Albany Times Union, NY
July 16 2004
Ex-priest pleads guilty to tax fraud
Albany– Former pastor avoids prison time, again told to repay Troy
church

By BRENDAN LYONS, Staff writer
First published: Friday, July 16, 2004

A former priest who took more than $90,000 while he was pastor at an
Armenian church in Troy was sentenced on federal charges this week to
six months of home confinement and three years of probation.
Megerdich Megerdichian, 48, who now lives in Cranston, R.I., was a
priest at Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church for about 16 years
until January 1998. In the mid-1990s, Megerdichian opened a bank
account in which he deposited thousands of dollars in checks made out
to the congregation.

The deposits were made without the knowledge of a four-member church
finance board, and Megerdichian withdrew money from the account for
several years, beginning in 1995, to pay personal expenses.
In federal court Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn
heard from a church member who urged him to sentence Megerdichian to
life in prison, according to federal authorities. But Megerdichian
faced a maximum punishment of only about three years in prison and a
fine of up to $250,000. In addition to home confinement and
probation, Kahn fined him $20,000 and ordered him to repay the
embezzled money to the church.
Megerdichian was removed from ministry in 1998 and was required in
2000 to repay the parish. It’s not clear from court records if the
money has been repaid. It totaled more than $93,000, including
$82,000 in checks made out to the church.
Megerdichian pleaded guilty to a single count of filing a false and
fraudulent income tax return. The charge, which was part of a plea
agreement, was based on his not having declared the income or having
reported it to the Internal Revenue Service. Megerdichian paid
$10,293 in restitution to the IRS, authorities said.
Church finances were controlled by a four-member board during
Megerdichian’s tenure, officials said. They were signatories on all
church accounts and were required to approve church expenditures.
But from at least May 1995 until sometime in late 1997, those board
members had no idea that the priest had established a private account
at a Fleet Bank in Troy in which he deposited the thousands of
dollars.

Cihan News
July 14 2004
Mutafyan Visits Kadir Topbas
ISTANBUL (CIHAN) – Turkish Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan visited
the mayor of the metropolitan municipality of Istanbul, Kadir Topbas.
In the meeting which lasted for half an hour, Mutafyan presented
Topbas with a book about the cultural development of Istanbul.
The Patriarch declared that the largest minority in Turkey is the
Armenian community. Mutafyan stated: “The Armenian community has been
a part of Istanbul since the 4th century. It has contributed to the
culture, social life and art of Istanbul.” Topbas thanked the
patriarch by presenting him with a ceramic plate.

Cihan News
July 14 2004
Turkish Committee Members Meet With Welsh Party Leader To Discuss
‘so-called Armenian Genocide’ Resolution

LONDON (CÝHAN) – Representatives of the Committee for the Protection
of Turkish Rights met with Plaid Cymru Party Deputy and leader of the
Welsh House of Commons, Elfyn Llwyd in response to a local council
resolution which officially recognized an Armenian Genocide.
Representatives of The Committee for the Protection of Turkish Rights
including Haluk Savas, Günay Aydin and N.Fatih Sener visited House
deputies.
The committee first met with Plaid Cymru Party Deputy and leader of
the House of Commons, Elfyn Llwyd who stated that the attempts of the
district council of Gweynedd would injure the amity between Turkey
and Wales.
Dafydd Iwan the Chairman of a parliamentary group of Plaid Cymru had
presented a bill to the Welsh Gwynedd District Council, and the bill
was passed on March 4, 2004. The bill demands the recognition of an
Armenian genocide.
The bill claims that more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed in
Eastern Anatolia during World War I by the Ottoman Empire. The bill
also includes the statements, “If the Turkish government does not
officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, Turkey’s European Union
membership should not be supported by the English Parliament nor by
the regional Welsh Parliament.” The bill also called on other Welsh
district parliaments to recognize so-called genocide.
Llwyd claims he wasn’t informed of the proposal which was supported
by local representatives of his party at the city council of
Gweynedd. He declared that he understood Turkey’s concerns and added
that he would propose to officially include Turkey’s views against
“The Armenian Genocide Proposal”.
A similar motion which would recognize an Armenian genocide was
recently presented to the English House of Commons by Labour Party
member Jeremy Corbyn.

ArmenPress
July 16 2004
NEW GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA IN AUGUST
YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman Vahan
Hovhanesian received today the outgoing German ambassador, Hans-Wulf
Bartels, to thank him for his contributions to the development of
Armenian-German relations. Hovhanesian was quoted by parliament press
office as saying that he hopes that the new ambassador will continue
to develop and strengthen bilateral relations.
The ambassador expressed hope that his country’s businessmen will
continue investing in Armenia’s economy adding also that the new
ambassador, Ms. Heike Renate Peitsch, will arrive in Yerevan in
mid-August.

