SLOVAKIAN DEPUTIES SEND MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE TO THEIR ARMENIAN COLLEAGUES ON OCCASION OF ACCIDENT OF YEREVAN-SOCHI PLANE
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
BRATISLAVA, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. A number of members of the Slovakian
National Council, including Chairman of the Christian-Democratic
Party, former Chairman of the National Council Pavol Hrushovski,
Vice-Chairman Pavol Minarik, Frantisek Mikloshko, former Deputy
Prosecutor General Martin Lauko, Deputies Gustav Kraychi, Rudo Zhiak
and others presented their deep condolences in connection with
the accident of the Yerevan-Sochi plane. The Slovakian deputies
handed their message of condolence to Ashot Grigorian, Armenian
Foreign Minister’s Adviser and Chairman of the representation of the
Armenian Organizations of Europe, with a request to pass it to the
Armenian National Assembly. The Slovakian deputies wish patience to
the relatives of the crash victims and emphasize that the Slovaks
understand the consequences of this accident especially well as only
six months have passed since the plane accident in the Slovakian
city of Kosice, in which Slovakian soldiers died on their way back
from Iraq.

SPECIAL REQUIEM SERVICE FOR PEACE OF SOULS OF MAY 3 PLANE CRASH VICTIMS TO TAKE PLACE IN ALL ARMENIAN CHURCHES OF TEHRAN ON MAY 12
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 10 2006
TEHRAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On May 12, immediately
after the Holy Liturgy, a special requiem service for the peace of
the souls of the crashed Yerevan-Sochi plane victims will take place
in all the Armenian churches of Tehran. According to a press release
issued by the press service of the Tehran Armenian Diocese National
Primacy, the primate of the Tehran Armenian Diocese Archbishop Sepuh
Sargsian will preach at the holy service in St.
Sargis Church. The National Primacy invites the Armenians of Tehran
to attend the service and pray for the peace of the victims’ souls
and for the consolation of their families.

AZERBAIJAN BECOMES UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL MEMBER – ARMENIA NOT
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 10 2006
Azerbaijan has become member of the newly established UN Human Rights
Council (HRC) for three-year term (APA).
The decision about it was adopted at the meeting of the UN General
Assembly on 9 May. Azerbaijan won 103 voices in secret voting.
Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Cuba, Mexico,
Canada, Germany and Sweden have also been elected to the Council for
three-year-term. The rest of states have been admitted to the Human
Rights Council for one or two-year term. Indonesia, Philippines, India,
Poland, Czech Republic, Argentina, Ecuador, Finland, Algeria, Tunisia,
South Africa for one year, Ghana, Zambia, Pakistan, Japan, Sri Lanka,
South Korea, Ukraine, Romania, Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, England and
France have been elected to the UN Human Rights Council for two years.
Azerbaijan’s candidacy was nominated by the Eastern Europe regional
group of the UN member states. Six countries from this subgroup have
been elected to the Human Rights Council. 13 states from African and
Asian subgroup, eight from Latin America and Caribbean, and seven
states from Western European subgroup have been elected to the Council.
44 of 63 candidates were elected. Despite its appeal for membership,
Armenia is not in the list of the newly elected members.
The international organization Human Rights Watch stated that some of
the newly elected members do not deserve this status. The organization
thinks Russia, China, Cuba, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia do not deserve
this membership.
The UN Human Rights Council, which was established instead of the
Human Rights Committee by the decision of the UN General Assembly on
11 March, will hold its first meeting in a new format in Geneva on
June 19 this year.

CONSORTIUM OF BLACK SEA RAILWAY WORKERS TO BE SET UP
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. An international Consortium of Black
Sea Railway Workers will be set up in order to organize the work
on reopening of the Vesyoloye-Ingiri transit railway traffic. The
consortium will operate as a joint-stock company. This agreement
was reached by the administrative heads of the Russian, Georgian,
Abkhazian and Armenian railways during a working meeting held in
Moscow last week. NT correspondent was informed from the press service
of the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication that prospects of
long-term development of railway communication in Transcaucasia were
discussed at the meeting. It is envisaged to hold the next meeting
of the working group in Tbilisi.

