PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
12 March 2006
ARMENIAN PRIMATE AMONG A TEN-PERSON DELEGATION FROM AUSTRALIA ATTENDING THE
REGIONAL INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE IN CEBU, PHILIPPINES
Sydney, Australia – No sooner has the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Australia and New Zealand, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian
touched down in Sydney after participating in the World Council of Churches
9th General Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil from 13-24 February followed by
the Meeting of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin from 1-3 March, he will head off to Cebu in the Philippines on
13 March, 2006 as part of a 10 person delegation representing Australia.
The Conference will be co-hosted by the Governments of the Philippines,
Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia.
The Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation began as a joint Australia-Indonesia
initiative between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the Hon
Alexander Downer MP and HE Dr Hassan Wirajuda at the ASEAN meeting in July
2005. The broad objective of the Dialogue is to convene discussion among
world denominations and to foster greater understanding and cooperation
between the various faith communities in the region, to potentially resolve
the challenges that face communities today.
As a member of the Australian Delegation to the first Dialogue held in
Yogyakarta, Indonesia in December 2005, Archbishop Baliozian’s valued
contribution to the forum has initiated a second invitation from Mr Downer
to be included in the upcoming Australian delegation that will meet with
participants from fourteen other countries in the Asia-Pacific region in
Cebu, Philippines from 14-16 March.
Entitled “Cebu Dialogue on Regional Interfaith, Cooperation for Peace,
Development and Human Dignity” will build on the first Conference –
“Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation: Community Building and Harmony”.
Workshop sessions at the Conference will consider four themes in the context
of interfaith cooperation: including regional peace and security, human
dignity and development, the role of education and promotion; and the role
of media in promoting interfaith cooperation.
It is expected that the number of participants from the Asia-Pacific region
contributing to the Dialogue will be about 150.
In the present world climate, with a myriad of diverse attitudes, values and
ideals, Dialogues such as this provide opportunity to foster better
understanding and tolerance at a regional level with the ultimate goal of
ensuring peace and harmony to blend societies and nations. There is no
better disseminator, leader or promoter of such important principles within
communities than interfaith bodies and faith groups.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Australia & New Zealand
10 Macquarie Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Contact: Laura Artinian
Tel: (02) 9419-8056
Fax: (02) 9904-8446
Email: [email protected]
12 March 2006
PRIMATE RETURNS TO SYDNEY FROM INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
Sydney, Australia – In the late evening of Thursday, 9 March, 2006 His
Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of Australia and New Zealand was welcomed at Sydney airport by Church
clergy and Church Council members after a journey of international
assemblies and fraternal meetings. Before returning to the Prelacy, a
prayer service, led by His Eminence and accompanied by Very Reverend Father
Vardan Navasardyan was held in the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy
Resurrection thanking the Almighty for safe passage and return.
In early February, Archbishop Baliozian left Sydney commencing his 5-week
journey with a fraternal visit to the Diocese of Argentina as a guest of His
Eminence Archbishop Kissag Mouradian. This visit would be a prelude to his
travels in South America where he subsequently joined the delegation from
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for the 9th Assembly of the World Council
of Churches held in Porto Alegre, Brazil from 14-23 February. The
delegation of the Armenian Apostolic Church comprised of 14 ordained, lay,
women and youth representatives.
At the Assembly, His Grace Bishop Vicken Aikazian and Yeretsgin Paula
Devejian from Etchmiadzin were elected to the Central Committee of the WCC
with Bishop Aikazian elected to the Executive Committee. His Eminence
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian completed his term as a member of the Central
Committee representing the Armenian Apostolic Church since 1998.
At the conclusion of the Assembly, Archbishop Baliozian left for Sao Paulo
to visit with His Eminence Archbishop Datev Gharibian and the Armenian
Community before embarking on his passage to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin for the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council Meeting that was held
between 1-3 March.
Presided by His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, the Catholicos opened the Meeting with the Lord’s Prayer and in
his welcoming address appealed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead
the participants in the decision-making process. The Meeting primarily
examined issues relating to the daily life of the Church.
The Supreme Ecclesiastical Council is made up of His Holiness as President,
the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople as Chairmen, 12 clergy and 8
laymen. The function of the Council is decision-making on matters
pertaining to the Armenian Church and an advisory role to the Catholicos.
Archbishop Baliozian made his return journey to Australia via the United
States with a brief stay in Los Angeles where he paid a fraternal visit to
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of North America.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
10 mars 2006 vendredi 5:13 PM GMT
Conflit entre Eglises orthodoxes arménienne et géorgienne
EREVAN 10 mars 2006
L’Eglise apostolique arménienne a protesté officiellement vendredi
contre la création d’une éparchie (diocèse) orthodoxe géorgienne dans
le nord de l’Arménie.
“Le conseil spirituel suprême de l’Eglise apostolique arménienne
exprime son étonnement au sujet de la décision prise le 6 février par
l’Eglise orthodoxe géorgienne de créer une éparchie dans les régions
nord de l’Arménie et de ne pas en informer la partie arménienne”,
indique un communiqué de l’Etchmiadzine, le siège du chef des
orthodoxes arméniens.
“Cette décision est d’autant plus étonnante que la nouvelle éparchie
est proclamée sur un territoire où l’Eglise géorgienne n’a pas de
fidèles”, ajoute le communiqué.
Le porte-parole de l’Eglise arménienne Vagram Melikian a rappelé par
la même occasion que la Géorgie refusait de rendre aux Arméniens 6
églises arméniennes existant sur son territoire et d’enregistrer une
éparchie arménienne, “proposant d’enregistrer les églises arméniennes
comme sociétés par actions”.
La minorité arménienne en Géorgie est estimée par Erevan à quelque
400.000 personnes, groupées surtout dans la région de Javakheti.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
10 mars 2006 vendredi 4:48 PM GMT
Forte hausse des tarifs du gaz pour la population arménienne
EREVAN 10 mars 2006
Le gouvernement arménien a annoncé vendredi une forte hausse des
tarifs du gaz pour la population à partir du 10 avril à la suite de
l’augmentation du prix du gaz fourni par la Russie à cette
ex-république soviétique du Caucase.
Les tarifs pour les particuliers vont passer de 59.000 drams (130
dollars) pour 1.000 m3 à 90.000 drams (200 dollars). Pour les
entreprises qui consomment plus de 10.000 m3 de gaz par mois, le
tarif se fixe à 146,51 dollars pour 1.000 m3 contre 79,1 dollars
auparavant.
En 2006 l’Arménie compte importer 1,7 milliard de m3 de gaz russe
dont la moitié est consommée par les particuliers.
Le monopole du gaz russe Gazprom a augmenté les prix du gaz à
l’Arménie à 110 dollars pour 1.000 m3 à partir du 1er avril contre 56
dollars auparavant.

