Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

TERRY DAVIS TO VISIT ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 30 2007

Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis will visit Armenia
next week, Special Representative of CE Secretary General on Azerbaijan
Denis Bribosia told APA.

Mr. Bribosia noted that Mr. Davis will be interested in state of
democracy and human rights, forthcoming presidential elections and
other issues. Mr. Bribosia noted that Secretary General is going to
visit Azerbaijan. The date of visit has not yet determined.

ARMENIAN FAITHFUL WELCOME PATRIARCH
Gregg Krupa / The Detroit News

DetNews.com, MI
Oct 30 2007

Visit of His Holiness Karekin II expected to attract 30,000 of
Armenian descent

SOUTHFIELD — For Karen Movsesian and her kids, the three-day visit of
His Holiness Karekin II, the Armenian pontiff, beginning this evening,
is a rare moment that will underscore a lifetime of devotion.

Movsesian’s son and daughter are active at St. John Armenian Church.

Jeff, 19, is a subdeacon who serves on the altar. Emily, 17, is in
the choir and showing enough promise that the church recently sent
her to a seminar for future choir directors in New York.

"This will probably be for me a once-in-a-lifetime thing," said Karen
Movsesian, of Canton Township. "I am in my 40s. I hope my children
will have a chance to see him again.

"This is the head of our church," Karen Movsesian said of Karekin
II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians. "Catholics so
highly regard the pope, and the pope rarely comes to our area. This
is like that."

There are about 1,800 members of St. John, the landmark, golden-domed
church visible from Northwestern Highway, just south of Nine Mile.

Founded in the first century by two of the apostles of Jesus Christ,
Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, the Apostolic Orthodox Armenian
Church is one of the five ancient Eastern Orthodox churches. At the
beginning of the fourth century, Armenia became the first nation in
the world to declare Christianity as its state religion.

Some 1,700 years later, many Armenians are still devoted to the faith,
which parallels Roman Catholicism — with some significant differences,
including allegiance to a different pontiff.

While St. John Armenian is the only church of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern) in Metro Detroit, perhaps 30,000
people of Armenian descent in the area, including those who attend
other Armenian churches not under the aegis of Karekin II, will be
interested in the pontifical visit.

"This will draw a lot of interest in the Armenian community, even
beyond St. John," said Martin Shoushanian, who is assisting with
publicity for the tour in Metro Detroit, the 15th stop for Karekin
II on a tour of the United States.

The pontiff will arrive tonight on a privately chartered jet and
attend some closed functions in the evening before an interfaith
lunch with about two dozen other local clergy at noon Wednesday at
St. John Armenian Church. Then he will attend a service of adoration
at St. John, from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday. Members of the Armenian
Church believe that receiving a blessing from the pontiff during an
adoration service, or Hrashapar, is an important spiritual exercise,
and an honor.

A reception and Armenian heritage show will follow.

On Thursday, Karekin II will visit the Alex & Marie Manoogian
School in the morning and meet with other youths at the St. John
Recreation Center in the afternoon. A celebratory banquet will follow,
during which Karekin II is expected to greet many of the faithful
individually.

"There must be more than 100 people at our church working on this,
on the various committees," said Edward Papelian, 91, of Novi. "It’s
a big deal, believe me. I doubt I will ever see him again."

Officials of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America said that
Karekin II hopes to meet with generations of Armenian Christians about
their faith, tradition and heritage, and to experience the life of
the Armenian community in the United States.

"My son and daughter are very excited about this," Movsesian said.

"This is very much a part of who they are. And we know that he is
a very personable man who is interested in the youth. They are the
future of our church."

l/article?AID=/20071030/LIFESTYLE04/710300380/1041

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: nian.htm

"WE SHOULD MAKE USE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S SUPPORT FOR LEBANON"

SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I AFTER A TRIP TO BELGIUM, SWITZERLAND AND ITALY

Catholicos Aram I met with Patriarch Sfeir today. After the meeting he made
the following statement: "We informed Patriarch Sfeir about our meetings in
Belgium, Switzerland and Italy, which naturally focused on Lebanon. There is
not only a big interest in Lebanon, but also support for it. The
international community is committed to preserving coexistence in Lebanon as
tangible proof of the cohabitation of cultures and religions. It is also
committed to strengthening the sovereignty and integrity of Lebanon."

Talking about his meetings in Italy, the Armenian Pontiff said: "Within the
context of the Saint Egidio international conference in Naples, I had the
honor to be at the same lunch table with Pope Benedictus XVI and the
President of Italy. I seized both opportunities to explain to the Pope, the
President and other prominent individuals around us the situation in Lebanon
and the importance of holding presidential elections. In all of them, I saw
the same preoccupation and the same commitment towards the coexistence of
Lebanon, its unity and sovereignty."

"I also had the opportunity to separately meet the Vatican’s state secretary
H. Em. Card. Tarcisio Bertone. The Vatican is closely acquainted with the
situation in Lebanon and will do its best to bring our country out of its
current deadlock. In this context, I presented some of my own viewpoints and
proposals to the state secretary," continued the Pontiff.

Referring to the current situation in Lebanon, His Holiness added: "I
followed with content the recent positive developments, particularly on the
Christian front. I think Bekerke’s efforts in this direction are worthy of
praise. The process should continue. The differences in opinion should not
become obstacles to dialogue. Lebanon belongs to all of us. Its concerns are
our concerns and its interests are our interests. Therefore, it is essential
for all of us to gather around the interests of our big family, Lebanon,
particularly making use of the support of the international community
towards Lebanon."

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos54.htm#3
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the 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.

Chicago Tribune, IL
Oct 27 2007

Boxers make contact, but still missing
No sign of Ugandans, Armenian who fled

By Shannon Ryan and Angela Rozas | Tribune staff reporters
8:54 PM CDT, October 26, 2007

Two of the three missing boxers who were in Chicago for the World
Boxing Championships have contacted their teams, but two Ugandan
fighters and one from Armenia have not been located.

Ugandans Philip Adyaka, 25, and Sharif Bogere, 19, called their team
Thursday night several hours after the team discovered their luggage
was no longer at the hotel and the boxers did not show up at UIC
Pavilion.

Uganda coach Kent Kibirige Musa said Friday that Adyaka had told him
he was in Canada, while Bogere, the team captain, is "out of
Chicago."

Armenian Vachagan Avagyan, 25, has had no communication with his team
since leaving Wednesday night.

The men were all here legally on 90-day tourist visas.

The teams reported the athletes as missing to the Chicago Police
Department, but the police are treating the case as a "a voluntary,
unauthorized absence," said Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the
department. While there were police reports filed, it was a matter of
following protocol, she said.

Musa said the boxers did not provide many details about their
departures.

" ‘Why did you do that without asking me?’ " Musa said he asked them.
"They say, ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry,’ but give no explanation."

He said he suspects they left to attempt to find better training
outside of their homeland.

"They want to improve," Musa said.

Teammate Edwards Akora, who lost in a light welterweight match to
France’s Alexis Vastine Friday, said Adyaka and Bogere did not give
any hints that they were going to leave the team.

"They just left us," Akora said. "They didn’t give us indication."

Akora said he did not fear for their safety and suspected they were
looking for better boxing opportunities.

"We’re not worried," he said. "Maybe they are looking for greener
pastures."

Eduard Hambardzumyan, an Armenian team member, who advanced after his
light welterweight victory, said Avagyan’s departure baffled him.

"No one expected this to happen," Hambardzumyan said, according to
translator Darja Saar, the secretary of training for the Estonian
team who is familiar with the Armenian team.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Tim Counts said
Friday he could not comment whether his agency had been contacted or
is investigating the incident. But he urged caution in rushing to
judgment on the whereabouts or intentions of the men.

"There has not been any indication they have broken any laws here,"
Counts said. "At this point, there is no one in our custody and it
has not been determined there has been a violation of law."

While emphasizing he was not speaking about this case, Counts said it
is not uncommon for people visiting the United States on guest visas
to attempt to remain here.

"It is, as you might guess, fairly common for people to come here on
a legal visa and violate the terms of that by overstaying," he said.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS ENTER A QUALITATIVELY NEW STAGE

armradio.am
25.10.2007 15:41

The priorities of execution of the Action Plan of the European
Neighborhood Policy were clearly outlined during RA President
Robert Kocharyan’s meetings with EU officials in the framework of his
three-day working visit to the Kingdom of Belgium. RA Foreign Minister
told a press conference today that the president’s visit and meetings
were effective, since these clearly revealed the qualitative change
in Armenia-EU relations on the basis of a fundamentally new document,
the Action Plan.

Armenia can now join the statements of the European Union on foreign
and security policy. The Minister said this is also a new level of
relations, since Armenia is among the countries which know about EU
positions on processes underway in different sites of the world in
advance. According to the Minister’s assessment, qualitative changes
are apparent in economic relations, as well.

RA MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE: GENERAL APPROACHES IN FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION SHOULD BE ELABORATED BASED ON COUNTRIES’ EXPERIENCE

arminfo
2007-10-25 14:18:00

ArmInfo. ‘We believe that in justice to the national education system,
culture, language and traditions, it is necessary to elaborate general
approaches in further development of education based on the experience
of different countries and assure their harmonic implementation>,
RA Minister of Education and Science Levon Lazarian said at today’s
Yerevan 20th session of the Council on cooperation in education of
CIS members-states.

The minister said that the regular meeting indicates that these
permanent and comprehensive sessions not only contribute to the CIS
progress as a form of interstate cooperation but they also become
an efficient mechanism of development of the national education
systems. Developing the cooperation within CIS, Armenia joined the
Bolonian agreement on creation of the European higher education
space. Fundamental values and programmes, envisaged by provisions of
the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Armenia, approved by
RA President’s Decree in 2007, form the basis of reforms in education.

THREE ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN GAIN VICTORIES IN START OF WORLD BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Oct 25, 2007

CHICAGO, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The World Boxing Rating Championship
is being held in Chicago (USA), where those sportsmen, who have
taken first eight places, will be awarded the "Beijing-2008"
olympic passes. Among Armenian sportsmen Azat Hovhannisian (57kg),
Edward Hambardzumian (64kg) and Andranik Hakobian (75kg) have gained
victories in the start, and Hovhannes Danielian (48kg) was defeated
and did not qualify.

Derenik Gijlarian (51kg) will fight on October 25.

"SHERG": ARMENIA TO SEARCH FOR PRETEXT AGAIN
Vusala Rafiggizi

Demaz.org
Oct 24 2007
Azerbaijan

Khazar Ibrahim: "Co-chairs should send their messages to Armenia"
Arrived to Paris co-chairs of OSCE Minsk group will visit the region
late this month. Head of press service of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Azerbaijan, Khazar Ibrahim, informed journalists about it.

Following to him, co-chairs came to Paris to discuss new proposals and
ideas on conflict regulation, term of visits to the region and possible
issues that can be possibly raised before the conflict parties.

Mentioning meeting of co-chairs with the heads of Azerbaijan and
Armenia expected to be held at the time of the visit to the region,
press secretary explained the lack of progress in regulation of
Nagorni Garabagh conflict by non-constructive policy of Yerevan. As
example Khazar Ibrahim mentioned Saint-Petersburg meeting.

Accordingly to him to gain any results for regulation of conflict
co-chairs should send their messages to Armenia. It should be also
mentioned that on the eve of visit of co-chairs to the regions Armenian
officials stated that no changes is expected relating to regulation
of conflict unless upcoming elections to be held in both countries are
over. As for co-chairs’ efforts turning to be of imitation nature after
the above statements Khazar Ibrahim said that despite the statements
of Yerevan officials OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs should send their
messages to them. Press secretary didn’t rule out that Armenia resorts
to elections to prolong the peace talk process. As for initiative on
paying visit on the part of Kazaks of Transdnestria to Armenia and
Nagorni Garabagh with the purpose of regulation of the problem via
"people’s diplomacy", representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Azerbaijan said that before some trends to use "people’s diplomacy"
was traced within talk process.

Reminding the visit paid to the region by Ambassador, Polad Bulbuloglu,
press secretary said that such visits are realized without governmental
agreements. Taking into consideration new proposals press secretary
stated that Ministry of Foreign Affairs received no appeals in this
connection.

While Iranian president expressed his attitude to creation of
organization on cooperation between Caspian countries, Khazar Ibrahim
informed that every Caspian country can forward such kind of idea.

"Every country has right to forward initiative. However bringing
forward such imitative is not the major issue as such decision should
taken at the table". Representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
also said that region includes not only Caspian countries; Black Sea
countries, Central Asia, Iraq and other countries are also referred
to it. Stating that regulation of Nagorni Garabagh conflict is very
important for this region, Khazar Ibrahim said that it is Armenia that
causes problems for security of the whole region. Reminding Armenian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, V. Oskanyan’s statement concerning sending
out foreign experts to Nakhchivan in connection with destruction
of Armenian graves there press secretary said that Azerbaijan
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmar Mamadyarov, while addressing
UNESCO emphasized the fact of destruction of Azerbaijani historical
monuments by Armenians on occupied territories of Azerbaijan. "If
Vardan Oskanyan demands sending out foreign experts to Nakhchivan
in this case experts should visit whole region and closely witness
Armenians’ actions. It will be known then to what Armenia resorted
in order to destroy Azerbaijani historical monuments". Once again
press secretary touched position of official Baku to the conflict
in question. Speaking of bringing forward all-state principle again
during the visit of co-chairs Khazar Ibrahim made known that this
idea is not included in the agenda

IRANIAN LEADER BREAKS OFF ARMENIAN VISIT

RIA Novosti
Oct 23 2007
Russia

YEREVAN, October 23 (RIA Novosti) – Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad has unexpectedly cut his two-day visit to Yerevan short,
cancelling his remaining plans, the Armenian president’s press service
said Tuesday.

Viktor Sogomonyan, the Armenian president’s press secretary, said
Ahmadinejad, who arrived in Yerevan Monday, had returned to Tehran
early due to unforeseen circumstances in Iran.

"This will in no way affect the quality of Armenian-Iranian talks
conducted at a high level or the implementation of agreements,"
the press secretary said.

Sogomonyan said the Iranian leader had discussed with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan prospects for expanding bilateral political
and economic cooperation, which was followed by a meeting between
official delegations and a briefing.

Ahmadinejad also delivered a lecture at Yerevan State University on
human rights.

The Iranian leader planned to speak at the country’s National Assembly,
visit the Blue Mosque in the country’s capital and a controversial
memorial commemorating victims of an Armenian genocide by the Ottoman
Empire in 1915.

The IRNA news agency said that Ahmadinejad had completed the visit
agenda and the Iranian delegation was returning to Tehran.

ARMENIAN PAINTER WINS IN UN CONTEST OF YOUNG PAINTERS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 22, 2007

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Mariam Marukian,
a thirteen year-old girl from Armenia, is among the 6 winners
of the International Contest of Young Painters. She was handed a
corresponding diploma by Sha Zukang, the UN Under-Secretary General,
during the solemn award-giving ceremony held in the UN headquarters
on October 17, which was organized within the frameworks of the events
dedicated to the International Day for Poverty Reduction.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the Press
and Information Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
the contest was organized in Armenia by the Office of the UN Public
Information Department in Armenia.

12000 works were introduced from almost all the countries of the world,
including 471 from Armenia. The paintings of the six winners will be
depicted on the 2008 postage-stamps issued by the UN. Mariam, in fact,
is the only winner, who represents the European continent.

The permanent representation of Armenia in the UN turned to the
Armenian General Benevolent Union with the request to provide the
participation of Mariam in the contest after learning about the success
of the Armenian painter. The Armenian General Benevolent Union took the
expenses of the journey of Mariam and her teacher R. Hakobian to New
York and their living expenses upon itself with generosity. Karekin
II, the Catholicos of All Armenians, and First Lady Bella Kocharian
also took part in this undertaking.

Mariam is parentless, she lives in Yerevan with her grandmother and
attends the painting classes of Ruzanna Hakobian in the youthful
center of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Armenian General Benevolent Union.

The works of the Armenian painters presented in the contest were
honored with the praising of the international jury for a high
aesthetical quality.