250-300 THOUSAND UNIVERSITY GRADUATES LEFT ARMENIA
Lragir.am
04 April 06
Arne Vagen, the head of the International Bureau of the Danish Council,
participating in the conference on migration that opened in Yerevan
on April 4, announced that 250-300 thousand citizens with higher
education left Armenia in 1989-2001. These people mostly move to the
United States, thinks Arne Vagen.
The research of the Danish Council of Refugees shows that part of
these specialists had a permanent job in Armenia and an income above
the average.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPEAKER SAYS THERE WILL BE SOLUTION TO ISSUE OF GAS
Lragir.am
04 April 06
By April 4 Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan has not changed his opinion on
the possible increase of the price of Russian gas. In December 2005
he had announced that the price of gas would go high but it would be
difficult to explain the strategic essence of the Russian-Armenian
relations to people.
On April 4 Arthur Baghdasaryan announced that comments today are not
proper. “Presently, talks are going on between Armenian and Russian
representatives. I think we should wait a day or two and then give
our opinion.” The speaker of the National Assembly thinks there will
be solutions that will comply with the spirit of Russian-Armenian
relations. Arthur Baghdasaryan prefers not to speak about the possible
transfer of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and the thermal plant of
Yerevan in return for keeping the price of gas low, and wait. However,
“we can accept any solution if it does not contradict to the national
strategic interests and the national security of Armenia.”
In this context of the program Property For Debt, Arthur Baghdasaryan
said it is quite successful. Now the problem is to attend to the
companies transferred to Russia. “We must urge the Russians to operate
these companies.” The Russian Federation gave a concession of several
billions of dollars to Algeria, and we transferred our companies
in return for our debt of 100 million, compares the speaker of the
National Assembly. “In all our political and friendly meetings with
the political and official sets of Russia we discuss the operation
of these companies.”

ARMENIA MARKS INTERNATIONAL MINE AWARENESS DAY
Mediamax news agency
4 Apr 06
Yerevan, 4 April: Armenia today marked the International Day for Mine
Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action for the first time.
The Armenian government and the UN Development Programme presented
their first report about the influence of land mines in Yerevan today.
Armenian Deputy Minister for Territorial Administration Vache Terteryan
said that the report had been prepared within the framework of the
Humanitarian Mine Action Programme financed by the European Union
and the Armenian Defence Ministry.
Vache Terteryan said that the national mine action strategy will be
presented to the public by the end of 2006.
The coordinator of the UN office in Yerevan and permanent
representative of the UN Development Programme in Armenia, Consuelo
Vidal, said today that 102 areas covering 320 sq.km and representing
potential mine hazards have been found in Tavush, Gegharkunik, Ararat,
Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions. On the whole, 69,000 people are living
close to land mines and unexploded munitions in Armenia.

BRITISH COLUMBIA PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Yerkir
04.04.2006 13:57
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
adopted a resolution on April 3 recognizing the Armenian Genocide,
the Armenian National Assembly of British Columbia reported.
Since September 2005, the Armenian National Committees of Vancouver and
British Columbia have worked hard to ensure the resolution’s success.
The resolution was introduced by Assembly member from Vancouver
Kingsway Adrian Dicks who is a member of the New Democratic Party.
The Armenian National Committees of Vancouver and British Columbia
met with Dicks on March 24 to coordinate efforts of the Genocide
resolution.

SITUATION IN GEORGIA’S ARMENIAN-POPULATED REGION BACK TO NORMAL – AGENCY
Arminfo, Yerevan
4 Apr 06
Akhalkalaki, 4 April: The situation in the Armenian-populated
Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia is gradually getting back
to normal.
After protest rallies and riots that followed the killing of ethnic
Armenian Gevork Gevorkyan in Tsalka District on 9 March, the life in
the region is “gradually getting back to normal”, A-info news agency
reported today.
The press service of the council of Armenian public organizations in
Samtskhe-Javakheti said that the Armenian population of the region
is waiting for a just verdict from Georgia’s law-enforcement agencies
on the killing of Gevork Gevorkyan. This is the reason the situation
in the region is currently calm, the press service said.
The Armenian population of Samtskhe-Javakheti has become more vigilant
and is trying not to yield to provocation. For instance, unnamed people
spread information, urging people to participate in a rally planned
to be held on a square in the town of Akhalkalaki on 16 March. But
no-one went to that rally.
The council of Armenian public organizations of Samtskhe-Javakheti
states that the rally had been planned by those who are trying to
destabilize the situation in the region, A-info reported.

JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA ISSEI NOMURA WILL BECOME THE TOP OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF CROWN PRINCE NARUHITO’S HOUSEHOLD, EFFECTIVE THURSDAY, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED AT A CABINET MEETING TUESDAY
Kyodo News Service
Apr 03, 2006
Hideki Hayashida, the current grand master of the crown prince’s
household, will leave office on Thursday.
A native of Hiroshima Prefecture, Nomura, 65, joined the Foreign
Ministry in 1963. He has served as Japan’s ambassador to Russia,
Armenia, Turkmenistan and Belarus since 2002 after serving as
ambassador to Malaysia and Germany.
Nomura has close relations with Hisashi Owada and his wife Yumiko,
the parents of Crown Princess Masako.
Hayashida, who worked for the former Ministry of Education before
becoming the grand chamberlain of the crown prince’s household in
November 2001, became the grand master in May 2002.

