Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SYSTEM OF A DOWN PRESS FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
DURING THREE-DAY WASHINGTON, DC ADVOCACY TOUR
— Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan Meet Speaker Hastert; Visit
with Members of Congress; Hold Media Interviews; Host Screening
of New Genocide Documentary; and Join Rally at Turkish Embassy
WASHINGTON, DC – Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of the Grammy
Award-winning band System of a Down raised awareness, garnered
national press attention on the Armenian Genocide and pressed
legislators for action on legislation condemning this crime during
their three-day advocacy tour of the nation’s capital, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Among the highlights of the visit were the following:
* An unscheduled meeting with Speaker Dennis Hastert, during which
Serj reminded the Speaker about the band’s past attempts to arrange
a meeting to discuss the Armenian Genocide, briefed him about their
ongoing positive meetings with legislators, and pointed out that
the fate of Armenian Genocide legislation rested in the Speaker’s
hands. The Speaker noted that he hadn’t looked at the band’s
letter yet, but promised to read it.
* A series of strategy meetings with legislators on both the House
and Senate sides of the Capitol. Among those they met with
concerning the adoption of Armenian Genocide legislation were Chief
Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO);
Congressmen George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), the
lead authors of Armenian Genocide legislation before the U.S.
House; Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Co-Chairman of the
Congressional Armenian Caucus, and; Representatives Thaddeus
McCotter (R-MI) and Devin Nunes (R-CA).
* The opportunity to meet dozens of legislators, including House
Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA), at the ANCA’s annual
Armenian Genocide observance on Capitol Hill on April 26th. This
remembrance, which drew 40 Senators and Representatives, featured
the presentation of the ANCA’s ‘Voice of Justice’ Award to System
of a Down. The band members were joined at this event by David
Alpay, the star of Atom Egoyan’s groundbreaking film on the
Armenian Genocide, “Ararat.”
* The first-ever screening, on April 25th, of excerpts from
“Screamers,” a powerful and innovative new film by Carla Garapedian
about the band’s efforts to secure justice for the Armenian
Genocide. The film, which was enthusiastically received by the
Capitol Hill audience, was followed by an extensive question and
answer session.
* A series of media interviews, including an April 25th hour-long
on-air discussion about the Armenian Genocide on DC-101’s “Elliot
in the Morning” show, Washington, DC’s leading morning radio
program.
* Stories about their advocacy tour appeared in influential
publications across Capitol Hill and around the country, including
the Los Angeles Times and the Gannett News Service. Congressional
Quarterly, the highly regarded weekly publication, ran a story
quoting Serj Tankian stressing that, “for the government to still
deny this historical truth is an absolute travesty.” The Hill, an
influential Congressional publication, quoted John Dolmayan as
saying that he would continue his work until Congress recognizes
the genocide: “Even a blade of grass can break through concrete,
and I’d rather be the grass than the concrete.”
* Serj and John both took part in an April 24th anti-denial rally
outside the Turkish Embassy organized by the ANCA and Armenian
Youth Federation. Prominent among the more than 1,000 participants
in the rally was Alecko Eskandarian, star forward of the DC United
soccer team.
=============================
Meeting with Speaker Hastert
=============================
The unplanned meeting with the Speaker came on the heels of more
than seven months of efforts by System of Down to schedule a
meeting with him to discuss Congressional recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. Last September, Serj and John traveled
personally to the Speaker’s district office in Batavia, Illinois,
along with hundreds of their fans, to deliver a letter requesting a
meeting about allowing a vote on Armenian Genocide legislation that
had recently been overwhelmingly approved by the House
International Relations Committee.
Despite these repeated efforts over the course of more than half a
year, the Speaker’s office has not scheduled a meeting with System,
nor has he responded positively to a series of meeting requests
from the leadership of the Armenian American community. During
this time period, however, Foreign Agent Registration Act filings
at the Justice Department reveal that the Speaker has met
personally with senior Turkish officials and their lobbyist Bob
Livingston, who is paid close to $2 million a year to oppose
American reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
Over 15,000 individual ANCA WebFaxes have been sent from across the
United States urging the Speaker to allow a vote on the Armenian
Genocide Resolution.
