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:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE NEW AMBASSADOR
OF ARMENIA TO LEBANON
His Holiness Aram I received the new Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon, Vahan
Der Ghevontian and his wife on March 6.
The Ambassador and His Holiness met over an hour during which the Pontiff
spoke about the political situation in Lebanon in all its aspects focusing
on the current circumstances. His Holiness then talked about the situation
in the Middle East in general.
Speaking briefly about the Dioceses of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, His
Holiness stressed the important role of the Lebanese Armenian community as
one of the most important communities of the Armenian Diaspora. His Holiness
also highlighted the importance of the relations between the Armenian
Embassy and the community.
The Ambassador told His Holiness about the visits he has paid to national,
official and diplomatic circles since his arrival in the country. He then
spoke about the latest developments in Armenia and particularly its
relations with Azerbaijan.
The two also discussed a number of projects for expanding the cooperation
between Armenia and the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
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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.

Turkey to Allocate Premises for Azeri Consulate General in Kars
09.03.2006 22:03 GMT+04:00
PanARMENIAN.Net
The Government of Azerbaijan has come to preliminary agreement with
Turkey on allocation of premises for the Azeri Consulate General in
Kars. Lodgment will be provided for the Azeri Consulate General in the
city center. The governor’s residence is also there. The room was used
by the Turkish Health Ministry for a long period of time and needs
thorough repairs. The acquisition of the building will soon become
official. Azeri Consulate General has been situated in a private villa
in Kars since 2004, reports Trend referring to Azeri Consul General in
Kars Hasan Zeynalov.

ABOVYAN CELEBRATED A WIN IN GREECE
12:54 pm 10 March, 2006
The dance troupe `Kotayq’ of the town Abovyan celebrated a win in
Greece where it participated in the dance festival `Trakia’.
In the Greek city Qasnti the dance troupe `Kotayq’ represented the
Armenian dance for ten days and was recognized the best among the
participants from 23 countries.
`Although the dance troupe from Spain was a serious competitor for
`Kotayq’, the Jury liked our performance more’, the head of the troupe
Armen Kostandyan says.
This award gave the dancers the possibility to participate in the 9th
world festival `Trakia’ which will take place in Brazil in summer,
with the participation of dance troupes from 173 countries.
`Abovyan’ TV Company of Abovyan

“KENTRON-KANACHAPATUM” CJSC GIVEN RIGHT TO IMPLEMENT BUILDING IN GREEN
TERRITORIES OF KENTRON COMMUNITY
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 9 sitting, RA government
made changes in the decision No 698 of the RA government of March 15,
2003, “of giving territories of parks and gardens, being a state
property, in the administrative territories of the Kentron community
of Yerevan, to the “Kentron-Kanachapatum” (Planting of Greenery) CJSC
with the tenancy right”. Noyan Tapan was informed about this from the
Information and Public Relations Department of the RA Government. In
the title of the decision the word “tenancy” was replaced by the word
“building”. It was also fixed that until the decision’s coming into
force, the contracts of tenancy or sublease of parks’ and gardens’
territories allocated by the right of the other persons’ usage by the
established order and being a state property within the administrative
territories of the Kentron district community of Yerevan, preserve
their legal power until the end of the terms mentioned in the
contracts.

OSCE STATEMENT ON MG CO0CHAIRMEN’S CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON TO BE
MADE PUBLIC IN VIENNA
YEREVAN, MARCH 10. ARMINFO. The OSCE headquarters is to make public
the statement on the consultations of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in
Washington shortly. The Office of the US Department of State Special
Representative (SP) for the conflicts in Eurasia, OSCE MG US Co-chair
Steven Mann, told Azerbaijani Trend agency. The source reported that
the consultations on peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
in Washington took place on 7-8 March. They did not result in any
statement by the mediators. Participating in the consultations were
Steven Mann (USA), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and Bernard Fassier
(France) as well as OSCE CIO Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Today, Azerbaijan
March 10 2006
Reno Harnish: “Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be settled through
talks”

10 March 2006 [17:03] – Today.Az

“The US takes an active part in resolution process of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict in the recent two years,” the US Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Reno Harnish told the journalists.

Saying people are killed in the frontline everyday, the Ambassador
underscored that it is the indicator the Nagorno Karabakh conflict’s
not being “Frozen conflict”.
The diplomat stated that the conflict should be settled through
negotiations. Mr.Harnish expressed his regret that sided failed to
come to agreement in Rambouillet talks and said that the both state
leaderships as well as nations should be met often and continue
regular talks in order to reach agreement.
“The both foreign ministers and co-chairs should intensify attempts
at settlement of the conflict.”
Mr.Harnish added that OSCE Minsk Group American co-chair Steven Mann
will visit Azerbaijan on March 13 and discussion will be held on
continuation of the talks for settlement process, APA bureau in
Sheki-Zagatala reports.

