Author: Chaltikian Arsine

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
Fax: 617-484-1759
E-mail: [email protected]

LECTURE AT NAASR BY RAZMIK PANOSSIAN ON POST-SOVIET ARMENIAN POLITICS

Dr. Razmik Panossian of the International Centre for Human Rights and
Democratic Development in Montreal, Canada, will give a lecture entitled
"Change without Transition: Politics in Post-Soviet Armenia" on Monday,
June 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies
and Research (NAASR) Center, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA. Dr
Panossian’s lecture will be co-sponsored by NAASR and the Armenian
Relief Society Summer Youth Program.

Panossian’s lecture will examine the challenges contemporary Armenia
faces in its post-Soviet transition. It will focus primarily on the
political processes that have led to regime changes, including
problematic elections and violence, the long-term consequences of the
Karabagh conflict, and the role of the diaspora.

Dr. Razmik Panossian is the author of The Armenians: From Kings and
Priests to Merchants and Commissars (Columbia University Press), which
traces the evolution of Armenia and Armenian collective identity from
its beginnings down to the present day. Panossian received a Ph.D. from
the London School of Economics and Political Science. His dissertation
won the 2001 Lord Bryce Prize for Best Dissertation in Comparative and
International Politics, awarded by the UK Political Studies Association.
He is currently the Director of Programmes and Policy at the
International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.

The ARS Summer Youth Program is a pilot program aiming at bringing
college age Armenian students together for one week to connect them with
each other as well as familiarize them with various Armenian
organizations and institutions headquartered in the greater Boston area.
The program also provides an opportunity for Armenian college students
to explore possibilities of internships with various organizations both
in the United States and Armenia. The program is directed by Dr. Asbed
Kotchikian.

Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR
Center is located opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the
U.S. Post Office. Ample parking is available around the building and in
adjacent areas. The lecture will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.

More information about the lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610,
faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing to NAASR, 395
Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

The Moscow Times, Russia
June 2 2008

News in Brief

Karabakh Talks in St. Pete

Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s leaders will meet on the sidelines of the
St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this week to discuss the
disputed area of Nagorno-Karabakh for the first time since Armenia’s
change of president, Interfax reported.

Armenia’s foreign minister, Edward Nalbandyan, announced the June 6
talks after a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on
Friday. (Reuters)

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 27 2008

NKR PRESIDENT CALLED FORTHCOMING TALKS OF PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND
AZERBAIJAN PROGRESS

YEREVAN, 27.05.08. DE FACTO. According to the NKR President Bako
Sahakian, a meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents to be held
in St. Petersburg on June 7 is a progress. He told it journalists on
May 27 in Yerevan. According to the NKR President, the conduct of
Karabakh talks is a progress itself.

Touching on the situation on the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azeri Armed
Forces’ contact line Bako Sahakian noted the NKR leadership
did its best to reduce the number of incidents on the contact line.

AZG Armenian Daily #099, 24/05/2008

Armenian Genocide

VARNA PROCLAIMS APRIL 24 COMMEMORATION DAY OF THE
VICTIMS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Municipality Council of Bulgarian Varna issued a
proclamation that condemns the Armenian Genocide of
1915.

The Council proclaimed April 24 commemoration day of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide, "Azatutyun"
reports citing from The Sofia Echo periodical.

Members of the Municipality Council hope that their
decision will contribute to recognition of the
Armenian Genocide not only by the rest of Bulgarian
cities and towns but also by the Bulgarian state.

The issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide was
raised several times in Bulgarian Parliament by the
opposition; the last one – on January 17. However, the
majority of the parliament refuses to include the
presented draft laws in the agenda as they are afraid
of damaging relations with Turkey.

Translated by L.H.

Trading Markets (press release), CA
May 24 2008

AZERBAIJANI AMBASSADOR TO UK MEETS MEMBERS OF HOUSE OF LORDS
Saturday, May 24, 2008; Posted: 12:03 AM

Baku, May 23, 2008 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) — —
Azerbaijani ambassador to Great Britain Fakhraddin Gurbanov met
separately with members of House of Lords of the Parliament lord Clark
and Lord Patel on May 14 and 21.

The meetings mostly circled around prospects for developing
Azerbaijan-UK relationships. The ambassador informed the British MPs
of ongoing developments in Azerbaijan and the region,

as well as regional integration initiatives of GUAM – Organization for
Democracy and Economic Development.

The Azeri diplomat also touched on his country`s conflict with Armenia
over Nagorno-Karabakh, including the current state of OSCE Minsk
Group-brokered peace talks.

Ambassador Gurbanov has called on both Lord Clark and Lord Patel to
join the Azerbaijan-Great Britain interparliamentary group.

esults/round=15035/match=302030/report=rp.html

Tu rkey off the mark in ArmeniaThursday 22 May 2008Match report

Turkey won at the Abovyan Stadium (©UEFA)

Turkey made a winning start to UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Elite round Group 7 with victory against mini-tournament hosts Armenia
at the Abovyan Stadium.

