Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

RIA Novosti, Russia
March 26 2004

ARMENIAN AND AZERI FOREIGN MINISTERS NOT MEET IN PRAGUE

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, 2004. (RIA NOVOSTI). The meeting between the
Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers in Prague was postponed because
Azerbaijan was not prepared for it, said the European Union special
representative for the South Caucasus, ambassador Heikki Talvitie.

“I do not exactly know all the reasons for which the authorities of
Azerbaijan decided to postpone the meeting. But I believe that they
were simply not ready to hold it,” Talvitie said.

At the same time, the ambassador stressed that the point at issue was
the postponement of only one meeting, and this fact should not be
assessed as the termination of the negotiating process on the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Talvitie also said that during his meetings in Baku he became
convinced that the Azeri leaders understood there was no alternative
to the negotiating process.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 25, 2004 Thursday 11:35 AM Eastern Time

Opening of border with Turkey helps Karabakh settlement – view

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The opening of the border with Turkey will have a favourable impact
on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign
Ministry senior spokesman Gamlet Gasparyan said.

Gasparyan said on Thursday Armenia is convinced, “The opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border will facilitate the development of regional
cooperation and have a favourable impact on the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”

The Armenian diplomat commented on Azerbaijani President Ilkham
Aliyev’s statement saying, “Whether Turkey opens its border with
Armenia, it will be impossible to settle the conflict in
Nagorno-Karabakh.” “Thus, Armenia can lose a very important mechanism
and the talks as part of the peace process will be impossible,”
Aliyev said.

The Armenian spokesman stressed, “Turkey may be an important
mechanism in the development of the economic and political situation
in the region whether it gives up its unilateral approach towards its
attitude to Armenia and Azerbaijan in favour of Azerbaijan.”

Armenia calls for help in securing release of suspected mercenaries

Arminfo
23 Mar 04

YEREVAN

The accusations against Armenian pilots of plotting to overthrow the
government of Equatorial Guinea are rather contradictory and are in no
way related to their work, the press secretary of the Foreign
Ministry, Gamlet Gasparyan, has told a press conference.

He said that the Guinean authorities are trying to present the
Armenian pilots as mercenaries which they are not. They are
professional pilots with many years of experience. The authorities of
Equatorial Guinea claim that the Armenian citizens arrived in the
country by boat whereas they arrived in the Guanine capital Malabo on
their plane.

The charges against the Armenian pilots of gathering intelligence do
not hold up as without the knowledge of local traditions, language and
location they could not have been used in the espionage activities
during their two months of work in Malabo.

Gamlet Gasparyan noted that, through the mediation of the diplomatic
representative offices in Moscow and New York, they are working with
the authorities of New Guinea to clarify the situation and secure the
release of the pilots. The Armenian Foreign Ministry also appealed to
other friendly countries, in particular, to Russia and France, which
through their diplomatic missions in Malabo could help the detained
pilots. Diplomats of the French embassy have already visited the
Armenian prisoners and noted that their state of health is
satisfactory.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan sent a letter to the Kongo
Foreign Ministry calling for its help in securing the release of the
Armenian pilots. The Armenian Foreign Ministry also appealed to the
International Red Cross Committee and the International Amnesty
Organization.

If need be, the Armenian Foreign Ministry is prepared to send its
diplomats to Equatorial Guinea so as to resolve the issue on the spot.

Minor reshuffle in Armenian government

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
23 Mar 04

Staff changes have been made in the government.

By decision of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan Amayak
Garoyan has been relieved of the post of head of the State Emergencies
Department.

The former chairman of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of
Armenia, Artak Sagradyan, has been appointed deputy minister of
education and science.

The head of the cultural department of the Yerevan mayor’s office,
Arman Saakyan, has been appointed deputy mayor.

Gagik Martirosyan has been relieved of the post of head of the State
Committee for Water Resources and appointed the prime minister’s
councillor.

Andranik Andreasyan has been appointed head of the State Committee for
Water Resources. He has been relieved of his the post as deputy
minister for coordinating territorial administration and production
infrastructures.

DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
22-03-2004

Presently the question of introducing the 12-year educational system
is discussed. According to the Minister of Education of NKR Armen
Sarghissian,the introduction of this system in Armenia and NKR is
still a question to be discussed, trying to find out its advantages
and disadvantages. In Armenia a number of documents have been drawn
up, in particular, “The Main Principles of the Conceptual State
Secondary Education System”. According to Armen Sarghissian, the
advantage of the 12-year secondary education is that in the upper
classes the pupils will have the opportunity of specialization, and
thus favourable conditions will be provided for the pupils who will
want to proceed with higher education. This system will also bring
about problems. The children will goto school at the age of
6. Therefore much work has to be done for establishing primary
education institutions. The teachers with necessary specialization
will change to the nursery schools. In the! end the minister added
that especially in the education system reforms must be done with
special care as it is a conservative system in the positive sense of
the word, a mechanism created in the course of years and rapid changes
will cause failure. Because the reform will be effective in the case
of correct planning and funding. If anything is done with faults, the
reform, even the best idea will fail.

LILIT ASRIAN.
22-03-2004

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
March 18, 2004

OSS-Zvezda fails to get license for mobile services in Armenia

MOSCOW, Mar 18 (Prime-Tass) — Russian-Armenian telecommunications
joint venture OSS-Zvezda failed to receive a license from Armenia’s
Transport and Communications Ministry to provide GSM 1800 mobile
services in Armenia, the company’s information service told
Prime-Tass Thursday.

The ministry refused to provide the license to the company, saying
that another company, the Armenian Telephone Company is currently
licensed to provide mobile services in the country.

In spite of the ministry’s rejection, OSS-Zvezda plans to bid for a
license as well as to open its affiliates in the country acting under
local legislation.

The company’s total investments into its Armenian project are
estimated at 60 million euros.

The company also plans to build a mobile network to cover the
Caucasus Region, including Georgia, under the brand name Kavkazskaya
Zvezda (Caucasian Star). End

Agency WPS
TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES MARKET (Russia)
March 19, 2004, Friday

Zvezda, a Russian-American-Armenian joint venture, is going to build
cellular networks all over Transcaucasia.

Zvezda has recently applied for a GSM-license for Armenia. It also
plans to obtain GSM licenses for two other Transcaucasian countries –
Georgia and Azerbaijan – and unite all networks under a single brand
Kavkazskaya Zvezda (Caucasian Star)

Russia’s Defense Ministry is among LanRusinvest’s major clients, and
until recently, the company used military communication channels in
exchange for the services provided to the Defense Ministry. Now
LanRusinvest leases telecommunication channels not only from Defense
Ministry and Voyentelecom, but also from civil operators Rostelecom
and TransTeleCom, according to V.Zatynaiko, Director General of
LanRusinvest.

Waiting for the GSM license for Armenia, Zvezda began building an
IP-network there. It also plans to launch IP-telephony business in
Georgia and Azerbaijan. “That will allow us provide communication
services with Transcaucasian countries at low rates. Besides, people
living in these countries will have low rates for calls to Russia
through our network, says Zatynako. Zvezda plans to invest about 60
million euros into IP-telephony and GSM projects in Armenia.

According to General Director of Zvezda E.Akobyan, the company has
applied to Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania with a proposition
to build a unified mobile communications system, which would cover
Georgia and Armenia. Zvezda plans to invest the same amount of money
in Georgia as in Armenia and operate under the single brand name
Kavkazskaya Zvesda in three countries – Armenia, Georgia, and
Azerbaijan. Although the license for Armenia has not been granted
yet, and licenses for Georgia and Azerbaijan have not been even
applied for, Mr Akobyan already gives figures for GSM tariffs in
Svezda network. According to him, incoming and outgoing calls will
cost $0.15/min at $10 /month subscription charge.

Participants of the project do not disclose information about
shareholders’ stakes in Zvezda authorized capital stock. It is known
however, that there are several legal entities and natural persons
among Armenian participants of the project, and also representatives
of Armenian diaspora from the USA and Canada. Alcatel is named as the
most likely provider of GSM equipment for Zvezda networks.

There is only one GSM operator in Armenia so far – local
telecommunication giant ArmenTel, which was recently deprived of its
cellular service monopoly by the Armenian government. This move
enraged Greek operator OTE who had bought 90% shares of ArmenTel six
years ago. ATE filed a lawsuit in London arbitration court against
the decision of the Armenian government who had promised that
ArmenTel’s monopoly would continue for 15 years after the
privatization.

