PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
May 3, 2006
Condolence Message of His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
We learned of the airplane tragedy on the Yerevan-Sochi flight and the
resulting great loss of life with deep pain and sorrow.  We mourn these
unexpected and terrible losses with the family and friends of the victims of
this disaster and all of our people.
On behalf of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the
Supreme Spiritual Council, we extend our sympathies to all affected by this
tragedy.
We offer prayers to God, that he accept the souls of the victims in the
illuminated heights of heaven and grant them blessed rest and peace.  We ask
that our Lord, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, bestow patience and
consolation to the families and relatives of those who perished, and the
strength to withstand the sorrow of their loss.
Appealing for unceasing prayers and divine blessings in memory of the
victims of this tragedy.  Amen.
Sorrowfully,
KAREKIN II
CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
##
–Boundary_(ID_U0mqs13/1Icbx0wnZ34b Dg)–

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 10) 517 163
Fax: (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website:
May 3, 2006
His Holiness Karekin II to Preside at Requiem Service in Yerevan
On Saturday, May 6, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, will preside during a Repose of Souls
Service in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral of
Yerevan. The requiem service will be offered in memory of the 113
victims of today’s Yerevan-Sochi Armavia flight airliner disaster. The
service will commence at 6:00 PM.
Earlier today, His Holiness offered his sympathies and prayers for
rest for the souls of those that perished, as well as comfort and
consolation for the families and friends of the victims.
##

From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon
Haigazian University Women’s Auxiliary – LA Donates USD100,000
Beirut, 03/05/2006
As a result of extensive fundraising activities during the past few
months, the Haigazian University Women’s Auxiliary (LA), donated a
generous amount of USD100,000 towards the funding of the new building
project of Haigazian University.
The check was presented to the president of the university, Rev. Dr.
Paul Haidostian, by a number of members of the auxiliary, Joyce Stein
(President), Sirvart Mouradian, Grace Kurkjian and Julie Aharonian,
who were in Beirut on the occasion of the annual Board of Trustees
meetings.
On accepting the donation, the president expressed his gratitude
to HUWA-LA during a dinner hosted in honor of the board members,
in hotel Le Bristol, on May 1, 2006. He presented them with a plaque
which acknowledged the auxiliary’s 43 year unconditional dedication
in supporting needy Haigazian students.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
03-05-2006
Book of Condolences for Victims of the Air Crash
A book of condolences will be opened for those who died in the
crash of the Armavia A320 near Sochi, on the morning of May 3, 2006.
Books will be made available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as
well as at Armenia’s diplomatic representations around the world. The
Armenian flag will also be lowered.
The Book of condolences will be available at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Armenia from 12.00 till 15.00, on May 5
and 6.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Linda Yepoyan
May 2, 2006
Phone: 610-642-6633
[email protected]
Birthrigh t Armenia Hires Sevan Kabakian to Head Armenia Operations
Yerevan, Armenia – In a forward-looking initiative, Birthright Armenia has
announced that Sevan Kabakian will join the organization as Executive
Director to head up its Yerevan-based office, the Depi Hayk Foundation.
The announcement of the new directorship comes with much fanfare as the
organization celebrates its third year of successful service to Armenia and
the Diaspora and looks toward future expansion. Linda Yepoyan, Executive
Director for the organization’s U.S. operations, describes Kabakian as “a
committed, energetic and experienced individual who will bring excellent
leadership and vision to our Armenia-based operations. His decades of
grass-roots community experience within the Los Angeles Armenian community
will certainly serve as a great asset to Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk.”
In his new position, Kabakian will be managing all of the organization’s
operations in Armenia, working with local organizations and governmental
branches to establish new areas for volunteer job placements and internship
programs, as well as enhance an already active connection between Armenia
and the Diaspora. He will also be charged with establishing the groundwork
for the future growth of the Depi Hayk Foundation, including expansion of
the organization outside Yerevan to the more rural areas of Armenia.
