PRESS OFFICE
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese
Contact; Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont Quebec H2V 3H2
Tel; 514-276-9479, Fax; 514-276-9960
Email; [email protected]
Website; _www.armenianchurch.ca_ ()
May 11, 2006
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Primate Pays Tribute to Senator Romeo Dallaire
Retired Lt.-Gen. Romeo Dallaire, who gained an international
reputation for condemning the lack of global action in preventing the
Rwandan genocide, has been named to a new United Nations committee
charged with advising the world body on genocidal conflicts.
Dallaire, also a Senator in Canada, was one of eight people named to
the Genocide Prevention Advisory Committee this week. Dallaire
commanded the UN Forces in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. Archbishop
Desmond Tutu of South Africa is also serving on the committee, whose
mandate involves advising the UN on preventing genocide as well as
what action to take if a conflict erupts.
On Wednesday, May 10, 2006 His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian sent
a letter of acknowledgement and appreciation to Senator
Dallaire. Following is the letter of Serpazan.
No 2006.115
May 10, 2006
Honourable Romeo Dallaire
Senate of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A4
Honourable Senator,
We are gratified to learn that you have been named to the Genocide
Prevention Advisory Committee of the United Nations, a consultative
committee to the world body on genocide conflicts. It is imperative
that the issue of genocide be recognized and prevented. Undeniably,
those efforts depend on individuals who possess high levels of moral
principles, dedication and conviction. Your devoted and conscious
service with the UN forces in Rwanda demonstrates a clear vision and
understanding of the definition of Genocide. This issue should draw
the attention and abhorrence of the world.
Regretfully, in 2006, the world is witnessing yet again, occurrences
of genocide. Although many individuals are working to raise awareness
and to promote some political action, not all acknowledge the depth of
the dilemma or are willing to take the necessary action. There can be
no confusion on the question; many hundreds of thousands have
perished, and millions have been displaced. It is our moral
responsibility to call attention to the anguish in Darfur. We,
Armenians have suffered the pain of the first genocide of the
twentieth century and are very apprehensive that the world is once
again hesitant to act.
As quoted from Baroness Caroline Cox, of the British House of Lords in
April 1999, “If nations are allowed to commit genocide with impunity,
to hide their guilt in a camouflage of lies and denials, there is a
real danger that other brutal regimes will be encouraged to attempt
genocides. Unless we speak today of the Armenian genocide and unless
the Government recognizes this historical fact, we shall leave this
century of unprecedented genocides with this blot on our consciences.”
Once again, we are called to act and act now. History will judge us
all, for our awareness and willingness to take a stand. With prayers,
Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate
Diocese of the Armenian Church in Canada

Boxing.de
05.03.06
Abraham dominant in IBF middleweight title defense
OLDENBURG, Germany (Ticker) – In his first defense of the IBF middleweight
title, rising star Arthur Abraham had little problem scoring a unanimous
decision over Australian veteran Shannan Taylor on Saturday at EWE Arena.
The 26-year-old Abraham (20-0, 17 KOs), who claimed the then-vacant title
with a fifth-round knockout of Kingsley Ikeke in December, was in control
throughout.
A native of Armenia who now calls Berlin home, Abraham won on all three
cards, 120-107, 120-107 and 120-106.
The fight featured no knockdowns but Abraham had his opponent under pressure
early, most notably in the fourth round. The 33-year-old Taylor (42-5-2) had
a point deducted in the sixth for a low blow.
Taylor fell to 0-2 in title fights

NEW PARTS OF CRASH AIRBUS A320 FOUND
Yerevan, May 13. ArmInfo. Deep-water apparatus “Kalmar” has recorded
the probable parts of the crashed Airbus A320, RIA Novosti reports.
A rescuer of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry says the parts
were revealed in the same area wherefrom the call signs of “black
boxes” were received. On May 11, one of the heads of search operations
reported that the location of A320 airborne recorders in the Black Sea
bottom were determined to 5 meters due to “Kalmar” and French
direction finding system.
Armenian airline Airbus A320 crashed in the Black Sea on May 3 night
killing all on board.

PARTY “ORINATS YERKIR”: “AMIRYAN” PEDAGOGICAL ORGANIZATION BEARS NO
RELATION TO THE PARTY “ORINATS YERKIR”
Yerevan, May 13. ArmInfo. “Amiryan” pedagogical organization bears no
relation to the party “Orinats Yerkir,” says “OY” party statement
received by ArmInfo, Saturday.
The party informs that a press conference scheduled for May 13 at
Hotel Yerevan wherein “Amiryan” organization’s withdrawal from “OY”
will be announced is application of dirty technologies. Certain
impostors keep on announcing about their withdrawal from the
party. “Any similar attempts in future will be considered as
provocation,” the party says.