DRUG TRAFFICKING THROUGH MEGHRI CUSTOMS IS RULED OUT, HEAD OF SYUNIK CUSTOMS-HOUSE SAYS
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
AGARAK, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The US State Department’s Annual Report
on International Strategy for Fight against Drug Trafficking contains a
provision, according to which the Afghanistan-Iran-Nagorno Karabakh and
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan-Armenia-Georgia-Western Europe
direction is a drug trafficking route, which is not substantiated
at all. Borik Sargsian, Head of Syunik Regional Customs-House of the
State Customs Committee adjunct to the RA government “sees no grounds
for making such an accusation.” He stated this in an interview to
the regional newspaper “Syunats Erkir”. “In my opinion, if the report
authors have real grounds, they should have produced some particular
facts so that all this would not create an impression of downright
statement,” B. Sargsian said. According to him, the fight against
drug trafficking at this customs point, which is the only one on
the Armenian-Iranian border, is being conducted by joint efforts of
customs officials, border guards, employees of the national security
bodies and other services of the State Customs Committee. Speaking
about drug trafficking cases at the customs point over the past year,
B. Sargsian said that no such cases were registered during the first
quarter of 2006. At the same time, the head of the customs-house noted
the Armenian-Iranian border stretches for kilometers, while they are
responsible for the customs territory only.

ARMETEL OBLIGED TO ANNUL PAYMENTS OF SUBSCRIBERS FOR ERROR INTERNATIONAL PHONE CALLS VIA INTERNET
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. At the May 5 sitting, the RA Public
Services Regulatory Commission discussed the issue of the bills sent by
the ArmenTel company to its subscribers against the use of phones for
Internet access services. The commission decided to accept ArmenTel’s
proposal, according to which the company expresses a willingness
to annul the payments to be made by complaining subscribers against
international phone calls made by error while using the Internet in
the period from November 2004 to April 1, 2006. In case such payments
have already been made, the company is prepared to register these sums
as a prepayment for fixed-line phone services. NT correspondent was
informed from the commission that ArmenTel was instructed to inform
all the indicated subscribers about the decision until May 13, as
well as to consider the possibility of putting on this list all those
subscribers who filed written complaints to ArmenTel in the period
of April 1 to May 5, 2006. The commission also obliged ArmenTEl to
submit, within a month, proposals concerning the terms of providing
a new additional service, by which, based on written applications of
subscribers, the provision of phone services will be restricted in
case of exceeding the sum indicated in the application. ArmenTel is
obliged to inform subscribers once a month through the mass media about
measures aimed at avoiding undesirable or error international calls.

