INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
07.06.2006 10:32
An international seminar titled “3+3: Baltics- Caucasus: cooperation
in the sphere of youth politics” will be held today in Yerevan. The
seminar will be attended by 30 young leaders from Baltic States and
the South Caucasus.

GALA CONCERT DEDICATED TO MOZART’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
ArmRadio.am
07.06.2006 10:41
In the framework of the “National Art Gallery” musical festival a
gala concert dedicated to Mozart’s 250th anniversary will be held
in Yerevan. The State Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and famous singer
Araks Davtyan will participate in the concert.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DURING SUMMER MONTHS TRAINS WILL WORK IN YEREVAN-BATUMI DIRECTION
ArmRadio.am
07.06.2006 11:50
June 15 – September 15 trains will work in Yerevan-Batumi direction and
vice versa. To organize the summer rest of the population at Black Sea
resorts, the decision was taken still last year at the sitting of the
Intergovernmental Armenian-Georgian Economic Cooperation Commission.
RA Ministry of Transport and Communication informs that the trains
will consist of six two-person and four-person carriages and a
carriage-restaurant.
Yerevan-Batumi train will head from Yerevan to Batumi on odd days of
the month, and on even days it will start from Batumi to Yerevan. On
the territory of Armenia the train will have stations in Yerevan,
Armavir, Gyumri, Vanadzorand and Sanahin. One-way ticket for two-person
carriages of Armenian railways will cost 18 703 drams, the ticket
for four-person carriages will cost 9 297 drams. The costs for using
Georgian trains are 21 256 and 10 542 correspondingly.

AZERBAIJAN INTENDS TO HAVE THE KARABAKH ISSUE INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE OSCE SUMMER SESSION
ArmRadio.am
07.06.2006 12:13
Azerbaijan intends to have the Karabakh issue included in the agenda
of the OSCE summer session, which will be held July 3-7 in Brussels.
The Azeri delegation will prepare speeches on “Guaranteeing human
security over OSCE territory,” “Trend” agency informs. According to
the head of the Azeri delegation at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
Eldar Ibrahimov, the topic will refer to “Occupation policy of Armenia
and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.”
Ibrahimov noted also that the Azeri side will use the opportunity
to have the Nagorno-Karabakh issues included in the agenda of the
summer session.

NALBANDYAN REACHED THE SEMI-FINAL
A1+
[02:02 pm] 07 June, 2006
In the quarter-final of Roland Garros tennis tournament, one of the
four Grand Slam tournaments, David Nalbandyan beat Nikolay Davidenko
from Russia 6:3, 6:3, 2:6, 6:4. Nalbandyan reached the semi-final
where he will play with the first racket of the world Roger Federer
from Switzerland. The latter beat Mario Anchich 6:4, 6:3, 6:4 in
the quarter-final.
The semi-final will take place on June 9 at 03:00 PM by Yerevan
time. During the last four years these sportsmen have played 11 times
with each other. David won in six of them whereas the other five were
won by Federer.
From: Baghdasarian

Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
PRESS RELEASE
June 06, 2006
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian
(613) 235-2622
“Like Our Mountains” Receives the Clio Award for Best History Book
Ottawa- “Like Our Mountains: A History of Armenians in Canada” a book
about the history of Armenians in Canada, has won Canadian Historical
Association’s (CHA) Clio Award as the best history book in 2005 (Ontario
Region). The award was presented to the author, Isabel
Kaprielian-Churchill, at the association’s president’s gala in Toronto
on Tuesday, May 30. The annual award honours meritorious publications or
exceptional contributions by individuals or organizations to regional
history.
“Like Our Mountains: A History of Armenians in Canada” covers the
establishment and the history of the Armenian community in Canada from
the 19th century until the 1980s.
The award, said CHA, is in recognition of Dr. Kaprielian-Churchill’s
“detailed and mature study and one of the most evocative treatments of
the challenges facing an ethnic group in the ‘New World’ that we have
read.” The association said the author “combines the approaches of an
insider with those of a detached scholar at a very successful and
sophisticated level. Dr. Isabel Kaprielian-Churchill’s research base is
formidable. Her writing is engaging, and given the nature of the topic,
is never too sentimental.”
Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC), congratulated Dr. Kaprielian-Churchill and said: “We are
proud of Dr. Kaprielian-Churchill and the outstanding and unprecedented
examination of the history of our community in Canada. The ANCC is
gratified that its collaboration with Dr. Kaprielian-Churchill paid off
and the book has been honoured by Canadian historians.”
ANCC worked very closely with Dr. Kaprielian-Churchill to secure funding
from Heritage Canada for the publication of the book and provided
research material and other pertinent support. The publication of the
book went through an arduous journey before it was finally published.
-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
Montréal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton – Cambridge – St.
Catharines – Windsor – Vancouver

