentary
Assembly in Armenia. He said Ogtay Asadov did not congratulate the
Armenian speaker Tigran Torosyan on his election. He said that such
information aroused tension in the Azebaijani public.
Commenting on the T. Torosyan’s words that Ogtay Asadov addressed
him a congratulation message, Mussa Guliyev said his colleague Asyaf
Hajiyev read out congratulations addressed to Russia only on the
occasion of the Independence Day. “No other congratulation was read
out. Simply, ArmInfo agency prepared a special program to destabilize
the situation in Azerbaijan. The agency spread this information in
Azerbaijan via Internet. Now, the information war between Armenia
and Azerbaijan continues despite the observance of the cease-fire by
Azerbvaijan. Their journalists acted quite aggressively with respect
to Azerbaijan. Whereas our press is not aggressive. Out press is more
interested in creating tension in the relations of the government
and the opposition,” the Azerbaijani MP said, APA reports.
To note, commenting on this information spread by the Azerbaijani
party, Speaker Tigran Torosyan told ArmInfo: “It is simply senseless
speaking of this topic. All you heard the text read out by the member
of the Azerbaijani delegation. What can I add to it?”

ARMENIA IS WORLD LEADER IN SPHERE OF SEISMIC ISOLATION OF BUILDINGS
Yerevan, June 13. ArmInfo. Armenia is the world leader in the sphere
of seismic isolation of buildings. Mikael Melkoumian, head of the
Armenian Association of the Quake Proof Construction, said this.
He said that at present Armenia is the first and the only country in
the world, where seismic isolators were installed to the buildings
without the dwellers’ preliminarily moving. He stated that 60-70
complete sets of seismic isolators are required for enforcement of a
9 storied building. A complete set of seismic isolators costs about
$550-$700. The application of these technologies help considerably
strengthen the buildings without troubling the dwellers. Melkoumian
stated that the application of the new method elaborated by the
Armenian specialists requires twice less sources, as no construction
materials are needed and the dwellers do not have to move to temporary
dwelling places.
It’s worth mentioning that Melkoumian is the author of the new
seismic isolators.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TRAP FOR FOOLS OR ARMENTEL PLAYS GAME WITH NO RULES
Yerevan, June 13. ArmInfo. The users of “Armentel” network had the
opportunity to participate in a competition by sending “Football”
to 2006 number. But the company didn’t send any rules for the game,
or the prices of the SMS messages, fearing to waste the resources of
the SMS station.
Yesterday, “ArmenTel” announced about a squeeze dedicated to the World
Championship of Football. Anna Soghomonian, head of the “ArmenTel”
department for additional services, said that a SMS message for the
squeeze costs AMD 100. “The more answers the user has, the more balls
he and more opportunities for winning the squeeze he receives. The
squeeze is based on mere luck,” she said. She added that technical
support of the squeeze is carried out by OTE Greek company. While
“ArmenTel” is responsible for the initiative and services of the
squeeze.
In response to the question why the users didn’t get any information
about the cost of the SMS messages for the squeeze, Soghomonian
said that the company informed the users through the June 8 issue of
“Efir” weekly and TV advertisements. At the same time she accepted
that the above mentioned information didn’t prove to be sufficient
for the users. Soghomonian didn’t exclude that soon the company may
inform the users about the price of the SMS messages for the squeeze
by sending them relevant SMS messages.

INDIAN STUDENT GETS KNIFE WOUND IN YEREVAN
Yerevan, June 13. ArmInfo. A student from India was wounded with a
knife in Yerevan. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia reports
Rakesh Kumar Suma (born in 1981,) a student of the Yerevan State
Medical University, was taken to hospital late night on 8 June.
Investigators found out that an unknown wounded the Indian student
with a knife the same day approximately at 22:20pm in the area of
“Youth” underground station. A criminal case has been initiated on the
Article 113.1 of the RA Criminal Code. The investigation is underway.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TIGRAN TOROSIAN CALLS FOR TURKISH REPRESENTATIVE TO NATO NOT TO OVERESTIMATE HIS PLENIPOTENTIARIES
Yerevan, June 13. ArmInfo. Tirgran Torosian, Speaker of RA National
Assembly, called for Frank Cook, British representative to PA NATO,
to make corrections in the regional report he made.
