Month: April 2007

ROBERT KOCHARIAN RECEIVES CHIEF OF IRIB

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Robert
Kocharian on April 18 received the chied of IRIB (Islamic Republic
of Iran Broadcasting) organization Ezatollah Zarghami.

Speaking about the developing Armenian-Iranian relations, the sides
noted with satisfaction that bilateral cooperation is gradually
extending, including new spheres.

According to the RA president’s press service, addressing the rich
historical and cultural legacy of Armenia and Iran, Robert Kocharian
underlined the role of television in presenting this lecacy to each
other. In his words, the main purpose of Armenian-Iranian cooperation
in the sphere of television should be to provide the public with
exact and comprehensive information about the two countries, which
will help the Armenian and Iranian peoples to become better acquainted
with each other, to learn more about culture, traditions and customs
of each other.

AS OF APRIL 18, OBSERVERS OF 28 NGOs AND 5 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ACCREDITED AT CEC

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Another 9 local NGOs were accredited at
CEC on April 18 for carrying out monitoring mission at the forthcoming
parliamentary elections. Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about
it by CEC Spokesperson Tsovinar Khachatrian.

So, at present, 28 local NGOs and 5 international organizations are
accredited at CEC. It is noteworthy that OSCE ODIHR, 42 observers of
which had been already accredited by CEC, submitted applications for
accreditation of another 89 observers.

FROM BEGINNING OF ELECTORAL PROCESS CEC RECEIVED 10 APPLICATION-COMPLAINTS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. From the day of nomination of
candidates for the parliamentary elections, March 23, RA Central
Electoral Commission has received 10 application-complaints, some
of which rather contained proposals than complaints. CEC Chairman
Garegin Azarian reported this at the April 18 press conference. In
his words, the application-complaints mainly regarded not providing
halls to parties for meeting with electors, as well as place for
advertisement posters and collection of passports in some communities.

G. Azarian said that in response to Orinats Yerkir Party’s complaint it
was explained that only halls and territories being state ownership
can be provided free of charge and halls and territories being
communal ownership are not provided free of charge. CEC sent signals
on collection of passports to competent bodies, Prosecutor’s Office,
Police and Territorial Government Ministry.

The Prosecutor’s Office said that it did not prepare the respective
materials due to lack of concrete facts. In connection with the
posters it was mentioned that some candidates just identify places
for agitation posters with advertisements placed on signboards.

G. Azarian also said that henceforth brief information on applications
and their answers will be placed on CEC web-site and he will meet
with journalists every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to explain the
problems which emerged.

It was mentioned that cars with 5 thousand new ballot-boxes have
already reached Armenia from Syria and apparently they will be shown
to journalists at the April 19 sitting.

NDP ALSO PRETENDS ON RECEIVING MAJORITY OF VOTES AT ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. All problems accumulated in Armenia
are the consequence of one main problem: the power in the country does
not belong to the people. Shavarsh Kocharian, Chairman of National
Democratic Party (NDP), stated at the April 17 press conference.

He said that for the purpose of changing the situation NDP’s
preelectoral program envisages, in particular, creating a law,
according to which electors will have a possibility to recall not
only individual MPs, but also the whole parliament. Besides, in
S. Kocharian’s words, administrative courts should be created in
the country, which will invalidate the decisions of the authorities
violating human rights.

Another important step is rehabilitation of economy. For this purpose,
as NDP Chairman affirmed, a law should be adopted, according to
which businessmen will be prohibited to be engaged in politics and
political figures in business. S. Kocharian said that this will result
in considerable reduction of shady economy and bribery.

S. Kocharian visited the regions in the past 11 days of the agitation
campaign, he had meetings with the local residents and never met any
obstacles. He said that NDP called the people to take part in the
elections without fail.

S. Kocharian gave assurance that in case of high turnout NDP will
receive the most part of votes, "up to majority of votes."

CBA TAKES MEASURES AIMED AT REGULATION OF ACTUARY ACTIVITY SECTOR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
is taking measures aimed at development of methodology and order of
licensing of actuary activity. Hrachia Petrosian, Head of the Actuary
Analysis Office of Nork CJSC, told NT correspondent about it.

According to him, their office, which is the only one in Armenia,
tries to cooperate with insurance companies, taking into account
the work done by the CBA, as the field of actuary activity is in
the process of formation and has not been fully regulated. He said
that the CBA has much to do in terms of substantiating the insurance
tariffs, and the first steps in this direction have already been taken:
insurance companies submit reports to the CBA by presenting them in
the administrative statistical form established by the CBA.

"We are trying to form the market of specialized (actuary) services,
after which we will attempt to provide services in line with certain
standards," the head of Nork’s actuary office said. Particularly, an
attempt is made to cooperate with the CBA for solution of licensing
problems, as well as to act as a third – expert party in the CBA’s
work with insurance companies.

In the words of H. Petrosian, banks will also have a relation to
actuary activity because they will also be interested in working
with independent actuaries for assessment of their activities and
the borrower risk insurance tariffs. He said that all this will
create an opportunity for precedents of consulting organizations’
unification in the actuary activity sector, as well as in the sphere
of lawyer activity.

