Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Pan Armenian News

ARMENIA’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN

20.09.2005 04:13

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Growth of Productivity and Competitive Ability: Strategy
of Sustainable Development of Armenia forum, organized by Armenia 2020,
opened in Yerevan today. During the opening ceremony Armenian President’s
Advisor for Economic Issues Vahram Nersisyan read R. Kocharian’s message to
the forum participants. His message specifically said, «Initiatives of the
kind are useful to our country. We appreciate efforts of organizers,
directors and project participants. Sustainable development of Armenia is
our goal.» NA Speaker A. Baghdassaryan welcomed the forum participants on
behalf of the Parliament. He noted that «strategic elaboration is available
in all fields in Armenia.» He noted light industry among the promising
fields, adding «a business plan should be arranged to define the priority
fields.» It should be noted that the forum will discuss opportunities and
prospects of development of individual sectors, specifically, IT, tourism,
health and others. Besides, the outcomes of the Approaches to the Future of
Armenia research, held by Armenian and American sociologists will be
analyzed. Program of further actions is expected to be worked out resulting
from the forum. Over 350 Armenian and foreign large entrepreneurs, officials
and NGO representatives take part in the forum.

Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
Sept 16 2005

Ahmadinejad discusses key int’l issues with prominent figures

United Nations, New York, Sept 16, IRNA

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here Thursday discussed issues of
mutual interest and key international development with prominent
world figures on the sidelines of the UN summit.

In a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili, the
Iranian president called for closer and broader cooperation between
Iran and Georgia in different domains, especially in the cultural
field.

Ahmadinejad said numerous commonalties shared by the Iranian and
Georgian nations give an impetus to promotion of cooperation and
bilateral ties.

He welcomed an invitation by Saakashvili to visit Georgia and said he
will visit the country on an appropriate time.

Saakashvili said his country admires the noble Iranian nation with
their great civilization and rich culture.

He said he believes Iran is playing an important role in the
international and regional relations.

He said his country is ready to promote ties with Iran.

In another meeting, Ahmadinejad and his Belarussian counterpart
Alexander Lukashenko agreed the foreign ministers of the two
countries would explore avenues for promotion of bilateral relations
and draw up the agenda for the next meeting of the Iranian and
Belarussian heads of state.

In a separate meeting, Ahmadinejad and his Tajik counterpart Imomali
Rakhmonov stressed expansion of all-out ties between the two
countries.

Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad and Armenian Prime Minister Andrinik Margaryan
stressed the two countries’ willingness to promote mutual ties and
cooperation.

MORE THAN HALF WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTIONS

A1+
| 12:32:10 | 19-09-2005 | Social |

The elections of the local governing bodies started yesterday. Before
the official data about the results of the elections and the percent
of participation of the electors we will represent the results of
our internet poll.

Asked the question “Will you participate in the upcoming elections of
local governing bodies” 55.8% of the readers said they would not. 34.2%
said they would. 6.1% said they would if they were not busy on the
election day. And 3.9% were undecided.

The poll question this week is “Will you participate in the
Constitutional Referendum? ” We expect your active participation.

COLLECTIVE PEACEMAKING FORCES TO BE CREATED IN CSTO

MOSCOW, SEPTEMBER 15. ARMINFO. It is planned to create both collective
peacemaking forces and collective forces on cooperation in emergency
situations within the CSTO framework, CSTO Secretary General Nikolay
Bordyuja informed journalists today.

Collective peacemaking forces within the CSTO framework will differ
markedly from the same sub-units within the CIS. In particular, they
will take part in peacemaking operations of all the CSTO
member-states, but not only of Russia’s. Besides, they will prepare
specified type sub-units for participation in joint operations, RBK
informs.

Collective forces will include rescuers’ and
sanitary-and-epidemiological detachments, as well as police forces for
providing the order in disaster areas.

Bordyuja also informed that the CSTO is preparing a draft agreement on
recognizing extremist organizations out of law in territories of the
CSTO member-states. He explained that “some extremist organizations
repulsed in one state pass on to other one and act there”. In his
words, a list of terrorist and extremist organizations posing a threat
to collective security of the CSTO member-states has been already
formed.

Bordyuja also informed that the CSTO and NATO are going to negotiate
shortly on issues of cooperation activation.

COMPANY MAZ TO EXPORT 100 CARS TO ARMENIA IN 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Belarusian company MAZ, which
is taking part in the Armenia Expo 2005 exhibition that opened in
Yerevan on September 14, plans to export 100 trucks and dump trucks to
Armenia in 2006, which will exceed twofold this year’s
index. According to Stepan Abramovich, Head of the company’s
Department for Export to CIS and Central Asian Countires, out of the
50 trucks envisaged to be exported to Armenia this year, 30 ones have
already been transported to the country.

MAZ started exporting trucks to Armenia two years ago. The company’s
main Armenian customer is the Yerevan Brandy Plant. Construction and
mining indusrty companies have also begun to order cars due to the
economic growth in the country. Although in terms of quality MAZ
production is not inferior to that of other foreign companies, its
trucks are cheaper by almost 50%.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 15 2005

President receives EU envoy

Baku, September 14, AssA-Irada

President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by the European
Union (EU) special envoy on South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie on
Wednesday.
Issues related to the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
over Upper Garabagh, Azerbaijan’s parliamentary elections due in
November and Azerbaijan-EU cooperation were discussed.*

European Report
September 14, 2005

EU/TURKEY: ANKARA MAKING HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRESS BUT PROBLEMS REMAIN,
SAYS REHN

Turkey has made progress on human rights but there are still blots on
its copybook. That was the message from EU Enlargement Commissioner
Olli Rehn, appearing before the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs
Committee on September 13.

Commissioner Rehn said the “overall trend” in Turkey on human rights
was positive. He referred to the entry into force in June of a new
penal code and five other pieces of legislation relevant to the human
rights situation and the rule of law. He added that reforms were
being gradually implemented and that there were “increasing signs”
that the judiciary was enforcing them in areas such as torture and
ill-treatment.

But Mr Rehn also said that there were still some ‘refusniks’ in the
Turkish judiciary resisting the reform process, and certain worrying
cases which he described as “road accidents which we cannot consider
positively”. He referred in particular to the prosecution of the
writer Orhan Pamuk, who faces jail for comments he made about
Turkey’s killing of Armenians and Kurds and alleged “public
denigration” of Turkish identity.

Mr Pamuk is due to stand trial on December 16 – a fact Mr Rehn judged
more a provocation than a coincidence, as the date will be exactly
one year on from when EU leaders agreed in late 2004 that accession
negotiations with Turkey should be opened on October 3 this year.

Mr Rehn noted that a European Commission progress report due out on
November 9 would look at the human rights situation in Turkey,
including the rights of women, trade unions and non-Muslims. Turkey’s
reform resolve on political matters such as human rights will no
doubt influence the pace of negotiations once they get underway.

Cyprus.

On the thorny subject of Turkey’s recognition of Cyprus, Mr Rehn
indicated that Turkey would have to formally recognise all EU member
states by the time it joins the EU. Such a formula is reportedly the
subject of a behind-the-scenes Anglo-French compromise deal on the
recognition problem to allow the accession talks to go ahead as
planned. As it stands, Turkey only recognises the Turkish Cypriot
authorities on the north of the divided Mediterranean island.

The Commissioner told MEPs that full and formal recognition by Turkey
would have to take place and the sooner the better. At the same
stage, he underlined the importance of finding a comprehensive
settlement to the division of Cyprus under the auspices of the United
Nations. Turkey has indicated that there would be no change on the
recognition question until there was such a settlement. Mr Rehn also
remarked that it would be a miserable failure for all concerned if
the Cyprus problem could not be settled by the time Turkey joined the
EU.

Indeed, Turkish membership – if that eventually wins out over calls
in certain quarters for a weaker ‘privileged partnership’ with Ankara
– is a long way off in any event. Mr Rehn reckons that negotiations
could take 10-15 years. And there are effectively 71 moments when a
member state could ‘veto’ the process, as unanimous decisions are
required for opening and closing all 35 ‘chapters’ – or subject areas
– of the talks and for wrapping up the negotiations overall.

Moreover, if Turkey does not grant access to Cypriot ships and
aircraft under its customs union with the EU, this could prevent the
opening of relevant negotiating chapters such as customs union or
internal market. “If you can’t open these, you don’t make progress in
the negotiations, it’s as simple as that”, Mr Rehn cautioned.

Counter-declaration and framework.

Meanwhile, EU ambassadors were due to meet in their Committee of
Permanent Representatives (COREPER) on September 14 to continue
discussions on an EU ‘counter-declaration’ to respond to Turkey’s
recent controversial statement that it did not recognise (Greek)
Cyprus. Ankara’s declaration – characterised as regrettable by Mr
Rehn – is one of the issues that must be dealt with before the
planned October 3 start of accession talks.

EU member states must also agree the negotiating framework that lays
down the procedures and methodology for the talks. Mr Rehn described
the framework already proposed by the Commission as “rigorous but
fair”. He warned member states not to seek sweeping alterations to
the proposal as substantial changes could upset the “delicate
political balance” reached in EU leaders’ December 2004 conclusions.

NRC HANDELSBLAD
Dutch daily Newspaper
16 September 2005

‘U.S. must recognise Armenian Genocide’

WASHINGTON, 16 SEPT. Over the strong objections of the US government, a
congressional panel yesterday endorsed a resolution calling the President to
recognise the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians during their violent
deportation by Ottoman Empire as Genocide.

This is a very sensitive issue in the relations with Turkey, an important
strategic ally of the United States.

The House of Representatives’ International Relations Committee voted 35-11
to approve a resolution calling on Turkey to acknowledge the culpability of
its predecessor state, the Ottoman Empire in the 1915-1923 killings. A
second resolution passed 40-7, calling for the President to recognise the
deaths as Genocide and for U.S. foreign policy to reflect an understanding
of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenians say that Ottoman Turks caused the deaths of Armenians in a planned
Genocide. Turkey says that not 1.5 million, but at most 300,000 Armenians
were killed or displaced in civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman
Empire.

The State Department sent a letter to committee members saying the debate
“could damage U.S.-Turkish relations and could undermine progress by Ankara
and Yerevan (Armenia) as they begin quiet talks to address the issue and
look to the future.”

The sponsor of the first resolution, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, said he
was sensitive to Turkey’s importance and that he considers it an ally of the
United States. But “that alliance cannot be used as a tool to escape from
the past no matter how uncomfortable that past is.” Rep. Tom Lantos, the
panel’s top Democrat, said he was supporting the resolution to punish Turkey
for its refusal in 2003 to allow U.S. troops to open a second front in the
war against Iraq. He said Turkey needed to show more solidarity with the
United States. (AP)

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

September 15, 2005

CATHOLICOS ARAM I IN GENEVA;
WILL BEGIN VISIT TO NORTH AMERICA
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, is in
Geneva where he is chairing the meetings of the World Council of Churches’
secretariat, executive committee and several sub-committees. His Holiness is
the Moderator of the Central and Executive Committees of the WCC.
His Holiness will thereafter begin his visit to the Prelacies of North
America. He will visit the Prelacy of Canada from September 29 to October 5;
the Western Prelacy from October 5 to 19; and the Eastern Prelacy from
October 19 to November 1.
The primary purpose of the Catholicos’ visit is to celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the establishment of the Seminary at Antelias. In addition
the communities are celebrating the 10th anniversary of His Holiness’s
election and consecration.
Details about his visit to the Eastern Prelacy are on our web site
(). The site also contains historical information
about the Seminary, as well as messages from His Holiness. New material is
added to the site almost on a daily basis. We recommend that you visit the
site on a regular basis.

MARKING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS
In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations this week,
world leaders have converged in New York to mark the occasion. Leaders of
170 nations are in town, creating colossal traffic problems on the eastside
of Manhattan, where the Prelacy offices are located.
On Monday afternoon, September 12, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate,
and V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar, attended a prayer service on
the occasion of the UN’s anniversary. The prayer service was hosted by Holy
Trinity Church, across from the United Nations complex. Kofi Annan,
Secretary-General of the United Nations, addressed the gathering, which was
attended by world leaders, ambassadors, and leaders of various religious
communities.

RECEPTION FOR PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA
Archbishop Oshagan and V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan will attend a reception in
honor of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, H. E. Andranik
Margaryan and Mrs. Margaryan, tonight at Kavoukjian Hall in New York City.
The reception is hosted by the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the
United Nations, H.E. Armen Martirosyan.

PRELATE WILL BE IN WORCESTER THIS WEEKEND
Archbishop Oshagan will travel to Worcester, Massachusetts, where he
will join the Holy Trinity parish in celebration of the 25th anniversary of
the consecration of the Church. His Eminence will officiate the Divine
Liturgy, deliver the Sermon and ordain three acolytes. A banquet following
the Liturgy will honor the Godfathers of the Church.

NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
As we told you last week, President Bush has declared tomorrow, Friday,
September 16, as a National Day of Remembrance for the disaster affecting
the Gulf States. Donations are being accepted at the Prelacy for the victims
of hurricane Katrina. Send your donations to the Prelacy, 138 E. 39th
Street, New York, NY 10016. All parishes within the Eastern Prelacy have
made special plate collections for the past two Sundays.
Archbishop Oshagan has asked the parishes of the Eastern Prelacy to open
their doors at 9 a.m. tomorrow for those who wish to offer private prayers
or light a candle.

ARMENIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY
Next Wednesday, September 21, is the 14th anniversary of the current
Republic of Armenia. Let us give thanks for the rebirth of the Armenian
Republic and pray for the future growth and prosperity of the Republic under
wise and visionary leadership. With our prayers let us add our wholehearted
support.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ARMENIA
Dr. Vazken Ghougassian, Executive Director of the Eastern Prelacy, is
leaving for Armenia tonight where he will spend the next ten days conferring
with the Prelacy’s office staff in Armenia, as well visiting the sites of
various charitable projects undertaken by the Prelacy.

RECEIVING CROSSROADS REGULARLY
Some of you have informed us that you do not receive Crossroads on a
regular basis. Crossroads is sent to our email list every Thursday
afternoon. We suggest that you add Crossroads to your address book and/or
mark it as “not spam” so that you receive all future issues.

AUTUMN IN OUR GARDEN
Yes, we are approaching the official beginning of autumn. Our vegetable
garden has experienced the worst planting and growing season in more than
forty years. In the springtime our seedlings endured frost, intense heat,
and violent rains leading into a summer of severe drought. However, the
plants endured, flowered, bore fruit. And then came an assault from the
animal world: groundhogs-a new experience for us. We first noticed that the
herb garden was gone-totally-no sign of anything ever being within those
borders. Then day-by-day everything else-squash, cucumbers, eggplants,
peppers, okra, tomatoes-were attacked and annihilated. We read up on some
natural ways of deterring these critters and found none. One reference
suggested a fence that must start at least three feet underground! Another
had a one-word solution: “Move!”
But we live with hope and we will try again next year. The truth is that
since our childhood we had the presence of vegetable gardens all around us.
Every tiny little patch of land was cultivated by someone. I suppose it goes
back to the “Victory Gardens” so prevalent during the Second World War, when
there were large posters encouraging Americans to grow their own crop of
food. The campaign for victory gardens came to an end with the war when food
rationing was no longer necessary. But for many the habit continued-and
continues-because it is good to be able to eat really fresh food for at
least a few months out of the year. And for some of us gardening-especially
for edible crops-is therapy, exercise, prayer and meditation, all rolled
into one.