The press service of RA Parliament informed that in the course of
the meeting with PA NATO delegation, Mr. Torosian emphasized the
importance of making corrections in the report. In particular,
it is stated in the report that “the international entities that
sympathize Armenia” recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide in
the Ottoman Turkey in early XX century. He stated that it’s necessary
to name these countries and admit the fact that the Armenian Genocide
was recognized by the European Parliament, as well. In response,
Vahid Erdem, representative of Turkey, began denying the genocide,
and stated that merely 400-500 thousand people attacked Turkey by the
instructions of Russia. Mr. Torosian interrupted the lecture of Erdem,
called for him to behave himself and told him not to overestimate his
plenipotentiaries. He reminded Erdem that he has no right to give
evaluations to the Genocide, to the European Parliament and to the
countries that recognized the Armenian Genocide.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER RECEIVED IMF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
Yerevan, June 13. ArmInfo. Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly
Tigran Torosyan received Permanent Representative of the International
Monetary Fund James Mchugh, Tuesday.
The Armenian parliamentary press-service told ArmInfo the sides
discussed the cooperation of the Armenian parliament and the IMF. J.
McHugh congratulated T. Torosyan on his election to the responsible
post and expressed confidence that the Armenian NA-IMF cooperation
enters a new stage. He stressed the importance of the parliamentary
control over all the stages of the Poverty Reduction Strategic Program
in Armenia as well as over the functions of the legislative power
in all those programs IMF implements jointly with the government and
the Central Bank of Armenia.
T. Torosyan said the post-Soviet transformation can be divided into
two stages: at first, economic issues are brought to foreground;
at second, political problems are settled, and democracy is developed.
The economic development in Armenia for the last five years was more
intensive than democratic processes: formation of civil society,
overcoming corruption, public polarization. The Armenian speaker said
a full success in development in the country is possible only subject
to combining the economic and political break-through, which will lead
Armenia to a proper position in the world community. T. Torosyan said
the cooperation of Armenia and IMF is a crucial factor for achievement
of this goal as IMF combines economic and political components in
its activity despite being a financial organization.
The sides pointed out the necessity of raising the public awareness.
They stated that a detailed presentation of the processes aims to give
a positive impetus to the public. The source reports the parties also
discussed the reduction of US dollar rate.

Rural Reforestation Program in Armenia
By Bella Avetisyan and Jason Sohigian
“Caucasus Environment” Magazine
Issue 1(14) (2006)
In October 2005, Armenia Tree Project (ATP) started a unique reforestation
project in the Getik River Valley of northeastern Armenia. Nearly 120,000
tree seedlings were planted to begin the process of restoring the region’s
forest ecosystems, which are home to many endangered plant and animal
species. Residents of the villages of Aghavnavank, Dzoravank, and Aygut,
most of whom are Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, directly participated in
the process, by growing and planting the seedlings, which hold their hopes
for the future.
As a result of unsustainable tree cutting for basic heating and cooking
needs in the Getik River Valley, the villages are facing problems caused by
severe erosion, landslides, and flooding. To address the issue, ATP
established a unique backyard nursery pilot project in 2003 in Aygut
village. Working closely with the community and local officials, ATP entered
into agreements with families interested in growing tree seedlings to be
sold to ATP for reforesting the mountainous areas surrounding their village.
Seventeen nurseries were established in the first year, which produced
20,000 seedlings. As a result of the success of the pilot program, the
number of participating families grew to 153 in 2005. The program now
includes two other villages where families agreed to develop these
micro-enterprises in collaboration with ATP. Due to the expansion and
success of this rural economic development program, the 153 backyard
nurseries produced 120,000 seedlings ready for planting in 2005, and more
than 40 workers were employed by ATP in the reforesting activity.
