Author: Nargizian David

OSKANIAN AND FRIED DISCUSSED CONTINUING TALKS WITHIN PRAGUE PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.03.2006 18:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian yesterday met with US
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried. OSCE MG American Ambassador
Steven Mann was also present at the meeting, reports the Press Service
of the Armenian MFA. During the meeting the parties discussed regional
issues, including Armenia’s energy security. They noted that within
that context settlement of conflicts in the South Caucasus will allow
fully using the capacities of the region in the future. Besides, the
interlocutors discussed the situation over settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict and exchanged views over steps to continue the talks
within the Prague process. The parties touched upon the Armenia-Turkish
relations, specifically unblocking the Armenia-Turkish border.

The meeting participants discussed implementation process of the
Millennium Challenge Account, as well as matters referring to
strengthening democracy in Armenia.

ZHARANGUTIUN PARTY IS GOING TO APPLY TO PROSECUTOR GENERAL WITH A DEMAND TO RESTORE ITS ACTIVITY

Noyan Tapan
Mar 09 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN. “Today, or as a last resort tomorrow in
the morning we are going to apply to the Armenian Prosecutor General
with a demand to immediately restore the constitutional order in the
country and to immediately restore the Zharangutiun (Heritage) party’s
activity,” Vardan Khachatrian, Zharangutiun party Political Secretary,
declared in his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent. According to
him, as a result of unknown persons’ entering the party headquarters
ang changing the locks on March 4, the party members aren’t able to
come into their office where the whole documentation and archives
necessary for party’s normal activity are. As V.Khachatrian estimated,
in fact, the party’s activity was blocked and the party, in essence,
appeared in isolation from the whole political field. He expressed
bewilderment in connection with the conduct of the Director of Hakob
Paronian Theater of Musical Comedy, in which a room has been rented by
the party for already 12 years, at that, the rent term expires only
in June. Meanwhile, he gave assurance that the office door couldn’t
have been sealed by the instruction of the theater Director Karapet
Shahbazian: “The theater director had no powers to do this, this
is, in essence, a provocation carried out by the authorities”. The
politician was also surprised at the circumstance that K.Shahbazian
advised the party to apply to the State Property Department motivating
this by the fact that the building is within the jurisdiction of
the department. But the following answer came from this instance:
“There is no such property on the department’s balance”. “We appeared
in a regular theater of distorting mirrors, a way out of which can
become our actions, namely: to apply to the Prosecutor’s Office, which
controls the constitutional order, and to find out its attitude towards
all this. The attitude of the Prosecutor General will unanimously
show the authorities’ position and to what extent they are involved
in this,” Vardan Khachatrian declared. Besides, !

according to him, the Prosecutor’s attitude will condition the further
processes in this issue. He informed that the party plans to hold a
press conference where its position to these events will be presented
more minutely and at which, possibly, commentaries will be given
“to the party’s next logical steps”.

Regnum, Russia
March 10 2006

Ethnic clashes in Tsalka (Georgia): police used force

As REGNUM already informed, on March 9, at about 06:00 p.m. local
time, in the city of Tsalka (regional center of Kvemo-Kartli Region,
Georgia) an armed attack was held against a group of young ethnic
Armenians. The attack was committed in the city’s center, when the
company departed from a restaurant. When they were getting into a
car, unidentified people suddenly attacked them, dragged out of the
car and started beating them. As witnesses and one of the victims
said, there were about 15 attackers, some of them armed with cold
steel. As a result of the attack, 23-year-old Gevorg Gevorkyan was
injured with a knife and died at the scene. V. Saakyan, 25, was
wounded in the leg, K. Baloyan, 25, seven hours later was delivered
to hospital in Tbilisi with a severe wound. After the attack the
criminals escaped.

As Javakh news agency `A-Info’ informs, police arrested three
suspects that are currently interrogated. About 300 Armenians
gathered near the police building, who demand fair punishment to the
murderers. The protesters have broke several windows in the police
building. As a response, the Georgian SWAT that arrived from Tbilisi
drove the protesters back, brutally beating them with machine guns
and batons. Currently, police building is surrounded by SWAT.

According to Armenian MP of Tsalka region Hayk Militinyan, 150 people
were hurt during the clash between police and the protesters.