ORIGINAL-LANGUAGE: RUSSIAN

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

CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER: March 18, 2004

ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN ATTENDS
PREVIEW AND DINNER AT
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan attended a special preview and
dinner on Monday, March 15, representing His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of
the Great House of Cilicia, ushering in the official opening of the exhibit
Byzantium: Power and Faith (1261-1557). Included in the extensive exhibition
are three pieces from the museum of the Cilician See in Antelias, Lebanon.
Overall there are 10 or 11 Armenian pieces of art included in the 350 pieces
from thirty nations. Most of the pieces in the exhibit are rarely seen and
some have never been shown outside of the churches and monasteries that have
preserved them for the past seven centuries.
Representatives of countries who contributed works of art to the
exhibit, as well as sponsors and special guests including His All Holiness
Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch, attended the black tie dinner.
The magnificent 656-page book that accompanies the exhibit is a bargain
at $75 for the hardcover edition. The back cover of the jacket is a
Reliquary Triptych of the Skevra Monastery, Armenian Cilicia, 1293. It is on
loan from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The exhibit will open to the public Tuesday, March 23 and continue
through July 4, 2004. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located at Fifth
Avenue and 81st Street, New York City.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING
WILL CONVENE IN MID-WEST
As part of a program to bolster communications with parishes, the
Executive Council has been scheduling some of its monthly meetings in areas
outside of New York. The next such meeting is scheduled for next weekend,
March 26 and 27 at All Saints’ Armenian Apostolic Church, Glenview,
Illinois. The Prelate and Executive and Religious Councils will meet
individually with pastors, boards of trustees, and delegates to the National
Representative Assembly of each area parish. The representatives of all the
parishes will have lunch with the Councils and also participate in a joint
meeting following lunch. The parishes participating are: All Saints Church,
Glenview, Illinois; St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan; St. Gregory
Church, Granite City, Illinois; St. Paul Church, Waukegan, Illinois; and St.
Hagop Church, Racine, Wisconsin.

FOURTH LENTEN LECTURE EXPLORES
THE FAMILY AS A SMALL CHURCH
The fourth Lenten Lecture, delivered by Rev. Fr. Khatchadour Boghossian,
pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, took place last
night. Rev. Fr. Boghossian spoke about the Family as a Small Church.
Rev. Fr. Khatchadour began his lecture by going back to creation and
viewing the relationship between God and human beings. He described various
families in the Bible beginning with Adam and Eve, describing their problems
and showing that sin has always existed in families. Coming to the New
Testament he described the Holy Family, and presented the admonitions of the
Apostles, especially Paul, concerning the family. He also offered the advice
given by Armenian Church Fathers (Nerses Shnorhali, Hovhaness Yerzingatzi,
and Krikor Narekatzi) concerning the Christian education of children and the
responsibility of parents.
A question and answer period followed the lecture. Everyone enjoyed a
time of fellowship while sharing a Lenten meal prepared by the Prelacy
Ladies Guild and the Ladies Guild of St. Illuminators Cathedral. Discussions
on various topics of interest to the Church continued in small groups
following dinner. The Lenten Lectures are sponsored by the Armenian
Religious Education Council and the Prelacy Ladies Guild.

FIFTH LENTEN LECTURE WILL FEATURE
PROFESSOR VIGEN GUROIAN
Professor Vigen Guroian will be the featured speaker on March 24 at the
fifth Lenten lecture. Professor Guroian is a professor of theology and
ethics at Loyola College, in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the author of many
books and articles, many of which have appeared in Outreach, the publication
of the Prelacy.
The year 2004 has been proclaimed the Year of the Family by His Holiness
Catholicos Aram I, and the Lenten lectures have all focused on an aspect of
the family. Professor Guroian will speak about The Christian Family under
Fire.
The lectures take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 E. 27th
Street, New York City. Lenten service begins at 7:30 p.m., in the Sanctuary,
followed by the lecture and fellowship in Pashalian Hall. All are welcome.