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MORE THAN 10 THOUSAND REFUGEES LIVING IN GEGHARKUNIK REGION NOT
PROVIDED WITH APARTMENTS YET

GAVAR, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. 10400 refugees live in the Gegharkunik
region at present. Most of them aren’t provided with apartments. But,
according to the RA government’s decision adopted in 2004, it’s
envisaged to implement the program of providing with a permanent
dwelling the persons who have been deported from Azerbaijan in
1988-1992 and urgently need a flat. Certificates for an apartment have
been already given to 39 refugee families living in temporary
dwellings. 19 of them have already found flats and 4 will have them in
March.
More than 30% of 7400 Chambarak residents, including refugees and
internally displaced people, still lives at apartments built 200 years
ago and formerly populated by molokans. The Chambarak Mayor expects RA
government’s support for the purpose of solving this problem.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ABOUT 63 MLB DRAMS DAMAGE DONE TO STATE AS A RESULT OF ILLEGAL
FELLINGS IN FORESTS OF TAVUSH IN 2005

NOYEMBERIAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Facts of illegal fellings of about
3000 trees were fixed as a result of partial control in the
forestholdings of Ijevan, Artsvaberd, Sevkar and Noyemberian of the
Tavush marz in 2005. As a result of those fellings, damage of 62 mln
590 thousand drams (about 140 thousand U.S. dollars) was done to the
state. Vardan Ayvazian, the RA Minister of Nature Protection informed
the Noyan Tapan correspondent about this.
The biggest breakings were fixed in the “Forestholding of Ijevan”
company where 1188 illegal fellings were found out. The size of the
damage done to the state forest fund made 43 mln 951 thousand drams.
The RA State Department of Nature Protection found out in the marz the
last year 10 breakings of the rules on keeping the water resources as
a result of what 5 men were subjected to the administrative fine of in
total 750 thousand drams, and the activity of 2 industrial enterprises
was stopped.

NUMBER OF “HAYRUSGASARD” SUBSCRIBERS ENVISAGED TO ADD BY ANOTHER 60
THOUSANDS THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. As of January 1 of this year, the
number of the “HayRusgasard” subscribers made 360 thousand, and of the
potential subscribers made 180 thousand. As Karen Karapetian, the
Chief Director of the company stated at the March 10 sitting of the RA
Commission on Regulating Public Services, it’s envisaged to raise the
number of subscribers to 420 thousand this year.
K.Karapetian also informed that 12 bln drams (about 26 mln U.S.
dollars) will be invested in works of gasification this year. It was
mentioned that gathering of payments from the inhabitation makes 105%.

YEREVAN UNDERGROUND CELEBRATES THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY
YEREVAN, MARCH 10. ARMINFO. On March 11 the Yerevan
Underground(Subway) aft.
K. Demirchyan CJSC will celebrate its 25th anniversary by an official
opening and a concert at Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall.
In an interview to ARMINFO, Director of the Underground ( Subway)
Vahagn Hakobyan mentioned that nearly 800 million people has been
using underground ways starting from the day of its
foundation. According to his data, the daily number of passengers is
50 000 people, with 6,000 of them being exempts.
Despite the one way ticket payment is 50 drams, the cost value is 92
drams, he underlined. V. Hakobyan stated that the remaining 42 drams
are subsidized by the RA State Budget. Thus, in 2005 the subsidies
made up 697 million drams, in the current year this figure will be
increased by 177 million drams. V.
Hakobyan mentioned also that the wages fund of underground personnel
was increased by 11 million drams in January 2006 due to the
assistance of Yerevan Municipality, which became the 100% shareholder
of the Underground in accordance with a relevant Governmental
decision. Since January 2006 the wages of the employees increased by
20%, and the average wages are now 54 000 drams.
According to V. Hakobyan, introduction of an electronic card system
instead of the present token system is currently settled, as well as
acquisition of new equipment, and water draining problem and
automation of all systems are being considered. 400 mill drams are
necessary for settlement of all the above problems, V. Hakobyan
says. For this purpose the Yerevan Underground is negotiating with
World Bank, RA State Government and Yerevan Municipality. The director
mentioned that during 2005 Underground CJSC received 145 million of
the 400 million with help of the Municipality. In fact, two escalators
were repaired. V. Hakobyan said under the Master Plan of Yerevan in
2010 a new underground station “Ajapnyak” will be put into
exploitation, with some $5 million have already been spent on the
construction. Three more stations will be put into operation by 2020.
At present 10 underground stations are operating in Yerevan with the
railway runs 12.1 km. The number of employees of “Yerevan Underground
CJSC aft K.
Demirchyan is 1,200 people, including 55 having 20 year of length of
service and 100 have been working in the infrastructure since the very
day of its operation on March 7, 1981.