===================
System of a Down
===================
The members of System of a Down, Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, John
Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian, who are of Armenian descent, all
personally lost family members and family history to the Armenian
Genocide. “Because so much of my family history was lost in the
Armenian Genocide,” said Malakian, “my grandfather, who was very
young at the time, doesn’t know his true age. How many people can
say they don’t know how old they are?” Tankian, Dolmayan and
Odadjian all identify their grandparents’ memories as the only
links they have to their respective family heritages, as most of
their families were obliterated during the Armenian Genocide.
Having won a Grammy Award this year, debuted two #1 Billboard
albums in 2005, and having sold over 16 million records around the
world, System of A Down has a tremendous nationwide following and
loyal fan base, who have heeded their call to action on social
justice issues, including support of legislation recognizing the
Armenian Genocide. The band’s efforts have gained national press
attention in hundreds of articles appearing in the New York Times,
Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, MTV,
BBC, VH1, ABC, FOX, WB, and Rolling Stone.
#####

United Nations Development Programme Country Office in Armenia
14, Petros Adamyan Street, Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Contact: Aramazd Ghalamkaryan
Tel: (374 10) 56 60 73, ext. 121
Fax: (374 10) 54 38 11
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
UNDP COUNTRY OFFICE IN ARMENIA
*May 4, 2006*
Helping Communities Help Themselves
UNDP’s new project starts with an honest discussion of local problems with
the heads of fifteen villages in Armavir province
*B**aghramyan village, Armenia* – Today, two project teams of United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) visited Armavir province in Southwestern
Armenia to meet with heads of fifteen villages – future stakeholders of the
projects – and to present the initiative. UNDP Armenia’s projects on
Community Development and Performance Budgeting joined their minds and funds
to achieve a breakthrough in the district of Baghramyan.
What the projects aim to achieve is to meet the immediate social needs in
communities, resolving certain long-term economic issues, such as lack of
employment and incomes, sharing goals for their communities and the district
as a whole.
The project teams were recently strengthened by well-known local experts
working in the field of community development. Through application of new
methods of budgeting (results-based), involvement of the local
self-governance bodies and the local citizens in the discussion and
prioritization of needs, decision making, elaboration of village development
plans, joint implementation, as well as joint monitoring of all the
processes, a new and advanced level of community development, of citizens
being engaged in their own development will be achieved.
Mr. Vrej Jijian, UNDP project manager, addressed the participants of the
meeting: “Your voice is and will be vital for us and for this initiative: we
will base the projects’ ideas on this. Every step forward will need not
only your consent but active participation and shared responsibility.”
“How can we bring about a sense of consolidation? What are your own
long-term visions of your respective villages? All in all, renovation of
buildings is far less important than change in the people’s attitudes and
behaviours: this is what we ultimately aim for,” – noted Ms. Hripsime
Manukyan, project expert.
The gap between the capital city Yerevan and provinces of Armenia, in terms
of access to social and health care services, education, economic conditions
and benefits of the high economic growth, has widened during the recent five
years. The level of participation of citizens at the local level is also
very weak. While the economy grows rapidly, the challenge for the country is
to distribute this wealth in an equitable way, especially outside Yerevan,
and achieve a balanced situation in the country for all the communities to
benefit from the growth, in line with the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).
In 2000, leaders of 191 countries, including Armenia, signed the Millennium
Declaration, thus pledging to reach the eight Millennium Development Goals
by 2015. The goals cover poverty, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, maternal and
child health, environment, education, women’s empowerment and global
partnership.
Since 2004, UNDP Armenia has successfully implemented a community
development programme in Karakert village in the same Baghramyan district.
Based on this experience UNDP has launched a new phase of community
development projects in 2006.
* * *
/UNDP is the UN’s global development network. It advocates for change and
connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people
build a better life. We operate in 166 countries, working with them on their
own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop
local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of
partners.///
* * *
For additional information, please contact Mr. Aramazd Ghalamkaryan, tel.:
+374 10 56 60 73, ext. 121, +374 91 436 312, e-mail:
[email protected] .

From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – LebanonBeirut, 04/05/2006
HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETS IN BEIRUT
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman: We applaud Haigazian’s
role as a strong voice for American values, for freedom and democracy,
education and service.