“Birthright Armenia is a wonderful vehicle by which countless Diasporan
youth will experience their ethnic homeland in a meaningful way,” says
Kabakian. “I look forward to serving the organization on this vital
mission.”
While his role with Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk may be new, Kabakian is no
stranger to the Armenian Diasporan community, especially among Armenian
youth. Born in Lebanon, he has been a well-respected leader in the Los
Angeles Armenian community for 25 years. As leader of the Glendale Armenian
Youth Federation Badanees (Juniors), he actively encouraged a sense of
pride, duty and responsibility among youth through a strong connection to
the Motherland. “Visiting Armenia is at once a highly rewarding and
emotional experience,” says Kabakian. “I see myself as a host that welcomes
Diasporan youth to their second home.” As evidence of his dedication,
Kabakian led a group of Armenian youth in a pilgrimage to Western Armenia
last summer in an exploration of that lost element of the Armenian heritage.
Sevan Kabakian has an undergraduate degree from UCLA and a Master’s degree
in Aerospace Engineering from University of Southern California. Since 1987
he has worked as a flight performance engineer at McDonnell Douglas/Boeing.
On his journey to Armenia, he is joined by his wife, Klariss, and his three
young daughters, Naro, Naneh and Lalig.
Birthright Armenia’s mission is to strengthen ties between the Homeland and
Diasporan youth by affording them an opportunity to be a part of Armenia’s
daily life and to contribute to Armenia’s development through work, study
and volunteer experiences, while developing life-long personal ties and a
renewed sense of Armenian identity. For those interested in learning more
about Birthright Armenia, please visit or email
[email protected] .
###
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE May 3, 2006
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]
Web:
Embassy of Armenia Will Honor Armavia Crash Victims on May 5 and May 6
On May 3, 2006, an Armavia flight en route from Yerevan to Sochi,
Russia crashed at sea near Sochi. All 113 passengers and crew members
aboard the Armenian jet were killed during the crash. Official
investigation is currently underway to determine the causes of the
tragedy.
The Embassy of Armenia expresses its condolences to the families of
the victims. In accordance with the decree by the President of the
Republic of Armenia, days of national mourning will be observed in
the Republic of Armenia on May 5 and May 6. A book of condolence will
be opened at the Embassy of Armenia, 2225 R Street NW, Washington,
DC 20008 on May 5 and May 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Notes of
condolence may also be sent via email, [email protected] or by fax,
202-319-2982.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA THANKS U.S. LEGISLATORS FOR URGING PRESIDENT BUSH TO CONDEMN
AZERBAIJANI WAR RHETORIC; DEMOLITION OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN CEMETERY
— Reps. Knollenberg, Pallone, Radanovich and Schiff Registered
Concerns on Eve of Bush-Aliyev Meeting
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
has expressed its appreciation to four leading legislators –
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA) and
Adam Schiff (D-CA) – for urging President Bush to personally
encourage Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to stop his
government’s threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
The two leaders met at the White House last week in a meeting,
which was reported to have covered, among other items, energy
security issues, Iran’s nuclear program, and democratic reform in
Azerbaijan. It was not immediately clear, based on media accounts,
if President Bush addressed the issues raised in the Congressional
letter.
In their letter, the four legislators voiced their concern that,
“in the years since the 1994 cease-fire agreement in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani government officials have
consistently threatened war and fostered anti-Armenian intolerance.
Ignoring international criticism, President Aliyev has repeatedly
declared that Azerbaijan could launch a new military offensive
against Karabakh, and that he is waging a ‘cold war’ against
Armenia where the ongoing negotiations are only a way to achieve
unilateral Armenian concessions.” Furthermore, the letter
condemned Azerbaijan’s demolition of an over 1,000-year-old
Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, Nakhichevan, noting that “[k]nowingly
expunging traces of Armenian presence also raises serious questions
about Azerbaijan’s commitment to engage in the peace process.” The
legislators credit the Administration for its assurances that “U.S.
opposition to such tactics has been officially conveyed. However,
the United States will be unable to advance its policy objectives
and the OSCE Minsk process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is
allowed to risk war with impunity. These counterproductive
strategies are undermining the stability of the South Caucasus
region.”