ArmenPress
July 16 2004
DEMAND FOR ARMENIAN POTATO IN CAUCASUS IS 500,000 TONS
YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenian potato growing farmers are
expected to gather this year more than 400,000 tons of crop. Hrachya
Berberian, the chairman of the Armenian Agricultural Union, told
Armenpress that more potato will be exported this year than last
year, when Armenian farmers sold abroad some 25,000 tons of their
harvest. He said the Union has taken a range of sweeping measures to
overcome hurdles, caused mainly by, as he said ” unfair” customs
officers, and encourage more exports. He said the agricultural
ministry and the Union have taken potato exports under their
scrutiny. According to him, the demand for Armenian potato in the
region amounts to 500,000 tons.
He also said this autumn prices will be 30 percent higher and
ascribed high prices of fruits in the local markets to unfavorable
climatic conditions in late spring, when a wave of cold descended on
Armenia destroying part of the expected harvest.
Also Armenian agriculture minister David Lokian told a news
conference today that a plant being built in Masis for production of
potato powder will significantly decrease the number of hurdles
potato growing farmers face while selling their product.
He said the crop capacity of potato has risen after local farmers
began cultivating high-yielding varieties from France, Holland and
Germany.” What remains to do is to help a Diaspora businessman who is
building the factory to help procure potato this autumn,” He said. He
also said that Armenian potato growers will not face problems when
exporting it to neighboring Georgia through a border customs
checkpoint in Bagratashen, “as there are now all opportunities to
sell it without middlemen.”

National Post (Canada)
July 16, 2004 Friday National Edition
Liberals and the ethnic vote
There’s no shortage of Canadian politicians seeking to pander to
cultural or religious groups. But ordinarily, they target a specific
minority constituency when doing so.
Not Carolyn Parrish. Speaking to a reporter while heading into this
week’s Liberal caucus meeting, the newly re-elected MP for
Mississauga-Erindale suggested that her party is indebted to
immigrant voters-at-large for helping it hold on to its suburban
Toronto-area ridings. Or, in her words: “We owe the ethnic community
some recognition for what they did to save our lives.”
Ah, yes, “the ethnic community.” That rainbow coalition, we suppose,
of everyone whose skin drifts past ivory and on into puce. Or,
perhaps, of everyone who speaks with a perceptible accent. Or with a
hard-to-pronounce last name. It doesn’t matter: We know who you’re
talking about, Carolyn. And indeed, we are inspired by the image
you’ve summoned of Latvians, Armenians and Samoans high-fiving
Trinidadians, Filipinos and the Senegalese as they celebrate the
Liberal victory at their pan-ethnic fiesta: All the colours of
Benetton, united by their ethnic-ality.
Tonight, we expect Ms. Parrish will be out chatting up a couple of
her “ethnic” constituents, spreading soy sauce and tzatziki on her
tandoori-cooked, jerk-spiced blintzes and cabbage rolls as she
presses the miscellaneously pigmented flesh. Don’t forget, Ms.
Parrish, to give your supporters a big “thank you” in their native
language … whatever that may be.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 14, 2004 Wednesday
OSCE envoys come to Armenia without new proposals on Karabakh
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Representatives of the Minsk Group for settling the conflict in
Nagorny Karabakh reporting to the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe told a news conference here Wednesday they had
not brought along with them any new proposals on how to settle the
conflict dragging on since late 1980’s.
The diplomats addressed the correspondents at the outcome of meetings
on the problem, but refrained from disclosing any details citing
confidentiality of the talks.
“We believe the sides must not waste time away, and actions must be
taken right now,” said the Russian envoy Yuri Merzlyakov.
“The sides are now working on the agenda of future talks in the light
of changes in the situation after elections in Azerbaijan,” he said.
Merzlyakov had to admit, however, there was nothing new at sight.
Steven Mann, a U.S. envoy, said solution of the problem was highly
dependent on contingent on the stance that Armenia and Azerbaijan
would take, and the Minsk Group could only help them tap the
practical solutions.
The sides will be the brunt of responsibility for decision-making,
and the OSCE leaves it up to them to decide who should take part in
the talks, Mann said.
The French envoy, Henri Jacolin, said the talks would definitely take
some time, since one or two meeting would by no means suffice to
untangle of conflict like the one in Nagorny Karabakh.
He also warned that there was no external force, including the Minsk
Group that could possibly offer a miraculous solution to the Karabakh
problem.
Jacolin stressed the European Union’s great interest in a peaceful
settlement of the dragged-out conflict and general stability in
Southern Caucasus, in the light of which the Europeans were closely
watching the progress of talks on Karabakh.
The EU is ready to take part in rehabilitation, social and economic
development of the region after the conflict is settled, Jacolin
indicated.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 14, 2004 Wednesday
Russia, Armenia to expand student exchanges
Darya Tokareva
MOSCOW
Russia and Armenia have agreed to expand student exchanges.
Russia Minister of Education and Science Andrei Fursenko told
Itar-Tass on Wednesday that the sides had signed a bilateral
agreement on cooperation in the field of education.
“Now about 125 Russians will travel to Armenia to study every year,
and as many Armenian students will study in Russia,” he said on
Wednesday.
In addition, the agreement introduces new, more thorough, criteria
for selecting students for the exchange programmes. “Now both sides
will take part in this process,” the minister added.
In his words, “We have slightly increased the number of students to
study under the exchange programme, but this will allow to speak
about closer cooperation.”
Armenia will also continue to train Russian language teachers for
schools under the agreement.
The sides also agreed to develop the Russian-Armenian State
University, which will soon start admitting more students. “This
year, 44 University graduates received two state higher education
diplomas at the same time: Russian and Armenian,” Fursenko said.
Since the beginning of this year, the University has been inviting
lecturers from Moscow higher educational institutions. The University
had agreements with 18 leading Russian higher educational
institutions. There are 1,500 students at the University.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 14, 2004 Wednesday
Traditional RF-Armenia coop based on concrete economic projects
By Lyudmila Yermakova
MOSCOW
The traditional Russian-Armenian cooperation is based on concrete
economic projects, Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov said at
a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan on
Wednesday.
The Armenian premier noted that the countries “have many
possibilities for cooperation” and called Russia “a strategic partner
of Armenia.” The sides stressed that cooperation is based “on Russian
investments in Armenian economy owning to which the bilateral trade
has increased by 30 percent last year.” Supplies of nuclear fuel and
equipment for the Armenian nuclear power plant, energy carriers,
rough diamonds and equipment promote the development of bilateral
cooperation.
The Armenian premier pins high hopes on Russia’s aid for involving
Armenia in the international transport corridor project North-South.
“We would like to get involved in this project by the end of this
year, and this is very important for us,” Margaryan pointed out.
Russia, Iran and India signed the agreement for implementing this
project, and other countries can join it.
Chairman of the Federation Council Committee for Economic Policy
Oganes Oganyan noted that this is very important for Russian-Armenian
relations to restore the railway communication via Georgia. The
restoration of the broken transport corridor via Abkhazia would allow
Armenia to considerably increase its GDP.
He also noted that a meeting of representatives of regions of the
countries would be held in Yerevan in the end of the year. The
previous meeting has been recently held in Samara. About 50 Russian
constituents maintain direct economic ties with Armenia including
Moscow and Moscow region, Krasnodar territory, St. Petersburg and
Tatarstan.
The Armenian prime minister said he intends to take part in
settlement of the situation in South Ossetia. Margaryan said he will
visit Georgia shortly and intends to discuss the South Ossetian issue
with the leadership of the country.

