Author: Dabaghian Diana

DANIEL FRIED INDICATES U.S. WOULD NOT OBJECT TO CONSTRUCTION OF NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN ARMENIA

Armenpress
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS: US assistant secretary of state,
Daniel Fried indicated during d a news conference in Yerevan today
before wrapping up a brief visit here that the U.S. would not object
to the Armenian government’s ambitious plans to build a new nuclear
power station in place of the Metsamor plant, which is due to be
decommissioned by 2016.

Fried said after recent explosions on the gas pipeline shipping
Russian gas to the South Caucasus the USA and Europe have been paying
a greater attention to the energy security of the region and its
energy diversification to cut its heavy dependence on Russian fuel
supplies. He said Armenia’s desire to built a new nuclear power plant
will be discussed in Washington. According to Armenian energy experts,
construction of a new plant would require at least $1 billion.

Fried also responded to a question about whether U.S. position on
recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide has changed by saying that
president Bush describes these events in all his April 24 statements
as ‘horrible events and a tragedy.” He then denied media allegations
that US ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, would be recalled soon,
allegedly for acknowledging publicly last year that 1915 massacres
of Armenians in the Ottoman empire was genocide.

“Ambassador Evans enjoys the confidence of the State Department
and will continue to serve as US ambassador to Armenia,” he
said.. Ambassador Evans who was also present at the news conference
reiterated what he had said before, “I serve to the pleasure of US
president.” Steven Mann, the US cochairman of the OSCE Minsk group,
accompanying Fried, said Armenia and Azerbaijan were ready to move
forward to end their dispute over Karabakh and the USA was ready to
assist the process. He said the visits to Baku and Armenia were to
learn what should be done next to go on with the talks.

Daniel Fried, accompanied by Senior Advisor for Eurasia Steven Mann,
will depart for Ankara, Turkey on March 16. In Armenia, Assistant
Secretary Fried held meetings with President Robert Kocharian,
Minister of Defense Serzh Sarkisian, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vartan Oskanian, and political leaders from the full spectrum of
local political parties. A number of issues were discussed during the
meetings, including the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations, democracy,
and Nagorno-Karabakh.

This trip was Ambassador Fried’s second visit to Armenia since his
appointment as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs in May 2005.

“ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE” ALL-ARMENIAN SECOND FESTIVAL TO BE HELD ON JUNE 23-30

Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The “One Nation, One Culture”
all-Armenian second festival will be held in Armenia and Arstakh
on July 23-30 for the purpose of sterngthening and deepening the
Armenia-Diaspora cultural ties. More than 1500 artists from different
communities of Armenia, Artskakh and Diaspora will participate in
the festival. 100 mln drams (about 222 thousand U.S. dollars) were
allocated from the state budget.

As Tamar Poghsosian, the Executive Director of the “One Nation,
One Culture” fund mentioned in the interview with the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, the group regulating the festival works has already
sent official invitations to all the all-Armenian structures, and
conditions of participation in the festival were officially made
public with the help of embassies.

The “One Nation, One Culture” first festival became a national fete
and a new impulse of spiritual uniting of all the Armenians. The
festival gives possibility to present our national culture with joint
efforts and to unite round the idea of one nation, one culture, one
Fatherland,” T.Poghosian mentioned. The Executive Director of the
fund also mentioned that faults existed during the previous festival
were taken into account, and they will attempt to hold it this time
more organized.

The solemn opening ceremony of the festival took place on June 23 at
the Karen Demirchian Sports and Concert Complex. Numerous concerts,
exhibitions, theatrical performances will be organized within the
framework of the festival both in Yerevan and in RA marzes and Artsakh.

The RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues and the “One Nation, One
Culture” fund are the festival organizers, as well as the Armenian
General Benevolent Union and National Armenian Educational and Cultural
Union assist it.

OSKANIAN: ARMENIA WILL NOT GIVE TERRITORIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2006 21:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The historical and legal factors are important in
conflict settlement. However, latest developments, as well as current
situation are also important, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated when
answering questions of Azg Daily readers. In his words, taking it
all into account, Azerbaijan not willing to put up with the reality
is a major obstacle in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. Besides,
it does not even wish to compromise, take a risk for attaining a
political solution.

