Banknotes with the nominal value of 10 000 to be put into circulation
starting May 31

ArmRadio.am
29.05.2006 17:51
According to the decision of the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia,
starting May 31 RA banknotes with the nominal value of 10 000 will be
put into circulation. The banknotes with the nominal value of 10 000
issued in 2006 are legal means of payment and are due to be accepted
in exchange for any goods or services without restrictions. The
banknotes with the nominal value of 10 000 issued in 2003 remain in
circulation without any restrictions.

Opening ceremony of the SME DNC of Armenia to be held June 2 in Yerevan

ArmRadio.am
29.05.2006 17:56
The opening ceremony of the SME DNC of Armenia (Small and Medium
Entrepreneurship Development National Center of Armenia) Central
office will take place on June 2, 2006 in Yerevan. The Minister of
Trade and Economic Development of the Republic of Armenia, as well as
the UNDP and OSCE Armenian representatives will be present among the
other guests.

Bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial to be presented to the Dutch
Parliament

ArmRadio.am
29.05.2006 18:00
At a news conference on June 1 member of the Christian Union of the
Dutch parliament Tineke Huizinga will submit a bill criminalizing
denial of genocide and other crimes against humanity. As an example of
such a crime the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey is mentioned.
Members of `April 24′, the Federation of Armenian Organizations, as
well as representatives of Jewish and Dutch organizations will take
part in the news conference.

New Anatolian, Turkey
May 29 2006
Hurricane on Turkey’s horizon
Recep Guvelioglu
[email protected] May 2006

Weather forecasts are very important not only for our daily lives but
also in politics. This summer will be very hot in domestic and
foreign affairs, and this fall I’m expecting a hurricane that will
hit international affairs hardest. Turkey will be particularly
vulnerable to enormous international waves. Let’s take a quick look
at our foreign relations situation.
Cyprus and the EU
The parliamentary elections in southern Cyprus ended with a victory
for the Working People’s Progressive Party (AKEL) and the centrist
Democratic Rally Party (DISY). In another words, Greek Cypriots
supported the current leftist coalition. Tassos Papadopoulos said
that there will not be any change in their policy towards the Cyprus
problem. The leftist mentality in Hellenic states like Greece and
Cyprus is completely different than what the terminology of socialism
dictates. Greek socialists are more nationalist than others. Andreas
Papandreou’s Panhellenic Socialist Movement Party (PASOK) in Greece
was the perfect example of my view. Tassos Papadopoulos’ government
was, is and will be the same type. Even though European Union
countries are irritated by the results of the elections, they will
not alter their support for the Greek Cypriots.
The Cyprus issue is currently dominating membership negotiations
between the EU and Turkey. The EU Commission, which will gather in
October, may suspend membership negotiations between the EU and
Turkey. There are two reasons for this:
1. The Turkish government has not ratified an additional protocol in
its Parliament. This pertains to the recognition of southern Cyprus’
Greek administration as the “Cypriot Republic.”
2. The Turkish government has so far not permitted Greek Cypriot
vessels and planes to use Turkish ports and airports. That’s why
Michael Leigh, director general for enlargement with the European
Commission, openly said that Turkey must fulfill its responsibilities
as noted in the additional protocol. Leigh added that most of the
arrangements that the EU has requested regarding Northern Cyprus have
been realized. Ankara says that after the embargo of Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is lifted and the isolation policy is
stopped, Turkey can recognize the Greek administration. The EU, on
the other, claims that this should have been declared before the
decision to start negotiations between Turkey and the EU.
Representatives of the EU will go to the island and meet with Talat
and Papadopoulos. Talat’s attitude towards the Greek Cypriots and the
EU has drastically changed. Now he is getting closer to Denktas.
Negotiations between the Greek and Turkish sides of the island on
“daily issues” have also reached a dead end. On the other hand United
Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s term is going to end in the
near future. In short, the Cyprus issue is at a stalemate. There will
not be any solution if it goes on like this. Since it dominates
Turkish-EU relations, negotiations for membership are at a dead end
as well. In October this issue will explode.
Iraq
There has been an undeclared civil war between Islamic sects (Sunnis
and Shiites) in Iraq. But it may turn out to be a clash between
ethnic groups. The process of establishing an independent Kurdish
state is at a final stage. Technical details have been completed for
this. If they put Kirkuk into their domination area they will declare
the city their capital. The Turkmens are completely out of the
picture. They will be mentioned as a minority like the 200,000
Armenians. The future of Iraq will be clearer in the fall.
Iran
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Iran seems to have passed the stage
of enrichment of uranium, and they are in a position to implement a
missile system to deliver a nuclear bomb. It is at least an irritable
situation for Turkey to have such an erratic neighbor with a nuclear
capability. Israel, as the probable first target of this nuclear
threat, is furious. The U.S. seems to be moving towards using force
to stop the process. But due to Russian and Chinese objections, there
is no chance of Washington getting a go-ahead to intervene in Iran
from the UN Security Council. The council may adopt a decision
backing a nuclear nonproliferation treaty in general, and Uncle Sam
may interpret the council’s general decision as a greenlight for
armed intervention on Tehran’s soil. It is probably easy to bomb
Iran’s nuclear facilities, but to stop their retaliation in terrorist
activities is almost impossible and unpredictable.
The question is when will it happen and what will Turkey do.
We will see by the end of this summer.
These are some of the sources for possible hurricanes that will
affect Turkey.

