Author: Vasilian Manouk

Anatolian Times, Turkey
April 7 2006

Armenian Letters From The Euphrates Basin

ELAZIG – Letters of Armenians particularly living in Southeastern
Anatolia region in the recent period of the Ottoman Empire envision
collapse of the empire soon and establishment of an independent
Armenian state with the support of Europe and Russia.
Firat University Lecturer Ergunoz Akcora told A.A correspondent that
the Armenians, who were living freely under the protection of the
Ottoman Empire, were exploited for the political reasons by the
imperialist states, starting as of mid-19th century.

Akcora said Armenians were provoked by western states and Russia to
revolt against the Ottomans. He said the letters which the Armenians
wrote each other were tools for this provocation.

Speaking about the letters, written by the Armenian committee members
of the period, Akcora said, ”letter of Bagos Seferyan, written in
1915 to Nekter Seferyan residing in Bitlis, said ‘be sure that we
will celebrate the next Easter within Armenia’s independence
festivities. There will not be Ottoman Empire anymore.”

”Again in 1914, Bedros Haruntanyan wrote a letter to his father
Varter Haruntanyan living in Bitlis and said, ‘my dear father. This
is my last letter to you. I will join Armenian volunteers to crush
Turks. Armenia will be free and independent,” Akcora said.

Akcora also said Armenians living in Europe and the United States
wrote letters to Armenians living in Anatolia to provoke them. He
added that the letters were evidences proving that Armenians got
financial support from other Armenians by force.

”When taken into consideration those written in those letters, it is
clearly understood that the aim is to incite Armenians to armed
attacks,” Akcora said.

COMMISSION FINDS OUT NO CONSIDERABLE VIOLATIONS IN RA NAS HEADS’ ACTIVITY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. No considerable violations were found
out in the activity of heads of the National Academy of Sciences of
Armenia. The specially created commission presened such a counclusion
to the RA NAS Chairmanship on April 5. Anri Nersisian, a commission
member, academician, presented a special opinion in the written form
by which disagreement is presented to the commission’s conclusion. To
recap, the commission consisting of 5 members, was created by RA NAS
Chairman Fadey Sargsian’s demand, in response to his being accused of
not following the RA NAS regulations, making financial violations,
purposeless spending of finances, ect. As Commission Chairman,
academician Yuri Chilingarian mentioned, A.Nersisian’s accusations
are mainly of preventing character. For example, as for the demand
to hold compulsory competition for construction organizations,
it was mentioned that the given demand towards non-trade state
organizations, like the RA NAS, started to be used only in 2005,
thus, after allocating financial resources for holding those works. A
part of speeches was dedicated to the moral side of the problem. The
demand of discharging A.Nersisian of the post of the RA NAS Fundamental
Scietific Library was stated in some of the speeches. But, F.Sargsian
strictly disproved that proposal, emphasizing that he has no bases
to make such a decision. He also gave explanations relating to some
points of the accusation, mentioning that it’s possible that the
reason is academician A. Nersisian’s lack of information. And as for
his supposed resignation of the NAS Chairman’s post, F.Sargsian gave
no clear answer, only mentioning that he intends to work as long as
it will be necessary.

RAISE IN GAS PRICE WILL BE KEPT BELOW 15%, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS

Prime News Agency, Georgia
April 6 2006

Tbilisi. April 06 (Prime-News) – The gas price for consumers will
not increase by more than 10-15%, Noyan Tapan says as quoting Robert
Kocharian, Armenian President.

“We must get used to idea that gas price as low as USD 54 per 1000
m3 does not exist for anyone”, Robert Kocharian said in a televised
address published by the press service of the Office of President.

According to him, they intend to implement an investment project
together with the Russian party, aimed at repair of the 5th generating
unit of the Razdan Heat and Power Plant that would enable the
government of Armenia to generate funds for compensations to the
population for three years.

Besides, construction of the new heat and power plant will soon be
completed that would increase coefficient of efficiency.

“As a result, we will have sufficient energy and its generation will
take less gas. It will enable us to cut consumer price. Therefore,
there are no grounds for anxiety – gas price will not increase by
more than 10-15%”, the Armenian president said.

From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – LebanonBeirut, 06/04/2006

Haigazian University: Launching of the Blackboard Learning System

Haigazian University has recently launched the Networked Learning
Environment, in particular, the Blackboard Learning System. In today’s
environment, institutions are under increasing pressure to demonstrate
educational outcomes, to tailor instruction to meet the specific
learning needs of different students and to foster active learning.
Effective use of technology is a key means addressing these
challenges.

The systems allows any student or teacher to view instructional
content, collaborate with educators, evaluate academic performance and
access any learning resource at any time in order to achieve their
educational objectives.

IT director of Haigazian University, Mr. Moufid Alam, said that, “this
Networked Learning Environment will enable Haigazian University to
realize important benefits, such as student-centered learning, greater
instructor efficiency, anytime anywhere access, improved evaluation
and outcomes management and access to high quality learning content.”