Speaker’s departure signals redistribution of political forces –
Armenian paper
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
13 May 06

Text of report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh on 13 May
headlined “Breaking the rules of the game has never been forgiven”
The departure of the Law-Governed Country Party [LGCP] from the ruling
coalition and the expected resignation of its leader, Armenian
parliament speaker Artur Bagdasaryan, are the first serious signals of
the redistribution of the country’s political forces in the run-up to
elections.
In order to understand what has actually happened in the LGCP, we
should, first of all, point out that this party has failed to break
the existing unwritten rules of the country’s political field. It is
not that somebody has punished the LGCP – the party itself dug the pit
in which it is now.
One cannot be a key executive and legislator and at the same time,
take opposite positions in the government and parliament: the LGCP
ministers conscientiously did what the government told them, while in
the parliament LGCP MPs conscientiously voted against the same
government’s “anti-national” activities.
Sometimes, they came up with radical opposition views, while the
LGCP’s inefficient appointees strongly damaged the government’s
reputation.
We can only say that “the drayman creaked instead of the dray” and now
this “drayman” is alleging that it was he who returned Soviet-era
savings to the people, he who supports the media and finally he who
objects to the privatization programme of 2001-2004, a programme
adopted with the active participation of the LGCP ministers.
True, as an advocate of European integration, the LGCP and its leader
ensured the coalition’s “complimentary image.” But here, too, they
broke the rules. In fact, they persistently undermined the coalition
from both inside and outside by their socialist populism on the one
hand, and by their statements about “a new foreign policy doctrine” in
the German press on the other.
Politics is cruel and never forgives those who break its rules.
p 2

Armenian defence minister unruffled by speaker’s resignation

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 May 06

[Presenter] Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan does not regard
the Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed Country] Party’s decision to quit the
ruling coalition as an extraordinary situation. Sarkisyan said that
all talk about a conflict was an exaggeration and existing
disagreements simply came to a logical end.
[Sarkisyan] I do not think that some extraordinary situation has come
about here. I advise you not to look for any underlying reasons. The
[ruling] coalition, which consisted of three political parties, was
set up in 2003 and now one of them has decided to quit because of
disagreements with the two others.
[Correspondent] Can we say that Sarkisyan gained a victory over
[parliament speaker Artur] Bagdasaryan and sidelined him from the
presidential election? [Sarkisyan] I think it would be good if you
put this question to Bagdasaryan because I do not think that there
have been conflict between us or that we have been fighting over
something.

Armenian president, OSCE head discuss bilateral cooperation
Arminfo
13 May 06
Yerevan, 13 May: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today met OSCE
Secretary-General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut who is visiting Yerevan
to attend the opening ceremony of a plant to process rocket fuel
components – melange.
The president welcomed the OSCE secretary-general and highly assessed
cooperation with this organization, the presidential press service has
told Arminfo. The sides discussed in detail developments in OSCE
member countries and reforms within the organization. At the request
of the guest, Kocharyan briefed him on the current stage of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement. He pointed out that the process
is continuing under the aegis of the OSCE and quite an effective
format has been chosen.
The sides also touched on relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Speaker’s resignation to weaken party, consolidate government
– Armenian paper
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
13 May 06
Text of report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh on 13 May
headlined “The labyrinth that ended in deadlock”
It seems at first sight that as a party with several thousand members
and an ambitious leader, the Law-Governed Country Party [LGCP] that
left the ruling coalition will become the main driving force in
domestic political developments.
But let us try to understand what really happened. The LGCP was set up
as the most classical “ruling party” and its leader has always been
considered to be a politician that is equally close to the former and
incumbent authorities.
So what will happen to the party which does not have a specific
ideology after its leaves the ruling coalition? It is clear that 80-90
per cent of the party members will gradually leave it and join other
new parties that are formed day by day.
Moreover, one should not forget that the leader of the LGCP as well as
its rank-and-file members have never had features typical of the
opposition, since populism does not at all mean that one has the
necessary revolutionary features to fight and win.
The LGCP will be absolutely disappointed as it will not find its place
in the political field. At present, the LGCP is a potential opponent
for other opposition forces. And very soon they will start saying that
the LGCP is simply an attempt to form a false opposition force.
In fact, neither the authorities nor the opposition can see the LGCP
as a reliable partner. For the opposition, it is an ambitious newcomer
with a doubtful past, and for the ruling coalition, it is a deserter.
We think that after failure to legally inherit power, [LGCP leader
Artur] Bagdasaryan will be disappointed this time, too. He cannot play
a uniting role even in the pro-Western sector of the opposition. It
will be very difficult for him to gain a victory over [Democratic
Party leader] Aram Sarkisyan, and he is lagging behind [Heritage Party
leader] Raffi Ovanesyan and [National and Democratic Party leader]
Vazgen Manukyan by his intellectual potential.
Now about serious external expectations. In the West one can hardly
think of banking on the “burnt card” as Bagdasaryan had attracted the
West’s attention as Armenian official No 2. But at present, the
situation has changed a lot.
But what consequences will the LGCP’s step have for other parties of
the ruling coalition? We think they will have temporary problems that
can be settled, the vacant seats of officials will be quickly occupied
and life will go on.
Moreover, the absence of the LGCP and its ambitious leader might play
a consolidating role for the entire government.
Thus, until the parliamentary election of 2007 the parliament will
have three opposition factions that will prevail over the Justice and
National Unity factions by their clamour, but noticeably lag behind by
their rating and authority.

