Author: Kajoyan Gevork

IMPLEMENTATION OF "ARMENIAN BUILD ON FAITH" PROJECT STARTS

Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The solemn opening ceremony of
the "Catholicos Karekin II Work Project – Armenian Build on Faith"
construction project was held in the Yerevan "Armenia Marriott"
hotel on September 4, under the high chairmanship of Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. As Noyan Tapan
was informed by the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, after the Lord’s Prayer, His Holiness addressed his
blessing to volunteers, gathered in Armenia from different countries
of the world, who will implement their program.

His Holiness Patriarch touched upon the agreement signed between
the Armenian Apostolic Surb (Saint) Church and Habitat based on the
proposal got from the Habitat board and diocesan primates of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, expressing appreciation to the Habitat
International board, in the person of organization representative
doctor Kenneth Benson as well as Bob Edgar, the General Secretary
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, who
closely cooperate with dioceses, churchmen and communities of the
Armenian Church.

His Holiness expressed confidence that this cooperation between the
Church and Habitat will be continuous, and a greater number of flats
will be jointly built in Armenia for needy Armenian sons.

Within the framework of the "Catholicos Karekin II Work Project:
Armenian Build on Faith" construction project, Habitat Armenia
organization will complete this year construction of 37 houses which
will symbolize the Mother See of the Armenian Apostolic Church with
its 36 dioceses. Within the framework of the project, a series
of international volunteers will participate on September 4-9 in
the final stage of construction works of a 24-apartment building in
Gavar. On September 5, works will start in the city of Gavar where all
international and local volunteers will join to beneficiary families
of Armenian Habitat to bring to end construction of the latters’
flats. The house blessing and opening ceremony of the building will
take place on September 9.

"Catholicos Karekin II Work Project – Armenian Build on Faith"
construction program was created this April 20, based on a Memorandum
of Understanding signed at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin between
International Habitat and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Under
leadership of Karekin II, the Armenian Apostolic Church was for
the first time involved in the Habitat activity in 2005, within
the framework of the Jimmy Carter Work Project in the U.S. state
of Michigan. And the cooperation between the Armenian Apostolic
Church and International Habitat was stated just during that period
of time. The Armenian Habitat organization started functioning in
2000. It has built 209 houses by now, for more than 1000 needy people.

TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, GERMAN PARLIAMENTARIAN CONSIDERS

ArmRadio.am
04.09.2006 13:58

"Turkey should recognize the crime committed against the Armenian
nation during Ottoman rule," said members of the Social Democratic
Party of Germany, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary German-Caucasian
Friendship Group Yorg Taus.

The politician noted that Germany is interested in the stable
development of the South Caucasus, ArmInfo reports. "Germany is
interested in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan primarily from economic
and political perspectives. By the way, the interest is not restricted
to the existence of oil in Azerbaijan.

The region is attractive from perspective of strategic importance
and closeness to Iran," he noted.

"Negotiations are under way between Armenia and Azerbaijan on
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as the
closed borders and the relations with Turkey. All the enlisted
aspects have negative impact on the development of relations," the
German Parliamentarian noted, adding that Germany stands for the
balanced development in the region. Yorg Taus is optimistic about
the opportunity of settlement of the conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

US EMBASSY URGES ARMENIAN OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE
CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

Yerevan, September 1. ArmInfo. There has been a great deal of media
commentary in recent days about an alleged tape that the
U.S. Ambassador is said to have conveyed to President Kocharian
implicating Nature Protection Minister Vardan Ayvazian for
corruption. The press release of the US Embassy in Yerevan states that
the American side is unaware of the existence of any such tape, and
has not conveyed any tape to the President. ‘We have a continuing
dialogue with Armenian government officials at many levels on the
well-known problem of official corruption. When we become aware of
credible allegations of corruption, we of course convey this
information to appropriate Armenian officials at a high level. We
strongly urge Armenian officials to investigate and prosecute
corruption allegations, and especially those involving government
ministers or other senior officials. Armenia cannot develop into a
fully successful democratic and economically sound state without
assurance of integrity at all levels of government,’ says the
published statement.

National youth football teams of Armenia and Norway to meet in Yerevan

ArmRadio.am
02.09.2006 12:44

In the second qualification round of the Euro 2007 the national youth
team of Armenia will meet today the team of Norway. Edgar Manucharyan
will not play for the national team, since the leadership of the Dutch
`Ajax’ club did not permit him to leave for Armenia. Zhora
Hovhannisyan, playing for a Greek team, refused to participate in the
match of the national team.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Karabakh Grateful to Diaspora for Invaluable Assistance
01.09.2006 16:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Artsakh appreciates greatly the Diaspora’s
assistance rendered for the formation of the young state, Nagorno
Karabakh President Arkady Ghukasian said in an interview with Azat
Artsakh newspaper. In his words, thanks to the close cooperation with
the Diaspora, hundreds of kilometers of roads, dozens of schools and
other social institutions were built in Nagorno Karabakh.