Agence France Presse
10 mars 2006 vendredi 3:31 PM GMT
Recommandations du Conseil de l’Europe à l’Arménie minée par la corruption
STRASBOURG (Conseil Europe) 10 mars 2006
La corruption reste un problème majeur en Arménie, selon un rapport
publié vendredi à Strasbourg par le Conseil de l’Europe.
Le document des experts du Groupe d’Etats contre la corruption
(GRECO) constate que la justice, la police, les douanes, les impôts,
l’éducation, la santé, les services des licences et le secteur des
privatisations “sont particulièrement affectés”.
“Malgré l’adoption de mesures, des lacunes subsistent dans leur mise
en oeuvre et l’organisation des systèmes judiciaire et répressif”
selon les experts.
Le rapport constate ainsi “l’absence quasi-totale” de résultats dans
les poursuites et la condamnation des personnes impliquées, “ce qui
témoigne du long chemin qui reste à parcourir”.
L’immunité des juges, procureurs, candidats aux élections
législatives, membres des commissions électorales constitue une
source de préoccupation pour le Greco.
Il recommande d’organiser une protection adéquate pour les
fonctionnaires qui signalent de bonne foi des cas de corruption.
Enfin, le rapport estime nécessaire d’introduire la responsabilité
des personnes morales en matière de corruption, trafic d’influence et
blanchiment de capitaux et de prévoir des sanctions efficaces et
dissuasives.
Vingt-quatre recommandations ont été adressées aux autorités
arméniennes qui devront rendre compte de leur mise en oeuvre d’ici
septembre 2007.

