Month: May 2008

SEYRAN OHANYAN: THE CEASE-FIRE SHOULD BE MAINTAINED

armradio.am
13.05.2008 10:51

"We must do everything for the cease-fire regime to be maintained. The
authorities of our country do everything for the Nagorno Karabakh
issue to have its logical continuation and be solved in a peaceful
manner," RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told reporters at the
National Assembly.

Asked about the possible threat of war, the Minister said "there is
no such situation today."

Turning to the fate of the four Armenian citizens that crossed the
border of Nakhijevan, the Minister said they have information about
them, and the citizens will be returned after corresponding work
is done.

"They had to return them a week ago, but we were informed that the
Ministry should take corresponding measures, after which our citizens
will be released," Seyran Ohanyan said, saying it’s hardly possible
that they will not be returned.

ARMENIA AND TURKMENISTAN INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIC RELATIONS

armradio.am
13.05.2008 13:13

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan today received the newly appointed
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to
Armenia Shohrat Jumayev.

Congratulating the Ambassador on starting his diplomatic mission
in our country, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the
development of Armenian-Turkmen relations will acquire new dynamics,
using the positive experience of cooperation between the two countries
in different spheres, especially the energy sector.

Noting the high level of political relations between Armenia and
Turkmenistan, the parties underscored the necessity to foster the
economic relations and have these reach the level of political
ties, especially considering that good preconditions exist in
both countries. Among the important spheres of cooperation the
interlocutors specially noted the fields of construction, healthcare,
energy and tourism. To promote the economic cooperation the parties
attached importance to the establishment of the Armenian-Turkmen
Intergovernmental Cooperation Commission.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan assured that the Armenian Co-Chair of
the Commission will be appointed in the near future. The interlocutors
expressed confidence that the creation of the Intergovernmental
Commission will serve as a new impetus for further development of the
Armenian-Turkmen economic ties and relations, will contribute to the
discussion and implementation of programs of reciprocal interest.

PLANNING CONFERENCE OF THE COOPERATIVE LONGBOW/LANCER 08 EXERCISES TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

armradio.am
13.05.2008 13:31

The main planning conference of the cooperative longbow lancer 2008
exercises in the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace Program
will be held in Yerevan on May 14-16, Press Secretary of the Minister
of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan
informed.

FOR THE FIRST TIME A BRITISH MINISTER USES THE WORDS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
13.05.2008 14:59

The U.K. government has strongly condemned the desecration of the
Armenian Genocide Monument in Cardiff, Wales which occurred on
Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, 2008.

In a reply to Mr. David Burrowes, MP who had taken up a complaint by
B. Nazarian of Armenia Solidarity about the desecration of the Armenian
Genocide Monument, the Secretary of State for Wales, the Rt Hon. Paul
Murphy, replying for the UK government specifically referred to "the
desecration of The Armenian Genocide Memorial in Cardiff in January
2008," independent French correspondent Jean Eckian informed Radiolur.

He continued: "I wholeheartedly condemn this violent act of
desecration. It is distressing that this is yet another example of
how we must all continue to be vigilant against such acts of racism,
violence and hatred; and that we all need to stand united against
them. This attack, like many similar crimes, is often unprovoked and
undertaken under the cover of darkness. I hope that when the persons
are caught and prosecuted for this crime, this will go some way to
easing the pain and distress that has been caused by this terrible
act," he said.

"This is a most significant development," said a spokesman for Armenia
Solidarity. "In the past government ministers have made strenuous
efforts to avoid using the phrase Armenian Genocide."

MEDIATORS HOPE FOR A MEETING OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS

armradio.am
13.05.2008 15:15

"The meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on May 6 in
Strasburg shows that the Minsk process is useful and moves forward,"
Matthew Bryza, OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair told APA.

Bryza said he had high hopes for the meeting of Azerbaijani and
Armenian Presidents. "We are hopeful that the meeting of leaders of
both countries will push the new round of vigorous activity and the
work on the basic principles will be completed in the next few months."

OFFICE OF SEVAN RADIO BURNT IN BEIRUT

armradio.am
12.05.2008 16:54

The headquarters of the Armenian "Sevan" radio station was burnt
during the recent clashes in Lebanon. According to MP Eghik Jerejyan,
representing the Hnchakian Party at the Parliament of Lebanon,
the station operates under the auspices of the government forces,
that is why it became the main target of the opposition movement.

According to him, "Sevan Radio" is politically independent, but
enjoys the support Saad Hariri’s movement. On Saturday, at about 5
a.m. Hezbollah militants entered the building and the newly established
Armenian radio station "Sevan" in the Mar Elias area in Beirut.

PM TIGRAN SARGSYAN CONGRATULATES MAESTRO EDWARD MIRZOYAN ON BIRTHDAY

armradio.am
12.05.2008 17:43

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan congratulated Edward Mirzoyan on
the occasion of his 87th birthday. The congratulatory message states,
in part:

"Dear Maestro Edward Mirzoyan,

I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of your 87th birthday.

Being one of the celebrated representatives of the Armenian school of
composers, you have authored wonderful musical values, which brought
universal recognition and fame to you and our Motherland and occupied
their deserved place not only in the Armenian, but also in the world
musical treasury.

Your immense creative merits have been appreciated and rewarded with
high awards and titles by Soviet and Armenian authorities.

Leaving an inerasable trace in the history of the national musical art,
you have maximally contributed to the moral and cultural upbringing
of our society.

Dear Maestro,

Once again congratulating you on your birthday, I wish you robust
health, fruitful creative activity for the sake of development and
further prosperity of national culture."

LAW ON STATE RESERVE WAS PASSED IN 2005 BUT THERE IS NO RESERVE YET

KarabakhOpen
12-05-2008 17:22:47

The prices of various products, including foodstuffs, grow day
by day. Is it possible to regulate this and what efforts does the
government make to relieve the heavy load of ordinary citizens? The
chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of Finance and Budget
Benik Bakshiyan answered the questions of Karabakh-Open.com.

The world is on the verge of economic crisis, therefore the growth
of prices of all kinds of foodstuffs is inevitable. The member of
parliament thinks the only way to slow down inflation is to produce
and sell competitive production.

Benik Bakshiyan thinks Karabakh has all the preconditions for becoming
an industrial country. The government must organize production. "It
is necessary to expand production of foodstuffs, not only for
local consumption but also for export," said Benik Bakshiyan. He
underlined that since the "government finally faces to villages",
there is certain activity regarding investments.

"I think investments would be justified if they were aimed at the
creation of major farms. It is necessary to consolidate minor farms. It
is an axiom, land should be consolidated. It will necessitate creation
of infrastructures – processing factories, warehouses, outlets,
roads, etc.

It must be the first move toward slowing down inflation," the member
of parliament said.

In answer to our question whether the government has a state reserve
in case the inflation leads to shortage of products, the member of
parliament said.

"The law on the state reserve was passed in April 2005, but nothing
has been done so far to bring it into being. According to the law,
a reserve of foodstuffs should be created. Thanks to this it will be
possible to soften the "impression" from inflation. The reserve fund
is created for such purposes."

ARMENIAN PARTIES IN LEBANON ISSUE STATEMENT

Yerkir
12.05.2008 15:38

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Armenian political parties, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation, the Ramkavar Azatakan party and the
Hnchak Social Democratic Party, held a meeting on May 9 in Beirut
in connection with the recent civil unrest, Shahan Gantaharian,
the chief editor of the Armenian-language newspaper Azdak, has said.

Gantaharian told Yerkir by the phone that those parties have called on
the conflicting sides to engage in a dialogue and stop the bloodshed.

The recent events remind of the civil war in Lebanon," Gantaharian
said.

"The clashes are mainly between the pro-government and the opposition
forces. The clashes have resulted in the opposition forces to take
control over the western districts of Beirut. The situation is tense
in the northern and mountainous parts of Lebanon where the opposition
has taken control too.

Clashes occur at the Syrian border as well and the highway to Damascus
often gets blocked." He added that the opposition has blocked the
roads to the airport, and all the flights have been delayed.

Gantaharyan said that the Armenian-populated districts of Beirut are
mainly unharmed. The roads to the Mecca region are blocked but the
Armenian village, Anchar, has been saved since no clashes occurred
there. He said that the Armenian air carrier, Armavia, has stopped
its flights to Beirut.

"The Armenian community has found itself in a new situation since
many were planning to travel to Armenia, and because of this, it was
impossible to celebrate the Shushi liberation anniversary. However,
before those events, the ARF youth organizations and committees managed
to hold several events dedicated to that date. Some cultural events
have been delayed, however," Gantaharian said.

ROMAN AMOYAN QUALIFIES FOR BEIJING 2008

armradio.am
12.05.2008 17:55

Armenian Greek-Roman style wrestler Roman Amoyan (55 kg) booked an
Olympic berth, celebrating three victories in the Olympic Qualification
Tournament in Rome.

Three Armenian Greek Roma style wrestlers – Roan Amoyan (55 kg), Arman
Adikyan (66 kg) and Yuri Patrikeev (120 kg) have already qualified
for Beijing 2008. All in all, Armenian wrestlers have booked six
Olympic berths.