Author: Zaminian Bedik

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: info@armenianprelacy.org
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

September 11, 2006

BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN TANIEIAN’S SERVICE
TO ARMENIAN CHURCH SPANS THREE DECADES

HIS SERVICE AND RECENT ELEVATION WILL BE
CELEBRATED ON OCTOBER 1

NEW YORK, NY-On Sunday, October 1, the more than three decades of service
that His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian has rendered to the Armenian
Church will be celebrated as well as his recent Episcopal consecration in
June.
The celebration will take place at the Terrace on the Park in Flushing
Meadows, New York, beginning at 3 pm, under the auspices of His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
America. Bishop Anoushavan will officiate over the Divine Liturgy in the
morning at St. Sarkis Armenian Church in Douglaston, New York, where he
served as parish priest for two decades. Last year he was assigned to serve
as Vicar General of the Prelacy, a post that he previously fulfilled on a
part-time basis.

EARLY YEARS
Bishop Anoushavan (baptismal name Torkom) was born on January 29, 1951,
in Beirut, Lebanon, the sixth and youngest child of Antranig and Araxie
Tanielian.
He received his elementary education at Forty Martyrs School. From a
very young age he participated in the choir, singing the beautiful religious
hymns. His grandfather, Artin, his mother and father, and his Sunday school
teachers were his early instructors in religion. "I remember my mother’s
simple but very deep faith," he recalls today. "She had many religious
traditions she faithfully kept. My parents have been my best teachers. I
came to understand God’s essence, through their unconditional love,
understanding, patience and forgiveness."
Torkom took a giant step in his early years when he left home and
entered the Seminary in Antelias. "Now I realize what sacrifices my mother
made when I told her of my decision to go to Antelias. She supported my
decision and wished me good luck, but I still remember her tearful eyes."
Torkom Tanielian was ordained a celibate priest on November 26, 1972, by
Archbishop Ardak Manougian, Prelate of Tehran, Iran, and given the new name,
Anoushavan.
In 1974, he received the fourth degree of Vartabed of the Armenian
Church by Catholicos Khoren I. This was just the beginning of the many works
and responsibilities that he undertook at the Catholicosate of Cilicia from
1973 to 1984. Besides extensive scholarly work, during this period his days
were filled with the responsibility of being the librarian of the
Catholicosate, where he admits he was the happiest in the world of books.

SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
Through lectures and seminars he became a spiritual advisor to young men
and women in the Theological Seminary, Hamazkayin Armenological Studies
Institute, Mardigian and Garmirian elementary schools, and to the Armenian
Church University Students Association.
Those early years of his service were also the years of the tragic civil
war in Lebanon. Although these years were a dark period in his life, they
were also the time when his years of training went into practice. He
demonstrated the true meaning of social work. He joined with social agencies
to provide help. He made regular visits to the hospitals to visit the
wounded. He visited the homes of the needy.
During this period, witnessing the inhumanity of human beings towards
one another, he understood the true role of prayer. "In this war period I
felt how mighty prayer is, not only as a daily necessity but as the main
source of vitality. It is only through prayer and conversations with God
that you receive an inner power to resist hopelessness," he recalls now.

ECUMENISM AND VISIT
TO ARMENIA
In the summer of 1978, Bishop Anoushavan attended the World Council of
Churches Faith and Order Commission in Bengalore, India, beginning his many
years of ecumenical encounters. His experience and expertise resulted in his
recent appointment by Catholicos Aram I as the Ecumenical Officer on behalf
of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in the entire United States of America.
His first visit to Armenia took place in 1976. This was to be followed
by many more on various occasions for different reasons. His most recent
visit was this past summer where he directed a summer religious camp for
some of the orphans in the Prelacy’s Orphan Sponsorship Program. But that
first trip in ’76, which extended for three months, was memorable: "My heart
was pounding when I saw the wide peaks of Mount Ararat over the skies. When
the plane landed, I was serene and felt that I was home at last."

UNITED STATES AND
HIGHER EDUCATION
His first visit to the United States was in 1980 when he came as the
staff bearer to His Holiness Karekin II. He returned in 1984 to attend
Princeton Theological Seminary where he received a Master of Theology
degree. He was awarded another Masters Degree from Columbia University in
Philosophy in 1992. Thus began his long journey toward his doctoral degree.
His student days were filled not only with studies but also service,
especially to St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Philadelphia, and Sts.
Vartanantz Church in New Jersey. Along with Sunday preaching, he conducted
Bible studies, organized youth seminars and lecture series, and organized a
unique sharagan (hymns) choir.

SERVICE TO ST. SARKIS
He was called to full time service to St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston,
New York, and therefore had to put his doctoral studies on the "back
burner." He was appointed to serve as pastor of St. Sarkis by His Eminence
Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian and he continued to serve that parish until May
2005 when he was called to serve as full time Vicar General of the Eastern
Prelacy. His two decades of service to St. Sarkis were marked with
tremendous achievements for the parish. He revitalized or created anew many
of the auxiliary groups that became and continue to be a lifeline for the
parish.

PERSEVERANCE BRINGS
ACHIEVEMENT
After many years of concentrated effort while serving as a full time
parish priest, part time Vicar of the Prelacy, and chairman of the Religious
Council, Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian was conferred with the Doctor of
Philosophy degree from Columbia University in May 2003.
At the time Archbishop Oshagan, the Prelate, noted, "Others in his
circumstances would have just given up, but Hayr Anoushavan persevered and
in spite of a ‘double-time-plus’ schedule he succeeded in completing his
studies and his dissertation and he graduated with high distinction."
His doctoral dissertation was on St. Nerses of Lambron, specifically his
Commentary on the Wisdom of Solomon. He recalls that he chose this for two
reasons: the personality of the author and the nature of his work. "Nerses
of Lambron was a unique individual," he said. "Like his namesake, Catholicos
Nerses the Great, he was a man of intellect, compassion and particularly
adept at negotiations. Like the Holy Translators, he was open-minded in
borrowing from the achievements of fellow Christians in order to enrich the
Armenian heritage."

CELEBRATING SERVICE
Today, Bishop Anoushavan continues his dedicated service to the Church
with new responsibilities. But his goal remains the same: To serve the
Armenian Church and to make her a beacon of faith for the Armenian people in
the diaspora and the homeland.
The celebration on October 1 is in honor of Bishop Anoushavan but it is
also a celebration of the sacrifice and dedication of our early Church
Fathers, who continue to guide the steps of those in service today.
For information about the banquet in honor of Bishop Anoushavan, contact the
Prelacy at 212-689-7810.

PARLIAMENT OF ARGENTINIAN PROVINCE OF CORBODA RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 08 2006

BUENOS AIRES, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The
legislative body of the Argentinian province of Corboda on September 6
unanimously adopted the bill No. 9315, in accordance with which April
24 will be commemorated each year as remembrance day of the genocide
committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people. According
to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, the bill prepared
by Alejandra Vigo, member of the faction Unification for Corboda,
also intends to run courses on the Armenian Genocide at schools of the
province. In particular, it is noted in the bill that "the atrocities
committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire and the
Turkish government prior to, during and after World War I are called
the Armenian Genocide." The law will take effect within 10 days after
being approved by the governor of the Corboda province. A similar
law was adopted by the parliament of the province of Buenos Aires
on May 17, 2006, and took effect on June 2 after being ratified by
the governor. It is expected that the bill on commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide, which was unanimously adopted by the legislative
body of the Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires on August 17, 2006,
will also come into force in the near future.

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VIKTOR YUSCHENKO

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2006

Esteemed Ilham Heydarovich!

Esteemed Azerbaijani friends, ladies and gentlemen

First of all, I would like to thank the President for the invitation.

I am satisfied with the talks we have had in the spirit of traditional
friendship. The subject-matter was wide-ranging – we touched on the
issues concerning various aspects of our relations including political,
economic, humanitarian, defense and foreign policy ones. Besides,
we discussed our military-technical cooperation, and realization of
a number of energy projects.

I would like to mention that today Ukraine has reached the stage of
political stability. Political forces that that were involved in the
parliamentary elections have passed through the difficult path towards
forming parliament’s majority, forming the government, forming major
view on nationwide values, integration vector and attitude to the
key issues that has bothered the nation for many years.

It is with great satisfaction that I want to say that today Ukraine
is on the stage of political stabilization. It is very important from
the standpoint of the issues we have discussed to understand economic
prospects of their realization.

Evaluating the today’s Ukrainian market, macroeconomic culture and
other indicators, I would like to say that our indicators we have are
may be unique for the Eastern Europe. Our GDP’s growth rate is 7.7%.

All the branches of the economy tend to grow. None of our branches
is experiencing depression, slowdown or crisis.

Today, the country has the least, over the past 15 years of
independence, level of unemployment measuring 7.2%. We have the
highest indicator of per year foreign investments, which measures $7.4
billion. The dynamics of our budget’s forming is very good with 53%
growth in budget receipts last year. This year, this growth makes
up 18%. We have managed to tackle greater part of the social and
humanitarian issues that we failed to do for many years.

I consider it as a good basis for development of multilateral and
bilateral relations with Ukraine. Ukraine is a promising country. I am
convinced that Ukraine has many opportunities for the mutual interests
to be satisfied. That is why it was so important to us to discuss a
number of issues of traditional significance for our relations. The
first group of issues constitutes cooperation in energy sphere. There
are three directions in energy sphere, which Ukraine is interested
in today. The first is forming joint structures with potential
Azerbaijani companies to deal in both markets with extraction,
exploration, processing and sale of oil products. Such readiness
have been expressed by Ukrainian side, and officially submitted to
the Azerbaijani colleagues.

We consider this as the first stage of them mutual penetration
to markets and development of mutual potentials. The second step
is continuation of the transportation of the Azeri and Kazakh oil
through Odessa-Brody-European market route. The project is currently
working. Today, the Caspian and Black Sea region is already making new
offers concerning crude oil that easily agrees with realization of
the Odessa-Brody project. The third step is forming joint positions
on such important issue as supply of gas, practically, though the
same route – the Caspian region-Ukraine-European Union.

We are very interested in continuation and development of cooperation
in aviation. Today, Ukraine can present seven types of aircrafts,
which have been tasted, and meet the highest safety requirement and
economic characteristics of the contemporary aviation market.

We believe here is our perspective. Our offer today is that we have to
study this issue on the highest possible level, highlight key points
and continue our work.

We have paid great attention to the activity of GUAM, we have also
focused on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, concerning
which Ukraine, as before, use all available opportunities to help in
resolution of this conflict. We are ready to be a party to play the
part, which could be most acceptable for the conflict sides.

We talked about providing vital conditions for national minorities.

It pleases me much, as the President, that the Azerbaijani community
of Ukraine feels fine. If there are problems we have not yet solved,
we are ready to do so at a highest level.

Frankly speaking, our negotiations were very easy because, on one
hand, our relations are historically and traditionally good, and
have been formed and enshrined in the two peoples at both conscious
and subconscious level. On the other one, I think the policy of the
last years is the policy, which have demonstrated careful attitude
to national interests of the countries. Ukraine is ready to continue
this policy.

We are very pleased with the last years’ dynamics of our trade
relations: 37% growth last year, and nearly 30% this year. It proves
the effectiveness of the mechanism of organization of the trade
relations between the two countries in the framework of GUAM. The free
trade zone produces its regular results. However, we were ready to sit
down at the negotiating table to tackle the problems if they exist and
are worthy of attention of the working commissions or the Presidents.

No matter do these issues concern tariff policy or insurance, something
else, we realize that these relations need to be perfected.

So, both sides agreed, after all, to raise the status of our relations
and create a new constitutional mechanism in the form of the Council
of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Ukraine. In the framework of the
Council, a strategic plan will be developed to cover the most important
aspects of the bilateral relations. Relevant orders have been given
today by the Presidents. I am convinced that our relations are not
only mutually beneficial but also very promising. So, I thank you,
Ilham Heydarovich, for the atmosphere our talks, and those of the
two government teams were held.

Thank you.

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES RICHARD HOAGLAND AS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. After a lengthy
confirmation process which challenged the Bush Administration’s policy
on the Armenian Genocide, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
today approved the nomination of Ambassador-designate Richard
E. Hoagland as America’s next Ambassador to Armenia. The panel vote,
13-5, clears a major hurdle for Hoagland, who has been repeatedly
questioned by Republican and Democratic lawmakers over U.S. policy
on the Armenian Genocide following his nomination by President Bush
to replace Ambassador John M. Evans. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the Armenian Assembly of America, Senators Paul Sarbanes (D-MD),
Norm Coleman (R-MN), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), John Kerry (D-MA) and
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) voted against the nominee. Ambassador Evans
was rebuked by the State Department after publicly affirming that
"the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the twentieth
century." He tendered his resignation after serving only two years
of what is typically a three-year assignment. "My vote is no," Kerry
told Committee Members. "It is not against the nominee personally,
but against the Administration." Kerry said that the U.S. must honor
history and honor the truth, pointing to America’s own record as
documented by U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau
who warned during the time of the killings that a "campaign of race
extermination" was in progress. During the Committee deliberation,
Boxer referenced a statement by then-Governor George W. Bush,
which said that Armenians were subjected to a genocidal campaign
that defies comprehension. The February 2000 letter said that,
"if elected President, I would ensure that our nation properly
recognizes the tragic suffering of the Armenian people." Boxer told
Committee Members that the President did not fulfill his pledge, but
Evans did acknowledge the truth and was recalled from his post as a
consequence. The next step in the confirmation process is consideration
by the full Senate.

LEBANON’S FATE AT THE HAND OF ISRAEL: THE OBLITERATION OF A COUNTRY
Written by Armen Kouyoumdjian

Newropeans Magazine, France
Sept 5 2006

Once again I have had to redirect my report towards a subject other
than the one I had planned to cover this week-end. Israel’s assault
on the Lebanon cannot leave me silent. May I also declare that more
than ever in this particular case, I shall not tolerate any critical
reaction to what I am about to write, none whatsoever. This is not a
moment for debating in the Agora, and if you (or your mother-in-law
to whom you pass-on these papers) do not like it, do not read them.

PROGRESSIVE TREND

Believe it or not, I used to be quite a fan of Israel during my young
days in Beirut. I do not think it has anything to do with the fact
that we are of the same age (I am 12 days older than Israel and much,
much wiser). It probably relates to my early interest in military
affairs. I even applauded its victories in the 1967 war, though it
fucked up my last summer in Beirut, before I left that city for good
in September of that year. It probably had not much to do with the
several Jewish classmates I had at both school and university there,
many of whom ended up for a short while in Israel before leaving it
in disgust. I myself avidly followed all the great military prowess
with great admiration. I soon realised how wrong I was.

My first inkling that this was not a show to be admired came on
December 27, 1968. I myself was just recovering from the May student
revolution at the Sorbonne where I was studying, when Israeli commandos
flew into Beirut airport and blew up in cold blood the 13-strong
fleet of its once proud Middle East Airlines. Hey, I thought, this
is not war, this is vandalism.

If that did not change my mind, the following four decades have
given plenty more ammunition. The 1978 invasion of the South, the
1982 occupation of half the country with the resulting destruction,
and the Sabra and Chatila massacres. Any lingering doubts that may
have remained within me would have been swept away when Menachem
Beguin stopped Armenian scholars from attending seminars on Genocide
in Israel, after which followed repeated denials of the Armenian
Genocide by various top Israeli officials, finally culminating in an
unholy alliance with Turkey. They even instructed Jewish organisations
worldwide to shamefully collaborate in the negation campaign. Begin’s
real name was actually Wolfovitch (hey, just like that guy at the
White House).

THE TARGET

The country which Israel has now decided to obliterate is not just any
country. It is the cradle of the ancient Phoenician civilisation that
gave the world its first modern alphabet, and pioneered international
commerce. It has been the home of great artists and thinkers. It has
given birth to some of the world’s most brilliant business brains, and
at least half a dozen countries in Latin America have had presidents
from among the ranks of the large Lebanese Diaspora. In my Beirut
school we spoke three languages during break, never discriminated
in any way among the many communities which made up our classes,
in an educational system the quality of which I never saw again in
the three countries where I have subsequently lived. We followed the
latest pop music and films from all around the world.

Half a century ago there were two French-language weeklies dedicated
to movies in Beirut. There is not a single one in Chile.

