Joy for Armenia and Albania
Tuesday, 13 September 2005
by Paul Saffer
from Crystal Palace National Sports Arena
Tal Grig Yerevan and Dinamo Tirana have made it
through the UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round after
another dramatic day of action in England that saw
mini-tournament hosts London White Bear FC eliminated
by the smallest of margins.
London out
Yerevan were beaten 2-1 tonight by mini-tournament
hosts London but the home side were eliminated by
virtue of a three-way head-to-head goals scored
tie-breaker with their opponents and Tirana. All three
sides finished on six points but Armenian side Yerevan
and Albanian entrants Tirana take first and second
spot respectively. French debutants Roubaix Futsal
finished bottom of the group after their 5-1 defeat by
Tirana in the day’s first game.
Mullaj strikes
Roubaix needed an improbable 12-goal win to have any
hope of taking a top-two place on their competition
debut, but although they had much of the possession
against Tirana, but they were 2-0 down within five
minutes as Ani Mullaj struck his fifth goal of the
round and Gerdi Spahiu added another. In between Mehdi
Rokia hit the post for Roubaix. The French side pushed
hard, but before the break Mullaj scorted on the
break.
Deserved consolation
Artan Qopekaj made it 4-0 on the half-hour and Indrin
Llagami hit Tirana’s fifth five minutes later, after
which David Vieira claimed a deserved consolation for
Roubaix. That result meant London realistically needed
a two-goal win to go through.
Quickfire Danielyan
However, it took only ten seconds for Armen Danielyan
to give Yerevan the lead. The goal, though, did not
dishearten London who now made the play for the
remaining 39 minutes and 50 seconds.
Home heartbreak
There was frustration after frustration for the hosts
as Artak Harutyunyan in the Yerevan goal seemed
unbeatable. Five minutes into the second half his goal
was finally breahed, Anatoliy Sigur striking. Soon
after London’s key man Alexandre Topalo had an effort
ruled out as the ball had left play earlier in the
move and Ruslan Lipskiy hit the post. With four
minutes left Topalo gave London a deserved lead, which
they held to the end, only to learn that their victory
would not keep their first European campaign going.
Benfica waiting
Yerevan now enter Group 3 of next month’s first
qualifying round, and will face the might of 2004
finalists SL Benfica along with Cyprus’s AGBU Ararat
Nicosia and mini-tournament hosts Colorspectrum Aramis
Budapest of Hungary. Tirana will play in Group 4,
staged by Slovenia’s KMN Svea Lesna Litija and also
featuring KMF Marbo Beograd and Athena ’90 of Serbia
and Montenegro and Greece respectively.
©uefa.com 1998-2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Contact: Talin Gregorian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
CALIFORNIA-ARMENIA TRADE OFFICE BILL PASSES STATE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE
— Bill Now Awaits the Signature of Governor Schwarzenegger
SACRAMENTO, CA – The International Trade and Investment Office:
Yerevan bill (SB 897), introduced by California State Senator Jack
Scott (D-Pasadena) in February of this year, recently passed in both
the California State Assembly and Senate, announced the Armenian
National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR). The bill
passed the chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bi-partisan
support, having gained a vote of 77-1 in the Assembly and 32-1 in the
Senate. The bill was enrolled and sent to the desk of Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger on September 8th for his signature.
`Once again through the leadership of Senator Scott and his tireless
staff, Californians and Armenians alike can move forward towards
establishing closer business and trade relations with one another
which will benefit both peoples equally,’ said Steve Dadaian, Chairman
of the ANCA-WR. `We look forward to Governor Schwarzenegger’s approval
of this commonsense measure aimed to allow the State of California to
properly operate its trade office in Armenia.’
For over five years, the ANCA-WR has worked to improve trade relations
between California and Armenia. SB 897 aims to extend the sunset date
for the creation and operation of the California International Trade
and Investment Office in Yerevan, Armenia which was established by
state statue in 2002. The current sunset date for the trade office is
set for January 1, 2006. However, the bill would extend this deadline
to 2008. SB 897 was introduced by Sen. Scott, with principal coauthors
Senators Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) and Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo),
Assemblymembers Juan Arambula (D-Fresno) and Dario Frommer
(D-Glendale), as well as coauthors Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto),
and Assemblymembers Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton) and Carol Liu
(D-Pasadena). Last month, ANCA-WR Government Relations Director Armen
Carapetian delivered testimony in the Capitol to secure passage of SB
897 in key committees and met with Assemblymembers and staff to
galvanize support for the measure.
