Author: Ekmekjian Janet

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 19, 2004

RUSSIA, WEST UNHAPPY WITH ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

“The developments in Armenia will have the same effect as
ex-President Ter-Petrosian’s stepping down in 1998. The protest
actions may subside now, but not for very long”, says the Director of
the Political Innovations and Technologies Center Mubariz Ahmadoglu.
He said that even if the opposition comes to power in Armenia, it
will not change the country’s domestic and foreign policy, which will
remain pro-Russian, as there are no pro-West leaders in Armenia.

Ahmadoglu said the current tensions are weakening Armenia. “Both
Russia and the West are fed up with Kocharian’s political position”.
He added that this proves that time is up for the present regime in
Armenia.

ARKA News Agency
April 20 2004

Representatives of Armenian Mass Media can receive accreditation for
covering of Olympic Games in Greece in special center

RA MFA and Ambassador of Estonia discuss perspectives of cooperation
in it sphere

RA President and representatives of ruling coalition discuss internal
political situation in Armenia

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REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN MASS MEDIA CAN RECEIVE ACCREDITATION FOR
COVERING OF OLYMPIC GAMES IN GREECE IN SPECIAL CENTER

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. Greek Ministry of Mass Media and Press
opened the Zappeion Press Centre for mass media in accordance to
Olympic Games, RA MFA told ARKA. Representatives of Armenian mass
media can receive accreditation for covering of Olympic Games in
Greece in this center. The applications and documents must be
submitted not later than 40 days before entry in Greece. L.D. –0—

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RA MFA AND AMBASSADOR OF ESTONIA DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES OF COOPERATION
IN IT SPHERE

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Osknaian and
the Ambassador of Estonia Andres Unga (residence in Athens) discussed
perspectives of cooperation in IT sphere, RA MFA told ARKA. Newly
appointed Ambassador handed Oskanian copies of credentials, then the
parties discussed expanding of bilateral cooperation. They noted the
importance of establishment of direct links between the businessmen
of the countries and exchange of information. Oskanian emphasized the
fact that in the beginning of May Estonia will become full member of
EU, thanks to which Armenia and Estonia will give new impulse to
economic links. L.D. –0–

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RA PRESIDENT AND REPRESENTATIVES OF RULING COALITION DISCUSS INTERNAL
POLITICAL SITUATION IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian and
representatives of ruling coalition discussed internal political
situation in Armenia, President’s press office told ARKA. The parties
discussed also the activity of Armenian Parliament. L.D. –0-

Parl democracy development one of CIS IPA priorities
By Maria Federova

ITAR-TASS
April 17, 2004 Saturday

ST. PETERSBURG, April 17 — Consolidation and development of
parliamentary democracy principles and implementation of constitutional
ideals of a rule-of-law state are among the most important political
priorities of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, Russian Federation
Council Speaker Sergei Mironov, who is also IPA council chairman, told
the 23rd plenary meeting of the Assembly in St. Petersburg on Saturday.

In 2003-2004, CIS IPA observers participated in monitoring of
presidential and parliamentary elections in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Russia, based on the Assembly-worked-out convention on
standards of democratic elections and election rights and freedoms
in CIS states.

The convention gains more and more recognition among international
organisations and countries, Mironov noted.

Addressing the CIS parliamentarians, the speaker called for joining
the convention and accelerating procedures to ratify it.

Majority coalition pulls out of Armenian parliament session

Mediamax news agency
12 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The ruling political coalition in Armenia said today that they would
not take part in the plenary sitting of the National Assembly on 12-14
April.

National Assembly Chairman Artur Bagdasaryan read out a statement to
this effect by the coalition parties’ parliamentary factions in the
parliament chamber today, Mediamax’s parliamentary correspondent
reports. The coalition consists of the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun and
Orinats Yerkir [Law-Governed Country Party].

The statement says that the decision was taken “to avoid deepening
domestic political confrontation”.

The Armenian opposition intends to organize a march this afternoon by
its supporters down Bagramyan Avenue, where the National Assembly and
presidential administration are located.

Pravda Ru

It”s time for George Soros to visit Armenia and arrange one more revolution?
04/12/2004 18:16

For a week the opposition in Armenia have been conducting demonstrations and
requesting President Robert Kacharyan to resign.
According to the opposition, the last Presidential elections in Armenia were
accompanied with many violations of law, and therefore cannot be considered
legitimate. Obviously, Armenian opposition was influenced by Georgian
“revolution of roses” (allegedly organized by George Soros and caused
President Eduard Shevarnadze to resign). The opposition in the two countries
used similar grounds for calling the Head of state to resign: non-legitimacy
of elections (Parliamentary elections in Georgia and presidential elections
in Armenia).

