Author: Torgomian Varazdat

ARMENIAN CHURCH OPENS IN SANTA CLARITA

AZG DAILY
27-01-2010

Diaspora

Church officials say they hope to team with local charities, teach
Armenian language to youth

After five years of planning and patience, the Santa Clarita Valley’s
growing Armenian population has a church of its own, The Signal reports

"It’s really important for us to bring the 600 or so families
together so they can have a social network," said Will Simonian,
parish council chairman.

The new space in Newhall is a way to reach out.

"We are trying to close the gap and become part of the community now
that we have our own church," Simonian said.

St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church is led by Father Nerses
Hayrapetyan, who called the new church "a blessing for the community."

Efforts for a church began in 2004 when a group of about five local
residents took the initiative to establish a church.

"We felt that the Armenian community should have more of a presence
in the Santa Clarita Valley," said Harry Soghomonian, parish council
treasurer.

The first services were held at Valencia High School five years ago.

After finding temporary locations throughout the Santa Clarita Valley,
St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church has found a permanent home in
a 5,000-square-foot space on Kansas Street.

The church counts about 70 people as members so far, Soghomonian said.

As the church becomes more established, Simonian hopes to be able to
team up with local leaders to provide charity services for the Santa
Clarita Valley.

"We can be a positive strength and contribution to the community,"
he said.

At the same time, Simonian wants the church to be a place where
children can learn the Armenian culture and language since the Santa
Clarita Valley does not have an Armenian school.

he church has already established a weekend school, a youth
organization and a club for married couples to mingle, he said.

More than 30 kids have taken the Saturday classes, Soghomonian said.

"We’re just trying to do a lot of activities," he said. "It’s not
just a church where people come for service."

BUSINESSMAN, COMING FROM ARMENIA SHOT DOWN IN THE MOSCOW CAFE

Russia-InfoCenter
26.01.2010

An unknown murderer shot down a man, coming from Armenia. The incident
took place on the north of Moscow, in the cafe on the Dmitrovskoe
Avenue, 133. The murderer took several shots to his victim sitting
at the table with a woman and left the cafe.

The victim died at the scene because of wounds. According to the
preliminary data, the murderer looked like native of Caucasus. It is
not yet clear, if the pistol was a service weapon or a traumatic one
and the murder is a result of the quarrel.

The cause and circumstances of this crime are being investigated. It
is still to find out what kind of business had in Moscow.

THE REASON BEHIND PACE’S NON-CONFIRMATION OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION’S AUTHORITY UNCLARIFIED

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.01.2010 18:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Commenting on PanARMENIAN.Net reporter’s question
regarding Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s confirming
authorities of all delegations, except those of Armenian and Albanian,
NA RA speakers’ press secretary Nairi Petrosyan stated that no specific
information on the issue has been received yet.

PREAMBLE TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT DOCUMENT ALREADY AGREED UPON: LAVROV

Tert.am
17:43 ~U 25.01.10

Armenia and Azerbaijan will prepare their suggestions on a document
which deals with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; the
document’s introduction has already been agreed upon, said Russian
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, referring to the outcome
of the now-concluded meeting among the presidents of Russia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan that took place in the Russian city of Sochi.

"The main achievement of today’s talks was the agreement, which,
although the parties have not agreed on some parts of the document,
they will submit their specific ideas and wording, which will be
included in the text," said Lavrov.

news.am, Armenia
Jan 23 2010

NKR President received Hayastan All-Armenian Fund delegation

13:10 / 01/23/2010Programs realized by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic were discussed at the meeting of NKR
President Bako Sahakyan with fund delegation headed by executive
director Ara Vardanyan.

Construction works to be carried out in the town of Shoushi were in
focus, NKR President Office Central Information Department informed
NEWS.am.

The Head of the State underlined that taking into consideration the
role of Shoushi for all Armenians, the stipulated programs should be
realized in time, with high quality and wide mass media coverage.

NKR Premier Ara Haroutyunyan, Vice-Premier, Finance Minister Spartak
Tevosyan and other officials participated in the meeting.

A.G.

KOCHARYAN AND IRANIAN PRESIDENT DISCUSSED BILATERAL RELATIONS

AZG DAILY
22-01-2010

International

Cooperation between regional countries have sufficient potential
to reach peace, welfare and tranquility, Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said at the meeting with former RA President Robert
Kocharyan, IRNA news agency reports, according to news.am.

IRNA quotes Ahmadinejad as saying, "Those who have always masterminded
plots against us are become very weak and the powerful states and
their justice-seeking nations are on the right track, determined to
broaden level of relations and cooperation with one another."