MAP DRAWING PROCEEDS WITH SERIOUS OMISSIONS IN NOYEMBERIAN
NOYEMBERIAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of Aldermen of the
city of Noyemberian made a decision to apply to the State Committee of
the Real Estate Cadastre with a proposal for extending for at least
5-6 months the term of recognizing the community’s right of property
of agricultural significance land and term of the map drawing. NT
correspondent was informed in Noyemberian that the reason for taking
such a decision is that the cartography data is almost completely
wrong. According to Noyemberian mayor Seryozha Amirkhanian, the map of
a 2,350-ha land was drawn, including 428 ha in border areas. Although
not all land plots have been checked by the mayor’s office, 298
mistakes have been revealed. For example, the map of the area
bordering Azerbaijan was drawn with mistalkes – there was no
landowners and cartoghraphers there because of this area being
dangerous and laid with mines. In 1991, 141 ha was privatized by 301
farms in the border area of the marz, and now the map of 230 ha
belonging to 983 farms was drawn. Such a growth in the indices is
conditioned by the fact that the cartographers are paid by the number
of land plots whose maps were drawn.

ABOUT 1.75 BLN DRAMS TO BE GIVEN AS ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES GETTING
BENEFIT IN KOTAYK

HRAZDAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. 1 bln 751 mln drams istead of 1 bln
382 mln drams of the last year are envisaged to allocate from the
state budget as assistance to socially vulnerable families of the marz
of Kotayk in 2006. The number of families getting benefit in the marz
in 2005 made 8737, and of those getting one-off assistance made
4014. As a result of checkings and selection made in the lists of
those getting benefits, 1 bln 339 mln drams (about 3 mln U.S. dollars)
of the envisaged 1 bln 385.2 mln drams in total were spent.

Panorama.am
18:05 09/03/06
LISTEN TO EPIDEMIOLOGISTS NOT TO GET POISONED
Since the beginning of this year 11 cases of botulism poisoning have
been registered in the Republic, 1 person died as a result of
poisoning. In the first three months of 2005 the number of cases with
botulism is 19. The information was provided by worker of
anti-epidemic department Margarita Babayan.
The cases of botulism this year were registered mainly in the
regions. Moreover, the poisonings were mainly caused by canned red
pepper. `As a result of not proper washing of the pepper its bacteria
produce a toxin in vacuum which causes poisoning,’ Babayan said.
To note, the epidemiologists continue warning the people either not to
can vegetables or to use them only after boiling for 15 minutes.

Azerbaijan, Germany sign agreement on military cooperation
AP Worldstream; Mar 10, 2006

Defense officials from Azerbaijan and Germany signed an agreement on
military cooperation, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Friday.
The agreement, signed by Azerbaijani Gen. Chingiz Mamedov and German
Brig.-Gen. Karl Muellner, foresees joint work in defense policy and
security, military education, legislation, history and medicine as
well as exchanges. It also notes the two countries’ cooperation under
NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.

Turkish government may soon seek tenders for first nuclear power plant
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
9 Mar 06
Rome (ANSAmed): “The Turkish government will call in the near future a
tender to assign the works to build the first nuclear power plant in
Turkey,” Turkish Industry Minister Ali Coskun declared.
“Turkey realized late the need to seek alternative energy sources and
now has to resort to remedies. We shall run out of all the most
popular energy sources in 2060 and then we’ll have to be prepared. We
need alternative energy resources and we have to think of nuclear
energy,” Coskun said on the sidelines of the Italian-Turkish seminar
in Rome yesterday.