Author: Karabekian Emil

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 24/06/2006

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‘WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO SAY IN USA THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY HERE’

With these words the US Embassy to Armenia rejected Armen Avetisian,
head of the Aryan Union of Armenia, entry to the USA on June 20. On
this occasion the Union disseminated a press release expressing its
indignation over this fact, labeling the Embassy’s rejection of a
political character adding that such an approach is not do credit to
the authorities of a country that views itself as a world power.

According to the release, Armen Avetisian and a member of the Union’s
student and youth wing were to leave for the USA at the invitation of
the Armenian Genealogy Association to meet the Armenian community and
lecture on national ideology and history. Avetisian who was permitted
to visit United States last year, was told: "We do not want you to say
in USA the things that you say here." To his retort that the US State
Department viewed his arrest as suppression of freedom of speech,
Avetisian got: "Not everything said in the State Department report
was in your favor."

Armenian Greek-Roman style wrestlers to participate in the European Youth
Championship

ArmRadio.am
24.06.2006 11:52

Young Armenian Greek-Roman style wrestlers Tigran Gevorgyan (50 kg), Vahram
Khachatryan (55 kg), Khosrov Melikyan (60 kg), Arman Papyan (66kg), Arsen
Julfalakyan (74 kg) and Arthur Shahinyan (84 kg) will participate in the
European Youth Championship to be held June 6-10 in Budapest. The trainer of the
team is Armen Babalaryan.

UAE’s Etisalat close to $450 million telecom deal in Armenia

Middle East North Africa Financial Network, Jordan
June 24 2006

MENAFN – 24/06/2006 — (MENAFN) UAE’s telecom giant Etisalat has
moved a step closer to acquiring 90 percent of ArmenTel, the largest
Armenian operator of cellular and fixed-line telephony, by getting
short-listed yesterday for the final bidding round along with three
consortia, Khaleej Times reported.

Greek telecom provider OTE, which owns 90 percent of ArmenTel, said a
consortium led by Etisalat is among the four bidders short-listed from
the original eight bidders, including major Russian telecommunication
conglomerates, Mobile Telesystems and Vympelkom.

The fourth bidder is a consortium comprising VTEL Holding and
Knightbridge Associates.

The Etisalat-led consortium includes Dubai investment house Istithmar
PJSC and Emergent Telecom Ventures.

When OTE announced its intention to sell 90 percent of ArmenTel
shares in early April 2006, primary offers came from Russia’s Sistema,
Vympelkom, and Rostelekom, Kuwait’s MTS Kuwait, Armenia’s Sil group,
Belgium’s Belgacom, Hungary’s PanTel, and Etisalat.

ArmenTel provides service to 595,000 fixed telephone subscribers in
Armenia and controls over a half of cellular communication market,
serving more than 50,000 subscribers. Armenian government owns 10
percent of Armentel. The company’s turnover reached Eur 110 million
in 2005.

According to sources close to OTE, the outcome of the tender would
be known after July 20.

2TheAdvocate, LA
June 24 2006

New church unites La. Armenians

Newly dedicated church brings La. Armenians together in BR

By ANNABELLE ARMSTRONG
Special to The Advocate
Published: Jun 24, 2006

Louisiana’s first and only Armenian congregation remains small and
spread out even after 23 years.

But bringing the dedicated membership together for monthly worship
preserves a connection to a history, language and culture that might
otherwise have been left a world behind.

"It’s a great honor and privilege to pray in my own language, and to
teach my children how to pray in the language I was taught," said
K.G. Moutafian, who was 14 in 1980 when his parents moved to Baton
Rouge from Beirut, Lebanon.

Today he’s one of about 80 members at St. Garabed Armenian Church,
6208 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge. Congregants, ranging in age from
babies to septuagenarians, reside throughout Louisiana, most in Baton
Rouge and New Orleans.

"Going to church is like a family reunion," said Vasken Kaltakdjian,
47, Moutafian’s cousin and chairman of the church council.

"Many of us are related because one family member would come to the
United States, then bring another family member here, and so on."

Kaltakdjian, born in Damascus, Syria, was 19 when his parents, Serop
and Marie Kaltakdjian, moved the family to the United States.

The Armenian language, not closely related to any other language in
the world, is spoken in the colorful, traditional and ritualistic
church service.

The church sanctuary, a newly renovated labor hall, has a vaulted,
open beam ceiling, cypress woodworking, with brick and carpeted
flooring that lend a serene effect. The altar features an alcove with
a dramatic mural of the baby Jesus and Mary, the work of Hiak
Azarian, an Armenian ecclesiastical artist.

The Apostolic Armenian Church dates back to A.D. 301, when St.
Gregory the Illuminator started the conversion of the people to
Christianity.

Today’s worshippers are descendants of Armenians who fled their
homeland during the Turks’ massacre of 1915, scattering to
neighboring countries, including Russia, and now located around the
world.

The Louisiana church began in 1983, when then-reigning Archbishop of
the Armenian Church of America Torkom Manoogian came from New York
City to form a parish council.

Garabed means Baptist, Vasken Kaltakdjian explained.

"The church is named for St. John the Baptist, who baptized Christ,"
he said, "also for my late grandfather, Garabed Kaltakdjian, of
Damascus, Syria, who dedicated his entire life to the church."

Services take place monthly now, but for years they were held every
three or four months.

The church met at St. James and St. Luke’s Episcopal churches, but
two and half years ago was able to secure its current
22,500-square-foot site for $180,000 and begin $120,000 in
renovation.

"Now, we want to afford a full-time priest to teach our kids Armenian
history and to have Sunday school," Moutafian said.

Worshippers drove in from Shreveport, New Orleans, Alexandria and
other cities for the building consecration service on May 14, when
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate of the Armenian Church of
America in New York City, officiated.

"On special occasions we are wall-to-wall people," Vasken said.

The priest, the Rev. Nersess Jebejian, flew in from the Tampa Bay
area, a trip he has made for 23-plus years.

It will be standing room only again at 3 p.m. July 22 when
3-month-olds Gabriella Ani Moutafian and Alexander Sarkis Boyadjian
become the first babies baptized in the new building.

Azar Kayal, 42, a photographer who works in government law
enforcement, plans to make the trip from Alexandria.

Born in Syria, an American 22 years, he brings family members for
special events.

"It means so much to have our own church," Kayal said. "We take our
religion seriously and try every chance we can to meet together to
foster our heritage, family values and traditions."

Photo: Advocate staff photo by JAMES CHANCE
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate of the Armenian Church of
America in New York City, blesses the St. Garabed Armenian Church
building in Baton Rouge. The ceremony was held May 14 to celebrate
the completion of remodeling work on the building the small
congregation purchased about 2~I years ago. The Very Rev. Father
Ararad Kaltakjian of Toronto, Canada, stands in the rear.

on/3221381.html?showAll=y

RECENT MURDERS BY NO MEANS AGAINST ARMENIANS, RA AMBASSADOR TO RF STATES

Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 22 2006

Yerevan, June 22. /ARKA/. The recent murders are by no means aimed
particularly against Armenians, RA Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatyan
stated at his meeting with Armenian students in Moscow.

Smbatyan stressed that, first of all, these problems do not meet
Russia’s interests and run counter to its policy toward Armenia and
Armenians residing in Russia.

The students expressed their concern over the recent accidents
involving Armenians, which have been presented as intolerance toward
Armenians by some media outlets. These processes arouse public
concerned both in Russia and in Armenia, which may be used by third
forces interested in weakening Armenian-Russian relations and may
affect bilateral cooperation.

During the meeting, the students were informed of the measures taken
by the RA Embassy as well as of the Russian authorities’ measures to
disclose recent murders. The meeting participants pointed out that
Armenia’s authorities condemn the crimes as well.

The students also raised the issues that are in the center of their
attention, namely, the institution of dual citizenship in Armenia,
migration problems, as well as increase in quotas for Armenian citizens
in Russia’s higher schools. P.T. -0–

"Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund
Government Building #3
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia, 375010

Tel: 37410-52-0940
Fax: 37410-52-3795

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2006

Contact ~ Mrs. Lilit Asatryan
[email protected]

Himnadram Responds to NKR Parliament’s Concerns

In response to the article entitled "NKR Authorities are Dissatisfied
with Himnadram" published on June 15 in "Haikakan Zhamanak" daily
newspaper the PR department of the "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund
presents the following answer:

The Executive Director of the "Hayastan" Fund has sent a letter to
Ashot Ghulyan, Speaker of the NKR National Assembly concerning all
the issues discussed at the session.

All the projects within the overall Mardakert Regional Development
Program have been discussed and approved by the NKR Premier Minister,
Executive Board and international affiliates of the "Hayastan"
Fund. Also, NKR Government construction experts have their respective
presence on the construction competitive bidding committees organized
for the Nagorno-Karabakh projects.

"Deputies have expressed concern about the construction quality of
Gandzasar section of the North-South highway. Please note, that
the construction of this section was completed in 2001, and the
post-construction warranty period expired in 2002 (at the time the
current Director of the Fund held the position of the NKR Foreign
Minister). On November 12, 2001 NKR Minister of Urban Construction
and Head of NKR Road Police signed the acceptance certificate of the
section (which, upon ratification, legally transfers the section of
the road from the balance sheets of "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund
to the balance sheets of the NKR Government). However, NKR Prime
Minister Anushavan Danielyan has failed to ratify it. During 2003
and 2004 we haven’t received any complaints regarding this section of
the highway from the NKR Government. In 2005 we had many discussions
with NKR Government regarding this particular section of the road
and produced a report. We have asked the NKR Government to sign
a contract to correct road defects and even expressed readiness to
partially finance the repair. However, no action was taken by the NKR
Government in this regard. In 2006 the issue was also discussed during
the annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees of "Hayastan" All-Armenian
Fund. In May, 2006, having exhausted all other options, the Fund
officially brought the case to the NKR General Prosecutor’s office.
The members of NKR Parliament, perhaps, are not aware of these facts."

"Hayastan" All Armenian Fund is a non profit organization established
in 1992 with the aim of facilitating humanitarian and infrastructure
development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The Fund has
19 affiliates worldwide.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 23 2006

VIMPELCOM AND MTS AMONG FOUR COMPETITORS FOR PURCHASE OF ARMENTEL
ARMENIAN TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY

YEREVAN, June 23. /ARKA/. Vimpelcom (the trademark of Bee Line)
and MTS are among the four competitors for purchase of ArmenTel
Armenian Telecommunication Company, the major owner of ArmenTel –
Organization of Telecommunications of Greece (OTE) announced, as
reported by RIA Novosty.

"OTE received 10 offers for purchase of 90% of ArmenTel’s shares
that OTE owns. After the offers were reviewed, Vimpelcom, MTS,
ETISALAT/Istithmar/ETV consortium and VTEL Holdings/Knightsbridge
Associates consortium will be invited for the next round of the
competition," OTE reports.

ArmenTel has the biggest number of customers in Armenia, being the
monopolist of the fixed telephone network and one of the two cell-phone
operators of the country. The company’s 10% shares are held by the
Armenian government. Its turnover in 2005 reached EUR 110mln.

The tender for purchase of the 90% shares of ArmenTel was announced
by OTE in April 2006. Vimpelcom and MTS declared their intention to
participate in it at the beginning of June.

The results of the tender are expected to be available after July 20.

R.O. –0–

Azeri leader appeals to UN
By Sun Staff

Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

The Human Rights Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of
Azerbaijan last week held a round table to discuss the role of the
Diaspora in Azerbaijani-Russian relations.

Tatyana Poloskova, head of department at the Center for International
Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (CISCC) under the Russian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, also attended the event.

Baku Sun~Rs Mammad Bagirov asked Ms Poloskova for her comments on the
problems facing Russia~Rs sizeable ethnic Azerbaijani community. ~W
What are the main problems facing Azerbaijanis in Russia today? ~W
During the round table, we agreed that Azerbaijanis really are facing
problems in Russia.

The main problem is the negative image of Azerbaijanis which has
developed in Russia. As I said at the round table, it is actually
possible to improve this image. A group of Russian and Azerbaijani
experts are going to look into the reasons for this negative image.

On the surface, the negative attitude towards Azerbaijanis in Russia
stems from the fact that Azerbaijanis have filled a certain economic
vacuum in Russia, particularly in the sphere of trade. But in fact,
there were no other contenders for this vacuum apart from Azerbaijanis.

As Russians have traditionally never shown interest in trade,
Azerbaijanis engaging in trade cannot serve as a reason for this
negative image. Yes, we have to admit that one can frequently observe
Azerbaijani vendors behaving incorrectly in Russian markets. However,
vendors representing other nationalities behave in the same way as
well. This is a special market environment.

I think one of the main reasons behind this negative image of
Azerbaijanis is their ability to compete. They are hard working,
mobile and less inclined to alcoholism. There are ways of building up
a positive image, and we are ready to work with the Azerbaijani side
on this. Why is this important for us? One of the responsibilities of
the CISCC is to accompany Russia~Rs foreign policies with informational
initiatives in the humanitarian field.

It is very difficult to hold a humanitarian dialogue with Baku as
long as the problem of Caucasusphobia remains in Russia. If we do not
resolve this problem, it will hinder our humanitarian relations. ~W One
of the problems hindering Azerbaijani-Russian relations is Russia~Rs
policy of double standards toward Azerbaijan. For instance, when dozens
of Azerbaijanis were killed in a market roof collapse in Moscow, Russia
did not declare mourning. But Russia did mourn Armenians killed in
a recent aircraft crash. ~W Yes, Russia should have declared morning
after the roof collapse in the Basmanniy market. It is difficult to
say why the Russian authorities did not do so. I think in politics
lobby systems play a greater role than states. However, I cannot say
that there is an efficient Armenian lobby in Russia today. They are
much less efficient than they might be.

On the contrary, the Azerbaijani lobby in Russia is becoming more
powerful with each passing year.

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. As strange as it may seem, Russia
reacted calmly to this. Is this a sign that the position of Russia~Rs
political elite is changing towards realism and pragmatism? ~W Reaction
always means something. Moscow realizes that Azerbaijan is a key player
in the South Caucasus region with its political, economic and cultural
potential. Russia has spiritual and religious ties with Armenia and
Georgia. But Azerbaijan is the key player because of its potential.

Therefore, one should address the key player while building relations
with the region. The reaction of the presidents is important. You may
have noticed that the issue of the Diaspora receives great attention
in the Azerbaijani-Russian dialogue. If you have such a large Diaspora
in Russia, one cannot but view Azerbaijan as the key player.

KOCHARIAN IS LEAVING YEREVAN TOMORROW

A1+
[12:44 pm] 22 June, 2006

President Robert Kocharian will leave for Minsk tomorrow to participate
in the session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s
Council.

The sessions of CSTO Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministries’ Councils
and Security Secretaries’ Council will be convened prior to the above
mentioned session.

The heads of the countries will meet at the beginning of the
session. They will focus on the military-political situation in the
CSTO region.

Then the plenary session of CSTO will be convened in which the
Presidents, Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministers and Secretaries of the
Security Council of the CSTO member-countries will participate. The key
issue of the round-table will be the main tasks of CSTO. A Declaration
on the CSTO further improvement and increase of its efficiency is to
be adopted.

A number of documents aimed at enlarging the normative-legal base of
the CSTO member countries’ cooperation will be signed at the session.

Robert Kocharian will also participate in the session of the Eurasian
Economic Organization’s Intergovernmental Council as an observer. On
the same day the President’s delegation will return to Armenia.

GEORGIY PETROSSIAN: OFFICIAL BAKU COULD NOT GIVE THIS OR THAT STATUS TO NAGORNO KARABAKH, AS GIVEN ISSUE DOES NOT ENTER INTO COMPETENCE OF AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 22 2006

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Recently the
Azerbaijani side by the words of Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov stated on the readiness to give the
most superior status of autonomy to Nagorno Karabakh, adopted
in the world, including the equivalent status of Tatarstan in
the Russian Federation. This was declared by NKR Foreign Minister
Georgiy Petrossian who mentioned that "in this way it is possible
to express hope, that the given status will be given to lezghin,
talish and other people, living in Azerbaijan." What concerns the NKR,
with whom the Azerbaijani leadership continues to avoid any contacts,
"it is necessary to emphasize, that official Baku could not give this
or that status to Nagorno Karabakh, as the given issue does not enter
into the competence of Azerbaijan."

"The status of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is determined in legal
frames of the people, living here. The essence of Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict is concluded in the fact, that Azerbaijani side turned out
to be non-capable to solve similar issues in a civilized way and
resorted to armed agression," Georgiy Petrossian declared.

NKR Foreign Minister also emphasized that "the official Baku continues
to ignore the existing reallies, concluded in the fact, that the NKR
independence is the most superior value of the Republic’s people,
which is being supported at national referendum on state independence
on December 10, 1991."

"The NKR people not only protected his right to deal with its own
fortune in the course of the war, unleashed to it, but for the
last 15 years as minimum 7 times confirmed its will by the means
of democratic national presidential and parliamentary elections,
conducted in the NKR, when the electorate voted for the programs of
separate candidates and political parties, appealing for the Republic’s
state independence," the statement spread by the NKR Foreign Ministry
Information and Analytical Department read.