EXHIBITION OF LEATHER GOODS OPENS AT BOYAJIAN GALLERY IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. By using wood, walnut, dry orange
peel, natural paints, even bones as raw materials, four graduates
of Yerevan Open University made various kinds of leather goods and
accessories, which were presented at the exhibition that opened
on April 18 at Albert and Tove Boyajian gallery. The exhibition of
leather goods is held under the title Helentyus, which is translated as
"sunflower". Young artists characterized their works – bags, wallets,
fancy goods as warm and bold adding that they are intended "for women
having exclusive taste, preferring original and interesting things."

FIRST PHOTOEXHIBITION DEDICATED TO INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE OPENS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Industrial Heritage: Sevan-Hrazdan
Cascade photoexhibition dedicated to country’s industrial titan
Sevan-Hrazdan HPP complex opened for the first time at National
Museum-Institute of Architecture on the occasion of April 18,
International Day of Monuments and Sites.

In the words of Museum Director Ashot Grigorian, industrial heritage
existing from middle ages up to present is almost consigned to oblivion
in Armenia.

This heritage like another historic-cultural and spiritual values
needs preservation and protection. In A. Grigorian’s words, the
meaning of the day is to raise attitude towards industrial heritage
among the public and to form a new approach for making them exhibits
of museum. "In many countries of the world the industrial heritage
has become accessible for the public long ago: technical museums,
industrial reserves were opened," the Director said.

The International Day of Monuments and Sites has been marked in Armenia
since 2001 when the conutry became a member of International Council
of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). In the words of Hasmik Azizian,
Secretary General of Armenia-ICOMOS organization, their goal is to
focus public attention to structures of industrial heritage, which
"are not so magnificent in the respect of art, but are interesting
and important due to being universal." Besides, the above mentioned
structures also have a social value, as people worked in them and
created their working biography.

In H. Azizian’s words, the factor of landscapes is very important
for industrial structures in consideration of the circumstance that
very often cultural landscapes are damaged in consequence of wrong
organization of work of this or that industrial enterprise.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GALA CONCERT WITH PARTICIPATION OF WORLD STRONGEST FIGURE SKATERS ORGANIZED IN PARIS WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF YEAR OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

PARIS, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. A gala concert with participation
of world figure skating champions of different years took place on
April 14 on the skating-rink of the Paris Bercy sports center. The
organizers of the event, Figure Skating Federations of France and
Armenia, Armenian Youth Union of France also invited the Anastasia
Grebyonkina – Vazgen Azroyan dancing pair who performed their mastery,
accompanied with composer Ara Gevorgian’s music.

As Samvel Khachatrian, the Chairman of the Figure Skating Federation
of Armenia informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the event was held
within the fra mework of the year of Armenia in France.

52 HIV POSITIVE PERSONS, INCLUDING 8 WOMEN AND 3 CHILDREN CURRENTLY RECEIVE ANTI-RETROVIRAL TREATMENT IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. 52 HIV positive persons, including
8 women and 3 children, currently receive anti-retroviral treatment
in Armenia.

Director of the Republican Center of AIDS Prevention Samvel Grigorian
stated this on April 18 during the three-day consultation on the
subject "Improvement of Accessibility of Medical and Social-Medical
Aid and High-Quality Services for AIDS/HIV Patients". According to him,
in the period of 1988 to March 31, 2007, 448 HIV positive citizens of
Armenia have been registered. He said that in Armenia the main ways
of HIV transmission are intravenous injections of narcotic drugs
(51.3%) and heterosexual contacts (41.3%). Besides, cases of HIV
transmission from mother to child, through homosexual contacts and
blood transfusion have been registered in Armenia.

In S. Grigorian’s words, 164 HIV positive persons (including 31
women and 5 children) have been diagnosed as having AIDS, including
46 patients in 2006 and 13 ones in 2007. Until now 104 people (19
women and 3 children) have died of AIDS/HIV in Armenia.

PROSPERING ARMENIA SPENDS MOST OF ALL ON ITS ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN

Arminfo
2007-04-18 19:08:00

As of now the Prospering Armenia party has spent the biggest amount
of money on its electoral campaign.

The official site of the Central Electoral Commission says that the
Prospering Armenia party has spent 12.395mln AMD. ARFD has spent
7.858mln AMD, Republican Party of Armenia – 7.576mln AMD.

The RPA has the biggest electoral fund – 29.350mln AMD, ARFD –
28.150mln AMD, Prospering Armenia – 12.600mln AMD (i.e. the party
has spent almost all of its money). The Heritage party of Raffi
Hovhannissyan has spent 9.236mln AMD of 9.550mln AMD.

The Dashink party has spent 5.820mln AMD of 8mln AMD, the New Times
party – 2.600mln AMD of 2.750mln AMD but is expecting new funds.

The National-Democratic Party of Shavarsh Kocharyan has spent just
700,000 AMD of 5.700mln AMD, the Orinats Yerkir party 2.744mln AMD
of 4.232mln AMD.

The People’s Party has spent all of its funds: 1.750mln AMD. The
Hanrapetoutyun party has spent 474,000 AMD of 540,000 AMD.

The Democratic Party of Armenia, the United Liberal-National Party,
the Communist Party and the Armenian Pan-National Movement Party are
the most economical parties: they have not spend a single penny of
their electoral funds.

National Unity has spent just 936,000 AMD of 7.500mln AMD.
From: Baghdasarian