Above all this was the most hospitable country and people to have ever
roamed the earth. I cannot compare the slap-up banquets that hosts
used to come up with whenever one visited, to the visits my own sons
made to the houses of their Chilean classmates when, during a study
session of several hours their mothers would not even serve them a
glass of water. Though it does not apply to my own family history,
when Armenian survivors of the 1915 Genocide arrived in the Lebanon,
itself in the midst of a famine and other difficulties, the local
authorities built an entire village (Anjar) to house as many as they
could. The Armenians owe the Lebanese, and in fact Arabs in general,
a debt which can never be repaid enough.

This country, whose modern independence is recent, is built on a
fragile equilibrium which cannot easily take traumas. It is not the
solid balance of the cement-less vault of medieval cathedrals, but
the delicate one of a pyramid of Chinese acrobats. Mess around with
one and the whole thing collapses, as happened several times over the
past half century. To expect its authorities and modest armed forces
to do other people’s dirty work in as unrealistic as it is unjust.

If the genesis of the Hezbollah problem is Iran and Syria, supposedly
card-carrying members of the Axis of Evil, how come their territory
is not being attacked, whereas poor Lebanon is obliterated?

THE PERPETRATOR AND HIS ACTS

The answer is: the cowardly bully always targets the weak and
defenceless. To call Israel a Terrorist State would be an undeserved
compliment. Terrorists at least have an ulterior motive, however
warped it may sometimes be. Israel is a Vandal State. Vandals just
destroy for the sheer pleasure of causing harm. Within a few days,
this trading country’s transport and energy infrastructure is in ruins,
and half a million of its population are refugees. Its painful recovery
from a long and also foreign-induced internal conflict has been wiped
out at a stroke.

Its trading and tourist activities are dead. It will probably have
to default on its large public debt, much of which is held by its own
banking system which in turn might become insolvent. Customs revenues
are one of the main sources of treasury income. The cosmopolitan
fabric of its population will once again be ruined by the mass exodus,
which will take years to reverse, if ever. Meanwhile, there is an
immediate humanitarian problem of massive proportions, when medical
help cannot even get to the victims, and the power shortage prevents
even those getting to a hospital from getting proper treatment.

TIRED ARGUMENTS

The main argument presented by Israel to justify its actions is
Self Defence. This does not stand any scrutiny. Both national and
international laws restrict your field of action in this respect. If
you are a private individual and someone throws stones at your house,
you can try to stop them and nobody will blame you for it. However,
you have no legal nor moral right to go to his house, kill his family,
set fire to his possessions, and then go on to do the same with his
neighbours, the whole town where he came from and the whole country
it is situated in. Articles 33 and 147 of the Geneva Convention are
very clear about banning collective punishment and destroying targets
of no military relevance.

It is amazing that a state with a secret service and armed forces
that carry such a high reputation, could not seek out the Hezbollah
culprits who "kidnapped" three of its soldiers (whatever happened
to the concept of prisoners of war, aren’t they part and parcel of
a military conflict?). Instead, not just areas known to be used as
Hezbollah hideouts, not just the country’s entire infrastructure,
but residential areas of both Muslims & Christians, not to mention
United Nation posts and more have been struck.

Now there is a land invasion developing. The refugees who cannot
leave the country are clogging up the capital, causing an immediate
refugee situation which will then turn into deep social tension.

The territory of Lebanon will not only accumulate understandable
additional hatred against Israel, but will become a place of unrest
which cannot be of any comfort to its neighbour. Their old claim to
annex Lebanon up to the Litani river may be fulfilled, but it will
only increase the pressure in the overpopulated remainder of the
country. Physics 101.

Let me get on to a more controversial argument, that of Israel’s
Right to Exist. I think by its behaviour as a Rogue State, it has long
lost this right. Having a right to a country is not divine, even for
God’s chosen people. It is a capricious gift of history. Some have
it, others have it for a while, and others never get it. Nobody
has the right to mess up the whole of humanity every few years,
in order to "guarantee" their own geographical survival. The Kurds
are a nation that never managed to have a country, but they are
not responsible for the 1973 start of the long rise in oil prices,
which were multiplied by 30x in the following 33 years. The Poles
have been in and out of having a country for most of their history,
and though France and Britain went to war for them in 1939, they were
sold down the river as soon as WWII ended. The Kashmiri are fighting
for a country. We Armenians were without one for the best part of a
thousand years. Did we go out and steal anybody else’s country as
a result? Does Hillary Clinton say for us what she said last week
("We will stand with Israel because Israel is standing for American
values as well as Israeli ones"). Those values appear closer these
days to those of Corporal Schillgruber in the 1930’s.