Iranian President underlined that Armenia and Iran are determined
to implement joint projects and play active role in the regional
processes, calling Armenian-Iranian relations friendly.

Kocharyan also pointed out that Armenia intends to expand ties with
Iran, saying that countries have full potential for the development
of bilateral relations and increase level of regional cooperation.

Earlier, RA Former President met with Iranian Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki on January 20. According to Tehran Times, the issues
on bilateral cooperation and regional developments were discussed.

LOKOMOTIVE HOLDS TALKS TO BUY JOAQUI’N BOGHOSSIAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.01.2010 14:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow "Locomotive" is in talks to buy Argentinean
forward of Newell’s Old Boys Joaquin Boghossian, sport-express.ru
wrote. Following Aperture-2009 197-centimeter footballer of Armenian
origin, having scored 11 goals in 18 games, became the best scorer
of the club.

Now Uruguayan footballer plays for Newell’s Old Boys. Argentine club
rented him for a year from the Uruguayan "Cerro", to which he belongs.

Clubs from Europe have already applied about a possible purchase of a
forward, but the management of Newell’s Old Boys "made it clear that
he would do everything to keep the football player."

Perhaps, the forward will move to Europe, most likely to "Locomotive",
which has already begun negotiations on his acquisition. The forward
will likely be in the "Locomotive" in the summer.

Joaquin Boghossian – Uruguayan soccer player of Armenian origin.

Forward of the Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys. According to the
survey conducted in 2009 by "Gran DT XI", was the best player of
Argentina.

NALBANDIAN-DAVUTOGLU PHONE CONVERSATION: ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDS

Tert.am
11:39 ~U 21.01.10

Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press and Information Department
issued a statement yesterday concerning the phone conversation which
took place between Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

In the release it states that the phone conversation took place
upon Nalbandian’s initiative. The Armenian minister expressed his
bewilderment at the January 18 response by Turkey’s foreign ministry on
the RA Constitutional Court’s decision. Nalbandian noted that finding
preconditions and contradictions with the Protocols’ main purpose
in the Court’s decision that the Armenian-Turkish Protocols do not
contradict Armenia’s Constitution is surprising, to say the least.

The Armenian foreign minister also expressed concern that he hasn’t
seen any progress in the Protocols ratification process in Turkey
since October 2009. Furthermore, said Nalbandian, Turkey’s continuing
and evident attempts to bring forward preconditions creates an
impression of searching for pretenses and places the entire process
of establishing Armenia-Turkey relations at risk.

The Armenian minister, praising the fact that Turkey, with its January
18 Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement, re-affirmed the danger
of putting forth preconditions, proposed to his Turkish counterpart
to remain loyal to the spirit and essence of the Protocols and to
move forward swiftly.

Nalbandian added that the ratification process in Armenia is
progressing along the path that’s been set out and without unnecessary
delays, of which the RA Constitutional Court’s decision is proof –
having been made one month earlier than the established deadline.

The Armenian foreign minister confirmed that it’s necessary to pursue
the immediate ratification and implementation of the Protocols,
abstaining from a manner of proposing fictitious pretenses aimed at
the failure of the process.

DOES HE NOT WANT OR HE IS AFRAID?

Lragir.am
20/01/10

"I think the government has the illusion that it can lead the country
with such methods as force, repression", said the member of the
Heritage faction Larisa Alaverdyan dwelling on the assessment of
democratic situation in Armenia by the Freedom House Organization.

Larisa Alaverdyan said the administrative system has rich ways but
the current government chooses the most primitive one which is not
post-Soviet but even rougher. She says that the current government
has to refuse the traditions left by the previous one to improve the
situation otherwise the country will become uncontrollable.

In this connection, reporters asked Alaverdyan whether she thinks
Serge Sargsyan has wish to carry out democratic reforms but does not
make them feeling some danger. She said sure that the lack of wish is
partially determined by this fact. She recalled that all our political
figures became such ones during the Soviet period and the methods
they saw move them in a certain direction to use certain methods. She
said sure that it is a socio-psychological problem. Alaverdyan is sure
that there are people who think normally in the country who can show
the way of passing from autocratic methods to democratic ones. She
noted that she has not ever noticed that Serge Sargsyan bears these
new traditions.

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF .85 MILLION CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON JANUARY 20

Noyan Tapan
Jan 20, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
.85 million at the weighted average exchange rate of 377.68 drams per
dollar were conducted at Nasdaq OMX Armenia OJSC on January 20. The
press service of the Central Bank of Armenia reports that the closing
price was 377.7 drams.