On May, 1, 2006, after completing a successful day of meetings
with the Board of Trustees, during which the future academic and
development plans of the university were discussed, the president
of Haigazian University, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian hosted a special
dinner of fellowship in hotel Le Bristol, Hamra.
In attendance were the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Jeffrey Feltman,
the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, Vahan Der Ghevontian and
his spouse, the Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy, Juliet Wurr,
the Executive Director of the Armenian Missionary Association of
America, Andrew Torigian, the President of the Union of the Armenian
Evangelical Churches in the Near East, Rev. Megrdich Karagoezian,
members of the board, and the academic and administrative leadership
of the University.
During dinner, President Haidostian acknowledged the vigorous efforts
of the Board members, the support and friendship of the US Embassy,
as he congratulated the Armenian Ambassador for his appointment
to Lebanon.
“In our consciousness, the USA denotes a people, a system, a
tradition, a set of values, a heritage of virtues, where voluntarism,
philanthropy, respect for life, critical thinking and democracy
are taught for the benefit of all, especially the underprivileged
ones of this world…In fact, the Armenian experience of suffering,
coupled with the American outlook created a strong foundation for an
educational system at Haigazian”, said Haidostian during his address.
Ambassador Feltman was struck by the real family spirit of the evening,
as he considered the event a celebration of Armenians, Lebanese and
Americans gathered for the sake of Haigazian University.
During his speech, Feltman expressed his admiration of Haigazian
University in promoting a tolerant, multi-confessional society,
respectful of the rights of minorities. Moreover, he applauded
Haigazian’s role as a strong voice for American values, for freedom
and democracy, education and service.
“The long-term, non-negotiable commitment of the United States to
Lebanon remains as strong and vibrant as ever…The ties between the
American and Lebanese people span generations and are sustained by
mutual affection. As U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, I am proud to affirm
the commitment of the United States to Lebanon and to pledge America’s
support to Lebanon and the Lebanese people today, tomorrow and in the
future, to build and support a secure, sovereign, democratic, united
and prosperous Lebanon”, noted Feltman upon concluding his speech.
The Haigazian University Women’s Auxiliary (LA), represented by
its chairwoman Joyce Stein and 3 other members, donated a generous
amount of USD100,000 towards the funding of the new building project
of the University.
On accepting the donation, the president expressed his gratitude by
presenting the ladies a plaque which acknowledged the auxiliary’s
43-year unconditional dedication in supporting needy Haigazian
students.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CNN World Report
Saturday, May 6, 2006
Armenia TV
Armenian Genocide Commemoration
ANCHOR: Hundreds of thousand gathered in Armenia this week in commemoration
of the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenia TV’s Paul Chaderjian reports.
TRT: 2:14
:00 Yerevan, ArmeniaTV
:25 Hasmig Hovnanian, American-Armenian
:55 Vartan Oskanian, Foreign Minister, Armenia
REPORT:
This sacred monument atop a hill in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan is
called Tzitzernagapert or the Swallow’s Fortress. It is here that hundreds
of thousand gather every April 24th and throughout the year to honor the
memory of the million-and-a-half Armenians slaughtered by Ottoman Turkey
between 1915 and 1923.
HASMIG HOVNANIAN: For us April 24 is the holiest, most important day, to
remember all of the innocent people that died.
This memorial was built in the 1960’s, when the sons and daughters of those
who survived the death marches through the Ottoman deserts stood up and
transformed the Armenian people from victims to activists. Armenians around
the world began to draw international attention to the Armenian Genocide as
a crime against humanity.
VARTAN OSKANIAN: This is an acknowledged historic reality by most of the
scholarly world, and by most major media and journalists. Further, the
international political community, too, knows well what happened in 1915,
and together, we are seeking ways to enable more open discussion of why and
how the Genocide happened, and its implications for members of the world
community today – and most of all for Turks and Armenians.
Minister Oskanian says Turkey’s own democratization process has brought this
taboo topic to the surface, and that as Turkey tries to gain membership in
the European Union, it has to deal with its history, memory and identity.
OSKANIAN: The international community today considers the threat of Genocide
a very real 21st century challenge. Our responsibility, together with the
Diaspora, is to speak out against past and future uses of Genocide as a
political tool by states.
