Month: October 2006

ARMENIANS HAD EXCLUSIVE ROLE IN COLLAPSE OF SOVIET UNION, NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION UNION CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenians had an exclusive
role in the issue of collapse of the Soviet Union. As National
Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikian said on October 30,
political prisoners of different nations joining the United National
Party in the 60-s jointly struggled against the USSR. In his words,
in the 70-s of the previous century political prisoners marked October
30 as a day of political prisoners and their protection, with this
registering at the international level the fact of existence of
political prisoners in the USSR. The political prisoners marked this
day by one-day hunger-strike and appeals. As P.Hayrikian informed
journalists, 100 mln political prisoners died in the USSR, in the
country with the greatest number of political prisoners in the
mankind’s history.

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS SCHEDULED IN 5 ARMENIAN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NOVEMBER

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. In November, local self-government
elections are scheduled in 5 Armenian rural communities. As NT
correspondent was informed by CEC Spokeswoman, Tsovinar Khachatrian,
on November 5, regular elections of community head are scheduled in
the community of Zoravan, Kotayk region, on November 12 Ddmashen,
Gegharkunik region, on November 19, Aygezard, Ararat region. On
November 12, regular elections of councillor members are also scheduled
in the rural community of Shenavan, Armavir region, and on November
26, special elections of community head in the rural community of
Dalar, Ararat region. To recap, holding of special elections in
the last community is conditioned by the fact that village head
Tigran Petrosian’s powers were considered as prematurely stopped:
on August 30, he was killed with fire-arms by former village head
Gegham Badalian.

PREVENTIVE PUNISHMENT TOWARDS VAHAGN CHAKHALIAN CHANGED

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On October 30,
Vahagn Chakhalian, Presidency member of the United Javakhk democratic
bloc and Chairman of the Javakhk Youth Sport and Cultural Union,
was released from the isolation cell of the National Security
Service. The Appeal Court on Criminal and Military Cases chose as
a preventive punishment a signature on not leaving the country. To
recap, V.Chakhalian had been arrested on October 11 on the charge of
crossing RA state frontier illegally and was in the isolation cell of
the National Security Service. Arrest had been chosen as a preventive
punishment towards him by the decision of the first instance court.

GEORGIAN AMBASSAFOR EXPRESSES SATISFACTION OVER ARMENIA’S RERSERVED ATTITUDE TO ISSUE OF GEORGIAN-RUSSIAN CONFLICT

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia has always supported peace
and prosperity in the region and is ready to do everything possible
for this purpose. The RA National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian
stated this when receiving the Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Revaz
Gachechiladze on October 30.

According to the RA National Assembly PR Department, the ambassador
thanked the Armenian parliament and its speaker for their reserved,
balanced attitude, which is acceptable to the international community,
to the issue of the Georgian-Russian conflict. T. Torosian expressed
a hope that Russia and Georgia will soon overcome the current
disagreements, noting that Armenia with its balanced position is ready
to assist with solution of the existing problems. During the meeting,
the sides discussed issues related to the report on creation of the
pact on stability in the South Caucasus to discussed at the meeting
of the PACE Standing Committee in San Marino on November 17. The sides
also addressed the development opportunities of the Armenian-Georgian
interparliamentary cooperation.

REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIA AS WELL TO LOOK AFTER PRESIDENT’S ELECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE IN TAJIKISTAN

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Representatives of Armenia as well
will participate with the observation mission in the President’s
elections to be held in Tajikistan on November 5. As Anahit Adamian,
the Chief of the RA National Assembly’s Public Relations Department
informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, Gurgen Arsenian, the head of
the ULP party and parliamentary faction, will look after the elections
in the staff of the CIS observation mission.

According to information got from the Central Electoral Commission, a
CEC member Armine Kharatian, CEC Press Secretary Tsovinar Khachatrian
and Arman Ispirian, a member of district electoral commission No11
of the community of Shengavit, Yerevan, were involved in the staff
of the same observation mission.

