Month: March 2007

AKHTAMAR CHURCH OPENED IN TURKEY

ArmRadio.am
29.03.2007 16:10

The Church of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van was
opened in Turkey today. The opening ceremony was attended by the
Armenian delegation headed by RA Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth
Affairs Gagik Gyurjyan. Also present was the Armenian Patriarch of
Constantinople Mesrop Archbishop Mutafyan.

>From the Turkish side the ceremony was attended by Culture Minister
Atilla Koch.

It’s worth mentioning that no cross has been placed on the
church. However, Atilla Koch declared yesterday that the cross would
be placed and religious masses would be organized in the church at
least once a year.

Let us remind that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin refused to
participate in the opening ceremony, considering that the reconstructed
church will turn into a museum and the ceremony will not be held in
compliance with religious rituals of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

ACCORDING TO SOME INFORMATION, RA DEFENCE MINISTER SERGE SARGSIAN VISITS HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF HEALTH PROBLEMS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Defence Minister Serge Sargsian
visited the Saint Gregory the Illuminator medical center of the
capital at about 12:00, March 29, because of health problems. He was
subjected to some examinations here. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent
was informed from the hospital, the Minister left the hospital,
immediately after being examined.

MOURNING SPEECH OF CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS DURING RA PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARIAN’S FUNERAL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos
of All Armenians made a speech of mourning during RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian’s funeral on March 28. That speech is completely
presented below.

"Mournful President, the late Prime Minister’s mournful widow and
children, devout people

We all deeply mourn. With pain and sadness of the loss in our hearts,
we bid farewell to favourite statesman-politician, Prime Minister of
the Republic of Armenia Andranik Margarian who prematurely left the
earthly life, leaving kind memory, deeds beneficial to the Fatherland
and nation.

His life valued by deeds and inspired with values is in front of
all us.

Having love towards the Fatherland in his soul, from the young age,
with sincere devotion, he became a participant of the struggle for the
independence of Armenia, protection of the Armenians’ fair trail and
embodiment of national wishes. He saw his dream of re-establishment
of the native independent statehood and made his abilities serve
building of the new life of Armenia with a special enthusiasm. Having
the vision of having a Fatherland, prosperous and well-built with
national values, respecting the law and developing one, he was called
to the high executive power. He truely accepted the power and post as a
service to the people and made the years of his officiating efficient
with devoted work and stable achievements for our country’s progress
and our people’s fairly well-off life. He left the bright example of
loving the Fatherland, loving the nation for us and the generations,
the example of being the owner of national wishes and of the readiness
and decisiveness of implementing them with a devoted activity.

We remember with love the meetings we had with late Andranik Margarian
during which we also felt his deep respect towards the Mother See of
Hole Etchmiadzin, the inmost sanctuary of all Armenians. The late Prime
Minister, with his firm belief, also had his valuable contribution
in the Armenian Church mission that the Armenian people must continue
living with blessings of the Armenian Church, relying on the God.

Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s memory will always live in our
souls with his frank and kind, humane and patriotic characteristics,
with his merit of service to the Fatherland and people.

We pray for the God, with His innumerable mercifulness, receives the
late Prime Minister’s soul in the eternal havens of lights and in
blessed peace and will gift consolation and sympathy to the late’s
mournful widow and children, relatives and all of us.

Let’s the God keep our native state and Armenian nation under His
grace of peace and bless our people’s wishes to be led to the reality
which late Prime Minister Andranik Margarian also had in his soul.

Incense, prayer and blessings for late Andranik Margarian’s kind
memory and grave. Amen."

NKR PRESIDENT GAVE CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY OF PRIME MINISTER

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
29 March 07

NKR President Arkady Ghukassian offered condolences to the family of
Andranik Margarian, the prime minister of Armenia, who died March
25 of a heart attack. The telegram runs: "A person died untimely
who has devoted his great experience, knowledge and patriotism to
building the independent Armenian state and sustaining the economic
progress in Armenia and improving the well-being of the Armenian
people. Since the beginning of the Karabakh movement Andranik
Margarian played an active role in the liberation war, had a
considerable contribution to the victory, the establishment of the
second Armenian state, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, and its social and
economic development. The Armenian people will remember the image of
this patriot forever." The speaker of the NKR National Assembly and
the State Security Service also offered condolences to the family
of the prime minister of Armenia. On March 26 President Ghukassian
signed a decree declaring March 28 a day of mourning. On this day the
flag of NKR in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the representations of
NKR to foreign countries will be lowered.

SOS SARGSIAN: THEATER CAN NOT IMPLEMENT ITS MISSION WITHOUT MODERN TRAMATURGY

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The theater can not implement its
mission without modern tramaturgy. Every time has its hero, every
time has its aesthetic principles and position. RA People’s Artist,
artistic head of the State Hamazgayin (national) Theater Sos Sargsian
mentioned in the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent. The
prominent artist is sure that one may not cling to the old, but one
must have corresponding material for stepping with the time.

Besides, in his words, there are no playwrights: "it is not enough that
their number is too few among us, but they also write little. It is a
great problem as the one called theater is first of all the playwright.

In his words, the theatrical crisis exists today in all over the
world: "there are no playwrights of world fame, Eduardo de Filippo,
Brecht, etc., any longer. They were legislators of that sphere in the
20th century. And they do not exist today. The theater, in general,
has fall."

"The times have changed now, other solutions and other approaches
are demanded now. It is necessary to step with the time. We had the
Artsakh war, no work was created," Sos Sargsian says. In the master’s
words, the Armenian society is not formed yet, and it is difficult
to respond all these without corresponding literary material, but
its necessity is great.

The prominent artist is sure that theaters today do not have that
role which they must have in the society’s life. "It is not possible
to creat deep and wise policy without theater. It is a pity, but our
authorities do not understand the role of the theater. The theater
has always created a corresponding atmosphere, corresponding attitude
towards modern problems," he emphasized.

Speaking about the processes taking place in the country and about the
society’s problems, he mentioned that the society is not formed yet,
it does not know what it wants, which its ideal is. In S. Sargsian’s
words, the reason for all these is the struggle for a post: "Aren’t
we tired of it, how much time is still necessary to understand where
the real values are?"

"As we continuously see evil on TV, we set a task that performances
of our theater, Hamazgayin, are about common people and humane
histories, humane mutual relations, kindness, love and justice,"
Sos Sargsian said.

The State Hamazgayin Theater founded by Sos Sargsian already in 1993
performed at the same time two wonderful performances: Eduardo de
Filippo’s "Il Sindaco del Rione Sanita" (Mayor of Sanita) and Hayk
Hakobian’s "Lernayin Kakachner" (Mountain Tulips) round which the
devoted spectator of the Hamazgayin Theater gradually formed.

An 18-person company of young actors today works at the theater who
are devoted ones like the former actors as they work with paltry
salary but with great responsibility towards the theater.

WOMEN MAKE 51.7% OF POPULATION OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. 1 mln 665 thousand 123 women lived in
Armenia as of January 1, 2006, what makes 51.7% of the total number
of the population of the republic. As of the same day, the highest
specific weight of women, 53.3%, was registered in Yerevan and the
lowest specific weight, 49.7%, was registered in Gegharkunik. The
Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about it by Karine Kuyumjian,
the Chief of the Census and Demography Department of the RA National
Statistical Service.

In her words, girls made 46.4% of new-borns in the republic in 2006. K.
Kuyumjian mentioned that though more boys are usually born, but a
higher index of death-rate is fixed among them.

K. Kuyumjian also mentioned that the middle duration of women’s life
made 76.5 years, according to 2005 data. 47.9% of deaths fixed in the
republic fall to women’s lot. They are mainly provided by diseases of
the blood system, new formations, diseases of the endocrine system,
respiratory tracts.

INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL WORK IS ON STABLE BASES IN ARMENIA, MINISTER OF SOCIAL SECURITY SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The Institute of social work in Armenia
is on stable bases. Aghvan Vardanian, the RA Minister of Labour and
Social Issues stated about it at the March 29 conference entitled
"Formation of Institute of Social Work in Armenia: Achievements
and Problems." He mentioned that the system of social services was
formed in conditions of social tension existing in the country in
1993. That system was to organize works of addressed allocation of
the humanitarian aid.

In A. Vardanian’s words, a social worker’s functions change during
the time, making them corresponding to the population’s needs and
process of the country’s social-economic development. The Minister
attached importance to the RA law "On Social Assistance" functioning
from 2006 in which the "Social Work and Specialists of Social Work"
part exists. "The law also envisages working out and adoption of ethics
rules for specialists of social work, methodological instructions on
paying home visits," he stated.

A. Vardanian mentioned at the same time that there are problems in this
sphere as well. Those are, particularly, working out of standards of
the social work, continual training of social workers and increase
of special qualification. The Minister expressed a hope that the
themes being presented and discussed during the conference will assist
improvement of the quality of social services to different groups of
the population as well as will serve a basis for working out of the
state policy.

MARCH 29 IS DAY OF LAST TOUR’S GAMES IN BLIND AND SPEED CHESS INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT BEING HELD IN MONACO

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

MONACO, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. March 29 is the day of last, 11th tour’s
games in blind and speed chess international tournament being held in
Monaco. In that tour Levon Aronian will compete with Vasily Ivanchuk
(Ukraine).

After 10 tours the leader is Vladimir Kramnik. Levon Aronian, Pyotr
Svidler, Boris Gelfand and Alexander Morozevich share 4-7th places
with 10.5 points each.

MIKAYEL KOLOYAN ESTABLISHES TWO RECORDS OF ARMENIA IN WATER SPORTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

MELBOURN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Water Sports World Championship
continues in the Australian city of Melbourn. On March 28, Armenian
swimmer Mikayel Koloyan overcame 100 m race area in 53.01 seconds, took
80th place among 169 participants and established a new republican
record. He established the second record of Armenia in 200 m free
style passing the area in 1 minutes 55.06 seconds and was recognized
66th among 117 participants.

Haroutiun Haroutiunian in 100 m free style and Aram Nazarian in 100
m and 50 m brass swimming style established personal records. They
took 97th place (among 125 swimmers), 15th place (among 117 swimmers)
and 98th place (among 125 swimmers), respectively.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM LAST ON EURO-2008 GROUP TOURNAMENT’S TABLE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

WARSAW, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. By Euro-2008 selective tour’s program
in A group tournament, on March 28, the national team of Poland
defeated the national team of Armenia with a score of 1:0. At the
beginning of the match sport-lovers stood in one-minute silence to
respect the memory of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian. The
football-players of the two teams had black bandages on their arms.

The leader of the group is Polish national team with 16 points and
Armenian national team is in the last 8th place with one point.