Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 23 2005
UNION OF IRANIAN ARMENIANS A CENTER OF ARMENIANS IN LOS ANGELES

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Union of
Iranian Armenians of Los Angeles created in 1956 has been carrying
out its main mission of preservation of the Armenian nation since
1978 when after the Islamic Revolution of Iran 150 thousand Iranian
Armenians moved to the two American continents and European
countries. Those who moved to West America mainly settled in
Glendale. According to unofficial data, nearly 100 thousand Armenians
live there today, and only 50 thousand out of them migrated from
Iran. As Tomik Alexanian, Chairman of the recent 7 years of the Union
of Iranian Armenians of West Coast of America, informed Noyan Tapan’s
correspondent in his interview, the most of Armenian newspapers
published in the US are printed in this city. The city has 6 Armenian
TV channels, 3 completely Armenian schools and 1 Sunday school.
Glendale Mayors are periodically Armenians. Today also Glendale Mayor
is Armenian by nationality, he is Iranian Armenian Raffi Manukian.
Now Mr Alexanian is in Armenia, he has brought the regular aid to
Artsakh, Gyumri and Yerevan parentless children. The Union of Iranian
Armenians started implementing its benevolent programs in the
homeland after the 1988 earthquake. The union has several
departments, from which it’s worth mentioning the 200-person Sunday
school, the Armenian library having 10 thousand books, where various
events are organized on 3 days of the week, including presentations,
concerts, performances. T.Alexanian also mentioned the orchestra
headed by conductor Mikael Avetisian, which performed with a
180-person staff at its last symphonic concert, including the
orchestra and the chorus. A musical school and school of national
dances operate under the Union’s patronage.
Tomik Alexanian mentioned that this activity is benevolent and is
done free of charge. And the Union’s sums are gained from donations
and membership fees.
The Union’s Chairman also told about the programs of Union’s
Department of Iranian Armenian Women operating for already 25 years.
Since 1988 the department has been implementing two programs in
Armenia. One of them is connected with parentless children and the
other is an educational benevolent program. Tbe first program started
its activity on the days of the earthquake including aid to 100
children and now it renders assistance to 600 children. This activity
is carried out in Armenia by 3 members of the Union of Iranian
Armenian Women, Janet and Hermine Shahumian sisters and Janet
Tsaturian. The latter has moved to Yerevan for good and is engaged in
problems of needy children. 78 thousand USD per year is given for
these programs, 54 thousand out of which is for parentless children
and 24 thousand for stipends. 100 USD per year is given to each
parentless child.
According to T.Alexanian, the number of parentless children reduces
and that of getting stipends increases year by year. Besides, the
Union also renders assistance to the Military Institute after Vazgen
Manukian and different universities in Artsakh and Yerevan. Yerevan
school after Raffi has been fundamentally repaired recently with the
Union’s assistance.
3 complete Armenian colleges – Shamlian Armenian college, School of
Armenian Sisters and Mkhitarian college, operate in Glendale. Nearly
1800 Armenian children attend them. Children that migrated from
Armenia to the US don’t attend the above-mentioned paid schools as
these schools aren’t affordable for them. These children attend
special American schools intended for them. And so that the Armenian
children attending these special schools can also learn Armenian, the
Davtian-Mariamian educational institution was founded 10 years ago,
the chairman of which three years running has been Tomik Alexanian
himself. Today 1200 pupils learning in different classes of American
schools attend this school.
According to Tomik Alexanian, the most important mission of the Union
is to rally and unite the Armenians living far from the homeland, to
assist them in getting education in accordance with the Armenian
spirit, as far as possible to create an Armenian atmosphere where
they speak and think Armenian.

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 23 2005
TURKEY HAS NEVER MET EU MEMBERSHIP STANDARDS, PARTICIPANTS OF
CONFERENCE IN EUROPARLIAMENT UNDERLINE
BRUSSELS, SEPTEMBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The conference
“December 2004-October 2005: Has Turkey Saved Itself Today?” held
jointly on September 22 by the Christain Democratic Party and the
European-Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy caused great
interest in the European Parliament. According to the information
provided to NT by the Federation, more than 200 participants from 15
EU member states, including representatives of various organizations
and the mass media, attended the conference.
