LEGAL BODIES OF TEHRAN ASSURE THAT THOSE KILLED IRANIAN ARMENIAN YOUNG
MAN TO BE PUNISHED

TEHRAN, SEPTEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 13,
sardar Eslami, the general responsible for police stations of the
eastern region of Tehran, and those responsible for the police station
of the district of Narmak, and clergymen paid a visit of condolence to
parents and relatives of Miro Begijanian, an Iranian Armenian young
man killed during a despute with three Persians late on September
9. According to the “Alik” daily of Tehran, they passed the precept of
sardar Talayi, the chief police officer of the city, and assured that
they will pursue that the criminals were punished.

CATHOLICOS OF GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA LEAVES FOR GENEVA

ANTELIAS, SEPTEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Aram I,
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia left for Geneva early on
September 12. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Service of the
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I, as
the Chairman of the World Coucil of Churches (WCC), will chair the
sittings of the WCC Chairmanship, the executive administration and
special commissions one after the other.

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Sept 16 2005
Armenian genocide labeled fact
By Lisa Friedman, Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON – In a victory for Southern California’s sizable Armenian
communities, a House panel voted overwhelmingly Thursday to declare
the massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a genocide.
It was the first time in five years that the House International
Relations Committee took up the internationally controversial issue,
approving separate resolutions by Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, and
George Radanovich, R-Fresno.
The resolutions still face several hurdles, including fierce
opposition from the State Department and House Speaker Dennis
Hastert. Diplomats and Hastert have argued that such a declaration
will rupture U.S.-Turkish relations.
But Armenians hailed the move, saying that, by voting 35-11 for
Schiff’s bill and 40-7 for Radanovich’s, the panel sent a strong
message that Congress should not equivocate on recognizing crimes
against humanity.
“If the United States does not step up and acknowledge this history
and show moral backbone and clarity on these sorts of issues, people
are going to be disappointed in us. We believe in this country
because it does the right thing,” said Armen Carapetian, Glendale
spokesman for the Armenian National Committee of America.
The committee’s votes came after more than three hours of tense
debate in which lawmakers invoked the Holocaust, slavery, Darfur and
American Indians.
Armenians estimate more than 1.5 million died and hundreds of
thousands of others were displaced in a planned genocide campaign
between 1915 and 1923.
They say the U.S. and Turkey are covering up a historical wrong and
sending an immoral message by not acknowledging it as a genocide.
Turkey maintains there was no plan for systematic extermination, that
only about 300,000 Armenians were killed, and that Armenians also
killed thousands of Turks in the tumultuous last years of the Ottoman
Empire.
Schiff, who represents many of Los Angeles County’s estimated 400,000
Armenians, said approving the resolution “is a sacred obligation to
ensure our country honors the past; there is no dispute that what
happened to the Armenian people constitutes genocide.”
Every Californian on the committee voted in favor of the resolutions.
Among those supporting the resolutions were Reps. Howard Berman,
D-Van Nuys; Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks; Dianne Watson, D-Los
Angeles; Grace Napolitano, D-Santa

Fe Springs; Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach; Darrell Issa,
R-Vista; and Elton Gallegly, R-Thousand Oaks.
San Francisco Democrat Rep. Tom Lantos and House International
Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., stunned onlookers by
supporting the measure.
As did many other supporters of the resolutions, they praised
Turkey’s long-standing alliance with the U.S., but said acknowledging
a historical wrong should not damage that relationship.
Rep. Dan Burton, D-Ind., who led the debate against the resolutions,
argued that historians disagree whether evidence of genocide exists
and said the fact that Armenians today live peaceably in Turkey is
“proof that the genocide standard cannot be met.”
He argued that rather than alienate a key ally, Congress should allow
Turkey and Armenia to work out the conflict over their history on
their own.
Nursen Mazici, a Turkish visiting professor at Georgetown University
who came to watch the proceedings, said she was disappointed by the
vote and thinks most U.S. lawmakers don’t know the full history of
the Ottoman Empire after World War I.
“Many Armenians were killed, but at the time many Turks were killed
by Armenian terrorists. I am so sorry for them, for both sides,”
Mazici said.
Tsoghig Margossian, 26, an Armenian-American who moved to the
Washington, D.C., area from Northridge three years ago, said her
relatives escaped death by fleeing what was then Anatolia.
She called Thursday’s votes “an affirmative commitment by the U.S.
government to recognize the mistake it has made by denying the
genocide for so long.”