ARMENIAN CENTER GETS AGENCY NOD
By Alex Dobuzinskis, Staff Writer
Los Angeles Daily News
May 10 2006
GLENDALE – The Redevelopment Agency gave preliminary approval Thursday
to designs for an Armenian cultural center, which members of a nearby
church worry may be used to serve alcohol.
The agency’s 4-1 vote to OK the drawings is just one step the Armenian
Society of Los Angeles needs to build its cultural center at 117
S. Louise St.
The agency a year ago rejected the society’s drawings of a bigger
project. Agency members Thursday said they were happy the nonprofit
came back with a scaled-down version.
“It’s half the size of what it was before,” said City Councilman Bob
Yousefian, who sits on the Redevelopment Agency along with his fellow
council members. “It was horrible before. I mean there were saunas
and exercise rooms and just way too many activities.”
But members of Glendale Presbyterian Church, located at 125 S. Louise
St., criticized designs for the 27,000-square-foot project because
it is still too big.
Officials stressed that rules for alcohol consumption at the cultural
center would be addressed at a later meeting, but church members said
they are concerned about it.
Councilman Dave Weaver voted against the project and mentioned that
it would have storage space for wine. That concerned the Rev. Craig
Hall of the church, whose members were already concerned about
alcohol consumption.
“We have the potential of a banquet-hall type atmosphere,” Hall
said outside City Hall. “When they talk about … a very sizeable
wine cooler, what that tells you is there’s an intention to serve
significant quantities of alcohol.”
The Armenian society has been at 221 S. Brand Blvd. since 1979, but is
being forced to move to make room for the Americana at Brand outdoor
mall project. The city owns property at 117 S. Louise St. and picked
the site for the project for the Armenian society.
ASLA President John Lalaian said any alcohol consumption at the
cultural center would be for special events like weddings. There
would not be a banquet facility with drinking every night, he said.
The society hopes to open the three-story building, which would include
a library, classrooms and a stage, in early 2008. But it will still
have to come back to the Redevelopment Agency later for final approval.
“The organization, I think, is going to be an excellent neighbor,”
said City Councilman Frank Quintero. “They are not going to be running
a banquet-hall business.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA STATE BUDGET SURPLUS MAKES 2 BLN 151.7 MLN DRAMS IN JANUARY-MARCH 2006
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2006, the RA state
budget revenues and official transfers made 82 bln 109.1 mln drams
(about 182.4 mln USD), exceeding the respective index of 2005 by
6%. According to preliminary data of the RA Ministry of Finance and
Economy, in January-March 2006, expenditures of 79 bln 957.4 mln drams
(including expenditures of the Program Implementation Office (PIO)
of the ministry – 85 bln 315.6 mln drams) were made at the expense of
the RA state budget resources. The RA state budget surplus amounted
to 2 bln 151.7 mln drams, its deficit (including PIO resources)
– 3 bln 206.5 mln drams. According to the RA National Statistical
Service, in the first quarter of 2006, the current revenues of the
state budget made 79 bln 114.9 mln drams (a 6.8% increase compared
with January-March of last year), including tax revenues of 70 bln
888.1 mln drams (a 16.2% increase), in which land tax accounted
for the largest increase of 180% (land tax revenues made 6.3 mln
drams). In January-March 2006, the budget expenditures on salary
payment amounted to 7 bln 728.7 mln drams (a 25% increase), interest
rate payment on domestic debt – 1 bln 387.1 mln drams (a 39.8%),
interest rate payment on foreign debt – 1 bln 60.3 mln drams (a 10.1%
decline). The transfer expenditures in the first quarter made 19
bln 498.9 mln drams (a 24.7% increase), including benefits of 6 bln
13.9 mln drams (a 15.1% increase), scholarships of 296.6 mln drams
(a 21.3% increase), compulsory social payments of 705.4 mln drams
(a 27.3%), pensions of 4 bln 94.2 mln drams (a 8.5% increase),
and other transfer expenditures of 8 bln 388.8 mln drams (a 43.8%
increase). In January-March 2006, the budget expeditures on purchase
of goods and services made 37 bln 653.4 mln drams (a 25% increase),
capital expenditures – 6 bln 51.1 mln drams (a 71.3% increase),
and net crediting amounted to 3 bln 365.4 mln drams (a 20.3% increase).