The opening address of the Vice Speaker of the Europarliament Ingo
Friedrich (CDP, Germany) was followed by some 15 speeches focusing on
the EU admission, human rights (with a special stress on speech
freedom), the denial of the Armenian Genocide, the Kurdish problem,
and the process of Turkey’s joining the EU as perceived by European
public opinion. Numerous parliamentarians representing various
political forces of Europe reminded that Ankara has never met the EU
membership standards both regarding the Armenian and Cyprus issues.
Hot debates took place with the participation of Pierre Mirel,
representative of the EuroCommission’s General Directorate for
Enlargement Issues, especially in connection with the existing wide
gap between the EuroCommission’s view and the European public
opinion. In particular, parliamentarian M. Triantaphyllides (Cyprus)
stated that “he trusts European citizens rather than the Commission.”
Vahan Hovhannisian, Vice Speaker of the RA National Assembly,
stressed the threat of destabilization in Caucasus concerning
Turkey’s aggressive policy with respect to Armenia.
“On the eve of October 3 (NT: the day on which the negotiations for
Turkey’s joining the EU started) the Commission appealed to the EU
political leaders to be vigilant. They should respond to the
Europeans’ increasingly pressing demand with transparent decisions of
the Commission and the Council regarding the terms of Turkey’s
admission,” said Hilda Chobanian, Chairwoman of the European-Armenian
Federation for Justice and Democracy.

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Occupied Northern Cyprus
Sept 23 2005
Turkish diplomats warn the US over Armenian genocide Bill
Ankara Turkish Daily News (22.09.05) reports that Turkeys
relationship with the United States, already damaged by disputes over
Iraq, may deteriorate at an unprecedented rate in the event the U.S.
House of Representatives approves two Armenian genocide resolutions
passed by a house panel last week, Turkish diplomats warned.
We dont expect this to happen, but if the resolutions are approved by
a floor vote at the House of Representatives, it will mean that the
United States legislation in one way or another will have labeled the
Armenian events as a genocide, and the effect will have catastrophic
dimensions in terms of ties between Turkey and the United States,
said one diplomat. The Turkish people will never forget this, and no
Turkish government may remain indifferent to what the people think.
Despite objections by U.S. President George W. Bushs administration,
the House of Representatives International Relations Committee on
Sept. 15 endorsed the two resolutions denouncing the deaths of
Armenians early last century as genocide. The House is the lower
house of the U.S. Congress, while the Senate is its higher house.
The committee voted 35-11 to approve a resolution, sponsored by
Democratic lawmakers, calling on Turkey to acknowledge the
culpability of its predecessor state, the Ottoman Empire, in the
1915-1923 deaths.
A second resolution, sponsored by Republican representatives, passed
40-7, calling for U.S. foreign policy to reflect an understanding of
the Armenian genocide and for the president to recognize the deaths
as genocide.
It is not clear if or when the resolutions will be brought before the
full House of Representatives.
In private talks Turkish diplomats say House Speaker Dennis Hastert,
a Republican lawmaker close to Bush, is not expected to bring the
resolutions to a floor vote at the House because he is aware of the
grave consequences in Turkish-U.S. relations.
However, Armenian groups also claim that they have Hasterts support
for their cause.
As we work to build on the committees favorable action, we look to
Speaker Hastert to honor his pledge and schedule a full floor vote on
the Armenian Genocide legislation at the earliest opportunity, said
Ken Hachikian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of
America.
Armenians claim that the Ottoman empire caused the deaths of up to
1.5 million of their kinsmen in a planned genocide. Turkey says the
toll is wildly inflated and that Armenians were killed or displaced
in civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey
says many Muslims also lost their lives. Ankara believes that Armenia
will use the genocide claims to make territorial demands against
Turkey.

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 23 2005
ARMEN RUSTAMIAN: ACCEPTING TURKEY, EUROPEAN UNION STOPS BEING
REPOSITORY OF SYSTEM OF VALUES AROUND WHICH CREATED
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. If today’s
Turkey which doesn’t correspond to European values. enter the
European Union, the European Union will stop being the repository of
the system of values around which that structure was first formed.
Armen Rustamian, a representative of the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia,
the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations stated
about this at the September 22 press-conference.
According to him, the fear of the peoples of France and Holland, that
the European Union can lose its essense being strengthened by means
of new bureaucratic mechanisms and becoming a political structure,
was one of reasons of failure of the referendum of the EU
Constitution in these countries. Particularly, interviews held in
France showed that the most part of those saying “no” sees danger in
Turkey’s membership to the EU.