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Sept 16 2005
Victims’ telethon collects $92,000
By Alex Dobuzinskis, Staff Writer

GLENDALE – A telethon on an Armenian-American cable channel netted
more than $92,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief, with the money going
to the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter of the American Red Cross.
Armenian-Americans packed the alley behind the studio of the Armenian
Media Group of America’s studio at 1520 Glenoaks Blvd., bearing
checks and money orders to help victims of the hurricane. Most
donations were between $50 and $100, and $3,000 was the biggest
single check.
“This was from the people,” said broadcaster Chahe Keuroghelian, 48,
who led the telethon effort. “That is (more) important, in my
opinion, than necessarily the amount itself.
“It (being) collected from the regular citizens with limited income,
that needs to be appreciated.”
Wednesday, Keuroghelian presented more than $92,000 in donations to
the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter of the American Red Cross.
Including the money from the telethon, the Red Cross chapter has
collected $210,000 for hurricane relief.
Many donors remembered American generosity after Armenia was rocked
by a disastrous earthquake in 1988. The quake killed 25,000 people
and left 500,000 homeless, according to U.S. government Web sites.
“We were overwhelmed with the generosity that the people have shown,”
said Ron Farina, executive director of the Glendale-Crescenta Valley
chapter of the American Red Cross. “They, I believe, understand how
disasters can devastate a community because they were so badly hit
back in the Armenian community in ’88. So they can relate to this.”
The telethon started Monday evening and went until 2 a.m. Tuesday on
Channel 26 in Glendale. Broadcasters on the channel continued issuing
pleas for donations on the days after the initial telethon.
Keuroghelian, who has a show on Channel 26 but also works as an
immigration attorney, said he expects additional donations that will
bring the total to at least $100,000.
Meanwhile, the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter of the Red Cross has
35 volunteers working in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to
help hurricane and flood victims. Another 50 volunteers are waiting
to go.
“The thing that’s holding us back is sometimes flights are not
available from California to the area,” Farina said.
Revo Coffee and Cigarette Cafe will hold a jazz concert today from 8
to 10 p.m. at 1022 E. Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale, to raise money for
Hurricane Katrina relief, with donations going to the Salvation Army.
For information, call (818) 549-0809.

UEFA.com
Sept 16 2005
FOOTBALL EUROPE: Pyunik close in on Armenian title
League split
The return to action saw the league split in two, with the top six
sides competing in the championship pool and retaining the points
they had accumulated from playing one other, while the remainder
battle it out in the relegation group.
Pyunik prevail
Championship leaders FC Pyunik have increased their advantage from
five to ten points in just two matches after their rivals slipped up.
Pyunik began with a 5-0 triumph against FC Dinamo-Zenit Yerevan
before winning 2-1 against second-placed FC MIKA. MIKA could only
draw their previous game against FC Kilikia thanks to two penalties
from Aghvan Mkrtchian.
Trio missing
However, it was not all good news for Pyunik. Armenia Under-21
goalkeeper Apoula Edima, midfielder Karl Lombe and forward Mamadou
Diawara failed to return after the holidays, and it is unclear when –
indeed if – they will return to the Pyunik fold.
Danaev signs
Third-placed FC Banants have also struggled after the restart, a
goalless draw against FC Kotayk preceding a 3-1 home defeat by
Kilikia which only strengthened Pyunik’s title challenge. Banants
have released Moldovan forward Dumitriu Gusila while signing Andrei
Danaev on loan from Ukrainian club FC Stal Alchevsk.
Triple capture
Kotayk, now within one point of third position after a 2-0 victory
against Dinamo-Zenit, resumed their campaign with three new players.
Arkadij Chilingaryan and Karen Navoyan joined from FC Lernayin
Artsakh along with midfielder Nikolay Agasyan whose Dinamo-Zenit
contract had expired.
Relegation issue
In the relegation section, FC Ararat Yerevan and FC Shirak drew 1-1
in the first leg of their play-off. Gor Atabekyan’s early goal for
Ararat was cancelled out on 68 minutes by Karen Khachatryan’s penalty
for the hosts. The losing side will face another play-off against the
team finishing second in the first division to determine whether they
preserve top-flight status.