This, in combination with ATP’s Community Tree Planting program, resulted in
the planting of over 170,000 trees, far exceeding the number of trees
planted by ATP in a single year since its founding in 1994. After signing
contracts with ATP, each backyard nursery owner was provided with a variety
of seeds from nearby forests as well as the necessary tools and equipment.
In addition, ATP agro-specialists regularly visited the nurseries to provide
technical assistance and training to the farmers. Participants were taught
how to maintain soil and properly nurture their seedlings, which needed to
achieve a threshold height of 30 cm before being eligible for purchase by
ATP. Local children were introduced to environmental issues through a new
curriculum ATP developed for the schools.
According to a household survey conducted by ATP in 2003, the average annual
income of rural villagers in Aygut was only $280, so the money earned by the
families and workers involved in this project has provided a desperately
needed source of income.
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U.S.DEPT OF STATE
12 Jun 2006
U.S. Plans “Significant” Contribution to New Black Sea Fund
Public-private grant-making trust will promote democracy, regional cooperation
By Vince Crawley
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington — The United States plans to make a substantial
contribution to the Black Sea Trust, a new multimillion-dollar fund
promoting democracy and cooperation among nine countries in southeast
Europe, President Bush’s deputy national security adviser says.
The trust will provide grants to focus on enhancing economic and
security cooperation, crisis management and democracy in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey
and Ukraine.
In remarks at the Black Sea Forum June 5 in Bucharest, Romania,
Deputy National Security Advisor J. D. Crouch said the United States
would participate in and make a significant financial contribution to
the trust in partnership with the German Marshall Fund, the Romanian
government and other donors.
Crouch said the United States is supporting other initiatives such
as the Black Sea Economic Cooperation initiative and the Southeast
European Cooperative Initiative. “We want to hear your ideas on how
to cooperate more effectively to address a broader range of issues,”
Crouch added.
“For centuries, these lands have been a cultural crossroads —
connecting Europe to the Middle East and Central Asia,” Crouch
said. The flow of communication through the region was stifled during
the Cold War, he added, “but today your nations have a new opportunity
to build stronger links with each other — and thereby reclaim your
historic position as a region of connections between East and West.”
The German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States announced
the creation of the trust on June 5 during the Black Sea Forum in
Bucharest, Romania. The GMF said it anticipates launching operations
of the Black Sea Trust in the fall, with initial contributions
of more than $20 million, climbing to more than $40 million as the
trust matures. Contributors include the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID), the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Romanian
government and other private and public donors from the United States
and Europe.
The trust is expected to provide grants to local organizations —
including civic groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
local and regional governments, educational institutions and media,
according to a news release by the German Marshall Fund. Grants will
be awarded for civic-participation programs as well as projects that
promote cross-border cooperation in the region.
“Approximately $2 million in rolling grants will be given out each
year,” said the GMF, which will staff the trust. “Individual grants
would range from $1,000 to $75,000 with an average size around $15,000
or $20,000, and will be approved monthly by a grant-making committee
that will include GMF representatives and one representative from
each of the donors to the Trust.”
The German Marshall Fund is also in negotiations with the Romanian
government to base the trust’s operations in Bucharest. (See related
article.) The U.S. State Department recently signed agreements with
Bulgaria and Romania to share military bases near the Black Sea
coast. (See related article.) The GMF, USAID, and the Mott Foundation
previously joined forces in 2003 to create the Balkan Trust for
Democracy, a $30 million fund that has given out millions in grant
money toward promoting regional cooperation and reconciliation,
civil society development, and democracy-building ideas and
institutions throughout the Balkans. The Balkan Trust for Democracy
“has successfully grown and added new partners after its founding,
a process the Black Sea Trust will emulate,” the GMF said. (See
related article.) In March, the German Marshall Fund co-sponsored a
conference aimed at promoting cross-border cooperation, particularly
in disaster response planning, and some of the same countries attended
that were represented at the Black Sea Forum. (See related article.)