Armenian opposition became proactive after the Constitution Court rejected
the legal suit on recognizing the results of the Presidential elections not
valid. When rejecting the suit, Armenian Constitution Court offered to
conduct a referendum on the vote of confidence to the President, and make
some amendments to Armenian Election Code. Later Chairman of the
Constitution Court Garik Arutyunya said that the Court’s offer to conduct
the referendum had become outdated.

Opposition deputies in the Parliament (bloc “Justice” and party “National
Unity”) failed to add the issue of referendum on the Parliament session
agenda. As the result, these two opposition fraction have been boycotting
the Parliament sessions since February 3.

Armenian President Robert Kocheryan looks calm. “Change of the authority in
Georgia inspired our opposition”, said the President in a TV interview on
April 8. “Their logic is simple: Georgians succeeded in overthrowing their
President, why don’t we try? But authorities in Armenia and in Georgia have
different degrees of strength”. The statement demonstrates that Armenian
President has no doubts about his ability to hold the power in the country.

Armenian President has the reasons to feel confident: the three parties of
the ruling coalition are supporting him.

Robert Kocharyan has been the President since 1998, and demonstrated many
times his ability
to hold power under any conditions. He inherited this toughness from his
experience of the leader of unrecognized Republic of Nagorny Karabakh in the
beginning of 1990s.

He was able to hold power after the sensational murder of Prime Minister
Vazgen Sarkisyan and Parliament Speaker Karen Demirchyan (his son is
currently one of the opposition leaders) in the fall of 1999. The opponents
of Robert Kocharyan said that some “President’s people” are behind this
assassination. Kocharyan win the conflict with the group of Army officers
willing to play active role in the country politics.

Meanwhile, his former Georgian counterpart – President Eduard Shevarnadze –
was even more experienced politician. However, in “Shevarnadze’s case” the
so called “outside factor” – interference of the USA – played a big role.
Can Washington interfere in the events in Armenia?

The USA has big and powerful Armenian community, and this community has much
interest to the events in the motherland. Unlike the two other republics of
the Caucasus region, Armenia is still less influenced by the USA. Armenian
diaspora in the USA can be a convenient tool for Washington to influence
Armenia.

On the other hand, Washington may have no reasons to interfere. For the
period of his being in power, Robert Kocharyan gave no cause to be suspected
in anti-American outlook (neither in anti-Russian). The USA could support
some politician being more pro-Western, to reduce Russia’s influence on
Armenia. However, opposition leaders Artashes Gegamyan and Stepan Demirchyan
are pro-Russian. They are definitely interested in obtaining support from
the West, but only in this momentary situation.

Speaking of the “outside factor”, here are the words Head of Armenian
Sociological Association, Director of National Institute of Law Philosophy,
“In the small countries like Armenia, the change of power is never caused
solely by domestic factors, even if we speak of elections stipulated by
law”. Therefore, it is time to think which countries could be interested in
the opposition uprising in Armenia.

Vasily Bubnov

Armenian police vow to act “within mandate” at 9 April opposition demo

Noyan Tapan news agency
8 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The police will act within the mandate established by the law to
guarantee public security during the 9 April rally in Yerevan, the
press secretary of the Armenian police, Sayat Shirinyan, has told a
Noyan Tapan correspondent.

Asked whether the police had been instructed, as had been the case
before, to intervene only in the last minute, Shirinyan said that the
police would act depending on the situation and within its mandate.

Asked whether journalists’ security would be guaranteed, Shirinyan
said that public security would be guaranteed for everybody –
journalists, scientists etc.

Shirinyan said that papers on violence against journalists at the 5
April rally had already been prepared and that criminal proceedings
would be instituted in the near future.

Opposition official arrested in western Armenian town

Noyan Tapan news agency
8 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Law-enforcement agencies, giving no explanation, detained the leader
of the district branch of the People’s Party of Armenia, Aramais
Barsegyan, in Artashat [western Armenia] on 8 April, a member of the
political council of the Anrapetutyun (Republic) Party and ex-defence
minister, Vagarshak Arutyunyan, has told a Noyan Tapan correspondent.

Azeri pressure group set to stage peace march to Karabakh

Space TV, Baku
8 Apr 04

[Presenter] The Karabakh Liberation Organization will stage a peace
march to the Azerbaijani town of Susa [Armenian-occupied Shushi], the
head of the organization, Akif Nagi, has said.

[Correspondent over video of news conference] The Karabakh Liberation
Organization took a decision to stage a march back last year. It is
planned to start the march from Baku on 8 May this year, on the day
Susa was occupied. It will take the participants 15 days to march to
the front line and then to Susa. Karabakh veterans, refugees,
displaced persons, members of the intelligentsia and others will take
part in the march. Human rights activists, representatives of the
embassies of UN Security Council member countries, journalists and
representatives of foreign companies will be invited to take part in
the march as observers.