PARISHIONERS DEFEND PRIEST
Hartford Courant
May 10 2006
By DANIEL E. GOREN, HILDA MUÑOZ And DON STACOM, Courant Staff Writers
NEW BRITAIN — Clara Semerdjian rushed in her car through the rain
to the home of her parish priest and friend of more than a decade.
Semerdjian had come to check on Krikoris Keshishian, 53, the longtime
priest at St. Stephen’s Apostolic Armenian Church on Tremont Street,
who was arrested Tuesday on charges that he molested a 12-year-old
girl.
Word spread quickly in the tightly knit Armenian community that
their patriarch had been accused of a terrible crime. The church’s
parishioners quickly rallied behind their pastor, protesting the
charges and wondering if he was being framed. They said their church,
regardless of what happens in the courts, will be devastated.
Police said Keshishian, of 21 Garry Drive in New Britain,
inappropriately touched the girl while acting in his official
capacity. He is charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and impairing
the morals of child by sexual contact. He was released on a promise
to appear and is scheduled to be arraigned in New Britain on May
23. Fourth-degree sexual assault is a felony punishable by 1 to 5
years in prison.
The charges stem from a single incident in May 2005, but there may
be more counts involving the same victim, said Sgt. Michael Baden.
He said the victim reported the alleged abuse to a family member,
who then called police.
Keshishian, who was aware of the investigation, went to police
headquarters Tuesday morning to be interviewed but did not know he
would be arrested, Baden said.
Keshishian lives with his wife, Arsha, in a two-story house owned by
the church in a quiet suburban neighborhood.
A silver Honda that the church leases for the priest’s use was parked
in his driveway Tuesday. No one answered his front door.
Semerdjian said she could not believe the accusations against her
friend and priest.
“Someone must be trying to do something terrible to him,” she said.
“He is a loving man, a wonderful man, who would give his heart to
anyone. … Something is very wrong with this.”
Parishioner Sophia Hovhannisyan of Berlin said a rumor spread through
the church in the winter but that nobody believes it.
“I heard that story – I think it’s a false statement. That’s
impossible,” Hovhannisyan said Tuesday night. “He is not this man.”
She said she trusts Keshishian with her 15-year-old daughter, Annie,
who is frequently at the church with him.
“I feel she is safe when she is with him,” Hovhannisyan said. “I
don’t believe that happened.”
She said Annie was at the church about six to eight months ago when
a 12-year-old girl fell and Keshishian helped her up.
“My daughter saw it. She said nothing happened. But the girl was
crying, and then crying more after [he picked her up],” she said.
“She was saying something happened, he touched her.”
Hovhannisyan said the girl had only recently joined the church and
never returned.
Hovhannisyan and her husband, Tigran, moved from Armenia with Annie
and their son, Vahe, about 10 years ago. She said she wants to help
Keshishian, but hasn’t been able to talk with him since the arrest.
“He’s like family,” she said. “I called his home, but I can’t find
him or his wife.”
Stephen Kevorkian, 90, and his sister, Shirley Kevorkian, 91, have
been a part of the church since their father helped build it in 1925.
Shirley played the organ at the church for 60 years and said she grew
close with Keshishian after he was hired more than a decade ago from
an Armenian church in Racine, Wisconsin.
Both siblings described Keshishian as a honorable man who would reach
out to help his parishioners. When Stephen Kevorkian had open-heart
surgery in 2001, the siblings said, Keshishian waited with Shirley
Kevorkian at the hospital until doctors said her brother was OK. “We
want to help the man,” Stephen Kevorkian said Tuesday. “Our community
needs to help. His life is finished. His reputation is ruined. Even
if he gets off the charges, the scar will still be there. It is going
to devastate the community.”
“It is going to ruin our church,” Shirely added.
–Boundary_(ID_S1qDKBHu6oSGMa46mCRDhA)–

NUMBER OF BIRTHS INCREASES IN HRAZDAN REGION
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
HRAZDAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. According to data of the Hrazdan
Territorial Department on Civil Status Acts Registration, 755 births,
473 cases of death, 293 marriages and 42 divorces were registered
in 2005 in city communities of Hranzdan, Tsaghkadzor and rural
communities of the region. 207 births, 64 marriages and 9 divorces
were registered in the above-mentioned settlements during the first
quarter of 2006. Those indexes made correspondingly 178 births,
80 marriages and 4 divorces during the same period of time of the
previous year. 140 certificates were given by the Hrazdan Territorial
Department for Civil Status Acts Registration during four months of
the last year. 120 of those were given to young people to register
their marriage in other countries.