The full text of the Congressional letter is provided below.
#####
Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
April 27, 2006
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
It is our understanding that you will be meeting with President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev later this week. We urge you to take this
opportunity to condemn the Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other
actions taken against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
which undermine U.S. objectives in the region.
In the years since the 1994 cease-fire agreement in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani government officials have
consistently threatened war and fostered anti-Armenian intolerance.
Ignoring international criticism, President Aliyev has repeatedly
declared that Azerbaijan could launch a new military offensive
against Karabakh, and that he is waging a “cold war” against
Armenia where the ongoing negotiations are only a way to achieve
unilateral Armenian concessions.
As part of this campaign, this year Azerbaijan has increased its
military spending by 100% over the previous year to more than $600
million. It has also tightened the seventeen year economic
blockade against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, President
Aliyev has indicated he would not engage in any confidence-building
measures with Armenia and he had “no desire” to tone down his
country’s war-mongering and anti-Armenian propaganda.
Under the backdrop of the peace talks last December, eyewitnesses
captured on film Azerbaijani soldiers destroying historical
Armenian monuments in the medieval cemetery of Julfa, Nakhichevan
of Azerbaijani Republic. Condemned by the European Parliament,
this incident is not isolated. A Scottish expert on Armenian
architecture, who traveled though Nakhichevan in the summer of
2005, found that a number of Armenian monuments that were intact as
late as the 1980’s were razed to the ground. Knowingly expunging
traces of Armenian presence also raises serious questions about
Azerbaijan’s commitment to engage in the peace process.
We acknowledge and appreciate the assurances of the Administration
that U.S. opposition to such tactics has been officially conveyed.
However, the United States will be unable to advance its policy
objectives and the OSCE Minsk process will achieve nothing if
Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war with impunity. These
counterproductive strategies are undermining the stability of the
South Caucasus region.
We urge you to condemn these actions and call upon President Aliyev
and Azerbaijan to desist from making any further threats against
its Christian neighbors Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
We look forward to working with you on this issue and look forward
to your response.
Sincerely,
JOE KNOLLENBERG
Member of Congress
GEORGE RADONOVICH
Member of Congress
FRANK PALLONE, JR
Member of Congress
ADAM SCHIFF
Member of Congress

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES MARK ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
IN REMARKS ON THE FLOORS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CHAMBERS
— Diverse Remarks by Legislators include Call for Passage of
Armenian Genocide Resolution, Disappointment with President
Bush’s Failure to Honor his Pledge to Properly Recognize
Armenian Genocide, and Condemnation of the Recall of
Ambassador Evans
WASHINGTON, DC – More than a dozen Senators and Representatives
took to the floors of their respective chambers during the week of
April 24th to mark the 91st anniversary of the beginning of the
Armenian Genocide and share with their colleagues the moral
imperative to enact legislation condemning this crime against
humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
These remarks were in addition to the annual Capitol Hill Armenian
Genocide observance, held on April 26th, which drew forty Senators
and Representatives and featured the presentation of the ANCA’s
Voice of Justice award to Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of System
of a Down.
On the Senate side, speeches were delivered by Barbara Boxer (D-
CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein
(D-CA), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Jack Reed (D-RI). The House
initiative was organized by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-
Chairman of the Armenian Caucus, and featured remarks by Chris
Smith (R-NJ), the Vice-Chairman of the International Relations
Committee; Howard Berman (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Mark Foley
(R-FL), Sander Levin (D-MI), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern
(D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Jon C. Porter (R-NV), John J.H.
“Joe” Schwarz (R-MI), Hilda Solis (D-CA), and Henry Waxman (D-CA).
Among the most compelling Senate remarks were the following:
* Senator Russ Feingold: The international community has made the
first steps, but it has a long way to go in punishing and,
particularly, preventing genocide. As we move forward, we must
learn the lessons of Armenia’s genocide. We cannot be misled by the
rhetoric of scapegoating, denial, and obfuscation used by murderous
leaders to disguise their agenda. And we cannot respond to evidence
of methodical, brutal violence by wringing our hands and waiting
for some definitive proof that these events qualify as genocide.