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I WILL TAKE PART IN COMMEMORATION OF
10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GENOCIDE IN RWANDA
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has been
invited to participate in the 10th anniversary commemoration of the genocide
in Rwanda, in April.
Dr. Charles Murigande, Foreign Minister of Rwanda, invited His Holiness
noting: You stood by the people of Rwanda as they struggled to deal with the
terrible consequences of genocide. It therefore gives me pleasure, on behalf
of the people and government of Rwanda, to invite you to the ceremonies
marking the 10th anniversary of the 1994 genocide. Join us to reflect on how
to prevent and banish genocide forever through active universal solidarity.
A high-ranking delegation will accompany His Holiness including Dr. Sam
Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Dr. Andre
Karamagali, the director of the Department on Africa Affairs; Bishop
Dandala, General Secretary of All Africa Council of Churches, Ms. Teny
Pirri-Simonian, Director of Church Relations Department of the WCC; and Rev.
Krikor Chiftjian, Director of Information and Communications for the
Cilician Catholicate.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE
WILL CONVENE IN ANTELIAS, LEBANON
An International Conference-Genocide, Impunity and Justice-will take
place in Antelias, Lebanon, April 22-23, 2004. Initiated by His Holiness
Aram I, the conference will focus on the question of impunity, which will be
analyzed from juridical, religious and political perspectives. The Armenian
Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th Century (1915) and the Rwandan
Genocide, the last genocide of the 20th Century (1994) will be presented as
two different cases of impunity. An international body of scholars,
politicians, and academicians will take part in the conference.
The question of impunity has become a critical issue on the agenda of
the world community. The conference will provide a framework for people
coming from different religions and backgrounds to discuss this question in
a spirit of creative dialogue.

PRELACY BIBLE STUDIES GROUP WILL DISCUSS
“THE PASSION OF CHRIST” THIS MONDAY
The Prelacy’s Bible Study group will discuss the Mel Gibson movie, “The
Passion of the Christ”, this Monday evening, March 22, 7:15 p.m. to 8:45
p.m. The discussion will be led by Deacon Shant Kazanjian, Director of the
Armenian Religious Education Council, at the Prelacy offices, 138 E. 39th
Street, New York City.
In preparation to see the movie and the subsequent discussion, Deacon
Shant suggested reading at least two accounts of the passion of Christ, the
Gospel of John and one of the other Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke),
or better yet all four Gospels.
If you have seen the movie and would like to join the group for this
discussion, contact Deacon Shant at 212-689-7810.

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT:
SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE
We have now come to the fifth Sunday of Lent, which is the Sunday of the
Judge (Datavori Kiraki). The reading on this day is from the Gospel of St.
Luke, chapter 18, verses 1-8, which tells the parable of the judge. The
judge in this parable is seen as hard-hearted without principles, fear of
God. or regard for people. A widow of the same town has been ill-treated and
she has come to the judge for justice. Although her cause is just, he does
not pay attention to her case. However she persists in coming with the same
appeal until at last the judge decides to see that she gets justice. He does
this not because he cares for justice, but in order to get rid of the widow.
The moral teaching of this parable is that in life one must persevere
and pursue righteousness relentlessly with confidence that perseverance will
be rewarded. In particular the parable teaches perseverance in prayer.

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Polish, Armenian Speakers discuss relations

PAP news agency, Warsaw,
16 Mar 04

WARSAW

Sejm [lower house of parliament] Speaker Marek Borowski and the head
of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, met [on] Tuesday
[16 March] to discuss bilateral relations, international affairs and
Armenia’s policy towards the Polish minority.

Borowski said after the meeting that Bagdasaryan was interested in
European legislature, Poland’s political system and the functioning
and powers of the Sejm. The Armenian side expressed readiness to
develop closer interparliamentary contacts between the two countries
and interest in Polish experience in European integration.

On Wednesday the guest will be received by President Aleksander
Kwasniewski, Prime Minister Leszek Miller, Foreign Minister Wlodzmierz
Cimoszewicz and presidia of the Sejm’s foreign affairs and European
commissions.

A1 Plus | 17:09:16 | 16-03-2004 | Social |

ENVIRONMENT IS UNDER THREAT

Activists of thirty four Armenian organizations engaged in environment,
education and public health issues and united in an alliance on February 28
held Tuesday a news conference in Yerevan.

Deforestation was pointed out as the Armenian environmentalists’ biggest
worry.

“It is our top concern. We have already embarked on very serious work and
want all the programs to be put into reality”, said Tapan Eco Club chairman
Hrant Sargssyan.

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