The victims say, they do know the reasons of the attack. As they
think, a group of Adjarian or Svani settlers attacked them. All
victims are from the same village, Kushi (Tsalka region). According
to eye-witnesses, some time later, all the entrances to the city of
Tsalka from the side of Armenian villages were blocked by units of
special forces deployed in the region. Other ways, including the road
leading to the capital were open.

Conflicts in Tsalka region are often because of Armenian and Greek
communities that live there along with Georgians, who moved there
from Ajaria and Svanetia after ecological catastrophes, and occupied
empty houses of local citizens, who emigrated or were temporarily
abroad. Such illegal intrusion into private property along with
increase of crime level in the area because of immigration cause
indignation of local residents.

Similar conflict existed earlier. Largest confrontation took place on
May 9, 2005 when in conflict between Armenians and Georgians around
30 people were wounded. Such incident cause Georgian authorities to
deploy the national guard in the region, but positive effect of this
action is highly questioned by local population.

“POET’S RETURN” FILM OF HAROUTIUN KHACHATRIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN
COMPETITION PROGRAM

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Film director
Haroutiun Khachatrian’s “Poet’s Return” film will be shown on March
15-20 in three cities of Belgium: Antwerp, Ghent, Anderlecht, where at
the same time lectures and meetings will be held. As the Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed by the “Golden Apricot” (Voske Tsiran)
festival office, the film will also participate in the competition
program of the Italian “Infinity” festival to take place from March 30
to April 7. Later, from June 30 to July 8, the “Poet’s Return” film
will participate in the competition program of the Karlovy Vary
International Film Festival to take place in Czechia as well.
Haroutiun Khachatrian’s previous, the “The Documentarist” film was
awarded special prize in the same festival. Retrospective show of
Haroutiun Khachatrian’s films will be held in the cinematheque of
Slovenia on May 26-30. The director’s five films:

“Kond,” “White City,” “Return to the Promised Land,” “The
Documentarist” and “Poet’s Return” will be shown. It’s envisaged to
organize similar retrospective shows in the cinematheques of Uruguay
and Argentina as well. Retrospective shows of films of four directors
of the Armenian origin: Sergey Parajanov, Artavazd Peleshian, Atom
Egoyan and Haroutiun Khachatrian will take place in cinematheque of
Holland in autumn.

CHESS-PLAYERS TIGRAN KOTANJIAN AND LUSINE ALAVERDIAN BECOME YEREVAN CHAMPIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The first group tournaments of Armenian
men and women chess championships are over. At the same time they had
a status of open Yerevan championships. International master Tigran
Kotanjian (Yerevan) took the first place and became Yerevan champion in
the men’s tournament held with participation of 53 chess-players. He
gained 7.5 out of 9 possible points. David Kalashian (Gyumri) took
the second palce with 7 points. Kotanjian and Kalashian gained the
right to take part in the tournament of Armenian championship highest
group. 3 winners among 30 participants of women’s tournament were to
get the right to take part in the country’s championship. The winners
became: Lusine Alaverdian (Hrazdan), Anahit Kharatian (Vanadzor)
and Marianna Gasparian (Gyumri). L.Alaverdian became the winner of
Yerevan open championship.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

October 17, 2005
___________________

PARISHES TAKE UP SPECIAL OFFERING

In response to the devastation Hurricane Katrina caused in New
Orleans, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
asked its parishes to take up special offerings in September and
welcomed donations from all Armenians.

Recently, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the
Western Diocese, presented Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Eastern Diocese, with a check for $30,500 to be sent to the Armenian
families of New Orleans who are now being sheltered and helped by
the community in Baton Rouge.

“We heard about the Armenian communities there (in New Orleans).
We are thankful there were no personal losses, but we hear they have
needs,” wrote Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western
Diocese, in an Armenian letter accompanying his diocese’s donation.
“We appreciate that the Eastern Diocese immediately responded to
the needs of those Armenian families and acted to provide financial
support.”

The Western Diocese also raised thousands of dollars to fund recovery
efforts by the Red Cross.

Along with the money from the Western Diocese, the Eastern Diocese
has collected $44,050 for Katrina relief. Half of the money raised by
parishioners in the Eastern Diocese will be sent directly to Armenian
families who lost homes and businesses from the storm and the other
half will be sent to Church World Service (CWS), the humanitarian
aid arm of the National Council of Churches (NCC), to fund long-term
relief efforts.