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a
broad range of issues.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Contact: Talin Gregorian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA-WR LEADS CONSTITUENT MEETING WITH CONGRESSWOMAN LOIS CAPPS
–Rep. Lois Capps Adds Her Support for Armenian Genocide Resolution
SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America-Western
Region (ANCA-WR), along with long-time Santa Barbara resident and
Armenian American community-member Haik Hakobian, met with US
Representative Lois Capps in her District Office in Santa Barbara on
Friday, September 2nd.
During their meeting, the ANCA-WR introduced a number of measures of
interest to the Armenian American community pending in the House of
Representatives to Congresswoman Capps. ANCA-WR Regional Director
Armen Carapetian gave a summary of the Armenian Genocide resolutions,
H.Res. 316 and H.Con.Res. 195, the South Caucasus Integration and Open
Railroads Act of 2005 (H.R. 3361) introduced by the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) and Representative George Radanovich (R-CA), as well as
a bill aimed to end the Turkish blockade of Armenia (H.R. 3103)
introduced by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA). A strong supporter of
issues of concern of Armenian Americans, Representative Capps
immediately expressed her support for the Armenian Genocide
resolutions and stressed her concern over ongoing attempts on behalf
of Turkey and Azerbaijan that aim to strangle the Republic of
Armenia’s forward progress.
`The Congresswoman’s immediate and strong support for the issues that
we discussed during our meeting was very touching,’ said Haik
Hakobian. `She has a very good understanding of the issues that the
Republic of Armenia confronts today and of what we as Armenian
Americans face in our efforts to strengthen US-Armenia relations.’
Upon her return to Capitol Hill from the August Recess, Representative
Capps fulfilled her pledge and became a cosponsor of H.Res. 316,
introduced by Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff
(D-CA), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ). H.Res. 316
currently has 124 cosponsors and is awaiting a markup by the House
International relations Committee on Thursday, September 15th.
`The Armenian Genocide was a tragedy of enormous proportions. If
Turkey doesn’t acknowledge this tragedy they will not be able to move
past it,’ stated Congresswoman Lois Capps.
Representative Lois Capps was among many Members of Congress that
ANCA-WR met over the August Recess to discuss issues of concern to
Armenian Americans, including, Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA),
Howard `Buck’ McKeon (R-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA),
and Diane Watson (D-CA). The meetings aimed to introduce Members of
Congress to their Armenian American constituents, discuss and
galvanize support for issues of concern to Armenian Americans, and
strategize on how to advance these issues.
`Congresswoman Capps represents a majority of Congressional members
who support issues of concern to Armenian Americans such as the
resolutions affirming the Armenian Genocide,’ said Armen
Carapetian. `Members of Congress want to respect the views of their
constituents, so it is imperative that Armenian Americans express
their concerns to their Representatives.’
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a
broad range of issues.
Editor’s Note: Photos attached. Photo 1 caption: Representative Capps
discusses recent key legislation that is of concern to the Armenian
American community. Photo 2 caption: From left to right – ANCA-WR
Government Relations Director Armen Carapetian, ANCA-WR Communications
Manager Talin Gregorian, Representative Lois Capps, and Haik Hakobian.

PRESS RELEASE
ARMENPAC, The Armenian-American Political Action Committee
421 E. Airport Freeway, Suite 201
Irving, Texas 75220
Contact: Jason P. Capizzi, Esq.
Tel: 972-635-5347
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
ARMENPAC GAINS CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORIAL HOPEFUL ROB ANDREWS’
COSPONSORSHIP OF RAIL BILL – H.R. 3361
Irving, TX – ARMENPAC is hard at work continually meeting with members of
the United States Congress to garner a bipartisan majority for
Armenian-American issues. Most recently, ARMENPAC met with Congressman
Rob Andrews (D-NJ) and received his commitment to cosponsor H.R. 3361, the
South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2005. `ARMENPAC
thanks Congressman Andrews for his ongoing support of Armenian-American
issues and for his leadership on behalf of our community,’ said ARMENPAC
Board Member Jirair Hovnanian.
Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), along with Caucus
Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Congressman George Radanovich (R-CA),
recently introduced H.R. 3361, which would prohibit United States
assistance in developing or promoting rail connections that traverse or
connect Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, and bypass Armenia. H.R. 3361,
therefore, disallows United States support for the proposed
Kars-Tblisi-Baku rail link, which isolates Armenia from East-West
commercial corridors.
In a recent letter to United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
Members of Congress expressed their dismay over plans to develop the
Kars-Tblisi-Baku rail link, which is estimated to cost between $400-800
million and could take years to construct, while overlooking the existing
Turkey-Armenia (Kars-Gymuri) line, which could be operational in weeks
with only a few minor repairs. In pertinent part, the letter stated that
`[o]pen and integrated transportation routes among Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Turkey are necessary to promote cooperation, support economic
growth and help resolve regional conflicts. Unfortunately, this policy is
being undermined by efforts to exclude Armenia in regional development
projects… In no way should the United States condone a proposal or program
that directly undermines our goal of fostering integration and cooperation
among the countries of the region.’