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel:+995 32 75 19 03/04
Fax:+995 32 75 19 05
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: <; Call for Letters of Interest The UNDP/GEF project Reducing Transboundary Degradation of the Kura-Aras River Basin and the Environment and Security Initiative are pleased to announce this call for letters of interest for NGO participation in the third international workshop entitled `Involving Civil Society in Transboundary Water Resource Management - The Inaugural NGO Forum' that will be dedicated to the inauguration of NGO Forum charter. During this meeting NGOs will discuss the future of the NGO Forum, the role it can play in the region and suggest input into international projects. During the workshop participants will be updated on the progress of the cross-border water projects that are financially supported by international donors. Representatives from non-governmental organizations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Turkey with activities in the sphere of environmental protection and water resource management in the Kura and Aras River Basin are invited to submit letters of interest. The workshop will take place in Gudauri, Georgia, in mid July of 2006. The working languages of the workshop will be English with simultaneous translation into Russian provided. The expenses of the selected participants, including travel, accommodation, and meals, will be covered by a limited grant to the NGO Forum from UNDP. The letters of interest should be 1-2 pages in length and include the following information: * Participant's name, title, organization, and contact information * Brief description of the participant's organization (no more than ½ page) * As mentioned above, the major activities of the workshop will be discussed on the future of the NGO Forum. Please describe in detailed how you see the role of the NGO Forum in the future in the Kura Aras basin region and what activities you suggest be taken by the NGO Forum to involve civil society and the public in the water resources management of the region. The deadline for submitting letters of interest is 6 pm on Monday, June 12, 2005. Those wishing to participate who are not selected are welcome to attend at their own expense. Please notify Nino Tevzadze for details. Letters of interest should be submitted to [email protected], with copies (cc) to: [email protected] For program questions, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Participants will be notified of their acceptance by end of June, 2006. Looking forward of seeing you in Gudauri!

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:
Watch the recorded video here:
sconsecration.wmv
ORDINATION AND CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS
IN ANTELIAS
His Holiness Aram I ordained V.Rev.Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian (Ecumenical
Officer of Norhtern America), V.Rev.Fr. Papken Charian (Primate of the
Diocese of Isfahan) and V.Rev.Fr. Neshan Topouzian (Primate of the Diocese
of Tabriz) as Bishops in the service of the Armenian Church. The Pontiff
conducted the ordination and consecration services on June 3 and 4 in the
St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias.
CALLING SERVICE AND SIGNING OF THE OATH
According to the rites of the Armenian Church, the calling service was held
in the Cathedral on the evening of June 3 in the presence of His Holiness
Aram I. Recommendations were read from the Executive Councils of each
corresponding diocese asking the Pontiff to ordain the three candidates as
bishops.
The various ranks or spiritual servants in the Armenian Church, acolytes,
sub-deacons, deacons, priests and bishops came up to His Holiness and bent
down before him. The Pontiff read out prayers as a testimony to the true
faith and the candidates then acknowledges the true faith according to the
doctrine of the Orthodox Church.
The candidates then knelt down and recited their oath, publicly pledging
loyalty to the Catholiocsate of Cilicia, obedience to the Pontiff and their
readiness to serve to the Armenian nation and Church.
ORDINATION AND CONSECRATION
The ordination of the Bishops was held on June 4. Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan (Primate of the Eastern Prelacy of the United States) and
Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian (Primate of the Diocese of Tehran) participated
in the service alongside the Catholicos. The assistant was Bishop Khoren
Doghramajian (Prelate of Greece).
The Pontiff consecrated the foreheads of right thumbs of bishops Anoushavan,
Papken and Neshan with Holy Chrism and gave them the bishops’ ring and
staff.
The Catholicos then delivered a sermon, pointing out that by taking up the
responsibility to serve the people, the newly ordained bishops will become
the servants of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s mission, showing commitment
towards all the tasks expected of them. He stressed the importance of
keeping the oath to remain loyal to the traditions and laws of the Armenian
Church, as well as the principles of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
“The prayers of the ordination had one outlook: the oath and loyalty to it.
The oaths of humbleness, integrity, holiness and obedience were mentioned
there. Today, once again you pledged to be obedient to God above anything
else and not to humans and their interests. To pledge and vow also mean to
be accountable to God and to have not our selves in front of us, but God and
our service. We are not in need of numbers, but spirituals who would be
loyal to their pledges, who would work for the achievement of God’s plan and
not their personal agendas. As such, you will bring the people close to God
and God closer to the people through your service and God-centered life,”
said His Holiness.
During “Voghtchouyn” members of the Cilician Brotherhood and other
spirituals came up to the altar to congratulate the newly ordained bishops.
A large number of the faithful from the Eastern Diocese of the United
States, Isfahan, Tabriz and various regions in Lebanon expressed their love
to the Pontiff by kissing his right hand after the ordination service. The
faithful then received the first blessings of the newly ordained bishops.
The Catholicosate’s choir then performed the Pontifical Song and “Cilicia”.
##
View photos here: tm
*****
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.