According to Rustamian, if Turkey completely correspond to the
European system of values, it will recognize the Armenian Genocide
immediatly. According to him, refusal of the fact of the Genocide
shows that today’s Turkey doesn’t differ from the Ottaman Turkey, and
it’s not excluded that it should take similar steps again.
According to him, the issue of the Genocide can’t be considered as a
historical or moral problem as it’s more than modern and relates to
geographic-political developments of the South Caucasus and the whole
eastern region, That’s why, according to the rapporteur, the issue is
replaced on the political field and “cut off its source and reasons.”
“We should be able to touch upon the problem of the Genocide in right
time and in right way and never make it a subject of trade, a subject
of hagglings,” Rustamian stated.

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 23 2005
SENATOR OF AMERICAN STATE OF CALIFORNIA JACK SCOTT IN ARMENIA TO OPEN
CALIFORNIA-ARMENIA TRADE OFFICE
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Jack Scott, a
Senator of the state of California, US, a member of the Republican
Party accompanied by members the US western regional administration
of the Liberal Democratic Party is in Armenia with the goal of
opening California-Armenia Trade Office. Artur Baghdasarian, the
Chairman of the RA National Assembly received the delegation on
September 22.
In 2001, the Senate of California made a decision on opening a trade
office in Armenia by Jack Scott’s presentation. The Senator is famous
for his activity beneficial for Armenians: the Senate of California
recognized the Armenian Genocide by his assistance as well. As Noyan
Tapan was informed by the NA Public Relations Department, at the
meeting with Artur Baghdasarian, the Senator expressed a hope that
the US Senate as well will recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
According to his estimation, the Trade Office can support development
of not only bilaterally beneficial economic ties but of tourism as
well.
The NA Chairman expressed satisfaction on the occasion of opening the
Trade Office with the US state of California and expressed readiness
to assist in strengthening commercial and economic ties.
Establishment of direct ties between the Parliament of the state of
California and the National Assembly was attached importance to
bilaterally. It was mentioned that the issue of necessity to develop
parliamentary ties was discussed with Dennis Hastert, the US Congress
Speaker, as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 23 2005
A CHESS TOURNAMENT FOR THE CUP OF UN TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN ON
SEPTEMBER 24
YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. A chess tournament for the cup of UN
will take place tomorrow in Yerevan. According to the UN Public
Information Department, 40 young chess players aged between 10 and 12
years old, who will compete with famous Armenian grand masters Smbat
Lputyan, Karen Asryan, Tigran Petrosyan and the RA Champion, Grand
Master Ashot Anastasyan, will take part in the tournament, as well as
chess players – representatives of international and local
organizations and mass media. The Chairman of Chess Federation, RA
Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan, Chairman of the National
Committee of Physical Education and Sport Ishkhan Zakaryan, the
resident representative of UN in Armenia Consuelo Vidal wil take part
in the tournament dated for the 60th anniversary of the ceremony of
opening of the tournament.
The organizers of the tournament are the UN Yerevan Office, Armenian
Chess Federation, RA Sport Committee, Cafesjian Foundation, UN
Armenian Association. A.H. –0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 23 2005
THE INDIAN VICE-PRESIDENT TO VISIT ARMENIA IN NOVEMBER
YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. The Indian Vice-President Mr Shekhawat
will visit Armenia in November. According to the RA MFA, the details
of the approaching visit were discussed by Mr. Shekhawat and RA
Ambassador to India Ashot Kocharyan. During the meeting also issues
related to the development of bilateral Armenian-Indian relations
were discussed. Kocharyan introduced to the Vice-President the state
of the economic development of the country, the investment field,
process of constitutional reforms, possibilities of development of
tourism. The sides expressed hope that the approaching visit of Mr.
Shekhawat to Armenia will become a stimulus for the development of
Armenian-Indian relations and their enlargement in various spheres.
A.H. –0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 23 2005
THE PRESIDENT OF FINLAND TO PAY AND OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA ON
SEPTEMBER 26-28
YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. The President of Finland Tarja Halonen
with her husband Pentti Arayarvi will pay and official visit to
Armenia in the framework o his regional tour on September 26-28.
