Author: Felekian Ara

A1+

WILL USA RECOGNIZE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NKR?

04:44 pm 24 March, 2006

`There are three sides which affect the regulation of the Karabakh
conflict – USA, Russia and EU. The quick settlement of ethnic
conflicts in Southern Caucasus is not very profitable for USA as
because of them USA remains in the region, and thus Washington reaches
its different aims’, politician Igor Mouradyan said during the
conference `Models of Stability of Black Sea – Caucasian Region’ in
Sochi.

According to him, USA has adopted a policy of recognizing the
independence of NKR. Contrary to that, EU is against the creation of
new Republics in Southern Caucasus, and Russia `has no other option as
to protect the European point of view’.

According to Regnum, Azeri delegates were also invited to Sochi but on
learning that representatives of NKR will participate in the
conference, they refused to come.

A1+

IN THE SESSION OF THE GOVERNMENT

07:30 pm 23 March, 2006

The Republic of Armenia is 15 years old.

The Government has given its approval of the main ceremonies program
devoted to the 15th anniversary of the RA independence. It includes
about 80 scientific, educational, cultural, training and suchlike
ceremonies which will take place in the capital and the marzes of the
republic from April till the end of the year. A number of Pan Armenian
ceremonies are to be held in the RA and in Nagorni Karabakh including
the second festival `One nation, one culture’ the 4th Pan Armenian
Youth and the 2nd educational conferences, the 3rd international
cinema festival `Golden Apricot.’ During the week of the Independence
15th anniversary the 3rd Armenia- Diaspora conference, the 2nd
economic conference and various symposiums will be held from September
17 – 24. There will be exhibitions of posters and photos and films
devoted to the 15th anniversary of the independence will be shown.

The main ceremonies of the program will take place on September
21. The participants will go to `Erablur’ then a military parade will
be held on Republic Square. A concert will take place on the republic
ground after Vazgen Sargsian. In the evening a firework will be lit in
Yerevan, Gjumry and Vanadzor.

ARMENIAN-INDIAN COOPERATION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IN ALL SPHERES OF CULTURE, RA MINISTER OF CULTURE EMPHASIZES

Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Gevorg Gevorgian, the RA Minister
of Culture and Youth Issues received on March 21 the Indian
cinematographers who are on a working visit in Yerevan. The Armenian
and Indian cinematographers discuss issues of shooting Indian films
in Armenia as well as development of the Armenian-Indian joint film
industry. Touching upon the two peoples’ historic ties and contacts,
RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues Gevorg Gevorgian mentioned
that today this friendship starts to develop consonant to the new
times. The Minister expressed confidence that the Armenian-Indian
cooperation must be implemented in all spheres of culture, including
the sphere of film industry. G.Gevorgian appreciated the Indian
cinematographers’ wish to shoot Indian films in Armenia, but,
according to the Minister, development of the joint film industry is
more important. Producer Ashok Mehta, the owner of the “Bollywood”
Indian great studio mentioned that during the initial period they
will shoot only Indian films for what they, first of all, need to get
acquainted with the nature and sightseeings of Armenia. Besides, they
want to get acquainted with the Armenian cinematography closer. Ashok
Mehta is sure that development of the Armenian-Indian joint film
industry will be beneficial for producers of the two countries, and
the result will be perceptible. He mentioned that Bollywood has great
financial resources and shoots 1000 films a year. Film Director Arman
Manarian, pointing out the Armenian-Indian historic contacts, proposed
to shoot a joint historic film. And director Haroutiun Khachatrian, the
“Golden Apricot” International Film Festival Director, mentioned that
the festival directorate has a great wish to have Indian films in their
programs and to invite their authors to Armenia. H.Khachatrian invited
the Indian cinematographers to participate in the “Golden Apricot”
festival to take place in summer. The Indian cinematographers will
visit the “Hayfilm” studio on the same day to get acquainted with the
technical capabilities and films of the film library.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

March 21, 2006

DIOCESAN LEGATE BISHOP VICKEN AYKAZIAN ELECTED BY DELEGATES AT ASSEMBLY OF
WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES TO SERVE ON CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE

Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), was elected to two prestigious
leadership positions with the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Nearly 4,000 delegates voted in the election during the WCC’s Assembly in
Porto Alegre, Brazil, from February 13 to 24, 2006.

Bishop Aykazian, along with another member of the delegation from the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Yn. Paula Devejian, were elected to the 150 member
Central Committee. They were each elected to seven-year terms.

“The Central Committee discusses the questions that concern the churches all
around the world: social, moral, religious, the questions of hunger,
genocide, massacres, injustices,” Bishop Aykazian said.