As for Armenians, parents who brought their children to the Swallow’s
Fortress say they want to build a secure and prosperous future even as they
remember the dark pages of the past.
For the CNN World Report, Paul Chaderjian, Armenia TV
# #
CNN WORLD REPORT
BROADCAST INFO
1) 04:30A GMT / 12:30P HongKong / 01:30A Buenos Aires / 14:30P Sydney /
12:30A EST
2) 02:30A GMT (Sunday) / 10:30A Hongkong (Sunday) / 11:30P Buenos Aires /
12:30P Sydney (Monday) / 10:30P EST
ETV, Egypt Dahab Bombing
IRIB, Iran Conference on QODS/Palestinian Support (VO & SOT ONLY)
FUTURE TV, Lebanon Ghazi Aad/ SOLIDE
ARMENIA TV, Armenia Armenia Genocide Commemoration
TVP, Poland March of the Living in Auschwitz (VO ONLY)
SWISS TV, Switzerland Papal Swiss Guard March to Rome
ITV NEWS, UK UK Marathon Man (St. George & the dragon) (VO ONLY)
CHANNEL J, Japan Children Meet Artists in Okinawa (VO & SOT ONLY)
CYBC, Cyprus Hasan Bulli, Cyprus’s “Jesse James”
BEIJING TV, China Pet Restaurant
# #

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
05-05-2006
Minister Oskanian’s Remarks at International Conference in Vilnius
Let me join the others in expressing our appreciation to the Lithuanian
and Polish presidents for organizing this conference and for inviting
Armenia.
It’s been an illuminating and inspiring day. I also would like
to thank President Adamkus and the Lithuanian government for the
wonderful reception and also for everyone’s expression of sympathy
with regard to the tragic airplane accident yesterday morning.
Mr. President, your visit to Armenia is still fresh in our minds,
and the message that you brought – the message of democracy, peace and
cooperation – still reverberates in my mind. We’ve always appreciated
the leadership that Lithuania has shown with regard to bridging our two
regions – the Baltics and the Caucasus – and making your experience
available to us to develop our region and to develop cooperation
among our countries. Your efforts fall within a similar, and broader,
effort by transatlantic organizations. With the benefit of hindsight,
we wonder where we, the countries of the Caucasus, would have been
had there not been the vision demonstrated by the leadership of
these structures to make their knowledge and practice available to
countries like ours in the post-soviet space. Organizations like
the OSCE, the Council of Europe and others opened up and shared
their experience. Even more, there was the foresight to create new
structures, such as EAPC within NATO, to embrace these countries,
to provide a framework for our development.
We, the countries which have been the beneficiaries of those
organizations and the processes created around them, want you to know
that this guidance has been very helpful and useful.
Still, each of us in the post-soviet space, has chosen a different way
to benefit (or not benefit) from the varying options made available
to us.
Those different options fall into three categories:
First, there are those who have chosen the more abrupt and
revolutionary path to reform; then, there are those who have chosen
the more incremental and evolutionary path, and third, there are those
who have dug-in their heels and are not moving in a new direction.
Armenia has chosen the second path – the evolutionary, incremental
approach – because we believe in two principles.
Firstly, as Javier Solana said, democracy is not a one-shot deal, it
does not happen overnight. We know that, and we believe that as long
as you know that you are on the right track and are confident that
you are moving forward and not backtracking, then the evolutionary
and incremental approach to democracy is more effective and enduring.
Secondly, we understand that democracy is a tool for development,
that there is clear linkage between democracy and prosperity. As
much as democracy is a tool for development, we know that economic
development is a facilitator of democratization. I want to emphasize
the EU’s enhanced role in these interconnected processes through
the creation of a new program and a new instrument – the European
Neighborhood Policy and the Action Plan. We are currently negotiating
the Action Plan, the process will be concluded soon, and it will
elevate the level of our relations with the EU to new heights.
It will reinforce the reforms and make them irreversible. Further,
it will increase the integrational options and make available new
possibilities.
