Month: March 2007

ELECTIONS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES TO BE HELD ON MARCH 25 IN 1 URBAN AND 17 RURAL COMMUNITIES

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armavir Mayor’s elections will
be held on March 25. The community head’s elections will be held on
the same day in 1 rural community of the marz of Gegharkunik, 3 rural
communities of the marz of Ararat, 6 ones of the marz of Syunik and
7 rural communities of the marz of Shirak. As Tsovinar Khachatrian,
the CEC Press Secretary informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, no
elections of local self-government bodies will be held in Armenia in
April and May, provided by holding the May 12 parliamentary elections.

FOUR YEZIDIS NOMINATE THEIR CANDIDATURES BY PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkish troops have entered Northern
Iraq’s territory called Larosh, which is considered to be the homeland
and sacred place of Yezidis. Aziz Tamoyan, world Yezidis’ leader,
reported this at the March 23 press conference. Though official sources
do not confirm A. Tamoyan’s statement, nevertheless, he assured that
his sources are very reliable: "I have contacts in some European
countries and these rumors have been confirmed."

In his words, Yezidi community of Armenia condemns that phenomenon
and is going to apply to UN Armenian Office, to international
organizations, as well as to Embassies of a number of countries. "If
Turks have territorial problems with Kurds, let them sit at a table
and solve their problems and not enter the territory of minorities,"
A. Tamoyan said. In his words, at the beginning of 20th century,
besides exterminating 1.5 mln Armenians, Turks also killed 500 thousand
Yezidis and now, in his words, are going to annihilate 1 mln Yezidis
residing in Larosh. Touching upon the issue of parliamentary elections
to be held on May 12 in Armenia, A. Tamoyan said that the Yezidi
community of Armenia has its candidate, whose name he did not wish to
publicize, as after it, in his words, Yezidi community will split. At
the same time it was mentioned that four Yezidis have nominated their
candidatures by proportional system for the parliamentary elections,
two out of which were included in the proportional list of People’s
Party (PP), one candidate in the proportional list of Bargavach
Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) Party and one in Dashink (Alliance)
Party’s proportional list. In A. Tamoyan’s words, PP Chairman Tigran
Karapetian got insulted that the majority of Yezidis will not support
him, but "each man decides himself for whom to vote and one must not
exert pressure upon people."

BARGAVACH HAYASTAN PARTY IS GOING TO CARRY OUT AGITATION OF LOVE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Bargavach Hayastan Party is neither
pro-governmental nor opposition: it is a party, which loves its
country. Vardan Bostanjian, member of Bargavach Hayastan Board,
YSU professor, former NA deputy, stated this at the March 22 press
conference. In V. Bostanjian’s words, he does not know that Bargavach
Hayastan was created as a political support of Armenian President
Robert Kocharian. In his words, Bargavach Hayastan also treats with
love the Republican Party of Armenia and considers it not its rival
but its competitor. In V. Bostanjian’s words, it is difficult not to
love the political force, which ruled the country for a long time,
which implemented programs and solved problems. At the same time,
in his words, Bargavach Hayastan is full of resolution "to do all
this better." In V. Bostanjian’s words, Viktor Dallakian’s not being
in Bargavach Hayastan is conditioned by the circumstance that he has
not expressed such willingness. Touching upon the circumstance that he
has created many bills jointly with Dallakian, Bostanjian said that
they "have been an ideal pair" and it is difficult to imagine that
such people "will stop loving each other." As V. Bostanjian affirmed,
though persons included in Bargavach Hayastan’s proportional list have
no respective experience, nevertheless, the legislative work will not
suffer from their appearing in the parliament. "It is important that
people should have the respective level and in the respect of such
people Bargavach Hayastan’s list differs from other parties’ lists,"
he mentioned. In Bostanjian’s words, the goal of Bargavach Hayastan’s
Chairman Gagik Tsarukian is to make the country prosperous and "a
person having his abilities is capable of winning over to his side
such people who will contribute to fulfilment of that goal." Bargavach
Hayastan’s Board member refuted information on party’s collecting
passports mentioning that the party has not used any violence or
inadmissible means for winning over people to its side. In his words,
Bargavach Hayastan is a "proud" party and does not want to receive
"artificial" votes. Asked what is his party proud of, he said: "It is
proud of its proportional list." V. Bostanjian considers posters with
the image of the leader of Bargavach Hayastan and posters of other
kind not agitation, but preparation for agitation. In response to the
question whether the posters will become larger during the agitation
campaign, he said that the country has many problems and the poster’s
size is not the most important issue. Calling journalists for treating
with love all Armenians and one another, professor Bostanjian stated
that during agitation of parliamentary elections Bargavach Hayastan
will also carry out agitation of love.

MILITARY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TO CONTINUE CARRYING OUT PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON CASE OF MATAGHIS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prosecutor General’s Office
declined challenge of defence party on case of Mataghis against
Military Prosecutor’s Office, which will continue to carry out
preliminary investigation. Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed
about it by RA Prosecutor General’s Spokesperson Sona Truzian. She
considered inadmissible attempts of exerting pressure upon preliminary
investigation by rallies and actions of protest. To recap, servicemen
Razmik Sargsian, Musa Serobian and Arayik Zalian are accused of
killing two their fellow-servicemen. They had been sentenced to 15
years’ imprisonment by Syunik region’s first instance court and to
life imprisonment by Appeal Court for Criminal and Military Cases. As
the Spokesperson explained, in late 2006 RA Cassation Court’s Chamber
for Criminal and Military Cases did not justify the above mentioned
persons, moreover, it declined the cassation complaint of the defence
party. The court sustained the petition of representative of legal
successor of aggrieved party on carrying out additional preliminary
investigation. So, the charge brought to the defendants did not
change, punishment of "signature on not leaving the country" was
chosen to them.

ARMENIAN AND TURKISH FAMOUS MUSICIANS ARTO TUNCBOYACIAN AND YASAR KURT JOINTLY WILL RELEASE DISK DEDICATED TO HRANT DINK

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Turk composer of songs and singer
Yasar Kurt is in Armenia. The first visit of Turk musician to Armenia
is a peculiar mission: K. Yasar and musician Arto Tuncboyacian are
going to release a disk dedicated to the memory of their friend,
Agos newspaper’s editor Hrant Dink. As Noyan Tapan correspondent
was informed by Armenian Navy Band’s manager John Grigorian, the
two musicians were united by the circumstance that like Dink they
are against hatred, intolerance and revenge. In their opinion, the
mankind should be united, as life belongs to everybody and atmosphere
of hatred will result only in misfortunes and losses. J. Grigorian
said that as a result of this initiative a band has been formed
from several well-known Armenian and Turkish musicians, which by
names of Yasar and Arto is called Yas Ar (translated from Turkish
means living). The band will record a disk, then will shoot a video
clip on one of the songs. Y. Kurt was born in Turkey. He started his
professional music career in the 1990-s by recording three disks of
author songs. In his songs Yasar struggles against wars, violence
and obtacles of human life.

NUMBER OF INITIAL CASES OF DISEASE WITH TUBERCULOSIS DECREASES 19% IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. March 24 is the international
day of struggle against tuberculosis. This year slogan of it is
"Tuberculosis Anywhere Means Everywhere." About 2 mln people die and
about 9 mln people are infected with tuberculosis in the world every
year. As Tatev Kostanian, the deputy head of the "National Program on
Struggle against Tuberculosis" informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent,
5673 patients (6455 in 2006) with tuberculosis are registered in
Armenia. 91 from them are below 14 years old children. In her words,
the number of newly found out patients decreased 19% in 2006, as if
compared with the previous year. This number made 1613. T. Kostanian
also stated that the number of cases of death from that desease also
decreased. So, 167 cases of death were registered in 2005, 153 cases
were registered in 2006.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: RA NA WORKED MUCH AND ADOPTED MANY IMPORTANT LAWS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. RA NA March 22 sittings failed like
the previous day due to no quorum. As a result, votings of 18 bills
and legislative packages discussed previously did not take place. In
response to journalists’ questions, NA Speaker Tigran Torosian
expressed an opinion that either a special sitting will be convened for
votings or according to the NA Regulations, the authors of incomplete
issues will move them in the same status to the agenda of parliament
of next convocation. He also noted that it is difficult to suppose
that the special sitting will be convened on deputies’ initiative. As
T. Torosian explained, "if the sitting is convened, this probably
will be only on government’s initiative, as the prevailing majority
of introduced bills, the voting of which was to take place today,
are bills introduced on government’s initiative." Though NA Speaker
promised to summarize the results of work of parliament of current
convocation for journalists in the nearest future, nevertheless,
in response to a journalist’s question, he assured that "no one had
supposed that the number and quality of laws adopted during the spring
session would be so." As he affirmed, the parliament worked well and
the failure of the sittings of last two days "certainly, cannot be
justified, but can be understood" in consideration of the fact that
parliamentary elections will be held in 1.5 months. In the opinion
of NA Speaker, personally he has done his best to ensure parliament’s
normal work and he is content that during 2006 autumn and 2007 spring
sessions the parliament "worked much and adopted many important
laws." As regards the fact that the parliament of current convocation
completes its activity without National Assembly Vice-Speaker, in T.
Torosian’s opinion, "if there was a political consent and there were
candidates, the election would be held without fail." "Maybe during
the autumn session the time was not enough for holding such election,"
he noted. To recap, the post of one out of two NA Vice-Speakers has
been vacant since 2006 June 1 when, after the resignation of Orinats
Yerkir Party leader Artur Baghdasarian, former NA Vice-Speaker Tigran
Torosian was elected as NA Speaker.

GABRIEL SARGSIAN DEFEATED BY RUSLAN PONOMARYOV IN 5th TOUR OF SAFRA INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

SAFRA, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Gabriel Sargsian was defeated by Ruslan
Ponomaryov (Ukraine) in the 5th tour of internatonal chess tournament
being held in the resort city of Safra, Spain. These two chess-players
have gained 3.5 out of 5 possible points each and share 1-2nd places.

ARMENIAN JAVELIN THROWER MELIK JANOYAN TAKES 3rd PLACE IN REGULAR TOUR OF EUROPE CUP TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YALTA, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Regular tour of Europe athletics cup
tournament finished on March 19 in Yalta. In the tournament of javelin
throwers below 23 years Melik Janoyan (Gyumri) threw the javelin 69
m 34 cm, took third place and won a bronze medal. He exceeded his
record of Armenia by 1 m.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HSBC BANK ARMENIA’S NEW OFFICE TO FUNCTION AT NEW ADDRESS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The amended regulations of HSBC Bank
Armenia CJSC were registered, according to which the new juridical
address of the bank is Yerevan, 66 Terian Street where the head office
of the bank will function on the first and second floors of the newly
constructed building. NT correspondent was informed at the RA CBA press
service that by another decision, the former head office of HSBC Bank
Armenia at Yerevan, 9 Vazgen Sargsian Street, has been registered as a
branch. "Vanadzor" and "Talin" branches of Armbusinessbank CJSC have
also been registered and will function at the following addresses:
the city of Vanadzor, 44 Tigran Mets Street and the city of Talin,
1 Gay Avenue respectively.