Answering a question from Baku, that asked “Which of the regions
the Republic of Armenia is ready to return immediately in response
to Azerbaijan giving up the solution of the conflict by force?”,
Oskanian said, “Firstly, your question formula is incorrect. Armenia
will not give the territories either under the treat of war, or in
case of refusal from war. Armenia is ready to discuss issues relating
to territories and refugees only in case Azerbaijan recognize Karabakh
people’s right to self-determination.”

As of “whether the Armenian Government is going to pay compensations to
200 thousand refugees from the Republic of Armenia,” the Armenian FM
stated, Armenia is ready to discuss the issue within Azeri Government
providing compensation to 350-400 thousand Armenian refugees from
Azerbaijan.

AMBASSADOR OF AZERBAIJAN MEETS MEMBER OF BRITISH PARLIAMENT

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 8 2006

As is informed from the press center of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the ambassador of Azerbaijan in London Rafael Ibrahimov has
met the member of the House of Commons of Parliament of the Great
Britain Robert Walter.

Being the member of delegation of the Great Britain in Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe of R. Walter during the elections
conducted on November 6, 2005 in Milli Majlis was in Azerbaijan in
structure of the OSCE observation mission. R. Walter who has supported
the position of Azerbaijan concerning approval of the mandate of the
Azerbaijan delegation in PACE, again will arrive to the Republic as
a member of PACE observation mission for control of the course of
by-elections forthcoming on May 13 in Milli Majlis.

Ambassador R. Ibrahimov has expressed to R. Walter gratitude
for support of our the Azeri delegation in PACE, has informed on
the present political and economic situation in the country, the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and also about the
measures which are carried out in the Republic within transparency
initiative put forward by the Prime minister Toni Blair.

The Diplomat also has noted bias of the resolution of the
Euro-Parliament on allegedly destruction of the Armenian monuments
in Julfa district of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

THERE IS NO BIRD FLU

Panorama.am
14:50 09/03/06

On March 8 at about 14.30 Panorama.am’s correspondent accidentally
met a lorry loaded with domestic birds on the crossroad of the road
leading to Arinj village on Yerevan-Sevan highway. Although it was
impossible to see distinctly whether the birds were alive or dead,
nevertheless the fact that the emergency headlights were on gives
rise to suspicion. Perhaps, other cars were accompanying the lorry
(two other cars followed the lorry with their emergency headlights on).

Naturally, we had the impression that the birds to be transferred were
dead and perhaps they were the victims of bird flu epidemic increasing
in the region. In order to receive some explanation concerning the fact
we turned to the Headquarter to Struggle against Bird Flu. “There is
no such information. In any case there is a hot line: (010) 45-74-21,
the people are aware of it. As soon as a case of birds’ downfall
our service immediately arrives at the scene and brings the birds
to the laboratory, the latter finds out the reason of the death,”
a worker of headquarter informed Panorama.am correspondent.

Our interlocutor also rejected the fact that a case of bird flu has
been registered in Fizalu region which is under the control of NKR
armed forces.

NUMBER OF VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS OF ARMENIA TO ADD BY 10 IN FUTURE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 09 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN. 10 more new vocational schools will
open in different marzes of Armenia soon. At present 28 thousand
pupils study at 81 middle professional educational institutions of
the country, and 4 thousand pupils at 27 vocational schools. The
education lasts for three years in vocational schools, connected
with the level of the comprehensive education, and in the middle
professional school this lasts for two years. As Samvel Pipoyan, the
Middle Professional Education Department Chief of the RA Ministry
of Education and Science informed in the interview with the Noyan
Tapan correspondent, besides the state assistance, international
organizations acting in Armenia: TACIS and GTZ (German Technical
Cooperation), also support development and spreading of the sphere
of middle professional education. According to the Department Chief,
this is already the 5th year that the GTZ implements interregional
cooperation in the middle professional sphere. The first stage of
the program envisages preparation of the rulling staff, the second
one envisages re-training of lecturers. According to S.Pipoyan, the
pedagogical staff of this sphere of Armenia hasn’t been re-trained
already for 15 years. The TACIS organization implements the 3 mln euros
program “Assistance to Development of Professional System of Armenia”
which has three components: study and analysis of the job market,
re-training the lecturers, re-armament of the material-technical
basis. According to S.Pipoyan, at present the sphere of the middle
professional education has two most important and primary problems:
to solve the issue of giving at least one free professional education
to children of families of socially vulnerable strata and the issue of
cooperation of businessmen and the middle professional educational
sphere. According to him, a claim for preparing specialists was
presented up to this day by the “HayRusgazard” company, with the demand
of 100 specialists. According to S,Pipoyan, today employers in Armenia
aren’t sure in continuation of their business and consequently they
can’t work out long-lasting programs as well as to prepare future
specialists.

