Month: July 2007

CHALLANGE MADE AGAINST JUDGE PRESIDING OVER CASE FILED AGAIST ZHIRAIR
SEFILIAN

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The July 2 court hearing of the case
filed against Zhirair Sefilian, the coordinator of the non-governmental
civil initiative "In defence of the liberated territories", was
interrupted as the defensive side declared that he had submitted a
statement to Jora Vardanian, the Chairman of the Court of First
Instance of the Kentron and Nork-Marash communities in Yerevan,
concerning the challange made against Mnatsakan Martirosian, the judge
presiding over this case, in a definitive way.

The representatives of the initiative organized an action of protest in
front of the building of the court before the beginning of the court
hearing. According to them, the case that is being heard in court is
not a criminal one at all, and Zhirair Sefilian, Vardan Malkhasian, and
Vahan Aroyan are political prisoners. Irrespective of the fact that a
great number of arms was discovered in the house of the latter, the
participants of the action of protest believe that they would not
detain Vahan Aroyan if he were not acquainted with Zhirair Sefilian.

The following hearing is set for July 6.
From: Baghdasarian

Military-political consultations between USA and Azerbaijan to be held
in Washington on 9-10 July

04.07.2007 11:46

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – On July 9-10 military-political consultations will
be held in Washington between Azerbaijan and the United States, Azeri
Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told journalists.

He said, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov will head the Azeri
delegation. And Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza will head the U.S. delegation. E.
Mamedyarov did not clarify what issues will be discussed at the
meeting, Day.az reports.

Earlier military-political consultations were scheduled for April 23.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Bush welcomes Putin’s proposal, but is not going to refuse from plans
to place air defense system in Europe

04.07.2007 11:57

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – At the meeting between U.S. and Russian Presidents
in George Bush’s home in Kennebunkport, Maine, Vladimir Putin offered
to broaden the number of participants in consultations over air defense
of Europe.

The Russian leader proposed to enlarge the number of parties involved
in the consultations `at the expense of European countries, and it is
necessary to do that on the bases of Russia-NATO Council’. V. Putin
also reminded G. W. Bush the agreement, which `was reached several
years ago’. It supposes creation of an information exchange center on
missile launches in Moscow or a European capital.

`A similar center may be established in one of European capitals,
particularly in Brussels, and it might be a closed system, which would
work in the real time regime,’ Putin said. At the same time he offered
to share the use of not only the Gabala radar station, but also the
early missile warning station in the south of Russia, which currently
is still under construction. `In this case there will be no need in
placing new stations in Europe `a radar in the Czech Republic and a
shock-brigade in Poland,’ V. Putin said.

Bush welcomed his Russian counterpart’s proposal on `establishing a
regional concept of air defense system’. However, he stated that the
United States is not going to refuse from the plans to place his ownair
defense system in Eastern Europe.

Presidents of both countries also discussed the Iranian nuclear
problem. `We are close to the point to sent a decisive message to
Iran,’ George Bush stated. During the joint press conference Bush said
about Putin, `Sometimes he says something that I would not like to
hear. But I know he always tells me the truth.’ The U.S. President
underlined that even in case of serious differences they continue to
show mutual respect towards each other, Lenta.ru reports.

"DISCUSSIONS ORGANIZED IN YEREVAN CONCERNING NKR PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS ARE ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE ELECTION RESULTS," ARMAN MELIKIAN,
ADVISOR TO NKR PRESIDENT, BELIEVES

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The discussions organized in Yerevan
concerning the forthcoming presidential elections to be held in the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, moreover, on the initiative of an
organization, which is financed by a third country (Russia), are
inadmissible. This statement was made by Arman Melikian, the advisor to
the President of Nagorno Karabakh, at the July 4 press conference,
taking into consideration the round table organized the previous day on
the initiative of the Kovkas analytical center. In his opinion, it
casts doubt on the possibility of making a free choice at the best, and
is an attempt to influence and foresee the results of the forthcoming
elections at the worst.

In response to the question of how it happened that the President of
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh was making a speech in the Slavonic
University at the same moment, A. Melikian said: "One should not
mistake a bicycle for a tank, as, in difference to the analytical
center, a university is an institution, which has no political
purposes." In addition to this, he believes that two of the experts of
the Kovkas analytical center are the supporters of one of the
candidates for the post of the President of Nagorno Karabakh, which
speaks about "the fact of direct and open intervention."

"GOVERNMENT SYSTEM NO LONGER UNICENTRAL AS RESULT OF CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS," POLITICAL SCIENTIST VARDAN POGHOSIAN SAYS

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Political scientist Vardan Poghosian, the
Chairman of the Zhoghovrdavarutiun (Democracy) organization, made a
statement at the July 4 press conference dedicated to Constitution Day:
"The Constitution adopted in 1995 is, unfortunately, still considered
to be a non-legitimate document: it was formally meeting all the
necessary democratic standards, but in terms of the content, the only
hero of the Constitution was the president of the country."

He gave a positive mark to the constitutional amendments made in
November 2005. According to him, the most important thing has changed:
the government system is no longer unicentral. "The division principle
of the authorities has fully reached the democratic standards at least
in respect of the level of Constitution, a balanced government system
has been created between different bodies of authorities," V. Poghosian
mentioned.

In his opinion, "the minimal conditions of democracy are provided and
much depends on the political culture of parties and the people."

FOUR POLICEMEN ACCUSED OF ABUSE OF OFFICIAL POWERS SENTENCED

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The Court of First Instance of the
Kentron and Nork-Marash communities in Yerevan with Zhora Vardanian at
the head pronounced the judgement of the case filed against four
policemen charged with perjury and abuse of official powers on July 3.

Marat Manukian, the section leader of the Protection Division of the
Guard Department to the Police Central Department, was sentenced to
three years imprisonment, and policemen Hayrapet Giulamirian was
condemned to two years imprisonment. Policemen Vardan Gabrielian and
Arman Khachatrian were sentenced to two and three years of conventional
imprisonment. Diana Simonian, the cashier of the Alen-Elen nightclub,
was also sentenced to one-year conventional imprisonment.

According to the materials of the case, M. Manukian and A. Khachatrian,
who were on duty in the Alen-Elen nightclub in Yerevan on June 30, 2006
on the illegal orders of the club’s manager Vl. Bejanian, forcedly took
a customer of the club, A. Babum, a citizen of the Islamic Republic of
Iran, to the police sentry post located in the club for allegedly
entering the club with a knife. Vl. Bejanian interrogated and beat
Babum there, inflicting relatively serious injuries upon him. Then the
policemen gave false testimony against A. Babum.

It is also mentioned in the charge that on July 5, 2006 H. Gyulamirian
started an ungrounded argument with the same club customer Tigran
Galstian, then beat him with M. Manukian causing minor injuries. Vardan
Gabrielian, the next defendant in the case, wrote a forged report and
gave false testimony against T. Galstian.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALEXANDER ARZUMANIAN’S LAWYER APPEALS AGAINST FIRST INSTANCE COURT
DECISION TO PROLONG ARREST TERM

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Hovik Arsenian, the lawyer of Alexander
Arzumanian, the former RA Foreign Minister, has applied to the RA
Appeal Court for Criminal Cases appealing against the first instance
court decision to prolong the arrest term of his defendant. As a Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed by H. Arsenian, in the appeal
application the defence party petitioned to invalidate that decision,
to liquidate the arrest chosen as a preventive punishment or pledged
even to replace it by alternative preventive punishment.

EVENT DEDICATED TO PROMINENT PHYSIOLOGIST LEVON ORBELI’S 125th
ANNIVERSARY HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. We need the example of the founder of
evolution physiology, academician Levon Orbeli to show youth,
especially biologists and doctors how one can devote himself to
science. Vilen Hakobian, the Academician-Secretary of the RA National
Academy of Sciences, said this in his interview with a Noyan Tapan
correspondent at the event dedicated to the great physiologist’s 125th
birth anniversary, which was organized on July 3 by the National
Academy of Sciences and the Orbeli Physiology Institute. Levon Orbeli
was a real and honorable member of many academies of the world, a
Colonel-General of medical services, and the First Vice-Chairman of the
USSR Academy of Sciences.

In V. Hakobian’s words, pupils’ and students’ excursions to the Orbeli
House-Museum should be periodically organized and the monograph about
the Orbeli brothers should be republished. "The Academy, through
different benefactors, is trying to get resources for republishing the
monograph. Probably, the monograph will be published next year," V.
Hakobian said.