The main objective of the march is to persuade the UN to recognize
Armenia as an aggressor and impose sanctions on it. Nagi said that if
international organizations really wanted to ensure peace in the
region, then Armenia should be recognized as an aggressor.

Seyran Mammadov and Farhad Babayev, Space.

PRESS OFFICE
Contact; Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Avenue, Outremont Quebec H2V 3H2
Tel; 514-276-9479, Fax; 514-276-9960
Email; [email protected] Website;

HOLY RESURRECTION AND OURSELVES

Every season, when the Feast of the Pascha approaches, the account of
St Mark’s Gospel of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord becomes the
theme of my contemplation. According to the account the oil bearing
women visit the sepulcher of the Master, thinking on the way “Who
shall remove the stone of the tomb for us”? To their amazement the
tomb was empty. They were frustrated for the fact of the Resurrection
was unbelievable and eventually they believed by seeingthe Risen
Christ. 2004 years have elapsed since those days and every time face
to face with the luminous feast of Resurrection, it is worth to ask
ourselves what has changed within us and does the resurrection of
Christ have any significance for us?

How true are the words of British politician Gladstone when he says
“Nowadays the felicity of humanity does not depend on politics. The
real battle occurs in the realm of intellect, where the deadly
inthusion takes place on the most precious treasure of humanity. That
is on the faith, which leads us to God and to the Gospel of Christ”.

Any political system or rule could have no effect on the society if it
was not ready inwardly to accept them. Therefore all loses and
success, failures and achievements born within us and then being put
in action, whereof the act becomes a fact the true mirror of our
thinking or feeling.

Having said so we realize that the Pascha comes to pass us over, to
renew permanently in our lives, in thinking and in the way of
living. God loves us the way we are but He loves us too much to leave
us the way we are. Specially for our Holy Church in Canada, I would
desire to see and feel new breath and new vivacity as a living truth
who shall protect and lead our people by the truth of the Gospel and
the Orthodox faith.

After the Lord’s Resurrection we see His physical empty tomb. Just us
the angel proclaimed the glad tiding of the Resurrection, we also may
say with confidence and faith

CHRIST IS RISEN

On this victorious day of Holy Resurrection on behalf of our people in
Canada, I would love to extend my filial love and wishes to our
beloved spiritual Father His Holiness Karekin II asking for his
blessings. May the Mother Seeof Holy Etchmiadzin, our Holy home, shine
forever by the guidance of Vehapar Hayrapet.

Our love and congratulations to the Diocesan Clergy, Diocesan Council,
Parish Councils, Church Choirs, Ladies Guild and the ACYOC, CYMA, all
the Auxiliary Bodies, to the Delegates, Diocesan Stuff, to our
Benefactors, who through their dedication prove the reality of
Resurrection.

Our love and congratulations to our sister churches, organizations,
unions, political parties, to the Armenian school and to our entire
beloved people seniors and juniors, elderly and youth. To those who
through their heroic devotion render their time, intellect and
financial input towards the prosperity of our Holy Church and brave
nation-turning their lives into true Resurrection.

Eventually the first and the most to You I raise my prayer my
RisenLord and Savior Jesus Christ, Beautiful and Desirable Name. You
are the Guide of my life. I yearn to meet You on the day of the
universal Resurrection when youwill come with all your glory and
might. Shed a brim of Your Resurrection in me and continue bless me,
so that by your help and guidance I may dedicate myself to the
longevity of my people and be able to repeat

DO NOT FEAR
“Christ is Risen
Blessed is His Resurrection”
Amen, Amen.

With love and prayer,

Bishop Bagrat Galstanian
Primate

UK Newsquest Regional Press – This is Wiltshire
April 7, 2004

Treat promised for chamber music lovers

CHAMBER music lovers will have a rare treat when American-based The
Performing Arts Trio of Pennsylvania gives its first recital in
Salisbury next Wednesday 7.30pm at Salisbury Cathedral School.

The trio consisting of violin clarinet and piano has put together a
programme of 20th century music.

Sophie Till violinist and daughter of the Dean of Winchester
explains: “Our recital opens with Milhaud’s Suite and then moves to
Bartok’s Contrasts commissioned by jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman
and violinist Joseph Szigeti. The duo requested a work in the style
of Bartok’s violin Rhapsodies.

“Khachaturian’s Trio in G minor displays the composer’s Armenian
heritage through his use of folk and dance music styles.

“Finally we end with Hause’s Labyrinth of Flames crafted as a poem
which should leave the listeners with food for thought.”

Canon Jeremy Davies chairman of the choral foundation is grateful to
the trio performing on the 14th in order to raise funds for the girl
choristers’ current tour to Sweden. Playing with Sophie Till is
Maureen Hurd on clarinet and Muriel Phillips on piano.

Admission to the recital is free but there will be a retiring
collection.