Enforcing a collective, international commitment to prevent and
stop genocides from occurring is imperative. We owe the victims of
the Armenian genocide this commitment.
* Senator Barbara Boxer: The brutality of the genocide was
atrocious. But the inhumanity continues today because the Turkish
Government refuses to acknowledge the massacres as genocide. The
wounds cannot heal until the Armenian people receive recognition.
* Senator Jack Reed: So as history does not repeat itself, we
must study and remember the events of our past. In instances such
as the Armenian genocide, all nations must educate their youth in
the hatred, the wrongdoing, and the oppression to deter future
atrocities against humanity. Not more that two decades after the
Armenian genocide, Hitler said to his generals on the eve of
sending his death squads into Poland, “Go, kill without mercy…
who today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians.” We remember
the Armenians. “Menk panav chenk mornar.” We will never forget.
* Senator Dianne Feinstein: The Armenian -American community
knows this all too well and today, we stand with them in
commemorating the start of the Armenian genocide. So let us renew
our commitment to support those around the world who face
persecution and even death simply because of who they are. We will
never forget the Armenian genocide, and we look to the present and
future with a newfound sense of hope and optimism so that we may
have the strength to stand up and prevent such atrocities.
Among the more compelling excerpts from the speeches in the U.S.
House are provided below:
* Congressman Chris Smith: Unfortunately, President Bush, in his
annual message about the Genocide, did not use the word. Once
again, terms like “mass killings” and “forced exile” mask the depth
of the horror that took place, carefully avoiding the plain truth.
In fact, as has been described in numerous newspaper articles,
Ambassador John Evans, who was posted in Yerevan, is being recalled
for having the courage to say publicly that what happened to the
Armenians of the Ottoman Empire was Genocide. It saddens me that
the U.S. Government would go to such lengths to deny the
undeniable. I would like to commend Ambassador Evans for his
bravery–as a career Foreign Service Officer, he must have known
what the consequences might be.
* Congressman Frank Pallone: Last week I was joined by my Co-
Chair of the Armenia Caucus and many of my colleagues in Congress
on a bipartisan basis in sending yet another bipartisan
congressional letter to President Bush urging him to use the word
“genocide” in his April 24th commemorative statement. With over 178
signatures, the message in that letter is loud and clear: 90 years
is too long to wait for justice to be served and proper recognition
to be made.
The U.S. owes it to the Armenian American community, to the 1.5
million that were massacred in the genocide, and to its own history
to reaffirm what is fact. As we have seen time and time again, the
United States has a proud history of action and response to the
Armenian genocide. During a time when hundreds of thousands were
left orphaned and starving, a time when a nation was on the verge
of complete extermination, the U.S. took the lead and proudly
helped end these atrocities. In fact, Americans helped launch an
unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political, and humanitarian campaign
to end the carnage and protect the survivors.
Regardless of President Bush’s inaction, I call on Speaker Hastert
to bring the resolution to officially recognize the Armenian
genocide to the House floor. The resolution that passed in
committee last September, again on a bipartisan basis by an
overwhelming majority, has over 148 cosponsors. Now is the time to
allow Members to reaffirm the United States’ record on the Armenian
genocide. The U.S. Government needs to stop playing politics with
this tragic time in history and take a firm stance for the truth.
Genocide must not be tolerated
* Congressman James McGovern: Luckily, such leadership and
courage is not lacking among the Armenian American community. Not
only do they continue their historic work on the recognition and
documentation of the Armenian Genocide, but they are genuine
leaders and partners in efforts to educate Americans about the
other genocides of the 20th and 21st Centuries–the Holocaust of
World War II, Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia, to note some of the most
prominent.
* Congressman Howard Berman: The debate on this historical issue
has been settled. The distinguished International Association of
Genocide Scholars, among others, has concluded that it is
undeniable. Others, including some who accept the historical
facts, say Congress should not pass a resolution recognizing the
Armenian Genocide because it will irreparably damage our
relationship with Turkey. This is a phony argument.
* Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney: The tragic events that began on
April 24, 1915, which are well known to all of us, should be part
of the history curriculum in every Turkish and American school. On
that dark April day, more than 200 of Armenia’s religious,
political and intellectual leaders were arrested in Constantinople
and killed. Ultimately, more than 1.5 million Armenians were
systematically murdered at the hands of the Young Turks, and more
than 500,000 more were exiled from their native land.
* Congressman Jerry Costello: Despite the effort of some to
minimize the scope and deny its occurrence, the Armenian Genocide
is a historical fact. In the years since, descendants of Armenian
immigrants have clung to their identity and have prospered across
this nation and throughout the world. In my district, there is a
significant population of Armenian survivors and their families
that showed heroic bravery and a will to survive. With faith and
courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great suffering and
proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion by
sharing their story of the genocide. It is through their
unforgettable tragedy that we are able to share in their history
and strong heritage.
The full text of all the Senate and House remarks is available on
the ANCA website at:
ases.php?prid=942
#####

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TOP STORIES
05/03/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Armenian Jet Crashes off Russia, 113 Killed 2) Kocharian Orders Plane Crash Inquiry, Declares National Mourning 3) ARF Western Region Offers Condolences to Plane Crash Victims~R Families 4) Turkey Experiences Setbacks in Human Rights Reforms 1) Armenian Jet Crashes off Russia, 113 Killed (Reuters/AP)All 113 passengers and crew on board an Armenian airliner were killed on Wednesday when the plane crashed into the Black Sea off the Russian coast as it tried to land in torrential rain. Investigators blamed bad weather for bringing down the Airbus A-320, which was trying to land at Sochi, a popular holiday spot in southern Russia. Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said weather was considered the likeliest cause. He said that the clouds were as low as 100 meters (330 feet) at the time of the crash. Divers searched storm-churned waters off Russia's coast for the remains of the 113 passengers. A spokesman for the Russian emergencies ministry said rescue workers had found baggage, life jackets, body parts, pieces of the shattered plane, and a patch of oil floating on the surface of the sea at the crash site. "According to preliminary information, all people on board are dead," a ministry spokeswoman said. Wreckage from the plane was found not far from the shoreline. Sergei Kudinov, the head of the emergency ministry's southern office, said the fuselage was found at a depth of 400 meters (1,300 feet). Search and rescue teams had pulled 47 bodies from the water so far, emergency officials said; none was wearing a life jacket, indicating they did not have time to prepare for an emergency landing. Twenty-five boats, many carrying divers, were involved in the search, and a deep-sea robot was to be used to try to recover the plane's recorders, the emergency ministry said. But Rudolf Teymurazov of Russia's Intergovernmental Aviation Committee, expressed doubt the recorders could be found because water at the crash site is as deep as 2 kilometers (1.2 miles). The plane broke up on impact and passengers' personal belongings and plane fragments were found scattered over an area spreading 1.5 kilometers (a mile) from the crash site. Rough seas, driving rain, and low visibility were hampering the search, Russian news agencies reported. The plane, operated by Armavia, had been making a short flight of about an hour from the Armenian capital Yerevan. Most of the passengers were Armenian nationals. The airline organized a special flight to take relatives from Yerevan to the site of the tragedy. About 100 tearful relatives kept an anguished vigil in a waiting hall of the Adler airport just outside Sochi, a resort town that became popular with Russians in the Soviet era. One man became hysterical and had to be taken away by ambulance. Sobbing women held handkerchiefs to their mouths, while men sat silently, their heads in their hands. Relatives also gathered at the airport in Yerevan. A list of passengers showed 26 had Russian passports and almost all the rest were Armenians. "I was waiting for a call from my mother that she had arrived okay. But she did not phone, so I phoned myself and heard that this accident had happened," Hapet Tadevosyan, 32, said as he stood in the Yerevan airport building. "She flew to Sochi to see her sisters, whom she hadn't seen for 15 years," he said. Gurgen Serobian, whose 23-year-old fiancee Lusine Gevorkian was an attendant on the flight, wept as he waited at Yerevan airport for a charter flight that was to take relatives of the crash victims to Adler. Samvel Oganesian said his 23-year-old son Vram and his friend Hamlet Abgarian had been heading to Sochi for vacation. "Why did he go?" Oganesian asked in anguish, over and over again. Beltsov said the plane vanished from radar screens at 2:15 AM Wednesday (10:15 PM GMT Tuesday) near Sochi, which lies close to the Georgian border. The emergencies ministry said the torrential rain had probably caused the crash after the plane failed to