According to the RA President’s Press Service, the main goal of the
visit is to stimulate bilateral international relations, discover the
perspectives for economic development. The Presidents of two
countries will discuss bilateral relations, the EU-Armenia
cooperation, regional issues and will exchange opinions regarding
issues o mutual interest.
On September 27, after the official ceremony of receiving top
officials, the Presidents of Armenia and Finland will have a
tete-a-tete conversation, after which the negotiations will continue
with participation of others.
Halonen will meet the RA NA Speaker, Prime Minister, visit the museum
after Sergei Parajanov, as well as meet the Catholicos of All
Armenians Garegin the Second. The delegation headed by Halonen will
visit the memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915,
where they will put wreaths. The President of Finland will also meet
professors, teachers and students of Yerevan State University.
Finland acknowledged the independence of Armenia on December 30,
1991. Diplomatic relations between two countries were established on
March 25, 1992. For the recent years the bilateral relations has
developed well. In October 2004 a governmental agreement was signed
between Armenia and Finland on encouragement and protection of
investments, which creates favorable conditions for the commercial
and economic cooperation. In April 2004 a memorandum on understanding
in the sphere of culture was signed between the countries. The
priority directions of cooperation with Finland are in the field of
IT, food industry and agriculture, as well as tourism and services
sector for Armenia.
According to the RA National Statistics Service, the foreign trade
turnover between Armenia and Finland in Jan-Jul 2005 made $3611,4
thsd.. (export – $665.0 thsd., import – $2946.4 thsd.) versus $1724
thsd in 2004 (export – $165.7 thsd., import – $1558.3 thsd.). Thus,
the indicator grew by $1887,4 thsd. ($1 =AMD 448,27). A.H. –0-

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 23 2005
AN ARMENIAN DELEGATION AT THE HEAD OF THE RA MINISTER OF FINANCE AND
ECONOMY TO LEAVE FOR WASHINGTON ON SEPTEMBER 24-27
YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. On September 24-27 an Armenian
delegation at the head of the RA Minister of Finance and Economy
Vardan Khachatryan will leave for Washington to participate in the
11th session of the Armenian-American Commission on Economic
Cooperation. The delegation will participate in the annual session of
the WB and IMF, meet the administration of the Millennium Challenges
Corporation, according to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy
Press Service Department. According to the press release, on Sep
24-25 the delegation will take part in the annual forum of the WB and
IMF, hold meetings with top representatives of these organizations.
In the course of the meeting it’s expected to discuss the programs
implemented in the financial sphere as well as the prospects of
further development. The 11th meeting of the work group of the
Armenia-American Commission on Economic Cooperation will take place
on Sep 26. It’s expected to discuss various issues of bilateral
economic cooperation as well as prospects to ensure higher indicators
of economic growth, investments, improve the business atmosphere,
develop power engineering and infrastructures, and issue related to
tax and customs. On Sep 27 a meeting of the Armenian delegation with
the representatives of Millennium Challenges Corporation will take
place, in the course of which the application submitted by the RA
Government to the Corporation will be discussed.
The official delegation includes the RA President’s Councilor in
economic affairs Vahram Nersisyants, Chairman of CBA Tigran Sargsyan,
Minister of Trade and Economic Development Karen Chshmarityan,
Minister of Agriculture David Lokyan, the RA Ambassador to the USA
Tatul Margaryan. A.H. –0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 23 2005
ARMENIA SUGGESTS INCREASING THE EXTENT OF INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNDP
YEREVAN OFFICE IN IMPLEMENTATION OF TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
YEREVAN, September 23. /ARKA/. Armenia suggests increasing the extent
of involvement of the UNDP Yerevan Office in implementation of trade
and development programs. According to the RA Ministry of Trade and
Economic Development Press Service Department, this was mentioned in
the course of the meeting of the RA Minister of Trade and Economic
Development Karen Chshmarityan with General Secretary of the UN
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Supach Panitcapak. In
the course of the meeting reforms conducted in UN were discussed. In
particular, programs implemented by UNCTD. The sides touched upon the
perspectives of involvement of state and private sectors in the
programs implemented by UNCTD. Also the possibility of formation of a
separate corresponding staff in UN Yerevan Office for the
implementation of UNCTAD programs and inclusion of it in the frames
of UNDP were discussed.
UNCTAD was established in December 1964 as a main body of the UN
General Assembly in the field of trade. It’s located in Geneva. A.H.
–0–