Iranian expert notes weakness of Tehran’s policy on Azerbaijan
Zerkalo, Baku
13 May 06
Iranian expert Jalal Mohammadi who is thought to be close to President
Mahmud Ahmadinezhad has said that Iran has not yet forgiven Azerbaijan
for anti-Iranian remarks made during the second congress of the
Azerbaijani diaspora in Baku on 16 March.
In an exclusive interview with the Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo,
Mohammadi said that “the anti-Iranian statements made at the second
congress of Azerbaijanis in Baku show the weakness of Iran’s policy on
Azerbaijan and cause distrust between the two countries. Iran has
recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and the fact of Nagornyy
Karabakh’s occupation, whereas Baku allows some suspicious people to
speak out against Iran’s territorial integrity.
Such statements create a good basis for Armenia and other unfriendly
countries to carry out intensive activities against our cooperation.
Iran’s retaliatory reaction to statements that question its
territorial integrity will be known in the future.”
The expert ruled out an orange revolution in Azerbaijan, saying that
the opposition is not supported by the people. Only the US embassy in
Baku supports the opposition, Zerkalo quoted him as saying.
Mohammadi linked the West’s determination to resolve the Karabakh
conflict to internal problems in Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s
international ties and the geopolitical situation. He said that it is
impossible to liberate the occupied territories at the negotiating
table, Zerkalo reported.
The expert believes that many countries use the conflict in their own
interests, trying to maintain the status quo. He said that they are
not interested in the conflict settlement at all. Mohammadi added that
France, Russia and Turkey want the conflict to continue, Zerkalo said.
“Turkey connects the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict to Armenian-Turkish
relations and interstate problems. Using the fact of Karabakh’s
occupation, Ankara is trying to prove Armenia’s aggressive policy and
defend itself from the psychological and political pressure of the
Armenian lobby which is demanding that Turkey recognize the Armenian
genocide in the Ottoman Empire,” the expert said.

Russia begins removing armour from military base in Georgia
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
13 May 06
[Presenter] Russia is withdrawing from its military base in
Akhalkalaki, Georgia. The first convoy of equipment and weaponry was
put together today. The base will be vacated by the end of this
year. Our correspondent Aleksandr Rogatkin is in Akhalkalaki.
[Video report shows tanks moving, heavy vehicles being loaded at
railway sidings, military officers and personnel, local people]
[Correspondent] The tanks will go to the station at Tsalka under their
own steam. That’s about 100 km from here. There they’ll be loaded onto
railway trailers.
[Igor Konoshenkov, adjutant to commander-in-chief of Russian Ground
Troops, captioned] Equipment and weaponry will leave from this station
and go via Azerbaijan. Wheeled vehicles and some of our armour will be
loaded up today.
Heavy equipment will be loaded up onto rail trailers on the 14th [of
May] and on the 15th, under the agreement with Georgia, in the morning
of that day, the first convoy will depart for Russia.
[Correspondent] The convoy’s destination is Makhachkala. From there,
the equipment will be sent on to various units in the North Caucasus
Military District. A hundred and fifty officers at the Akhalkalaki
base will be given new postings. The conscripts, of whom there are
nearly 600, will be gradually discharged into the reserve. The
Armenian community here usually stage protests against the base’s
closure but this time everything went smoothly.
[David Rostokyan, Armenian community leader, Akhalkalaki] We’ve been
saying, and we still say that the Russian military base is a factor
for stability and security. If the Russians leave this region so
abruptly, the likelihood of a conflict will be much greater.
[Correspondent] The plan is to send about 20 convoys of heavy armour
by September. Some armour and armaments will also be moved to a base
in Armenia.
Under the agreement with Georgia, the last Russian soldier should go
from Akhalkalaki base by the end of 2007.