SEVERAL SPANISH DELEGATIONS TO VISIT ARMENIA THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 04 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The IBEX Fund of Spanish state
assistance, which is implementing the programs worth a total of 20 bln
euros in various countries, will open an office in Armenia. Speaker
of the RA National Assembly Artur Baghdasarian stated this at the
April 4 press conference on the results of his working visit to
Spain. According to him, it will allow to develop the Spanish-Armenian
business dialog. The Fund’s delegation plans to visit Armenia in
June. In order to promote the bilateral educational and scientific
links, an agreement on setting up a Spanish-Armenian fund on promotion
of scientific and innovation technologies to be financed by Spain was
reached during the meeting. A delegation will pay a visit to Armenia
until September for this purpose. A. Baghdasarian said that a forum
with the participation of representatives of mayor offices of the
two countries will take place in Armenia in late September with the
participation of official representatives of more than 20 Spanish
cities. According to an agreement with the Ministry of Development
of Spain, an expert delegation will soon come to Armenia in order
to implement the ministry’s possible programs in the earthquke
zone. Particularly, it is envisaged to build a 200-300 bed capacity
hospital in the earthquake zone, as well as to use Spanish experience
in Armenia for the introduction of new technologies in the sphere of
small and medium business. An education and business training center
will be founded in Armenia with this aim.

ARMENIAN LOBBY IN THE USA AGAINST KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY

The Messenger, Georgia
April 4 2006

The Turkish company Yuksel Domonik has elaborated upon their technical
and economic plan for the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki
railway – a 98 kilometer project which is estimated to cost between
USD 350-450 million.

In addition to building a railway line between Kars and Akhalkalaki,
a railway line running from Kars in Turkey, across Georgia to Baku
is being considered at an estimated cost of USD 800 million.

A working group on the project is planned to be held in April between
the tripartite railway administration of Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey. The three countries’ Ministers of Transport will then discuss
the recommendations of the working group at the end of April/beginning
of May, reports the newspaper Khvalindeli Dghe.

Meanwhile the influential and extremely active Armenian lobby in
the U.S. is engaging in a campaign to convince America that the
Kars-Akhalkalaki railway should not be built. U.S. Senators Rick
Santorum (R-PA) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) have submitted a bill to
the Senate that would bar U.S. investment in the railway construction
project because it bypasses the territory of Armenia.

“The planned construction of the railway in the South Caucasus will
not only impinge on the USA’s long-term interests in the region, but
will also result in Armenia’s isolation. The USA’s policy in the South
Caucasus encourages regional stability, cooperation and re-opening
of borders and transport corridors,” said Santorum According to the
web site armeniandiaspora.com.

Georgian analysts consider the Kars-Akhalkalaki project to be in-line
with U.S. strategic interests. According to the newspaper Resonansi,
analyst Ramaz Klimiashvili said “It is profitable for the USA to
complete the project; particularly if the freight which is currently
transported from Central Asia via Russia, is transported along this
route instead. Saying that this project is politically negative for the
U.S. is just ridiculous. Turkey is a NATO member country and freight
would pass via those countries that are also controlled by NATO.”

According to local analysts, despite the Armenian lobby being very
strong in the U.S. Senate it should not be allowed to prevent the
construction of this railway. The U.S. Senate should only consider
a lobby if it serves the interests of its citizens.

TURKISH, AZERI LEADERS TO DISCUSS GARABAGH, MILITARY CO-OP

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 4 2006

Baku, April 3, AssA-Irada Turkish President Ahmed Necdet Sezer was
to start his visit to Azerbaijan on Tuesday. The Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, military cooperation and the
issue of opening the Turkish-Armenian border will be discussed during
the two-day visit.

Sezer is expected to pay tribute to the Cemetery of Honors and the
Alley of Martyrs as well as the monument to Turkish victims, followed
by a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and broad
discussions between the delegations of the two countries’ officials.

ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES BREAK CEASE-FIRE IN AGHDAM

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 3 2006

Armenian armed forces violated the cease-fire in the direction of
Azerbaijan’s region of Aghdam yesterday.

The Garabagh bureau of APA reports that the companies of the Armenian
forces fired on the old state farm in the occupied part of Aghdam,
the opposite positions of Azerbaijani forces as well as Chiragli and
Orta Gishlag villages of the region from their positions in Shikhlar
village from yesterday evening until early morning. No causalities
have been reported. The enemy was silenced by response fire.

Frontiersmen say that the enemy’s armed equipment and trucks are in
motion across the contact line. The local residents also said that the
Armenian military men are pulling down houses and public buildings,
which they used for shelter in Azerbaijan’s territories they have
occupied.

NKR MOD: KARABAKH DIDN’T VIOLATE CEASEFIRE

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2006 23:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The statement of the Azerbaijani Defense Minister
on the ceasefire violation is a recurrent lie, NKR Defense Ministry’s
department of information and propaganda, colonel Senor Asratyan told
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the Karabakh side commenced
fire neither in Fizuli nor in Ghazakh direction. “The reports of
the Azeri side are false,” Asratyan said. To remind, the Azerbaijani
Defense Minister informed that “April 2 a soldier of the Azeri armed
forces was killed as result of ceasefire violations.”

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 ARAM I MEETS WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED STATES

This Holiness Aram I and the Ambassador of the United States to
Lebanon, Mr.

Jeffrey Feltman held a private meeting in Antelias on March
30. Discussions revolved around the ongoing political dialogue in
the country. The Ambassador then had lunch with His Holiness Aram I.

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View the photo here:
es33.htm#2 *****

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and mission 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.