THE CURSE

If it is anything but a small consolation, everyone I have spoken to in
recent days has been highly critical of Israel. It is understandable
that the US administration has done nothing to prevent or stop this
outrage, but the indifference of the Europeans is harder to fathom. In
any case, the damage is done. A wonderful country has been willfully
destroyed. It might recover, one day. There is a spot just north
of Beirut, a gorge through which flows the Nahr el Kalb (the River
of the Dog). From Antiquity, it became a tradition for conquerors
passing through Lebanon to carve their names on the stony walls of
the river bank. Assyrian kings, Egyptian Pharaohs, Greek and Roman
generals and the more modern armies (such as the nostalgic Régiment
de Marche du Tonkin of the French Army). Tourist guides loved to
show them to visitors and say: "they all came, they all went, but
we are still here"). Maybe, Insh’allah, they will still be there
again. In the meantime, I am putting an old Armenian curse on the
State of Israel and all those who sail in her, adding that if God
elected that as the country of his chosen people, I do not know who
is the schmuck who gave Him the voting bulletin. The Armenian Curse
is very effective but secret, though I can tell you that compared to
its consequences, the Seven Plagues of Egypt appear as harmless as
an old ladies’ bridge afternoon.

The day before Yom Kippur, you have to seek forgiveness from all
the people you have wronged. On the day of Yom Kippur, you have to
seek forgiveness from God. There are things, however, which have
no forgiveness.

Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy
bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the
ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be
devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it,
saith the Lord GOD." (Eze 39:4-5)

Armen Kouyoumdjian Country Risk Strategist – Valparaiso(Chile)

http://www.newropeans-magazine. org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&amp ;id=4522&Itemid=110

–Boundary_(ID_pfD7HUmcb2 Bz570oIfMR4Q)–

BAKU DISLIKED RUSSIAN TV REPORT ABOUT NAGORNO KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.09.2006 12:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Official Baku protested against the report dedicated
to the 15th anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s independence
that was shown Saturday by the Russian Television, said Azeri Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, reported Interfax. In his words, "such
reports conflict with Russia’s statements on the state level." "These
phenomena damage Russia’s interests in the South Caucasus and split
the Azerbaijan-Russia relations," Azimov said.

IranMania, Iran
Sept 2 2006

Iranian Armenian Sports Olympiad to start Sep 6

Saturday, September 02, 2006 – ©2005 IranMania.com

LONDON, September 2 (IranMania) – The 39th edition of Iranian
Armenians’ Sports Olympiad will kick off in Tehran on September 6,
MNA reported.

Ararat Cultural-Sports Club is to host the annual event that will run
until Sept. 16.

The organizing committee head Armen Khachikian said 10 teams from
Tehran, 10 non-Tehrani sides, and a track-and-field from Republic of
Armenia will compete in the event.

According to him, the competitions include football, volleyball,
basketball, table tennis, athletics, swimming, tennis, and Chess.

WAR IMPOSED BY AZERBAIJAN CAUSES HUGE DAMAGE TO NKR’S ECONOMY: GHUKASYAN

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 31, 2006

STEPANAKERT, August 31. /ARKA/. The war imposed by Azerbaijan caused
huge damage to the NKR’s economy by destroying its almost entire
infrastructure, NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan reported Thurdsday,
answering the questions of readers of Azat Artsakh republic electronic
newspaper in connection with the 15th anniversary of the NKR’s
independence.

He said that the national economy of Karabakh in the soviet period,
which is frequently referred to while comparing with the current
situation, had a totally different direction; it was a planned economy
and was fully dependent on the Azerbaijani Soviet Republic.

That is why, after the war the NKR should have developed its economy
in a totally different direction, starting from the very beginning.

Ghukasyan pointed out that starting from 1995, the annual growth of the
GDP remains at the stable level of 10%. Over this time, cash income
of the population increased no less than eight times. In general,
in the post-war years, 50 new schools have been built due to all
the funding sources, and 64 schools have been repaired, more seven
schools are still under construction.