Embassy of The United States
Yerevan, Armenia
The Fight Against Trafficking in Persons in Armenia
On June 5, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice released the Department of
State’s fifth annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. This annual report
is intended to raise global awareness of human trafficking, underscore the
growing efforts of the international community to combat this problem, and
encourage nations around the world to take effective actions against this
abuse. The report puts it bluntly: Trafficking in persons is modern day
slavery, and it is a crime that affects virtually every country, including
the United States.
To my regret, Armenia still has a significant trafficking in persons
problem. This year, Armenia was once again placed on the TIP Report’s Tier 2
Watch List. Countries that do not comply with the minimum standards to
combat trafficking, but that are making significant efforts to meet those
standards, are classified as Tier 2. Armenia was placed on the Watch List
for a second consecutive year because of its failure to show evidence of
increasing efforts over the past year, particularly in the areas of
enforcement, trafficking-related corruption and victim protection. While the
government improved overall implementation of its anti-trafficking law, it
did not impose adequate penalties for convicted traffickers. It did not
vigorously enough investigate and prosecute ongoing and widespread
allegations of public officials’ complicity in trafficking, and victim
protection efforts remained in an early, formative stage.
In order to improve its efforts and to avoid dropping to Tier 3, a step that
can lead to the withholding of U.S. non-humanitarian and non-trade related
assistance, Armenia needs to more aggressively prosecute traffickers and
mete out more significant penalties to convicted traffickers. The government
ought to vigorously investigate and prosecute all allegations of public
officials? complicity in trafficking, and should improve its victim
protection efforts to help victims of this serious crime.
The United States, the Republic of Armenia and all countries around the
world must work together to combat and eventually eliminate trafficking in
persons. In addition to the $400 million in international anti-trafficking
assistance that it has contributed to date, the U.S. government continues to
fight trafficking in persons in the United States and throughout the world.
As President George W. Bush recently noted, “Our nation is determined to
fight and end this modern form of slavery.” For millions of enslaved people
around the world, this new abolitionist movement has come none too soon.
John M. Evans
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia

Embassy of The United States
Yerevan, Armenia
2006 TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT ARMENIA (TIER 2 WATCH LIST)
Armenia is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and destination
country for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation largely to
the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Turkey. Traffickers, many of them
women, route victims directly into Dubai or through Moscow. Traffickers also
route victims to Turkey through Georgia via bus. Profits derived from the
trafficking of Armenian victims reportedly increased dramatically from the
previous year.
The Government of Armenia does not fully comply with the minimum standards
for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant
efforts to do so. Armenia is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for a second
consecutive year because of its failure to show evidence of increasing
efforts over the past year, particularly in the areas of enforcement,
trafficking-related corruption, and victim protection. While the government
increased implementation of its anti-trafficking law, it failed to impose
significant penalties for convicted traffickers. The government failed to
vigorously investigate and prosecute ongoing and widespread allegations of
public officials’ complicity in trafficking. Victim protection efforts
remained in early, formative stages. Victim-blaming and lack of sensitivity
for victims remain a problem among Armenian officials, particularly in the
judiciary.
Prosecution
In 2005, the Government of Armenia increased the use of the 2003
anti-trafficking statute under Article 132, which prohibits trafficking in
persons for forced labor and sexual exploitation. However, many courts
overturned convictions handed down under Article 132, and reduced sentences
by converting the charges into lesser pimping charges. The government
continued to apply other criminal codes to about half of its trafficking
cases in 2005. During the reporting period, the government investigated 30
trafficking cases, resulting in 14 prosecutions and 17 convictions. While
Article 132 provides for longer sentences, penalties actually imposed
continue to be insufficient and not commensurate with those for other
equally grave crimes in Armenia. During the reporting period, only a few
convictions resulted in actual imprisonment; the remaining offenders
received suspended sentences, corrective labor and fines. Lack of public
confidence and allegations of official complicity continued to hurt the
credibility of the government’s anti-trafficking efforts. The government
established a special task force in February 2006 to investigate widespread
allegations against an official within the Prosecutor General’s
anti-trafficking unit. However, after a cursory investigation, this task
force found no evidence of any wrongdoing. The government failed to provide
direct training to educate prosecutors and judges on its new trafficking
law, although it distributed to police practical guidelines on methods to
investigate trafficking cases.
Protection
The Armenian Government continued to rely on international organizations and
NGOs to provide protection and assistance to trafficking victims; these
non-governmental groups cited good cooperation with government officials.
Victim assistance programs reportedly sheltered 16 victims in 2005, the
majority referred by Armenian officials. Notably, the police took the
initiative to invite NGOs to screen and interview four suspected trafficking
victims. A formalized screening and referral mechanism has yet to be
developed or implemented among law enforcement officials. Some victims
continue to receive poor treatment during court cases, reducing the
likelihood of future victims willing to come forward to testify against
their traffickers.
Prevention
In 2005, official recognition and acknowledgment of trafficking in Armenia
improved and the government began to implement its January 2004 National
Action Plan (NAP). Government officials made public appeals to help raise
awareness about trafficking. The government joined UNDP in raising awareness
about trafficking. The Department for Migration and Refugees (DMR) included
trafficking information in its outreach activities through the distribution
of brochures and visits to rural regions in Armenia. The DMR also developed
a draft law on regulating labor migration, to include licensing for
employment agencies that recruit people for jobs abroad. The government
continued to provide housing to vulnerable children released from Armenian
orphanages.