US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS TO VISIT ARMENIA

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
March 9 2006

The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Daniel Fried is to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia, State Department
Spokesman Sean McCormack said to journalists in Washington.

According to State Department Spokesman, Daniel Fried will visit the
region next week, RIA Novosti reports. One of the trip’s goals will
be discussion of the results of the Azeri and Armenian Presidents’
Rambouillet meeting.

45,000-MAN STRONG ARMY IS LUXURY FOR ARMENIA – DEFENSE MINISTER

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
March 9, 2006 Thursday 1:07 PM MSK

A 45,000-man strong army is a luxury for Armenia, the country’s Defense
Minister and Security Council Secretary Serzh Sargsyan said at a news
conference with Russian reporters.

“At the present time we are strengthening and reforming our Armed
Forces, based on the current military and political environment and
the fact that most of the personnel are in trenches along our borders,”
Sargsyan said.

According to him, this is the main cause of the slow reform. He said
that the Armenian Armed Forces primarily comprised motorized rifle
units and a small air force. “We operate five motorized rifle corps,
independent artillery units, and air defense brigades. We do not
have any combat arms or separate general staffs. There is a common
headquarters, exercising command and control over all units. At the
present time our Armed Forces are manned with about 45,000 servicemen,
which is too many for Armenia, featuring a population of three million.

However, we have to maintain such a force,” he emphasized.

The situation in the South Caucasus remains quite tense, and the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict is yet to be settled, the minister went on.

“Given all these we try to use the well-armed combat-capable Armed
Forces as a deterrent,” Sargsyan said.

Commenting on current cooperation with Russia, he noted that he
appreciated both military-political and other types of cooperation.

“We have the necessary legal and historical bases, and will continue
working in this sphere,” Sarkisyan said.

At the same time he emphasized that Armenian-NATO relations did not
undermine the Russian-Armenian cooperation in the least. “We have
to be aware of military arts of other states, and combat experience
of other armed forces. We do wish to cooperate with other states,
including NATO member-states. Our goal is to field armed forces,
meeting international standards, by 2015,” Sargsyan said.

He underlined once again that existence of Russian military bases in
Armenia, as well as strategic agreements, depended on Armenia’s wishes.

Armenia hosts the Russian 102nd military base, manned with about
5,000 servicemen.

Commenting on the feasibility of re-deploying Russian combat materiel
from Georgia to Armenia, Sargsyan said that materiel, deployed at
Russian military bases in Georgia and Armenia, was Russian property
and it was up to Russia where to deploy and transport its property.

“I do not think the Russian Defense Ministry needs our assistance in
this case, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that part
of the materiel would be transported to the 102nd base until further
notice,” Sargsyan said.

e/chi-0603080224mar08,1,4839352.story?coll=3Dchi-n ewslocalnorthshore-hed
Teachers fill in gaps on Genocide
By Lisa Black
Tribune staff reporter

March 8, 2006

Mary Olson has told the story many times before, about men clubbed with
shovels and buried alive, and women marched into the desert to die with their
babies.

She tells of a family–her family–fleeing Turkish officers during World War
I and how they tried to save themselves by attempting to sacrifice their
youngest.

Weaving snippets of her family’s personal history into a horrific retelling
of Armenian genocide, Olson transfixed a teenage audience during a recent
U.S. history class at Warren Township High School in Gurnee.

Olson has given the speech for years but has found herself in greater demand
since the state approved a law that requires that acts of genocide–above
and beyond the Holocaust–be included in elementary and high school curricula.

Social studies teachers throughout Illinois have taken note since the law
took effect in August, said Phyllis Henry, president of the Illinois Council
for the Social Studies.

That group is organizing conferences and compiling material that covers not
only the Nazi persecution of Jews but also mass killings in Armenia, Ukraine,
Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Sudan.