GREEK TELECOM OTE CONSIDERS SELLING STAKE IN ARMENIAN OPERATOR
AP Worldstream
Apr 04, 2006
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization, or OTE, said Tuesday it
was considering selling its 90-percent stake in Armenia’s dominant
telecommunications operator ArmenTel.
OTE has discussed its options with the Armenian government, which
owns the remaining 10 percent of ArmenTel, the Greek company said in
a statement.
HSBC Bank will advise OTE on the transaction, the statement said.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
04-04-2006
Memorial to Victims of Armenian Genocide Unveiled in France
On April 2, Edward Nalbandian, Armenia’s Ambassador to the French Republic,
and August Trupheme, President of the General Council of the Departement of
Hautes-Alpes, unveiled a sculpted stone cross khachkar dedicated to the
victims of the Armenian Genocide, in the central square of the city of Gap,
France.
In his speech, Ambassador Nalbandian stressed the need to always remember
and condemn the crime against humankind. “Man without memory has no future.
A people without memory have no history. Humankind without memory will lose
its human face,” said the Ambassador.
A reception followed the event at the City Hall during which honorary
citizenship was granted to Armenia’s Ambassador.
Deputies, senators, local authorities, political figures, as well as
hundreds of representatives of the Armenian Community from nearby regions
attended the ceremony.
Some fifty memorials dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide are
placed throughout France which, along with the law on Genocide recognition,
stand not only for recognition and condemnation of the Genocide by the
French people, but also peace and harmony between the two nations.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
03-04-2006
Business Forum Organized by the Belgian-Armenian Chamber of Commerce
The first business forum organized by the Belgian-Armenian Chamber of
Commerce (BACC) was held at Brussels University on March 30. More than forty
Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourgish, as well as representatives of
international companies in Brussels, including Siemens and Allianz,
participated in the Forum.
Valery Safaryan, founder and managing director of BACC, Pierre Gjurdjian,
Director of the Belgian branch of McKinsey Company and co-chair of the
‘Armenia 2020’ initiative, Garik Melkonian, Armenia’s trade representative
to the European Union, Vincent Claes, Jaga representative, Alain
Caris-Reynders, director of the RTA East-West tourist company, delivered
speeches at the Forum, and Vigen Chitechian, Armenia’s Ambassador to the
Kingdom of Belgium, made the concluding remarks.
The presented spoke about the pace and progress of economic development in
Armenia, as well as investment laws. They also spoke about the rapidly
developing sectors of the economy and the priorities of the Armenian
Government.
In September 2006, a delegation of Belgian businessmen will visit Armenia at
the initiative of BACC in order to establish business links.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
SAIN T GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR ONCE AGAIN BLESSES
THE ARMENIAN NATION WITH HIS RIGHT HAND
A large number of the faithful gathered in the Mother Cathedral in Antelias
on April 2 to attend the feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator and kiss relic
of his Right Hand, kept with much care at the Antelias headquarters of the
Armenian Orthodox Church (Catholicosate of Cilicia).
A few decades ago, the Armenian believers used to walk barefoot from the
various regions of Beirut to Antelias to kiss this relic of the Patron Saint
of the Armenian Church. The tradition goes back to Cilicia, where Armenians
used to climb to the historical cathedral of Sis to renew their faith and
kiss this centuries-old relic.
True to this old Armenian tradition, a group of Seminary students walked
from Bikfaya to Antelias as a symbol of a renewal of their faith with the
intention of becoming worthy of the blessings of this holy Hand. This
national relic has traveled with the Catholicosate of Cilicia through the
paths of Genocide and deportation and today once again extends its blessings
to the entire Armenian nation.
Bishop Dirayr Panossian celebrated the mass and delivered a sermon on the
occasion of the day that marks St. Gregory the Illuminator’s imprisonment
into Khor Virab (the pit) and the Catholicosate’s Pilgrimage Day. His
Holiness Aram I presided over the Church service and the procession of the
Patron Saint’s Right Hand as well as other relics. Members of the Cilician
Brotherhood, priests, guests and a large number of faithful participated in
the procession.
His Grace Dirayr Panossian focused on the history of the See of Cilicia in
his sermon, mentioning how the late Catholicos His Holiness Sahag II
Khabayan had described this pilgrimage day as an opportunity to rise from
the Genocide and strengthen faith.
He pointed out that since the day His Holiness Sahag II put Holy Chrism in
the river of Antelias and baptized hundreds of Armenian orphans there, the
land of Antelias became holy, gave birth to new seeds that strengthened by
Saint Gregory the Illuminator dedicated themselves to the mission of the
Armenian Church and nation.
The “Shenorhali” Choir of the Catholicosate participated in the service
singing the Badarak.
Lead by His Holiness Aram I, the procession marched inside the Cathedral
because of the pouring rain outside. His Holiness gave blessings with the
Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator and priests followed with other
relics and crosses blessing the believers who kissed the relics with great
faith.
A blessing of water with the holy Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator
was then held on the altar of the Cathedral. His Holiness Aram I read a
special prayer for the healing of the sick and the strengthening of faith:
“From the Antelias Cathedral of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, we, the
pilgrim children, appeal to you St. Gregory, renowned pilgrim of our Great
God. Oh our Illuminator Father bless our entire nation in Armenia and the
Diaspora under the protection of your Holy Right Hand. Particularly bless
your faithful people gathered in the Antelias Cathedral. Erase our sins,
clean our spiritual and physical vices; grant health to all the sick;
enlighten the dark paths of our lives; enrich the lives of our nation’s
children, our families and our Big Family, your noble people with heavenly
kindness for the glory of the Armenian Orthodox Church and the eternal
existence of the Armenian nation.”
The Patron Saint’s Right Hand was then placed on the Cathedral’s altar,
where believers came to kiss it throughout the day.
##
View photos here:
es35.htm
ctures36.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.