The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest has posted the full text of Crouch’s
remarks on its Web site. The Black Sea Trust press release is posted
on the Web site of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
The Southeastern Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI) is a law
enforcement consortium that allows authorities to share intelligence
and coordinate activities in the pursuit of criminals across
jurisdictional lines.
Information on SECI’s work against human trafficking is available in
a USINFO Electronic Journal article “European Alliance Combats Human
Trafficking” and the Web site of the SECI Center in Bucharest.
Additional information is available on the Web site of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation, to which the United States was recently granted
observer status.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x109
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
AGBU SAN DIEGO HOSTS INAUGURAL PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING EXCHANGE
Seeking to provide career guidance to the next generation, the San
Diego Chapter of AGBU’s Southern California District sponsored its
inaugural professional networking exchange on April 30, 2006, in
Carlsbad, California for university students and professionals.
“Our goal is to support our students in fulfilling their career
potential,” said Dr. Christine Saroian, who spearheaded the
initiative. “It was very gratifying to see connections between the
professionals and students immediately being established.”
Championed by Chapter Chairwoman Ani Kalayjian Lanuza and Committee
Members Drs. Christine Saroian and Arbi Nazarian, the new initiative
has enlisted dozens of local professionals to mentor and network with
students through ongoing exchanges, as well as online communication
tools.
The AGBU San Diego Chapter is committed to preserving and promoting
the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural
and humanitarian programs. For more information on the mentoring
initiative, please email Ani Kalayjian Lanuza at [email protected].
For more information on AGBU and its worldwide chapters, please
visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
CAMP NUBAR’S 2006 SOCIAL, CULTURAL & SPIRITUAL PROGRAM READY TO GO
American Camp Association, Red Cross & American Academy of Pediatrics
Give Nubar Their Stamp of Approval
Gearing up for an action packed summer, AGBU Camp Nubar has again
received the American Camp Association (ACA) highly prized seal of
approval. Only a fraction of the thousands of camps across the nation
receive ACA’s accreditation and, as part of the process, camps are
asked to adhere to 300 strict health, safety and program-quality
benchmarks created in cooperation with the American Red Cross and
the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Camp Nubar Committee Chairman, Mardi Merjian, is proud that Camp
Nubar is the only Armenian camp to hold the honor, “ACA accreditation
assures parents that the camp has had a regular, independent safety
audit that goes beyond regulations in most states. ACA accreditation
is the best evidence for parents that a camp is committed to providing
a safe and nurturing environment for their children, and in our case,
in a spiritually and culturally Armenian environment.”
Kicking off on July 1, 2006, Camp Nubar is continuing to register
campers who are eager to spend their summers in a first-rate facility
with high quality supervision and instruction. In addition to the
vast array of sporting, arts & crafts, and cultural activities, this
year’s program continues to incorporate the involvement of clergy from
the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America. His Eminence
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian will once again join Camp Nubar for the
Annual Open House Celebration on Sunday July 23, 2006. The day will
begin with Badarak in the morning, followed by a fun filled day of
activities and delicious cuisine. Rev. Fr. Taniel Karadjian, Pastor
of St. Sarkis Church of Charlotte, NC will spend a week with campers
and staff from July 1 through July 7. Other visiting clergy include
Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian and Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan. Fr. Daniel
is an alumni of Camp Nubar and spent many happy summers there as a
child. The participation of clergy in the daily life of Camp Nubar
ensures that faith is an integral part of the Nubar experience.
This year’s Camp Nubar Head Staff include, Camp Director Maggie
Derderian Casaceli, Health Director Susan Schuman, Girls Head Counselor
Jen Omartian, Boys Head Counselor Dan Antreasyan, Activities Director
Tina Hagopian, Waterfront Director Chris Burdman, Office Manager Maro
Jamgotchian and, our newest addition, New York City Office Executive
Director Arshak Der-Artinian.
Accredited by ACA (), AGBU Camp Nubar was founded in
1963 and continues to be a summer haven for Armenian youth from all
around the world. For more information on Camp Nubar, please call (212)
319-6383, visit or email [email protected].
For more information on AGBU and its youth programs, please visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress