Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

PROTEST ACTIONS IN ISTANBUL DID NOT DARKEN GAREGIN II VISIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.06.2006 16:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 39 churches, 17 Armenian schools function in
Istanbul, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II stated upon completion
of his patriarchal visit to Istanbul. "We were glad to see our
compatriots in Istanbul. The 600-year-long history of Constantinople
Patriarchy is preserved," Garegin II said. He emphasized he does
not think statements on the Armenian Genocide can change Turkish
authorities attitude towards the Armenian community of Istanbul.

"We did not express hatred or hostility in our words, we just stated
the truth," the Catholicos said. He said that protest actions in
Istanbul, that the authorities characterized as actions of extremist
groupings, did not darken his visit, reports the Press Service of
Holy Echmiadzin.

RF DEPUTY FM AND DEPUTY US SECRETARY OF STATE DISCUSS SETTLEMENT OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS

ArmRadio.am
29.06.2006 13:10

In Moscow RF Deputy Foreign Minister Grigori Karasin and Deputy US
Secretary of State on Political Issues Nicolas Burns discussed issues
of resolution of conflicts on CIS territory.

During the meeting on June 28 the interlocutors dwelt on urgent
issues of Russian-American relations with an emphasis on CIS problems
including the regional conflicts, Press Service of RF MFA told
MEDIAMAX Agency.

The meeting of Foreign Ministers of the G8 will be held today in
Moscow.

Earlier Nicolas Burns had not ruled out that the Karabakh conflict
could become a topic of discussion at the summit meeting of Heads of
G8 countries to be held in Saint Petersburg in July.

VISIT OF AZERBAIJAN DELEGATION TO EGYPT IN PROGRESS

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 28 2006

As was earlier informed, a delegation headed by the Executive
Secretary, the Vice-Chairman of the "Yeni Azerbaijan" Party, MP Ali
Ahmadov is on a visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

On June 26, Ali Ahmadov has met the Chairman of National Assembly
of ARE Ahmed Fathi Surur, the embassy of Azerbaijan to Egypt
told. At the meeting, discussed were the prospects of development
of inter-parliamentary communications. It was marked, that an
inter-parliamentary group of friendship of Azerbaijan and Egypt has
been established in Milli Majlis. As stated, a similar group will
appear in the Egyptian parliament in the near future.

On June 27, the Azerbaijan delegation has met Mohammed Tantavi, the
Sheikh of religious center "Al-Azhar". Ali Ahmadov has told about
importance of development of relations between Azerbaijan and Egypt
in all spheres. He gave detailed information on the problems, which
have arisen during the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
the damage caused to Azerbaijan, heavy plight of the refugees and
IDPs. He also dwelt on questions, discussed recently at the 33rd
session of the Islamic Conference Foreign Ministers in Baku and the
decisions adopted here.

Sheikh Mohammed Tantavi has regarded the atrocity and ethnic conflict
committed by Armenians in Azeri lands as aggression against mankind.

He regretfully noted, that the international organizations still
have not given a fair estimation to this question. He has emphasized,
that Egypt always supports fair cause of Azerbaijan.

The same day, the head of Azerbaijan delegation Ali Ahmadov has given
interview to leading editions of Egypt.

JOINT ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MILITARY EXERCISES IN TSAKHKADZOR

ArmRadio.am
29.06.2006 10:25

Joint military exercises of special divisions of the Police Departments
of Armenia and Russia will be held today in Tsakhkadzor.

NEWSPAPER STAFF PROTEST EDITOR’S ARREST
By Hovannes Shoghikian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 27 2006

Journalists working for an independent Armenian newspaper picketed
the Prosecutor-General’s Office on Tuesday to condemn the arrest of
their young editor-in-chief accused of draft evasion.

Arman Babajanian of the "Zhamanak Yerevan" newspaper was detained in
his office and questioned by prosecutors for several hours on Monday.

A statement released by the law-enforcement agency said he confessed
"in the presence of his defense attorney" to forging personal documents
to dodge compulsory military service in 2002. No further details of
the criminal case have been made public so far.

The allegations were rejected as unfounded and politically motivated by
"Zhamanak Yerevan" staff that staged a protest outside the prosecutors’
headquarters in downtown Yerevan along with a small group of other
reporters, human rights campaigners and opposition activists. They
chanted "Shame! Shame!" and carried posters that referred to the
30-year-old editor as a "political prisoner."

"We don’t believe that he made a confession in the presence of his
lawyer because he did not have one," said Manuk Sukiasian, the paper’s
executive director. "He hired a lawyer only today."

Babajanian’s deputy Liza Chagharian and other colleagues claimed
that he is being prosecuted for publishing articles critical of
President Robert Kocharian, Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian and
other senior officials. "I insist that his arrest is connected with
his journalistic activities," she said.

The National Press Club, which mainly unites journalists critical
of the Armenian government, echoed these claims, saying that the
authorities are trying to bully the independent media ahead of
next year’s parliamentary elections. "The NPC demands that the
law-enforcement bodies stick to the letter and spirit of law and do
not become a tool in the regime’s hands," it said in a statement.

Two other, more moderate media associations also expressed concern at
Babajanian’s arrest. In a joint open letter, the Yerevan Press Club
and the Committee to Support Freedom of Speech urged the Armenian
prosecutor-general to name the lawyer who witnessed the editor’s
alleged confession.

Babajanian was not formally charged with draft evasion as of Tuesday
evening. Under Armenian law, the prosecutors have to press the charges
or set him free by Thursday morning.

They rejected on Tuesday the protesters’ demands to release Babajanian
pending investigation. A spokeswoman for the Prosecutor-General’s
Office, Sona Truzian, argued that indicted draft dodgers are normally
kept in pre-trial custody in Armenia. "In this sense, Arman Babajanian
is not an exception to the rule," she told RFE/RL.

"Zhamanak Yerevan" was set up last year and currently sells several
thousand copies in Yerevan and California, which is home to a large
Armenian community. Its news reporting has generally been critical
of the Armenian authorities.

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
Monday, June 26, 2006

Contact: Maral Habeshian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

California Leo Sarkisian ANCA Interns Hard at Work in the Nation’s Capitol

GLENDALE, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Leo
Sarkisian Summer Interns from California arrived in Washington, DC
during the past week to immediately begin work on current ANCA
Congressional initiatives.

Intern Coordinator Megan Young explained that the internship program
kicked-off as the ANCA is pursuing the Administration and the State
Department to provide answers about the untimely dismissal of the US
Ambassador to Armenia John Evans. Western Region participants Meri
Davtian, Babken Der Grigorian, Talar Kivork, Berj Parseghian, and
Vache Thomassian are hard at work, urging Senate Foreign Relations
Committee members to press aggressively for answers about the Evans’
recall during the upcoming confirmation hearing for the President’s
nominee to serve as the next ambassador to Armenia.

Commenting on his direct involvement in the political process,
twenty-year-old intern Berj Parseghian from Pasadena said: `Washington
DC has empowered me to another level as I have been given the
opportunity to step into the center of our nation’s political arena
and experience firsthand the struggles we face and the day to day
progress we make.’

`This is great because it is a practical application of all the
things we’ve studied in school and now we are able to apply them
directly towards Hai Tahd,’ said an equally excited Meri Davtian.

The interns will also have an opportunity to directly participate in a
conference on the conflict in Nagorno Karabgh Republic (NKR), which is
scheduled for next week and features NKR National Assembly Speaker
Ashot Ghulian and NKR Foreign Minister Georgi Petrosian.

"This year’s interns have already shown the determination and
dedication that makes the ANCA and our grassroots campaigns
successful. I look forward to spending the summer watching them grow
as ANCA activists," stressed Young.

The Leo Sarkisian Internship Program provides Armenian American youth
leaders from the across the U.S. the first-hand opportunity to learn
about the inner workings of the American political system. Now in its
23rd year, the program operates out of the ANCA headquarters in
Washington, DC and runs for eight weeks.

The ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program is the cornerstone of the
expanded ANCA Capital Gateway program, designed to provide university
students and recent graduates opportunities to intern or find career
positions on Capitol Hill or at other U.S. government agencies in
Washington, DC. For more information visit the ANCA website

For more information on these and other ANCA programs log on to
or call the ANCA-WR office at (818) 500-1918

‘KARABAKH CAN CLAIM ITS PLACE IN THE FAMILY OF NATIONS’
Editorial

Yerkir.am
June 23, 2006

"Every nation lives and creates having the great goal of
independence. It should establish its own statehood on the territory
of its homeland and be able to defend it.

This idea has been accompanying our nation for centuries," Armenian
Science and Education Minister Levon Mkrtchian said in his speech at
the ‘Nagorno Karabakh Republic: Past, Present and Future’ conference
held in Stepanakert.

"Many gave their lives to realize this goal, we have had irreversible
losses that we have to restore," he went on saying.

Mkrtchian also voiced the congratulations of the Armenian prime
minister.

"The international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
is important not only because of today’s political concepts, that
recognitions is the core of Armenia’s and Karabakh’s independence,"
Mkrtchian said. "And we should realize that we should strengthen the
first serious success of our liberation movement. Such strengthening
happens with an every-day work and through strengthening and
development of the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic."

He also said that holding an international conference in Karabakh
demonstrates that the state has been established and it can claim
its place in the family of nations.

MESKHETI TURKS MADE A TRIP TO JAVAKHETI

Lragir.am
26 June 06

On June 21 about 40 Meskheti Turks arrived in Akhalkalaki. The
guests visited the villages of Khavet and Davni in the southwest of
Akhalkalaki, where their ancestors used to live. The Turks told the
local Armenians that they are not likely to settle down in these
places, they are here as tourists, reports A-Info, reminding that
the Turks exiled in 1944 mostly lived in the regions of Aspindza and
Adigen, where mostly Georgians live.

SPECIAL ASSEMBLY OF EUROPEAN BOXING UNION OPENS IN MOSCOW

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The assembly of the European Boxing
Union opened on June 23 in Moscow. Special election of the Chairman
and leading staff of this organization is on the agenda. Derenik
Gabrielian, organization’s Vice-Chairman, RA Honored Worker of
Physical Culture and Sport, and Levon Hovhannisian, Head of the
Department of Olympic Kinds of Sports of Armenian Sports Committee,
Secretary General of Republican Boxing Federation, take part in the
assembly from Armenia.

UEFA (English)

June 23 2006

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Contenders ponder luck of the draw

Norway and Sweden’s UEFA Champions League contenders are getting
ready to face European debutants from the Czech Republic and Slovakia
after today’s draw.

Scandinavia’s finest
Norwegian champions Vålerenga IF will travel to 2005/06 Czech league
runners-up FK Mladá Boleslav for their second qualifying round first
leg, while Swedish title-holders Djurgårdens IF take on Slovakian
counterparts MFK Ru~^omberok, who have admitted they have very little
idea of what might lie ahead.

Ru~^omberok befuddled
Ru~^omberok coach Franti~Zek Komňacký said: "We are ready to
represent Slovakian football as well as we can. Our international
experience is nil – we have only played Slovakian teams and have no
concrete idea what to expect. The Swedish league is athletic as far I
know, similar to the English Premiership."

Uncertain position
Aside from Austro-Swiss neighbours FC Zürich and SV Austria Salzburg,
the other second qualifying round challengers are even less sure of
where they stand, since they face the winners of first qualifying
round ties. Ukraine’s FC Dynamo Kyiv, however, know they will
encounter the champions of another former Soviet republic having been
drawn against the winners of Latvian champions FHK Liepajas
Metalurgs’ game against Kazakhstani title-holders FK Aktobe.

Metalurgs edgy
"To be honest, we’re not overjoyed," said Metalurgs coach Benjaminas
Zelkevicius. "It looks more like a match in the Commonwealth Cup [the
annual Moscow tournament for former Soviet champions] than a UEFA
Champions League tie. In Moscow we played Aktobe and won 3-0. I
wouldn’t mind this result again in the first leg."

Demianenko confident
Dynamo coach Anatoli Demianenko, meanwhile, was feeling determined.
"We respect all opponents but a club like ours should beat anyone in
the second qualifying round," he said, adding: "I can’t tell who’s
the stronger of Metalurgs and Aktobe. We will know more after we see
them in action, but for both those clubs, matches against us will be
a matter of pride."

Common goal
Serbian standard-bearers FK Crvena Zvezda are, alongside FC Steaua
Bucuresti from Romania, one of two former European champions awaiting
in the second round. They will have an assignment against either Cork
City FC or Apollon Limassol FC, from the Republic of Ireland and
Cyprus respectively. Crvena Zvezda coach Du~Zan Bajević said: "On
paper, Apollon are a tougher opponent than Cork, but every country
wants to have a Champions League participant and we share that
dream."

Major challenge
Former Soviet republics will also meet in the first qualifying round
as Armenia’s FC Pyunik and Moldova’s FC Sheriff contest a second
qualifying round tie against Russia’s FC Spartak Moskva. For Pyunik
captain Sargis Hovsepyan, it represents a major hurdle. "We’re up
against one of the best teams in the round," he said. "They are a
very mobile and strong team whom we saw at the Commonwealth Cup.
Sheriff have played Armenian champions before at this stage and won.
Although we will do all we can to advance, it’s going to be very
difficult."

Smaller nations
Elsewhere, at least one of UEFA’s smallest nations will be
represented in the second round after Maltese champions Birkirkara FC
were pitted against Faroese equivalents B36 Tórshavn. The winners
will be rewarded by playing Turkish giants Fenerbahçe SK in the
second qualifying round. Birkirkara coach Stephen Azzopardi told
uefa.com: "Everyone at the club, including myself, feels we can make
it to the next round. Whoever gets through will play Fenerbahçe so
both teams will be doing their utmost to qualify."

–Boundary_(ID_JbQMqp09b+2imL05fla nPQ)–