As for the republication of L. Orbeli’s scientific works comprising of
five volumes, in V. Hakobian’s words, speaking about that is still
early due to lack of funds. "Due to lack of funds, our institutes are
not able to buy modern equipment, either, which is necessary for the
development of physiology," he mentioned expressing the hope that those
funds will be provided by the state or by benefactors.

The events dedicated to Levon Orbeli’s 125th birth anniversary
continued in Tsakhkadzor, in the scientist’s native land. V. Hakobian
said that it is also envisaged to hold such events in Russia in the
future.

Karabakh foreign minister concerned at European reaction against
Karabakh poll

Arminfo
4 Jul 07

Yerevan, 4 July: It is regrettable that representatives of the Council
of Europe, an organization aimed at protecting and promoting ideals and
principles of pluralistic democracy, human rights and supremacy of law
through integration processes, criticize presidential election in
Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR]. The Karabakh foreign minister,
Grigori Petrosyan, said this commenting on the statement of Chairman of
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Vuk Jeremic on the
forthcoming Karabakh presidential election.

The NKR foreign minister says that by this way they doubt the
institution of election itself as an important element of democracy,
which is against the status of the Council of Europe. "If the European
bureaucrats do not want to assist democratic processes in NKR, we have
the right to expect from them at least not hinder the strengthening of
democratic institutions in our country," Petrosyan said.

"We deeply believe that democracy is a most important condition for the
settlement of the NKR conflict, as democracy presumes the creation of
mechanisms that allow any conflicts to be resolved exclusively through
peaceful measures. This is what the NKR is striving for. It would be
natural if this strife was shared by representatives of various
European structures," Petrosyan said.

Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Vuk
Jeremic stated lately that the forthcoming election in NKR cannot serve
the settlement of the conflict and make the negotiation process more
difficult.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
05 juillet 2007 jeudi
Edition CHER

Voyage musical en Arménie; Thétre Saint-Bonnet

par lcaillaud

Dans le cadre des échanges franco-arméniens, le Thétre Saint-Bonnet,
à Bourges, présente, vendredi, un concert d’exception, avec Varduhi
Yeritsyan, pianiste, et Saténik Khourdoian, violoniste.

Ce concert exceptionnel réunira deux jeunes interprètes, parmi les
plus talentueuses de leur génération, dans un programme exceptionnel,
dont la sonate du compositeur Bbabdjanian, qu’elles ont fait
découvrir dans le monde entier.

Varduhi Yeritsyan, pianiste, et Saténik Khourdoian, violoniste, se
sont rencontrées en 2002, au Conservatoire national supérieur de
Paris, où elles suivent respectivement l’enseignement de la célèbre
pianiste Brigitte Engerer et de l’illustre violoniste Jean-Jacques
Kantorow. Les deux musiciennes arméniennes constituent, depuis, un
duo habituel piano-violon et se produisent dans les plus grandes
salles de musique du monde.
Lauréate de la Fondation Tarazzi et de la Fondation Nadia et Lili
Boulanger, Varduhi Yeritsyan est nommée « Révélation Classique 2007 »
de l’Adami. Brigitte Engerer l’encourage, disant d’elle : « C’est une
pianiste de grand talent, une vraie musicienne dotée de grandes
facilités techniques, d’une personnalité affirmée, brillante,
talentueuse, intelligente– »
A 18 ans, Saténik Khourdoian avait déjà remporté le Concours Ufam et
le Concours des jeunes interprètes de Cannet-en-Roussillon (1999), un
prix d’honneur au Concours Renata Molinari (2000), le Grand Prix
d’interprétation musicale au Concours Lions-Club International (2001)
et le premier prix du Concours des Jeunes interprètes de Wattrelos
(2001). En 2003, elle a reçu un prix au Concours international de
Markneurkirchen (Allemagne), et la Fondation Yamaha lui a attribué
une bourse pour l’année. En mai 2005, elle a remporté le premier prix
et le prix de virtuosité du Concours international Aram
Khatchatourian, à Erevan (Arménie).

Concert, vendredi 6 juillet, à 21 h, au Thétre Saint-Bonnet, avec,
au programme, Debussy, Prokofiev, Babadjanian et Khatchaturian.
Prix des places : 35 .
Réservations : 02.48.65.61.76.