Turkey prevails

Ercan Yıldırım put Turkey into a tenth-minute lead and
although Tigran Voskanyan equalised just before the break, Erhan
Sentürk struck just past the hour to settle the match. On Saturday
Turkey take on reigning champions Spain while Armenia face Ukraine.

©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.

ARMENTEL GETS NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL

ARKA
May 20, 2008

YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. Neicho Velichkov has been appointed Director
General of the ArmenTel telecommunication company (Beeline brand). The
post has remained vacant since Oleg Bliznyuk resigned early in 2008.

"The ArmenTel Company is an important component of our business
and in many respects it determines the development strategy of
the VimpelCom Company in other countries," said Dmitry Pleskonos,
VimpelCom Executive Vice-President for Business Development in the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

He said that the company is licenses to provide all types of
communication services in Armenia and, in selecting a candidate for
the post of ArmenTel Director General, the company considered Neicho
Velichkov’s wide and successful management experience.

"I am sure that his knowledge will help the company effectively
accomplish the tasks of introducing advanced telecommunication
technologies and consolidate its leading positions in communication
services," Pleskonos said.

In his turn, Velichkov expressed his willingness to join the VimpelCom
team and head the ArmenTel Company, one of the largest companies
in Armenia.

Among the company’s main goals are a the development of the Beeline
brand in the country, launching of services using a network of the 3rd
generation, convergent services, as well as improvement of the quality
of services, he said. If the company succeeds, it will certainly enjoy
popularity as a leading service company in Armenia, Velichkov said.

Neicho Velichkov was born in Sophia, Bulgaria, on September
27, 1961. In 1990, he graduated from Moscow State Institute of
International Relations.

In 2001, he received a MBA degree at the University of Seattle,
USA. In 2007, he received a management and leadership certificate at
the Technological Institute of Massachusetts, USA.

Neicho Velichkov has been working in the telecommunication field
since 2001.

He worked as Corporate Sales Manager for the MobilTel Company,
Bulgaria.

Over the last three years Velichkov has been Sales and Business
Marketing Manager for Bulgarian Telecommunication Company.

Among Velichkov’s achievements is successful promotion of new
communication services, such as convergent services, GSM Gateway,
VoIP solutions, GSM POS terminal, mobile VPN.

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF MALATIA-SEBASTIA COMMUNITY’S MAY 18 PREFECT’S ELECTIONS, DAVID OHANIAN ELECTED

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 19, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the preliminary results of
the May 18 prefect’s elections of Yerevan’s Malatia-Sebastia community,
RPA member David Ohanian, the head of the trade and service department
of the same prefect’s office, has been elected prefect.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Tatev Ohanian, the
Spokesperson of the RA Central Electoral Commission, 30 673 or
32.1% of the total number of community’s voters, 95 436, took part
in voting. 29 914 voters voted for the only candidate, 471 voted
against. 282 ballot-papers were recognized invalid. The number of
inaccuracies is 62.

EU CLOSELY WATCHES ARMENIA FULFILLING PACE RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.05.2008 18:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Union closely watches Armenia fulfilling
the PACE resolution, said EU Envoy for the South Caucasus.

"The fulfillment process will underlie further relations between
Armenia and the EU," Mr Peter Semneby told RFE/RL. "There are problems
with restoration of fundamental freedoms, conduction of rallies and
release of people arrested over their political views. Establishment of
dialog with the opposition and investigation into the March 1 events
should be a priority task for the Armenian authorities. I talked
about the issues with Armenia’s new President and he assured me that
he will address the problems," he said, the Azeri Press Agency reports.

EGLISES: LE PATRIARCHE DE TOUS LES ARMENIENS RECU PAR BENOIT XVI

Le Monde
13 mai 2008 mardi
France

VATICAN. Le pape a recu, vendredi 9 mai, le catholicos Karekin II,
patriarche de tous les Armeniens, et 18 eveques de l’Eglise armenienne
(separee de Rome depuis le concile de Chalcedoine en 451 et comptant
7 millions de fidèles). Englobant le genocide de 1915 et la periode
sovietique, Benoit XVI a rappele que " l’histoire recente de l’Eglise
armenienne a ete ecrite dans le contraste de la persecution et du
martyre, de l’obscurite et de l’esperance, de l’humiliation et de la
renaissance spirituelle ". Il s’est toutefois abstenu de prononcer le
mot " genocide " comme Jean Paul II l’avait deja fait au cours de son
voyage en Armenie en 2001, preferant parler de " grande catastrophe".

–Boundary_(ID_A/MWWyixynYkmhA TXUbhjg)–