`ARMENPAC supports H.R. 3361, which promotes security, trade and economic
development within the entire South Caucasus, and urges Secretary Rice to
denounce Turkey’s plans to move forward with the proposed Kars-Tblisi-Baku
rail link,’ said ARMENPAC Co-Chair Edgar Hagopian.
Congressman Rob Andrews’ cosponsorship of H.R. 3361 is greatly appreciated
as ARMENPAC encourages additional Members of Congress to do the same and
help prevent Turkey from moving forward with this ill-proposed project.
To date, H.R. 3361 only has thirty-one (31) cosponsors. `Please contact
your Representative today and urge him or her to join the bipartisan
effort to prevent the Kars-Tblisi-Baku rail link from moving forward by
cosponsoring H.R. 3361,’ said ARMENPAC Co-Chair Annie Totah.
Congressman Rob Andrews is a member of the Armenian Caucus, and serves on
the Armed Services Committee and the Education and the Workforce
Committee. In addition to H.R. 3361, Congressman Andrews is a cosponsor
of H.Res. 316, an Armenian Genocide resolution reaffirming the United
States record on this crime against humanity. Congressman Andrews is
currently vying, as well as Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Robert
Menendez (D-NJ), among others, for an appointment as Senator Jon Corzine’s
(D-NJ) successor in the United States Senate. Senator Corzine is favored
to win the New Jersey Gubernatorial election in November 2005.
ARMENPAC is an independent, bipartisan political action committee
established to shape public policy by raising awareness of, and advocating
for, Armenian-American issues. ARMENPAC provides financial support to
federal officeholders, candidates, political action committees and
organizations that actively support issues of importance to
Armenian-Americans. For more information and how to join ARMENPAC, please
visit

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
09/14/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Armenia Warns Against Revival of Pro-Azeri UN Resolution 2) EU Fails to Approve Declaration Tied to Turkey Talks 3) Greek Americans Call for Adoption of Armenian Genocide Legislation 4) Record Numbers Set to Watch Webcast of Armenian Genocide Vote 1) Armenia Warns Against Revival of Pro-Azeri UN Resolution NEW YORK (RFE/RL)--Armenia warned Azerbaijan against attempting to revive a draft of a pro-Azerbaijani resolution on Mountainous Karabagh at an annual session of the United Nations General Assembly that opened in New York on Wednesday. The resolution that was put forward a year ago is formally on the agenda of the three-day UN summit that brought together more than 160 presidents, prime ministers, and kings. It seeks to reaffirm Baku's sovereignty over Karabagh and expresses "grave concern at the continuing Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands." A General Assembly vote on the document was put off indefinitely last November after Armenia agreed to an inspection of territories around Karabagh by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. A fact-finding OSCE mission toured those lands last February to investigate Azerbaijan's allegations that Yerevan is actively resettling them with Armenian families. The mission effectively denied those claims, concluding in a report that it found "no evidence of direct involvement by the authorities of Armenia in the territories." According to Armenia's permanent representative at the UN, Armen Martirosian, Baku and Yerevan agreed this month to include the document on the General Assembly agenda, but to avoid any discussions or votes on it. He said the Azeri leadership needed a face-saving solution ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. "We agreed that Azerbaijan will not take any active steps and Armenia will not prevent the issue from being included on the agenda," Martirosian said. "If Azerbaijan takes any active step within the UN framework, the Republic of Armenia will pull out of the Prague process of negotiations," the diplomat warned. "Our main argument is that there is the [OSCE] Minsk Group which has been mediating the negotiations for more than ten years and that the UN is not the place where the Karabagh problem must be discussed." Martirosian said Yerevan's position is backed by the Minsk Group's French, Russian, and US co-chairs. Addressing the UN assembly in November 2004, the co-chairs spoke out against the passage of the draft resolution, saying that it would undermine "confidence between the parties." The pro-Azerbaijan document reached the UN assembly with the help of several Muslim nations, notably Turkey, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. In a retaliatory move, Armenia openly opposed Kazakhstan's efforts to assume the OSCE's rotating presidency during a summit of former Soviet republics this year. 2) EU Fails to Approve Declaration Tied to Turkey Talks (Bloomberg)--European Union governments failed for the third time this month to overcome a split over Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus, imperiling plans to start membership talks on October 3. Diplomats from the EU's 25 nations remained deadlocked over a response to Turkey's diplomatic boycott of Cyprus, which joined the bloc last year. The dispute is distracting EU attention from a negotiating plan for Turkey that needs the backing of all member nations. "There was a wide-ranging and difficult discussion," Stavros Papagianneas, a spokesman for the Cypriot mission to the EU, said by telephone in Brussels today. Other EU nations "showed understanding for the Cypriot positions." The Turkish government in July said its signature of a protocol extending a European trade accord to Cyprus didn't amount to recognition of the Mediterranean island, whose northern tier Turkey has occupied since 1974. Signing the protocol was a condition set by the EU last December for starting decade-long membership