“Our Armenian brothers and sisters in the New Orleans area are
thankful, I know, for all the support we have provided to them in
this time of crisis,” said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Eastern Diocese. “And along with our financial help, our prayers
have also been felt down in Louisiana.”

— 10/17/05

# # #

OSKANIAN INFORMED LITHUANIAN LEADER ON ARMENIA COOPERATION WITH EU AND NATO

Pan Armenian
18.10.2005 18:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian yesterday met with
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, reported the Press Service of
the MFA of Armenia.

In the course of the meeting the parties underscored the need
for further development of bilateral relations. The Armenian FM
highlighted Lithuania’s support to provide for Armenia’s greater
involvement in European Neighborhood Policy, as well as Lithuania’s
experience of European integration. The parties agreed to continue
cooperation between Armenia and Lithuania within international
organizations. V. Oskanian appreciated Lithuania’s role in establishing
cooperation between the Baltic states and the Caucasus. The Minister
also presented the programs being implemented within the framework
of Armenia’s cooperation with the European Union and NATO, as well
as questions referring to Armenia-Turkey relations. The parties
also discussed regional issues, specifically ways of settlements
of conflicts available. V. Oskanian acquainted the Lithuanian
leader with the current stage of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Last evening the Armenian FM met with representatives of
the Armenian community of Lithuania. Today Vartan Oskanian will meet
with Lithuanian FM Antanas Valionis, will visit Lithuanian Genocide
Museum and will make a statement at the Institute of International
Relations and Political Science of Vilnius.

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 10 2005
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

THE PRESS RELEASE OF THE NATIONAL STATISTICS SERVICE

In the academic year of 2005-2006, there are 236 secondary schools
and colleges instead of the 237 of the previous year. The number of
children at schools is 21 639, having decreased by 325 or 1.5 per
cent since the previous year. This year 2339 children went to school,
having increased by 205 since the previous year. The number of pupils
in each region is: in Stepanakert 7256 (against 7332 last year), 38.2
per cent of the total number of schoolchildren, Askeran region 2657
(2719) 12.3 per cent, Hadrut region 1985 (2037) 9.2 per cent,
Martakert region 2674 (2649) 20.7 per cent, Martuni region 4018
(4105) 18.6 per cent, Shahumian region 537 (552) 2.5 per cent, Shushi
region 810 (799) 3.7 per cent, Kashatagh region 1702 (1771) 7.9 per
cent.

RUSSIA KEEN ON RESTORING ABKHAZ SECTION OF RAILWAY, OFFICIAL SAYS IN ARMENIA

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005

Yerevan, 12 October: “Armenia, Russia, Georgia and Abkhazia will
probably set up a consortium for the restoration of the Abkhazian
section of the railway [joining Russia with Armenia via Georgia],
Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said in Yerevan today.

Speaking at the Armenian-Russian business forum today, Levitin said
that there were a number of problems in the restoration of the railway
communication in Abkhazia and that time is needed for the effective
resolution of the problem. “We should not forget that this is a 15-year
old problem and it is impossible to solve it in one day,” he said.

Levitin said that a sitting of the Russian-Georgian intergovernmental
commission will be held soon to discuss the issue of restoration of
the Abkhazian section of the railway.

The Russian minister pointed out that a report on a necessary amount
of financing for the restoration of the railway communication on the
Abkhazian territory will be ready in a few day.

MONEY COLLECTED FROM “TELETHON-2005” TO BE GIVEN TO IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM “RE-BIRTH OF ARTSAKH”

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “Telethon-2005”
of the “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund will take place on November
24. As Naira Melkumian, the Executive Director of the fund informed
the Noyan Tapan correspondent, money collected as a result of the this
year telethon will be allocated to implementation of the development
program “Re-Birth of Artsakh” worked out by the fund.

Mrs. Melkumian mentioned that the development program was worked out
with the assistance of scientists from France, USA and Armenia.

According to her, the program which will be implemented by three
stages includes both humane and development sub-programs. Within
its framework, it’s envisaged in the region of Martakert to build
a water channel, to restore the regional hospital, to implement a
complex program of development the agriculture as well as programs
supporting re-populating of the region and assisting young families.

The total value of the program is about 17 mln dollars. Naira
Melkumian hopes that about 10 mln dollars will be contributed during
the “Telethon-2005.”