BR ARMENIAN CHURCH TO HOLD SPECIAL SERVICE
The Advocate
May 13, 2006 Saturday
Main Edition
Advocate staff report
The state’s first Armenian house of worship, St. Garabed Armenian
Church, will hold consecration services Sunday.
The ceremony, which begins at 10:30 a.m. at the church, 6208 Florida
Blvd., will be led by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, headquartered in New
York City. The Armenian Church is thought to be one of the Apostolic
churches claiming descent from Christ’s original apostles. While the
local church has been operational for two years, it will now receive
the special blessings that will allow it to be used as a “sacred
sanctuary for the state’s Armenian Christians, many of whom are
first generation arrivals to America.” The traditional liturgy used
in services closely resembles those used in Orthodox churches. The
Armenian consecration service will include prayers, blessings and
symbolic acts. To learn more Information on the church history is
available at

ARMENIAN SHARES STORY OF FAITH, HOPE, SURVIVAL
by Shelby Young ([email protected] 348-4806)
Charleston Gazette (West Virginia)
May 10, 2006, Wednesday
Singer will be performing at churches and civic groups
Now a beautiful, young woman, Olga Petrossian sings with beauty and
confidence — her voice a testament to the power of hope and faith
Recently, she sang for members of Putnam Rotary Club on her first
return visit to Putnam County since last May.
But there was a time in her life – far from peaceful Teays Valley –
when Olga feared to make as much as a single sound.
She still recalls a horrifying night when she was only 4 years old
in Azerbaijan, a part of the former Soviet Union which is bounded
by Iran on the south, by the Caspian Sea on the east, by Russia’s
Dagestan Republic on the north and by Armenia on the west.
During the late 1980s, ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region
of Azerbaijan had pressed for its unification with Armenia, leading
to a guerrilla war. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, a
large-scale conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1992.
Even though they were Armenian by blood, the Petrossians had lived
in Azerbaijan and spoke only the native Azeri and Russian languages.
Olga remembers the terror in the night – the knock at the door. Azeri
extremists were going from house to house, searching out ethnic
Armenians for extermination.
Discovery would mean death, she told the Rotarians.
Her mother pleaded with the 4-year-old Olga: “Please don’t cry. If
they know we’re here, they’ll kill us.”
The family huddled in the darkness, scarcely daring to breathe.
Then, an Azeri neighbor spoke to the gunmen and rescued the family
from the prospect of imminent death.
“There’s no one there,” she told the soldiers. “They’ve all gone.”
Shortly thereafter, Olga’s family joined a flood of refugees crossing
the border into neighboring Armenia.
However, they soon realized they would never be accepted in Armenia.
So the family moved north to Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad,
where Olga’s grandparents had a home.
Her grandmother attended regularly the church services in a local
theater there, and in those circumstanced despair was transformed
into hope for the family.
Olga wanted to go to school at Bethel College in Indiana, but the
cost was far beyond the means of the $100 per month of family income.
Then a letter came, offering a $10,000 scholarship. But Olga would
have to match it for the $20,000 tuition.
And, in a story of spirit and faith triumphant over circumstances,
she succeeded.
Other families supported her with gifts totaling $8,000.
She paid the balance by work on campus and personal ministry in the
United States.
This spring, Olga finished her senior year at Bethel, completing a
major in vocal performance.
Sponsored in part by international author and motivational speaker
Chet Marshall of Hurricane, the pretty, young Armenian prodigy from
Volgograd plans to speak and sing at several church and civic groups
during her visit in the area.
Accompanied by her father on guitar, Olga performed a Russian song
during the noon luncheon meeting at Sleepy Hollow.
As for the future, Olga will be married in July.
She’s open to all the possibilities that lie before her, she said.
“I just pray about it, and I don’t worry too much.”