RIA Novosti
July 14, 2004
OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT BAKU AFTER YEREVAN
BAKU, July 14 (RIA Novosti) – The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
for Nagorny Karabakh settlement, Yury Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven
Mann (USA) and Henri Jacolin (France), will pay a two day visit to
Azerbaijan.
As the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry reported, the aim of the visit by
the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group is to conduct consultations
with the Baku officials concerning the settlement of the Nagorny
Karabakh conflict. They plan to meet with a number of the Azerbaijan
leaders.
The co-chairmen will arrive in Baku from Armenia where they stay now
in the context of their Trans-Caucasian tour.
As Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said, “I would not
say that the co-chairmen will arrive with some new proposals. Since
they did not visit the region in the course of the last six months,
the sides will only exchange opinions.’
Before the visit of the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group to the
region, special representative of the European Union for the South
Caucasus Heikki Talvitie said at the news conference in the
Azerbaijan capital that there were “new moments” with regard to the
settlement of the conflict which the co-chairmen will discuss with
the sides to the conflict. This visit will be very important,” he
added. “I am glad that both Yerevan and Baku support the activity of
the Minsk Group co-chairmen who have done a great work,” he said. But
the EU spokesman did not specify these “new moments.” However, the
official position of Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert (the capital of
the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorny Karabakh in the territory of
Azerbaijan which is inhabited mainly by Armenian speaking population)
has not changed today, at the tenth anniversary of the armistice.
Baku is ready to give Nagorny Karabakh the broadest autonomy, but it
is flatly against the independence of the territory. Yerevan and
Stepanakert are prepared to conduct negotiations about normalising
relations with Baku and the return of some earlier captured
Azerbaijan territories but only with the preservation of the present
status of Nagorny Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress