Author: Karagyozian Lena

ARMENIAN, US ENERGY MINISTERS DISCUSS IRAN GAS PIPELINE, REFORMS

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005

Yerevan, 12 October: US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman has asked his
Armenian counterpart Armen Movsisyan at which stage the process of
building the Iran-Armenian gas pipeline is.

The meeting between the two countries’ ministers was held in Washington
on 11 October, the Armenian embassy in the USA told Mediamax new
agency today.

During the meeting, Movsisyan expressed his thanks for US assistance
to the Armenian energy sector and spoke about the current situation in
the sphere of energy reforms. Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan
noted the need to provide the republic with alternative sources of
energy until the closure of the Metsamor nuclear power plant.

During the meeting, the Armenian and US energy ministers agreed
to study possibilities of holding an Armenian-US energy investment
forum with the participation of private companies and international
financial organizations.

FM OSKANIAN MEETS WITH VICE-PRESIDENT AND FM OF INDONESIA IN JAKARTA

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005

JAKARTA, OCTOBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreing Minister
Vartan Oskanian’s visit to countries of the South-Eastern Asia and
Pacific Ocean is in process. After Australia, the Foreign Minister
paid an official visit to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia where on
October 12 he had official meetings with the Vice-President and the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of that greatest Islamic country with
the population of 245 mln people. This is the first official visit
of the Foreign Minister and in general of a high-ranking Armenian
delegation to Indonesia.

At the meeting with Pak Hassan Wirajuda, the Foreign Minister of
Indonesia, Oskanian expressed condolence on the occasion of victims
and ravages of Bali bombing hoping that this will never repeat.

During the exchange of ideas promoted then, the sides discussed
possibilities of development of bilateral relations, implementation
of concrete programs especially in the sphere of economy.

Regional problems, particularly ways of settlement of present conflicts
were also touched upon. The Foreign Minister of Indonesia presented
details concerning an agreement signed receintly on settlement of the
Aceh conflict and its further implementation. In his turn, Minister
Oskanian presented his partner of Indonesia the process of settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, emphasizing that the conflict isn’t
of a religious character but this is only the display of the Nagorno
Karabakh people’s right to self-determination.

In the context of these issues, the sides came to agreement on
continuing cooperation established between the two countries within
the framework of international organizations, particularly the UN.

At the end of the meeting, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs signed
an interstate agreement on avoiding double taxes and a memorandum
of mutual understanding concerning creation of a consulting forum
between the Governments.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Information
and Press Deparment, on the same day, Jusuf Kalla, the Vice-President
of Indonesia received Vartan Oskanian. During the conversation,
the Foreign Minister presented briefly the social-economic state
of Armenia, prospects of development, the most important issues of
foreign policy connected with the security problems and prospects of
development of the region. The Minister expressed Armenia’s readiness
to promote an active bilateral cooperation with Indonesia as well as
one within the framework of international organizations.

On October 13, Minister Oskanian will leave for Singapore where he will
have a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that country.

T. TOROSIAN: ONLY OSCE MG TO BE ENGAGED IN NK SETTLEMENT

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The autumn session
of PACE was held on October 3-7 in Strasbourg. It was the first time
since 2004 January that no issue immediately concerning Armenia was
on the agenda of the session. Tigran Torosian, head of the Armenian
delegation in the Assembly, RA NA Vice-Speaker, reported this at the
October 11 press conference.

According to speaker’s prognostication, such issues will emerge in
2006. In particular, the report of the commission on Nagorno Karabakh
issue created within the framework of the Assembly will be heard at
the January session.

Three meetings were held with participation of the Armenian party
on the days of the session. In particular, the Armenian delegation
in PACE met with Roland Wegener, head of the Ago Group. The subject
was the process of constitutional amendments in Armenia. According to
T.Torosian, Wegener expressed hope in connection with the successful
process of referendum on constitutional amendments and regret in
connection with the repulsive position of the opposition in this issue.

The third meeting was held on the initiative of Rene van der Linden,
PACE Chairman, with participation of heads of Armenian, Georgian and
Azerbaijani delegations. The high-ranking official asked about the
process of constitutional amendments in Armenia and also expressed
his assistance.

The third meeting was held within the framework of Assembly’s ad hoc
commission on Nagorno Karabakh issue with participation of Russel
Jonston, commission’s Chairman, and Armenian and Azeri delegates
included in the commission. The subject of the discussion was the
future fate of the commission. T.Torosian didn’t exclude that the
commission will be given additional authorities in the future for the
fulfilment of the clauses of the resolution on NKR conflict adopted
at the PACE 2005 January session. At the same time, he once more
reaffirmed that the processes of Nagorno Karabakh settlement will
develop within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and PACE will
provide the necessary atmosphere within the framework of its mandate
in order to make the future solutions admissible.

MURDER ROOM

Lynn News, UK
Oct 11 2005

A man whose burning body sparked a country-wide murder hunt had been
killed in the medical room of a Lynn factory, a court has heard.

Hovhannes Amirian had been shot four times and stabbed several times
and traces of his blood were found in the medical room at Cooper
Roller Bearings factory in Wisbech Road, South Lynn, it was alleged
at Norwich Crown Court yesterday.

The killing was linked to Lynn through a semi-burnt piece of paper
found near the body.

It turned out to be a health check appointment addressed to a factory
employee which had been disposed of in the medical room at Coopers.

A forensic examination of the room uncovered blood splatterings
belonging to Mr Amirian, said David Farrell QC, prosecuting.

A former security officer at the factory, 27-year-old Nisham Bakunts,
and his father-in-law, Misha Chatsjatrjan (43) are on trial for
murdering Mr Amirian between December 19 and 20, 2002, at Lynn.

Mr Farrell said Mr Amirian’s body was found burning in a field in
Upton near Peterborough, on Saturday, December 21, 2002, by off-duty
firefighter Jake Ellard.

“It was the body of an Armenian man known as Sako, who had been shot
four times, once in the head, once in the neck and twice in the face,
and who had also been stabbed in his body several times and then
transported to an isolated field, doused in petrol and set alight,”
said Mr Farrell.

Pieces of paper found at the fire referred to a medical appointment
and contained the names Talbot and Armstrong.

A total of 2,099 letters were sent out between August and September
2003 to people with those surnames, and on September 5 a significant
lead developed in a phone call to police from a Vanessa Armstrong,
who was secretary at Coopers.

It was Ms Armstrong’s job to arrange health tests for staff and the
letter had belonged to a Paul Talbot, who had been in the room three
days before the body was found.

Police and scenes of crimes officers searched the medical room on
September 22 and October 1, when it was discovered the layout of the
room had been changed since the body was found.

A cupboard had been placed against a wall on which Mr Amirian’s blood
was found, as well as on the couch. Disposable gloves were also found
which were from the same batch as those found near the body.

Mr Farrell said: “This proved the deceased man was killed in that
room. A lot of the area in which he had been killed was hidden by
the cabinet which had been moved.”

Mr Farrell said the victim was an Armenian national living in Belgium
who had been staying with Mr Bakunts in Yarmouth with his partner,
Arpine Karpetian (23), and their two children, for several months.

Mr Amirian had attended the couple’s wedding in Belgium, which turned
out not to be a proper ceremony. Mr Bakunts was granted asylum to
live in this country.

Inquiries revealed Mr Bakunts was a security officer at Coopers and
was in charge of factory security from 6pm on December 20 until 6am
on December 21 2002.

Every two hours welfare checks of the factory were made and there
was no response to the 4am check.

Mr Bakunts was not present when the shift changed at 6am on the 21st.

He called in sick that day and on December 23 his partner called
saying he would be off for another two days. In fact he never went
back, said Mr Farrell.

Another employee, Wayne Coddington, told police that Mr Bakunts
sometimes turned up at work with another man who he claimed was his
brother but was in fact Mr Amirian, said Mr Farrell.

Mr Farrell said a post mortem by Home Office pathologist Dr Nat Cary
revealed four bullets were found in Mr Amirian’s head and face,
with multiple severe stab wounds to his trunk, which had all been
inflicted while he was still alive.

A blank firing pistol costing £92.95 had been bought by Mr Bakunts
from a gunshop on December 2, 2002, along with 50 blank cartridges.

The bullets used were home- made and lead used to convert the
cartridges into real bullets was available at Coopers, said Mr Farrell.

Mr Bakunts, of Litchfield Road, Yarmouth, and Mr Chatsjatrjan, of
The Straat, The Netherlands, deny murder.

The case continues.

–Boundary_(ID_fzX1HsSPV6Aea618CWKQ5A)–

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 8 2005

‘Secret Services Used Asala Terror as Cover’
By Ercan Gun
Published: Friday, October 07, 2005
zaman.com

It was claimed that some Turkish diplomats assassinated by the
Armenian terror organization, ASALA, were victimized due to the fight
among “secret services”.

In his last book, author Aydogan Vatandas handled the background of
the dark and secret ASALA acts. The book claims that there was a
relation between the assassinations of Turkish diplomats Bora
Suelkan, Ismail Erez and Galip Balkar.

According to the book, these assassinations were the outcomes of
spying activities during the post Cold War period. Vatandas started
his study from an official evaluation paper, which was discussed by
military sources years before it turned into a book. He worked on it
meticulously for ten years. The study will be the cover page of
Aksiyon magazine.

The book reveals how Abdullah Catli and idealist groups were
incorporated in the operations, as it highlights a new point about
the assassination of Bora Suelkan who was the administrative civil
servant in the Burgaz Embassy of Bulgaria. Vatandas divides attacks
towards Turkish diplomats as “Asala acts and Acts Committed under
ASALA’s name” and he claims that Suelkan was killed because he looked
like Mehmet Eymur.”

Eymur was an intelligence officer in Burgaz at the time. His mission
was to follow the Russian and Bulgarian activities in Bulgaria. In
the book, He leaks into the mafia there.

After a while, he understands there is the Russian Intelligence
Service (KGB) behind the pope’s assassination. Eymur makes an
interesting detection. Russians try to leak into Turkey and start a
nationalist movement via the mafia. According to Eymur, Russians try
to bring the idealists face to face with the security officials by
making provocative actions. After Eymur conveyed his analyses to the
National Intelligence Service (MIT) headquarters, trouble starts to
develop and his neighbor Suelkan, who looked like him is killed. It
claims that there is a link between Suelkan’s assassination and that
of Galip Balkar, Turkey’s ambassador to Belgrade on 9 March 1983 by
two terrorists.

Needles and pins for acupuncture trial reporter

HoldtheFrontPage.co.uk
5.10.2005
Regiona l press news

By HoldtheFrontPage staff

Offering herself up as a practice pin cushion to an acupuncturist is a
lot more calming than Sutton Guardian reporter Nina Jacobs thought it
would be.

As I walked cautiously into Sylvia Gulbenkian’s practice room a slight
rush of adrenalin washed over me as the realisation that having leapt at
the chance to try a session of acupuncture, I did actually have to go
through with it.

Unlike most people in my office who shrank with horror at the thought of
volunteering to be treated with needles, I felt no anxiety at offering
myself as a practice pin cushion.

That was until now.

But any fears I might have had about what I was letting myself in for
were quickly quelled when Sylvia asked me to lie down on her consulting bed.

I instantly felt relaxed at the prospect of an easy task and far more
prepared for Sylvia to bring out her box of needles.

Having never seen an acupuncture needle before, I was fascinated by just
how fine they were and agreed for Sylvia to insert one into a point on
my forehead.

Within seconds she had pinched the skin between my eyes together and
inserted the tip so it was sticking out at right angles to my face. I
felt no pain at the needle’s insertion and would have been totally
unaware of its presence if it were not for the photographer zooming his
camera lens to take a close up shot.

“The point between the eyebrows is called yin tang it’s a very calming
point and it’s good if you have got things like insomnia or if people
are stressed. But it can make you feel a bit tired,” says Sylvia.

She explains she has chosen this part of my body because it is a
miscellaneous acupuncture point and not organ specific.

It dawns on me quite quickly that apart from the obvious and simplistic
association of acupuncture with needles, this is an area of alternative
medicine about which I am clearly ignorant.

Invented by the Chinese more than 2,000 years ago, this subtle system of
medicine is practised in hospitals and clinics throughout modern China
and is often used alongside western medicine.

Sylvia explains how our bodies are filled with channels of energy or Qi
(pronounced “chee”) which need to flow freely for us to enjoy good health.

“If an organ is weak or something is blocking the channel then you would
use acupuncture to make the energy flow again.

“The liver makes the energy flow through the body so if, for example,
you had a throbbing headache, there’s a point on the foot which is part
of the liver channel which you would treat.

“I might do local points near the head but I might use a needle on the
big toe which is the start of the liver channel,” she says.

With about 365 points all over the body, Sylvia says she usually uses
points from the elbows to the hands and from the knees to the toes.

She also uses a lot of points on the back and abdomen.

“You can’t access the heart channel too close to the heart because it is
too deep, but it runs down your arm it actually ends just before your
fingernail on your little finger.

“The points nearer the end are the most powerful but areas like the
elbow are more gentle.”

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121,
or e-mail [email protected]

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:

HIS HOLINESS MEETS WITH ARMENIAN YOUTH IN TORONTO

His Holiness Aram I has insisted on holding meetings and discussions with
the youth along every step of his Pontifical visit to Canada and North
America. This time it was the turn of hundreds of young Armenian men and
women from Toronto to meet with the Catholicos.

His Holiness met with the young Armenians in the St. Asdvadzadzine Church
and Armenian Center “Hay Getron” of Toronto on October 3. The meeting
started at eight in the evening and lasted till midnight.

V Rev Fr Meghrig Parikian welcomed the attendants, affirming that the
youth they represent is gathered around its church.

Young men and women read passages from the Holy Book. Many young Armenians
attend the church on Monday evenings for readings from the Bible and for
gaining knowledge about the Armenian Church’s history.