SENTENCING RESCHEDULED IN PONZI SCAM TARGETING ARMENIAN-AMERICANS
City News Service
May 1, 2006 Monday 11:46 AM PST
Los Angeles
Sentencing has been rescheduled to June 14 for a Van Nuys man who
ran an investment scam that primarily targeted Armenian-Americans and
took in nearly $20 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today.
Melkon Gharakhanian, who authorities say also used the name Mike
Garian, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.
If U.S. District Judge George Schiavelli follows the recommendations
in a plea deal between Gharakhanian and prosecutors, the 43-year-old
defendant could be sentenced to two to four years behind bars.
Gharakhanian admitted that between 1999 and 2001, a Glendale investment
firm that he and others ran, National Investment Enterprises Inc.,
took money from people who believed they were investing in specific
stocks — including initial public offerings for Internet businesses
and other high-tech companies.
Contracts and other documentation seemed to back up that assertion,
the plea agreement states.
In reality, investor funds were used to buy non-liquid stocks that
were never listed on account statements, according to the court
document. Investor money was also being used to pay returns to other
investors in what is known as a Ponzi scheme.
Some of the investor money also went to pay salaries and other expenses
for National Investment Enterprises, the plea deal states.
Although some of the investors were paid more money than they invested,
Gharakhanian and prosecutors have agreed that the amount victims lost
in the scam was between $2.5 million and $10 million.
Beyond that range, the amount remains in dispute, and a judge must
make a finding on the issue. The total amount that victims lost in the
scam will be a major factor in how long a prison term is recommended
under advisory sentencing guidelines.
Under the law, the maximum term that could be imposed for the mail
fraud count would be five years.
In addition to the prison time, Gharakhanian will likely be ordered
to pay restitution to his victims. However, the lead prosecutor in
the case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Wilner, said a previous
$2.6 million judgment against Gharakhanian — stemming from a related
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission civil action — has so far
been unrecoverable.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON “KOLTSO” OPERATION TO BE HELD IN NKR
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 10:52
Parliamentary hearings on “Koltso operation: The violations of
Soviet Azerbaijan and Soviet Union authorities against the Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjunct territories” will be held
today in NKR. The hearings are dedicated to the 15th anniversary of
“Koltso” operation. It was in April-June 1991 that the Soviet troops
forcefully displaced the peaceful Armenian population.

THE OPERATION OF LIFTING THE BLACK BOXES OF THE CRASHED A-320 TO START ON MAY 16
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 11:45
The operation of lifting the black boxes of the crashed A-320 will
start on May 16, RF Minister of Transport Igor Levitin said.
In his words, the equipments will be brought from Novorosiysk, RIA
“Novosti” informs. According to the Minister, the operation may last
for 2-3 days.
“The rest will depend on weather,” the Minister added.
According to latest data, the recorders lay 496 meters deep in the
water; the visibility allows to carry out the woks. The distance
between the black boxes makes about five meters.

AGREEMENT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNTRYWIDE POLICE COMPUTER NETWORK TO BE SIGNED
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 12:51
May 16 agreement on establishment of a countrywide Police computer
network will be signed at US Embassy in Armenia.
The contract will be signed by AEAI Company and the USAID on behalf
of the Department on fight against trafficking and law-enforcement
cooperation.

UCLA CONFERENCE ON ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 13:28
“Armenia: Challenges of Sustainable Development” was the theme of an
international conference at the University of California, Los Angeles,
on May 6.
Specialists in economics, finance, and public policy assessed
the achievements and shortcomings of Armenia in economic growth
and poverty reduction and issues related to tax revenues, business
investment climate, and financial sector development.
The conference was organized by the Armenian Educational Foundation
Chair in Modern Armenian History at UCLA and the Armenian International
Policy Research Group, with support from the UCLA Center for Near
Eastern Studies and Department of Economics.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO VISIT THE REGION LATE IN MAY
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 14:05
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will visit the Karabakh conflict region in
late in May, Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov
told “Arminfo”.
In his words, he cannot note more precise dates, since the
schedules of the mediators can change. In response to the question
whether the Co-Chairs intend to visit Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian
mediator noted that the Co-Chairs intend to meet NKR President Arkadi
Ghukasyan. However, they will hardly be able to visit Nagorno-Karabakh,
since they will stay in the region for three days only.

MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS ANTICIPATE NORMAL WORK FROM OSKANYAN-MAMEDYAROV MEETING
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 14:54
“OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs anticipate normal work from the upcoming
meeting of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Vardan
Oskanyan and Elmar Mamedyarov,” OSCE Minsk Group Russian Co-Chair
Yuri Merzlyakov told “Arminfo” correspondent.
To remind, the Co-Chairs are scheduled to meet the Foreign Ministers
in Strasburg in the framework of the Council of Europe Council of
Foreign Ministers.
According to Yuri Merzlyakov, the meetings will start on May 18 and
may probably continue on May 19. As for the format of the meetings,
the Russian mediator noted that separate meetings with the two Foreign
Ministers are envisaged. The Co-Chairs, however, will try to arrange
a joint meeting.
In response to the question about the positive or negative outcome
anticipated from the meeting of the Foreign Ministers, Merzlyakov
mentioned that the level of the meeting of Ministers should not be
equated to that of Presidents.
Answering the question whether the meeting of the Ministers will
prepare ground for the meeting of Presidents, Merzlyakov said, “I
think it is inevitable that it supports the meeting of the leaders,
but never replaces.”

ELECTIONS OF RECTOR STARTED AT YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 15:25
Elections of Rector started at Yerevan State University. The process
of elections is observed by the Head of the University Council,
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan.
Candidacies have been suggested by Dean of the Law Department Gagik
Ghazinyan and acting Rector, Pro-Rector Aram Simonyan.
To remind, none of the four candidates received the necessary number
of votes at March 22 elections. During previous elections Ghazinyan
had received 36 votes, 20 ballots were cast for Aram Simonyan.