Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan Railway Route to Be Launched June 17
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 15:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The solemn ceremony of opening of the
Yerevan-Batumi-Yerevan railway route will take place Saturday,
June 17. In the words of head of the department of transportation
of the Armenian Railway Hakob Khrimyan, the train was scheduled to
depart on June 15, however by the request of Georgian Vice-Premier,
who wished to participate in the ceremony, the terms were delayed.
Armenian Minister of Transport Andranik Manukyan and heads of
the Armenian and Georgian railways will take part in the opening
ceremony. Khrimyan informed that the train will start off on odd days
of week.
To note, the railway communication was established for the summer rest
of Armenian tourists at the Black Sea coast in Georgia. The train will
start off at 9.10 local time and arrive in Batumi at 1.40. The ticket
will cost 18 703 drams in a double compartment and 9 297 drams in a
compartment for four. Meanwhile the price of the ticket from Batumi
to Yerevan will make 21 256 drams and 10 542 drams in a compartment
for four, reported Apsny.Ge.

Rina Pandei Invited Armenian Parliament Speaker to India
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 15:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian
met with Indian Ambassador to Armenia Rina Pandei to discuss the
Armenian-Indian interparliamentary ties. Noting the availability
of political and economic ties between Armenia and India the Indian
Ambassador offered the Speaker to pay a visit to India for getting
acquainted with the legislative activities of the Indian parliament
and strengthening of interparliamentary ties. She also stressed the
importance of cooperation at the international arena.
For his part, Tigran Torosian thanking the Ambassador for the
invitation attracted her attention to the legislative activities
launched after the adoption of the reviewed Constitution. He remarked
that the reforms should reach the level of economic success fixed by
international experts.
The parties also touched upon the incident with the Indian student of
the Yerevan State Medical University, who died several months ago. They
note that the causes of the incident have been already revealed and
it cannot have any impact on the Armenian-Indian friendship, reported
the RA NA press service.

Karabakh Issue to Be Discussed at Rose-Roth NATO PA Seminar
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 16:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 63rd Rose-Roth seminar of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly will be held in Sochi, Russia June 22-24. The participants
will exchange views on the topics “Security issues in the South
Caucasus”, “Frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus: the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict” and some others.

Reasoning on A-320 Crash Causes Groundless, Armavia Says
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 16:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Any reasoning on the causes of A-320 jet crash near
Sochi with a reference to anonymous sources is groundless, said the
press office of Armavia national carrier. It’s not correct to speak
of the reasons of the crash until the decoding of the flight recorders
is finished, the statement says.
“The International Aviation Committee should announce the official
results. While anonymous publications in media can just be paid in
order to exclude the Armenian national carrier from the marker,”
the statement says, reported Gazeta.ru.
To remind, Moscovsky Komsomolets newspaper reported that according
to an anonymous source in the investigating committee, the faults
of the crew have become the reason for the A-320 crash in the Black
Sea. The decoding of the flight recorders showed that the pilots
“have lost spatial orientation” in bad weather conditions. It was also
ascertained that the pilots had taken a too big list when making the
second turn by order of the flying control officer. These factors,
specialists say, led to the catastrophe.
On May 3 night Airbus-320 owned by Armavia national carrier crashed
in the Black Sea 6 km away from Adler airport killing all of 113
people aboard, including 6 children and 8 crewmembers. Among them
were 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian and one Georgian citizen,
while the rest were Armenian citizens.

Czech Senate Delegation to Arrive in Armenia June 19
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.06.2006 17:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Members of the committee on international relations,
defense and security at the Czech Senate will be visiting Armenia
June 19-21, reported the RA NA press service. June 19 the delegation
will meet with chairman of the standing parliamentary committee
for international relations Armen Rustamyan. Then the Czech Senate
members will lay a wreath to the Memorial to the Armenian Genocide
victims. On the same day they will meet with Armenian deputy Foreign
Minister Arman Kirakossian.
June 20 the delegation members will be received by chairman of standing
parliamentary committee for defense, national security and home
affairs Aramais Grigoryan and Deputy Defense Minister Artur Aghabekyan.