His Holiness Aram I emphasized the concept of the church being a guide for
the life of the new generation. He considered Christian faith as a priority
and elaborated on the concept of the Supreme Good based on theological
understanding.

The Pontiff also spoke about translating the word of God in individual
people’s lives. “The Holy Book is a challenge to man to speak with God. God
challenges man to speak with Him, to engage in dialogue with his Creator. It
is a challenge to turn to God, like the God “turned” to us through His Son,
through humanization,” said His Holiness.

“The most legitimate path to being with God is executing His word. It’s
not enough to read it; it should be executed, brought to life.”

The youth had the opportunity to ask His Holiness various questions
related to the Armenian Church, Christian faith, the Armenian nation’s life,
social and moral issues, problems they face in their daily lives and other
issues.

After the official meeting in the church’s hall, His Holiness had dinner
with the youth in the Armenian Center of Toronto. Open and honest
discussions about various issues developed throughout dinner.

His Holiness highly praised the work of Fr. Meghrig who has been able to
gather the youth around their church and involve them in the church’s
activities.

##
View pictures here:

*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the dioceses 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.

GIOVANNI DI STASI OFFERS TO ESTABLISH LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT REGIONAL CENTER

Pan Armenian
05.10.2005 11:18

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met
with President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
of the Council of Europe Giovanni Di Stasi. The Armenian leader
welcomed the establishment of business relations between the Council
of Europe Congress and the RA government. “The formation of the
local self-government is an important factor for the stability of
a state”, Robert Kocharian noted. In his words, decentralization is
the principal direction of regional policy and this direction found
reflection in the draft constitutional amendments. During the meeting
the parties exchanged opinions on the regional development. In this
view Giovanni Di Stasi offered to found a regional center of the
local self-government, which will contribute to the establishment
of economic, social and cultural cooperation. The Armenian President
welcomed the idea noting that Armenia has always supported regional
cooperation.

TURKEY AGREED TO EU CONDITIONS ON MEMBERSHIP TALKS
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #177
04/10/2005

EU-Turkey

Austria Gave In to European Neighbors, Whereas the Latter Yielded to
Erdogan’s Government

On 2 October, foreign minister of the EU member states who gathered
in Luxemburg failed to come to a unanimous decision over the final
negotiation document with Turkey; the special meeting carried on
the next day. On 2 October, the International Monetary Fund spoke
out in favor of negotiations with Turkey and Javier Solana, EU High
Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, expressed
hope that the foreign minister’s meeting will have a positive outcome
reminding that “previous decisions concerning Turkey also were taken
at the last moment”.

That very day when EU foreign ministers were discussing the start
of EU-Turkey talks, Turks were marching in Istanbul and Ankara with
banners reading “No to EU”. The protest rally of Istanbul gathered
1.000 participants whereas the one in Ankara, organized by “grey
wolves” political organization and National Movement Party recruited
100.000. Holding forth before its party members, president of the
party, Devlet Bahcel, called October the 3d “not a beginning of
negotiations with the EU but an end of capitulation”. He posed a
question in his speech: “Is it possible that Turkey joins Europe
at the cost of denying the Cypriot Turks and giving in to Armenian
lies?” and appealed to Prime Minister Erdogan: “Dear Prime Minister,
our country has sunk into darkness because of your petitions. Do
not give cause for putting new demands before you and demand new
compromises from you. Accept that our country pays great price for
your love for the EU based on capitulation. Do not commit new sins,
turn down the negotiations”.

Turkey has not rejected negotiations. Meanwhile EU foreign ministers
yesterday reached a deal clearing the way for accession talks with
Turkey to begin.

ETHIOPIA BECOMES THE FIRST “LITTLE AFRICAN TOWN” IN THE U.S.

Addis Tribune, Ethiopia
Oct 4 2005

Little Tokyo, Little Armenia, Korea Town, Little Italy are some of the
names of places in North American cities that were christened to give
recognition to the contributions made by the immigrant communities
from the respective countries.

But no part of a city in North America was named after an African
country until recently.

“Little Ethiopia” was inaugurated in Los Angeles during the last week
of last month around Fairfax Avenue, a centrally located area between
Pico Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard.

“Little Ethiopia” is about 5-10 miles from Beverly Hills and 3
miles from Farmers Market, a well-known tourist attraction site in
Los Angeles.

According to the organizers, about 6,000 Ethiopians showed up at the
inauguration of “Little Ethiopia”

“What you see around you is a bustling hub of activity of business and
commerce mostly run and operated by Ethiopians. The impact Ethiopian
immigrants have made in the life of this great country and particularly
this city is not confined to business and commerce alone. Ethiopians
have their fair share in other noble professions as well,” said one
of the speakers at the inaugural ceremony, Dr. Getachew Mekasha.