Over 170 km of gas pipelines of high pressure and 250 km of medium
pressure, and also about 380 km of low pressure were launched; as a
result, gas supply in Stepanakert, Askeran, Martuni, Shushi and 43
villages has been completed. The full gas supply in the NKR is to be
completed in a few years to come.

"Over the period mentioned above, the overall length of the built
highways has exceeded 250 km. Construction works for improvement of
central streets 120 km long have been completed in the capital and
regional centers of the country. The water supply infrastructure has
been restored in more than 80 settlements," the NKR president reported.

The president said that thanks to the establishment of an attractive
investment climate, over the last seven years alone, the amount of
foreign investments to the NKR exceeded $80 mln.

"This is considerable money. However, it is not enough for a complete
development of Karabakh economy and solution to the entire complex
of existing social problems," the president reported.

"Unfortunately, due to its unrecognized status, the NKR is still
deprived of a possibility to receive investments from international
financial structures, and that is why, we should further develop the
private sector of economy that will allow new working places to be
created, sustains small and medium business. The NKR top authorities
does and do everything possible to facilitate the difficulties of
the socioeconomic transformation that the citizens encounter at the
current transition period," NKR president said.

RA PRESIDENT DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN SILVA KAPUTIKIAN’S FUNERAL FOR THE REASON NOT TO ARISE PROBLEMS BY DEFENCE SERVICE DURING BURIAL RITES

Noyan Tapan
Aug 31 2006

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA President almost does not
participate in burial rites as the country head’s participation in
similar events demands implementation of a number of events by the RA
President’s defence service what may arise some problems during those
rites. RA President’s Press Secretary Victor Soghomonian stated about
it at the August 30 press conference, explaining why RA President
Robert Kocharian refused to participate in Armenian eminent poetess
Silva Kaputikian’s funeral.

PRESS RELEASE
Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – Yerevan Office
53-55 Pavstos Byuzand Street, 375010
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
Fax: (+374 10) 522076
E-mail: igrigoryan@coafkids.org
Web:

Children of Armenia Fund – New York Office
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100,
New York, NY 10111, USA
Contact: Mariam Dilakian
Tel: 212 – 994 – 8201
Fax: 212 – 994 – 8299
E-mail: mdilakian@coafkids.org
Web:

H.H. Garegin II Lends COAF Expertise in Construction

Architects and Engineers of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin Joined the COAF
Team to Assess the Reconstruction Work-in-Progress in COAF’s Model
Cluster of Armavir

Armavir District, Republic of Armenia, August 30, 2006 ¾ Today,
several architects and construction engineers of the Holy See of
Etchmiadzin joined the construction oversight team of the Children of
Armenia Fund (COAF) to assess the reconstruction project of the Dalarik
Secondary School, currently in progress. The group was led by Dr. Garo
Armen, COAF Founder and Chairman, and the Chief Architect of the Holy
See of Etchmiadzin, Artavazt Nazaretyan. The group of experts
thoroughly inspected the reconstruction project design and
work-in-progress and made recommendations for safeguarding COAF’s
construction standards, including elements of functionality and
aesthetics.

This assessment trip to the Model Cluster was initiated as a result of
the meeting between the Catholicos and Dr. Armen, during which H.H.
Garegin II displayed an extensive personal interest in COAF’s
reconstruction works and in the comprehensive rural development program
the organization is implementing in six villages of the Armavir
District.

During an earlier trip to the Model Cluster, H.H. Garegin II had
observed the noticeable change in the life of the residents of the rural
communities he visited ¾ Karakert, Lernagog and Dalarik. Learning
about the different components of COAF’s Model Cluster program and
encouraged by the results COAF had realized in a short period of time,
the Catholicos had pledged his personal engagement in assuring that the
reconstruction quality standards defined by COAF are maintained
throughout COAF’s reconstruction projects.

In his remarks at the wrap-up meeting held at the Dalarik construction
site, Dr. Armen expressed gratitude for the expertise lent by H.H.
Garegin II, and instructed the contractor to immediately incorporate the
recommendations. He emphasized, once again, the importance of
continuously monitoring the work-in-progress and periodically inviting
experts for an independent assessment of the work.

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