`It’s time for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation between
Artsakh and Diaspora, though I by no means diminish the importance of
the humanitarian assistance rendered by our compatriots. I think that
the Diaspora, first of all in the United States and France, could
render efficient assistance in the political field, that is for the
international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. I am
convinced that during 15 years of its existence the NKR has asserted
the right for an independent state. I would like to express my deep
gratitude to those who made contribution to Artsakh’s renaissance,’
the NKR leader underscored.

Islamic leader’s "jihad" remarks not official Baku’s stance – Armenian
minister

Regnum, Moscow
1 Sep 06

1 September: "It is good, when a man has hopes, and it is good when he
does not build up his hopes," Armenian Defence Minister Serzh
Sarkisyan told journalists at the Monte Melkonyan Military College on
1 September, when commenting on the settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict.

He said that it is impossible to live without hope and belief, but one
should not have great expectations, since they could fail and this is
tragic.

Speaking about intention by the chairman of the Spiritual Board of the
Muslims of the Caucasus, Allahsukur Pasazada, to announce a jihad to
Armenia, the minister pointed out that "the sheikh has nothing to do
with the Azerbaijani authorities", a Regnum news agency correspondent
reported. "Will this have an impact on the development of events or
not…[ellipsis as published]. But he did not say anything. He said
that if negotiations do not produce normal results, he will announce a
jihad. It means that nothing has happened for the time being," the
minister noted.

Pasadena Star-News, CA
Sept 1 2006

Diplomat’s assassin denied parole

LOS ANGELES – Parole was denied Thursday for an Armenian immigrant
serving a 25-year-to-life term for the 1982 murder of a Turkish
diplomat, who was shot 14 times in the head and chest as he sat in
his car near Westwood.

Hampig "Harry" M. Sassounian, who admitted his role in the Jan. 28,
1982, assassination of Turkish Consul General Kemal Arikan more than
20 years after the crime, will have to wait until 2010 for a second
chance at release, said Sandi Gibbons of the Los Angeles County
District Attorney’s office.

Sassounian’s attorney, Mark Geragos, did not immediately return a
call seeking comment.

Sassounian was originally sentenced in 1984 to life behind bars
without the possibility of parole for the ambush slaying.

In 2000, a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel overturned the
Pasadena man’s life-without-parole sentence.

The three-justice panel, citing juror misconduct, reversed the
special circumstance finding that Arikan was killed because of his
national origin but upheld his murder conviction.

Prosecutors were poised to retry the special circumstance allegation
but agreed not to do so after Sassounian read a statement in court
admitting his guilt and renouncing terrorism.

A judge subsequently sentenced Sassounian to the 25-year-to-life
term, with the possibility of parole.

"I participated in the murder of Kemal Arikan," Sassounian said
during the 2002 Los Angeles Superior Court hearing. "I have been
legally convicted of that crime. I renounce the use of terrorist
tactics such as the assassination of diplomats to achieve political
goals."

Arikan, 54, was shot at close range in the head and chest by two
armed men when he stopped his car on Wilshire Boulevard on his way to
the Turkish consulate in Beverly Hills.

During the trial, a jailhouse informant testified that Sassounian,
then a 19-year-old security guard, told him he killed Arikan to "get
revenge on what the Turkish people did to his people."

Ottoman Turks killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-18
in their historic homeland in eastern Turkey.

REPORT FAULTS GOVT DEPARTMENTS
By Standard Reporters

Standard, Kenya
Aug. 31, 2006

The Kiruki Commission report exposes incompetence in some key
Government departments.

The Commission criticises the Immigration for the way it handled the
Artur brothers’ applications to do business in the country.

Sources say the committee made several recommendations, including
overhauling the department, which is accused of giving leeway to
criminals to enter the country and do business.

It also notes several irregularities in the deportation of Artur
Margaryan Artur Sargasyan, and their two Tanzanian accomplices.

Prohibited immigrants

The report notes that the Arturs could still return to Kenya because
their passports were never stamped to indicate they had been deported.

When applying for entry permits, the Arturs did not give all the
required details in their application forms- such as their photographs
and addresses.

Sources say the Commission recommended that before deportations,
deportees’ photographs and fingerprints should be taken.

Deportees’ passports should be stamped "prohibited immigrants" and
their particulars circulated to Interpol, says the report.

The report also recommends that Kenyan visas should be upgraded to
tamper-proof ones. It notes that visas in use are "wet stamp", which
could be easily produced by criminals.

Forged documents

During its public sittings in Nairobi, the Commission was told that
some foreigners were issued with Kenyan visas on arrival at airports.

The report recommends that such visas should be issued by
professionally trained officers in Kenyan missions abroad.

Also put under the spotlight is the Registrar of Companies department,
with recommendations that the office overhauls its systems.

During sittings, the Commission heard that forged documents were used
to register the two companies associated with the Arturs.

The office is asked to enforce a requirement to de-register any company
found to have been fraudulently registered. To protect the public
from dealing with shadowy firms, regulations on forming companies
should be published, the report is further quoted.

Surveillance cameras

It recommends that the companies’ registry be computerised "as a
matter of urgency". Staff should also be punished for misconduct.

It further recommends that the area for conducting searches for
company names be fitted with surveillance cameras.

It also recommends that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) scraps the
office of deputy managing director and re-organises its top management.

Sources say the commission’s report falls short of terming the post
illegal, adding that it is not recognised by the KAA Act.

Ms Naomi Cidi held the position before President Kibaki suspended
her on June 12. The report also terms the position a burden to KAA.

Procedure for issuing passes

During its public hearings in July, the commission was told that a
deputy director held the responsibility of issuing access passes to
deserving persons.

It was told that the Arturs and their associates were irregularly
issued passes to all airports. The pink passes allowed them access
to aircraft, posing a serious threat to security, especially in the
wake of the terrorism threat.

However, Cidi denied the claims at the time insisting that it was
her boss, Mr George Muhoho, who issued the Arturs with passes.

In its report, the commission recommends that the procedure for
issuing passes should be overhauled.

But the report also urges the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify
to its protocol officers who should be accorded VIP treatment.

Managing security

The commission also recommends that the police force be subjected to
a management audit.

It criticises Police Commissioner, Maj-Gen Hussein Ali, for ignoring
the chain of command. The audit, those privy to the report say,
should find out whether the leadership structure is up to the task
of managing security.

The commission is said to have demanded that redundant structures be
done away with and the competence of police officers be scrutinised.

The commission accuses Ali of ignoring his immediate juniors and
dealing with those at lower ranks, such as the Deputy Provincial
Criminal Investigation Officer, Mr Isaiah Osugo.

Ali’s decision was allegedly interpreted by the mass media as evidence
of hostile relations between him and Mr Joseph Kamau, the CID director.

Interpol section

Another concern raised by the report was that information received on
activities of the Armenian brothers from Interpol in Yerevan, Armenia,
was never shared among different formations of the police force.

The report recommends that the Kenya Police Interpol section be
overhauled.

The commission was, according to those privy to the report, perturbed
by the lack of commitment among police officers deployed at the
airport on June 8.

The commissioners are said to have reported that police officers on
duty on that day, apart from one CID corporal, failed to assist a
customs officer who was assaulted by Mr Artur Margaryan.

The commission is said to have observed that the officers showed a
lot of lethargy, ineptitude and recklessness.

Those privy to the report also said that the commission found it
strange that the Artur brothers were not disarmed when they brandished
weapons at members of the public.

The commission is said to have recommended that changes be made in
the police force.

AS OF JUNE 30, 2006 TOTAL PUBLIC DEBT OF ARMENIA MAKES AMD 540,329 MLN

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 31, 2006

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. As of June 30, 2006, total public debt
of Armenia made AMD 540329 million. The RA National Statistic Service
(NSS) informed ARKA Agency that according to the preliminary data of
the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, the internal debt amounted
to AMD 55220 million, and the foreign debt – AMD 485109 million,
or $1158,4 million.

The analysis of dynamics of Armenia’s public debt showed that, as of
January-June 2006, the amount of the debt in AMD equivalent reduced
by 1,1% (or by AMD 5,9 billion). ($1 – AMD 396,54).

INDIAN JEWELRY PRODUCTION TO BE PRESENTED AT ARMENIA-MARRIOTT HOTEL
By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily
31/08/2006

Today, an Indian delegation of the board of jewelry export promotion
will present jewelry production of India at the Armenia-Marriott
Hotel. The board uniting 7.000 jewelers was founded in 1966 and aims at
encouraging the export of diamond, precious stones, synthetic stones,
jewelry and pearls from India.

During the stay the Indian delegation will meet businessmen and
customers as well as will discuss creation of joint companies in
this sphere.