Now Mr. Chairman, my second topic: unresolved conflicts. First,
let me address the charges leveled at Armenia by the Azerbaijani
Prime Minister. He basically called Armenia an aggressor, and
called the Armenians inhabiting Nagorno Karabakh terrorists and
drug traffickers. Given the overall spirit of the talks which
are taking place at the highest level, between the presidents,
and given the positive elements that exist at this moment, such
inaccurate and inflammatory comments are not understandable. Nor are
they justified. Especially since territories under Armenian control
today are the consequences of Azerbaijan’s aggression toward people
it considered its own citizens. I don’t think that Javier Solana was
overly optimistic when he said there are positive aspects in this
process, but Mr. Solana, those positive elements can be transformed
to encouraging developments only if the Azerbaijani side is clearly
told and finally understands that they don’t have a military option
here. With their oil resources and with high oil prices, they have
unfortunately come to believe, or at least they publicly proclaim
that there is a military option available to them. With that kind of
thinking, it will not be easy to compromise. But they need to be told
very clearly by the EU and others, that there is no military option,
so that they make the necessary compromises, as Armenia has already
done, to reach a peaceful resolution. Only then, Mr. Chairman, do
we stand a chance of making further progress this year, eventually
bringing peace and stability to this region.

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
05-05-2006
‘Mesrop Mashtots and the Armenian Alphabet’ Conference at Oxford University
On April 28, a conference entitled ‘Mesrop Mashtots and the Armenian
Alphabet’ was held at Exeter College of Oxford University.
Theo M. van Lint, Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies
at Oxford University, Dr. Joseph J. S. Weitenberg, Chair of Armenian
Studies at the University of Leiden, Netherlands, Dr. Vrej Nersessian,
Head of the Christian Middle East Collection Section of the British
Library, Erna Shirinyan, Head of the Manuscripts Division of Yerevan’s
Matenadaran, and others delivered speeches at the Conference.
Vahe Gabrielian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, opened the
Conference. In his speech, he stressed the role of the Alphabet in the
History of Armenia and in the formation of the identity of the Armenian
nation, as well as its political significance and lessons learned.
>From March 20 till April 30, an exhibition of medieval Armenian
manuscripts and printed books was held at the Bodleian Library of
Oxford University, with specimens of the 11-18th centuries.
Oxford’s Armenian collection dates back to 1635. Calouste Gulbenkian
Chair of Armenian Studies at Oxford University was founded in 1965.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]
ARAMAC STATE CHAIR PAMELA BARSAM BROWN WORKS WITH COLORADO PBS
AFFILLIATE TO BROADCAST GENOCIDE AWARENESS PANEL
Washington DC — The Armenian Assembly of America today commended
the leadership of Assembly activist Pamela Barsam Brown for taking
the initiative and working with Colorado PBS station KBDI, which
broadcast a genocide awareness panel following the debut of Andrew
Goldberg’s documentary, “The Armenian Genocide” on April 26.
The panel, which featured genocide scholar and Assembly Member
Dr. Dennis Papazian, examined issues surrounding past and present
genocides including the Holocaust, Armenian Genocide and the recent
situation in Darfur.
“Weappreciate thework of Peter Boylesand KBDIfor helping raise
awareness of these crimes against humanity,” said Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny. “We also applaud our State Chair, Pamela Barsam Brown,
forrallying community support andfor spearheading this initiative
in Colorado.”
“Dr. Papazian’sinsightful and historically revealing comments,
asguest panelist,providedColoradoan’s with animportant and timely
opportunity to learn about the Armenian Genocide,” said Barsam Brown,
Colorado State Chair for ARAMAC.
“I am particularly proud that my local PBS affiliate chose to create
a unique and positive post-program format. OurPBS audience was
well-served by a robust discussion which touched upona wide range of
past and presentGenocide topics,” Barsam Brown continued.
Dr. Papazian served as the Armenian Assembly’s first Executive Director
as well as Co-Chair of the Assembly’s Board of Directors. Currently,
he is the Director of the Armenian Research Center at the University
of Michigan, Dearborn.
Other panelists included Ved Nanda, Director of the International
Legal Studies Program at the University of Denver, United Nations
Association of Colorado President Dr. Tim Kubik, and Ahmed Adam Ali
Mohammed, the Secretary General of Darfur Association in the U.S.
The program also promoted a local Conference entitled “Genocide and
Crimes Against Humanity: Challenges and Actions” that will be held
on May 8 under the sponsorship of the Colorado Coalition for Genocide
Awareness and Action of which the Armenian Assembly is a part of.