land on its first attempt. He said it went down while trying to make a second attempt at an emergency landing. However, the Interfax news agency quoted the Russian air control agency as saying that the plane's crew had not declared any emergency. "At the moment, we have absolutely no evidence pointing to the possibility of a terrorist act on the plane," Deputy General Prosecutor Nikolai Shepel told Interfax news agency. An Armavia official said the aircraft had initially been refused permission to land because of the storm, but the airport officials changed their minds. He ruled out a technical failure. "The plane was in ideal technical condition, the crew was well qualified," said Andrei Aghajanov, deputy commercial director of the airline. Aghajanov said that weather conditions were "certainly" the cause. The plane was manufactured in 1995 and underwent full-scale servicing a year ago, he said. Armavia is the largest airline in ex-Soviet Armenia and has three Airbus 320s of the kind that crashed. The plane was carrying at least five children and eight crew members. 2) Kocharian Orders Plane Crash Inquiry, Declares National Mourning YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--President Robert Kocharian rushed his influential Defense Minister Serge Sargsian to southern Russia early Wednesday to investigate the worst plane crash in Armenia's history and declared a two-day period of national mourning for its 113 victims. Kocharian held an emergency meeting with Sargsian, Prime Minister Andranik Markarian and senior Armenian officials immediately after news of the deadly accident reached Yerevan. A statement by his press service said Sargsian was instructed to clarify its "causes and circumstances on the spot." The Armenian Prosecutor-General's Office has opened a criminal case in connection with the crash, it added. The Defense Minister was already in Sochi by early afternoon. He was due to be joined there by Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin. The two men co-chair the Russian-Armenian inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation. Kocharian was also contacted by Russian President Vladimir Putin early in the morning. A statement released by the Kremlin said Putin briefed him on the "large-scale search and rescue operation conducted by the Russian side in the disaster area and planned further actions." "Robert Kocharian expressed gratitude for the telephone call and the detailed information," the statement said. "Armenian specialists will join in the operation very soon." Putin and Kocharian were also cited as describing the plane crash as a "common tragedy of the Armenian and Russian peoples." Armenia will officially mourn its victims on Friday and Saturday. Friday will also be a day of national mourning in Russia. At least twenty-six of the 113 passengers and crew on board the Airbus A-320 of the Armenian national airline Armavia were Russian citizens. Most of them were of Armenian descent. Virtually all of the other victims are believed to be Armenian nationals. Among them were Vyacheslav Yaralov, deputy director of Armavia and the former head of Armenia's civil aviation authority, Husik Harutiunian, a business executive who used to head the Armenian branch of the Soviet KGB in the late 1980s, as well as the son of Karlos Petrosian, former head of the National Security Service, the Armenian successor to KGB. Kocharian formed a separate government commission tasked with repatriating the bodies of the Armenian victims and organizing their funerals in Armenia. The commission will be headed by Minister for Local Government Hovik Abrahamian. The Armenian parliament, meanwhile, observed a minute of silence in honor of the dead before adjourning its regular session on Wednesday. Deputies also decided to form a multi-party ad-hoc group that will take part in the Russian-Armenian investigation of the crash. 3) ARF Western Region Offers Condolences to Plane Crash Victims~R Families The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Western Region Central Committee Wednesday learned with deep sorrow about the Armavia Armenian airline crash in Sochi. The ARF Central Committee offered its condolences and extended its sympathies to all those who lost loved ones or were affected by this tragic accident. 4) Turkey Experiences Setbacks in Human Rights Reforms In an interview with Aztag Daily, Professor Noam Chomsky said that although Turkey has made slow progress in improving its Human Rights record since 2002, lately the country has regressed in reforms. According to Chomsky, the Turkish Armed Forces do not want to lose their hold on Turkish society. He also said that the EU's reluctance to admitting Turkey into the Union has become apparent in Turkey. All these are reasons for the setbacks in reforms, said Chomsky. The entire interview, in which Chomsky also discusses US foreign policy, issues relating to the Middle East, and the present geo-political situation using historical examples, will appear in Aztag and the international press in coming days. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

PRESS RELEASE
American University of Armenia
40 Marshal Baghramian
Yerevan 375019 ARMENIA
Tel: (37410) 512-522
Fax: (37410) 512-523
Contact: Diana Manukyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
The American University of Armenia (AUA) will be hosting Prof. Donald E. Knuth,
one of the most prominent computer scientists in the world.