talks. The Turkish declaration increased skepticism in European capitals about offering entry to Turkey, which would be one of the two most populous EU nations along with Germany, and the bloc's first mainly Muslim member that would widen the EU's borders to Iraq. SKEPTICISM Opposition to enlargement in nations like France has grown since 10 countries, including Cyprus, joined last year and French and Dutch voters rejected the European constitution -- meant to help the EU function better with more members--three and a half months ago. EU diplomats are divided over the wording of a declaration that would urge Turkey to ensure free trade with Cyprus while seeking a normalization of political ties. Earlier efforts to approve a text failed on September 2 and 7. "We have not yet reached a consensus," said Jonathan Allen, a spokesman for the British government, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency. Negotiations will resume September 21, he said. The EU is moving closer to an accord, according to the UK and Cyprus. "We hope to reach an agreement soon," said Papagianneas of the Cypriot mission. Cyprus joined the EU without the Turkish-speaking north because voters in the Greek-speaking southern republic rejected a United Nations-backed unification plan. CONDITIONS The Turkish government wants to prevent the EU from imposing new entry conditions and has threatened to withdraw its membership bid should the bloc do so. Turkey, a nation of 72 million people, is counting on the accession talks to attract record foreign investment to its $300 billion economy. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm in Brussels, pressed for the start of membership talks with Turkey yesterday. Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said national governments would have dozens of veto chances later on and entry negotiations would encourage a settlement of the Cyprus problem as well as economic reforms in Turkey. 3) Greek Americans Call for Adoption of Armenian Genocide Legislation WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) urged House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL) on Tuesday to work for committee approval of Armenian genocide legislation, set to be considered by the panel on September 15. In a September 13 letter to Chairman Hyde, AHI Executive Director Nick Larigakis explained that "Americans of Hellenic origin, and I believe most Americans, have long held that the US Congress should be on record as recognizing the Armenian genocide, commemorating this crime against all humanity, and applying its lessons to help prevent future atrocities and genocides." He went on to note that "Sadly, due to the powerful pressure brought to bear by the Turkish lobby's threats and intimidation, legislation along these lines has been blocked from passage." "We want to thank Nick Larigakis and all our friends at the American Hellenic Institute for their steadfast support for US recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Armenian National Committee's (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "The assistance of our Greek American allies for this legislation means a great deal to us--here in Washington, DC, and in communities around the country." The American Hellenic Institute strengthens United States relations with Greece and Cyprus and within the American Hellenic community. Congressional support for Armenian Genocide legislation (HR316 and HConRes195) continued to grow this week, with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) joining Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) in pledging support for HR316. 4) Record Numbers Set to Watch Webcast of Armenian Genocide Vote Thousands of Armenians from the United States and throughout the world are expected to watch the live internet Webcast this Thursday of a key Congressional panel's consideration of Armenian Genocide legislation. For the first time in nearly five years, the influential US House International Relations Committee is scheduled to discuss and vote on the issue. In October of 2000, the panel voted 24 to 11 to approve the Armenian Genocide Resolution, but the measure was eventually withdrawn from consideration only minutes before it was to go before the full House of Representatives. "We have been tremendously encouraged by the growing number of Armenians who are taking advantage of webcast technology to watch--in real time--the Committee's consideration of legislation on the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA's Hamparian. "We join with Armenians throughout the United States in looking forward to this opportunity to watch the legislative process in action." The Committee meeting will be held at 10:30 am in room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill. Among the other issues which are set to be considered by the panel during its September 15 meeting are the following: -HConRes238: Honoring the victims of the Cambodian Genocide that took place from April 1975 to January 1979; -HRes38: Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); -HRes388: Regarding the July 2005 measures of extreme repression on the part of the Cuban Government against members of Cuba's pro-democracy movement; -HRes409: Condemning the Government of Zimbabwe's "Operation Murambatsvina"; -HConRes237: Welcoming President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan to the US on September 20, 2005. To watch the live Webcast (Thursday, September 15--10:30am Eastern Time) visit the website of the US House International Relations Committee and click on "Live webcast of meeting." 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) 2005 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.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
September 14, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS CASE BEING CLOSELY MONITORED IN U.S.