FINALLY.
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, an institution
that is certainly at the crossroads of its existence with many critics, we
remember the words of Eleanor Roosevelt from a speech defending the UN
delivered on July 23, 1952:
“There have been sacrifices and discouragements, triumphs and set-backs.
The United Nations is attempting to convert this last chance, carrying
mankind’s best hope, into an effective instrument that will enable our
children and our children’s children to maintain peace in their time. The
path upon which we have set our course is not an easy one. The trail is
often difficult to find. We must make our maps as we go along but we travel
in good company with men and women of good-will in the free countries of the
world.
“Without the United Nations our country would walk alone, ruled by fear,
instead of confidence and hope. To weaken or hamstring the United Nations
now, through lack of faith and lack of vision, would be to condemn ourselves
to endless struggle for survival in a jungle world.
“In examining what the UN has done, and what it is striving to do, it
must be remembered that peace, like freedom, is elusive, hard to come by,
harder to keep. It cannot be put into a purse or a hip pocket and buttoned
there to stay. To achieve peace we must recognize the historic truth that we
can no longer live apart from the rest of the world. We must also recognize
the fact that peace, like freedom, is not won once and for all. It is fought
for daily, in many small acts, and is the result of many individual
efforts.”

Calendar of Events
September 18-Banquet to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the consecration
of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, and
honor the Church Godfathers. His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan will deliver
the keynote address. For more information, 508-852-2414.

September 25-35th anniversary of St. Gregory Armenian Church of North
Andover, Massachusetts, presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan.
For more information, 978-685-5038.

September 26-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, will host its second annual golf tournament at the Raceway
Golf Club in Thompson, Connecticut, to benefit the church’s Capital Fund.
For information: 508-872-9629.

October 19-November 1-Visit of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, to the Eastern Prelacy, commemorating the 75th anniversary
of the establishment of the Cilician Seminary in Antelias, Lebanon.

October 28-29-Mashtots Conference celebrating the 1600th anniversary of the
founding of the Armenian alphabet, at Harvard University. Jointly sponsored
by the Eastern Prelacy and Harvard University Mashtots Chair, Department of
Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.

November 6-St. Stephen Armenian Apostolic Church of Hartford-New Britain,
Connecticut, will celebrate its 80th anniversary. Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan will be the keynote speaker. The program will include a slide show
presentation two non-Armenian Peace Corps volunteers who recently returned
from serving in Armenia.

November 11-13-Mini-Datev program for the Midwest parishes.

December 31-New Years Eve dinner-dance, Sts. Vartanantz (NJ) and ARF Dro
Gomideh, Parsippany Hilton. Information: 201-943-2950 or 201-945-0011.

March 5-Sts. Vartanantz (NJ) 2006 membership meeting.

March 17-19, 2006-Sunday School Teachers’ Conference at the Wonderland
Conference and Retreat Center in Sharon, MA.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about their
major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected]

Visit our website at

ARMENIAN LEADER UPBEAT ON WAR GAME WITH RUSSIA

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
13 Sep 05

[Correspondent] The Armenian president and commander-in-chief,
Robert Kocharyan, has thanked servicemen involved in the joint
Armenian-Russian military exercises in an address he gave after the
war game.

[Kocharyan speaking in Russian with Armenian voice-over] I would like
to thank you for your services to the motherland. Brotherhood between
Armenia and Russia is continuing. This brotherhood is reflected in the
agreement thanks to which the Russian military base exists in Armenia
today and we conduct the joint exercises. The exercises are aimed at
ensuring our countries’ security. I thank all of you for your services.

[Video showed Kocharyan awarding servicemen at the Marshal Bagramyan
training ground]