In June 2006, the Computer & Information Science Program and the
College of Engineering of AUA, with co-hosts the National Academy of
Sciences of Armenia, the Faculty of Informatics & Applied Mathematics
of Yerevan State University, and the Faculty of Computer Systems and
Informatics of the State Engineering University of Armenia, will
host Dr. Donald Knuth, Professor Emeritus of the Art of Computer
Programming at Stanford University.
Donald E. Knuth (B.S. and M.S., Case Institute of Technology
1960; Ph.D., California Institute of Technology 1963) is the
author of numerous books, including three volumes of The Art of
Computer Programming, five volumes of Computers & Typesetting, and a
non-technical book entitled 3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated. His software
systems TEX and METAFONT are extensively used for book publishing
throughout the world.
Donald E. Knuth is a member of the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. National
Academy of Engineering. He is also a foreign associate of the French,
Norwegian, and Bavarian Science Academies and the Royal Society
of London.
Dr. Knuth received the Turing Award from the Association for Computing
Machinery in 1974; the National Medal of Science from President Carter
in 1979; the Steele Prize from the American Mathematical Society in
1986; the Adelskold Medal from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
in 1994; the Harvey Prize from the Technion of Israel in 1995; the
John von Neumann Medal from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers in 1995; and the Kyoto Prize from the Inamori Foundation
in 1996.
Donald E. Knuth holds honorary doctorates from Oxford University, the
University of Paris, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm,
the University of St. Petersburg, the University of Marnela-Vallee,
Masaryk University, St. Andrews University, Athens University of
Economics and Business, the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki,
the University of Tubingen, the University of Oslo, and eighteen
colleges and universities in America.
During his visit to Yerevan, Professor Knuth will receive an Honorary
Doctorate from the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic
of Armenia.
Dr. Knuth’s research papers have been instrumental in establishing
several subareas of computer science and software engineering, such
as LR(k) parsing; attribute grammars; the Knuth-Bendix algorithm for
axiomatic reasoning; empirical studies of user programs and profiles;
and analysis of algorithms. In general, his works have been directed
towards the search for a proper balance between theory and practice.
Professor Knuth will give two public lectures at the American
University of Armenia, one on June 12 on “The Joy of Technical
Illustration” and one on June 13 on “Literate Programming.” Both
lectures will be held in the Large Auditorium of the University and
will start at 5:00 PM. He will also hold meetings with students and
faculty in computer science at Yerevan State University, the State
Engineering University of Armenia and at AUA. Dr.
Knuth will be accompanied on this visit by his wife, Jill Carter Knuth.
“Dr. Knuth’s visit will help put Armenia one notch higher in the IT
map of the world,” states Armen Der Kiureghian, Taisei Professor of
Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, and Dean of
the College of Engineering, American University of Armenia (affiliate
of Univ. of Calif.)
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University of Armenia Fund (AUAF) in Armenia. The American University
of Armenia (AUA) is affiliated through AUAC with the Regents of the
University of California.
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