Key Committee To Hold Mark-Up On Genocide Resolution
Washington, DC – The European Court of Human Rights is expected to
announce a decision next week on the property rights of minority
foundations. Specifically, the Court will adjudicate two cases filed
by the Soorp Purgich Armenian Hospital Foundation and the Fener Greek
Boys High School Foundation against Turkey.
In both cases, property gifted to the Armenian and Greek foundations
were seized as the Turkish courts upheld orders declaring that the
bequest violated a decree disallowing non-Moslems from donating real
estate. If the court rules in favor of the foundations, hundreds of
buildings seized in the past may be returned.
Earlier this year, Armenian Assembly Board Member and former Board of
Directors Chairman Van Krikorian testified before the Helsinki
Commission on freedom of religion in Turkey with respect to the
Armenian Church and community. During his testimony Krikorian noted
that “for centuries, Armenians paid and in many places still pay a
high price for their Christianity,” and that seizure and destruction
of Armenian Church property was commonplace. Krikorian noted that in
1914, in Turkey, there were approximately 5,000 Armenian Churches,
seminaries and schools registered by the Patriarchate and that today,
90 years after the Armenian Genocide, there are less than 50 Armenian
Churches under the Patriarchate’s jurisdiction. Krikorian also
pointed to the Soorp Purgich Armenian Hospital as example of how the
Treaty of Lausanne and other international standards for protecting
religious rights are not being upheld, and urged the Helsinki
Commission to play a critical leadership in addressing these issues.
Jeff King, President of International Christian Concern, who also
testified before the Commission, called the expected decision by the
European Court “an opportunity to right a long-standing injustice and
an opportunity for Turkey to utilize this opportunity to strengthen
its commitment to democratic reforms and to uphold its international
obligations to protect its citizens.” International Christian Concern
(ICC) is a non-profit and interdenominational human rights
organization dedicated to assisting and sustaining Christians who are
victims of persecution and discrimination due to practicing their
faith. ICC’s website is
At the same time that the European Human Rights Court is considering
this matter, in the United States, the House International Relations
Committee is scheduled to review another human rights issue;
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. The Committee will mark-up
H. Res. 316, a bipartisan, pan-Armenian resolution, which reaffirms
the United States record on the Armenian Genocide, and was introduced
by Armenian Caucus Members George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff
(D-CA), along with Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank
Pallone (D-NJ).
“The anticipated European Court action is one of many venues in which
Turkey’s human and minority rights are being reviewed. Tomorrow, the
House International Relations Committee will consider legislation,
which affirms the Armenian Genocide and the American role in alerting
the international community and launching an unprecedented
humanitarian campaign to save the survivors,” said Armenian Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Over the last weeks and months,
the community has rallied its support behind H. Res. 316 and we are
confident about tomorrow’s mark-up,” added Ardouny.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
Editor’s Note: The testimony of Van Krikorian and Jeff King before the
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)
regarding Religious Freedom in Turkey can be found at
###
NR#2005-091

A Feast from Fire
Any occasion will do for an Armenian barbecue
Bronwyn Dunne
Saveur Magazine, no. 87 (October)
“Fare,” p. 28
My introduction to the Urartu fire god occurred last year while my husband
and I were living in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. A new friend,
Yulia, announced one day that we were going on a picnic to experience the
national food and outdoor event known as khorovats. The word is Armenian
for barbecue–typically a spread of grilled skewers of lamb or pork served
with vegetables, lavash (flat bread), and ample helpings of vodka–but it is
also Armenian for birthday party, wedding anniversary, or any other
celebration you have in mind. If the weather is beautiful or your cousin
has just bought a new car or your two-year-old has just lost a tooth, then
you have an excuse for a khorovats.
Khorovats also celebrates something far more ancient: fire. Looking up at
Mount Ararat, a peak looming nearly 17,000 feet over Yerevan, you can
imagine the importance of fire when the winter winds blew down the
mountain’s lofty flanks and swept over the shepherds guarding their flocks
below–so it’s no wonder that a principal deity of the Urartu, an ancient
Armenian civilization dating to the 13th century B.C., was the one concerned
with flame. It was an Urartu tradition that the men would build a fire
after they’d returned from the hunt and pray to the gods for another day of
good luck.
The first stop on the morning of our picnic was at the apartment of one of
Yulia’s friends, Armen. He was to be the chef and manager at our event. We
watched with a mixture of alarm and admiration as Armen packed his
Soviet-era Lada with all thenecessities for our meal–blankets, trays of
marinating pork, a heavy iron coffeepot, skewers as long as swords, bottles
of vodka and water, and plastic bags full of peppers, eggplants, tomatoes,
and potatoes–along with his wife, twin daughters, and young son. Then our
little band caravaned off to the highlands north of Yerevan. We forded a
stream almost too deep for our cars to cross and drove through the rural
countryside on challenging wagon roads until the ideal site was found.