AZG Armenian Daily #112, 17/06/2006
Visit
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO PAY VISITS TO BELARUS AND IRAN
On June 23, Armenian president Robert Kocharian will leave for
Minsk to take part in the summit of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization. According to RA president spokesperson,
Viktor Soghomonian, Armenian defense minister is also included in
the departing delegation. CSTO summit will open with the meeting of
member states~R presidents and foreign ministers and secretaries of
security councils will join in later on. Meanwhile, yesterday Vladimir
Putin and Ilham Aliyev discussed Karabakh regulation in Alma-Ata and,
according to Azerbaijani media, the issue will be discussed with
Robert Kocharian too at the Minsk meeting.
Viktor Soghomonian also informed that Armenian president will also
visit Iran in near future at the invitation of the Iranian side. The
date and format of the visit are being fixed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #112, 17/06/2006
Armenian Genocide
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EXPOSITION AT RWANDA MEMORIAL
During her recent visit to Rwandan capital of Kigali, Susanna Den,
adviser at the US Agency for International Development, was pleasantly
surprised to see an Armenian Genocide exposition at the local Genocide
Memorial. She told this to The Armenian Mirror Spectator correspondent.
The Memorial opened in 2004 to mark the 10th anniversary of
genocide in Rwanda and is largely dedicated to the memory of
250.000 victims. However, the Memorial also represents the history
of genocides. The Memorial came into being thanks to the efforts of
Kigali~Rs Municipal Board and British Aegis Trust. Already 60.000
people have visited the Memorial since it opened its doors. To
remind, the Aegis Trust demanded on April 24 of this year the British
authorities to exert pressure on Turkey to recognize the Armenian
genocide.
I want to ask here: how many people in Armenia know about the Rwandan
genocide?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown MA 02472
617-926-1918
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
June 16, 2006
FUNDRAISER HELD FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE PETER KOUTOUJIAN
Over 100 activists attend to support local leader
BELMONT, Mass. – The home of Dr. and Mrs. Mher and Elo Artinian was the venue
on Friday, June 9, for a fundraiser for State Representative Peter
Koutoujian who is running for re-election to the Massachusetts state
legislature, reported the Armenian National Committee of Eastern
Massachusetts (ANCEM).
“We are glad to have Peter in our home,” said Dr. Artinian as he welcomed
Koutoujian, his wife Elizabeth Cerda Koutoujian, and the over 100 activists
who came to support Peter’s candidacy. “He is not a stranger among us-not
only has he been influential in the Armenian-American community, he’s an
influential force in the Massachusetts legislature on Beacon Hill.”
Sharistan Ardhaldjian, chairperson of the ANCEM, thanked the Artinian family
for hosting the fundraiser, and commended the event organizing
committee-Linda Ostayan, Bella Khachatourian, Arev Dervartanian, Rita
Bejakian, Roset Atinizian, and Elo Artinian.
“We need to support Peter, because he is a remarkable leader,” said
Ardhaldjian, noting that when House Speaker George Keverian retired,
Koutoujian and fellow Representative Rachel Kaprielian took the reins to
spearhead Armenian-American issues in the State Legislature. “He has been
instrumental in supporting so many of the organizations and institutions in
which we all belong and so many of the issues important to us as residents
of Massachusetts.”
Koutoujian, 44, has spent nine years as a state legislator, and has emerged
as one of Beacon Hill’s most influential and well-respected lawmakers. He
presently serves as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, and
remains a tireless advocate for the constituents of the 10th Middlesex
District, which encompasses portions of Waltham, Newton and Watertown.
A lawyer by trade, Koutoujian served as prosecutor for Middlesex County
before being elected to the Legislature in 1996. He has focused his efforts
as a lawmaker on creating laws that better protect communities from sex
offenders. Much of his effort has a lawmaker remains focused on public
safety issues. He is working to create laws that better protect our
communities from sex offenders, advocate for victim rights, and even
prohibit convicted felons from profiting off their notoriety. He has worked
as an adjunct professor of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Legal
Ethics at the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover, and a Professor of
American Government at Bentley College in Waltham. This year was appointed
as an assistant adjunct professor at Boston University School of Public
Health.
“I’m proud and honored that you have all come to support my candidacy,” said
Koutoujian, as he thanked the organizing committee for their efforts. “The
Armenian National Committee is a great organization. Without the ANCA,
Armenian-Americans would not be anywhere today. The organization is what our
people stand for: grassroots-the towns and villages that work together to
strengthen our community.” Koutoujian particularly noted the recent ANCA
Telethon, which raised more than $3 million for the organization’s Endowment
Fund, and lobbying efforts in the United States.
Koutoujian outlined some of the recent efforts that he has been working on,
including the lawsuit that was filed by the Assembly of Turkish American
Associations and several other plaintiffs against the Massachusetts Board of
Education in an attempt to compel the state to include materials in the
curriculum that deny the Armenian genocide. He also spoke about the firing
of the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, for his honest discussion of
the Armenian genocide. “It was a terrible day when Ambassador Evans was
recalled. For a diplomat to be fired is a great disservice. He spoke out
from his heart and was fired. But, we will have acknowledgement of the
Armenian genocide. I know it will occur.”
He also spoke about the Armenian Heritage Park scheduled to be built on the
Greenway, commending James Kalustian, Barbara Tellalian, Don Tellalian and
Rachel Kaprielian for their “masterful” leadership in cementing the plans to
construct the memorial.
Koutoujian closed his remarks by thanking the community. “Without your
support, I can’t drive issues of importance to us, so I thank you. We have a
symbiotic relationship-you support me, and I push issues that are of
importance to the Armenian-American community.”
Guests enjoyed the remainder of the evening discussing various issues of
concern with Koutoujian.
####
Captions for attached pictures
Caption 1
Peter Koutoujian with the host committee, Bella Khachatourian, Sharistan
Ardhaldjian, Rita Bejakian, Elo Artinian, Roset Atinizian, Linda Ostayan,
and Arev Dervartanian
Caption 2
Peter and Elizabeth Koutoujian with Dr. and Mrs. Mher Artinian and their
children Areen, Harout, and Aleek

Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14,2006
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian
Tel. (613) 235-2622
Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group Established
Ottawa – The Canada-Armenia Preliminary Friendship (CAPF) for the 39th
Parliament was established at a meeting in the House of Commons today.
House of Commons and Canadian Senate members were invited by MP Gary
Goodyear (Conservative-Cambridge) to attend the founding meeting and
elect a new executive for CAPF. So far 32 members of Parliament and
Senators have joined CAPF.
In his opening remarks Goodyear thanked MPs and Senators and said:
“Your presence demonstrates your support for the positive relationship
that exists between Armenia and Canada. As you know, our Prime
Minister recently officially recognized the Armenian Genocide of
1915 in Parliament. We believe that this was a positive step toward
healing the wounds of the past and paving the road for a peaceful
and prosperous relationship between Canada and Armenia.”
Afterwards, Goodyear called upon MP Derek Lee
(Liberal-Scarborough-Rouge River) to preside over the election of
the CAPF executive.
The following members were elected to the executive:
Gary Goodyear, Chairman
Nicole Demers (Bloc Quebecois, Laval), Vice-President
Jim Karygiannis (Liberal, Scarborough-Agincourt),
Vice-President
Alexa McDonough (NDP, Halifax), Vice-President
Raymonde Folco (Liberal, Laval-Les Iles), Secretary
The Members authorized the newly elected executive to fill in the
vacant post of Treasurer, Membership and two Directors at a later date.
In his “thank-you” remarks, Goodyear said: “Canada’ s know-how
and experience is much needed in Armenia. Canada should stand in
solidarity with Armenia and reward its people for their resolve
and commitment to the principles of democracy, free market economy,
and human rights. Furthermore, Canada should establish diplomatic
presence in Yerevan, the capital of the Republic of Armenia. Canada’s
diplomatic presence will have a pivotal role in enhancing our country’s
image in the region.”
“By forming this friendship group we send a clear message to
the Armenian people that they are not alone, that Canada and the
international community will stand by them to overcome the current
difficult transitional period,” he concluded.
Arman Agopian, the Charge d’ affairs of the Embassy of Armenia,
thanked the Canadian parliamentarians for their support and commitment
to foster and enhance strong and positive bi-lateral relationship
between Canada and Armenia. He also invited the members of CAPF to
visit Armenia to better understand and appreciate Armenia and the
Armenian people.
CAPF new president invited Aris Babikian, executive director of the
Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), to relay the message of
the Canadian-Armenian Community. Babikian said that the establishment
of CAPF marked another milestone for ANCC and the Canadian-Armenian
community. He said that he was gratified to see “so many old friends
of ANCC accepted to join CAPF in addition to new members.”
He pledged ANCC unwavering support to CAPF to achieve its mission
and its goals.
MP Lee said that ANCC support is “highly valuable for CAPF’s
success.” He noted that many parliamentary friendship groups are
created during the lifetime of a parliament. “Most of them are
dormant and inactive. The support of the Armenian community will
insure CAPF’s productivity.”
Senator Grafstein emphasized the importance of economic incentives
to foster peace, prosperity and harmony in the region.
At the conclusion of the meeting, ANCC hosted a reception for CAPF
members and Armenian Embassy representatives. The ANCC contingent was
headed by Krikor Der Ghazarian, Jean Meguerditchian, and Paul Douzjian.
-30-
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range
of issues.
Regional Chapters
Montreal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton – Cambridge –
St. Catharines – Windsor – Vancouver

