Month: September 2006

EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN WINES AND SOUVENIRS TO BE HELD IN BRATISLAVA ON SEPTEMBER 26

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition of Armenian wines
and articraft articles will be held on September 26 in Bratislava, the
capital of Slovakia. Mushegh Sargsian, Director for Export Promotion of
the Armenian Development Agency (ADA), told NT correspondent about it.

According to him, in particular the wine "Areni" will be on display
at the exhibition, as there are no wines of this type on the market
of Slovakia, a wine making country. "If we are able to enter this
market with several types of "Areni", we’ll consider our attempt as
successful," M. Sargsian noted.

He added that the studies in Slovakia showed that Armenian articraft
articles and souvenirs (items made of wood, metal, carpets) are quite
popular in this country.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

"PSYCHOSIS 4.48" PERFORMANCE OF SUNDUKIAN THEATER AWARDED "BEST DIRECTOR" PRIZE AT CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006

CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On participation
of the G.Sundukian Academic Theater in the Cairo International Festival
of Theater

By the invitation of the Ministry of Culture of Egypt, the National
Academic Theater after G.Sundukian participated on September 10-20
at the International Festival of Experimental Theater taken place
in Cairo.

According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign
Ministry’s Press and Information Department, 9-person group arrived
from Armenia which was headed by producer-director Suren Shahverdian,
performed "Psychosis 4.48" work during the festival and was awarded
the "Best Director" prize.

Farouk Hosni, the Minister of Culture of Egypt, himself handed the
prize to S.Shahverdian at the solemn closing ceremony of the festival.

EVENTS OF YEAR OF ARMENIA START IN LOIRE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. After the press
conference held in the Foreign Ministry of France on September 12,
where the program of the Year of Armenia in France was officially
presented, different French regions announce at the local level
start of the Year of Armenia which involves about 500 events in 125
French cities.

As they inform from the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department, RA Ambassador to France Edvard Nalbandian’s and Mayor,
Senator Michel Thiolliere’s press conference dedicated to start
of the Year of Armenia in the region of Loire took place in Saint
Etienne on September 18. Few dozens of events envisaged in Saint
Etienne and neighboring cities within the framework of the year were
presented during the press conference, then the RA Ambassador and
Mayor responded journalists’ questions.

Few hundreds of journalists, deputies, heads of local self-government
bodies, state and political figures, representatives of the Armenian
community were present at the press conference.

Start of the Year of Armenia in other regions of France is expected
during the coming days.

GURGEN DALIBALTAYAN’S MONUMENT TO BE ERECTED IN AKHALKALAK

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006

AKHALKALAK, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Works of
erecting a monument to Gurgen Dalibaltayan, a famous Armenian of
Javakhk, person having great contribution in the Karabakh war, Colonel
General of the Soviet Army started in Akhalkalak. The General’s 80th
birthday anniversary is marked this year.

According to the "A-Info" agency, the height of the monument is 8
meters: it will face Western Armenia.

"We hope that works will be completedc in time to be able to erect
the monument, bad weather may become the only circumstance laying
obstacles," monument authir Levon Mkrtchian said.

ARMENIAN YOUTH IS UNITED
Norair Hovsepian

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Sept 25 2006

On September 16 and 17, on the eve of the third Armenia-Diaspora
forum the founding meeting of the Association of Youth Organizations
of the World Armenian Congress took place in Yerevan. The chair of
the World Armenian Congress Ara Abrahamian, other persons in charge,
the president of the Academy Radik Martirossian were also present
in the meeting, which was held at the Armenian National Academy
of Sciences. The representatives of 11 organizations forming the
association, 59 out of the invited 63 delegates were present. These
are youth NGOs of Yerevan and the regions of Armenia, Artsakh and the
Armenian community of Georgia. There were two NGOs from Artsakh, Haik’s
Generation and Unity. The president of the World Armenian Congress
Ara Abrahamian pointed out the importance of this initiative and
assured that today’s challenges are equally important. The president
of the WAC believes that the idea of uniting the youth is highly
important. He also called for considering pros and cons before taking
a step. The second part of the meeting was full of heated debates
and discussions. The array of challenges the new association faces
requires flexibility of organizing the work of the association.