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005
RUSSIA-ARMENIAN TRADE TURNOVER CAN BE INCREASED 3-4 TIMES
YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. Armenia and Russia have real potential
to increase their trade turnover 3-4 times, Chairman of the Union of
Manufacturers and Employers of Armenia Arsen Kazaryan stated at an
Armenian-Russian business forum in Yerevan. According to him,
evidence of this is the growing trade and economic indices between
the two countries. “Russia’s is Armenia’s principal trade and
economic partner not only in supplying energy sources to Armenia, but
also in other spheres,” Kazaryan said. According to him, the very
title of the business forum “Cooperation 2005” is evidence of
efficient and active cooperation. “Russia is a great sale market for
Armenian products and real opportunities for increasing this volume
are available,” he said. However, there are a number of obstacles,
particularly the lack of direct transport communication between
Armenia and Russia.
According to the RA Statistical Service, Armenian-Russian foreign
trade turnover increased by 41% in January-July 2005 and totaled
$173mln. Armenia’s exports to Russia increased by 25.3%, totaling
$58.4mln, and imports from that country by 41.1% to $136mln. P.T.
-0–

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005
RA OMBUDSMAN ACQUAINTED UN COORDINATOR WITH REPORT ON MASS VIOLATIONS
OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. RA Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan
acquainted UN Coordinator, Resident Representative of UNDP to Armenia
Consuelo Vidal with the report on mass violations of property rights
in Armenia, press-service of the RA Ombudsman Office reported ARKA
News Agency. Alaverdyan presented the special published report on
mass violations of the property rights related with compulsory
acquisition of the property under the cover of the state needs. She
expressed gratitude to Vidal for a visit, as well as for the
implementation of the program on supporting human rights and
improving public awareness on the activities of the RA Ombudsman,
initiated by the UNDP. The sides also gave importance to the
continuously updated web-site of the RA Ombudsman. She also pointed
to the importance of the visits of international experts coming to
Armenia, and round tables of the Ombudsmen of Eastern European and
CIS countries, organized and sponsored by the UNDP.
Alaverdyan has also presented the problems and challenges the
institution of the RA Ombudsman faces during the process of its
formation. A.A. -0–

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005
US AMBASSADOR TO THE RA: CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN ARMENIA WILL OPEN
NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY
YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. The Constitutional reforms in Armenia
will open new possibilities for the development of the country, as
the US Ambassador to the RA John Evans stated during the meeting with
the RA President Robert Kocharyan. According to the RA President’s
Press Service, the Ambassador thanked the government and people of
Armenia for support and sympathy for the victims of “Katrina”
hurricane. The sides discussed the process of regulation of the
Karabakh conflict. A.H. -0–

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005
RA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE NEGOTIATES WITH WB ON
INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT CREDITING SYSTEM IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. RA Ministry of Education and Science
negotiate with the World Bank on introduction of student crediting
system in Armenia, RA Minister of Education and Science Sergo
Yeritsyan told journalists. He said that the credits, which will be
provided to pay for education, are expected to have low interest
rates. The pay off will start after one year of graduation. “This
will allow to increase the level of social protection of students
from current 35% to 80% in next three years”, Yeritsyan said. A.A.
-0–

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Syria
Sept 15 2005
Syria’s grand mufti underlines religious tolerance
Syria’s grand Mufti and the Armenian consul discussed Wednesday the
religious tolerance in Syria as well as in the Arab region saying “we
have been carrying both Islam and Christianity as an honor message
that benefits all people and countries.”
Mufti Ahmed Hassoun appreciated Armenian people’s honorable stances
towards Arab and Moslems’ issues, particularly the “Palestinian just
right of establishing an independent state with Jerusalem as a
capital.” For his part, Armenian Consul underlined the deep-rooted
relations that connected the two countries and peoples in all fields,
stressing the necessity of developing and enhancing them to serve the
interests of both countries.