The Central Committee is the body tasked with creating policies and
recommendations between WCC Assemblies, which happen every seven years.

The members of the Central Committee then elected 20 members for an
Executive Committee, which executes the decisions taken by the Central
Committee. Bishop Aykazian was elected to one of these 20 executive
positions.

“It’s very important that an Armenian has been elected,” Bishop Aykazian
said. “It is an important position within the World Council of Churches and
important for an Armenian to be a part of this committee.”

This is the first time a representative of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin has been elected to the position. The Central Committee meets
twice a year, and serves as the executive body directing the work of the
WCC.

“CHANGING THE WORLD”

The WCC has members from 348 churches in 100 countries, and claims to
represent 550 million faithful. During this year’s assembly the delegates
focused on the theme: “God in Your Grace, Transform the World.”

“We mean transform the world, bring justice and peace, transform human
beings to be better morally, psychologically, religiously and humanly,”
Bishop Aykazian explained. “We are expecting the world will transform from
good to best.”

The delegates tackled several varied issues, from terrorism to reform of the
United Nations to protecting vulnerable populations. Bishop Aykazian said
one of the highlights of the gathering was the attendance of 700 young
people.

“Youth involvement sent a very strong message saying that the youth are an
integral part of the ecumenical movement,” he said. “Their voice needs to
be heard. Their attendance was a sign of the important role they play in
the life of our churches. They are going to be our future leaders of our
churches and countries and peoples.”

STRONG INVOLVEMENT FROM ETCHMIADZIN

Leading the delegation of 12 clergy and lay leaders from Etchmiadzin was
Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, director of the Department of Inter-Church
Relations; it also included Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the
Diocese of Australia and New Zealand; Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of
the Diocese of Canada; and Fr. Mkrtich Proshian, dean of the Vaskenian
Theological Seminary in Armenia. The delegation was one of the youngest
orthodox groups in attendance.

The delegation from Etchmiadzin took an active role in the assembly.
Archbishop Baliozian served on the Committee for Consensus Decision-Making,
which worked to implement a new procedural method of voting, adopted for the
first time at the assembly. Bishop Aykazian served on the Message Committee,
which developed and presented a document that captured the experience and
hopes of the delegates. Bishop Petrosian served as a moderator during a
three-day workshop on emerging forms of ecumenism, and also served on the
Business Committee, which coordinated the daily business of the assembly.

Fr. Proshian presented a workshop titled “Through the Creation to the
Creator,” which introduced a new concept of ecological education from a
theological perspective, referred to as “Green Theology.”

Another representative from Etchmiadzin, Dr. Karen Nazarian, director of the
Armenian Round Table office, presented a paper titled “HIV/AIDS –
Involvement of clergy in counseling, stigma, and discrimination,” and also
served on the assembly Nominating Committee, responsible for identifying
candidates for the election of presidents and new members of the WCC Central
Committee.

Yn. Paula Devejian served on the leadership team during a three-day workshop
on overcoming health threats to humanity in the context of HIV and AIDS, and
also spoke during the final general plenary session on the topic of “God in
Your Grace, Transform our Societies.”

— 3/21/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Delegates from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin attend
the World Council of Churches Assembly in Brazil from February 13 to 24,
2006.

# # #

GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR SAYS HIS COUNTRY INTERESTED IN RESUMPTION OF KARS-GYUMRI RAILROAD

ARMENPRESS
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS: Georgia’s ambassador to Armenia said
his country would spare nothing to have a railroad from Turkish Kars
to Armenian Gyumri resumed if it could force Turkey and Azerbaijan to
drop their plans to build a new road from Kars to Georgian Akhalkalaki,
a move protested by Armenia which says it would exacerbate Armenia’s
transport blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Admitting his government’s failure to have any impact on Turkey
and Azerbaijan, the ambassador, Revaz Gachechiladze, said the old
railroad has become ‘a hostage’ of the Karabakh conflict and unsettled
Turkish-Armenian relations. Speaking to a news conference in Yerevan
the ambassador said his government would only welcome the reopening
of the Kars-Gyumri railroad.

He said Armenia too could become a transit country between Europe
and Asia like Georgia is and may benefit from it immensely.

BAKU ADVISES IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO “RESTRAIN EMOTIONS”

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2006 19:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan enjoy
friendly relations. The principles of these relations are reflected
in the documents signed by the leaders of our states and remain
unchangeable.

The statements made by the representatives of NGOs during the II
Summit of the Azerbaijanis of the world are the expression of their
personal opinion,” head of the department of press and information
policy of the Azeri MFA Tahir Taghizade stated when commenting in
the diplomatic note of the Iranian Embassy in Baku on the statements
made during the summit. When touching upon the address of Iranian
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar Suleymani to the summit participants
and the Azerbaijani state Taghizade noted that emotional expressions
can damage the cooperation built on the principles of friendship
and neighborhood. “Noting the necessity of expanding bilateral ties
between our countries I state that personal opinions should not tell
on the friendly relations between Iran and Azerbaijan,” he said,
reported Day.az.

Zaman Online, Turkey
March 18 2006

Turkey-Armenia Border Lost on Google Map
By Celil Sagir, Istanbul
Published: Saturday, March 18, 2006
zaman.com

Google, one of the most popular Search Engines in the world, failed
to give a place to the Turkey-Armenia border on its map.

A part of the Turkey-Armenia border does not exist in the world map
of the popular Google Earth program.

Indicating the borders with a yellow line, the map shows no sign of a
border in the Arpacay region, which constitutes the Armenian border,
and that the unfinished border line continues into Turkey up to
Cildir Lake.

There is also a gap in the border near the Igdir region, which is
very close to Armenia’s capital Yerevan.

The map shows the borders and territorial waters of other countries
explicitly and carefully with the yellow line. This indicates that
the blank in the border does not stem from Arpacay, a local river. It
is known that Armenia still preserves some of its demands on Turkish
lands.

Google, in a statement clarifying the issue to Zaman, accepted that
some data in Google Earth is missing and/or incorrect.

The company maintains the visual data for the maps is provided by
third parties and Google does not make any change to them in efforts
not to express any particular political or religious view.

Google also noted they are working on the issue to rid the maps of
any faults and inadequate information.

Google Earth, a popular method of allowing people to see even minor
streets of big cities, can be downloaded with a program available
from MDA Earth Sat, the National Geographic
Society and Google own the copyrights for the maps.

See map at ;alt=&am p;hn=31041

Government and Telasi reach deal on electricity for refugees
By Christina Tashkevich

The Messenger, Georgia
March 17 2006

In a first step to finally deal with GEL 44 million (USD 24 million) in
unpaid electricity consumption by refugees in Tbilisi, the electricity
distribution company Telasi signed an agreement with the Ministry of
Refugees and Resettlement on Thursday.

The agreement calls for the creation of a special commission consisting
of representatives of Telasi, the ministry, the Abkhaz government
in exile, and refugees to study energy supply to settlements were
refugees live and to develop a plan for the debt repayment.

The Georgian government and the Russian company RAO UES, who owns
Telasi, decided to create the commission in 2005. One of the goals of
the commission will be to study how the GEL 44 million debt occurred
in the first place and how it can be reasonably repaid.

Telasi started installing meters in many of the refugee buildings
in an effort to control electricity consumption. The company has
already installed meters for 4,000 refugee families in Tskhneti on
the outskirts of Tbilisi.

“The misunderstanding ended today. We are starting to work
constructively and fruitfully to bring order to the electricity supply
for this type of our customers,” Telasi General Director Yuri Pimonov
said Thursday.

Telasi says in case new debt accumulates they will make a decision
to cut electricity to debtors only after informing the government.
Telasi has already taken such measures last year demanding payments for
electricity not only from refugees but also from state organizations.

The Minister of Refugees and Resettlement Giorgi Kheviashvili said
that the agreement and metering would significantly improve the
electricity supply to refugees. “It will importantly contribute to
both the company’s development and to the normal life of our refugees,”
he said Thursday.

The Telasi press office said Thursday that representatives of the
IDP community would also participate in calculation of electricity
consumption at buildings together with Telasi employees.

Also on Thursday, Telasi said Tbilisi consumers would not feel any
electricity restrictions after the Enguri Hydroelectric Station (HES)
has been taken offline for repairs. On March 15 the station was shut
down and it will remain inoperative for 4 months to undergo needed
maintenance.

The company reported it has enough local and imported sources of
energy to provide the capital with full electricity during the next
four months. The city requires an average of 500 megawatts/hour.

Telasi will supply Tbilisi with 220 megawatt/hour from the ninth
power plant in Gardabani, 90 and 60 megawatt/hour from hydroelectric
stations Khrami 1 and Khrami2 respectfully, 15 megawatt/hour from
Ortachala HES and 110 megawatt/hour from Armenian imports.

However, Telasi also notes future changes in its energy system. The
company will cease the electricity imports from Armenia from March
31. “As the need in electricity consumption is less in summer, the
ninth power plant in Gardabani will work until June 1,” the company
press release said.

STATE DEPARTMENT AGAIN REFUSES TO DIRECTLY COMMENT ON REPORTS OF AMB. EVANS’ RECALL

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. For the fourth time in the last week,
the State Department’s official spokesperson has failed to directly
respond to questions raised by journalists during the Department’s
daily press briefing about reports that the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
John Marshall Evans, has been recalled due to his truthful statements
on the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA). “It’s certainly disappointing seeing State Department
officials hiding behind their spokesperson to avoid directly answering
questions about whether Ambassador Evans is being recalled because
he had the courage to stand up against what effectively amounts to a
‘gag-rule’ preventing our nation’s diplomats from speaking truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in a March 8th letter to
Secretary Rice, wrote that, “If, in fact, the State Department has
taken punitive steps against Ambassador Evans, you should fully and
openly explain your policies and actions to the American people. If,
on the other hand, the Department has not taken any such steps, you
owe it to the American people to affirm that it is not the policy
of the United States of America to punish its diplomats for speaking
the truth about the Armenian Genocide.”

Questions concerning Ambassador Evans were raised on March 8th and
March 10th and again on March 13th and 14th. Each time journalists
asked for official comments about Ambassador Evans’ reported recall.

Reflecting the growing frustration among journalists over the lack of
a clear response to their inquiries, a member of the State Department
press corps publicly described the answers provided by the official
spokesperson as “a bit of a dodge.” The growing controversy surrounding
reports of Amb. Evans’ recall has resulted in separate letters being
sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice from ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Co-Chairman of the
Armenian Issues Caucus, as well as formal Congressional inquiries by
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Grace Napolitano (D-CA).

Speaking last year to an Armenian American gathering at the University
of California at Berkeley, Amb. Evans said, “I will today call it the
Armenian Genocide. . . I informed myself in depth about it. I think
we, the U.S. government, owe you, our fellow citizens, a more frank
and honest way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who has
studied it. there’s no doubt in my mind [as to] what happened . . . I
think it is unbecoming of us, as Americans, to play word games here. I
believe in calling things by their name.”

Referring to the Armenian Genocide as “the first genocide of the 20th
century,” he said: “I pledge to you, we are going to do a better
job at addressing this issue.” Amb. Evans also disclosed that he
had consulted with a legal advisor at the State Department who had
confirmed that the events of 1915 were “genocide by definition.”

Within days after his remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour
of Armenian American communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently
forced to issue a statement clarifying that his references to the
Armenian Genocide were his personal views and did not represent
a change in U.S. policy. He subsequently issued a correction to
this statement, replacing a reference to the Genocide with the word
“tragedy.” Later last year, the American Foreign Service Association
(AFSA), in recognition of his honesty and commitment to principle,
decided to honor Ambassador Evans with the “Christian A. Herter
Award,” recognizing creative thinking and intellectual courage within
the Foreign Service. AFSA states, “The purpose of the [award] is
to encourage Foreign Service career employees to speak out frankly
and honestly.” Sadly, as Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler
revealed on June 9th, AFSA withdrew its award following pressure from
“very serious people from the State Department” just days before
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Washington,
D.C. to meet with President George W. Bush.

CBA CALCULATES COMPOSITE ECONOMIC INDICES FOR FIRST QUARTER OF 2006

Noyan Tapan
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
calculated the composite economic indices for the first quarter of 2006
with respect to the fourth quarter of 2005 – the business environment
index made 107.8 units, the economic activity index – 131.5 units,
and the consumer confidence index – 99.6 units. NT was informed from
the CBA press service that with the aim of calculating the first two
indices, over 600 organizations in industry, construction and the
service sector were surveyed based on a selective principle. The
business environment index is calculated by finding the average
of the organizations’ assessments of the risks and changes in the
overall economic situation, the economic activity index – based on
the average of the organizations’ expectations about output volumes,
orders for production and reserves.

The consumer confidence index is calculated taking into account the
households’ responses about changes in their incomes, expenditures
and employment and their attitude towards the current economic
conditions. The questions have a qualitative character and include such
response options as “grew”, “remained unchanged” and “declined”. After
the survey, the specific weight of each option in the overall number
of responses is calculated, then the specific weight of positive
responses is added to half of the specific weight of neutral responses
to get the balances of the responses. The values range from 0 to 100,
with a value above 50 showing high activity, a value under 50 – low
activity, while 50 means an unchanged state. The CBA has calculated
the composite economic indices since the second quarter of 2005. The
balances of survey responses to calculate the composite economic
indices for the second, third, fourth quarters of 2005 and for the
first quarter of 2006 (with respect to the previous quarter) made:
the business environment index – 53.9, 52.2, 54.1 and 58.3 points,
the economic activity index – 72.2, 71.0, 53.6 and 70.5 points, and
the consumer confidence index – 51.53, 50.9, 51.5 and 51.3 points. The
final indices were calculated as the ratio of the response balances
to the respective index of the base period.