PRESS OFFICE
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese
Contact; Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont Quebec H2V 3H2
Tel; 514-276-9479, Fax; 514-276-9960
Email; [email protected] Website; _www.armenianchurch.ca_
(http://www.armenianchurch .ca/)
May 26, 2006
* * *
CANADA: Diocesan Clergy Conference was held in Montreal
The conference of the clergy of the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian
Church was held on Friday May 26, 2006 at the Diocesan Office of the
Armenian Church in Canada, and was presided by, His Eminence Bishop
Bagrat Galstanian, Primate.
The daylong meeting’s agenda items were mainly issues relating to the
mission of the Church and discussion of the activities of the past
year. The Primate offered the invocation. Bishop Galstanian
interpreted the message from the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 17.)
Pointing its relevance to our contemporary issues of today, he said,
`The formation of a community is the reflection of the Holy Trinity.
The Church is involved in that mission, by not only trying to change
the shape of the world, but also to change its essence.
He said, `The Church is for the world.’ Today, particularly on these
shores, it is our sacred duty to lead our children to a spiritual life
and to the orthodox faith.’ The Pontifical message of His Holiness
Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians addressed
to the Clergy conference was read by Deacon Hagop Arslanian.
The clergy conference then discussed in detail, the spiritual and
re-organizational activities of each parish. Serpazan Hayr
congratulated the pastors for their dedicated work. The conference
highly commended the tireless efforts of the Primate, in actively
pursuing the objectives of the Diocesan Spiritual mission, with a
special attention to the programs of Sunday Schools and the training
of teachers for Christian Education. It was noted that the Ararat
Summer Camp is the most vibrant and rewarding Youth program of our
Diocese where the teaching of our Church History, Rites, and Hymns is
based on modern pedagogical principles. Serpazan Hayr informed the
clergy that during thisyear significant projects are underway such as
the establishment of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office, Christian
Education Department as well as the development of Armenian Projects.
The Clergy Conference noted with pride the many visits and meetings
that the Primate held; with heads of sister churches, of the Roman
Catholic, Anglican and Evangelical faiths, as well as with Islamic
religious leaders. These co-operative efforts will certainly have a
positive impact on the future course of the Diocesan activities. The
spiritual pilgrimage of Christian Church leaders to Armenia and the
efforts to initiate close contacts with the government officials were
highly appreciated by the Diocesan clergy. The Conference welcomed
the initiative of our Primate to dedicate this year’s Diocesan
Assembly to launch, `The Year of Stewardship.’
The conference ended by prayers to Almighty God for the Brotherhood of
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and for the health of His Holiness
the Catholicos, as well as for the strengthening of our Motherland,
Armenia.
The Conference was closed by the Lord’s Prayer.
* * * * *