Armen, his friend Tigran, and the other men–men are always responsible for
the cooking at a khorovats–built a fire in the grill and then gathered
around, beers in hand, looking a lot like their suburban American
counterparts. Our food was cooked in a specific order: first the skewers
threaded with the whole vegetables, then the skewers of seasoned ground pork
and of alternating chunks of pork and potato. The lavash bread, which we
would use in place of utensils, was baked in a tonir, an oven dug in the
ground.
Peeling the cooked vegetables was a ritual overseen by the women. We
stripped the skins with our fingers and then sliced them into a bowl filled
with onions, salt, and pepper. Our fingers became so black from the charred
skins that there was much laughter over the mess that we were making.
Once everything was ready, the vodka was poured, and, with raised paper
cups, we made a toast to our Armenian friends. They wished us good health
in return, and then we broke bread in the shadow of Mount Ararat, just like
the shepherds of old.

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
13-09-2005
Strasbourg Meetings of the Foreign Minister Oskanian
September 13, 2005
On September 13 in Strasbourg, Minister Vartan Oskanian met with Bruno
Haller, the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe and Ambassador Roland Wegener, Head of the Ago Monitoring Group of
the COE Committee of Ministers. Afterwards Minister met the members of the
Ago Monitoring Group with participation of Gianni Buquicchio, the Secretary
of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
During the meetings the sides discussed the process of the constitutional
reforms in Armenia and the implementation of the commitments undertaken by
Armenia to the Council of Europe upon membership
Council of Europe officials reaffirmed their assistance for the reform
package and underlined the importance of the constitutional reforms for the
development of democracy in Armenia.
Minister Oskanian briefed the Council of Europe officials on the recent
developments of Nagorno Karabakh peace process.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I GOES TO GENEVA
His Holiness Aram I left for Geneva on September 12. In the next few days he
will head the meetings of the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) secretariat,
executive committee and several specialized committees as chairman of WCC.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Caucasus Environmental NGO Network
(CENN)
Weekly Digest
September 14, 2005
NEWS FROM GEORGIA
Projects Under Millennium Challenge Program to be Launched in Spring
2006
Source: Sarke Information Agency, September 6, 2005
Projection works are underway, while projects themselves, which are
worth
around $300 million, will be launched in spring 2006 as part of the
Millennium Challenge
<; more Poverty risks in Georgia Source: The Messenger, September 9, 2005 At the UN Millennium summit n 2000, former President Eduard Shevardnadze signed the Millennium Declaration with other world leaders and it so doing, shouldered the -obligation to reduce poverty in Georgia by one half by 2015. During the subsequent five years, however, poverty has only riser in the country. In determining the definition of poverty, the indicators used are the minimum cost of living and the poverty line, though many experts contend <; more Tbilisi's Lost Secret Garden Source: The Georgian Times, September 12, 2005 The green wonder above Tbilisi, the invigorating fresh air, the merry and sparkling splashes of a mountain cascade, the balmy rainbow of rare flowers and the self-sacrificing work of devoted research assistants and simple workers, their heartache for the beauty they have taken care of during all their lives - this is 'Tbilisi's lost secret garden'. Throughout its long history, the Tbilisi Botanical Garden (TBG) has seen periods of development and prosperity, as well as hard times of pain and humiliation when it fell into decay. The Tbilisi Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences of Georgia has passed through some significant stages in the almost 370 years of its existence. The history of the Garden began in 1636 <; more Amazing and Colorful Variety of Flowers Source: The Georgian Times, September 12, 2005 Bright and always lively flowers have great power and this has been known since the very ancient times. A bunch of flowers can make a crying child smile as he becomes interested in their shape and color; it can melt a cold heart of a woman and cause the tears of gratefulness, love and tenderness in the mother's eyes. Many think that they posses really mystic power and it is hard not, to agree with it, at least partly, as flowers are with us during the most emotional minutes of our lives. Georgia was always famous for its rare and beautiful flowers. As our warm and mild climate was favorable to the growing of almost all kinds of decorative plants <; more NEWS FROM AZERBAIJAN CONSTRUCTION OF AZERBAIJANI PART OF SCP TO BE COMPLETED IN 2005 Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September 4, 2005 The overall South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) project's Azerbaijani part is about 70 per cent complete, AzerTAj correspondent told by the BP press-service. To date the constructors had strung 398 km of pipe, welded 330 km in Azerbaijani sector <; more BP SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME UNDERWAY Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September 5, 2005 Implementation of a $1mln 736 thousand-social investment programme, covering the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan Oil pipeline and South Caucasus Gas Pipeline <; more NEXT MEETING OF KAZAKH-AZERBAIJANI WORKING GROUP ON BTC DUE Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September 5, 2005 The Kazakh-Azerbaijani intergovernmental working group that has been established for transporting of Kazakh oil via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline will hold its next meeting on September 15, AzerTAj correspondent refers on the State Oil Company (SOCAR). The meeting will discuss all concluding details of the agreement <; more Swiss company purchases September portion of Baku-Novorossiysk oil Source: Inside Europe, September 7, 2005 Swiss Litasco company has become the purchaser of 79,000 tons of oil to be exported by the State Oil Company (SOCAR) through the Baku-Novorossiysk northern pipeline in September. The consignment loaded into tankers <; more NEWS FROM ARMENIA Yerevan to be Cleaned Source: Eeinnews, September 5, 2005 Yerevan will be cleaned with the help of a Russian company with which the Armenian side has signed a contract to get refuse-cleaning containers. The head of the Construction, reconstruction and communal economy department of the Yerevan municipality Frunzik Basentsyan informed about it today. The residents of the Arabkir community <; more Basin of Lake Arpi to Become National Park Source: ARMENPRESS, September 7, 2005 The basin of Lake Arpi and Akhurian River, situated in the Ashotzk mountains, close to the borders with Turkey and Georgia, approximately 110 km northwest of the city of Yerevan, in northwestern Armenia will be turned into a national park. Financial aid is expected <; more FORESTS IN ARZNI AND NUBARASHEN RESTORED Source: ARMINFO, September 7, 2005 The Forests Restoration and Development Fund of Armenian jointly with the Armenian Agricultural Ministry have elaborated two programs on restoration of forests in Arzni and Nubarashen. Executive Director of FRDF Vladimir Movsisyan made this statement at a discussion at the Armenian Government today. <; more Economic Growth and Reduction of Poverty in Armenia? Source: Einnews, September 9, 2005 According to the 2005 report about Human development, Armenia occupies the 83rd place among the 177 countries in the world. The calculations of the report have been made on the ground of the 2003 statistic facts and in three directions: education, life length and Gross output. <; more International News Environmental-US: Wetlands Loss Left Gulf Coast Naked to Storm Source: Inter Press Service News agency (IPS): by Stephen Leahy, September 1, 2005 Massive destruction of wetlands and rampant coastal development are among the reasons Hurricane Katrina may have killed thousands of people on the U.S. Gulf Coast and wreaked upwards of 25 billion dollars in damages. "This was predicted. It is not surprising that a Category Four storm like Katrina would result in such devastation," said Robert Twilley, director of the Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute at Louisiana State University <; more River Roding Flood Risk Strategy Open Meeting Source: Environmental Agency, September 5, 2005 People living or working in the floodplain of the River Roding can find out about their level of flood risk and the long-term options to manage it, at an open evening next week. On September 14 the Environment Agency is holding an open evening in Woodford Green giving people an opportunity to view large maps showing the extent of the floodplain and look at the different options currently being investigated to manage the risk of flooding <; more Millennium Golas: Watery South Pacific Has Not a Drop to Drink Source: Inter Press Service News agency (IPS): by Kalinga Seneviratne, September 5, 2005 The Pacific Ocean covers 32 million square kilometers of blue water that takes up a third of the world's surface, and its 10,000 scattered islands with a land mass of 130,000 square kilometers is home to 8 million people. Yet, most of them lack potable water. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG), committed to by the world's governments five years ago, aims <; more EU and China Climate Policy cut from the Same Cloth Source: WWF News, September 5, 2005 The EU and China, two key actors in the global political arena, have signed an agreement on global warming, recognizing the huge economic, social, and environmental importance of climate change. At the Annual EU-China Summit in Beijing, China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, who holds the European Union Presidency, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, agreed <; more Mount Elgon Regional Ecosystem Conservation Programme begins in East Africa Source: The World Conservation Union (IUNC), September 6, 2005 Good news for the conservation of Mount Elgon: On 2 September an agreement was signed between the East African Community Secretariat, the Government of Norway and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to implement the four-year programme of integrated ecosystem management for Mount Elgon, one of Africa's largest mountains shared between Kenya and Uganda. <; more Hundreds of Orangutans Captured or Killed Each Year in Kalimantan, New Report Shows Source: WWF, September 6, 2005 Hundreds of orangutans are either killed or captured every year in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. A new Traffic report, launched today to coincide with the Inter-governmental conference of UNESCO's Great Apes Survival Project in Kinshasa (DRC), warns <; more `Green' Parliamentarians to Promote Improved Forest Governance in Central Africa Source: IUNC The World Conservation Union, September 6, 2005 Gland, Switzerland, 2 September 2005 (IUCN) - A high level delegation from the Republic of Cameroon, headed by His Excellency Roland Matta, President of the Central African network of parliamentarians for sustainable forest