HOLDING OF EVENTS WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF YEAR OF ARMENIA STARTS IN NICE AND VANDY

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. On October 27, RA Ambassador to
France Edvard Nalbandian and Vandy Regional Council Chairman, French
National Assembly member Philippe de Villier solemnly opened Armenia’s
Treasures exhibition in France, with which the start of Year of Armenia
was marked in Vandy. Speaking at the solemn event with participation
of thousands of Frenchmen, the Ambassador of Armenia expressed special
satisfaction with the fact that Year of Armenia is held not only in
big French cities or cities famous for French Armenians, but in the
depth of French, Vandy, where our country will be first presented to
the local people. "It is such events that contribute to immediate
and warm communication between Armenian and French peoples," the
Ambassador said. As NT was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press
and Information Department, on October 26, Nalbandian and Mayor
of Nice solemnly opened Year of Armenia in Nice. Nice had received
only five counries before – U.S., Great Britain, Italy, Germany and
Canada. According to agreement between the Ambassador and the Mayor,
the events dedicated to Year of Armenia will last in Nice for a whole
year and will include the most various aspects of Armenian culture:
music, choreography, photography, cinema, cuisine, innovatory and
modern art, etc. The solemn opening ceremony organized at Nice Mayor’s
Office was followed by Ambassador’s and Mayor’s press conference,
during which program of several dozens of events planned within the
framework of Year of Armenia in Nice were presented. To recap, Year
of Armenia in France started at Garnier Opera House of Paris where RA
Ambassador to France E.Nalbandian organized a reception on October 18,
in which besides 2500 invitees, Armenian delegation led by RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian also took part. The official program of
Year of Armenia in France includes more than 500 events in 125 French
cities and another 200 events are planned beyond the official program.

ZOYA SHAKARIAN AWARDED TITLE OF ARTSAKH CULTURE HONORED AMBASSADOR

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Under NKR President Arkady
Ghoukassian’s October 30 decree, active public figure Zoya Shakarian
was awarded the title of Artsakh Culture Honored Ambassador for great
services in the issue of Artsakh cultural propaganda. NT was informed
about it from NKR President’s Press Office.

RA PRESIDENT TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN

ArmRadio.am
30.10.2006 17:37

November 6-7 RA President Robert Kocharyan will pay an official visit
to Kazakhstan, official representative of the MFA of Kazakhstan said
in a briefing today, "Kazinform" agency reports. In the framework
of the visit Robert Kocharyan will have e meeting with his Kazakh
counterpart Nursultan Nazarbaev.

A number of documents will be signed in the result of negotiations.

The second sitting of the Armenian-Kazakh Trade and Economic
Cooperation Commission will be held on November 6. Issues related to
the expansion of cooperation in the spheres of trade, investments,
transport, agriculture and education will be discussed.

GEORGY PETROSYAN: EVALUATING THE RESULTS OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS’ MEETING PREMATURE

ArmRadio.am
30.10.2006 17:52

"Currently it is premature to evaluate the results of the October
24th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan
Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mammadyarov. According to the results of
the meeting, the Ministers have arranged to hold another meeting on
November 14 in Brussels. At the same time I consider it necessary to
stress once again that bases should be created for achieving success
in agreeing upon the pivotal questions of conflict resolution. These
include an atmosphere of trust, refusal from application of force,
reinforcement of the regime of non-resumption of military actions,
talks in the full format," said NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan
in response to the request of the electronic newspaper to present
his evaluation of the latest talks between the Foreign Ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTRY OF NATURE PROTECTION BASIN MANAGEMENT OFFICE OPENS IN THE AKHURYAN BASIN

ArmRadio.am
30.10.2006 18:03

On October 31, the USAID, with support from its implementing partner,
PA Government Services Inc. (PA), will hold an opening ceremony at the
newly rehabilitated offices of the Akhuryan Basin Management Office
(BMO). The ceremony will be presided over by Deputy Minister of Nature
Protection Hakob Matilyan and USAID Project Management Specialist
Marina Vardanyan.

The Akhuryan BMO is one of five BMOs in Armenia established in 2003
under the Water Resources Management Agency (WRMA) of the Ministry of
Nature Protection. USAID and PA, through the "Program for Institutional
and Regulatory Strengthening of Water Management in Armenia," have
been working closely to assist with development of the Akhuryan,
Sevan-Hrazdan, Ararat, and Southern Basin BMOs. The Akhuryan office
opening marks a major step forward in water resources management for
the country.

As fledgling organizations with an important mandate and diverse
responsibilities, the BMOs have developed and become fully
operational. To assist with BMO development the USAID Program has
provided numerous strategic interventions in the form of training
courses and technical expertise while also providing commodity support
in the form of office rehabilitation, computer and office equipment,
furnishings, technical equipment.

Soon this will be followed by a vehicle for the BMO’s field use. BMOs
are designated to play a critical role in water sector management in
Armenia. They are tasked with developing and implementing water basin
management plans under the National Water Policy and the National
Water Program. They also accept water use permit applications
and record water use permits issued by the WRMA while assuring
water users’ compliance with conditions set forth in the water use
permits. Developing water extraction regimes and ensuring water
resource protection are other BMO responsibilities.

One of the BMO’s new and expanding roles is to serve as a direct link
between the WRMA and the local water users served by the BMO. This
function is nascent but as the BMO grows and develops, community
and water user relations will become a core function of the BMO and
its staff.

USAID looks forward to future BMO office opening ceremonies in the
Southern, Ararat, and Sevan-Hrazdan BMOs.