California lawmakers refocus on developing foreign trade
By JUDY LIN
Sacramento Bee
16-JUN-06
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s foreign trade offices _
taxpayer-funded enterprises disbanded three years ago amid scandal
and budget woes _ are staging a comeback despite lingering questions
about their usefulness.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and some legislators are once again
trumpeting the value of trade promotion for the sixth-largest economy
in the world. In recent months, the governor has established an
undersecretary for international trade, while lawmakers have proposed
resurrecting outposts in Seoul, South Korea, and Johannesburg,
South Africa.
In coming weeks, the Legislature is expected to take up bills that
call for developing a comprehensive trade strategy and moving the
state back into the business of operating trade offices.
Such a move has raised eyebrows among trade experts who believe former
state offices were mismanaged. Some have questioned whether the state
should even have trade offices.
“Historically, they have not been very successful. In fact, they
have been somewhat disastrous,” said trade consultant Jock O’Connell
“There’s this feeling in the state Capitol that California needs to
be represented by the state. The real California is superbly well
represented in the form of 57,000 exporting companies.”
California’s 12 trade offices were shut down in 2003 _ along with the
rest of the Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency _ after critical
news reports and damaging audits appeared.
At the time the state had more than 90 workers spanning the globe,
from Hong Kong to London. Their charge was simple: Help California
businesses sell their products abroad while luring foreign investment
to the state. Last year, the state exported $116.8 billion worth
of goods.
But the legislative analyst’s office and the state auditor’s office
questioned the effectiveness of such offices.
The offices were accused of taking credit regardless of how much
involvement they had in facilitating a deal.
“For instance, an office may only have provided a list of foreign
companies potentially interested in a product developed by a California
business. However, the agency counted the total value of a subsequent
export agreement,” according to one legislative analyst report.
The Orange County Register quantified the overstated benefits at
$44.2 million for one year.
In the end, only one trade office survived. The California Armenia
Trade Office was subsequently transferred to the authority of the
Business, Housing and Transportation Agency, where it remains today.
Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, salvaged the trade office by requiring
that it thrive on private donations Scott’s district is home to the
largest Armenian community in America.
Scott considers the Armenia office a pilot project that could, perhaps,
become a model for future trade offices. Unlike its predecessors,
the office is funded through $75,000 in private donations, must
file evaluation reports, and will automatically close in 2008 unless
reauthorized by the Legislature.
“We’re learning from mistakes of the past,” Scott said.
But experts say accepting private donations is bad public policy.
Jeffrey Gersick, former managing director of the state’s trade offices
in London, Frankfurt, Johannesburg and Jerusalem, said the state’s
priorities can be muddled by those who “pay to play.”
Rather than putting offices where there’s growth potential, Gersick
and others say the practice could hold the state hostage to special
interests looking to leverage the state’s seal for their own cause,
creating a case of “country du jour.”
The director of the Armenian Trade Office, Arthur Khachatryan,
said he reports to the Foundation for Economic Development, a
non-profit Armenian group based in Glendale, Calif., handling the
state contract. However, the trade office keeps the state abreast of
its work through biweekly phone calls and progress reports.
“The ultimate responsibility rests with the state,” Khachatryan said.
“But on day-to-day questions, of course, we work with the foundation.”
Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City, said he believes private donations
are the way to go. He is carrying two bills to install trade offices
in Seoul and Johannesburg, both of which are modeled after the Armenia
trade office.
Murray and Scott argue that the private-funding model deserves a
chance before being tossed out.
“If you can generate far more business than the cost of the trade
office, I can’t see how you’d lose,” Scott said.
Lawmakers are now trying to consolidate all trade office bills,
and they hope to develop an overall trade strategy for the state.
Assemblyman Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, chair of the jobs committee,
has written a bill that would give Schwarzenegger’s Business
Transportation and Housing Agency $140,000 to develop an overall
state policy on trade. Assembly Bill 2601 is being supported by
the Republican governor after another bill to give the agency legal
control of trade offices failed.
Concerned that there won’t be enough oversight, Sen. Gloria Romero,
D-Los Angeles, has written a bill that would also develop a strategy
for the state. However, Senate Bill 1513 allows the Legislature to
decide where to put trade offices and requires them to be funded with
through private donations.
Both bills require public disclosure of donations but Romero’s requires
them to be posted on the Internet.
Business, Transportation and Housing Secretary Sunne Wright McPeak
said the governor has made trade promotion a priority, citing his
trade missions to Baja California, Japan and China. However, she said
the agency would be reluctant to spend taxpayer dollars.
Instead, McPeak said the agency has begun coordinating with trade
associations and the U.S. Commerce Department as a cost-effective
approach to trade promotion.
Agency officials say that even if the Legislature fails to pass a bill,
the administration intends to develop a trade strategy for the state.
Howard Shatz, a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of
California, a non-partisan think tank, said lawmakers will have to
be careful in formulating a plan with reliable performance measures.
Trade experts say the state should take advantage of existing resources
like the Commerce Department, look to countries with the most growth
potential, and assign trade offices clear mandates, then measure
their achievements accordingly.
“It needs to be done right because they are going to be scrutinized
given the history of trade offices,” Shatz said. “The last thing you
want is another scandal.”
cfm?action=detail&pk=TRADE-06-16-06 .ancfresno.org
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress