Armenian premier says no progress in London talks on Karabakh

Arminfo
18 Apr 05

Yerevan, 18 April: There has not been any change in the settlement of
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict following the meeting of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani foreign ministers with the co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk Group in London, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan
has told journalists.

The Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Vardan Oskanyan and
Elmar Mammadyarov, met the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen in London
on 15 April. “Indirect talks” were held at the initiative of the
co-chairmen. A similar meeting is planned in Frankfurt this month.

Armenian premier, Russian governor discuss boosting ties

Arminfo
18 Apr 05

Yerevan, 18 April: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan today
received a delegation led by Perm governor Oleg Chikunov.

During the meeting the sides noted growth in inter-regional cooperation
between Armenia and Russia, the press service of the Armenian
government has told Arminfo news agency. In this connection, Andranik
Markaryan expressed the hope that the visit of the Perm delegation
will play a serious role in boosting cooperation with Armenia in the
field of trade and economy where there is unexplored potential.

The prime minister noted that to that end it is important to
intensify business contacts, exchange economic information, discuss
the possibility of cooperation and establish joint enterprises,
especially joint small and medium-size businesses.

The sides noted that tourism, science, culture and education were
the most promising spheres of cooperation, especially if the Armenian
diaspora of Perm, which is represented in the regional administration
and is engaged in business, would get actively involved.

Armenia’s regions are cooperating within the framework of
inter-regional agreements with Leningrad, Saratov, Astrakhan,
Sverdlovsk and Kirov regions, Krasnodar Territory, and the Moscow
government.

The volume of trade between Armenia and Russia in 2004 totalled
266.2m dollars.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HAMLET GASPARIAN, FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, SKEPTICAL
ABOUT OPINION THAT RECENT STATEMENT OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS REACHING DESIRABLE RESULT

YEREVAN, APRIL 18. ARMINFO. The Armenian Foreign Ministry is
skeptical about the opinion that the recent statement of OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairs on settlement of Karabakh conflict is reaching the
desirable result. Hamlet Gasparian, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson,
commenting on this statement to Mass Media states: “Since it is only
the Azerbaijanis who make militaristic statements and warmongering
calls, it is obvious that the statement applies to them. However,
if the intended purpose of this statement is to try to put an end to
the ceasefire violations, we don’t believe that will happen unless
the violators are not being held accountable.”

He says that Armenia, in its letter to the co-chair countries foreign
ministers, and to the OSCE CiO, explained that the fundamental reason
for the recurrence of these abuses is that Azerbaijan is assured of
impunity. They know that even when such encroachments are obvious
and visible, as they are now, and Azerbaijan has clearly violated the
ceasefire and advanced, no one criticizes or condemns their actions
by name. As a result, they can breach the ceasefire again and again.
“That is what has happened here. If in the past, shots were heard and
it was not always evident who fired first, today, it is obvious that
the Azerbaijanis have advanced their positions, and have clearly,
visibly altered the status quo. That is why we are convinced that
such a universal call for abiding by the terms of the ceasefire won’t
help. Instead, we would expect that the co-chairs and others interested
in ensuring stability in this region, take a tougher stance.”

To note recently OSCE MG Co-Chairs expressed concern over the
growing tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan, pointing out that
such violations leaded to human losses and endangered the cease-fire
agreement.

Armenian envoy, NATO Defence College head discuss cooperation

Arminfo
18 Apr 05

Yerevan, 18 April: Armenia is ready to cooperate with the NATO Defence
College, Armenian ambassador to Italy Ruben Shugaryan said at a meeting
with the commandant of the college, Lt-Gen [Marc] Vankeirsbilck.

During the meeting they discussed establishing contacts between
Armenian military schools and the NATO Defence College, as well as the
possibility of Ruben Shugaryan giving a lecture at the NATO Defence
College on the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region,
the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s information and press department has
told Arminfo news agency.

Lt-Gen Vankeirsbilck, who took over as the commandant of the college
in March 2005, expressed an interest in prospects of developing
cooperation with Armenia. He noted that the college is cooperating
closely with strategic and defence schools of NATO member and partner
countries. The general spoke highly about Armenia’s participation in
various events held at the college.

Shugaryan filled the general in on the current level of relations
between Armenia and NATO, stressing that Armenia is involved in various
NATO programmes and is cooperating with NATO as well as its neighbours,
Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The NATO Defence College is the only NATO school in Rome which admits
high-ranking servicemen and diplomats who intend to occupy senior posts
at the NATO headquarters. Starting from 1991, the NATO Defence College
has been admitting representatives of NATO partner states as well.

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:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE STEERING COMMITTEE
OF THE SPECIAL COMMISSION ON ORTHODOX PARTICIPATION IN THE WCC

The meeting of the Steering Committee of the Special Commission on
Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches was held in
Etchmiadzine on April 12-18.

Bishop Nareg Alemezian, a member of the steering committee and
ecumenical officer in the Catholicosate of Cilicia, participated in
the meeting on behalf of the Catholicosate.

The Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, who is
hosting the meeting, met with the participants and conveyed his warm
greeting and wishes for success to them.

The agenda of the meeting included such issues as the preconditions
for membership in the World Council of Churches, the new method of
adopting decisions, the establishment of a permanent committee and
praying in the World Council of Churches.

The participants in the meeting also attended the requiem service
held in the Etchmiadzine Cathedral for the soul of the late Pope John
Paul II, visited Armenian Cathedrals and the Science Academy and met
with the representatives of the Armenian Ecumenical Benevolent Round
Table Fund.

##

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.

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:

“THE ANTELIAS SEMINARY BECAME MY SECOND BIRTHPLACE”

declares His Holiness Aram I

A special ceremony was held in Athens on April 16 on the occasion
of the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Aram I
and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Seminary of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias.

His Holiness Aram I delivered a special speech on the occasion,
stressing that the Seminary in Antelias had been a second birthplace
for him.

“The Seminary in Antelias became my second birthplace, where I
was reborn and received spiritual and mental formation and where
I undertook the task of serving our church, nation and homeland,”
he said.

His Holiness assured that the Seminary is not a school in the usual
meaning of the word. Rather, it’s an institution that transmits spirit
and faith and forms a truthful Armenian and an honest spiritual man.

“The Seminary will continue its mission with this realization and
mission,” he said.

His Holiness thanked those who had made good wishes on the occasion
of the 10th anniversary of his enthronement, and said: “After the
Seminary, our people became another seminary for me. I learned a lot
from my interactions with our people as a Vartabed, a Bishop and a
Catholicos. There’s a lot learn in a service dedicated to people,
if we’re ready to see the right, to listen and to learn.”

The opening remarks were delivered by Bishop Khoren Doghramdjian,
prelate of the Prelacy of Greece, who spoke about the main achievements
of His Holiness and the mission of the Seminary.

Ara Mangoian of the Prelacy spoke in detail about the Seminary and
focused on the service the Seminary provided to the Armenian Church
and people.

Kevork Kandaharian, a long time professor in the Seminary spoke about a
decade of service by His Holiness Aram I as the Catholicos of Cilicia.
Kandaharian focused on Aram I the intellectual, the spiritual leader,
the ecumenist and the constructor.

His Holiness had arrived in Athens the same day. He was greeted at
the airport by the prelate of the Prelacy of Greece, the clergy
of the Armenian Community of Greece, the Minister of Religious
Affairs of Greece and the Ambassadors of Lebanon and Armenia to the
country. Rev. Bartev Gulumian, Rev. Housig Mardirossian and Mr. Kevork
Kandaharian accompanied His Holiness.

The Catholicos then went to the Saint Garabed Church of Athens,
where a crowd of faithful greeted him. After a short service,
Bishop Doghramdjian welcomed His Holiness, who gave a special sermon,
during which stressed the important role of faith and the church in
the lives of people.

His Holiness also visited the Cemetery of Athens, where he conducted
a requiem service in front of the tomb of the late Archbishop Sahag
Ayvazian, who had been the prelate of the Prelacy of Greece for more
than 40 years.

##

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and the mission 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.

Armenian-US military cooperation focuses on peacekeeping tasks -minister

Mediamax news agency
19 Apr 05

Yerevan, 19 April: The Armenian armed forces are already using US-made
Harris radio stations, Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan
said today.

Speaking at the National Press Club today, Serzh Sarkisyan recalled
that these stations were presented to Armenia within the framework
of the US military assistance programme, Mediamax reports.

As for Armenian-American military cooperation, Serzh Sarkisyan
said that there are no new elements in it and special attention is
being paid to the training of personnel and joint participation in
peacekeeping operations.

Sofia News Agency, Bulgaria
April 19 2005

Four News Ambassadors Take Office in Sofia

Politics: 19 April 2005, Tuesday.

The newly-appointed ambassadors of Egypt, Vietnam, Armenia and the
Maltese Sovereign Military Order officially took office in Sofia
on Tuesday.

The four diplomats handed the letters of credence to the Bulgarian
President, Georgi Parvanov.

The ceremony took place at the President’s Office on Tuesday.

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 MEETS WITH THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
IN GREECE

His Holiness Aram I held a meeting with the spiritual leader of the
Orthodox Church in Greece, Archbishop Krisosdoulos in the latter’s
residence, on April 17.

The two Heads discussed the challenges and the difficulties facing the
orthodox churches in general and the Greek Church in particular. They
also discussed ecumenical issues, as well as the upcoming international
missionary conference in Athens in May.

His Holiness Aram I and Archbishop Krisosdoulos highlighted the unique
role of the church in societies and the importance of preserving its
distinct character. They explored the possibilities of establishing
cooperation between the various orthodox churches.

His Holiness presented the prelate of the Diocese of Greece, who had
recently been ordained as a bishop in Antelias, to his long time
personal friend, Archbishop Krisosdoulos. He expressed his wish
for the further improvement of the relations between the Armenian
community of Greece and the Greek Orthodox Church.

His Holiness spoke about the possibility of enlisting the support of
the Greek Orthodox Church in the campaign for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and invited Archbishop Krisosdoulos to attend the
memorial to be held by the Armenian Community of Greece on April 24.

##

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.

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 STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH, LOVE AND LIGHT IN PEOPLE’S LIVES

His Holiness Aram I highlighted the importance of faith, love and light in
people’s personal and collective lives, during a special sermon he delivered
in the Church of Athens on April 17.

His Holiness said that faith is the pivot of Christian life and added:
“Through his life Christ showed the true way of believing, the real
understanding of faith and specially its strength. Therefore, being a
Christian means turning faith into life, living faith, working with faith,
because faith is a source for strength and success.”

The Catholicos also spoke about love, saying that the essence of God is
love. He highlighted the importance of love in the lives of Armenians
worldwide.

“Both in Armenia and in our communities, we need love like we need bread and
water. The path to unity is love. The path to greatness is also love. We
should love each other despite our differences, we should unite for
safeguarding the interests of our people homeland,” he said.

The Catholicos also spoke about light, stressing that Christianity is the
only religion that looks to the future. He emphasized the important role of
light in the Armenian Diaspora.

“When Armenia lost its independence the Diaspora Armenians never lost hope;
they lived, dreamed and fought with the Armenian flag for a free,
independent Armenia, which today has become a reality. After the Genocide,
the Armenians didn’t give up; they demanded and will continue to demand
their rights. The 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is a challenge
to strengthen our Christian light for the sake of implementing the legacy of
our martyrs.

Bishop Khoren Doghramdjian. Prelate of the Prelacy of Greece conducted the
Holy Liturgy, after which the believers kissed the right hand of His
Holiness.

##

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission 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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress