Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

4.238 BILLION DRAMS FOR CHARITY IN 2006

KarabakhOpen
07-04-2007 11:37:10

In 2006 charity programs of 4 billion 238 million drams were
implemented.

The vice premier of NKR, the head of the NKR Central Committee on
Humanitarian Aid Ararat Danelyan told Mediamax that the charity funds
on social and economic programs grew by 9.5 percent compared with 2005.

Ararat Danielyan said in 2006 Nagorno Karabakh received humanitarian
aid of 66 million 85 thousand drams which was spent on medicine,
medical equipment and computers.

Presently over 20 companies are implementing charity and humanitarian
programs in NKR, as well individuals from Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia,
the U.S., France, Germany and Russia.

The organizations and individuals implementing humanitarian and charity
programs are exempt from the VAT by a decision of the Committee.

"Charity and humanitarian programs are important for the solution
of social problems and creation and development of infrastructures
in NKR. They help to spare significant budget funds, which helps
speed up long-term social and economic development of the country,"
Ararat Danielyan said.

TERM OF ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN’S ARREST PROLONGED FOR OTHER 2 MONTHS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Court of 1st Instance of the Yerevan
communities of Kentron and Nork Marash prolonged on April 4 for other
2 months the term of arrest of Zhirayr Sefilian, the coordinators of
the "In Defence of Liberated Territories" public initiative. As the
Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Zh. Sefilian’s defender
Ara Zakarian, they intend to appeal the court decision at the Court
of Appeal on Criminal Cases.

To recap, coordinator of the "In Defence of Liberated Territories"
public initiative, commander of the "Shushi" battalion was arrested
on December 10, 2006 and accused of making public statements on
calls addresssed to violently changing the RA constitutional order
(Article 301 of the RA Criminal Code).

TWO INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUMS COMPETE FOR YEREVAN THERMAL POWER PLANT RECONSTRUCTION

Armenpress
Apr 04 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: Two international consortiums have
submitted bids for a major reconstruction of the Yerevan Thermal
Power Plant, it has emerged today.

The first consortium comprises the Japanese Mitsiui, South Korean
GS and German Alston companies and the second is made up of German
Siemens, South Korean Samsung and Japanese Sumito Mill.

Hovakim Hovhanesian, director general of the power plant, said they
were assessing now the bids, which may take up to 90 days, but he
said the Armenian side will try to step up this process and announce
the winner’s name as soon as possible.

The reconstruction of the Yerevan Thermal Power is planned to start
in 2008 February. According to preliminary estimates, it will take
28 months.

The Japanese International Cooperation Bank will release a 16 billion
Japanese Yens ($150 million) credit to Armenia. Hovhanesian said
under the agreement, all payments will be made in Yens in order to
avoid fluctuations of the U.S. Dollar’s value.

Under the reconstruction plan, the government plans to build a new
unit with 230 megawatt capacity, which will reduce the cost of one
kilowatt/hour of electricity. Another positive outcome will be less
environmental pollution, which now exceeds the permissible level.

The reconstruction plan has been designed jointly by the power plant’s
experts and Japanese TEPSCO company. It was then examined and approved
by the International Cooperation Bank of Japan.

Experts say the modernization will result in reducing the prime cost
of 1 kilowatt/hour electricity from current 400 drams to 160-170
drams. The updated plant is expected to produce one sixth of the
overall domestic power demand.

The power plant was removed from the list of state-owned enterprises
subject to privatization, as demanded by the credit agreement.

The credit will be released at 0.75 percent interest rate for 40
years and a 10 year grace period.

The plant was built in Yerevan outskirts in the 1950-s and has been
working with no major reconstruction for over 40 years already and
has fully exhausted its operational potential.

PROGRAMS OF FURNISHING OF SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS ARE IMPLEMENTED IN ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH WITH ASSISTANCE OF "HAYASTAN" FUND LOCAL BODY OF FRANCE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Programs of furnishing of schools and
kindergartens are implemented in Armenia and Artsakh with assistance of
the "Hayastan" (Armenia) All-Armenian Fund local body of France. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Public Relations Department of
the fund, works of furnishing to a total value of 288 thousand
U.S. dollars were done in Armenia and Artsakh from 2004 till now. It
was also mentioned that after finishing the works of furnishing, the
fund benefactors often finance more fundamental works at the given
educational institutions, as for example, fundamental restoration
of the roof, construction of a boiler-house or new sewerage system,
placing of new doors and windows.

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:

TEN GIRLS MARKING THE MEMORY OF THE TEN MAIDENS RECEIVE HIS HOLINESS’
BLESSINGS

A large crowd of believers gathered in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator
Cathedral in Antelias on April 3 to commemorate the memory of the Ten
Maidens. The service, held annually on the Tuesday of the last week of Great
Lent, was based on the story of the Parable of the Ten Maidens told by Jesus
Christ.

While the Bible was being read during the service, 10 Armenian girls from
Yeghishe Manoukian College stood up with candles in their hands. The five
among them, who had "intelligent" written on the papers distributed to them,
kept their candles lit. The other five, whose papers said "stupid", blew off
their candles signifying the two groups of people in society. The five
intelligent girls symbolized the group of people ready for Jesus Christ’s
coming like the five Maidens in the story. The rest represented indifferent
people, who go through their daily lives far from Christian principles.

At the end of the service, the Ten Maidens followed Rev. Fr. Sdepanos
Pashayan into the Veharan (residence of the Catholicos), where His Holiness
Aram I welcomed them with gifts and blessings. He praised their interest in
the traditions of the Armenian Church and advised them to always follow
their Church and its rich ritualistic heritage.

##
View the photos here:

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT DISCUSSES US RADAR PLANS ON VISIT TO ARMENIA – PAPER

Iravunk, Yerevan
30 Mar 07

Text of Piruza Meliksetyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Iravunk on
30 March headlined "They also discussed the radar problem"

The one-day visit to Armenia by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
has not been covered very well. But it is clear that the state
functionaries who are very busy would hardly meet up in Tsakhkadzor
just to ski.

A Georgian source of Iravunk says that during his talk with [Armenian
President] Robert Kocharyan who is considered to be a "strategic
partner" of Russia, the American "operator" in the South Caucasus,
Mikheil Saakashvili, also touched (naturally on behalf of the
Americans) on the attitude of Armenia and specifically, Akhalkalaki
towards the American programme to set up a radar station in the
South Caucasus.

He carefully tried to clarify the position of the Armenian leadership
and whether the Armenians of Javakhk [Georgia’s Armenian-populated
region of Javakheti] will oppose this programme. According to the
same source, in return for the loyalty of the Armenian leadership and
Javakhk, Saakashvili even promised that the USA will "turn a blind
eye" to the problem of the legitimacy of the parliamentary election
in Armenia.

AZERBAIJANI AIRCRAFTS SHOWN NEAR FRONT LINE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 30 2007

Azerbaijan’s Military Air Forces made peaceful air-show near the
front line today, APA’s Karabagh bureau reports.

The air maneuvers of the fighter aircrafts and helicopters aroused
interest in local residents and inspired high spiritual mood in them.

The Defense Ministry’s press service said the flights were demonstrated
in accordance with the training program of the Military Air Forces.

ISRAEL’S LAND-GRAB CAMPAIGN IN OLD CITY’S MUSLIM QUARTER

AJP and Agencies
Al-Jazeera Network, Qatar
March 30 2007

The Israeli project in the Muslim quarter is the first since Israel
seized the Old City

The Israeli government is supporting a land-grab campaign that involves
the construction of a Jewish settlement in the Muslim quarter of
Jerusalem’s Old City.

The construction of new homes for Jewish settlers in the Muslim quarter
is the first since Israel took control over the Old City nearly four
decades ago.

The project, called the Flowers Gate development plan, would involve
the construction of more than 20 apartments to expand an adjacent
enclave that only houses two Jewish families. The Israelis also plan to
build a domed synagogue that would alter the skyline of the Old City.

The plan is part of a growing land-grab campaign by Jewish settler
organizations to change the ethnic and physical character of the Old
City’s oldest Arab neighborhoods.

The Israeli government finances the projects that meet the settlers’
goals, which they say would ensure that Israel gets the Old City and
a nearby valley known as the Holy Basin in any final peace agreement
with the Palestinians.

Surrounded by crenelated walls, the Old City is divided into four
quarters — Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim — that contain
some of the holiest sites in Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

The settler organization Ateret Cohanim already began showing
prospective settlers the piece of land designated for the synagogue
and apartments.

Israel’s move to expand the Jewish presence in the Old City and Holy
Basin, a cause of serious concern over the past century, had been
largely dormant since a 1992 state commission found that government
agencies were illegally channeling public money to private settler
organizations.

Palestinian landlord Nasser Karain, whose home is at the center of
the Israelis’ "land-grab" campaign, said that his Jewish neighbors,
whose children are escorted to school by armed guards, have offered
several times to buy his property for millions of dollars. He refused
the most recent bid just months ago.

"I wouldn’t want anyone in this place except family," said Karain,
born 63 years ago in the house he inherited from his father. "I’d be
afraid they’d sell to settlers."

Israel seized the Old City, the Holy Basin valley and the rest of
East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War.

It later annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognized
internationally.

The Jewish population of the Old City, all lives in the Jewish quarter,
makes up about 9 percent of the city’s 35,400 residents.

About 250,000 Palestinians live in East Jerusalem.

Israel considers all of Jerusalem its "eternal and indivisible
capital".

But the Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of an
independent future state they hope to establish in the occupied West
Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

ARMENIANS AND ITALIANS HAVE MUCH IN COMMON, WHICH WILL HELP TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL TIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.03.2007 18:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Italy’s newly appointed Ambassador to Armenia
Massimo Lavezzo Cassinelli presented his credentials to Armenian
President Robert Kocharian.

"Armenian-Italian cultural and economic relations significantly
activated in the time of Italy’s former ambassador to Armenia and
it would be good if the new ambassador continues to work in that
direction," Robert Kocharian said. In his part Ambassador Cassinelli
noted that Armenians and Italians have much in common. "It assured
me that strengthening of bilateral ties will not be difficult. I
am going to concentrate on cooperation and development in small and
medium scale business," the Ambassador stressed.

Robert Kocharian assured Cassinelli that the Armenian side is ready
to assist him in all his beginnings, the RA presidential Press
Office reports.

ANKARA RESTORES ARMENIAN CHURCH

Story from BBC NEWS:
europe/6505927.stm
Published: 2007/03/29 15:25:06 GMT

Turkey has renovated a 1,100-year-old church in the east of the
country, in what is seen as a gesture to improve ties with neighbouring
Armenia.

The ceremony on Akdamar island on Lake Van was attended by senior
Armenian officials, despite the two countries’ lack of diplomatic ties.

The mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 left profound
scars and bitterness.

About 70,000 Armenians live in Turkey today. The church will now be
a museum.

Plea for worship

Patriarch Mesrob II, spiritual leader of Turkey’s tiny Armenian
Orthodox community, told several hundred people at the ceremony that
the government should open up the restored church for worship at
least once a year.

He said the move would help reconciliation between Turks and Armenians.

"If our government approves, it will contribute to peace between
two communities who have not been able to come together for years,"
he said.

Turkish Culture Minister Attila Koc said Ankara would consider the
request.

But the head of Armenia’s Apostolic Church, Garegin II, declined
Ankara’s invitation to attend the ceremony because the church will
no longer function as a place of worship.

So far Turkey has ignored calls to place a cross on the conical roof.

Future projects

The Church of Surp Khach – or Holy Cross – is one of the finest
surviving monuments of Armenian culture in the region. Its location
is called Akhtamar in Armenian.

It had long been left empty and neglected, its intricate wall carvings
depicting biblical scenes crumbling.

The Turkish government spent $1.5m (£763,000) on its restoration,
which took 18 months to complete.

The 20-strong Armenian delegation of architects, engineers and
archaeologists attending the ceremony was headed by Deputy Culture
Minister Gagik Gyurjyan.

Mr Gyurjyan said they were not in Turkey just to witness the renovation
of the church, which was built between 915-921.

"We think we can discuss new projects regarding the future," he said,
according to Turkey’s Anatolia news agency.

"Our experts can co-operate in many areas including archaeology,
architecture and industry."

Border closed

But relations between the two countries remain tense.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in the 1990s to support
Azerbaijan in its dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. To get
to Akdamar, Armenian officials had to travel via Istanbul or Georgia.

Armenians say 1.5 million of their people were killed in a genocide by
Ottoman Turks during World War I, either through systematic massacres
or through starvation.

More than a dozen countries, various international bodies and many
Western historians agree that it was genocide.

Turkey says there was no genocide. It acknowledges that many Armenians
died, but says the figure was below one million.

Police reportedly detained five trade unionists who staged a
demonstration on a jetty on Lake Van to protest against the church’s
restoration.

The protesters carried Turkish flags, pictures of modern Turkey’s
founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and a banner reading: "The Turkish
people are noble. They would never commit genocide", Anatolia news
agency said.

–Boundary_(ID_OM8cI71CDQCMJTemAjnEYQ)–