management, recently visited the IUCN headquarters. This visit formed part of a European tour (Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands) to raise <; more Community Service for Breaking Waste Rules Source: Environmental Agency, September 6, 2005 On September 2, 2005, Joseph Toon, 66, operating from Beveridge Lane Industrial Estate, Ellistown, Leicestershire pleaded guilty at Coalville Magistrates to four charges relating to him depositing, keeping, treating and disposing of waste on land which did not have a Waste Management License. <; more EU to Help China Tackle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Source: Planet Ark, September 6, 2005 The European Union agreed on Monday to give China the technology for a coal-fired power station designed to combat global warming as part of a wider accord on energy issues and climate change The clean coal-power plant will employ <; more Oil Industry Embarks on Recovery Source: The Messenger, September 7, 2005 Though still seriously hobbled by Hurricane Katrina, the vast and crucial Gulf Coast energy infrastructure showed signs of recovery yesterday, as some refineries worked to restart and the price of oil in overseas trading fell to near pre-storm levels. <; more Rosneft Could Finance Burgas-Alexandroupolis Pipeline on Its Own Source: SEEUROPE.NET, September 7, 2005 Rosneft is ready to independently finance the Russian part of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, Rosneft President Sergei Bogdanchikov said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. <; more Louisiana Scientists Expect Major Environmental Damage Source: Planet Ark, September 9, 2005 Biologists expect to find major destruction when they take their first close-up look at Hurricane Katrina's impact on wildlife habitats and Louisiana's vital fishing industry, the state's top conservation official said Thursday. Dwight Landreneau, Louisiana's secretary for the department of wildlife and fisheries <; more NGO NEWS WWF Continues Leopard Protection Project in Syunik Source: ARMENPRESS, September 5, 2005 Traces of three out of 10-12 leopards believed to live in Armenian forests are recorded in the southern province of Syunik. The total number of leopards in the South Caucasus is 20-24, with another 10-12 in Azerbaijan. The number of leopards in the conflict zone of the district of Karabakh is estimated <; more Legal News New law would curb air pollution by school buses, garbage trucks Source: AP New Jersey, September 7, 2005 A diesel engine emission reduction plan signed into law Wednesday could have New Jerseyans breathing easier in the years to come. But first, voters must approve a constitutional amendment in November that would put the program into effect. The plan, which backers called the most comprehensive in the nation, is geared to cut air pollution and health risks by <; more NEW PUBLICATIONS Collection on Environmental Law Source: Environmental Public Advocacy Center (EPAC), September 7, 2005 Development of the human society in the twenty-first century is supposed to be accompanied by the increasing role of the environment. Meanwhile, the more human beings want to extract from nature, thereby violating the ecological balance, the fewer chances nature and its components have to recover. Ecological crisis as a violation of the balance of ecological systems and the relationship of humans and nature is a matter of concern worldwide. <; more Announcements Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel - Adjara Source: The Messenger, September 2, 2005 What is Adjara: Located in the south-western corner of Georgia, this glorious place has always been a paradise for tourists - an attractive spot with its nature, climate, hospitable people and diverse variety of cultures and religions. So familiar, on the one hand, and completely unknown on the other hand. Control over this region has changed hands many times over the Centuries between Turks, Georgians, Russian, At present Adjara is undergoing a very difficult period, though one day this Eden will no doubt rediscover its former glory. <; more Announcement - Georgian Health and Social Projects Implementation Center Invitation for Bids Source: `24 Saati'(`24 Hours'), September 5, 2005 Georgia Primary Health and Social Development (PHCD) Project This invitation for bids follows the general procurement notice for this project that appeared in Development Business, issue no. 585 of June 30, 2002, most recently updated on Jan 16 2005, Issue No. 646. <; more Georgian Tourist Agency `La-Ta' Tour We represent a young Georgian tourist agency `La-Ta' Tour, which despite of 6 months existence has established itself on the market as a company offering premium service quality. Our main aim is to promote tourism in Georgia and show you the `hidden' wealth of our ancient country. <; more First Announcement and Call for Papers - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF OIL TRANSPORTATION European Commission FP6 INCO SSA-Research Workshop Organizer: Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Radiation Problems Date: November 22-25, 2005. Place: Baku, Azerbaijan <; more **************************************** ************************************ Subscribing Information CENN lists are created to maintain e-mail discussions of Caucasus Environmental NGO Network members. CENN has been distributing information since 1998. All the published digests and bulletins issued in both English and Russian languages present incredibly rich environmental information base that give the reader the whole picture of the environmental process taking place during the recent 5 years in the South Caucasus region as well as abroad. 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