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 58.08.77, 52.22.38
Fax: (+374 – 10) 54.38.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:
May 29, 2006
Heritage Party Headquarters Reopened by Court Order?
Yerevan–After a delay of months, the central office of the Heritage Party
was finally reopened by officials from the Service for Mandatory Execution
of Judicial Acts (SMEJA) of the Ministry of Justice at 1:00PM today. The
premises had been forcibly closed on March 4, 2006, when party
representatives had witnessed the unlawful replacement, without prior
notice, of the already-smashed lock of the outside door to the party’s
headquarters. This directive had been given by the management of the
Paronian Theater and carried out by its staff under the watchful supervision
of two unidentified men sitting in a nearby vehicle.
In a quick about-face, the SMEJA officials returned to Heritage’s office at
7:00PM the same day, demanding that the staff vacate the premises, in order
that the outside door be resealed. Deeming this reversal in demeanor as
illegal, a mockery of civil rights, contrary to judicial order, and outside
the domain of justice, Raffi Hovannisian refused to leave the office which
had been unlocked by the very same officials just six hours before and in
compliance with the ruling of the court.
On April 14, the Court of First Instance of Yerevan’s Central and
Nork-Marash communities prohibited the defendant theater from taking any
restrictive action in respect of the office in question and the usage of the
property thereof. This ruling, which for unknown reasons was not enforced
for a full month and a half, is in force until the full and final
examination of the case and pending an ultimate verdict by the court. In the
presence of several media representatives, the premises were inspected by
Raffi Hovannisian, attorney Vahagn Grigorian, and officials from SMEJA and
the Heritage Party; the defendant was absent. Promising he would return in
thirty minutes, director Karapet Shahbazian of the Paronian Theater left
immediately after the arrival of the SMEJA officers, but never came back.
The inspection made it clear that the window of the office of Gevorg
Kalenchian, director of the party headquarters, had been opened even though
he had closed it on the evening of March 3. Moreover, one television set and
two computers were turned on and working. The office staff confirmed that
they had not left any electrical equipment in operational mode when leaving
their place of work on March 3.
The officers from SMEJA prepared a report in connection with the inspection,
but did not wait until the computer expert invited by the party had checked
the data stored in the computers. This examination demonstrated that on
March 8, exactly four days after the main office was put under lock and
further access to it was blocked, someone had gained entry to the main
computer where all information regarding the party, its membership and
activities is maintained.
It now becomes evident as to how the “national security” bodies and the
local lackeys of the incumbent presidency were able to obtain relevant
information about the party’s support base nationwide. As is widely known,
the persecution and pressure upon the local divisions of the Heritage Party
have increased since the middle of March, with party members being
threatened and ordered to leave the party. An example of this took place
just recently in the town of Armavir, where the party’s local office manager
Levon Margarian had been taken into custody on May 20. Before being
released he was told that the region’s law enforcement agency knew about the
forthcoming visit of Raffi Hovannisian and other senior party members. The
police demanded that Margarian make sure the meeting did not take place;
otherwise they would use force to disrupt it.
“The sitting administration of the country has proved yet again that it will
not stop at any unlawful measure to prolong its rule for a few more days,
and the security bodies actually uphold not the rights of law-abiding
citizens and the imperative of national security, but rather the personal
well-being of a select few and their maintenance of power,” Kalenchian
stated.
“We are not afraid,” concluded Raffi Hovannisian, “and we will continue our
national citizens’ initiative until we strike justice.”
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) 580.877, fax at (374-10)
543.897, and email at [email protected]

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: MAY 28 IS ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT REFUGES ON WAY OF
CREATING NATIONAL STATE, FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President Robert
Kocharian sent a message of congratulation on the occasion of the
Republic Holiday. The message submitted to Noyan Tapan by the
President’s Press Office, reads as the following: “Dear compatriots, I
congratulate you upon the Republic Day.
Independence was a goal of centuries for the Armenian people that
becomes reality due to our people’s liberating struggle and
especially, 1918 May heroic battle. By its short existence of
1918-1920, the first Republic of Armenia inspires the Armenian people
with a hope to have an independent statehood. It also became a basis
for the Soviet Armenia and the present Republic of Armenia.
I congratule all us upon this important May holiday. May 28 is one of
the most important refuges on our way of creating a national state,
freedom and democracy.”

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS SENDS CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO ARMENIAN
PEOPLE IN CONNECTION WITH HOLIDAY OF REPUBLIC

ECHMIADZIN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II sent a congratulatory message to the whole
Armenian people on the occasion of the Day of Republic. The
Patriarchal message provided to Noyan Tapan from the Press Services of
the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, in particular, read: “With fatherly
love we bless each of you in Armenia, Artsakh and Spyurk and
congratulate you on the occasion of the Holiday of Republic. As a
result of the heroic fights of 1918 May, the First Republic of Armenia
was proclaimed as the fulfilment of the age-old hopes of our people
for freedom and independence. The Armenian people who confirmed its
independent statehood with a heroic struggle, inflexible belief in its
independent statehood, is striving for improving its homeland with its
creative work.”

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN DIED IN CONSEQUENCE OF CEASE-FIRE REGIME BREACH
FROM AZERBAIJANI SIDE

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. A cease-fire regime breach was fixed
from the Azerbaijani side at about 21:30 of May 27. As Colonel Seyran
Shahsuvarian, the RA Defence Minister’s Press Secretary informed Noyan
Tapan, in consequence of fire shot by the opponent in the direction of
fighting positions of the military basis placed in Noyemberian, Senior
Levon Hmayak Adamian, term serviceman born in 1985 and called to
military service from the Berd military registration and enlistment
office, got fire-arm injury at chest and died on the way when being
moved to the city hospital of Noyemberian.

WORLD SUMMIT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO TAKE PLACE IN MOSCOW ON JULY 3-5

MOSCOW, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A meeting of
specialists preparing the World Summit of Religious Leaders took place
in Moscow on May 25-26. The meeting was organized by the
Interreligious Council of Russia. 60 Christian, Muslim, Judas,
Buddhist and Hindu representatives from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Egypt, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Vatican, India, Iran, Israel, Italy,
Kyrghyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Syria,
Turkey, United Kingdom and U.S. participated in the meeting. As Noyan
Tapan was informed by the Interchurch Relations Department of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the participants exchanged opinions
and proposed themes for discussion for the World Summit of Religious
Leaders which will take place in Moscow on July 3-5, before the
Petersburg meeting of the Great 8. Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, the
responsible for interchurch relations represented the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin at that meeting.