“If you look at textbooks, depending on how old they are . . . sometimes
they only have a paragraph on the Armenian genocide,” said Henry, manager of
social studies for the Chicago Public Schools.

She said teachers must keep themselves informed of current events, such as
genocide being carried out in Sudan’s western Darfur region.

At Warren, the law has raised awareness among teachers, who tie the
information to their lessons, Olson said.

“Up until now, what they’ve mostly taught is the Holocaust,” said Olson, 54,
director of curriculum and school improvement for Warren Township High
School District 121.

The lessons resonate with students, especially when told by a descendant,
such as Olson, whose grandparents fled Armenia during WW I.

She recently provided juniors and seniors at Warren’s Almond Road Campus
with a quick backdrop to World War I, aided by a map, an Armenian coin,
100-year-old books outlining atrocities committed even before the genocide,and her
grandmother’s embroidery.

She explained that the term “genocide” was coined after Turkish leaders
during the Ottoman Empire nearly wiped out the Armenian population by killing
more than 1 million people from 1915 to 1918.

Her talk was not just a history lesson but also an example of how things
that happened long ago affect public policy today.

The Turkish government still disputes the description of the mass murders as
genocide, saying the killings took place within the larger context of the
war and that 350,000 Turks also died in battle. The United States, in an effort
to maintain diplomatic relations with Turkey, does not use the term genocide
to describe the mass Armenian killings.

But President Bush, in a statement on Armenian Remembrance Day last April
24, acknowledged the “forced exile and mass killings of as many as 1.5 million
Armenians.”

In Massachusetts the Assembly of Turkish American Associations sued the
school system after educators removed Turkish Web sites from a curriculum aimed
at teaching about genocide.

Narguiz Abbaszade, spokeswoman for the assembly, said the lawsuit was
“purely a freedom-of-speech issue.”

“The Turkish community feels they are not able to put forward their
interpretation of what happened,” she said. The lawsuit is ongoing.

Olson said she wanted to try to prove that the Turkish side is “revisionist
history.”

“Armenians were second-class citizens in Turkey. The Turks were trying fora
long time to find a way to rid themselves of the Christians,” Olson said.

At one point she talked about a husband and wife who believed that the only
way they could escape the Turks while hiding in a mountainous region was to
throw the youngest of their three children over a cliff. That way, they could
carry the other two children for miles. But the little boy survived after
landing on a ledge, and his cries alerted their foes.

The family members were caught and tortured. They survived the ordeal but
resented the child because his survival led to their capture, she said.

“How do I know that story?” she said. “The little boy was my uncle by
marriage.”

Students were aghast but curious.

“Usually when anyone talks about genocide or anything like this, people
automatically think of World War II,” said junior Lisa Alvin, 16, of Wadsworth.

“These people were so desperate,” she said. “The choices that they had to
make . . . that they would have to kill one of their children for the restof
the group to survive. That would be so hard.”

About 10,000 Armenians live in the Chicago area, including substantial
communities in Waukegan and Evanston, said Rouben Adalian, director of the
Armenian National Institute in Washington.

Many of them are determined to tell their stories before they die, said
Adalian, who is pleased that Illinois has included the Armenians in its
curriculum.

“It is a valuable presentation. It’s done all across the country but nowhere
near enough,” Adalian said.

———-

[email protected]

Copyright © 2006, _Chicago Tribune_ ()

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 RECEIVES THE NEW AMBASSADOR
OF ARMENIA TO LEBANON

His Holiness Aram I received the new Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon, Vahan
Der Ghevontian and his wife on March 6.

The Ambassador and His Holiness met over an hour during which the Pontiff
spoke about the political situation in Lebanon in all its aspects focusing
on the current circumstances. His Holiness then talked about the situation
in the Middle East in general.

Speaking briefly about the Dioceses of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, His
Holiness stressed the important role of the Lebanese Armenian community as
one of the most important communities of the Armenian Diaspora. His Holiness
also highlighted the importance of the relations between the Armenian
Embassy and the community.

The Ambassador told His Holiness about the visits he has paid to national,
official and diplomatic circles since his arrival in the country. He then
spoke about the latest developments in Armenia and particularly its
relations with Azerbaijan.

The two also discussed a number of projects for expanding the cooperation
between Armenia and the Catholicosate of Cilicia.

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View photo here:
es19.htm

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