Every structural problem was discussed separately. A board of 11
members was elected, one from each NGO. The board elected Atom
Mkhitarian president of the association. It was decided that the
president with his two assistants and the secretary will carry
out the leadership of the association for the time being, later
structural changes are possible. The draft bylaws of the Association
were presented to the members of the association to come up with
proposals within 10 days. The association is open to everyone and
calls the Armenian young people all over the world for cooperation.

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN DEAD IN THE RESULT OF THE CEASE-FIRE VIOLATION

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006

A ceasefire violation by the Azeri armed forces was fixed September
23 at 1.30 p.m. local time. "Armenpress" was told at the PR and
Information Department of the Ministry of Defense that in the result
of the fire opened in the direction of Ijevan serviceman Garnik Melyan
aged 42 was wounded in the chest and died.

DISCUSSION ON MEDIA SELF-REGULATION HELD IN YEREVAN

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006

Media accountability, best practices regarding self-regulation
mechanisms, particularly for public broadcasters were discussed at
a meeting that took place in Yerevan over the weekend.

It brought together journalists and managers of the Public TV and Radio
Company of Armenia (PTRC) and other Armenian media, representatives
of international and non-governmental organizations.

They discussed the possibility of introducing an internal
ombudsperson’s institution for the public broadcaster, professional
ethics and the need to develop a professional Code of Conduct in
the PTRC.

"Journalistic ethics and self-regulation plays a significant role
in the development of a professional, independent and accountable
media," said Blanka Hancilova, Democratization Programme Officer at
the OSCE Office in Yerevan. "We hope that this meeting helped to
identify mechanisms for institutionalizing media self-regulation,
which will enhance compliance with professional ethics."

Boris Navasardian, President of the Yerevan Press Club, added: "Media
self-regulation in Armenia will not only raise accountability of the
different news outlets, but will also strengthen their independence."

The two-day event, "Introduction of self-regulatory mechanisms in
Armenian media," was organized by the OSCE Office, the Yerevan Press
Club, PTRC, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization’s Office in Moscow.

Jeffrey Dvorkin, the first ombudsman of the US National Public Radio
and executive director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists,
and Ian Mayes, president of the international Organization of News
Ombudsmen and the Guardian newspaper ombudsman shared their experience.

MATTHEW BRYZA: EU AND TURKEY CAN REACH CONCESSIONS

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006

"The process of Turkey’s adhesion to the European Union should
continue, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State on Europe and Eurasia
Matthew Bryza said in an interview with the Greek "Eleftherotypia"
newspaper.

Turkish "Zaman" daily reports that Bryza assessed as "positive" the
atmosphere in Ankara, Cyprus and European capitals connected with
the regulation of the Cyprus issue. "I think Turkey and EU can reach
concessions if no one wants the train taking Turkey to the European
Union derail," Bryza declared.

CLASH BETWEEN GEORGIAN SOLDIERS AND JAVAKHK ARMENIANS

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006

A clash occurred between young Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakh and
Georgian soldiers at the road to Bakuriani. Six soldiers guiding
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline stopped an Opel belonging to
22-year-old Vladimir Muradyan.

Checking the documents and finding out that those in the car are
Armenians and do not speak Georgian, the soldiers began teasing and
insulting the young people, Javakhk-Info reports. A quarrel burst out
between the soldiers and 23-year-old Artyusha Iritsyan and Hambartsum
Hovakimyan, following which the Georgians started threatening with
weapons. Seeing that it is senseless to make the soldiers understand
why they do not speak Georgian, the young people drove back.

RUSSELL JOHNSTON TO MEET WITH HEADS OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI DELEGATIONS

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 25 2006

President of PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh Russell Johnston
will have e meeting with Heads of Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations,
Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan in the European Parliament
Aghshin Mehtiev told "Trend" agency. He noted that during the fall
session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to
be held October 2-6, Russell Johnston will discuss the question of
the visit of members of PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh to
the region.