For more information about the Conference or the Coalition,
contact Roz Duman, Project Director at (303) 320-6565 or email
[email protected].
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Zaruhi Tonapetyan
Resource Development Manager for
Habitat for Humanity Armenia
+ (374-10) 556-1146
[email protected]
On May 3, 2006, in the context of “Catholicos Karekin II Work
Project: An Armenian Building on Faith” project in the Gegharkunik
region Gavar city took place the opening ceremony of building.
” The partnership with HFH Armenia and also being the first to
implement such a great project is much responsible for us, – said
Gurgen Martirosyan, the mayor of Gavar city,- We will do our best in
the mission of eliminating poverty housing in our community”.
The construction of this building was stopped in 1993 because of the
huge grade the country was exposed. Now the city administration gave
the building to the families selected by HFH Armenia to be homeowner.
Twenty four families in housing need in Gavar came together to build
their house, the house of unity, the house symbolizing the great
kindness of human being.
The beginning of building in Gavar city opened with blessing of Very
Rev. father Markos Hovhannesyan Vicar of the Gegharkunik dioceses.
“Let your hearts be filled with love to energize you during the whole
building process, and let this love pass to every generations, that
will live in this building”- said Very Rev. Father during the
blessing.
The first construction works of “Catholicos Karekin II Work Project:
An Armenian Building on Faith Project” were launched.
The annual home-building event will take place in Sept. 5-9, 2006.
Thirty-seven homes will be built with families in need – symbolizing
36 worldwide Dioceses, plus the Holy See, representing the Catholicos
of all Armenians – near the Armenian capital city, Yerevan. Armenian
churches are encouraged to galvanize teams to fundraise and to join
the build.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Ga., is an
ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people
dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since 1976,
Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries,
providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than one
million people. For more information, visit
For more information about the “Catholicos Karekin II Work Project”,
visit:
Or write:
[email protected]

PRO-ARMENIAN CIRCLES UP TO NEGATIVE ARTICLES ABOUT AZERBAIJAN IN FOREIGN PRESS – MP MUBARIZ GURBANLI
Author: J. Shakhverdiyev
TREND Info, Azerbaijan
May 4 2006
Pro-Armenian circles are up to negative articles about Azerbaijan in
foreign press, reportedly said MP Mubariz Gurbanli, deputy executive
secretary, New Azerbaijan Party.
Gurbanli said some circles outside the country, promoted by Armenian
lobby, disseminate contrary-to-fact information on Azerbaijan. “I do
not suggest such articles may change public opinion on Azerbaijan in
the world especially since we observe many positive articles about
our country as well”, – he said.

ARMENIA GOVT TO ISSUE FUNERAL AID TO FAMILIES OF AIR CRASH VICTIMS
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 4 2006
YEREVAN, May 4 (Itar-Tass) – The Armenian government will pay 3,300
dollars for the funeral of each victim of the air crash that claimed
113 lives.
Cabinet minister Onik Abraamyan said at a government meeting that
families of the dead could collect this money at social welfare
offices on Friday.
Considering that the Russian government made the decision to pay
compensation to families of Russian citizens who died in the crash,
Armenia will help only to its nationals, Abraamyan said.
“If Russians of Armenian nationality have the wish to bury their
relatives in Armenia, we are ready to give both financial and material
help,” he said.
He said that Armenian businessmen had come up with an initiative to
open special bank accounts.
A shareholder of the air company Armavia, to which the plane was
registered, Mikhail Bagdasarov, said on Public Television that
20,000-dollar compensation would be paid to each bereaved family.
The company spends several million dollars in insurance payments
every year, the businessman said.
The A-320 passenger plane that was en route from Yerevan to Russia’s
sea resort of Sochi crashed into the Black Sea in the night to
Wednesday when it was in a landing approach to the Adler airport.
Passengers included 26 Russia’s citizens.
Of 113 passengers of the plane that plunged to a 600-metre depth,
bodies of 53 have been recovered. Identities of 20 have been
established, an emergency staff member told Itar-Tass.
First bodies will be transported to Armenia by air on Thursday evening.
Abraamyan said that Russian authorities would continue search
operations in the crash area until bodies of all victims were found.